Panegyria

April Panegyria Newsletter 2026

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:00:44 GMT

March Panegyria Newsletter 2026

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:56:27 GMT

Spring Mysteries Special Edition Panegyria Newsletter 2026

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:23:13 GMT

ATC LOOM PRESS RELEASE

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 17:49:23 GMT

GK Loom Wicca Theological Seminary Launches:

A New Era of Lineage-Rooted Education and Clergy Training for Wiccans in Africa

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

February Panegyria Newsletter 2026

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 18:40:15 GMT

January Panegyria Newsletter 2026

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:50:43 GMT

December Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:06:16 GMT

Download the December 2025 Newsletter!

November Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 14:55:35 GMT

Download the November 2025 Newsletter!

October Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:14:15 GMT

Download the October 2025 Newsletter!

The Fog

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 20:55:39 GMT

AS FAR AS I can remember, I've only died once.

I remember turning to our friends, Mitchell and Jennifer. They were leaning against the bumper of Georgie’s car, kissing. He touched my cheekbone, bringing my attention back to him.

“You got a little too much sun today.”

“Well, we won’t need to worry about that for long. Do you see the fog coming in, darling?”

“Mitchell!” He called to his best friend and pointed to the Pacific. “Let’s pack up. If we leave now, we can make it back to The Valley before we get socked in.”

A frenzy followed as we shoved towels, blankets, and picnic baskets into the trunk.

I didn’t notice right away that I’d forgotten my sweater lying in the sand. I didn’t notice that until a little later. But now, the sun was setting, and the fingers of fog were grasping at the car. We weren’t going to make it to The Valley.

About thirty minutes later, we drove in darkness, wrapped in a thick, impenetrable fog. By then, I'd realized my mistake and was shivering under George’s arm, between the bucket seats. It wasn’t very comfortable on my bottom, but it was a little warmer!

I was beginning to doze when a bright flash of light brought me awake. I wish I had slept through the cacophony of breaking glass and crumbling steel. The loud noise was immediately followed by pain. It was excruciating, and it radiated out from my center.

I remember watching as Mitchell’s and Jennifer’s bodies flew over our heads, and I thought to myself that I was so glad they were safe. I felt Georgie's hand grasp mine as the pain in my belly began to fade and the darkness came. There was no more sound, except a soft hum which came from the bright light ahead of me. I walked toward it.

It would be cliché of me to say that I was floating down a long hallway, and it wasn’t altogether accurate. The path was for sure a passage, but it felt more like a tunnel made of light rather than filled by it. Whatever. Unless you’ve seen it, travelled it, you wouldn’t understand. The light was so bright that it should have been painful, but it wasn’t. It pierced into my brain, but it was more like being filled up with a thick, warm light, which was quite pleasant.

As I drew closer to the source, the mesmerizing hum became more defined. I was now hearing voices, whispers that called me by names I did not recognize. Except one that is. Patricia. That was me, after all. I turned my head to the voice that spoke my name, and then down as my feet touched down upon a soft but firm floor. Nothing seemed to make sense here.

As I looked up from the floor, I was caught off guard as a vision of my deceased mother stood before me. She hadn’t aged a single day and might even have gone backwards to a more youthful age.

“Patty.” She wrapped ethereal arms around me, and I don’t believe I’ve ever felt a love so pure.

The hum of voices faded into a soft combination of bells, violins, and singing as my mother and I began to walk. I’m not sure how long we talked, but I don’t remember much, only that when we reached a lavender door which glowed softly with a different sort of light, I knew I was dead.

“How does this happen?” I asked my mother as we continued to walk, only now, we walked up this seemingly endless staircase. And then we were walking down, and then up again.

“Well, your body stopped its essential functions, and your soul came back home.” My mother said with a quirk to her lips.

“Funny,” I rolled my eyes, “What I mean is, I thought there was nothing after. That’s what Daddy always told me. ‘Death is the end. The afterlife is just a hoax to get people to go to church.’ That’s what he always said.”

“I know he did. I used to say the same thing… Until I died.” She gestured with her arms to the scenery around us. “But I was wrong. We both were.”

“It’s so beautiful here.”

“It is. And you haven’t even seen the best parts yet.” She smiled at me so gently.

We continued up again until we came to a landing which opened out to a beautiful meadow of soft grasses and flowers, dotted with full shade trees. I stopped with an awed smile.

“Come, darling, we have an appointment. You can come back here whenever you like.”

“Is there a God, like the churches say, Mom?” I hadn’t followed her, standing my ground. I had far too many questions to just keep walking.

“Well… without going into too much detail, no. Not like the churches say. That is all I can tell you for now, Patricia. You will learn more when we get to our appointment.” She called me to follow again with a wave of her hand.

My mind was racing. This only left me with more questions. No God? Does that mean there’s no Devil? This is impossible.

While my mind was racing, so was our journey, I think. We were approaching a low and rounded building. This must be where our appointment was.

“Patricia is here to see Her.” Mother was speaking to an empty room.

“There’s no one here, Mother,” I whispered.

Mother only smiled.

I wondered who she had been referring to as “Her”. Was there another woman I would need to speak with to learn about this place and why I was here? I jumped as a voice spoke softly behind me.

“Welcome, Patricia. She will see you now.” She smiled at my mother. Thank you, Savannah. We will take it from here.”

My mother squeezed my shoulders with a smile and let this woman take my hand, leading me away.

I only panicked a little bit when she walked me through the wall and into a softly lit chamber decorated in darker jewel tones. It was a rest for my eyes, and everything seemed to sparkle.

I was settled on a small pile of soft pillows and told to be comfortable. “She will be with you momentarily.”

“Who is She ? Doesn’t She have a name?” I asked as I finally settled.

“She has many names, Patricia. As does He. But you won’t meet Him until later.”

“This is insane. You know that, right?”

“It would be normal for you to think so right now. Everything will become clear to you soon. For now, relax and have a bite to eat while you wait.” She walked away in silence.

I’m not sure how long I waited. Time seems to pass oddly here. After a while, I started to feel a slight tingle in and on my entire body. My ears began to softly ring, although not like when I was alive. It was kind of like a soft whistle. Maybe more like a hum? Whatever it was, it made me feel like I’d had just a little too much to drink. Had I been drugged?

I rubbed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was sitting across from the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin was naturally golden, as if kissed by the sun, and her hair was a rich, but vibrant auburn with sun-kissed streaks.

“Welcome home, my daughter.” She spoke in musical tones, filled with ancient rhythms.

“Daughter?” I asked.

“I am She, who is the mother of all things. I give life to all that has, or ever will, exist. Her voice was so melodic and true.

“So, you are mother to all people?”

“I am Mother to all the universe. Everything has my breath within it. Everything was given a spark from my hearth.”

“God is a woman?”

The air shimmered before me, and when I blinked, a man sat before me. My eyes grew wide, and He smiled.

“We are All we are, Patricia. We are female and male. We are life, as well as death. We keep the balance in all things.” The shimmer came again, and She was back.

I was confused only for another moment, but then peace settled over me like a warm blanket. I knew this was where I belonged. I knew this was where I began and where I would return with each ending. I talked with Her for what felt like hours. I learned things I hadn’t known in life, things I would need soon when I returned to the living.

THE COLD CAME like a slap on my bare, wet skin, and I screamed loudly before I was wrapped in a soft blanket and tightly wrapped. The woman looked into my eyes, and a tear slid down her cheek as she spoke, “Emmalynn.”

“Mother,” I thought.

Moonsmoke LaVeau is a writer weaving words with intention and intuition. As a practicing witch, MoonSmoke blends ancestral wisdom, ritual, and spiritual study into both creative and academic pursuits. Currently an initiatory student, she explores the intersections of mysticism, literature, and personal transformation, crafting narratives that honor both the seen and unseen. Whether through spellcraft or storytelling, Moonsmoke seeks to empower, enchant, and educate.

Sustainable Housing Program

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:09:16 GMT

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church Launches Affordable, Sustainable Housing Program

Index, WA – August 28, 2025 – The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) is thrilled to announce a major milestone in its mission to provide accessible, sustainable housing for local families. The ATC has officially closed on the first lot of land for its Affordable Housing Program and is welcoming applications from families eager to custom-design their own environmentally sound home.

This pioneering initiative offers families the opportunity to live in beautiful, Pagan-friendly Washington State, close to the Mother Church, in locally sourced, eco-friendly dome homes that are as resilient as they are beautiful. This home is as versatile as the imagination.

Each home is:

Environmentally Sound & Sustainable: Built with local materials and designed for minimal environmental impact.
Disaster-Resilient: Fireproof, earthquake safe, and flood resistant, offering peace of mind in the face of climate change.
Off-Grid Capable: Equipped for self-sufficiency, supporting a sustainable lifestyle for residents.
Custom Designed: Homeowners will work directly with the ATC team to design a home that meets their unique needs.

“Our community’s biggest challenge is access to affordable, home-ownership, which is vital to family security and stability. We’re changing that, one family at a time,” shares Matriarch Belladonna LaVeau, Archpriestess of ATC. “These aren’t just homes; they’re a promise of safety, sustainability, and belonging. We’re so excited to help make homeownership possible for our community.”

Spaces are limited, and the waiting list is already growing! If you’re interested in customizing and owning a sustainable, affordable home, don’t wait—fill out this quick form today to join the waiting list. We’ll be in touch as soon as homes become available!

Since 1979, the ATC has been an international Pagan church dedicated to spiritual growth, community service, and environmental stewardship. Through programs like the Affordable Housing initiative, the ATC continues to champion innovative solutions for today’s most pressing social and ecological challenges.

Here is the link to the Affordable Housing Project Participant Form: https://atcwicca.fellowshiponego.com/external/form/881d62aa-c6cc-4e4b-a28b-c2291f546f45

September Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 15:55:50 GMT

Download the September 2025 Newsletter!

August Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:42:59 GMT

Download the August 2025 Newsletter!

July Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:50:38 GMT

Download the July 2025 Newsletter!

Special Announcement Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:59:18 GMT

Download the June 2025 Newsletter!

Sacred Fire

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 15:31:14 GMT

Sacred Fire at Imbolc by Samm Lybrand

June Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 21:12:05 GMT

Download the June 2025 Newsletter!

May Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Fri, 16 May 2025 12:41:53 GMT

Download the May 2025 Newsletter!

April Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:41:10 GMT

Download the April 2025 Newsletter!

March Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:22:54 GMT

Download the March 2025 Newsletter!

Panegyria Spring Mysteries Special Edition

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:42:18 GMT

Download the Spring Mysteries

 Special Edition 2025!

February Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:49:44 GMT

Download the February 2025 Newsletter!

Festivals This Year!

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 02:04:20 GMT

FESTIVALS!

January

A FEAST OF LIGHTS – Sturbridge, Massachusetts http://www.earthspirit.com/events/a-feast-of-lights Jan 30-Feb 1, 2026

TURNING THE TIDE – North Miami, Florida https://emlc.net/turning-the-tide/ Jan 30 - Feb 1, 2026

February

WITCHCON – Online https://www.witchcon.com/utm_medium=paid&utm_source=fb&utm_id=6624813363945&utm_content=6624817271145&utm_term=6624813363745&utm_campaign=6624813363945&fbclid=IwY2xjawHyPPtleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAYIPFIKMQEdS7MFp1gC2SeUe-DIG9mnMyEBSEz3Gfnyv9lEC16o_MJjkby_aH3RfE8w_aem_l1pp8Ake9pm1_bJhaacyWw Feb. 20–22, 2026

CONVOCATION – Detroit, Michigan https://www.convocation.org/ Feb. 19 – 22, 2026

March

PHOENIX PHYRE – Apopka, Florida https://www.phoenixfestivals.com/ TBA

HAWKFEST DRUM & DANCE GATHERING – Lakeland, Florida https://www.facebook.com/groups/175031977219/ March 19-22, 2026

PAGANICON MIDWEST CONFERENCE–Plymouth, Minnesota https://tcpaganpride.org/ March 20–22, 2026

ARCADIA GATHERING FOR QUEER PAGAN MEN – Virginia Beach, Virginia http://www.olympuscampgroundresort.com/index.php/arcadia-main March 20-22, 2026

MAGICKAL MARKETPLACE AND PSYCHIC FAIRE-Boxborough, Massachusetts https://themagicalmarketplace.com/ March 27–29, 2026

April

SPRING MYSTERIES FESTIVAL –Seattle, Washington https://www.springmysteries.com/ April 2 - 5, 2026

TRILLIUM SPRING GATHERING – Cross Junction, Virginia https://trilliumgatheringadf.org/ TBA

THE BELTANE – Darlington, Maryland https://www.turtlehilleventco.com/the-beltane.html April 29-May 3, 2026

BROTHERHOOD BY THE BOG – Virginia Beach, Virginia https://www.olympuscampgroundresort.com/brotherhood-by-the-bog-main/ TBA

FLORIDA PAGAN GATHERING – Silver Springs, Florida http://www.flapagan.org/ April 29-May 3, 2026

FERTILE GROUND GATHERING – Triangle, Virginia https://www.fertilegroundgathering.com/ April 30 - May 3, 2026

May

DAUGHTERS OF DIANA GATHERING – San Bernardino, California http://www.daughtersofdianagathering.org/ May 1-3, 2026

BELTANE FESTIVAL – Barneveld, Wisconsin https://circlesanctuary.org/beltane/ May 1–3, 2026

BELTAINE AT FOUR QUARTERS – Artemas, Pennsylvania https://4qf.org/beltaine May 1 - 3, 2026

ELF FEST – Bedford, Indiana https://elvinhome.org/elf-fest/ May 20–25, 2026

RITES OF SPRING – Western Massachusetts https://www.earthspirit.com/events/rites-of-spring-48 May 20–25, 2026

June

UNTAMED – Bailey, Colorado https://untamedfest.com/ June 4–7, 2026

CHRYSALIS MOON-Knox, Indiana https://chrysalismoon.com/ June 4–10, 2026

ST. LOUIS PAGAN PICKNIC – St. Louis, Missouri https://www.paganpicnic.org/ June 6–7, 2026

BABALON RISING PAN-THELEMIC FESTIVAL – Springville, Illinois https://www.babalonrising.com/ June 10–14, 2026

SUMMER MAGICK FESTIVAL – Orlando, Florida https://www.summermagickfest.org/ June 11-14, 2026

SUNFEST – Portland, Oregon https://owow.org/sunfest/ June 12-14, 2026

PAGAN SPIRIT GATHERING (PSG) – Waynesville, Missouri https://www.circlesanctuary.org/psg June 14-21, 2026

PAGAN UNITY FESTIVAL (PUF) – Toone, Tennessee https://www.paganunityfest.org/home June 18-21, 2026

WISTERIA APPALACHIAN SUMMER SOLSTICE GATHERING – Athens, Ohio https://www.wisteria.org/summer-solstice/ June 18-21, 2026

CALIFORNIA WITCHCAMP – Northern California Forest https://www.californiawitchcamp.org/ June 28–July 5, 2026

July

SPIRITFIRE FESTIVAL – New Lebanon, New York https://spiritfirefestival.org/ July 8-12, 2026

MYSTIC SOUTH – Atlanta, Georgia https://mystic-south.com/ July 17-19, 2026

STARWOOD FESTIVAL – Pomeroy, Ohio https://www.starwoodfestival.com/ July 14-20, 2026

SANKOFA FESTIVAL – Sherman, New York https://brushwood.com/sankofa/ July 17-19, 2026

SIRIUS RISING – Sherman, New York https://www.brushwood.com/siriusrising/ July 20-26, 2026

DRAGONFEST – Colorado http://dragonfest.org/ July 29-Aug 2, 2026

GODCON – Index, Washington https://www.atcwicca.org/godcon July 18th, 2026

CIRCLE’S GREEN SPIRIT FESTIVAL – Barneveld, Wisconsin https://www.circlesanctuary.org/greenspirit July 31- August 2, 2026

August

SACRED HARVEST FESTIVAL – Finlayson, Minnesota http://www.harmonytribe.org/ August 3-9, 2026

FREE SPIRIT GATHERING – Darlington, Maryland https://www.freespiritgatheringmd.org/ Aug 4-9, 2026

SUMMERLAND FESTIVAL – Clifton, Ohio https://threecranes.org/summerland/ August 13-16, 2026

TEMPLE FEST – Charlton, Massachusetts https://templefest.templeofwitchcraft.org/ Aug 29-Sept 1, 2025

STONES RISING – Artemas, Pennsylvania https://4qf.org/stonesrising TBA

September

THE WITCHES WEEKEND – Houghton Lake, Michigan https://templefest.templeofwitchcraft.org/ September 4-7, 2026

WILD MAGICK GATHERING – Needmore, Indiana https://elvinhome.org/wild-magick-gathering/ Sept 17-20, 2026

MYSTIC MABON SOUTHWEST – Tijeras, New Mexico https://mysticmabon.org/about/festival/ Sept 17-20. 2026

AUTUMN MEET - Apopka, Florida https://www.phoenixfestivals.com/ TBA

October

WISTERIA AUTUMN FIRES – Athens, Ohio https://www.wisteria.org/events/autumn-fires/ October 1-4, 2026

WITCH FEST – Twin Falls, Idaho https://www.sageandcrowschoolofwitchcraft.com/witchfest-thank-you TBA

SAMHAIN SPELLBOUND MASQUERADE – Courtenay Bay, Canada https://www.atccanada.org/samhain-spellbound-masquerade-ritual-and-dance TBA

HEKATE’S SICKLE – Seattle, Washington https://www.sickle.atcwicca.org/ TBA

November

December

YULEFEST – Tampa Bay, Florida http://allworldacres.org/yulefest TBA

Are we missing your FESTIVAL? Email us at editor@atcwicca.org, and we will gladly add yours to our list!

January Issue Panegyria Newsletter 2025

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 00:22:03 GMT

Download the January 2025 Newsletter!

Visiting Where the Gods Walk the Earth

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 16:44:01 GMT

Visiting Where the Gods Walk the Earth

An Essay by Cheryl Costa

An Initiate’s Profound Spiritual Experience

Prologue: Charlie was dead to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. His psycho-therapist had signed the affidavits for the justification for his death. The plastic surgeon who performed the surgeries certified that the death occurred on the ancient day of Halloween. In the following weeks, a government clerk processed a birth certificate in 1990, a new woman had been born.

Long, long ago, when I was in my twenties and in the Navy, I became Wiccan while on forward deployment on Imbolc 1977. The philosophy of those days dictated initiations had to take place in secrecy. Our location was actually Top Secret. I underwent my initiation in the bowels of a fast attack nuclear submarine on deployment deep in the North Atlantic! My sacred bath was a cup of fresh water poured over my head. Our cakes and ale were a muffin and a can of grape soda we snagged from the ship’s mess.

I’ve been a priestess since the mid-eighties. I’ve been to a lot of priestess camp retreats, sacred festivals and, of course, a few hotel conference style events. Many of these events claimed they were sacred space. But to be honest, most of those events were long on party and short on sacred space. Sure, there were brief periods of deep introspection, but nothing that could be called deep immersion.

ATC’s Spring Mysteries Festival is unique. Imagine being in a convention center, where perhaps millions of people have been in the past. Yet. I found the floor where the Spring Mysteries Festival was being held to be remarkably quiet psychically. Nowhere on the Mysteries floor did I feel the composite echo signatures of past mundane conventions. The place was quiet! Whatever sacred rites and juice they used to cleanse the place, I want a barrel of it and the text to their invocation.

Before I flew out to Seattle, I was a little intimidated by being a visiting pilgrim from the court of the Egyptian Goddess ASET {ISIS} essentially visiting a Greek Spiritual Festival in the Olympia mountains of Washington State. But as a visiting pilgrim, they welcomed me with open arms.

When I visited the Gods and Goddesses at their shrines; I bid them greetings from the Court of Isis and made suitable and respectful offerings.

My first visit was to Apollo’s shrine. I gifted him a piece of jewelry, a small gold colored “Cross of Malta” with a yellow stone, which are his colors. He delighted in the gift and immediately put it on his yellow tunic over his heart. Looking back, I suppose that subtly started what was going to be an emotional outpouring.

A short time later, I had an audience with Poseidon . I made my customary introduction to him with an offering, bidding him greetings from my patron Egyptian Goddess. I told him I had once been a sailor upon and under his oceans. His words to me were deeply personal, and he stirred deep memories that only I knew. That’s when I realized that this man wasn’t roleplaying! He sincerely was a vessel for Poseidon. I suppose that gently started my weepy eyes, and a heartfelt emotional churn within me.

At the shrine to Ares , standing there was the Greek god of war and courage. He stood before me, not dressed in ancient armor and a helmet, but in a more modern and evolved uniform appearance. His red uniform jacket was reminiscent of a Canadian Mountie. I performed the customary offering, greetings and introduction. Then, unexpectedly, he engaged me in a conversation that only former warriors talk about, and in a way, that only former warriors speak. He saw past my elder womanly persona and knew I had been a warrior, and somehow, he knew I was a wounded warrior. I lost my emotional composure. He was significantly taller than me. He wrapped his arms around me and comforted me and spoke to me in a manner that only an endearing father confessor, a former warrior, would. I was a sobbing mess went I left his presence and had to go to the ladies’ room to compose myself. As I sat sobbing, I again realized this guy wasn’t roleplaying. He clearly was a vessel for Ares .

My interaction with Charon , the ferryman, who transports the dead across the river Acheron to the underworld, was another deeply weepy encounter. I simply offered coins to Charon and named the close relatives for whom they were intended. Humbly, I gave him a coin for my father who died 14 years ago and has waited on the shore of the river Acheron without a coin. I gave him a coin for my mother, who is short for this world and finally; I gave him a silver dollar to reserve both my wife’s and my spot in his boat for when our time comes.

Yes, of course, I left Charon’s presence again in a sobbing emotional state. I proceeded to my visit with Lord Hades for an audience with him. As silly as this sounds, he saw my emotional state and offered his arms in comfort and I fell into his arms. He gave me his blessing in words I knew to be Greek. I left the shrine of Hades and again retreated to the ladies’ room to settle myself and to gather an abundant supply of tissues.

My Skyclad audience, with the goddess Aphrodite, helped me feel comfortable within my own skin.

Those of you reading this deeply personal sharing of my pilgrimage and spiritual experience. Please understand that from my view I met some amazing channeled godly presences. Each of these audiences was deeply touching in intensely personal ways that I don’t have words to describe. After each interaction devoted attendants at these shrines, gave me and others the ribbons to attach to our badges. In some cases, the gods and goddesses gave me other tokens after our profoundly esoteric encounters.

My last deity encounter was a private audience with the Goddess Baubo. She is the Goddess of deep belly laughter and mirth that breaks through the barrier of sorrow that overwhelms us at times in our lives. During our chat, I shared with her I am sometimes called the Mad Priestess because I do Crazy Sacred Clown stuff and Crazy Yogi stuff in my classes and in my sacred rites. I told her how sad I am for those who leave my circles and classes thinking I’m not being serious enough or being too silly. She placed her hands around mine and remarked, “You, my child, understand that to do serious magick, you must be a child at heart.” Baubo gave me her blessing. I left her company giggling and snickering.

All in all, I had fifteen intensely intimate and profoundly moving experiences. Why did I have such a deeply immersive experience? I left my mundane life and cell phone in the safe of my hotel room! I went to the shrines not expecting to be entertained but with the mindset that I was open to a deep profound mystical experience.

While visiting the shrines at the Spring Mysteries Festival 38, I granted myself permission to let down all my defenses. I closed my eyes and surrendered my inner heart. I bravely lowered my inner cloak and was prepared to engage all my inner demons and darkest memories. As a spiritual pilgrim, I purged my thoughts of life’s troubles, relaxed, and let my spirit soar.

In the past year since Spring Mysteries Festival 38 , I published my first novel. I’ve allowed myself to explore and embrace things that my inner demons with never allow me to have. Things I never imagined for myself.

A caveat, the Spring Mysteries Festival, is not a substitute for psycho-therapy and professional mental health care. But the Spring Mysteries Festival is a powerful and safe place to let yourself be naked with your thoughts and your heart.

I’ve been in the craft 47 years to date. I have been to many pagan conferences and festivals in my nearly fifty years of mystical practice. Of nearly thirty pagan retreat events. Only three events have seriously kicked my Spiritual Ass!

A very private invitation only, shamanic retreat in the high Jemez Mountains of New Mexico in 1994. Being found and recognized by my Tibetan Lama in 1997. Last but certainly not least. The “ Spring Mysteries Festival 38 ” 2024.

I left the event with two questions on my mind. “Why were there only hundreds of pilgrims? Why weren’t there thousands there?”

If you are reading this narrative and are of a pagan leaning, I strongly encourage you to attend the “ Spring Mysteries Festival ” in the future. May a profound transformation bless your personal pilgrimage and spiritual journey!

Cheryl Costa - Priestess Emeritus

Priestess of ASET

Note: The author is a two-service veteran and served in combat in Vietnam and later in Nuclear Submarines.

Yule 2024 Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:49:58 GMT

Download the Yule 2024 Newsletter!

The Poetry of Jezibell Anat

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 20:51:39 GMT

Aphrodite's Passage

The ocean is shimmering in the night,

The tides are drawing closer,

The sirens are smiling upon their rocks,

Aphrodite is calling us towards her.

The moon is glowing above the waves,

The sirens raise their voices,

Sparkling harmony of song and surf,

Aphrodite makes her choices.

Rising, from the boundless deep,

Rising, from dream and sleep,

Rising, star of the sea,

Rising, Aphrodite.

Her hair swirls fulgent against the sky,

Her eyes gleam an invitation.

Bearing beauty and dancing desire,

She is the heart’s inspiration.

Enter her waters to learn her ways.

Between moon and sea she hovers.

Transcending time in her ebb and flow,

She favors sailors and lovers.

Ruling, from the boundless deep,

Ruling, from dream and sleep,

Ruling, star of the sea.

Ruling, Aphrodite.

Float upon her iridescent foam,

Hear her ripples of laughter,

Follow her current back to shore,

Remember what happens after.

For now the moonlight begins to dim,

The sirens’ song is fading.

In stillness she closes her luminous eyes,

Aphrodite’s tides are receding.

Returning, from the boundless deep,

Returning, from dream and sleep,

Returning, star of the sea,

Returning, Aphrodite.

Apollo

Bright lord of intellect and art,

You bestow the light of knowledge.

As the sun blessing the earth,

You bring the illumination of logic and order,

Developing abilities through study, practice, focus,

The skills of writing,

The technique of healing,

The proficiency of music.

Your gifts shape civilization.

Ares

Oh, you tempestuous bad boy of fire and fury,

Loud boisterous bold warrior,

Caught up in battle frenzy,

You are our fiercest defender.

You are the rape-fighting champion,

Father of Amazons,

Father of serpents,

Mighty body, flaming spirit,

We all know that you are Aphrodite’s favorite.

Artemis

Lady of wild things,

Fleet-footed racer,

Keen-eyed archer,

Unencumbered by convention,

You run on instinct and muscle.

You embody the paradox of hunter and protector,

Only taking what is needed

To preserve the balance of prey and predator.

You are bracing air, clear mountain water,

The eagerness of the new moon.

You care not for comfort.

You will not stagnate in a city.

You thirst for challenge.

Athena

You stand still and statuesque,

Overlooking your city,

But your mind spins plots

As your fingers weave patterns.

Yours is the gift of smooth functioning,

Wise advisor, strategic commander,

Counselor to humans and deities,

Trusted for your cool head and calm temper,

You are the grey-eyed lady of grey matter

Demeter

Green Mother, Grain Mother,

Lady of the Land,

Growth Mother, Great Mother,

Blessings from your hand.

Chloaia, seed and sustenance,

Panagia, source and substance,

IO Demeter, Thesmaphoria,

Harvest bounty, fecund euphoria!

Dionysis

Lord of the dance, lord of the trance.

Goats and satyrs leap and prance.

Loose the cloak, swirl it around,

Sweep the sky and touch the ground.

Mystery unfolds tonight,

Wine and ivy mark the rite.

Sacred chamber with walls of red,

Like a snake, the skin is shed.

Offering and sacrifice,

Ecstasy of verve and vice,

The syrinx plays, the voices sing,

Dancers writhe and cymbals ring

Hades

What would you have been

If you had drawn another lot,

If you had won the land or the sea

Instead of these caverns of shadows?

Is it any wonder that you became solemn and grim,

A source of fear among the living?

Those who once lived and loved and laughed

Beside fertile fields and shining streams

Are now pale phantoms, vacant and lost in the silence.

Still, you discovered subterranean treasures.

Yours are the deep veins of gold and silver,

The bright jewels and crystals within your caves.

You hold the sacred fallow time,

The wilting vines and decaying grain

That become the catalyst for new growth.

You are the downward shift, the nadir,

From you all things arise anew.

Hekate

I roam the hidden realm.

I wander the shadow of the spirit,

Teaching the dead to dance and the living to dream.

I am the keyholder, gatekeeper, opener of ways

Between chthonic and celestial realms.

I am the wide world wanderer,

Setting and shifting boundaries.

Those who walk with me may cross the threshold of the mysteries

And enter the place of secrets.

I hold the keys to all the doors.

I set the boundaries of infinity, granting and guarding revelation.

The roots of wisdom dwell in the Underworld,

Beneath the borders of the ordinary.

Reach down, reach deep, and do not fear the decay.

In the decomposition and dissolution, your essence will be revealed.

Only in the darkness can you behold the light,

And chaos is the mother of comprehension

Hephaistos

Swing your hammer, Mighty One,

You are the forge of creation,

Molding bronze, silver, gold.

You wield your hammer,

And sweat over your anvil,

Muscles stretched and straining.

But yours is far more than physical prowess.

You hold the magic of metalworking,

How to heat it, beat it, bend it,

How to shape it, make it, cool it,

Finishing in a steaming, gleaming hiss,

A sword to kill, a crown to adorn,

Or a plow to till the fields.

Such skill, such craft!

Let others think you are ugly or stupid,

You wield your own power.

Hermes

Mellifluous messenger,

Divine deceiver,

The guide whose sandals fly.

You are prophet to humans

But a profiteer among the gods.

Interpreter of all,

You wield the weapon of speech,

As psychopomp,

You will lead us all

On our final journey.

Hestia

Hearth center, heart center,

Spark at the core,

Yours is the home that shelters us,

The kitchen that feeds us,

The cosy comfort that nourishes us.

You are the foundation of our lives,

Our refuge in a savage world,

So basic that we often forget your blessings.

But you are the quiet one, whom all respect,

Yours is the first offering.

Persephone

Born of the fertile womb of Demeter,

You were raised with laughter and play,

Romping amidst glorious flowers,

You were called Kore, light-hearted, bright-minded.

Then you descended into the chasm,

Crossed cold black waters,

Into the realm of shades.

You found richness in the gloom.

You grew from Maiden to Queen,

Circling from ripe to rotten,

Through rest to regeneration,

Becoming Persephone the Slayer.

Now you rule dread Tartarus and blessed Elysium,

Illuminating the Underworld,

Bringing beauty to barren darkness.

Earth appeared fallow in your absence,

But you were tending the roots and seeds in the abyss.

Until you rise in verdant splendor,

To herald the cycle of the seasons

And balance the powers above and below.

Poseidon

Roaring lord of cresting waves,

Your realm encircles us,

Encompassing the shoreline.

With harbors for fishers and traders

Extending out to the wide wild depths of the ocean.

Across your waters merchants exchange goods,

Warriors seek adventure,

Refugees seek asylum.

Further below you hold the mystery of the undersea,

Home to strange and frightening creatures who never see the sun.

When you are content, your waters are serene,

But beware your wrath.

With your trident you stir storms.

Zeus

Thundering sky father,

Wielder of lightning,

Mightiest of all the gods,

You earned your throne on Olympus.

Last born, you were raised in secret,

Your mother guarding you from the tyrannical father

Who devoured your other siblings.

Then you chopped him up,

Freed your brothers and sisters,

And destroyed the Titans.

You are used to having your own way. For you are the one the gods must obey.

Jezibell Anat is a belly dancer, writer, actress, and Wiccan High Priestess who moved to Augusta, GA from New York City in December, 2007. A leader in the New York Pagan community, Jezibell and her partner Joseph Zuchowski founded the tradition of Thelemic Wicca, taught the Pagan Way Grove at Enchantments, led Kyklos ton Asterion Coven and Siren's Sanctuary Women's Circle, and performed Goddess dance at NYC Pagan Pride and the Witches’ Ball. Her poetry and articles have appeared in such diverse publications as Nomad's Choir, Our Pagan Times, The Beltane Papers, Circle Magazine and Bennu, and in two anthologies by Goddess Ink, Heart of the Sun and Stepping Into Ourselves: An Anthology of Writings on Priestesses . In Augusta she is active in local dance, theatre, and film projects, facilitates monthly circles, and is part of Pagan Fest Augusta.

Hekate's Waltz can be viewed on YouTube by clicking on this link:

November Issue Panegyria Newsletter 2024

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 20:21:55 GMT

Download the November 2024 Newsletter!

Hekate's Sickle Festival

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 15:22:06 GMT

Hekate's Sickle Festival 2024

On the lovely chilly morning of October 31st, 2024, I had the distinct pleasure of serving Hekate, my patroness, by riding up to Index and back with some friends and beginning preparing for Hekate's Sickle at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church's (ATC's) Mother Church property in Index, WA to pack up a U-Haul trailer in order to prepare for Hekate's Sickle Festival. After returning home, I hurriedly packed my bags and made my way to a bus stop to head down to SeaTac, WA. I made my way via bus and high speed transit train in the chilly rain in a big red raincoat while listening to "The Ballad of the Witches Road (Sacred Chant Version)" by the Cast of Marvel's Agatha All Along to check in to the hotel and get a good night's rest to prepare for a spiritual and leadership journey. This journey was not only spiritually fulfilling, but an opportunity to be in community with friends I often do not get to see.

After checking in, unpacking my belongings, chatting it up with some friends, and getting some rest, I made my way to the Convention Center to start my day, help set up for the event, and serve at the Volunteer Coordinator for the event. In this role, I had the opportunity to connect attendees, who engage in sacred service in order to ensure the event runs smoothly, with volunteer opportunities that fit their strengths and personalities. Volunteers had the opportunity to serve at the registration desk, as hospitality volunteers who ensure the safety and comfort of those attending, as assistants to those holding workshops, and with setting up and tearing down the event and its various moving parts. I was honored to see this process unfold in a manner in which everyone had their needs met and any last minute needs were fulfilled. I was honored to have this opportunity as a volunteer leader and to serve the Goddess in this way.

The first night of the actual event, I had the opportunity to participate in one workshop and four profound rituals that gave me much insight. First, I had the opportunity to participate in Opening Circle, a ritual at which we set the magical circle for the festival. In this ritual we experienced sacred dance and the informed practices of the ATC in holding a festival by establishing safety protocols and expectations of the event from the beginning. Next, I participated in a brilliant workshop with Celia Farran in which she taught participants about how to use their whole bodies as instruments with which to sing and a song that she composed for the event to call Hekate to the space. This beginning of my day was a great way to get the energy going.

The next ritual was a Rite of Release in which those present honored their beloved dead with beautiful words and lit flameless candles for them. This ritual was immediately followed by Hekate's Deipnon a beautiful ritual in which participants were called by Hekate to let go of the ideas and things that no longer serve themselves, place them in a skull-shaped-vessel filled with water by adding food coloring into them, emptying the contents into Hekate's cauldron, and leaving the room. This ritual was based on the monthly rituals to Hekate that were held by the Ancient Greeks at the dark moon and was very profound for me. I found myself processing in a state of meditation that involved letting all of these old thought processes go.

I then prepared for a Skyclad Ritual with Aphrodite in which we explored self care and treating the parts of our body with love and kindness rather than bullying and mistreatment. This profound ritual left me with a changed mindset for how I speak about my body. After all, as a witch, I know that my words have power and the way that I speak to my body matters deeply.

As on most festival nights at a hotel, I had the pleasure of setting up for the next morning and spending time with my friends after this, catching up and decompressing in the hot tub. I often find that these moments lead to conversations that help to break down ideas that we struggle with and still need to process, while also making space to get to know people better and have fun.

This evening, there was an unexpected interruption in my sleep, as a fire alarm woke me up because of an electrical fire under the stairs in another building. The community however, came together to make sure that everyone was okay and to make the scary moment something much better for the children in attendance with music, singing, and dance. Knowing what happened and handling my own anxiety in this moment, was definitely a learning moment for me. Once I could go back to sleep, I got some rest and woke up bright and early to get the event going once again in the morning.

The next morning, a number of other workshops and rituals happened and a lot of volunteering helped to make the event a success. I led Morning Devotionals in which participants got to hear the Charge of the Goddess, share their gratitudes and intentions for the day, and sing the Witches' Rune to send their gratitudes and intentions up to the Gods. This is always a favorite ritual of mine, as it sets the day on the right foot and gives people and opportunity to start their day gently. I then participated in one more workshop and ended the day with a number of other rituals that ended the day.

At the workshop I attended, Rev. Lilliana Blackstar presented on Trauma-Informed Care and its importance for clergy and spiritual professionals as people who lead rituals and provide spiritual counsel. In this workshop, I learned the most important aspects of Trauma-Informed Care and got an introduction to the topics most important to ensuring we care for our covens, clients, and people attending events we lead at.

After dinner, rituals commenced, starting with an Awards Ceremony for pagan covens and the ATC to honor significant leaders. Many amazing pagan leaders were recognized, covens awarded members with awards that recognized their contributions, and donors to the ATC were recognized for their contributions that make what the ATC does possible. Visories were also installed for the Temples of Eleusis, a role that allows for someone to lead particular volunteer roles that are under the auspices of that particular deity. I was honored to be called to be installed as the Visory of the Temple of Poseidon in this ritual, the Temple that oversees Volunteer Coordination.

Following this, the current Vessels (people who hold the energy of a specific deity or ancestral spirit), Votives (people who previously held the roles of said deity), and Votaries (people who oversee the mysteries of said deity) of the Spring Mysteries Festival put on a performance that recognized and honored all of the members of all of the Temples of SMF's Eleusinian Priesthood. SMF is an event in the Spring that continues the Eleusinian Mysteries of Ancient Greece with the mysteries of Demeter and Persephone and includes temples for the Greek Gods of Eleusis and many other integral roles to their mysteries. This event was very fun and concluded with a formal announcement of who would hold the role of Vessel for the various temples at the upcoming 39th SMF in 2025.

At this event, I got to honor the Temple of the Royal Family of Eleusis as the current Vessel of Triptolemus, pass on this vesselage to the new Vessel, and was passed on the vesselage of the Temple of Poseidon. All of this was not only exciting, fun, and emotional for many, but also leads to a profound magical journey for those participating in this ministry. For the next year, they hold the role of Vessel for this temple and represent it at the many ATC events that are related to the temple. If you would like to learn more about Spring Mysteries Festival, please go here: https://www.springmysteries.com.

This was then followed by a beautiful concert that involved looping tools, opportunities to sing along, and lots of mirth and reverence by the one and only Celia Farran. She even sang my favorite of her songs, Walking the Labyrinth. The performance was a great way to lead into ritual and ended with her new song, performed alongside those who attended her workshop. This was a very spiritual moment for me, as a witch who grew up singing and works with Apollo as their Patron God.

Following this, participants had an opportunity to have their skull cups refilled and blessed by Hekate in Hekate's Noumenia, a ritual held by the Ancient Greeks at the new moon. The ritual participants were given the opportunity to take in this blessed water as they felt comfortable, keeping it, blessing themselves with it, or drinking it. Then, the opportunity to receive a more personal message from Hekate was opened up alongside some fun music to dance to at the Witches' Ball and an opportunity for Drunken Divination. This ritual gave me profound realizations about the manner in which I receive love, the openness I have for love, the need I have to be able to live in a space that is my own, and my own journey with self-confidence. I am deeply grateful for those lessons and the opportunity to decompress after receiving them.

Throughout the event, Bingo Cards were given to participants that earned them tickets and the opportunity to win a prize by purchasing from the Vendor Hall and an Art-Walk took place that participants voted on with beads to award the best artist. The vendors sold amazing wares including statuary, art, clothing, magical items, ceramics, candles, and music. They also provided spiritual counsel including sound healing, shamanic healing, tarot, and astrological readings. The Art-Walk included amazing works of art in many mediums from all ages.

To close out the event, the final day began with an a breakfast buffet at the Hotel Restaurant to which people showed off their best onesies and enjoyed the morning together in community. Then, Closing Circle was held. Volunteers were recognized, prizes were won by those who put in their tickets for a raffle, Bingo Cards resulted in a prize, and the winners of the Art-Walk were also given a prize. Then, circle was closed and the event began to be ended and the stage and props were taken down.

All in all, this weekend of fun, unexpected events, spiritual growth, and opportunities to lead and be in community was life-giving. I was grateful to be part of making it happen, even as I was occasionally interrupted to make sure things kept running smoothly, I enjoyed every moment, including my volunteer role. The Gods have done something special with Hekate's Sickle and I am very grateful to be part of this festival family.

This is the spiritual insights, contemplations on tarot, & Wiccan thought pieces by Soleil Étoilé. Soleil is an intuitive tarot reader, student at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, First-Degree Priestx of the WISE-ATC Tradition of Wicca under Darrell and Minty Delph of the Ever Green Hearth in Centralia, WA, & a Third-Degree Priestx of the Eleusinian Priesthood of Spring Mysteries Festival. You can learn more about spiritual services with Soleil at soleiletoiletarot.com.

Caring for the Sacred Self

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:57:36 GMT

Caring for the Sacred Self

As the calendar year ends, it is a good time to make sure you are taking time to care for your Sacred Self. This article will explore what caring for your Sacred Self means, look at some of the cycles that we experience in life and discuss ways we can align our self-care with those cycles.

Self-Care has become an overused term. It is often seen as a selfish act when, in truth, it is a vital part of serving our communities. Whatever your definition of serving community is. It doesn’t mean you have to take on an official role with any group, it could be as simple as caring for your family/household unit. If you spend all your energy caring for others and do not take the care needed to replenish your stores, you cannot continue to effectively help others. “You can’t pour from an empty cup” may be a cliched statement that is also overused but there is a lot of truth in that statement. I would like to take that cup analogy one step farther and point out that if you continue to ignore replenishing yourself not only will your cup be empty, but it will also be completely broken and take even more to restore. Self-care is sacred selfishness replenishing yourself to better serve your chosen deity and community.

I like to view self-care as taking care of my Sacred Self. That part of the self that communes with the greater whole of the cosmos, the higher self, the gods and goddesses, whichever concept applies to your personal belief system. In addition to the basics of caring for your physical body, activities that add to your knowledge base, foster spiritual growth, and deepen your understanding of yourself are all acts of caring for your sacred self. Knowing your personal limits and recognizing when certain activities are more draining than rewarding and managing those activities in balance with taking time to rest and rejuvenate is also a vital part of caring for your Sacred Self.

Self-Care is also an extremely individualized concept. What good self-care looks like to one person will look completely different for another person. Take a minute to think about what activities bring you joy and leave you feeling recharged? The feeling of being recharged after an activity you enjoy is what we are looking for when we are talking about caring for your sacred self. Any of the examples I share are simply suggestions or potential catalysts to assist you in discovering what works best for you. Some of the things I enjoy doing that help me recharge are curling up with an enjoyable book and a comfortable warm blanket, walking the shoreline of a sandy Lake Michigan beach, taking hikes along wooded paths, and sitting down to enjoy a cup of coffee with a good friend.

Once you find what self-care tasks work to recharge you, you can fine tune your routines to fit within the cycles that work into your personal practices. Consider what types of cycles you experience through your daily life and personal practice. Everyone experiences a day and night cycle. The moon goes through phases every lunar month. The weeks cycle into months and months cycle into years etc. As the year progresses, the Sun travels through the 12 Zodiac signs. Each one of these cycles carries an energy with it that begins, intensifies, peaks and wanes.

Daily Care of Sacred Self: These are the activities that you do daily or nearly every day

· Meditation

· Coloring or other forms of artistic expression

· Setting Intentions and Expressing Gratitude (Devotionals for example)

· Journaling in whatever form you enjoy (I personally like to brain dump at night)

· Maintenance of the physical body: eating, hydrating, cleansing routines

· Time set aside to just be quiet and relax (I do this with my morning cup of coffee)

Lunar Cycles:

New Moon: This is a goodtime to do something that cleanses your spirit, release what no longer serves, set a new goal

Waxing Moon: The moon’s energy is strengthening this is the time to set your plans in motion, good time to keep your energy up with physical activities

Full Moon: Emotional state check-in, allow yourself to feel the emotions and work through them (journaling may be a good idea ) celebrate progress made in goals/life, good time to place crystals or other magickal tools out to be charged in the moonlight, make moon water to use in personal care/housecleaning tasks

Waning Moon : Moon’s energy is decreasing, time for inward rest, deep self-care routines, time to declutter mind and make room for clarity of thought

Seasons:

Everyone here also experiences the cycles of the seasons. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. And in Michigan sometimes we get all of them in one day.

Spring brings a time of renewal and rebirth. Animals are starting to have babies, plants are starting to come out of their dormant stage, the earth around us is waking up. Is there something you have been missing in caring for yourself that needs to be refreshed and worked back into your routines?

Summer brings warm weather, play time, and is a time of action. The sun is up longer during the day. Summer self-care can include trips to the beach or pool, hikes in the woods, sitting around a fire at night, or whatever you need to do to refuel yourself.

Fall is the time of harvest and preparing for winter. The leaves are falling, the fields are ripe, and animals are preparing their stores for winter. This is a good time to prepare your personal space to get ready to hunker down for the winter.

Winter is usually a down time to rest and restore your energies from a busy “harvest” season. The trees are bare, and plants are mostly dormant. We start reflecting on the past year and contemplate the next year. What activities can you do to replenish yourself that support this time of rest, reflection, and planning?

Zodiac:

Most people are familiar with the Zodiac and probably know what their sun sign is. The Sun travels through the Zodiac all year. The moon moves to a different Zodiac sign every two and a half days. The Zodiac has multiple layers of cycles, there are the 12 signs that cycle, but those twelve signs cycle through the four elements (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water) and the three modalities. Air represents the mental and social realms. Earth represents substance and physical forms. Fire represents the energy of life and passion. Water represents the emotional and spiritual plane. The three modalities are cardinal, fixed, and mutable. Cardinal signs happen at the beginning of a season and focus on new beginnings, initiating and defining individual identity. Fixed signs happen in the middle of each season and focus on stability, structure, and self-worth. Mutable signs happen at the end of each season and are flexible, adaptable, and concerned with tying up loose ends.

As we look at each of the signs notice how the modality and element of each sign affects the energy.

Aries: Aries is the cardinal fire sign; this is a good time to start something new that you are passionate about. Aries brings an energy of passion and motivation, use that energy to try something new in your self-care practice. Aries also likes to push boundaries and test limits. Is there something that you have been wanting to start doing but hesitate because “others” may not approve or understand? Aries is a great time to do that thing.

Taurus: Taurus is the fixed earth sign that reminds us to ground ourselves and get down to earth. Taurus is concerned with sustaining and maintaining physical and material aspects of life and with our sense of physical and material self-worth. Now is a good time to add in a self-care activity that makes you feel good about yourself. Taurus energy is also good for getting out into nature and refreshing yourself.

Gemini: Gemini is the mutable air sign and focuses on healing our mental facilities. Gemini is very comfortable with the abstract concepts of life, is very curious and thrives in social situations. During Gemini season it is a good time to check in on your social calendar and make sure the activities you participate in are mentally and socially fulfilling. This is a good time to explore new subjects that you have been wanting to learn about, delve into new hobbies, especially ones involving keeping your hands busy or starting a new mindfulness practice.

Cancer: Cancer is the cardinal water sign. Cancer is concerned with creating an emotional and soul identity. Cancer seeks to strengthen emotional connections. This is a good time to check in on your emotional well-being and do activities that support healthy emotional connections in your life. Cancer season is a time of nurture and protection. Consider activities that lead you to feel nurtured and secure as well as activities where you nurture others in your life.

Leo: Leo is the fixed fire sign. Leo is concerned with self-worth and identity. Leo energy encourages you to express yourself freely and be the center of attention but is also generous and giving. This is a good time to look at your beauty routine and play with stepping it up a little to look your best. (whatever that looks like to you, me personally I am happy if I stay on top of moisturizing my face) Leo likes to shine in the spotlight, take time to feel pride in your accomplishments, allow yourself to brag a little and accept compliments about your achievements. This is also a good time to share a creative project with others.

Virgo: Virgo is the mutable earth sign. Virgo has strong analytical skills and enjoys using those skills to aide in the betterment of themselves and others. Journaling and using task lists are very Virgo activities. This is a good time to embrace and love all of who you are by embracing what you see as imperfections and re-frame your perspective.

Libra: Libra is the Cardinal Air sign. Libra is concerned with finding and maintaining balance within relationships and seeks harmony with a strong sense of justice. This is a good time to seek out activities that involve both physical and mental skills. Look at your social calendar and make sure you are engaging in social activities that recharge you and avoid participating in events that leave you drained. Libra season is a good time to ensure there is balance and equality in your partnerships (not just romantic ones) as well as setting boundaries that protect your independence. The aim is to be of service to others without being too much of a people-pleaser.

Scorpio: Scorpio is the fixed water sign. Scorpio is concerned with connecting with others on a soul level and healing spiritual wounds. Creative self-care activities are a good idea during Scorpio season. This is also a good time to look at your emotional and physical needs and make sure they are cared for. Scorpio Season is also a good time to explore the Occult and things that are unseen, tune into your intuition, and work with your psychic abilities. Shadow work that explores parts of self that have been neglected is also powerful this season.

Sagittarius: Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign. Sagittarius is concerned with the completion of identity, reconciling its place in the universe. Sagittarius is comfortable exploring philosophy, spirituality and religion as well as physical pleasure. Sagittarius relates to our ideas about justice, fairness, and our personal beliefs. This is a good time for self-care activities that explore new concepts and physically dynamic activities. Studying philosophy and religion and allowing yourself to be open to new experiences or ideas can be helpful this time of year.

Capricorn: Capricorn is the Cardinal Earth sign. Capricorn is concerned with success and creating a tangible, durable and concrete representation of its identity. Capricorn focuses on honoring traditions of the past and learning from our elders. This is a good time to look at your workload and delegate tasks if you are overloaded. Examine your sleep routine and ensure you are getting enough rest to prevent burnout. Looking at your responsibilities and how much you have matured in the past year is helpful during Capricorn Season.

Aquarius: Aquarius is the Fixed Air sign. Aquarius is concerned with self-worth in the terms of social, mental, and intellectual facilities. Aquarius has a desire to break free from social norms, likes to march to the beat of a personal drum and set personal standards. This lends strength to working in Humanitarianism and Activism as Aquarius seed that sometimes what is best for the group requires systematic change. Aquarius is also very community focused and wants to use individual talents to improve the community. This is a good time for goal setting, especially if some of the goals include working within your community. Aquarius Season is a good time to be willing to think outside of the box and try new things.

Pisces: Pisces is the Mutable Water sign. Pisces is concerned with completing one cycle and beginning the next. Pisces is about returning to the source, healing and transmuting negative emotions, and focusing on spiritual connections between individuals and the universe. This is a good time to examine your self-care practices and make sure you are recharging yourself before expending all your energy caring for others. Pisces Season is a great time to do an in-depth mental-health check and ensure you are maintaining good boundaries and including grounding exercises in your care routines.

In conclusion, ensuring that you take time to care for your Sacred Self is important. Taking the time to make sure your Sacred Self is well taken care of honors the spark of Deity within you. Taking advantage of the energies of the different cycles in life can help you fine tune your self-care and prevent routines from becoming stale.

Ashnidae Silverstar is a First-Degree Priestess of the WISE Tradition under the supervision of Lord Solinox Silverstar at Weavers of the Web in Lansing, Michigan. She is also a Junior at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, a seminary for Wiccan clergy in Index, Washington.

Samhain Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 22:23:58 GMT

Download the Samhain 2024 Newsletter!

Mabon Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 17:08:34 GMT

Download the Mabon 2024 Newsletter!

Summer Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:41:04 GMT

Download the Summer 2024 Newsletter!

Lammas Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 16:26:03 GMT

Download the Lammas 2024 Newsletter!

Litha Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:47:50 GMT

Download the Litha 2024 Newsletter!

Spring Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Thu, 09 May 2024 17:01:08 GMT

Download the Spring 2024 Newsletter!

Beltane Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 22:58:59 GMT

Download the Beltane 2024 Newsletter!

Pagans in Washington State Find Jesus

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:48:33 GMT

Seattle, WA - He was by the gum wall.

A group of Pagans were just returning from their equinox celebration on the Sound when the discovery was made.

"We were getting some pepper jelly from Pike Place Market when we ran across him" Janelle Comply of Capital Hill told our reporters. "He seemed like he was just vibin'"

After approaching Jesus, they found out that he usually spends time in the PNW before Easter, claiming that "I truly like the energy of the Pacific Northwest. They try their best to be good people here. Have you seen the healthcare system in Washington?"

After finding Jesus, Lady Cromweather Morningsail, the High Priestess of Canterbury Coven said that they all sat around the copper pig, and talked about the new Dune movie, which Jesus gave a 3.5/5 stars. "A lot like the Bible, the special effects were amazing, but the story didnt go where it was trying to go"

"We are glad we found Jesus" Morningsail told us. "His people ask us constantly if we have found him. Now they can sleep easy knowing he is safe."

Jesus told our reporters that he would be back in the church for Easter, but that he always enjoys spending time with the Pagans. "No one is trying to convert me to their version of American Christianity, and we might actually help a poor person!"

Jesus will be appearing over a Waffle House in Macon, GA on April 15th, and on a piece of toast in Possum Snout, GA on the 28th.

Ostara Issue Panegyria Newsletter

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 18:31:52 GMT

Download the Ostara 2024 Newsletter!

February Panegyria Newsletter

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:34:35 GMT

Download the February 2024 Newsletter!

A Soulmate Connection

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 21:08:19 GMT

A Soulmate Connection

Do you believe in love at first sight or perhaps in a soulmate or twin soul connection? The notion of meeting your soulmate does happen in real life to everyday people. Meeting this person opens the realization that they not only share your life but actually become a part of yourself. A true soulmate connection never fades and has a lasting impact on your life even if you are miles or years apart. Yes, many soulmate connections have obstacles, perhaps the other party is still married to another or lives on the other side of the world or is perhaps either too young or too old. Yet, this type of powerful relationship is lasting even if it becomes unresolved in this lifetime.

Sometimes it is an unexpected chance meeting that brings you a soulmate connection. Getting lost or being in the wrong place can suddenly become the right place for a love union. Those who believe in past lives also believe that though the physical body might change, the eyes always remain the same. This becomes the identifying factor in a bond that could very likely span many lifetimes.

And what if you feel that you have met your soulmate? Well, it does not end there because you might have encounters with more than one soul connection in a lifetime. In fact, you probably will and this confuses many of us. This could cause love triangles and even broken hearts. The interchange between individuals can also bring purely kindred soul friendships in addition to those of passionate love. As the earth is in constant rotation so are our abilities to revolve around many acquaintances. But only a few will be lasting and only a few will bring a deep union. This can ultimately become a relationship that cannot be described in words. You will feel spiritually that a thread connects your heart and mind to theirs.

Soulmate liaisons often challenge us to become more empathetic, supportive, and accepting, because we have a spiritual mirror image to help us to better understand ourselves.

A true soul connection will fit all categories and definitions of love. It can vary in intensity but will always involve trust along with a deep attraction, loving affection and passionate intimacy.

Is such a connection biological or cultural or spiritual? It is a phenomenon that is difficult to define. It is felt within the core of our very being. The power and depth of such a bond does not weaken and cannot be denied.

Her book “The First Sisters: Lilith and Eve” was published by John Hunt Publishing under their Pagan Portal/Moon Books imprint. “The First Sisters: Lilith and Eve" is a gateway to a provocative awakening. "It was said in the beginning, in a garden called Eden, that woman was created at the same time as man, and not from his rib. Lilith, the first female, created equal to stand as a partner. But she proved to be a person so troublesome that she vanishes from her rightful place in civilization’s mythological legends in place of Eve, the first wife. With her younger sister Eve’s story heralding the future of all womankind, Lilith and her story stands alone as a testament to the Sacred Feminine and man’s fear of the mysteries that lie within her".

Her book "The Temple Priestesses of Antiquity" also published by John Hunt Publishing tells the story of the Oracles and Sibyls, Seers, Psychics, Sacred Dancers, and Healers of ancient civilizations. They were empowered women who enthralled those who sought their advice and served the Goddess they revered. Tales about ancient Priestesses and the Sacred Temples where they lived, prayed, and worked thousands of years ago, have fascinated archaeologists and historians for decades. Living in complex temple structures above ground and in underground cavernous tunnels, they shared vows of chastity and lived a dutiful and respected life. The Temple Priestesses of Antiquity is a story of these women, some well-known and others forgotten to the centuries.

Her newest book is entitled: "The Fallen Women of Mythology: Goddesses, Saints and Sinners" published by John Hunt Publishing now called (Collective Ink) is scheduled for publication in early 2024. “These are the stories of the hidden gems of the ancient world and I want to awaken their voices.” “For within every account of a "fallen" woman whether Divine or human, there is another very fascinating side to their story.” “Myths have their origin in truth.”

Lady is also the author of "If Mermaids Could Dance" original faerie tales about Witches, Goddess, and Faeries and "A Witch's Journal" both under the pseudonym of Lady Lilith) and both published by Spilled Candy Publications. She has had numerous articles published on Sacred Dance, The Goddess, Witchcraft and Ancient Mythologies for magazines and periodicals including: Circle Network Magazine, Arcanum Magazine, Isis Seshat Journal, The Mirror of ISIS, The Isian News, Watkins Mind Body Spirit Magazine, the Cabot Hermetic Temple Newsletter, Witchvox and Panegyria to name a few.

She is a professionally trained ballerina and Isadora Duncan dancer and modern dance teacher and currently choreographer and dancer with the Temple of Nine Wells Dancers. And as founder, choreographer, and principal dancer for “The Undines Dance Company” Lady and her company performed throughout the Northeast. She has also taught “Sacred Dance” and “Dancing with the Goddess” workshops.

In addition to performing traditional dance, Lady has choreographed sacred temple dance for great Sabbats and Full Moon Rituals. She has been a member of the Sacred Dance Guild since 1995.

Winter: The Season of Air

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 20:39:28 GMT

In Wicca, we generally recognize the Four Directions and The Four Elements as key components of our Circle. We call to the Four Directions - or Quarters, and we call upon the energy of an element at each quarter.

As there are Four Seasons, many find that each element also corresponds with a season. While some traditions may have different correspondences, we like to look to the Astrological Wheel for clues about the elements for each season. The FIXED signs of the Zodiac wheel are the signs that occur in the middle of a season. Thus we have come to associate the element of each fixed sign as the element of that season. Astrological Winter in the Northern Hemisphere includes the seasons of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Aquarius is the Fixed sign that marks the middle of Astrological Winter. Since Aquarius is an Air sign, we assign the element of AIR to the season of WINTER.

In astrology, the element of Air is characterized by its swift and changeable nature. Those influenced by this element often possess sharp thinking, a love for intellectual pursuits, and a natural ability to communicate effectively. In the realm of Modern Paganism and Wicca, the element of Air is linked to the mind, wisdom, and the power of the spoken word. Practitioners may call upon the energy of Air for clarity of thought, effective communication, and the inspiration needed for intellectual endeavors. It symbolizes the breath of life, communication, clarity of thought, ideas, and inspiration. Lessons drawn from the element of Air encourage us to embrace intellectual growth, communicate thoughtfully, and remain adaptable in the face of change, fostering a harmonious balance between the mind and the spirit.

As magical practitioners, we know that our magic begins with our thoughts and ideas: our intentions. We know that our thoughts and words will influence our ability to manifest, and that we should be careful with our words. Many feel that the most important job of the Witch is "Know Thyself", and this work is primarily done through the element of Air - with our own minds and thoughts. The very act of "conjuring" is related to the element of Air. Air is the Mind, and the Mind is where we formulate our thoughts to make our wishes and then speak those wishes to the Gods or the Universe.

So why is Air the element of Winter? In the winter months, we are often forced to physically slow down and rest. Weather does not permit as much outdoor activity, and we turn inwards to tend to our homes. We cannot be outside as much, and metaphorically we will also tend to be more internally focused. Winter is an excellent time for activities that stimulate the mind - like reading and writing. It is also a great time for just sitting and thinking, or perhaps letting your mind wander while you knit or bake. If we imagine our intentions as seeds that we plant, then before we plant the seed in the earth (Spring) we must first set the intention with our seed. We bless the seed with our intentions, and speak our wishes into the seed, visualizing the outcome that we desire and planning out all the steps we will take to help manifest our wish into reality. All of this intention setting and visualizing and planning are related to the element of Air, and metaphorically we do the planning in the Winter and then the actual planting and growing happens in the Spring.

In the Tarot, the season of Winter is represented by the Ace of Swords and the Page of Swords. The entire suit of Swords relates to the element of Air (and therefore can also correspond to Winter) and the swords cards will all represent different aspects of the Mind, Mental Processes, Communication, Learning, and Thoughts or Ideas. The Ace represents the seed of potential for the entire suit - The Ace of Swords holds all the potential energy of the suit of Air. The Pages also represent the potential of the suit - they are the youthful energy of the suit that hold the hopes and dreams of what the suit (or element) might become when it sets out on a journey. You can look to the Ace and Page of Swords to help you connect with the element of Air in its most pure form.

The Ace of Swords in Tarot symbolizes clarity, truth, and breakthroughs in thought. Depicted as a single, upright sword emerging from a cloud, it represents a powerful surge of intellectual energy and the triumph of reason. Linked to the element of Air, this card underscores the importance of clear communication, rational thinking, and the swift pursuit of knowledge. The element of Air embodies intellect, objectivity, and the ability to cut through confusion. In the context of seasons, the Ace of Swords aligns with Winter, a time of introspection and reflection. Just as winter allows nature to rest and renew, this card suggests a period of mental rejuvenation and the potential for fresh perspectives to cut through the metaphorical frost of uncertainty.

Ace of Swords Affirmation: (Or, an affirmation for Winter)

"I am a beacon of clarity and insight. My mind is sharp, and I value clear and honest communication. Every thought I have cuts through confusion, paving the way for truth and understanding. I am open to breakthroughs and new perspectives, trusting in my ability to navigate challenges with intelligence and wisdom. Like the Ace of Swords, I possess profound mental clarity and use this gift to propel myself forward on my journey of growth and discovery."

The Page of Swords in Tarot embodies the qualities of curiosity, intellectual vigor, and the pursuit of knowledge. Illustrated as a youthful figure wielding a sword, this card signifies the emergence of a new and enthusiastic intellectual energy. Aligned with the element of Air, the Page of Swords emphasizes the importance of mental clarity, open-mindedness, and effective communication. Air, as an element, represents the realm of ideas and intellect, urging individuals to approach situations with objectivity and a thirst for learning. Corresponding with the season of Winter, this card aligns with the introspective nature of the cold months. It suggests a time for reflection and harnessing the fresh, crisp energy of Winter to explore new ideas, communicate openly, and embark on a journey of mental growth and discovery.

Page of Swords Affirmation: (Or, an affirmation for Winter)

"My mind is open, and I embrace the joy of learning and exploring new ideas. Like the Page of Swords, I approach challenges with a youthful enthusiasm, wielding the sword of knowledge to cut through confusion. I communicate with honesty and precision, fostering connections through the power of clear and thoughtful expression. In every situation, I am a seeker of wisdom, and I welcome the fresh perspectives that come my way. Just as Winter brings a sense of quiet reflection, I use this time to delve into the depths of my mind, uncovering new insights and embracing the journey of continuous mental growth."

As we move into Aquarius season and the middle of Winter, take some time to consider the element of Air. This season is a time for you to connect with your mind and understand the power of your thoughts and words. It is a great time for practicing Mindfulness and embarking on journeys of Self-Awareness and Knowledge.

What are you filling your mind with through these Winter months? How are you tending to your Mind, your Mental Health, and your Communication? Tending to your Mind and Thoughts is how you tend to your Air Altar - let's work on making a nice orderly space for blessing our seeds!

January Panegyria Newsletter

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:52:10 GMT

Download the January 2024 Newsletter!

Ritual Baths

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 22:53:49 GMT

Ritual Baths

by Lillith ThreeFeathers

Bath for Yule

It’s a great time of year to create a nice cleansing and refreshing bath for Yule using herbs from your kitchen. I’ve included common herbs from your kitchen. Two or three is plenty to use in the bath. Use your intuition to pick from the list of herbs — or choose them based on the characteristics listed for each plant. The herbs listed are good for maintaining health during the dark time of the year. Each has special properties, but I’ve only listed a few. Directions follow the list of herbs.

Bay

Bay removes negativity and brings in the positivity. It’s a calming herb that also lifts up your ancestor spirits and helps you connect with them.

Chamomile

Chamomile is one of the classic herbs for increasing calmness. It is great for those who are feeling nervous or stressed. It also assists with being patient with yourself and others. At this time of year most of us could use that!

Lavender

This plant promotes calmness, restful sleep and good dreams. Lavender lifts your energy too.

Marjoram

Marjoram helps with releasing grief, irritability, sadness or overstimulation. It may also alleviate body aches.

Rosemary

Not only is rosemary great at cleaning the aura, it also freshens your mind, helps memory, and strengthens your ability for to think clearly. Helps you let go of anxiety and negativity.

Thyme

Thyme is protective, and it promotes courage and confidence.

Directions:

Make a big pot of strong tea out of any of these herbs. Strain it so you don’t have to worry about leaves and sticks in your drain. Let the mixture cool before you use it. You can pour it into sit-down bath or use it as a pour-over bath in the shower.

Ritual Baths for New Beginnings

In January, it’s common to focus on new beginnings, fresh starts, and perhaps a few resolutions. What would be better than a magical bath dedicated to helping with those? One traditional herbal bath for this purpose is called Road Opener or Abre Camino. It removes blockages so that you can move forward, and it helps to open the way for new beginnings. You can buy that mixture at a Botanica or a Mexican grocers.

If you prefer to create your own bath, you don’t need to buy special herbs. I’ve listed a bit of information about each herb to get you started. Use your herbal knowledge and your intuition to pick one or two from this list. You don’t need a lot of different herbs to make a great magical bath.

Make a strong tea of the herbs. Let the infusion cool, and then strain it so you don’t have to worry about cleaning leaves and sticks from your drain. You can pour it into sit-down bath or use it to pour-over in the shower. It’s best to use cool or lukewarm water. Remember to thank the herbs. This is a good time to talk to your gods too. Ask them for help and give thanks.

Basil

If you had a difficult holiday season, you may need to recover from family quarrels, holiday emotions, or (in the Northern hemisphere) January winter blues. Basil will help with that.

Lemon Balm

You may have this herb in your kitchen. As you can tell by the scientific name, Melissa, or the common name, Bee Balm, the plant is linked to bees. Therefore, it’s nice to use if you venerate a goddess associated with bees. It’s also one of the plants sacred to Artemis. This sweet herb helps with healing from sad or traumatic memories.

Mint

This is a delightful herb that you probably have in your kitchen. Cunningham attributes mint to the East direction. In many Native American Medicine Wheels, East is the place of beginnings.

Pine

Pine has a magical ability to bring a feeling of peace. It is a wonderful herb for wintertime since it remains fresh in places where the weather is cold.

Rosemary

Not only is rosemary great at cleaning the aura, it freshens your mind, helps you let go of anxiety and negativity, and strengthens your ability to think clearly.

Yarrow

If you would like an herb to help you focus on guidance for the New Year, Yarrow will aid in divination or prophetic dreams.

Lillith ThreeFeathers has studied Goddess Spirituality and Shamanic practices for 40 years. Her initiation to Goddess took place in the turbulent Seventies. In 1988, she became a priestess of Lilith, and later she was initiated as a priestess of Yemaya. She was a quoted source in "Drawing Down the Spirits" by Filan and Kaldera (2009). Her publishing credits include 100 articles, submissions in several anthologies, and “The Heart of the Elder: Good Elders and Their Influence” co-authored with Joy Marie Wedmedyk (Megalithica Books, 2018). She is currently teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary .

Yule Panegyria Newsletter

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 21:34:11 GMT

Download the 2023 Yule Newsletter!

Panegyria Thanksgiving Newsletter

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 14:00:00 GMT

Download the 2023 Thanksgiving Newsletter!

Panegyria Samhain Newsletter

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:47:56 GMT

Download the 2023 Samhain Newsletter!

Autumn Goddesses

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:11:36 GMT

Autumn Goddesses

Autumn heralds Samhain the Sabbat that welcomes the end of summer and the final harvest that ushers in the “dark half of the year.” Boundaries between the spiritual and physical world break down allowing interaction with the Otherworld. When the veil between the world is the thinnest Goddesses of this final Autumnal harvest will weave their way into our lives with their mysterious Magick. The weather begins to shift stirring within us the desire to change, and embrace the Hermit’s persona. We must go inward in meditation and learn to become our own teachers thus expanding our psychic and intuitive abilities.

The Greek Goddess Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, will now descend into the Underworld to join her husband Hades and become the Queen of the Dead. Cerridwen the Celtic Goddess, will stir her cauldron flame to bring us rebirth, knowledge, and transition. Hecate, Greek Goddess of the Crossroads and Queen of the Witches will lead us on the darkest nights through the Spiritual and Underworld realms. Finally, we have Morrigan the Celtic Crow Goddess of Samhain Sovereignty. Her sacred duality is that of death and rebirth. These are the Goddesses of Autumn who help us transition into the dark months of Winter so that new life can be born again in the Spring.

One of the most prevalent symbols of Autumn besides the ever-familiar pumpkin is the apple. Because apples are ready for harvest at the end of summer and finish by late Autumn, they are a large part of many seasonal festivities. Cut an apple in half (horizontally) and see the 5-pointed symbol. Oh! the succulently seductive apple that tempted Eve in the Garden is also the fruit of the most everyday pie…the apple. Delicious and common place and seen on many happy family dinner tables.

Pomona is the ancient Roman Goddess who nurtures the cultivation and growth of apple and other fruit trees. Like many Roman Goddesses who have an actual Greek complement, Pomona does not, though she is often compared to the Demeter. Pomona’s spirit dwells in our Autumn gardens and orchards inspiring a cornucopia of delicious harvested abundance.

Carve candle lite big turnips and pumpkins called jack-o-lanterns to outline your sacred Samhain circles. Dance wildly around your cauldron blazes to build the sacred cone of power. And at the crescendo raise your arms to send your energy out into the cosmos. Then let your hands touch the ground to send positive energy into the earth. Indulge your sweet tooth with candy corn and candy apples. Bless the nighttime Samhain sky and call forth your ancestors. Embrace this most magickal season as we await the Wintry months soon to come.

Lady is an author, teacher, Sacred Dancer, and a Third Degree Gardnerian High Priestess; Third Degree Cabot Witch within the Cabot Hermetic Temple; and a Priestess of Selket (also Lilith and Hecate) within the Fellowship of Isis where she was also honored with an Adepthood in Sacred Healing Dance. Lady is the High Priestess of Sacred Moon Coven, ATC and the Iseum of the Graceful Goddess, member of the Crossroads Lyceum and an Ordained Clergy within the Temple of Nine Wells, ATC, in Salem, MA. She is also a legally licensed Pagan Clergy/Counselor, a member of the Maine Pagan Clergy Association and a sponsor of the Doreen Valiente Foundation. She teaches “Introduction to Egyptian Mythology,” “Sacred Sites of the Ancient Temple Priestesses” and “The History of Gardnerian Wicca” at Woolston Steen Theological Seminary. She has also taught Wicca 101, and Modern Wicca classes and as a professional psychic and medium Lady has taught “Psychic Mediumship Workshops”. As an adjunct teacher at York Community College in Maine she recently taught a class “Learning about Wicca.” In July 2019 Lady was the Guest Speaker at the New England Holistic and Metaphysical Festival.

In addition to performing traditional dance, Lady has choreographed sacred temple dance for great Sabbats and Full Moon Rituals. She has been a member of the Sacred Dance Guild since 1995.

The Priestess

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:05:48 GMT

The Priestess

By Lady Haight Ashton

Who is she? How do we define her persona? A Priestess is a ritual leader, often regarded as the “Mother” of a spiritual community and an important decision maker within a range of blessed roles. Ancient Priestesses were considered revered instruments of the Goddess in many early cultures from Sumeria, through Greece, Rome, and Egypt to the beginning of civilization in Mesopotamia. They tended to the Goddess rites, ceremonies and sacred rituals that supported the prosperity of the land and its people. As temple keepers, Priestesses dressed the deities as an act of dressing the Goddess herself. Priestesses of the Goddess, heralded the power of the Sacred Feminine, with all their holy duties.

The ancient Priestesses who honored a blessed deity lived a cloistered life in and around temple complexes or ritual sites. Many were sought after Oracles and Sibyls living above ground or in labyrinthine underground caves. And then we have the sacred Priestess dancers of the Egyptian Goddess Hathor. Hathor was the patron of dancers and thus an incarnation of dance and sexuality. Her dancers were passionate and raucous in their stylized movements. The sistrum was Hathor’s particular musical instrument, used by her dancers along with various percussion instruments. The Priestesses of Hathor venerated her by expressing their artistic natures through dance and music.

The earliest and first time the title Priestess officially appeared was on the base of an ancient Egyptian statute from Abu Rawash. Her name was Neferhetepes and she was a dancing Priestess of Hathor.

The Egyptian Khener dancers from the Middle Kingdom continued Hathor’s legacy. These Priestess dancers where of Nubian descent and made it their vocation to keep Hathor’s story alive by performing in sanctified ceremonies and rituals.

Ancient tales tell us of the Vestal Virgin Priestesses who honored the Greek/Roman Goddess Vesta and guarded her sacred flame. And then we have the Grecian Priestesses who tended the Oracle at Delphi and were known as Melissae (thought to be oracular bee nymphs). The omphalos stone thought to be the center of earth at Delphi was carved to resemble a sort of bee hive. Stories about our ancestor Priestesses are as fascinating as they are mesmerizing.

From ancient times to our modern era Priestesses still honor an esteemed deity. With the unparalleled interest in Wiccan, Pagan, Shaman, Druid, and Witchcraft practices the role of the Priestess has greatly evolved. She probably does not reside in a temple complex but in an apartment, condo, or house. Her reverence for deities might have expanded to include several Goddesses. Her sacred space might not be a temple but an altar in a bedroom or a specially designated space or room. As a Priestess and Witch, I can attest that in honor of Hathor, we still passionately dance and play musical instruments around our cauldron fires. We are most likely leaders of a Coven, Grove or Iseum. Some of us are Oracles and many write books and teach classes covering many topics within our spirituality.

The title Priestess possibly originated in Old English as the word “preost” with its Greek root as “presbyteros”. In channeling Divinity, Priestesses allow their natures to morph into the formidable and very powerful force of the Divine Feminine.

Mabon Newsletter

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:53:48 GMT

Download the Mabon 2023 Newsletter

ASK THE ARCH

editor@atcwicca.org (Editor Panegyria) — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:58:59 GMT

WELCOME TO ASK THE ARCH

What is something in your personal practice that you feel is required for you to be successful on the path?

Prayer and Meditation. I consult with deity daily and wait for answers. I follow what the Gods tell me, and I feel confident that the path will unfold as they wish. Being a priestess to me means being in service to the Gods. Prayer and meditation help me know what they are asking of me. I start with a daily devotional invoking the Gods to join me throughout my day. Then, just like with a best friend, I check in often.

What is the most important mistake you ever made?

Falling in love with someone 17 years younger than me at a pagan festival while I had three children in elementary school. But, without Dusty as my working partner, and husband, I probably would have never developed the relationship I had with Pete Davis. By Dusty encouraging me to call Pete every week, Pete and I developed a teacher/student relationship, which led to me becoming Archprietess. I also wouldn't have been nearly as happy, supported and fulfilled in what I'm doing today. I didn't mean to fall in love with Dusty, and I don't think he meant to fall in love with me. Here we are twenty years later and we're both pretty happy that we did.

Do you have a question for the Arch Priestess?

Post your questions in the comments below and we will get them to her. Don't forget to check back for her answers to your question and others.

What is accreditation, and why do we need it?

Karadwilliams@wiccanseminary.edu (Kara Williams) — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 17:33:36 GMT

Wicca is a legally recognized religion and, on paper, is protected by the federal government. Many of us have been in situations where non-pagans have not seen us as legitimate clergy, or even a legitimate religion.

In April of 2023 the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) opened The Accreditation Program of Wicca (APW) to help Wiccan institutions and programs of learning achieve acceptance outside the Wiccan and Pagan community. The hope is that we will come together as a community to take the next step in achieving acceptance of our religious education and our clergy on par with other religions in the United States.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation creates a quality assurance that each institution meets educational standards. The standards establish education quality expectations that are common across all Wiccans and assess an institution’s ability to meet the needs of 21st century graduates and the community at large.

Accreditation in secular education began over a century ago. The movement started as a public reaction to the extreme differences between educational institutions that initially appeared to be similar. Accrediting bodies were voluntarily organized by educators to develop and implement common standards and procedures to measure educational quality. From its inception, accreditation has been a nongovernmental, completely voluntary, peer group method of identifying educational institutions or programs that meet published standards of quality. A variety of regional, national, and professional accrediting organizations came into being in the early 1900s in response to the public’s demand for reliable indicators of institutional quality.

The APW seeks to begin this process amongst Wiccan schools and programs so that we can become recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and so that we can provide standards by which students and the community can better evaluate programs of study in Wicca.

Accreditation standards with the APW are designed to support the need for institutions to follow different paths and methods of teaching beyond those of traditional campus-based programs or closed coven-based experiences. In other words, these standards have been sourced from Wiccan training as a whole and customized to meet the needs of our religion which differs from other religions’ educational training.

Additionally, by meeting the unique needs of modern students in a growing religion, the student, course and program delivery can expand an institution’s reach beyond that of traditional Wiccan training to a national and international presence.

How does this help the Wiccan Community?

When accredited Wiccan education institutions and groups are successful, not only do the students benefit, but this in turn also benefits Wicca. Students can choose the institutions that best meet their needs while being provided assurances that the chosen program has been required to comply with precise and rigorous standards. This is the purpose of all accreditation bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Community standards provide all training programs with legitimacy from those seeking to attend them and from other training programs in the community. If a festival coordinator wants to support a program, then having accreditation means the coordinator can be confident that the program was vetted. It’s a legitimate program with no legal issues or unethical practices. They can confidently invite such programs to teach or speak at their festival.

When a local Coven approaches a community center or other space to rent it for events, these usually non-pagan businesses can see that their group was vetted. It creates confidence within the non-pagan community and eases the Coven’s hurdles regarding local biases.

Certification programs benefit from accreditation by assuring students that their program meets standards, delivers what they say they will receive, and have ethical business practices. This also translates to other businesses being willing to partner with the program and its leaders.

Seminaries and other higher level education institutions benefit as we seek to achieve U.S. Department of Education acceptance so that our students can apply for federal student loans. Each institution within the APW can be confident of accepting training credits from other APW institutions, knowing that all the programs meet community standards.

What are the goals of this organization?

Our sponsoring body, The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC), has worked for years to be able to offer the APW to the community. It is our hope that others will support this effort so that we can all come together to support clergy training that can be recognized outside of the pagan community. This recognition benefits us all, in education and as clergy in the United States. The ATC has fought for our legal rights since its founding and their support of this next step will hopefully lift us all up.

An important part of what accreditation gives programs, covens and institutions, is a demonstration to various federal and state regulators that accredited institutions are leaders in the field of Wiccan education and strive to prepare clergy and leaders equipped to contribute to the changing community landscape. It also provides the opportunity for APW accredited institutions to lead the change necessary in the field of Wiccan education by offering students the chance to increase their knowledge and skills while meeting their personal and professional responsibilities. It creates an image in the non-pagan world of professionalism and legitimacy.

Accreditation Program of Wicca Mission Statement

The APW strives to bring Wiccan educators together in meeting and creating a network of religious training recognized for its high standards.

The APW provides public information which allows students to find legitimate programs of Wiccan religious education.

The APW works towards the long-term goal of attaining recognition for Wiccan religious training programs by the U.S. Department of Education.

Mabon Ideas

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:42:18 GMT

Mabon Ideas From Aerik Arkadian

As Autumn Equinox is right around the corner, we begin to consider the balance between light and dark both in nature and within ourselves. This time of year is frequently associated with a harvest of fruits and vegetables, including apples, squash, pumpkin spice lattes, berries, grapes, pomegranates, and more. Looking beyond those "traditional" associations, what do you have in season locally? Here in Florida, we’ll have grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. Certainly some of these foods can make great decorations for our altars! I’m sure you’re already full of correspondence lists, but I wanted to begin by sharing a few ideas for your altar an extra touch of Mabon.

Altar Cloth: Use two altar cloths of contrasting colors. Fold the second cloth into a thin runner. You can try using white and black to symbolize the balance of day and night or dark green and orange to symbolize the relationship between the earth and the sun at this time
Decorations: Dried leaves, acorns, seasonal fruits, squash, pumpkin seeds, cornucopia, pinecones, or anything that "feels" like Mabon to you
Crystals: Place an equal number of small, tumbled pieces of sunstone and moonstone to represent equality between two opposing forces

Incense

Every great altar deserves a great incense! This lovely Mabon incense recipe comes to you from my amazing wife, Selene.

● Two Parts: Frankincense Resin

● One Part: Honeysuckle

● One Part: Mugwort

● One Part: Juniper Berries

● One Part: White Oak Bark

● One Part: Apple Peels

Are you missing an ingredient? No problem. Substitute using whatever you have on-hand. Some other herbs that might be commonly associated with Mabon are sandalwood, cypress, pine, oakmoss, rosemary, sage, thyme and cinnamon. If you happen to find them nearby, you could also add a few fallen leaves or acorns.

The apple peels in this recipe need to be dried. You can peel an apple, eat the insides, then place the peels on a baking sheet. Bake at 200ºF for a couple of hours, flipping the peels every 30 minutes. If you happen to have a food dehydrator, this is a great excuse to use it. If the apple peels aren't totally dried, they'll be a little gummy. It does take quite a bit of effort to grind them.

Grinding the incense by hand is an opportune time to charge it with your energetic intentions. Try focusing on either "balance" or "gratitude." As you work the incense in the mortar, you can picture things you are grateful for and truly fill yourself with the feeling. You'll not only empower the mix, but you'll also feel more relaxed and content once you're done! What better way to charge a Mabon incense?

Knotwork

While that incense is burning, it’s time for some spellwork! This magickal working idea utilizes some simple knotwork and focuses on the balance aspect of the equinox. Since the day and night are equal, it's an important time to reflect on balance in our lives. Have we been working too hard and playing too little? Have we been spending more money than we've been saving? Has a spirit of adventure been dominating over a need for rest? Do we feel emotionally stable? Those are just some starter questions, but balance also extends to the elements within us -- to the air, fire, water, and earth energies that make up our four-fold nature. Take some time to reflect on any aspect of your life that feels unbalanced or out of sync, then grab your supplies.

You will need:

● 2 Lengths of Ribbon (1 white, 1 black) at least 9'' in long

● Optionally: A small bag, one small piece of moonstone, and one small piece of sunstone

Instructions:

Place the two ribbons side by side and tie an overhand knot at one end, locking them both together.
Using the long ends of both ribbons, tie a half knot (the same as the first knot you make when tying your shoes, not including the bunny ears) and tighten it until it is loosely snug against your original overhand knot
Repeat this process, securing each knot to the previous knot, until you run out of ribbon
As you work, visualize aspects of your life coming back into balance

I prefer alternating "right over left" and "left over right" to form square knots -- this typically produces a more "visually appealing" result. Don't untie knots if you mess up! It'll come out exactly how it's meant to.

If you're good at braiding, you can use longer pieces of ribbon. Fold them in half, then tie an overhand knot just below the bend. You'll now have 4 strands of ribbon to braid together. I'm terrible at braiding anything beyond 3 strands, so if anyone accomplishes this, I would love to see the result.

When we do this working with our coven, we like to give everyone a small drawstring bag along with a piece of moonstone and sunstone. You can keep everything, including the ribbon, inside the bag. Carry it around with you during times when you most feel you need balance.

Gratitude Jars

This last magickal working idea uses pen and paper and focuses on the gratitude aspect of the second harvest. Maybe you planted some "seeds" of manifestation at Imbolc that are just now starting to sprout, or perhaps you formed clear goals and intentions at Beltane. Either way, each of the three harvest festivals is an opportunity to show gratitude. Even in the darkest of times, there's always something to be grateful for. If you're feeling low, you can always pop open your gratitude jar for a quick reminder!

You will need:

● Pen

● Paper

● Small glass jar with lid

● Optionally: Supplies to decorate, like ribbon

Cut or tear the paper into tiny strips or squares. On each piece, write down something you are grateful for, fold it up, and place it in the glass jar. Continue until you run out of paper, space, or ideas.

Have a blessed Mabon!

About the Author: Aerik Arkadian is a Third Degree Gardnerian high priest, aborisha, husband, musician, and coven leader. He and his wife, Selene, run a teaching coven in Florida. He hates olives, but will put pineapple on pizza any day of the week. You can find Aerik’s writings at AerikArkadian.com or follow on YouTube and Facebook .

Wiccan Worship

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 00:42:55 GMT

For purposes of this discussion, the following definitions apply:

Spirit is the essence, the definition, the source of existence. Everything has spirit.
The convention for this work will be that if the word, ‘spirit’ is capitalized, it refers to Deity. If not, then it refers to an individual object.
Groups of things have spirit. The collective spirit of everything is Deity, sometimes referred to as the 'Great Spirit.'
Deity is the sole source of spirit.
'GOOD' is any event that moves a person closer to Spirit. 'BAD' moves us away from Spirit.
Beauty is our personal interpretation of the goodness of an object or thing. It could be said that beauty is the radiation given off by the spirit of an object. Spirit is what makes an object manifest, makes it exist.
In other words, if something exists, it does so because it is part of Deity. Everything is part of Deity. We recognize something as beautiful when we can sense its spirit, its connection to Deity.
A sacrament is a symbolic religious ceremony.
Religion is the institutionalized establishment of spiritual ideals, traditions, and practices.
Spirituality is a personal metaphysical belief system.
A priest or priestess is any person involved in their own spiritual evolution. In Wicca, each person is considered to be in charge of their own spiritual development.
Spiritual grace (usually, in discussions about Spirit, shortened to ‘grace’) is the reception of divine beneficence or favor.

One of the most basic elements of all religions is worship. How and what we worship is dependent on what religion we identify with, who is leading the worship service, and our own, private system of beliefs. In Wiccan circles, that can be a highly variable experience. And for those who practice solitary rites, worship might even be a foreign concept. Planning a meaningful worship experience for Pagans is definitely a subsection of the chapter on cat herding. There are thousands of books on lore, ritual magic, ceremonial magic, spell craft, spirituality, tool making, astrology, herbology, ritual making, and hundreds of other subjects of interest to the modern witch. However, very little has been written about our religious worship. And nearly all of what is available on the subject are scrips for worship ceremonies that can be used for groups.

But we are priests and priestesses; we are in charge of our personal spiritual beliefs and practices. We need to know what worship is and how to design worship practices for ourselves and for others.

Most Wiccans are natural-born rebels. What one of us believes and practices probably doesn’t much resemble how the next person in line will believe and act. It’s hard to state what a Wiccan believes as part of their religion because we refuse to be told how to think on such matters. Designing a worship service that is moving and worthy of the time and effort is difficult. And designing one for yourself is sometimes even harder.

A big problem in the Craft is that very few of the thousands of initiates who conduct rituals for others know much about what they are doing. It’s only been within the last twenty years that there have been any teaching institutions worthy of the time and money necessary to present a credible program for initiates. But even with them, some things are not fully understood while others are even ignored.

Here in America, most of us who count ourselves as part of the modern Pagan movement have a history of being raised in one of the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Orthodoxy, Judaism, or Islam. Each of these has its own customs and traditions of worship that have been developed over centuries of cultural and social evolution. However, they have a common style of worship that many Pagans find irritating. Quite frankly, I would call that style: master and slave. Deity (through the interpretation of their priesthood) is master, the worshipers are the slaves, and their forms of worship are designed to maintain that relationship. Followers of those religions would probably find that description offensive but I believe it to be just as true as it is blunt. Those groups fall into a category known as revealed religions. That is, they have texts and liturgy they claim come from their deity. Their form of worship must conform to the idea that their god dictates and the worshipers comply. One of the most basic tenants of revealed religions is that the ‘word of god’ (as interpreted by their priests, of course) can’t be questioned and their form of worship complements that relationship.

Wicca, like most Pagan religions, is what’s known as a mystery religion. That is not because some of our ceremonies are kept secret or that we don’t hand out our knowledge to just anybody. No, the ‘mystery’ in mystery religions is what will happen to each individual because of those rituals and that knowledge. The mystery is what each person will experience and choose to do with their spirituality after they leave the initiatory circle. Mystery religions typically worship multiple god forms because every deity represents different things to different people.

In most Wiccan traditions, it is customary during a person’s initiation to be ‘introduced’ to the four Elements as “a newly made Witch and Priest(ess).” For some, this might be confusing since these terms are rarely well-defined before or during the initiatory ritual. That is by design. Both words will gain meaning only from the initiate’s own life activities. What happens during the initiation is not The Mystery in our mystery religion. It is what we do when we walk the Wiccan pathways after initiation that gives meaning to those words for each of us.

Wicca is a blend of magic and spirituality. Every Wiccan is both a witch and a person trying to understand Spirit (the priesthood). We learn about magic by learning spells and about Nature. We learn about Spirit by participating in our rituals. Nothing in any of the initiations I have attended in the last 45 years demands that I perform magic or conduct rituals for anyone except myself. Nobody said I had to make magic for others or be a minister to anybody. And yet, more often than not, that is exactly what many of us begin to do soon after our first initiation. For those lucky enough to be part of a well-made training program, instruction and monitored practical experience in both of these areas can be invaluable. But there’s always more to learn.

Worship is generally defined as having or showing veneration, admiration, or deep respect for a deity, person, or other target. But, just as the definition of a car doesn’t teach us how to drive, our definition of worship doesn’t tell us how it's done. To learn that, we first need to look at why we worship. Since this discussion is directed toward Wiccans, we will limit our investigation to Pagan spiritual worship. However, be aware that nearly everything said of spiritual worship can apply to all forms of worship.

Generally speaking, the reason we worship is to create, enhance, and/or refine our bond with the target of our worship. In Wicca, we view divinity as a multiplex. That is, we see it expressed in many forms, as there being many gods and goddesses. For us, everything in Nature is an expression of the Divine. Our rituals and other forms of worship are designed to make us more mindful of this universal divinity so we might live in greater harmony with it.

Worship is primarily a mental and emotional activity but it can have a physical element as well. The worshiper’s own body is the most common physical component. Symbolic jewelry, body art, and special clothing (or, in the case of some circles, the lack of clothing) can figure into our worship practices. Chanting, music, poetry, and sermons are also included. Why is worship so complex and what do these various elements do that qualifies them as parts of worship?

Worship is any practice that establishes, promotes, increases, and/or enhances our desire for spiritual grace. In The Charge of the Goddess by Doreen Valiente (1922 – 1999), a piece of liturgy used by many Wiccan circles, (there are at least three different versions written by Valiente) there is a declaration by the Goddess that all acts of love and pleasure are her rituals/sacraments. While this hints at the rewards of divine benevolence, it is often interpreted to refer almost exclusively to sexual pleasure. But, as liberating and joyful as that may be, it is not the only pleasure in life. The Charge clearly says all acts of love and pleasure. And if what you are doing is pleasurable, you are far more likely to repeat that activity. Just as all acts of love and pleasure are sacraments (acts of spiritual worship), it is also true that all acts of worship can be pleasurable. We derive pleasure from things that increase our spirit. Spirit is derived from only one source, divinity (the so-called Great Spirit). We recognize spirit as beauty (see my book, Be ALL! for further analysis). As in all things magical, beauty is in the observer, not the thing observed. And so it could be said that all worship is an inward journey to reach, guide, and teach our own spirit. Worship is more than simply having fun. Whether you create worship experiences for yourself or others (or both), it will be an intentional act, a magical act. Creating a worship service is spell work.

So, let's get to work and build a spell:

The first thing we do when creating a spell is to define and refine our vision of what we want the spell to accomplish. We can call that the function of the spell. And, in designing anything, form always follows function.

What do I want our worship spell to do, what do I want the result to be? Generally speaking, I want it to make me more harmonious with the way the universe works. I want to ‘go with the flow’ better so that my life will be more enjoyable, easier, more meaningful, and less stressful. My vision includes having fun but also being more mindful of my connection to Spirit. In my mind, those two goals are actually one thing.

As mentioned, worship is an internal journey. Whatever we are doing, there are beliefs, memories, and complex intentions involved in our worship practices. These elements must be in harmony with the worship service’s design and application. Designing a worship experience will rely heavily on our understanding of human nature. After all, what we are trying to do is predict how people will feel and react to whatever is presented in the worship service.

Let’s imagine we’re going to create a worship service for what we expect will be a group of a hundred people or more. Let’s further assume that we want to worship Demeter. We read up on the various attributes of the goddess as well as some of the stories and lore surrounding her. A quick read on the internet informs us that Demeter is referred to as a mother goddess, and goddess of the grain. She has dominion over all of earth’s agriculture. She is the daughter of Titans and so considered one of the Olympian gods. In Roman theology, she is conflated with Ceres, their goddess of the grain. She was the sister of Zeus and Hades and there is a great deal of lore about her that includes her interaction with those two gods. She, and her daughter, Persephone, plus Hades and Zeus, figure prominently in the Eleusinian Mysteries, an annual celebration held for two millennia in Greece that had its roots in pre-Hellenic, Mycenaean cults.

So the question is, what can we do in our worship service that will bring us closer to the various spiritual aspects of this goddess? How can we increase our desire for a closer relationship? What can we do that will make us more aware of and encourage us to become in greater harmony with her?

For many years, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church has produced a four day festival known as Spring Mysteries that presents its interpretation of the Eleusinian Mysteries. The original rituals have been lost to time but there are remnants and hints of the old rites that the church has pieced together to form a reasonable likeness of the rituals that survived for over two thousand years in Greece.

Although the whole celebration of The Eleusinian Mysteries is called an initiatory rite, it has many parts designed to be worship ceremonies. Typically, the church would establish individual altars for the gods and goddesses depicted in the many sections of the rites. Demeter would have her own altar space among the others, of course. During the narrated drama (a common form of Greek drama) presented at Spring Mysteries, the participants typically engage in prayers and displays of reverence for Demeter. Also, the story that is told during these rites helps create a sympathetic bond with the goddess and a desire to gain her favor. And so, the experience of Spring Mysteries becomes not only an initiatory one but a worship service as well.

Creating a worship experience isn’t that complicated. Basically, there are six steps:

Determine why the worship experience is needed and who or what is being targeted.
Know the result you are looking for. This must be done before you begin anything else. (Basic Magic 101)
Think of the feelings the result will produce for you (and/or others).
What activity can produce those feelings that will be mentally and emotionally connected to the target of the worship?
Make that activity happen and be sure to make it understood that it is associated with the target of worship.
Make a clear and definite end to the worship activity. Do not ignore this step!

If you are creating a worship service for just yourself, simply reminding yourself who or what you are worshipping will probably be sufficient to satisfy step #5. However, in a group activity, such comments might seem awkward and distracting. More often than not, a visual reminder, such as a picture, artwork, sculpture, symbolism, and iconography of all sorts will serve to establish the mental and emotional connections for each worshipper.

A quick note about clear communication: I refer to the emotional association mentioned in those five steps. One of the most important things I ever learned is: How it feels is what it means. Every word, action, or thought has no meaning unless and until it has an associated feeling. How we feel about something defines what it means. If we change the feeling, we change the meaning.

We don’t live in a world of dictionary definitions. Our feelings dictate the meaning of everything. What and how we worship will affect how we define our world. This is why many spiritual ceremonies are filled with grandiose or exaggerated emotive sections. Changing the meaning of some part of your reality will change your life. How you feel about a subject dictates its meaning, period. I’ve written about how to make meaningful and moving rituals in my book, Crafting Pagan Rituals. When I wrote that, I should have expanded on this formula of feeling = meaning = perspective = reality. Perhaps next time. Also, take note of steps three and four. In particular, take note that it asks you to think of the feelings you will have when the result you wish for manifests. This complies with the Magic 101 maxim: “Don’t think about how; think about what.”

Visualizing the result you want is the subject of countless magical lessons. But, unless you can conjure how that result will feel, your visualization will be incomplete and the results of your magic will be less than you desire. This is why it is so important for the magician to believe their magic will work. This doesn’t mean just saying you believe; you must be so sure of what you believe that doubt is completely absent from your thoughts. As any magician will tell you, this isn’t nearly as easy as it might sound. To suspend any and all disbelief, one must train the mind just as one would train the body to run a marathon. First, learn to walk, then to run. In magic, one learns the finer points of visualization through practice. Practice, practice, practice. Learn to clear your space of all negative thoughts and feelings. Sweep away any and all distractions and call upon your living powers of manifestation. Create! Create a world in which you have already manifested your desire.

Did I say ‘desire?’ That’s what worship is all about: creating a desire. In Wicca, as in any other religion, the desire is to become in greater harmony with Deity. How this is accomplished is not nearly as important as the fact that it is manifest! Children are wonderful about this. ‘Pretend,’ to a child is as easy and complete as the greatest magician’s work. Think back to your own childhood and remember the grand adventures you experienced, the wondrous places you went, the magnificent thrills and strange wonders of the worlds you visited, and the worlds you created.

Children are natural-born magicians. The power of a child’s mind is enormous. It takes years of discouragement and distraction to smother that power (“Oh, Johnny, you’re just imagining that”). And it might take years to regain those powers but it is worth every second of self-discipline and training. Believe. Believe in yourself and the world you will manifest. Worship the beauty all around you; it is how you experience the gods. Create a world filled with love and beauty and know it will be so long as you can visualize it. Worship regularly, every day. Indeed, make your whole life a worship experience. Live in harmony with the beauty and wonder of the world you create.

Lammas Issue Newsletter 2023

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 20:49:04 GMT

Download the 2023 Lammas Newsletter!

Summer Goddesses

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 16:53:23 GMT

Do you have a Summer Goddess with whom you feel a connection? One very special Goddess and not one that is very well known is Aine the Celtic Goddess of love, splendor and beauty, fertility, and the radiance of the Sun. She is also thought by many to be a Moon Goddess

Though Summer Solstice is her sacred day the two days surrounding the Sabbat are also special days for her. I am a water sign and I am drawn to Goddesses whose element is water and Aine is known to heal people who submerge into her lake and invoke her name. She is a healer and her sacred animal is the swan. The Lough Gur is the lake most sacred to Aine. Not far from her lake is a 528-foot holy hill named Knock Aine. Visitors and Pilgrims over the centuries and up to the present chant and dance to welcome the fiery sunny sphere that appears on Solstice morn and everyday throughout the Summer.

She is also thought to be a Faerie Queen who birthed an entire race of faeries that reside in and around her lake the Lough Gur. Aine plays a heavenly harp and her music mesmerizes the deserving listener with divine inspiration. And if one is unworthy, madness will ensue upon hearing her celestial sound

There are many Goddesses connected to Summer and another unique one is Sulis a Roman Goddess of the Sun, and also of healing baths. Her ancient Priestess cult was in the city of Bath, England. She is sometimes associated with Minerva, another Roman Goddess who is also a healer and one connected to thermal springs like the healing springs at Bath. Minerva is also a Goddess of the Summer Sun.

Another Summer deity is Saule, the Baltic Goddess of the Sun. Her ancient people are from the countries of Latvia and Lithuania. Being the Sun itself she gives life and nourishment to all living things on earth. She is a vibrant Goddess and her colors are golds, oranges, and reds. Leap the Solstice bonfires in her honor to help raise the Summer Sun.

You do not need an altar to work solar magick, just rise early in the in the morning when you are the freshest and the Sun is at its brightest. Let the Sun’s energy empower you to achieve your goals. It is also a time for self-care and drinking in the Sun’s energy to promote good health and happiness.

A midday Sun is at its peak because it is at the highest point in the sky. If you want to partake of its energy, plan to cast your spells at noon for balance and to embrace the prominent and brilliant Sun.

Let us not forget Sunset when the sky shines with vibrant colors that truly is an artist’s pallet. With dusk near this becomes a liminal transfer from one time to another. Embrace the serenity and quietude of the moment, it is truly magickal.

image credit: Howard David Johnson

The Abandoned Soul: Religious Wounding Within the Pagan Community

Sat, 27 May 2023 17:41:54 GMT

The Abandoned Soul: Religious Wounding Within the Pagan Community

By Roman Delgado.

Disclaimer: This is by no means a post born out of professional knowledge of the subject at hand. It is born out of my own experience, wounding and, interaction with deity throughout my life. Please read with care, know that the subjects discussed can be great triggers. If you are moved in any way, including moved to anger; please discuss what you have learned here with your own religious community in order to foster growth and spiritual healing.

So let us begin!

As I write this, I sit in my home. A temple to many Divine Beings, I am very much connected to those Gods and Goddesses I worship. They have some things to say. I, just as a human being, hope that I can give their message justice and pass their message to their liking.

To be truthful, it is Their pain that has birthed this writing. Seeing so many people in the spiritual community in times of distress, feeling abandoned and isolated from their own divinity. Yes, it may be true that it is hard to be spiritual when everything around you is falling apart. However, it is in those situations that we need our faith the most! So why is it that for so many, when we are falling apart, we reach out to divinity only to come up empty-handed? As a Norse Wiccan and Folk Magic practitioner, I will tell you my Gods and Goddesses experience heartbreak when they see that happen.

One thing I was told by my own patron God Njord, is that the Gods - while they wish us to be happy, healthy and whole - cannot protect us from all of the storms that life brings about. Some storms are unavoidable, not only for our own individual growth but also for the cosmic web of creation. We all have a part to play in the cosmic dance of creation, as such all of our experiences are valid and needed, including the unpleasant ones. We each carry within us the ability to birth into reality lessons unique to our own soul essence. Lessons that no other being can provide in the exact same way we can, after all our souls are unique in their own vibrations. However, this is not something we should be doing alone. This should always be an act of cooperation with the Gods and Goddesses of our own respective faiths. This can be particularly difficult in the case of faiths where Gods and Goddesses are seen as divine beings, removed from the earthly plane and more concerned with the big picture of life and the universe than individual lives of those that worship them.

Yet this is not the case, you see we are all the working tools of a creator. Divinity expresses and works its magic through us. It is why Njord feels heartbroken when he sees me feeling depleted or removed from him and my other Gods and Goddesses. Because the Gods need us as much as we need them. We are two sides of the same coin. One cosmic, the other earthly and grounded.

So many of us have experienced wounding from religious communities where politics and hatred have been justified by a misplaced and mistaken sense of moral and ethical responsibility. The atrocities humanity has committed against each other and the planet itself throughout history has not gone unnoticed. Both humans and Gods bear the scars upon our souls for the deeds done in the name of Good both in a macrocosmic scale, and in the microcosm of everyday life.

Yet - so many of us go our entire adult lives avoiding cleaning out those infected spiritual wounds and letting them heal! We avoid the triggers that remind us we have been wronged in the name of Divinity, and we project our wounding onto religion itself or people we come in contact with. We feel alone and isolated. Our very souls cry out from spiritual starvation and lack of connection to community.

It is sad to see how our needs are not being met, be mindful I am not victim shaming or blaming here. I am however pointing out that blaming religion and avoiding spirituality will do nothing to extinguish the pain within you and only make the wound deeper and more dangerous to live with. I am also not trying to push my own beliefs onto anyone. What I am pointing out is that any human being can see that there is benefit from some type of spiritual experience. What that spirituality path looks like is completely the choice of the individual. However, if we allow our own wounding to isolate us from divinity and spiritual community, it creates a vicious cycle of wounding in which pain and illness only get worse and worse.

I am not asking you to believe in my Gods or anyone else’s, believe in your own divinity and sovereignty if needed be! However, believe in something that gives you strength and hope through the hard times. Because in the end when we are going through the storms that life brings. It is not the Gods who have abandoned us, but our own wounding that is creating the illusion of separation from the divine. Nothing can take that away short of faith and divine intervention.

We need to be willing and able to know and see that as the Gospel of Thomas says: “The kingdom of God is inside you and all around you. Not in mansions of wood and stone. Split a piece of wood and I am there; lift a stone and you will find me .” It is time to move beyond the wound and find the sacredness of the inner sanctum of our body, mind, and soul. It is time to find the beauty of creation, not only the awe of nature, but also in the concrete jungles of human creation.

Listen, Children of Earth and Starry Heaven as divinity speaks from within each of us. You have never been, nor will you ever be alone. The only reason you can’t see the Gods is because your pain has been so intense that you have been blinded to all other things outside your suffering. The Gods speak and ask you to surrender your suffering to them, that you may once again see that you are a sacred being, living in a sacred world. It is time to take away the power of the wound and reclaim the sacredness of our very souls.

May the Gods Bless and Keep You.

-------------------------------------------

Roman Delgado is a Psychic Reader and Shamanic Healer at Teotl Tonalli Intuitive Arts . He is an active member of the Keepers of the Flame Coven, ATC (Aquarian Tabernacle Church) (The Ever Green Hearth) Please check our Community Connections page to find ways to connect with Roman or other members and Affiliates of The Ever Green Hearth.

Hail the Traveler: Sharon Roy

editor@atcwicca.org (Editor Panegyria) — Thu, 25 May 2023 20:36:23 GMT

Hail the Traveler: Sharon Roy

It is with heavy hearts that we bid farewell to our beloved Sharon Roy, who has left an indelible mark on the lives she touched. She was a beacon of love, wisdom, and strength, and her passing leaves a void that cannot be filled.

Sharon, known for her kind and compassionate spirit, was a pillar of support and a source of endless wisdom. Her warm smile and gentle nature brightened the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. She imparted valuable life lessons, leaving behind a legacy of love and kindness. She embraced every moment with joy and enthusiasm, just as Goddess wanted her to, so that she could show others how to do the same.

In addition to the love shown throughout her life, Sharon leaves behind the legacy of family. She is survived by her sister Kitty, daughter Susan, and grandchildren Amanda, Allyson, and Jonathan. Her love extended beyond her immediate kin, touching the hearts of extended family, friends, and community members. Her generous heart and open arms created a welcoming and nurturing environment that will forever be remembered.

As we mourn the loss of Sharon, let us also celebrate the remarkable life and the immeasurable impact she had on us. May memories of Sharon bring comfort and solace during this difficult time as she crosses over the veil. May we carry her values, love, and wisdom within our hearts as we honor her legacy.

Momento Mori; Beltane and Death

Tue, 02 May 2023 20:16:59 GMT

Memento Mori; Beltane and Death

By Lilliana Blackstar

People don’t often talk about death at Beltane - a spring festival that celebrates union and fertility. In the Northern Hemisphere we celebrate Beltane in the middle of Taurus Season, around May 1 - just as (for many people) the flowers are blossoming and the weather is shifting away from rain into days of warmth and sunshine.

Traditionally, Beltane is a celebration of the metaphorical union of the Divine Feminine with the Divine Masculine; a union that results in fertile lands, pollination of crops, and the energetic conception of new energy that will carry life forward. There are many ways that Beltane is celebrated - usually it is a time of dancing, celebrating, and opening up to the energies of pleasure, bounty, and our wild and instinctual natures. Bonfires, feasting, decorating with flowers, courtship and flirting, and prayers for fertile crops and success in our lives are usually the focus of our Beltane celebrations.

In my initiatory tradition, we are taught that the work of witches is to maintain the balance. We recognize the energies that flow must be balanced, and a life out of balance will generally not propagate happy results. Each month when we honor the Full Moon we are given an opportunity to find this Balance in our lives; as the Full Moon will shine from the opposite astrological sign of the sun. Thus, at the season of Beltane when the sun is in Taurus - the Full Moon will be in the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is the sign most commonly associated with Death. More aptly, Scorpio is the sign of Secrets, the Hidden and the Unknown - and since we can never truly see Death until we experience it, Death is the realm of Scorpio. Death is that truly secret final journey we will take, that will be hidden from us until the time we cross that boundary. Scorpio is therefore associated with the dead and the ancestral realm - when the Sun is in Scorpio we celebrate Samhain and take time to honor our beloved dead.

“Death is not an evil. What is it then? The one law humankind has that is free of all discrimination. ” - Seneca

So here we are, in the midst of celebrating Beltane -a feast of fertility and sex and pleasure - and here comes a Scorpio Full Moon - reminding us of death and endings. This is the balance. It is true that at Beltane with Spring we celebrate fertile lands, but in six months we will celebrate Samhain and watch as the world settles into a cold and dark time when we cannot grow the crops. In truth, fertility and death are deeply connected. In agriculture we know that soil is fertilized by rot and decay, by mushroom and fungus, and by the droppings and waste of living animals. Without this process of decay, the soil becomes dead and dry, unable to support the growth of new plants. Astrologically we can see this balance of Spring and Fall with the consideration of the Taurus-Scorpio axis. Taurus brings the spring celebration of Beltane, with a Scorpio Full Moon. and in the Fall, Scorpio season brings the celebration of Samhain, and a Taurus Full Moon.

On a seemingly unrelated personal journey, a few weeks ago I decided to begin a personal study of Stoic Philosophy. I wanted to know what the Stoics of ancient Greece believed, and see if any of those philosophies could be applied to my own life as a modern neo-pagan. As I began my study, one of the first concepts I found that is central to Stoic philosophy is “ Memento Mori ” - best translated as “ Remember that you must die ”. The stoics believed that the fear of death would only hold you back from living a fulfilling or meaningful life, and that the best way to overcome a fear of death is to think about your own death frequently and deeply. In facing your own death, you recognize that death is inevitable - it comes for anyone at any time - and therefore it is something beyond our control. The stoics believe that if something is outside of your personal control, it is a waste of time to worry about it. So once you accept that death is inevitable and unavoidable, you can accept it and even embrace it. If you follow this acceptance of death with logic in the way of the Stoics - accepting and keeping your own mortality in mind will remind you that life is short, and since you never know when it will end you will strive to live every day with more purpose, more intention, and more kindness.

“It is not death that man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
- Marcus Aurelius

In the end, memento mori reminds us to live each day as if it may be our last; focusing on what is really important. Remembering our Death at all times reminds us to be more kind, more loving, and to live every day with purpose. It brings Beltane to life in a new way when we can truly ask ourselves; what am I planting that will grow into the future even when I am gone? What seeds am I nurturing, and how am I keeping the soil fertile? What pleasures can I celebrate each day, and how can I make life more pleasant and joyful for my loved ones? How can I live each moment to its fullest, and avoid wasting time worrying or fretting about things I cannot change or control?

“ Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time. ” —Seneca

Look deeper and see beyond Beltane - to the balance that we seek between Taurus and Scorpio. Taurus is the sign of embodiment and pleasure, of our earthly experiences like food and shelter and all our embodied needs. Through Taurus we learn what we enjoy, and how to preserve or make our enjoyment more sustainable. Through Taurus we seek to prolong our human embodiment by making sure we have food and shelter, and we seek to increase our enjoyment of life by making sure we have continued access to the things that give our life value and meaning.

Through Scorpio energy we are reminded that everything ends - nothing in this physical realm is permanent. Through Scorpio we learn to let go, to transmute or transform our values into spiritual form that is hopefully carried with us in some way through that death portal. We learn to find value in that which is not physical, but spiritual, and we experience endings and change and rebirth.

We can dance with both of these energies year after year at both Beltane and Samhain - remembering to honor death even at times of spring and rebirth. Remembering to honor birth and spring even at times of death. Ideally, we learn to carry the energies of Taurus and Scorpio with us at all times, through the whole year - as we embrace memento mori and find inspiration to celebrate and enjoy life to its fullest potential every day!

May 5, 2023 - Astrological Beltane (Sun at 15° Taurus)
May 5. 2023 - Full Moon in Scorpio with a Lunar Eclipse

Spring Goddesses

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 21:38:46 GMT

Spring Goddesses

The Goddess is alive and Magick is afoot! The ancient Germanic Goddess Ostara (also known as Eostre), who alongside the beloved Persephone are both Goddesses of Springtime. Ostara’s symbols are abundant signs of fertility in the images of the hare and ornately painted eggs. We honor her at Spring Equinox (also called Ostara) and much of her symbolism has morphed into the celebration of the Christian Easter. One ancient myth tells the loving story of the Goddess coming across a young bird that lay dying of cold due to Spring’s late arrival. Ostara warmed the frail and shivering bird with her embrace and turned it into a hare. As pagan traditions turn into modern Christian traditions, celebrations today tell how the Easter bunny hides chocolate eggs for children to find.

I collect eggs but not just any eggs. Beautiful and ornately painted specimens or sparkling crystal orbs, never cease to entrance me with their meaning. The egg brings us hope with its unhatched potential. They remind us of the fertile circle of life. Traditionally, it has been the custom for each coven member of Sacred Moon to gift me with a special egg at Spring Equinox. I have so many many splendid examples. Thus, Equinox is the time when I display them throughout my house in baskets and bowls. Their presence brings me into the season of rebirth. I can almost feel the ground stir.

The Eastern European hand painted eggs, that I love, incorporate very intricate designs with each having an important and unique significance. I am aware that certain colors such as red symbolize love, yellow is youth, green relates to the fertility of nature, and blue is for health. In all hand painted eggs, the decorative motifs are diverse, and reflect not only certain symbols, but also the artistry of the painter.

Then we have the ever-popular crystal eggs of which I have quite a splendid collection. Recently I was given a gorgeous aquamarine crystal egg and it is prominently displayed on one of my altars.

Each Spring Equinox in turn I bring a hand painted egg to my favorite neighbors as a reminder of the wonderful new season that is dawning. And since I am a chocoholic, who loves to share, I usually add a few chocolate eggs into the basket for good measure!

We cannot celebrate Spring without honoring the great Goddess Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Persephone, whisked away to the underworld by Hades who makes her his Queen, and tempted by a bite of the sumptuous pomegranate, has her fate sealed. But Demeter’s incessant tears and her demands of Zeus, pressures Hades. He allows Persephone to return above ground each Springtime to herald the nurturing of the earth in all its lushness. Sadly, bound to Hades she returns each summer’s end to join him in the underworld as the earth begins to sleep.

But there are many other Spring Goddesses. Lada is an Eastern European Goddess who is worshiped throughout Lithuania, Poland, and Russia. Then there is Maia a Greek Goddess of Springtime. She personifies the power of growth within the return of the Sun’s warm rays. Rafu-Sen is a Japanese Goddess who brings us the plum blossoms of Spring. Olwen is a Celtic Goddess who represents the reappearance of sunlight every Spring. Mythology tells the tale of Olwen leaving behind a trail of delicate white clover wherever she walks. Ashanti is an Earth Goddess who brings forth the Spring to the people of Ghana where she is honored as a fertility Goddess who protects the womb and safeguards the fields where crops grow.

One more Goddess, though there are still so many, is Artio, considered a Swiss Goddess who resembles a bear hibernating during the Winter months and who returns each Springtime to herald the beginning of the earth’s opulent abundance.

The Spring Goddesses represent the Maiden archetype of the trinity. They remind us that purity and innocence still prevail and where Magick is woven into our hopes and dreams. These are Goddesses bursting with the abundance of life and its passions. As the eternal wheel of the year spins around again and again, they have the power to reclaim the rich earth in all its glorious abundance. From season to season, the circle of life continues.

Ostara and the White Hare

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 04:25:48 GMT

Ostara and the White Hare

This story is one whose origin is shrouded in a great deal of mystery. Colloquial wisdom attempts to trace it back to pre-Christian Germanic folklore, but there is no concrete historical nor academic evidence to support this theory. In fact, the first written mention of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre (later conflated with the Germanic goddess Ostara) at all comes from Saint Bede in the 8th century, and it’s little more than a footnote. References to a spring hare or rabbit (fun fact: they aren’t the same kind of animal) bringing treats to children first appeared in the late 1600s, seemingly independently from any goddess myths. Attempts to bring the two together appear to date back as early as the 1830s, with Jakob Grimm among those working on this story. The most common versions of the story seem to be as modern as the 1980s, but the details vary in the telling's. So, I will attempt to bring together these threads of old and new into something resembling a cohesive whole!

Ostara was the goddess of all new things: the dawn, and spring, and the new growth that came with them. Though she slept through the winter months, when she awoke, the world awoke with her.

However, one year, Ostara overslept, and winter lingered longer than it usually did. As she walked through the snowy world, trying to rouse it from its wintry rest, she came across a sparrow on the ground. The bird was young, hardly more than a fledgling, and hatched while the world was still too cold for it to thrive. The poor thing was nearly frozen to death by the time Ostara found her. Knowing her delay in arrival had caused this misfortune, Ostara gently lifted the bird in her hands, blew her warm breath over the feathers, and cradled the bird to her breast.

Much to the goddess’s delight, the little bird slowly revived as she warmed up. In further apology, Ostara granted her new feathered friend eternal life, and gave her a perch on her shoulder. Together, they continued through the world, bringing spring in their wake, flowers blooming and animals frolicking around them. This would continue for many long years, with the little bird as Ostara’s beloved companion.

Now, every year, once spring had sprung, Ostara would host a grand festival in a meadow to celebrate. Animals and children from all around would gather there, bearing gifts to the goddess as tokens of their happiness and gratitude.

One year, the day before the festival, a white hare by the name of Jack pondered what gift he would bring. Alas, he was poor, barely able to feed himself, let alone present anything of much value that would be fit for the Goddess of Spring. But, as he foraged for something to eat, he found an egg in the grass. This, he thought, could work as a gift for Ostara, for eggs symbolized birth and springtime. Excitedly, he decorated the egg with designs and colors made from flowers, sealing it with beeswax so it was shiny.

The next day, he presented it to Ostara. She smiled in delight, proudly displaying it among the gifts received, knowing that it was a great act of unselfishness for the hare to give her the egg, given his poverty. The little sparrow was also very impressed with the hare. Ostara decided to offer the hare a reward: he would rise to be king among the hares, no longer impoverished, and could continue to make his pretty decorated eggs to be delivered to children in the springtime. Jack Hare was very grateful for this blessing.

In the years to follow, as part of his gratitude, not only did Jack, now king of the hares, make his pretty eggs, but he also would lead his fellow hares in drumming and dancing to help wake and welcome Ostara every spring. He grew confident and bold, and where Ostara was fondly amused by his antics, the little sparrow with her looked upon him with love and warbled a sweet song for the hare. This surprised the goddess, and while bittersweet that she was no longer highest in the sparrow’s affections, she did not want to see her friend pained by pining. She gently placed a kiss upon the top of the sparrow’s head and transformed her into a beautiful white hare herself so that she and Jack might be together. With a nuzzle of twitchy noses, the two hares bounded off into the distance, and Ostara went on her own way, until she returned to sleep as spring became summer.

When spring came again the next year and Ostara awoke, she was sad, for she missed her sparrow friend. Spring came slowly in her grief until she came upon many hares dancing in the fields. When they saw her, the hares bowed and made way, leading her to the center where Jack and the former sparrow’s nest was. Inside were a half-dozen eggs, but they didn’t look like Jack’s pretty colored eggs. Ostara was puzzled at first, as hares did not typically lay eggs, but then one began to hatch, and out came a pretty white baby leveret. Ostara was amazed and cuddled the newborn hare before placing her back at her mother’s feet, for it was the former sparrow’s child with Jack. She had kept her ability to lay eggs. Ostara and the hares all danced in celebration as springtime bloomed all around them.

But it was not to last. After some time, word got out that Jack was not faithful to his mate. This saddened Ostara, angered on behalf of her friend that had once been a sparrow. In her fury over his infidelity, Ostara grabbed Jack by the very ears and cast him up into the very heavens. There, he landed at the starry feet of the hunter Orion, where he became the constellation Lepus. Despite Jack’s affairs and the punishment bestowed by the goddess, the former sparrow grieved the loss of her mate. Seeing her tears, Ostara’s heart softened, and she granted one last favor: that once each year, following the first full moon of the first day of spring, Jack would be permitted to return to Earth to color his pretty eggs and gift them to the children of the world. And he still does to this day.

THE END!

Photo credit: © Anne Louvaine Clark

Just Wyrd

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 15:21:38 GMT

An exciting new series of Drama! Insatiable Wit! Drama! Witchcraft! More Drama! Witty Witch Whimsicalities! For even more alliterations stay tuned to Jyst Wyrd!

I am a serious student at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary…versus being a not serious student …. (I took a long pause to reflect on that … please join me in this, the reflecting of that statement)

In conclusion, I am a student at WSTS. I invite you all to share in my magical mundane life. To laugh, to cry (unless you just did your makeup, eye glisten then) as I share my story of being a witch with multiple hats of the metaphorical type (although I do encourage you to encourage me to share my literal hats. I have so many! And I look damn fine in every single one).

A little about me; I am filled with awesome sauce, sprinkled with sass, and wear a size 6 shoe, sometimes 6 ½. Perfect! It’s like you’ve known me my whole life! We should probably be besties.

Anecdote time! I work with the Fae, a personal choice that I mostly do not regret. It is common that ‘things’ disappear in my home and even more common for me to have temper tantrums, stomping about the house screaming things like,” You don’t even pay rent! Freeloaders! I can and will evict you!” followed by deep breathing, laughing at myself, shrugging, and telling the other residents in the home that the Fae took it. They’ll give it back when we need it.

Now that may seem like a random story but, Dum, Dum Duuuuh! Foreshadowing! Of what? I could not say, they haven’t told me yet.

(Do you ever listen to yourself and question your sanity, then reassured that by questioning your sanity you must be sane as only the insane do not? Yeah, me neither).

Stay tuned for the next incredible plot Twist! ---- I can twist plot whenever I want, I am the plotter… and twister… Sneak peak of what happens next, Me! Lucky you.

On Tools of The Trade

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 01:24:28 GMT

I know, what trade could I possibly be referring to in a blog like this right? Well, it might surprise you to know I'm referring to everyone's trade, or rather the trade of being you. I promise it will become clearer as I go. You, as a person, obviously have a trade you focus on or specialize in, be that a profession/job or a hobby or talent you excel at. There is, however, another trade you've been doing practically all your life, and that is living to be the best you.

Now this trade is a menial one at times and the paycheck isn't all that great, but it definitely has a good benefits package, in that you're still alive. Some find this trade well and simple to do day in and day out, but many struggle and even suffer at times completing their day-to-day for many a reason.

One such reason is not understanding the requirements or assignments and further being frustrated when they do not or cannot complete what is expected of them, sometimes repeatedly. They feel guilt and shame and defeated because something goes wrong or they misunderstand or assume incorrectly, and it leaves them feeling like it's not worth it to try again or continuing to try other similar tasks.

I have a method that may help those people. What you see as a failure or misunderstanding is actually an extra tool to help you in your trade. You, in experiencing this non-success of sorts, have discovered a way to not achieve your goal, and therefore know how not to do so next time. Thomas Edison, upon completing the invention of a functioning lightbulb, said to those who could only focus on how many times he'd failed before his success, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

This is what we call growth and learning. We as humans are ever-growing, ever-learning, ever evolving; we are always trying to be better than we were the day before. Instead of focusing on the failures and shortcomings we experience along that journey through life, instead view those experiences as simply another tool in your arsenal of being a better you. Every single experience, good or bad, is a lesson and a tool you have gained. When you take on a new task, you utilize every tool on your belt to complete that task, whether it is a tool gained from a success or a tool gained from unsuccess. Use those unfortunate results for your growth and future success, and you can never really say you've failed, but simply gained a new tool for your trade.

---------------------------------------------------

About The Author:

Rev. Nikodaemus Shadowsky (He/Him)

2nd Degree Priest, WISE Tradition

Niko is a founding member of The Ever Green Hearth and has taken an active role in Ritual creation and volunteer work within the church since it was formed in 2015. In his magical life, Niko enjoys Invocation, Tarot and Oracle card Reading, and Ritual Writing, and has a love for Magical Woodworking and the Egyptian Pantheon. Niko holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Performance Arts and Public Performance, and is currently employed as a Pro Accounts Sales Associate at Home Depot. When not working or volunteering with the coven, Niko enjoys video gaming, tabletop gaming, woodworking, and voice acting.

Baubo Healing

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 23:47:35 GMT

Baubo Healing by Lady Lola Stardust

This past year, starting in October of 2021, I began my journey with Baubo. For those who aren't familiar with Baubo, she is the Goddess of Mirth, Vulvas, Bawdy Humour, and the Sacred Healing Waters. During the Eleusinian Mysteries, she was one of the first Deities you encountered at the Sacred Well of Eleusis. Her and her Priests and Priestesses would heckle each person as they made their way to the entrance of the city. This was done to celebrate the healing power of laughter. She was the one who made Demeter laugh with her inappropriate joking and bawdy dancing. But as I soon found out when I was announced as her vessel for Spring Mysteries 2022, there was so much more to her than that.

My personal journey with her has started the much needed healing process with my body, and not just my body, but my vagina in particular. I've had some trauma with that part of myself, in many forms. There was a time, and still is currently, when I disconnected myself from that part of me. I did not want to acknowledge my vagina's existence. I wanted to act like I didn't have one so as to not face the trauma I had dealt with years ago. I didn't even realize I had that trauma until I really dived into Baubo's mysteries.

She reminded me of my magickal vulva. She had me take a mirror and look at it. Really study it... all of its shades and its shape. She made me have conversations with it. I would talk to it and tell it how much I loved it. I would thank it for all the pain and pleasure it has and continues to bring me...learning important lessons from the pain, and becoming grateful for the pleasure. I read an incredible book about her called “The Metamorphosis of Baubo: Myths of Women's Sexual Energy” by Winifred Milius Lubell that explored the sacred energy of the Goddess and the womb/vulva and how this incarnation has been with us longer than we even could imagine: from the cave paintings of the womanly figures to the Venus of Willendorf to the Sheila Na Gig. That voluptuous Goddess figurine we are all very familiar with. Her curves, her exposed vulva, and the strong fertility energy that literally and figuratively flows from her vulva!

How I wished I could be so confident in my body like this. How I wished I could spread my legs and show the world the origin of my magick and power. Baubo allowed me to embrace this and laugh about the absurdity of it all. Working with her enabled me to join a Burlesque Troupe, hop on the stage and take my clothes off in front of strangers. The applause and admiration I received gave me a high I have never felt before! I owe this to Baubo.

Baubo is the epitome of joy and healing. Laughter and tears. She made me realize how I've always had this energy in me. I am a Priestess of Laughter myself. I discovered years ago this was my main magick. I could heal others thru my jokes and silliness. I taught people you don't always have to take yourself so seriously all of the time. Yes there is a time for reverence, but as said in the Charge of the Goddess “And therefore, let their be Beauty and Strength, Power and Compassion, MIRTH and Reverence...” Its been there all along. She helped me connect with it again, and for the first time.

Her part is small in the Mysteries, but oh so important. It was difficult at times for me to feel connected to others because I realized Baubo sometimes feels forgotten. I at times felt forgotten. That is such a lonely feeling, especially for someone as social as me. But she reminded me my power is all encompassing at all times, its just not always front and center, and that is okay. I actually took a step back from many things to observe, process, and when needed, come forth and spread (my legs-LoL) joy!

I highly suggest to those who have experienced trauma with their bodies in one shape or form, to work with Baubo. Now don't get me wrong, this is a constant process of workings I am doing to continue to heal myself. But Baubo has made it more fun and exciting and has brought compassion to the healing work.

I want to quote my friend Deb Morgan whom I saw not too long ago in person. She was working with Baubo during the Sacral Chakra period that WSTS teaches and she said something that really spoke to the mysteries of Baubo's healing. She said “You gotta feel it before you can heal it.” (insert mind blown sound effect here) I feel that sums it all up.

Remember: when you are laughing so hard at something, Baubo is there. When you are feeling your Sacral chakra activate, Baubo is there. When you are crying with a friend for whatever reason, Baubo is there.

Baubo loves you!

Lola Stardust is a 3rd degree HPS of Children of the Crossroads-ATC in Spokane, Wa. She runs a weekly online discussion series called “Seekers Path” on Discord, has been involved with the ATC and WSTS in one way or another for many years. She is a Graduate of WSTS with a Bachelors in Wiccan Ministry. She runs a local Red Tent Women's Circle in her city, and is heavily involved in planning and running local Pagan Gatherings in her community. You can catch Lola and her partner Silenus on their YouTube show called “Witches and Wine”

The Sleeping Goddess

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 23:50:03 GMT

Let’s dwell on Pisces, and explore the astrological reasons why Goddess worship may have lost popularity during this Age.

To truly understand a cycle that reaches beyond the bounds of recorded history, we must first explore similar periods that we can see clearly. The Goddess cycles with the moon, and the seasons, as well.

We see the maiden in the waxing moon, the mother is the full moon, and the crone is the waning moon. However, who is the Goddess during the dark moon? How does she miraculously go from crone to maiden?

The seasons are similar. The Goddess is a maiden in the spring, mother in the summer, and crone in the fall. Who is she during winter, when she spends time in the underworld, during the time of introspection, and inner growth?

If the Goddess reawakens in the spring and at the new moon, why do we not celebrate her sleep? I know that as a mother, it can be very unsettling for my children for me to be asleep and unavailable to them. Could we deny the sleeping Goddess, because we do not wish to be without her?

If it is possible for the Goddess to sleep during the dark of the moon, and during winter, then it is probable that this cycle would extend to all cycles; as above, so below.

Pisces is the last age of the Astrological Wheel, putting it cyclically in the same place as winter, and the dark moon. Pisces is ruled by Neptune and is the sign of dreams, illusion, mystery, and deception. Those ruled by Pisces are the most susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse because of a strong desire to escape the harshness of mundane reality.

Pisceans are also known to love their sleep and private, alone time. It is the sign of eternity, reincarnation and spiritual rebirth. More than any other sign, Pisces would be the most likely sign to embrace the Goddess in her slumber.

Of course, it may empower those who feel victimized to believe that Dad killed Mom, and he should be punished for it. However, if Mom was just taking a nap, and now she is awake, then we do not have anyone to direct negativity at, and in retrospect owe Dad a bit of gratitude for doing the best he could under the circumstances.

Through understanding the Law of Karma, we know it is a normal and natural process for the Goddess, and possibly the entire matriarchy, to rest in Pisces and be reborn in the Aquarian Age. We can stop looking for external validation and let go of any hatred towards men, Christians, or any other group that has been blamed for responding to the spiritual vibration of Pisces.

Is there any wonder the world is in the state it is in today? Do you remember when you were a kid, and your mother went off to see relatives for the weekend? What became of the house while she was gone? The God aspect is vital and necessary for many great things, but neither can function properly without a balance between the two.

Each Age has powerful lessons for us to learn.

Author: Grey Mere

Images: https://www.deviantart.com/vanity1234/art/Sleeping-Goddess-374604125

Imbolc Message from Belladonna LaVeau, Aps

brenna@atcwicca.org (Brenna Grace) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:56:47 GMT

Imbolc is the time in the Wheel of The Year in which we set our personal goals for the next 12 months. You should start now to formulate these goals based on the guide below. Give much thought to these goals, as they will make a difference in the opportunities offered and the amount of goals accomplished for the entire coming year.

Be sure to word them carefully, as you can only manifest what you ask for. Make statements in the positive, and in the now. Such as "I am smoke-free", rather than "I will quit smoking" By saying you "will" do it, indicates that you haven't done it yet. And no matter what you think, to your subconscious tomorrow never gets here. If you have questions, please ask the list. There are many people here , including me, who have done this work, and can help you.

There should be one goal set for each of the 12 Houses of the Zodiac. If this is too detailed for you, then set goals that make sense to you, such as one for each element, or just one, if that's all that you can do. When you have your goals in mind, write them down and post them somewhere where you will see them every day. Attached is a sheet that lays out the goals in an astrology wheel. This is what I use. Then I post mine at my desk, and check them out about once a month or so.

First House of Self - This goal should be a sacredly selfish, personal goal, something you want for you, because you want it. You don't need any other reason. Also could be athletic goals, warrior goals, or other physical body goals, such as work out, join a gym, loose weight, etc.

Second House of Possessions - This is the house of money and possessions. It relates to what you own, what you will acquire, your income and you finances. This goal should reflect on what you want to spend money. The key word is "want". Ex, I own a dependable vehicle. Or I have a new dining room suit.

Third House of Communication - This house governs the way you think, speak and write. Logic, memory and manual skills are in its domain. Relationships with siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbors fall under the influence of this house. This is the house where you should list your social goals.

Fourth House of Home - This house governs your home. Your

relationship with your mother falls here. Your current domestic affairs are under its influence. The goal for this house should involve the kind of home atmosphere you want for yourself in both a physical and emotional sense.

Fifth House of Creativity and Sex - This house rules over everything you do for pleasure and how you express yourself creatively. This house rules all things to which you instinctively give affection such as lovers, children pets, entertainment, amusement, the arts, love affairs new undertakings and games of chance. Your goal could involve your sexuality and other creative modes of expression (the offspring of your heart).

Sixth House of Service and of Health - This house rules the relationships with the people you work with. The house also relates to your state of health, especially illness brought on yourself by worry and upset. The goal for this house could be about health issues, your career or a charitable service you wish to provide.

Seventh House of Partnership and Marriage - This is the house of Partnerships; such as marriage and/or mate, business and work partnership. This house governs your ability to work harmoniously within all partnerships. This is where you blend your personality with others to pursue shared goals. Your goal for this house should be about balancing these partnerships.

Eighth House of Death and Regeneration - Also sometimes called the House of Spiritual Transformation. It includes the life forces that surround sex, birth, death and the afterlife. It may concern legacies that you receive from the dead both spiritually and physically. This house also governs debt, taxes and money belonging to others. This house governs surgery since it relates to regeneration. Finally, this house rules psychic powers and mystically oriented knowledge. Goals should be transformational, anything from paying off a nagging credit card deal to learning to read tarot.

Ninth House of Mental Exploration and Long Distance Travel - This is the House of The Higher Mind. Under this house fall higher education, philosophy and the study of profound subjects. Long journeys such as these by the mind as well as physical journeys are controlled by this house. Travel to, and business in, foreign lands are covered here. The Ninth House also rules your public expression of ideas and it is therefore the House of Publishing and Literary Effort.

Tenth House of Career and Public Standing - All matters outside the home such as your profession, your status in the community and your public reputation fall under the influence of this house. It also governs relationships with your father. It is called the House of Ambition, Aspiration and Attainment. It is an outward expression of your talents, the way you accept responsibility and the place you arrive at through your own efforts. This house has a great influence on your material success in life. Your goal should reflect how you wish to be known in public.

Eleventh House of Friends and Hopes and Wishes - This is the house of long-term dreams, goals and intellectual pleasures. Your involvement with groups and clubs falls here. The ability to enjoy other people and harmonious work within a group that reflects each individual's personality is reflected here. It is the House of Idealism and Vision. Your goal should be about your long-term dreams.

Twelfth House of Secrets, Sorrows and Un-doing - This house governs disappointments, accidents, trouble and self-defeat. It is also called the House of Karma because it contains the rewards and punishments for the deeds one commits in the world. It is associated with psychic powers and the ability to interpret and remember dreams, and discover the meaning of life. Your goal should involvereligion, dreams, sub-conscious self, pastlife intuition, things of a psychic nature, etc.

Once you have your goals clearly stated, write your goals out on the attached blank astrological chart. It is also good magic to plant seeds at Imbolc that reflect each goal. You can even write your goal on the pot, or label to remind you which plant goes with which goal.

These seeds are then related to your goal, and the growth of the plant will correspond to the growth of your goal. If you neglect your seeds and don't nurture them to grow, then you will be able to see that you may be neglecting your goals as well. If one plant grows much faster than the others, that will also be tale-tell.

This is serious and advanced witchcraft. Figuring out how to blend the different energies of the zodiac with the different things you are trying to accomplish in life, sorting them out, putting them down on paper, and then attaching them to a living magical plant is a focused act. Be mindful of the wheels you set in motion. The planting of seeds is a powerful act of magic. Bless the seeds, and ask them to help you accomplish your goal. Then water and love them, and make sure they get everything they need to grow into perfect, large, beautiful plants, that you can harvest in the fall.

Remember to do that to your goals too.

Poseidon of Cascadia

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 01:11:14 GMT

Poseidon of Cascadia

For those that don't know, we have been working with these Gods here in the PNW for decades, and their energy evolves. These are no longer the Olympians that we are working with here in the PWN, they are the Cascadian's. Please meet Poseidon of Cascadia:

*****************************************************************

I write of a time not long ago when the Gods found themselves on the brink of change. Poseidon the Earth Shaker, Poseidon the Ever Deep Waters, Poseidon the Great Balancer was walking the waters of one of his sacred wetlands. Where once there had been growing mangroves, and abundant life within the waters and trees of this sacred place, now nothing would wander. No thing could exist in the waters. No animal's skin could withstand the poisons they held within. The plants had all but died trying to remove the toxins from the water they needed to live.

Poseidon wept, and even his tears, which have within themselves healing properties, could not sway the toxic pride of that which gripped the land. Humans, who had long lived within and upon his waters had gone afoul. No longer were they the wayward sea farers who needed his help to successfully navigate his waters. Now a hole had begun to burrow into the very spirit that governed Human hearts, and this hole was removing all the good that the Gods had so long ago planted as paradise.

As Poseidon the Great Balancer looked out upon the destruction, his heart called out for a solution. His mind, the great Ever Deep Waters of Poseidon himself, brought forth an answer:

Athena.

It was she who had taken his horse, his magnificent gift to man, and bridled it so that its true potential could be brought forth. It was she who planted the olive tree upon the salt water spring that he had blessed upon the people; its olives bringing the true potential of his spring, in such abundance.

And in that moment the great Deep himself was moved with the realization: He brought forth the resource, and Athena brought it to its best and highest good.

Poseidon set out to find his niece, and he did find her. He found her on the plains of Nysa, among the rain nymphs.

"Niece, I come to you with arms bare and chest bared to the blade of your answer to my query. My wetlands have become plagued with the toxic vomit that is left behind by the hole within man's heart. When it is done using up that which we have given them, that which remains poisons the land, and even my best efforts bare no success. Help me."

The eye of Athena withers man and Gods alike, and from under her helmet the gaze that the Mighty Athena set upon her uncle set him aback.

"I told you, 'Uncle', when you set yourself upon my priestess within my temple, and defiled her and me, by your act, that I would never set my hand to help you, ever again." Athena, and her spear that can split the heavens themselves, stepped forward. Her prowess splitting Poseidon's waters before her. The gleam upon her helmet raising to a blinding crescendo.

When Poseidon opened his eyes once more, Athena was once more before him as she had been when he had arrived. "If you can get the blessing of my priestess that you ravished, I will help you. Good luck."

And with that, The Great Ocean itself receded from Athena, and set out to complete his task. His waters ran across meadows and deserts, through valleys and over cliffsides. Poseidon the Great Balancer flooded over all the land until he found his way to a secluded temple on a hillside where Medusa dwelt. Medusa. She whom his ill will had besmirched, and whose visage and heart had been hardened to stone. She whom Athena demanded satisfaction from before she would help him. It was she whom heard his footsteps approaching.

"Medusa!" The Great Earth Shaker bellowed. The sound of his voice daring to place her name upon his lips set the snakes upon her head alight with vigor and dripping with venom. "Give up this conquest of hate that you harbor for me and bare me your leave so that Athena will once again help me in my conquests. The very Paradise that we call Earth is at stake, and can be saved if only you would let go this hate that you refuse to release."

The snakes upon the cursed maidens head quieted, and the gorgon slowly turned around as she spoke, "You speak of losing your Paradise? You speak of a land of plenty that you benefit from, that shall be lost to you? What of us who have had your Paradise ripped away from us, or were never allowed to participate in it at all? What of them? And you accuse me of being unable to release a petty squabble with you, when what you did was ravish me in my own ladies temple. Think on this as you sit unmoving" And with speed that seemed born of the lightning of Zeus himself, the snake headed priestess turned her gaze upon Poseidon, his skin hardening to stone.

And the Great Ever Deep Waters of the Ocean stilled, and for a time and a time and time again the great Lord Poseidon stood still, trapped in his stone prison, with naught but his mind to keep him. And keep him it did as he sat there unmoving. He saw the pain he had caused her. He had seen the inequity in his actions. How he, a God, had comported himself. He had not just harmed her. He hadn't even thought of her. Was the ever-living paradise on Earth that he and his family of Gods and Goddesses had created a true paradise, if it wasn't accessible to every living thing upon it?

And slowly, the Great God of the Sea's emotions cleared, and his understanding grew, and as he did the waters of the Great God of the Sea slowly seeped through the rocky form, they had been trapped in. And drop by drop Poseidon reformed, cleansed, and clear of mind and emotion. "Medusa" he said gently. The sound of her name on his tongue did not set her ablaze as it previously had, and in this Medusa took note. "Medusa, I am sorry. I did not see before that I was not fighting for you to live among paradise, but that I was building it upon your back. I should not have done to you what I did. I cannot take it back, but I can move forward with the promise that none will befall in my presence, what once befell you at my hand. I have no right to ask your forgiveness, and if it is not within you to give, I will find a different way to solve my problems. It isn't your job to save me."

The waters of Poseidon had filtered through the stone, and in doing so, his understanding of his role in his actions, and in the world became clear. The truth and sincerity of his words were so clear that they melted the stone within the gorgon's heart, and she could scarce believe the words coming out of her mouth,

"I forgive you."

And as the last word left her mouth, the scales covering her body turned back to soft skin, the snakes on her head, once more flowed in auburn waves, and from behind her, Athena's voice rang out, warmly.

"Medusa, you have taken agency over your pain. From this day forth you will no longer be forced to stay in your snake form, nor will your gaze automatically turn those you look upon, to stone. Instead, you will forever more be in control of both of your sides, use them wisely, lest you find this new life more trouble than even when you were cursed to purely Gorgon form. And Poseidon," Athena the Wisdom Keeper turned to look at her uncle. "I made a promise. I will help you."

Poseidon explained to his niece everything he had learned about filtration. As he slowly dripped through the stone, the Ever Deep Ocean learned the nature of purification, even as his own being was purified, and it was this understanding he shared with Athena, who in her infinite wisdom, devised a device to filter the waters of Poseidon's wetlands.

And as the horse was to the bridle, as the fountain was to the olive tree, so too was the understanding of purification was to filtration, forever to change man for the better, once again.

Winter Goddesses

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 22:59:24 GMT

The Northern winds blow with a chilling swiftness, heralding visions of Winter Goddesses with their crystalline and sparkling snowflake crowns.

There are many Goddesses associated with the Wintry months, but one stands out to me above all others, the Scottish Goddess of Magick.Nicneven. Her name in Scottish Gaelic is spelled Neachneohain and means “daughter of the divine”. Though more often thought to be a Crone Goddess of Samhain, her image mystifies us with its diversity. Sometimes she is portrayed as a dark and somber Goddess who wears a long gray mantle, and others as a gossamer image floating almost invisibly, within a framework of snowy whiteness. Thus, Nicneven’s complex persona becomes a mesmerizing enigma. She is also associated with water spirits and the God Neptune, but also becomes the Goddess who illuminates the way for traveling spirits when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest.

In Scottish folklore she is the Queen of the Faeries. Could Nicneven have been a faerie, or was she perhaps a Goddess who had the power to transform water into rocks and the sea into dry land? Many differing tales abound about this most captivating deity.

Her myth seems to also have been shaped by a unique real-life story. There are a few scholars who believe that Nicneven was a real woman who was condemned to death for Witchcraft. Does mythology begin with reality? Perhaps we will never really know, except that the various stories about the Goddess Nicneven never cease to fascinate.

I see Nicneven as a Goddess of multifaceted Magick whose mythology intertwines with the great Greek Goddess Hecate, who also shares a number of similarly imposing personas. As a Mother Witch Hecate guides us at the crossroads of life with her fire lite torches and her powerful dogs, in her role as protector. Her image is sometimes that of an ugly Crone or at other times in total contrast with that of a lovely captivating woman.

There is one tale about Hecate that is even more obscure than stories about her sister Nicneven. In this myth Hecate is thought to be the mother of Angels and the cosmic world soul. Above all she is still a Winter Goddess because she sometimes accompanies Persephone on her journey to the underworld during the bleak winter months.

I am always interested in discovering the myths of less well-known Goddesses and one that definitely fits that claim is the Slavic Goddess of Death and Winter, Morana. She represents the cycle of life death and rebirth and was the unwelcome harbinger of the harsh winter. It is said that the Goddess Moran had an ancient cult. As a sacred offering her followers would drown an effigy of her image into a river around the time of the Ostara/Spring Equinox. This offering was made to ask Morana to end the harsh and unrelenting Slavic winters. Though not a popular Goddess because of her association with death. Nonetheless, she did herald the end of one season that so often brought famine and freezing cold to the beginning of another that would ultimately bring warmth and lush abundance. Even today in towns in Central and Eastern Europe her followers still honor her in winter processions carrying her effigy. Once again like her sister Goddesses her images range from dark daunting figures to those of a lovely woman with a crown of ice surrounded by the cool blues and whites of winter.

The Winter Goddesses help us to celebrate the mystery of the dormant earth and the hibernation of her many creatures. It is also time for us to go inward and embrace the Hermit within each of us as we discover and awaken our keen intuition and psychic abilities.

References:

https://otherworldlyoracle.com/ winter-gods-goddesses

https://occult-world.com/nicnevin/

The Wicca Book of Days, by Selena Eilidh Ash

My tried-and-true Winter spells:

Have snowball fight to release life’s frustrations and celebrate afterward with hot chocolate or warm cider.

Freeze negative and gossipy energies. Write your protective intentions on a piece of paper and drop it in the bottom of a small plastic cup. Fill the cup with water and cover securely with aluminum foil…put it in your freezer to freeze away the toxic vibes.

WiccanSeminary.EDU Student Pinned as Fire Chaplain

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 19:37:15 GMT

On Thursday November 10, 2022, Robert ‘Bo’ Caldwell was pinned as a new Fire Chaplain in the Rock Community Fire Protection District of Missouri. Cauldwell is the first Pagan Fire Chaplain in this district and in the State of Missouri.

He has been accepted at the state level as a Fire Chaplain in the Missouri Fire Chaplains Corps and this automatically comes with national acceptance as a Fire Chaplain with the Federation of Fire Chaplains. His Captain is having a custom pin made with a pentacle to replace the traditional pin (blue bar with Christian cross).

Cauldwell received his Associate Degree in Wiccan Ministry in 2022 from Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary (WSTS).

Kara Williams, Dean of WSTS, says "It is validating to see organizations accepting degree's from WSTS in achieving Chaplain status. It benefits all Wiccan academic studies when this happens."

Woolston-Steen is a state recognized Wiccan Seminary, and was also the first to gain such recognition. The State of Washington’s Higher Education Coordinating Board has granted us the ability to grant degrees and certifications in Wicca Theology.

Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary offers the finest possible education to those identifying as Wiccan. It is dedicated to serving those who seek to learn the Craft of the Wise, and minister in the ways of the Old Gods. At Woolston-Steen, we are devoted to bringing you traditional, formal magical training, blended with modern day concepts that support a practitioner ministering in today’s multi-cultural world.

Unicorns, Manticores Cause Deadly Crash

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:00:06 GMT

Unicorns, Manticores Cause Deadly Crash

PETMC, The People for the Ethical Treatment of Magical Creatures is once again in the headlines as two as of yet unknown activists of the organization have proven through a 4chan dump that they have intimate knowledge of a breach of the Glumcane and Flaxwick Unicorn and Manticore Breeding Stables in Waukesha, WI.

The breech happened on March 31st between the hours of 3:00 am and 4:30 am. The only security personnel on duty describe a panicked and desperate senario.

Marcus Pittman describes the scene.

"It wasn't something you expect. The Manticores are fed by a trolly system, so when they heard the cars from the highway they flew straight into oncoming traffic. The acid from their tails, and the screeching cars..... it was just horrible."

The unicorns fared better as their innate sense of duty amounted to 5 total actively lost childrens cases were closed due to them magically leading the children back from what experts assume is the faerie realm. Each of the unicorns was restabled after the children were safely back with their parents.

No more information has been given to us at this time. We will continue to update this page with pertinent information.

Ostara

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 02:40:17 GMT

Ostara - A Poem by N'Mier LaVeau

Buds, bursting pink, pale and blush

Wet, babbling, nourishing tides

Lush, green, enthralling spectrals of life anew

Round beginnings of fruit blossoms

Breeze, stealing kisses and caressing the senses

Under the warming sun, our lover dances

She has moved beyond waking

She is full, alive, abundant

Her arms open, inviting her lover to dance and settle into her

Her fingertips reachout to begin the worship

Her hills, valleys and song, irresistible

Everything we have been waiting, hoping for, she is

We surrender willingly, panting and anxious to feel the relief she promises after the last of the frost recedes

We nestle into her darker depths

Exchanging seed for berry and crop

We nestle, taking up the dance of life once more, with our eternal lover

Tomorrow may come the harvest, but today we are dancing

A Continuation of the Fool's Journey Through the Wheel of The Year

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 02:29:17 GMT

A Continuation of the Fool's Journey Through the Wheel of The Year

A Continuation of the Fool's Journey Through the Wheel of The Year In the previous post we allow ourselves to Imagine The Fool's Journey taking place not as a numerical journey through the Major Arcana, but a seasonal and astrological journey. We began last month with Imbolc and Aquarius the Fool's journey started with The Star and The World. Full of Hope and Faith, our carefree and innocent hero gathered his supplies and started on his journey.

Very early on this journey, just beyond the boundaries of familiar home – our Hero's hopeful optimism begins to falter. Perhaps realizing HOW BIG the world is, or how strange and unfamiliar the wilderness feels in the dark of night - and therefore feeling small and vulnerable – the Fool encounters Fear. Tarot Card 18 – The Moon – relates to feelings of fear, confusion, illusion, or a sense of being lost and directionless. It is a card deeply connected to the emotions, the psyche, changes in mood, and psychic sensitivity.

Lilliana Blackstar is a graduate of Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, a Certified Member of Seattle Psychics Association, and an Astrologer and Writer at www.hestiasmuse.net

The Fool’s Journey Begins; Aquarius and Imbolc

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 23:52:02 GMT

The Fool’s Journey Begins; Aquarius and Imbolc

If you have studied Tarot you have likely heard of “The Fool’s Journey” – a conceptual and metaphorical journey of The Fool – card 0 – through the other 21 Major Arcana Cards. The Fool departs on his journey, innocent and hopeful and naïve; and encounters each of the Major Arcana cards where he learns an important life lesson and then continues on his journey.

As I reflect on this Fool’s Journey I contemplate how it is a classical and traditional way to learn about the Major Arcana – but in reality there is no set order in which the Fool might encounter each of these lessons. Tarot is like a book in which the pages are constantly rearranged and placed in a different order; this is the nature of the lessons and the readings we give with the cards.

Then I asked myself – what if we look at The Fool’s Journey in terms of The Wheel of The Year; with an astrological “Order”. This combines our Tarot learning with any Astrological study we might be doing – and helps us engage with The Wheel of The Year in yet another level of intentionality…

SO… this blog series was born! Welcome to The Fool’s Journey Through The Wheel of The Year!

This journey is cyclical – a wheel that doesn’t have a beginning or an end; but stories need beginnings, so we are going to start with Aquarius season and Imbolc.

Aquarius season is approximately from January 19 through February 19 each year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Imbolc is the celebration of mid-winter – we are at the half-way point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Astrologically, Aquarius is the middle of the Winter Quadrant (Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces) and Imbolc is celebrated at the Middle of Aquarius Season – when the sun is at 15° Aquarius. With our modern Calendars, we celebrate this on or around February 1. (If you prefer astrological precision, you can always find out when the Sun will be at 15° Aquarius; in 2022 this falls on the night of February 3)

At this time of year, we collectively experience a feeling of starting over again – starting fresh. On New Year’s Day we set Resolutions, and for many people at Imbolc – it is a time of making wishes and setting our goals for the coming year. Spring is beginning in about 6 weeks – but any gardener knows that a successful garden begins before the seeds are even planted in the soil! There is some planning that happens; what kind of seeds do we want to get? How do we need to prepare the soil? Some plants need to be started indoors, and some need to be planted while it is still cold. But before all this comes one important thing – the decision to plant a garden or seed! The choice to try something new, or to have a goal is where we begin.

This is where we first meet The Fool – Major Arcana 0. Full of childlike exuberance, innocence, and even a bit naive – our fool has decided to try something new. Whether it is the garden that one is going to plant, or some other new adventure – the choice has been made and preparations begin. Traditionally, we see The Fool dancing joyfully along some mountain path – a knapsack of just a few of their necessities on their shoulder. The whole world lays out ahead of them waiting – which path will they choose? There is a sense of danger with the cliffside that the fool precariously walks upon; as with any journey if one is not careful things can quickly go awry. And this is the first time The Fool has walked this path – they do not know the way or what dangers lie ahead! But that does not stop our youthful and optimistic Hero – a soul who is determined to go out there and do the thing! Most cards also depict a companion animal like a small dog at the feet of the Fool – happily playing but also perhaps barking a warning for the Fool to look out and watch their step. The dog is the Fool’s instincts – which are the true guides at the beginning of any journey.

Thus you have seen how The Fool’s Journey through the Wheel of The Year begins. As you celebrate Imbolc you can consider the lessons of The Fool, The Star, and The World cards to help you begin to plan for your own journey.

------------------------------------

Lilliana Blackstar is a Dedicant of The Ever Green Hearth -ATC, and a graduate of Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary. She is a professional astrologer at www.hestiasmuse.net and loves to teach Astrology to anyone with interest!

Covid Vaccination Recommendations from the ATC

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 21:08:00 GMT

This was originally posted on the Wild Hunt . Below is the excerpt of the ATC's response.

Lady Belladonna LaVeau, the Archpriestess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) spoke about ATC’s pandemic response to the pandemic.

She said “We respect each person’s personal beliefs, and we support natural medicine. However, I am a Navy Hospital Corpsman Veteran trained in emergency pandemic procedures. I also have COPD. So I take the pandemic very seriously.”

LaVeau said that the Great Mother, Demeter, had warned ATC “ that something was coming that would cause many deaths.” That warning included threats to the food supply. Demeter urged ATC to prepare. In 2018, LaVeau and Archpriest Dusty Dionne traveled among Pagan communities to share that warning. They didn’t expect a pandemic, “but we were ready.“

The ATC has encouraged its members to get vaccinated. ATC also took measures to protect its members. They offered online events, and encouraged isolating, social distancing, and masking. LaVeau said most members have been vaccinated.

LaVeau said, “Theologically, The Great Mother, Demeter, told us, through channeled messages, that the world had lost the rituals that She had taught us in the ancient city of Eleusis, that we were lacking compassion and respect for others. … She told us we were going to face a collective challenge that would realign our priorities. … She asked us to ensure that we live through this challenge because She will need us (Pagans) to help Her restore the balance after this is over. “

“Getting vaccinated is the only ethical choice,” LaVeau continued. She argued that the choice to reject getting vaccinated is a choice to risk killing others. She went on to say, “Not getting vaccinated because you don’t want people to tell you what to do with your body is a moot argument. The Government has already ruled on safety over personal choice, in all of our lives, many times. From seat belts to OSHA regulations.”

LaVeau urged everyone to get vaccinated. She said, “mRNA vaccines have been in research for over 5 decades and have been actively tested for 20 years. This is not about the safety of a vaccine anymore. Getting vaccinated is the safest choice for everyone ….”

LaVeau closed by saying, “Our world is in jeopardy because of our way of life. We must change our thinking from ‘me’ to ‘we’ and getting vaccinated is for everyone else as much as yourself. Protecting others is not our usual way of thinking, but it should be. We need to keep Pagans alive and then we need to get Pagans involved .… It is time for us to work together and get involved in politics and our communities. Get earth-centered values out there, and let’s replace our disposable lifestyle with a sustainable ethical way of living.”

Article part of " Covid Vaccination Recommendations in Pagan Groups " originally posted on the Wild Hunt's page.

Sean McShee and Manny Tejeda-Moreno were contributors to this article.

Samhain Newsletter

brenna@atcwicca.org (Brenna Grace) — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 02:26:52 GMT

Samhain Newsletter 2021

Download the latest newsletter using the button below!

May or may not include pumpkins, candles, and bats.

[The Moon is Bright]

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:36:54 GMT

A poem by Sarah Rowan

The Moon is bright

like a beacon

of hope long gone.

Artemis sits

and watches as

the night lightens

and mourns because

the Earth is dying

and no one runs

and no one plays

with the brown deer

anymore now

anymore now.

The Moon is bright

as the Earth fades.

Sarah Rowan is a sophomore at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary and a pre-dedicant under the guidance of Brenna Grace, Maiden of the Mother Church Coven. She is also the editor of Panegyria and the Devotional Onboarding Specialist. She has written for anthologies and is the author of A Good Life, a non-witchy novel.

Camelot and Avalon

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 23:32:10 GMT

Camelot and Avalon

Camelot. For many, that word evokes castles with round tables, knights in shining armor, chivalry, and romance. For others, it represents an idyllic time of peaceful and wise leadership. For me, Camelot is intimately connected with Avalon.

Avalon is an enchanted place, now separated from the mundane world. It was where priestesses of the Goddess, as well as Druid priests, were trained in the mystic arts from a young age. As a teenager, I dreamed of making my way to the House of Maidens, and learning herblore, healing, and magic from the wise and powerful Priestesses of Avalon. Then I would shake myself out of my fantasy world, and get back to studying, telling myself that would never happen.

Then, in university, I had the chance to participate in a study abroad program in England. Although I spent most of my time in London, I did take the opportunity to travel to Glastonbury, the sacred site associated with Avalon. At Beltaine no less. Immersed in that highly charged spiritual environment, Goddess planted the seeds of what has become my life’s calling – becoming a Priestess was no longer so far-fetched a goal.

Fast forward many years, and I am now the Archpriestess of ATC Canada, an honor I still am in awe of. Now I am the teacher, guiding new students in the craft of the wise. My study may not have been as focused in time as my earlier fantasies had imagined, however, it has been no less intense.

Avalon and Glastonbury attached an anchor in my heart. Twenty-five years may have passed, but the memories are crystal clear. I hear the siren song of its magic, calling me even now. I long to return, and soak up the healing, rejuvenating energy once more. That pilgrimage is still some years off, yet the opportunity to experience the marvel of Avalon, and Camelot, is only a few weeks away.

I am extremely excited to share the power and majesty of Avalon and Camelot with our spiritual community at this year’s Hekate’s Sickle Festival. We get to meet Arthur and Guinevere, Lancelot and Morgaine (Morgan LeFay to some of you), as well as Merlin and the Lady of the Lake. They will share with us the ideals and virtues they represent, and share with us tools to bring both Camelot’s and Avalon’s magic and energy into our world today. Join us on a Grail Quest, join the Knights of the Round Table, and be initiated as a Priestx of Avalon.

Mabon Newsletter!

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 03:09:46 GMT

Read below or Download the newsletter using the button!

Sarah's Witchy Book Bites: Kitchen Table Tarot

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 01:45:57 GMT

Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova

Hi, everyone! I am so happy to be back with another book review! The book I picked this time is Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova. I’ve been reading tarot off and on for about a decade and just recently decided to read professionally. I figured this book would help refresh my memory and build up my confidence. The last tarot book I read was a super complex book on the Golden Dawn’s tarot style. That’s all well and good, but I wanted to find a book that was more accessible to the average reader. Not everyone has the patience to dissect the Tree of Life.

Since this is only the second installment in this review series, I’d like to recap the format I use. I don’t go into too much depth because the reviews are bite sized. I also want you to read the book yourself and make your own conclusion because you may get something out of it that I don’t. I will briefly summarize the book and list three things I loved about it, then list three things I think need to be improved upon or that I didn’t like.

Kitchen Table Tarot is billed as a down to earth introductory tarot book. It instructs the reader on how to read for other people as well as going into depth about the cards’ meanings, both upright and reversed. It also gives strategies on how to read for other people and when to not give a reading.

Three Things I Loved:

1. Accessibility. This book is written very casually and clearly. It is not pretentious, and you do not need a background in tarot or mysticism to understand it.

2. It gives instructions on how to care for the cards and yourself. Self-care is super important if you are going to use your energy to give readings for other people.

3. Cynova goes into detail on how it is perfectly okay to refuse a reading for a client. This is important because tarot readers should not be forced to accommodate abusive clients.

Three Things I Didn’t Like:

1. It’s almost too easy to understand. I found myself wanting more information about the cards and more spreads.

2. I wish the Rider-Waite-Smith deck was the example deck used. I feel like it is a more standardized deck than the LLewellyn Basic Deck.

3. I would have liked to see more numerological information presented in the card interpretations rather than just what’s pictured on the card or the card placement.

In conclusion, Kitchen Table Tarot is much more accessible than the tarot book I read previously. It is written in a casual way. Like you were chatting with a friend at the.... kitchen table. You don’t need a background in tarot to understand it. Cynova is a very accomplished tarot reader and has been reading for over 30 years. This is reflected in her anecdotes and tarot card interpretations. It was a quick read and if you get the chance, I suggest you check it out for yourself.

The Month of Boedromion - A Hellenistic Lunar Calendar

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 19:01:02 GMT

The Month of Boedromion - A Hellenistic Lunar Calendar

The ancient people of Greece and Athens lived by a Lunar Calendar - counting the first day of a month to be the first day that the New Moon is visible in the night sky. The New Moon in Virgo happens on the evening of September 6th, So I have calculated that this Hellenistic Lunar Month begins on September 7th 2021. (This calculation might be different depending on region - this is my own personal calculation for North America) It is also useful to note that to the people of ancient Athens, a day begins at Sunset and lasts until the next sunset. So while I have the first day marked as September 7th, this day “begins” at sunset on the 7th and lasts until sunset on the 8th.

Boedromion was the Lunar Month sacred to Hestia and Apollo. It was also considered to be the First Month of the year to ancient Athens - so Happy Hellenic New Year! The seventh (7th) day of Boedromion was a Sacred Feast Day of Apollo; Boedromia. The Full Moon of the month of Boedromion is considered a Sacred Day of Hestia (Vesta). Boedromion 15 through 21 included the sacred pilgrimage and festival of the Eleusinian Mysteries to honor Demeter and Persephone! Below I have outlined some of the sacred Feast Days of this month so you can participate in your own way if you choose.

Boedromion 1 (Sept 7) - Noumenia

“Noumenia” is the New Moon, and the first day of the month. It was generally a time to honor Hestia and Zeus, along with any primary Deities of the household or family. Offerings were made to Hestia (Vesta) and the Home was cleansed and blessed for the new month. Prayers and offerings were also made to Zeus for good fortune, and each family or household may have had other deities that they prayed to and made offerings to at Noumenia.

Hellenic New Year - the first New Moon before the Fall Equinox was considered the beginning of the year! Hestia is traditionally honored at the beginning of every month and every year, so this Noumenia is doubly a time to honor Hestia as the first day of the new year! Also note that this is a Virgo season New Moon; Virgo is the sign of the Virgin and Hestia is the Virgin Goddess of the Hearth Fire.

Boedromion 2 (Sept 8) - Niketeria

The second day of the month was a time to honor Agathos Daimon - the benevolent Household Spirit. Ancient Greeks believed that each household had it’s own Daimon (Spirit) and it would be amiss to not honor these spirits at the start of each month. Other Deities of House and Home may also have been honored at this time.

Niketeria was an annual day to celebrate and honor the Goddess Nike - held yearly on the second day of Boedromion.

Boedromion 3 (Sept 9)

The third day of every month was considered sacred to Athena. Offerings and prayers to Athena were appropriate, and it may have also been a day that artisans and shopkeepers would open their shops again to sell their goods or be hired, or other civic duties were tended to.

Boedromion 4 (Sept 10)

The fourth day of every month was a day sacred to Aphrodite, Eros, and Hermes. Offerings and Prayers were made to these Deities on the 4th day of each month.

Boedromion 5 (Sept 11) - Genesia

This was an annual Feast Day to honor the Dead and ancestors - particularly deceased parents and grandparents. Visit the graves of ancestors or make libations to them, or honor them at your ancestors altar. Remember the dead by telling stories about them and sharing a feast in their honor.

Boedromion 6 (Sept 12) - Artemis Agrotera

The sixth day of every month was a day sacred to Artemis. Prayers and Offerings were made to Artemis at this time. The sixth day of the month of Boedromion was a special feast day in honor of Artemis The Huntress; making offerings to Artemis in praise of her skills as a hunter and warrior.

Boedromion 7 (Sept 13) - Boedromia

The seventh day of every month was a day sacred to Apollo; prayers and offerings would be made in his name. As Boedromion is Apollo’s sacred month (along with Hestia) - the seventh day of this month is an Annual Feast day to honor Apollo.

Boedromion 8 (Sept 14)

The 8th day of every month was a day to honor and pray to Poseidon.

Boedromion 9 (Sept 15)

The 9th day of every month was a day to honor Rhea (Gaia) and The Muses.

Boedromion 12 (Sept 18) - Demokratia

An annual celebration in which the ancient Athenians celebrated democracy. Offerings were made to Zeus and Athena, as well as to Themis - a Titan Goddess of Divine Law. An appropriate way to celebrate Demokratia in modern times would be to make offerings to Zeus, Athena, and Themis with gratitude for your democratic freedoms and pray for a just and fair democratic system to prevail. Update your voter registration and look into volunteering or donating to a campaign you support as a form of offering.

Boedromion 14 (Sept 20) - Full Moon

The Full Moon during the month of Boedromion was considered sacred to Hestia (Vesta)

Boedromion 15 - 21 (Sept 21 - 27) Eleusinia ta megala - The Eleusinian Mysteries

A Week-long festival and initiation to a Mystery cult of Demeter was held annually at the city of Eleusis outside of Athens during the week of the Fall Equinox. You can take time this week to honor the Descent of Persephone and the grief of Demeter, and make offerings and prayers to them as you wish. (There is a modern re-creation of the Eleusinian Mysteries held by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Wicca. However, it is held around the time of the Spring Equinox every year. Check out Spring Mysteries Festival at www.atcwicca.org to learn more!

Boedromion 16 (Sept 22) - The Fall Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)

Boedromion 29 (Oct 5) - Hekate’s Deipnon

The last day of the month, the Dark Moon before the New Moon is the day sacred to Hekate.

I hope you have a wonderful Boedromion and that this calendar gives you some inspiration to connect with the season and honor the Gods!

Resources -

https://www.hellenion.org/

https://sites.google.com/site/sophialinus/Home/links/lunarcalendarlinks/helleniccalendar/boedromion

https://baringtheaegis.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-festivals-of-early-boedromion.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boedromia

-------------------------------------

Lilliana Blackstar is an active member and Dedicant of the Ever Green Hearth - an affiliate church of the ATC. She is also a Senior at Woolston Steen Theological Seminary, and an Astrologer at www.hestiasmuse.net. She offers Lunar Monthly Guidance through her Patreon blog at www.patreon.com/hestiasmuse

WSTS Dean Press Release

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 01:41:29 GMT

Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary Press Release

Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary

Brenna Grace, Marketing Director

(206) 853-5288 brenna@atcwicca.org

August 5TH, 2021

INDEX, WA – The Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary (WSTS), also known as WiccanSeminary.EDU, has hired its first ever full-time, paid employee. Kara D Williams is a Third Degree Wiccan Priestess, she has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, and a Master’s in Education with graduate-level course work in Education Technology.

“I love to teach and pass on knowledge,” Williams said. “This position gives me a chance to help create a knowledge base and uphold a standard of knowledge for Wiccan Clergy.”

Williams began teaching at the Seminary in 2011. The first classes she taught were called “Born a Witch” and “Sacred Dance,” which were perfect considering she is both a history buff and a professional Belly Dancer and teacher.

Belladonna LaVeau, the previous Dean of the School since 2006, previously ran her own school, WISE.

“I am so excited for Kara,” LaVeau said. “She is going to do a fabulous job bringing this school to the next level. And a paid, full-time Dean? This is a first for Wicca and is going to legitimize Wicca as a world religion even more so.”

Originally founded in 1996, WSTS is a Ministry Degree-granting institution based in Washington State. Currently, WSTS offers degrees: Associate of Ministry (AM); Bachelor of Ministry (BM); Master of Ministry (MM); and Doctor of Ministry (DM).

Williams’ long-term goals for the school moving forward include expanding courses and types of degrees, growing with and utilizing new technologies, and setting up an Accreditation Body for Wiccan Colleges.

“One of the big, long-term goals we have is to help establish an Accreditation Body for Wicca. Hiring a full-time employee is an important step for moving in that direction.”

Being a legal, degree-granting institution is not the same as accreditation. Accreditation is done by a separate non-profit organization made up of many legal degree granting institutions. Currently, Wicca does not have enough legal degree granting institutions to create an accrediting board.

As more groups create Wiccan Institutions of higher education, an Accreditation Board will be a huge asset to Wiccan Seminaries’ legitimacy.

Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary offers the finest possible education to those identifying as Wiccans. It is dedicated serving those who seek to learn the Craft of the Wise, and minister in the ways of the Old Gods. At Woolston-Steen, we are devoted to bringing you traditional, formal magical training, blended with modern day concepts that support a practitioner ministering in today’s multicultural world.

History of The May Pole

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:56:25 GMT

Wicca and The May Pole

The May Pole, once a mainstay of Wiccan celebrations at Beltane has become controversial in the United States community as people reassess gender roles and sexuality. For many groups, it has simply been easier to discontinue the use of the May Pole, also called a summer pole or summer tree, than to unwind its history and purpose and consider how it fits as Wicca develops and grows. Unwinding its history is the first step in this process. Folk lore and traditions commonly have an influence on religious practices (James 1962), and it behooves Wiccans to understand how that plays out in our own religion.

The May Pole ritual as handed down by Gardnerian Wicca is performed in a similar fashion to public May Pole dances from the late 1800’s. At the time Wicca was being developed, the May Pole dance was beginning to fade and had fallen out of use in many places by WW II (Parry 1986) but was fondly remembered as a children’s dance from the turn of the century. It would be revived in the early 1960’s. Wicca added a gendered aspect to the dance with women dancing in one direction and men in the other and a colored aspect to the ribbons reflecting the projective and receptive energies being woven along with the ribbons. The public dance with a long history that was interwoven with a freer sexuality, was structured and became what most Wiccans know today.

There is speculation as to where the concept of dancing around a tall pole (May Pole) celebration originated. India’s spring festival of Indradhvaja involves a pole and dancing has some of the same sacred sexual aspects (Anderson 1985). The ancient Roman festival of Floralia also involves the first of May and flowers and dancing, but I have yet to find documentation that supports the use of poles in that celebration. The Floralia Celebration seems much more connected to the British Isles since Rome ruled there. However, other aspects of the Indrahvaja spring festival do seem related to the Floralia celebration, so it is quite possible that there is a connection. The heiros gamos aspect of May Day, represented as the May Queen and May King, moved from India across the Mediterranean to continental Europe and the British Isles (Bray 1999). So, I do not rule out the idea that the Indra Pole also migrated from there.

The earliest reference to a May Pole in England is from the reign of King John (1167-1216) and simply mentions a charter was granted to erect one in preparation for the May Day celebration (Parry 1986). The earliest visual image of a May Pole that Parry found was from 1499 in a Book of Hours. There is a description from 1751 of a celebration held at Ranelagh that demonstrates that it was the other activities that got a bit wild. Masked guests, and the construction of green bowers for lovers, were much more the focus than the dancing around the base of the pole. The masked dancers in this description were all male! The written description of the engraving describes the pole as being garlanded, but the engraving shows short ribbons hanging from the top. There is controversy of how accurate the drawing was of the event due to the highly costumed nature of the guests that lends itself to fantasy and that the artist is Italian and was depicting what this might look like in Italy (Alford 1943). A letter that is believed to be describing the engraving was written by Walpole to his friend Horace Mann and states that 2,000 people attended this May Day celebration! (Alford 1943) Obviously with that many people the type of gendered pairing amongst dancers known in Wicca would be difficult and the bowers most necessary.

With the rise of Protestantism, the May Pole dance had fallen out of favor and many poles while still standing went unused. In 1644 after a long campaign by the Puritans May Poles were outlawed and ordered to be taken down and destroyed due to the wild and licentious activities that took place at those celebrations (Parry 1986). According to Nichols, the Puritans had long campaigned against the May Day celebrations due to the licentious nature of the celebration (https://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos194.htm). The May Pole dance was revived by Professor John Ruskin in 1889 (https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources/beginners-guides/37-english-folk-dance/2191-maypole). Though to be fair it had never completely died out (Parry 1986). It caught on with his student teachers and spread from there. This is important since many of the magical and occult communities at that time were developing the ideas and celebrations that Gerald Gardner would incorporate into Wicca.

While May Poles occurred all over Europe, the focus here is on the history of what was happening in England as that was Gerald Gardner’s greatest influence. Much of what is adopted into Wicca is not reflective of the traditions on the continent. However, the continent did influence the use of ribbons! In the late 1880’s ribbon dances were imported from Italy and became all the rage (Parry 1986). The Victorian school teachers added dancing with the ribbons to the May Pole dance and Wicca ends up with the tradition of ribbons. Poles during this time were often painted with barber shop spirals and decorated with streamers and garlands. Most of them were too tall for ribbon dances (Parry 1986).

Stevens in the article “The May Pole in Ireland” states that May Poles were brought from a Dutch sailing boat and that he found no reference to ribbons being used prior to 1900 in Ireland. This supports the other findings that ribbons are a late addition to the May Pole celebration.

Parry found that dances such as “Sallinger’s Round” and “Gathering Peascods,” common English folk dances, were often danced around the May Pole prior to the ribbons being added and the idea of weaving a pattern. These dances are done in circles and do not require partners so can be done with any combination of genders and ages.

While there is no doubt that sexuality and fertility were a part of these celebrations, they were not originally tied to the structured dance that we see today. Historians agree (Sachs 1937) that the original poles were living trees and that dancing around the tree was both attached to virginity in some places and not in others. The sex was taken off into the green bowers created around the area of celebration and was not ritualized as might be done today in Wiccan celebrations. “Greenwood Marriages” were how people referred to the night’s activities that might well result in a child (Farrar 1984). The community rules on behavior were relaxed and the celebrations from all accounts were wild and exuberant, but there is certainly evidence as seen in the engraving mentioned above that the dancing could also be only of one gender. What is positive is that there is not one way that a May Pole dance must be done! This gives modern practitioners wide latitude in how to incorporate a May Pole into their celebration.

In the US, many Wiccans are considering other ways of presenting this sacred sexual celebration that incorporates today's evolved understanding of both the history and the energetics of such a ritual. There can be a place for all genders at this celebration. Preserving the incredibly old sacred sexual rituals in a religion that celebrates fertility and sexual choice seems worth doing.

Rt. Reverend Kara D. Williams is a 3rd degree priestess in the WISE Tradition of Wicca and the dean of Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.

Bibliography :

Alford, V. (1943). The Maypole: An Engraving of 1751. Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, 4(4), 146-148. Retrieved August 20, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable /4521202

Anderson, L. (1985). A Study of Indian Spring Festivals from Ancient and Medieval Texts (thesis).

Bray, D. (1999). Sacral Elements of Irish Kingship. Sydney; Sydney University Studies in Religion.

Farrar, J. and S. (1984). The Witches’ Bible: The Complete Witches Handbook. London: Robert Hale Ltd.

James, E. (1962). The Influence of Folklore on the History of Religion. Numen, 9(1), 1-16. doi:10.2307/3269410

Nichols, M. (n.d.). A Celebration of May Day. https://www.sacred-texts.com/bos/bos194.htm. Retrieved August 24, 2021.

Parry, C. (1986). 'The Maypole is up, now give me the cup...' Records of Early English Drama, 11(1), 7-9. Retrieved August 20, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43505500

Sachs, C. (1963). World History of the Dance. New York: WW Norton & Company, Inc.

Stevens, R. (1951). The Maypole in Ireland. Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, 6(3), 102-102. Retrieved August 20, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4521365

Throwback Thursday: Death and Sunflowers

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 03:08:25 GMT

Throwback Thursday: Death and Sunflowers

Mabon is just around the corner and I thought you would enjoy this post by Brenna Grace. This was originally posted on 8.31.2016. - Sarah Rowan, Editor

It’s almost Mabon, and that means the veil is thinning. As my teachers have taught me, Mabon is the transition into the dark half of the year, and it is a time for understanding the transformation of death.

This past weekend, the staff putting on Hekate’s Sickle Festival got together for the weekend to discuss the rituals, and in the evening Bella taught us how to hold a séance. As you might imagine, it’s nothing like the movies portray it, it’s much more organic. But, that’s not the important part here – the important part is what I got out of the séance.

One of my coven-mates called out “Does anyone know a Mary?” My grandmother, Mary, passed over a week before Thanksgiving last year. “She says ‘Thank you. I appreciate what you are doing, and I am so proud of you.’” What my coven-mate didn’t know is that we had to move my grandfather out here to Seattle from Michigan, and I have been helping my mother take care of him.

My grandmother on my father’s side passed when I was 11 years old, but at that point I was too young to understand what death was. She lived in Kentucky and I rarely saw her, so not seeing her was nothing new. Now 25, this was the first time I really had to face death, and I didn’t know how.

There was a book series I read in middle school called “Circle of Three.” It was a series about three girls who discover Wicca and their year-and-a-day study before being initiated into a coven. In this series, there is one memory that stands out, and I’m going to do my best to recount it (it’s been a long time).

One of the girls was at a workshop during the winter in which they were learning about death and how to come to terms with it. They were making masks that they were going to wear outside into the snow to signify something about meeting death with a certain face. A woman helped her throughout the workshop, and this woman made a mask covered in sunflowers. The book describes the girl standing in the doorway, looking at this woman in the snow in the dark with a bright sunflower mask, meeting death head-on.

That image of the sunflower mask in the glowing snow in the night has come to me over and over again since my grandmother passed last year.

When I first told my grandmother I was going to start studying and practicing Wicca, her first question was: “What do they believe happens after you die?” She wasn’t really religious, but she said that her view on religion was that it was a way for people to have hope for the afterlife and to be able to cope with death.

I had never thought of religion that way. When I thought about it, I realized that though most of the Wiccans I know believe in reincarnation, that is not the reason for practicing Wicca. The way I see it, we practice Wicca because we want to learn how to live in the moment and live as one with the earth and the people around us.

Sunflowers are called so because not only are they the same bright yellow, but they constantly face the sun. In Greek Myth, a nymph named Clytie loved Helios, and mourning the loss at not being able to be with him, turned into a flower that followed him each time he rode across the sky in his chariot. Sunflowers can be a symbol for always seeking the light and trying to connect with Deity.

Looking back, those sunflowers on the mask were perfect. When someone dies, we have wakes and memorials to remember the good times and the wonderful thing that person did. We look to the light, we look forward, we try to find the things they taught us so that we may carry that wisdom on while living in the moment.

Transformation is prevalent in Wicca, and death is the ultimate form. We can all learn from death, just as long as we keep our eyes on the beauty that comes from it and remember to bring it with us to each moment we experience in this life.

Brenna is now a 2nd Degree Priestess in the WISE Tradition in the ATC, Maiden of the Mother Church, and the Marketing Director for the ATC. She does a little bit of everything (being the Gemini that she is), but when she isn't living up to her workaholic reputation, she likes to go on walks, paint, play video games, and put up with the shenanigans of her student, Sarah.

An Aquarius Blue Moon

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 02:58:55 GMT

An Aquarius Blue Moon

This month we have the year's second Full Moon in the sign of Aquarius - an Astrological "Blue Moon" with two consecutive full moons in the same sign! Leo season began with an Aquarius Full moon on July 23rd, and now it ends with an Aquarius Full Moon on August 21 & 22

The Full Moon occurs when the Moon is in Opposition to the Sun. Oppositions seek to teach us balance and integration of opposite energies. The moon has moved to be 180 degrees away from the Sun, and is in the opposite sign. Here we experience the Polar Axis of Leo and Aquarius. While Leo energy is related to personal pride and individual accomplishments, Aquarius reminds us of the value of community and group effort. We are reminded that life isn’t just about being an individual - but also about the collective experiences of our community.

Leo is the sign of Self Expression, Creativity, and Fun. While the Sun has brought us lessons of Individual self expression and personal creativity, the Full Moon is reminding us to balance this energy with Humanitarian efforts or creativity that supports the community rather than just serving individual ego. Aquarius is the sign of The Rebel, because often times true change that benefits humanity or community happens through rebelling against structures or systems that are oppressive. While Leo is focused on Individuality, Aquarius is focused on true Freedom.

Aquarius: Community, Invention, Rebellion, Revolution and Humanitarianism.

"The Water Bearer"

While a name like "The Water Bearer" might suggest that Aquarius is a Water sign - it is an Air sign. The water itself is not the focus here; but the modes of transporting the water and moving it from one place to another. Aquarius is the movement of ideas among people and therefore relates to technological innovation and communication of new thought patterns.

The need for balance between Aquarius and Leo

Aquarian Idealism can best be described as a desire for something new that supports individual freedom. When we are tuned in to Aquarian energy we think outside the box and seek solutions to common problems that may go against the Status-Quo. The phrase "Necessity is the mother of invention" seems very Aquarian to me; as when something is needed the human mind will get very creative to find ways to meet that need! Telephones, Computers, and the Internet are good examples of inventions that served the needs of a world that was seeking ways to be more connected and informed. So how does Leo energy fit in here? Leo brings the courage, Leadership, and Confidence needed to take the Aquarian ideals and inventiveness to the next level! Someone might have a really good idea, but they need the energy of Leo to be able to stand up and say "Hey, look at my really good idea!" This balance flows both ways - for someone might have the confidence and leadership of Leo - but they won't actually make much lasting beneficial change with that energy unless they also have the ability to think outside the box like Aquarius.

How to Celebrate This Full Moon:

- Full Moons are all about finding balance. It is a great time to reflect on how you are personally balancing between Leo and Aquarius energy in your life. Are you being both the Inventor and the Leader in things that matter to you? Do you need to think outside the box or outside of the Status-Quo to find solutions to your problems? Are you considering the needs of your community alongside your personal goals?

- If you are making moon water, add the intention of Aquarius energy. Bless and charge this water with the Aquarian intention of bringing change & revolution to your life. (If you don't want radical change & inventive or rebellious energy right now, maybe skip making the moon water and focus instead on some journaling or divination with this Full Moon - The Water Bearer may have special ideas or insights for you!)

- Bless and charge your crystals and gemstones. However, grounding & stabilizing stones might not need this Aquarian energy. Instead, focus on your gemstones that are good for clear mind, communication, and energizing or motivating - they will really benefit from a charge under the Aquarian Blue Moon!

- Meditate and journal with the Tarot Cards of Strength (Leo) and The Star (Aquarius)

Aug 21 - Moon in Aquarius (Full Moon)

��Aug 22 - FULL MOON in AQUARIUS (exact at 5:00 am PST / 8:00 am EST) Moon enters Pisces at 5:43 am PST / 8:43 am EST. Sun enters Virgo at 2:35 pm PST

The Aquarius Full Moon occurs at 29 degrees Aquarius in the early morning hours of August 22. Immediately after this, the moon moves into the sign of Pisces. A few hours later, the sun moves into the sign of Virgo. Therefore the night before this - the night of August 21 is a great time to do your Full Moon work. The moon is still “Full” during this time, but on the 22nd the moon will change signs to Pisces early in the morning. The 21st is the last full day of Leo season, with the moon in Aquarius all day, so this is probably your ideal time to do your work with the Full Moon. On the 22nd, the moon and sun quickly shift energy, and Virgo season begins; bringing a different type of energy to the rest of this moon cycle.

Lilliana Blackstar is a Dedicant of The Ever Green Hearth, ATC. A Senior at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, and a professional astrologer at Hestia's Muse.

Throwback Thursday!

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 02:17:11 GMT

Our Very First Publication!

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

A Witch's Heart

Sat, 24 Jul 2021 02:41:23 GMT

A Witch's Heart

My heart is big for I love nature.

Authority, I always question.

Magick is a current inside me.

Magick is a thought-twisted; bent.

Equilibrium is what I am.

The wise beg for equilibrium.

King master of the middle pillar.

I seek to discover the unknown.

A neophyte on the throne to seek.

No desire makes me a master.

My true master is the Phase of Moon.

Truly indeed, I learn from her tides.

Forever in service the gaia.

Forever not will to hypnotize.

The path reveals my own bewitchment.

Along the path; I even hug trees.

Dancing of love and live to meet Pan.

His forest is indeed my center.

By Lone Wolf

Ego

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 01:58:19 GMT

Ego

It's bright up here

I feel I may burn my wings

Maybe I should turn back.

One little push

One wrong step

And I'll be floating aimlessly

Alone with all the things I regret.

We all have to stop sometimes

Stop and take a breath

But we work so hard without taking

Time to reflect

Always a competition

Always having to be the best

Talking ourselves up

Like primates pounding our chests

It's bright up here

I feel I may burn my wings

Lord and Lady, I need your help

Please help me save me from myself.

By Cloud the Pagan Rapper

Update and Pledge News from The Save the Seeds Foundation

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 22:42:33 GMT

Hello and Blessings!

Hello and blessings!

It has been a long pandemic. When we started our mission at Save the Seeds Foundation, we were doing so on at the behest of the Great Mother telling us we only had two years to prepare our food supplies before things were going to take a hard turn.

That was in 2018.

2 years later saw the beginning of one of the biggest food shortages and employment drops in living memory. Stores were pulling seeds from their shelves for reasons never truly explained well. Big named heirloom seed companies were running out of their supplies, and for half a year Save the Seeds Foundation was one of the only places that everyone who called us could find heirloom seeds.

Save the Seeds Foundation was able to provide gardens for everyone who asked, and that was only possible by the donations from our selfless supporters. The monthly pledges of those that are helping us save the bees, and promote heirloom gardening, helped save the livelihoods and wellbeing of numerous families over that past 18 months.

Food sovereignty is real sovereignty. Heirloom seeds were given to us by the Creator and have been the lifeblood of our well being since the earth was formed. Never in history have we needed to protect this valuable gift as much as we do now.

Save the Seeds Foundation is more than just a place to get your seeds from. It is a living seed library that promotes the propagation of our food through the changing climate, so that our food supply can sustain itself in the new climates that are becoming the norm.

Over the pandemic, a half acre of land was donated to Save the Seeds Foundation to plant our first official gardens. The work has been long and hard to get the ground ready; a perfect example of why Goddess gave us two years warning to get started.

Now more than ever we are able to help people realize their dream of helping the earth, instead of simply living upon it. Your donations help us reach, supply, and support those looking to do the work.

$10 can buy you two large lattes a month, a pack of cigarettes, 2.5 gallons of gasoline, or it can work together with other $10 pledges to protect, and grow, food freedom worldwide.

Thank you for taking the well being of the planet and its people into your hands. We thank you, and our bees, Flora and Fauna, thank you.

Pilgrimage to the Puget Sound

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 02:48:56 GMT

Pilgrimage to the Puget Sound

When most people think of pilgrimages they think of ancient or historic peoples like the pilgrimage of the Puritans to North America (something I’d describe more as conquest) or the pilgrimage of the Greeks to Eleusis. Sometimes people think of distant pilgrimages in the modern era like the pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca in observance of the Hajj, which observes a ritual performed by the prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him). Yet, we often forget how common and how human a pilgrimage is and the ways in which it reflects the very essence of human nature. I know this firsthand from my experience of heeding the call of Goddess to relocate from perpetually sunny Central Florida to cool and breezy Western Washington.

During a sacred journey to the Underworld at a festival in which I participated I heard the call of the Goddess to move. I was made to feel the urgency that I needed to find a better situation in which to live and work. The situation I was in was not healthy and it wouldn’t help me achieve my goals. I was to do the work needed to move. So, I began talking to people and manifesting a new life for myself. As with any pilgrimage, this began with a call of deeply religious motivation.

I started with focusing on my goal and talking to others about wanting to move. I worked to make that a possibility, engaging in magic, speaking my goals into existence, and talking through the possibilities with those whom I felt closest. I eventually got signs, an offer of an opening, and ideas for how to get to that opening. Focusing over a year of magic to manifest a stable living situation and strong career for myself added to the strength of my work. My pilgrimage began to form before my eyes. A scary, mysterious, and necessary journey became manifest.

I set up a Go Fund Me at the suggestion of a close friend and asked those closest to me, those who want to see me succeed to help me take a train from Florida to the Puget Sound. Through this fundraising effort, I gained new insight into how much others want me to succeed and believe in me and how capable I am of making a difference if I put my mind to it. This fed new understandings of myself, my relationships with others, and of others. The pilgrimage was changing how I saw myself and the world around me.

I boarded a train. With all my belongings in five bags and a box, others waiting behind to be shipped, I put my life into the hands of the Gods, Goddesses, and Goddexes. I spent four days on a train viewing the beauty of the land which this country occupies. I spent this time giving gratitude for the beauty of the Earth, those who protect and fought for this land–––those to whom it is sacred and home, the Divine and human support that helped me to get to that point, and to myself and those who encouraged me to take a risk. I spent those days in awe and wonder to then arrive in Seattle to open arms and the love of those waiting for me in Western Washington. I made a pilgrimage that took me on a spiral journey home.

By Sammy Conde

Sammy is a student at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.

Sarah's Witchy Book Bites Featuring Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft From the Margins

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 01:48:06 GMT

Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margins

Hello there! This is Sarah Rowan, the editor of Panegyria! I’m happy that you made it to this corner of the internet. I hope you are doing well. I know I am, especially after such a wonderful Pride Month. I’m here, I’m queer, and I’m bringing you a book review. A queer book review in fact.

Being that this is my first review here on Panegyria, I’d like to briefly go over my format before I get in too deep. I will be picking one modern witchcraft book each month to read and review. By “modern,” I mean “published after 1990.” This is because witchcraft, and Wicca, have progressed so much since Gerald Gardner’s days and you won’t be able to see that progress if you just stick with the classics. They’re good and there’s a reason they’re still around, but they’re dated and not as inclusive as some more recent works.

With that being said, I also know that not everyone wants to read a lengthy review or they dislike spoilers, so I will be doing a general summary of the book, why I picked it, and picking out three things I loved about the book and three things I disliked or I consider areas of improvement. I will not be using a rating system as this is MY own take on the book, you may disagree with how I’d rate it.

For my first review, I chose Queering Your Craft: Witchcraft from the Margins by Cassandra Snow. I picked this book because it was Pride Month and like any other member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I get super excited about ANYTHING inclusive around this time.

Queering Your Craft is an introduction to witchcraft. Its focus is on how you can make your ritual space and your own personal practices more inclusive or more relevant to your own life if you identify as LGBTQIA+ or are differently abled as many of the more traditional books and rituals focus heavily on the gender binary and contain elements that someone who is not neurotypical or able bodied cannot do. Snow gives a primer on all the basic foundations of witchcraft, sabbats, intent, elements, etc. They also include a grimoire to get you started on your journey.

Full disclosure, I absolutely enjoyed this book and had a hard time finding things that I didn’t like.

Three Things I Loved About the Book.

1. When Snow says “inclusivity,” they mean it. It gives options for correspondences to use or ritual supplies so that a witch of any income level can do the spell work. They also included a subsection devoted to polyamorous lovers in the love section. Snow also decentered themself when talking about Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC). This is truly a book for EVERYONE.

2. The book was written in a way that even a more advanced witch could get something out of it. This was not a beginner book that repeated the same information in the same way as some other 101 books out there. It also helped that queerness in witchcraft is not normally a topic of witchy books. Thankfully, that’s changing.

3. There is a section of the grimoire devoted to hexes. Now, I’m not usually the one to go about harming other people, but I love having good self-defense spells in my toolbox. I don’t see hexes mentioned very often in the books I read, so I loved reading something out of the ordinary.

Three Things I Didn’t Like About the Book

1. I personally don’t like using “magick” instead of “magic” because I feel it’s too Thelemic and overly stylized for me.

2. Snow doesn’t go into as much detail into the Air stones as they did with the other elements.

3. I wish the correspondence appendix was much larger. I love information and want to know everything about every stone, herb, etc.

In conclusion, this is a must to have in your library, especially if you’re part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I also highly recommend this book if you are just started out in general. There are so few books that go into this much into depth about queer witchcraft right now and I am excited to read more from this author.

Happy Pride Month!

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 23:05:23 GMT

Happy Pride Month!

Happy Pride Month, Witches!

The ATC has always been diligent on making sure we are inclusive and open to all to come worship the God and Goddess, and we will absolutely continue to do so.

Wicca is still a new religion, and it is growing rapidly. Naturally, that would come with growing pains. There are Wiccan groups that still adhere to traditional gender roles, mostly for energy’s sake. Male vs Female energy is a very polarized view of the energy in the world, and we tend to look at it differently.

We use Receptive vs Projective energy instead of male/female. Female energy is inherently receptive (the vagina is inside the body!) and Male energy is inherently projective (I know you can guess this one). Just because you have one of these body parts and were born with a certain body part does not make you projective or receptive. We all live in a balance though, we do not merely live on one end of the spectrum – we all are fluid beings, going with the flow of the earth, following the earth’s cycles.

In the ATC Tradition, when there are roles that call for projective or receptive energy, we let you choose which one you are going to emanate. Being able to switch roles for rituals is a great skill – because let’s be honest, we’re a little short on men.

It’s also important to step out of our own realities and see the world through different lenses. Being able to work with both projective and receptive energy is incredibly important to balancing ourselves and the energies in this world. This concept is demonstrated through so many of our principles – yin and yang, as above so below, as within so without! We cannot live on one side of the pendulum, we must swing, experience both sides, before we can settle in the middle.

So this pride month, take the time to experience the other side – work with that opposite energy of yours, let Goddess and God teach you their experiences and absorb them into your practice.

And most of all, listen. Listen to those who have things to teach you. In the words of our ArchPriestess Belladonna LaVeau: “Speak little, listen much.” You will learn more than you will know if you simply listen to those who have different experiences and views of the world.

Merry Meet, and Blessed Be!

Brenna Grace

Maiden of the ATC Mother Church Coven

Director of Marketing & Public Relations

The Spiral Circle Journey of Coming Out

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:44:00 GMT

The Spiral Circle Journey of Coming Out

I still remember walking the halls of my middle school wondering if other people knew. I wasn’t sure if they could tell that I was attracted to men and I was worried more than ever that if they knew they wouldn’t think of me the same. You see, growing up in the Bible Belt as a fundamentalist Christian at the age of 12 can be confusing for someone who is also finding out they experience “same-sex attraction” as it was often put at that time. I battled with whether or not the Christian God would love me and tried to hide who I was until I couldn’t anymore.

An old friend of mine from choir made me feel welcome at my school and she was always kind to me. She uplifted and welcomed me in a warm and affirming way and I felt like I could trust her with anything. So, I told her I was bisexual. At the time, she was the only person other than me who knew. We talked about other friends she had who were queer and she made me feel normal.

Many people would think that for the LGBTQIA+ community this kind of coming out would snowball, I’d have told my parents, and then I’d be out of the closet.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Witches understand this on an intimate level. Much like the “broom closet” the closet for LGBTQIA+ folk is ever evolving and ever changing. We must choose those with whom we have enough comfort to share who we are. We have to be selective because someone might reject us or even attempt to cause some kind of harm to us. There are people who would rather see us harmed than know our full selves. Still, so many live authentically and proudly out in the open.

With each space we must decide how open we can be about who we are, who we love, and how we worship. Each space requires new and ongoing evaluation to see which parts of us are safe to share. Three steps forward. Two steps backward. I can share my new understanding of my evolving gender with this friend. I cannot share my sexuality with that person.

Much like the spiral journey we revisit the same theme from new angles each time.

How welcome am I in this space? How do I understand myself? How can I best communicate how I understand myself with others? Will I be rejected for who I am? Will someone try to convert me? Am I in danger if I share this part of myself?

Yet, there is a pride in the process. Finding those who love us and building spaces in which we can live authentically as witches and as queer folk allows us the ultimate power of freedom. Reexamining our understanding of ourselves, the world around us, and our relationships with others helps us to have a healthier understanding of how we operate in the world. Sharing that with others and living authentically in it lets us live lives of joy and passion. It challenges us to be real in a world that wants us to hide. As you take that spiral journey, revisiting these themes, remember Goddess loves you and no one can take that from you.

Sammy Conde

Sammy Conde is a student at Woolston Steen Theological Seminary

Reflective Depths

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 01:46:10 GMT

Reflective Depths

As I gaze upon the reflective surface of the water, it is not simply the current reflection that I see. As I look into the murky depths, beyond and through the reflective surface, I can see into my past. I see the muddied bottom, and it reminds me that the past is littered with debris. But without all of this debris, there would be no base for the water to sit on, and therefore my current reflection simply could not be.

As my focus shifts from the bottom, to the layers of water just beneath the surface, the image becomes more and more clear. This allows me to truly understand that from what was the murky past to the clarity of the present was not an instantaneous shift, but with each passing moment in time, or each layer of water towards the surface, the litter becomes less and less.

So now with the understanding of how the past, or depths, have paved the way to the present, or surface, I can look beyond my image. Surrounding my image on the surface is the sky above. This represents my future, and no matter how far into the sky I look, as I gaze at the images on the reflective surface, it remains clear.

This clarity gives me hope that so long as I do not sink beneath the surface, my future will remain bright and clear. But if I fall beneath the surface, and sink into my past, the deeper I dwell into the depths of my past, the more debris I will need to get through to see my future, and my future will be less and less clear.

So this acts as a reminder to use the past as a guide, remain in the present, and maintain a clear view of what could be!

Phynn GoldenFae

Pandemic Fallout - How To Help Your Clergy

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 23:20:16 GMT

Pandemic Fallout - How To Help Your Clergy

There has been a trend in the Pandemic across all religious lines that clergy leaders are changing professions. The ATC has not seen as much of this as other faith based groups, yet we are not immune to the trend. 29% is a huge amount. In Wicca, where there are already so few trained and trusted leaders, we can't afford to lose any good people. Yet we are.

What can you do to help? Be aware of the struggles our clergy face. They don't have a salary. They don't have financial security for themselves or their families. They don't even have respect and safety. Mention religious leaders in a public forum and there will at least be a couple of people who devalue our leaders and leadership. Don't let them get away with it. Report mean spirited posts. Confront disrespectful, ignorant, or inconsiderate people. Refuse to participate in hurtful conversations or support people who are generating negative commentary.

Consider what life would be like without the work of your leaders and have respect, appreciation and compassion for the role religious leaders play in your life. Protect them and take care of them. Let them know they are appreciated. Treat them with the principle "Though Art God, Thou Art Goddess". Remember that the path is perfect and just because someone is mad, doesn't mean they don't deserve the experience they have created, and that there are always two sides of the story.

Pete "Pathfinder" Davis, founder of the ATC, cultivated a tolerant utopia in Seattle. He made a lot of people angry along the way. He is responsible for so many of our rights that we take for granted today. His life was the life of a warrior. He died with bitterness in his heart, feeling unappreciated and abandoned by the majority of his congregation.

Religious leaders are different, and few. There are not many people who have the ability and the willingness to do what your leaders do. After spending a year with nothing but the hatefulness of facebook cluttering their minds, their spirits are defeated and wondering if it's worth it. Yes, Pete had his flaws. He was a great man. He was a fighter. He was often misunderstood by fragile egos, who were more focused on the promotion of their personality than the bigger picture.

All religions suffer from those who long for greatness, but can't achieve it. All religions suffer from the mentally ill, who feel that attacking someone of notoriety will bring them attention. A man once attempted to assassinate the President of the United States to get an actress' attention. Desperate people distort reality to fit their world view. When you give power to this behavior, it robs everyone of the world that can be created by love, trust, compassion and understanding. When religious leaders are surrounded by lack, giving all they have to create a better world, and nothing is standing between them and those who would take pleasure in watching them fall, so that leader won't be competition for their ego, the world is worse off for it.

If we are going to make the world a better place, we have to do it together. We must stand for love. We must stand against hate in all it's forms. Even hate disguised as pain. Hate is infectious. You cannot heal it, you can only confront it, call it out for what it is, and then walk away from it.

Take action when you see your leaders, or other leaders being disrespected. You might not know what amazing things that have done, and if they quit, you will never know what amazing things they would have done. The world cannot afford this right now.

https://churchanswers.com/blog/six-reasons-your-pastor-is-about-to-quit/?fbclid=IwAR17VFiEawF6i7sLIfSCML_y9mJ5PaosLmHRpPc8q-wkU_n2Se_LQQhm09g

https://www.christianitytoday.com/better-samaritan/2021/june/has-pandemic-made-your-pastor-want-to-quit-probably.html?utm_source=CT%20Pastors%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=99120&utm_content=5748&utm_campaign=email

Belladonna Laveau is the Archpriestess of the ATC International.

I Think We Should Be Free

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 21:26:16 GMT

I Think We Should Be Free

Take a moment to speak on something deeper... No, not that.... Dig deeper... That one certain connection... That one you think about every day, the one name that crosses your mind and your heart is full of the blissful memories. The euphoria of...... Well...... Once loved... Maybe the one who was there when you were at your lowest and held you through it? Those late night phone calls in which kept you going. That giant bear hug out of excitement from being apart for what seemed like forever. Yeah, that hug in your freshmen year of high school that knocked both of you onto the concrete.... Those memories in ecstasy turning quickly to grief... To pain of your first love and that loss you just cannot release and set free. Every time I think about you, I wonder if it's out of habit or if it's truly because I'm holding on.

Thirteen years have passed since then. Thirteen long years that seem to have flown by far more swift than I could have ever imagined. 2008 is a year I remember deeply in a couple ways. One way of how I felt my life was spiraling out of control and in another when you were my saving grace. You were supposed to be the prince who carried me out of the tower. You were supposed to be the one I woke up next to each morning. You were supposed to be the one I had my future children with, remember them? The three we gave names to.... At that time, I was young and at a vulnerable point in my life, later to discover 2008 would be my most significantly traumatic year thus far. Not because of you, everything you did for me I am grateful for and my pain is not your fault. But, hearing your name I am mixed. Hearing your name in my thoughts fills me with joy, bliss, grief, betrayal, anger and warmth.

How could you leave me with the text "I think we should be free?" How could you leave me alone and then torment me with your words when I tried to speak to you? After all the tenderness I showed you, how could you become toxic to me? Why did you? Well, you know we were young back then and just starting to discover who we were. Those questions changed as the years went by;

How could I let you affect me so deeply that it took me eleven years to get rid of your hoodie? How could I allow your name to be a constant void in my soul for thirteen years? How could I let myself be a prisoner of my own emotion? You didn't do this to me, I did this to myself. I have been holding on to adolescent trauma and did not know how to be free. I have been holding on to the light in that dark corner which was you, because, I thought your name was the only sound that would ease the wailing of my inner adolescent...

The root chakra is where our inner child and sense security rests. With traumatic stress before our elevation into adulthood, our root chakra becomes damaged and we lose the feeling of being secure. When this happens, we tend to use our good memories of someone from that time as a crutch to block out the traumatic events rather than working through them and raising above. In a way, we are choosing to let the emotions drown us until we are brave enough to reach back in time. This crutch is a toxic temporary internal practice that does not help to cope with deep-seeded CPTSD. We use it kind of like a drug, because the memory of our past is a shadow we do not want to face. In my experience, I can easily say I was terrified of this shadow as I feared it would consume me. The fear was my downfall, trying to keep the shadow away with the once loved as a shield made the shadow over-tower my mind. Eventually, my past had devoured me in the way I feared it would.

That consumption had a positive side. There is a saying that I stand firmly beside when it comes to shadow work; "The stars cannot shine without the dark sky." The consumption from my shadow was a walk through the underworld and a part of me that I needed to put to death. Not in the physical sense, but closing that toxic door to allow another to open. My star needed to find a way to shine. Even though you are in a hole, it is never the end. This consumption made me realize that I am my own saving grace and I had to give myself the love I needed in 2008 in order to heal my root chakra and inner child. There was no way I can make it though the underworld if I did not leave this crutch behind.

I stood tall in my journey and saw the fifteen year old Raven in her most broken down state. I saw my 2008 timeline, every single hardship and mistake weighing heavily. I spoke to my adolescent self. "You are young, the mistakes you make are there for you to learn and grow from. I promise you that you will love the person you become. The kids your age torturing you are kids themselves. They, like you, are just discovering themselves and learning life experiences. You're not alone in this moment. You are loved, you have the right to be loved. I am you and I love the person I am. I am beautiful, smart, independent, and 2008 has made me wise in 2021. I am happy to be alive all because of you and your strength to power through."

Once Loved, thank you for your lesson that helped me find the person I have become. I think we should be free.

Raven Ebonywing serves as the priestess of Creation's Grimoire Church of Wicca in Bentonville Arkansas. She is a student at Woolston-Steen Theological seminary and a student of Lady Belladonna LaVeau. She is a member of the Benton County Interfaith Alliance and also serve as the Microsoft Teams Events Coordinator for Aquarian Tabernacle Church International.

Gemini Solar Eclipse - Empower Your Mind

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 01:50:16 GMT

Gemini Solar Eclipse - Empower Your Mind

We have a New Moon every 29.5 days - a time when the Moon and Sun both occupy the same section of the Zodiac Wheel. A lot of Pagans, Witches, and Spiritual practitioners believe that the New Moon is an ideal time to set intentions or goals. We make wishes about what we want to manifest in the coming month under the energy of the moon being "born anew" at the New Moon. Then, as the moon grows in illumination from the New Moon to brightness of the Full Moon, we envision our wish or goal growing with it.

Approximately twice a year, the New Moon will cross directly in front of the sun - a Solar Eclipse! Not everyone on the planet will see the eclipse - but we can still think of this as an "amplified" New Moon. The New Moon is always a time of Astrological Conjunction between the sun and the moon - but the eclipses are conjunctions that are so precise that the moon actually temporarily blocks out the light of the sun. Think of the solar eclipses as the V.I.P. New Moons of the year; they usually bring change and transformation, or open some kind of doorway for growth.

The first Solar Eclipse of 2021 will occur on June 10th, with sun and moon in the sign of Gemini. Gemini is the sign of the mind, thoughts, ideas, curiosity, and learning. It will be an excellent time to set goals or intentions related to your mind and thought patterns. Have you been curious to learn something new? Have some books that you have been putting off reading? Want to take a class, learn a new language, write a book? This Gemini

New Moon Eclipse will be a great time to set those goals and intentions for yourself! The Gemini moon might also reveal to us the ways we can be duplicitous or dual-minded. As the sign of Curiosity, there is a tendency to be non-committal as the attention shifts to the next new and exciting thing. A powerful lesson of Gemini energy is that it is good to be flexible and keep the mind open to new things - but a downfall of this is the tendency to shift gears too rapidly and not follow through. Your "Shadow Work" of this New Moon is to examine these tendencies within yourself, to become aware of potential downfalls so that you can actively work to overcome them.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself. These can be used as questions for introspective journaling during the New Moon, or they can be questions you ask yourself to help clarify the goals and intentions you want to set with this New Moon.

Lessons to tune into for the Gemini Eclipse (New Moon):

Are you taking the time to learn about what you are truly curious about?

In what situations do you tend to be flighty or noncommittal?

Are you feeling restless or changing your mind too frequently?

How can you satisfy the urges for new experiences yet make sure you are honoring important commitments?

Be aware of urges you have to engage in gossip and check in with yourself about how you are speaking about others.

Make time to read that book you've been meaning to read!

Once you have a clear goal in mind, write it down in the form of an affirmation. That is to say, write it down in positive, present tense. For example if your goal is to stop procrastinating and take that botany class you have been wanting to take, your affirmation should state something like "I am taking the Botany class and learning about plants every day." Keep your affirmation in places you will see it every day and read it out loud to yourself

often. Set a goal that you will take steps to work towards this goal every day leading up to the Full Moon, when you will re-valuate your goal and celebrate your progress.

Gemini Solar Eclipse - June 10 (Early Morning for North America)

ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE - Sun and moon at 19°46' Gemini

Eclipse Duration - 4 hours 58 minutes

Eclipse begins 1:12 AM PST / 4:12 AM EST

Maximum Eclipse time - 3:41 AM PST / 6:41 AM EST

Eclipse ends - 6:11 AM PST / 9:11 AM EST

The narrow path of the eclipse will be completely visible in parts of Canada, Greenland, the Arctic Ocean and Siberia. It will be partially visible for much of the rest of northeastern North America, Greenland, Northern Europe and northern Asia.

Find on this map if the eclipse will be visible for you: https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2021-june-10

The next solar eclipse will not be until December 3, 2021, with the New Moon in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is the opposite sign of Gemini, and we will at that time be balancing and tempering the lessons from Gemini season with the lessons of Sagittarius. It will be a great idea to write down your goals and reflections at this Gemini eclipse so that you can evaluate your progress in 6 months time with the next solar eclipse.

* There will not be another Solar or Lunar eclipse in the sign of Gemini until the years 2029 and 2030!

Sending you bright blessings and wishes for a Powerful New Moon!

---------------------------------

Lilliana Blackstar is a professional Astrologer, Tarot Card Reader, and Metaphysical Blogger. You can find Lilliana at Seattle

Psychics Association or through these links at LinkTree

https://seattlepsychicsassociation.com/directory/lilliana-blackstar-astrology-tarot-spiritual-counselling/

www.linktr.ee/LillianaBlackstar

Beauty Behind the Razor Wire

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 23:33:49 GMT

Beauty Behind the Razor Wire

Rays of silver illuminate the yard, drowning out the street lamps and security lights. It's midnight at Lawtey, and the Moon is full.

The razor wire and dew-moistened grass glisten in the glorious light of the Goddess, while the Katydids and Nighthawks serenade Her. These are the only sounds outside of the quiet rumbling of exhaust fans in the distance. With closed eyes you would never know this was a prison.

The yellow lines on the walkways beam into life, and only the brightest of stars can be seen in the silvery sky. The trees in the Yard cast ominous shadows, and provide hiding places for the Faeries and Gnomes that prefer to dance in the glow of Mother Goddess. Moths flutter around the lights in the warm air, attracted to the glow like the Djinn to the flame. Dust from their wings sprinkle down into the grass like confetti.

In the distance, a train whistle blows, and as the train steams pass the prison I am reminded of an old Johnny Cash song. Unlike the song however, I will look forward to seeing that sunshine in just a few short hours. As for now, the night wears on and I continued to bask in the glow of the moon-lit sky.

As the time continues to roll, the wee hours of the morning fall upon the camp, and as if on cue, the night falls silent. It seems even the Tree Frogs and Killdeer have their bedtime. The compound lays at rest except for the chosen few tasked with patrolling the facility.

A faint rustling and the clatter of thin metal, it appears the raccoons have found themselves a meal in the stacked cans at the chow hall. Nature's clean up crew is also on patrol it seems. A focused beam from my flashlight puts a glow in their eyes, and they scatter. Another meal interrupted. Rest assured however that they will be back for dessert soon enough.

As the moon begins Her descent into the Western sky, the first hints of sunlight begin to illuminate the Eastern horizon. Apollo paints a portrait of pastels as He slowly rises, His chariot pulling the Sun, chasing his lover across the universe. With her face full of light, Her focus is on her children. However in two short weeks, she will face her lover again, allowing her children to witness the beauty that lies within the blackness of the Dark Moon sky. As for now, the moon slips behind the trees, hiding Her face as the Sun makes it's first appearance over the horizon.

The sky over Lawtey turns from a glistening silver, to a brilliant orange, and finally to a radiant blue. Another day begins, and brings with it the anticipation of the future for many of the men housed at this facility. They long for the day that they too will see light over the horizon, and once again follow their lovers across the sky.

As for me, the daylight brings with it the opportunity to return home to my own lover who is just now opening her eyes to the new day. We will sit together and tell the stories of our experiences, one of the conscious world and the other of dreams, until the time comes that I must return to work. And while there I will once again witness the beauty that lies behind the razor wire while patrolling Lawtey at midnight.

Finn GoldenFae

Panegyria May 2021 Newsletter!

Tue, 25 May 2021 22:20:47 GMT

Panegyria News Letter - May 2021

Find the whole Newsletter as a pdf by clicking on the link below!

Click here for PDF View!

Big thank you to Michelle Winn for putting this newsletter together!

Community Invitation: Ostara

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:39:32 GMT

Rev. HPs. Gypsy Ravish and The Priests and Priestesses of The Temple of Nine Wells-ATC invite you!Rev. HPs. Gypsy Ravish and The Priests and Priestesses of The Temple of Nine Wells-ATC invite you!

From the Temple of the Nine Wells

The light reborn at Yule waxed and grew stronger at Imbolc. We will be gathering to celebrate the first stirrings of Spring, the Spring Equinox, the Witches’ Sabbat known also as Vernal Equinox, Ostara and called Alban Eilir by the Druids, which means 'The Light of the Earth'. In the Northern Hemisphere, as the Sun enters the first house of the zodiac, the sign of Aries ruled by Mars, when Day and Night will be equal, we will gratefully and enthusiastically welcome this season of balance, of fertility and the greening of the Earth. All 7 Sacred Planets, and the outer ones as well, will be assuming their direct motion, for a time. Retrogrades are over, and our consciousness will shift from the cold hardships of Winter, a time of inner work, to the warm beautiful colors of Spring, a time of rejuvenation, renewal and a fresh start for the outer work we will accomplish this year. The frozen crystalline days of Winter’s snow and ice are almost at an end, and now the Spring Equinox, will awaken and rejuvenate life within the trees and all living things.

Our special ritual presenters will include: Lady Belladonna LaVeau and Dusty Dionne, Arch Priestess and Arch Priest of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church based in Washington State that sponsors us; Occultist & Witch HP. Karagan Griffith, who is again hosting this zoom call for us, Salem Artist and Witch HPs. Sharonn Bradbury, Salem Psychic Intuitive Reader and Witch Priestess Kathleen Exar, and our Temple of Nine Wells Reverend Ministers: Witch HP. and Ceremonial Magician Rev. Bob Scott; Witch HP and Faery Seer Rev. Orion Foxwood from Maryland; Oracular Witches HPs. and HP. Reverends Lady and Iain Haight-Ashton in Maine; and Rev. Kathleen Rouleau, Death Midwife and Water Protector.

Also with us tonight, two of my favorite special musical recording artist guests High Priestess and Witch Lady Rowena of the Glen and High Priest Witch Ember from Nashville’s Circle of Dragonstone Coven.

Join us , if you will, in our Sacred Grove of Trees as we turn the Witches' Wheel of the Year and welcome Spring.

Blessed Be With Love From Salem,

Rev. HPs. Gypsy Ravish and The Priests and Priestesses of The Temple of Nine Wells-ATC

Fightin' Fire Chicken Diaries

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:33:56 GMT

Chapter One: Merry Meet!

Dear Diary,

I’ve been asked to write a new weekly column for my school’s magazine, Panegyria. I’m super excited! I’ve always wanted to be a columnist! Anyway, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Sarah. I’m a first year student at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary. I’m in my thirties and am a fan of puns, opossums, and mead. I hail from Omaha, Nebraska and am an herbivore. I live in a small house with my wonderful girlfriend and four fur babies.

I’ve been actively practicing paganism for about a decade now. Like many practitioners, I was not born into a pagan friendly family. I was confirmed Catholic. I realized I was gay in college and the Church, even though Jesus is a cool dude, is not very welcoming of people like me. I then became a casual Buddhist while also casually hunting ghosts and dabbling in Tarot. I left that path to attend a gay positive Christian church here in Omaha after graduating.

I still felt out of place.

I started noticing odd things happening. I’d feel spirits around me and would know things before they happened. My intuition was becoming stronger. I decided to explore this and started practicing Neo-Paganism. I read everything I could get my hands on. Eventually, I hit a wall. Every book was saying the same darn stuff. I googled WitchVox (R.I.P.) and stumbled upon a local Gardnerian coven. I started attending their circles and was initiated. It wasn’t a good fit and we parted ways. The Order of the Red Grail welcomes me with open arms. Now, I’m here!

Why did I pick WSTS? Well, I was at a crossroads. I split from my previous coven and was attending an ATC affiliate because I still wanted to study Wicca. I’ve also always wanted to do grad school, but I have a ton of student debt. WSTS was both affordable and convenient. The classes are online, which fits into my work schedule very well. It’s basically like the real world Hogwarts. I was concerned at the beginning because I wanted to enroll in the Master’s program because I already have Bachelor’s. Turns out that you need a Bachelor’s in Wiccan Ministry to achieve a Master’s degree. I quickly got over it, though, because I love the courses. I covered some of the material all ready with the teacher from my previous coven. It was a good refresher. I was surprised that there was so much I wasn’t taught!

Why this diary? I want to let you know what the life of student is like. I will be sharing my experiences and sometimes homework so you can get a feel for the school. I hope to entertain as well as educate.

What the heck is a “fightin’ fire chicken?” The magnificent fighting fire chicken is a phoenix and our school mascot. Petra Pathfinder is the highest ranking fire chicken. She’s named after the founder of WSTS, Pete Pathfinder.

Anyway, I need to go for a run. I hope you enjoy this column!

Sarah

The Fightin' Fire Chicken Diaries

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 01:10:49 GMT

Chapter 2: Real World Witchery

Dear Diary,

This is my second entry about the wild world of Wicca experienced by the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary’s student. Maybe “wild” isn’t the best word as studying requires at least a small amount of discipline. Nevertheless, studying Wicca is certainly an exciting adventure.

In this installment, I wanted to tell you about the many ways I’ve been able to incorporate the class lessons into the “real” world. It is important to realize that even lessons meant to better your magical life can and will benefit your “mundane” life. This should not be a surprise to the more experienced practitioner as magic is known to be transformative.

I must also make you aware that I have a history of depression and anxiety in my life. Like many students, my life has been full of trauma. Not all witches have had these trials, of course, but I wanted to let you know where I was coming from. I’m also not a doctor or licensed therapist. Consult them if you’re having a crisis.

The meditation strategies and knowledge taught by the teachers have greatly lessened the impact my mental illness has on my daily life. For one, when I’m anxious, I do what is called diaphragmatic breathing. This is a tool used primarily in invoking Deity, but I found that it also helps a great deal when I’m having an anxiety attack. You breathe deeply from the pit of your stomach for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale for four counts. I’ve seen this also called “box breathing.” It helps calm me down and lowers my heart rate considerably.

Another thing that has greatly improved my mental health is adopting an attitude of gratitude. If I’m feeling low, I try to find something that is benefiting me at the moment. For example, if I’m tired as all get out and need to go to work, I express how grateful I am for the powers of coffee. This puts a positive spin on my day. I’ve found that expressing my gratitude every day has helped me notice positivity more and obsess over negativity less.

Aside from improving my mental health, I’m also learning valuable leadership lessons that translate very easily into my work life. I’ve learned to see things from another person’s perspective, allowing me to be more empathetic to my clients. I’ve also learned how to check myself when I find that I’m being judgmental of a coworker who just won’t use their given resources to solve a problem. You know THAT coworker.

Quite possibly the most important lesson that translates easily into mundane life is that life is a cycle and that we’re constantly changing. We experience this cycle every day and every year. We are born and then we die, the seasons change, etc. This knowledge has taught me that nothing lasts forever, even tough times like a pandemic. This has kept me from sinking into a deep pit of despair and junk food.

I hope that this helps you incorporate more magic into your everyday life.

Don’t take any wooden nickels and i hope you have a blessed Samhain!

Sarah

The Octarine Spring Involvement

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 18:11:00 GMT

So, let’s do this.

The Octarine Spring.

This notion has grown from its original temporary intent, into a more enduring construct and concept.

As our world, at least here in the US and other places is coming rather unhinged, I think we need to revisit this notion of grassroots magickal activism and Rule .303- that being if you have the means, you have the responsibility to act, and do what you can, for as long as you are able.

We, who have some competence at Magick, the ability to reach out and perhaps alter and influence the flow of reality- to perhaps protect and defend, to lend luck and grace, to change hearts and minds, to Hinder those who would bring peril and strife:

I believe we have the responsibility to do so. To try to bring Change to that which needs changing, To Preserve that which needs to endure, to Protect those in harm’s way, to Empower those fighting the good fight, and to set our Will against those who seek to oppress and secure dominion over plain ol’ decent people seeking to live as best they can.

Magickal activism, Magickal Action- We can do it for ourselves. I think we must use these skills in ways that align with our ability and nature, to try to aid our communities, and the world as we are able. We protect, and bless, and bestow luck, and twist probability, manifest things, and hinder the Bad for ourselves and our own all the time. I think it’s time to work more broadly for our communities and the world that is under our eye. That’s what the Cunning Folk always did, back in the day. They helped them as needed helping. And hindered them as needed to knock it off and quit botherin’ folk.

We have a skill and power and knowledge, however often subtle, to maybe make a difference beyond what mere hands can usually accomplish.

Some counsel for large scale workings for large scale change- I cannot say whether or not those are effective. Always hard to say. What IS effective is a practitioner who knows their craft, throwing down on the world they Know and walk. We know this. We live it. The sigil, acting as an embodiment of the notion, a talisman, a banner, a conjoining IDEA- Makes everyone doing their grassroots thing, Into a large scale long term Work, memetic current style. Best of both worlds.

Using this sigil, in conjunction with whatever and however you DO, (be that sigilcraft, ritual work, artificing, or just hucking magick at stuff) should help with mutual empowerment, and even as a Talisman, to confer what blessings may be inherent in the thing to whoever carries it. (For sigils- do your sigil for whatever, and tag it somewhere on the page. For ritual- drop a copy on your altar or carve it on your candle, or however. For Talisman- well just make a talisman for whatever and slap this on there, stick it in your pocket, throw it on a t-shirt may help some. It needn’t be the centerpiece of anything, but you can make it so if you wish.) And even if you Don’t use the construct, I hope you take up the idea, and do what you may.

Stand, and let your Will be felt in the world.

May we bring a brighter day.

Ryan James Lloyd is a Thirtysomething writer, Storyteller, creative problem solver, artist, artificer, weaponsmith, and Wizard. He's escaped the “normal” world to go on the road with the love of his life, the amazingly talented singer/songwriter S.J. Tucker ( www.sjtucker.com ). You can find more of his work on his blog, The Storyteller Way .

Well, now we have to talk about Tik Tok Kids Hexxing the Moon

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 20:29:14 GMT

or, How We are Failing The Kids In Spectacular Fashion

Well, now I have to talk about Tik-Tok kids hexing the moon. Here we go:

Firstly, what I keep hearing is that,

this generation of witches is ruined,

that they have no respect,

that they are only in it if their egos are stroked,

and can they even call themselves witches?

Lot to unpack in just those four statements, so I am going to NOT list the umpteen other diminutive statements that I have run across and work today with these.

Respectfully: None of us gets to say if someone is a witch that says they are one. This gatekeeping is what is keeping people on the outskirts with no training. We don’t get to say:

" They aren ’ t a witch ! "

If you call yourself a witch, you are one. I have just revealed to you one of the great secrets that people gate keeping are hiding form you: "You am, whatever you say you am, if you wasn’t, then why would you say you am?"

Ruined? This generation is ruined? They aren’t ruined. This generation has some huge challenges to overcome and you sound completely out of touch when you say they are “ruined”. They said the same thing about you when you were a kid, and if this generation is ruined, it is because your parents were right, and you were ruined first. We are responsible for training our replacements in life. Have you done that? Have you worked to replace yourself or is that too much work for you?

And lastly, who is really unwilling to participate with others unless their egos are stroked? Is it the kids publicly looking for training and needing a teacher, or is it those purists barring the gate to those that don’t produce their version of the secret handshake, and refusing to participate with the rest of organized and unorganized witchcraft?

Is it not ego driven to refuse people entry to a club, tell them that they arent legit, then sit in a secret meeting, and hold the gate closed? If these new witches are ruined, it is the fault of the Elder, not the student.

I am Archpriest of one of the most legally recognized houses in all of Witchcraft. I am lineaged through Edward Fitch, Pete Pathfinder, Amy Ravish, Paul DiMartin, Janet Farrar (frickin’ Janet Farrar!), Gerald Gardner, Alex Sanders, Talyn Songdog which means my line technically runs through Oberon Zell, not to mention Belladonna LaVeau. I have changed the very face of Witchcraft in my lifetime, and I am STILL not considered "legitimate" in the eyes of some of those that hold themselves up as the gatekeepers of our faith

The New Guard of Witches isn't ruined, they didn’t ruin, nor are they ruining anything. It is the Old Guard of witches who have steadily done their best to thwart the chances of the witches coming behind them, by raising the bar and making it harder and harder for them to participate. In our own church we have standards that guard against making it more difficult for those students coming behind the current one.

If you want a strong new generation of witches, you have to let them play ball in an environment that is safe to fail, or else watch them teach each other. It was easy to play Secret Club before the internet, but we must change to be more accessible in the information age. Because these witches, and they are witches; you can tell because they are seeking out the craft without your help, are the next generation of practitioners no matter if you want it to be or not, and they deserve our support so they can grow up to become powerful and productive members of our world.

I was once in a conversation with an abusive parent that said their kid deserved to be abused because they were a “bad kid”. Any sociologist will tell you that it is never the child’s fault. It is always the parent that is responsible for the development of the child. It is never the child’s responsibility to ensure adequate care.

So what are you doing? Are you working to make the world a better, more inclusive, more educated, developed world for witches? The world is evolving. Our practices must change with it. We all deserve to be taught.

Are there going to be brats?

Yes.

I am a brat.

I am a celebrated brat, as a matter of fact. A loud and gregarious weirdo who never stays quiet. And since someone took the time to make sure I was raised right, I am now a champion of the underdogs who gets to fight the good fight on the Government level. Today’s moon hexxer is tomorrows civil rights activist and teacher. But how good they become is our responsibility to cultivate, 100%

Leadership Lessons - The Church Antagonist

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 00:22:27 GMT

Leadership Lessons - The Church Antagonist - If you run a church, or lead any group, you will eventually find an antagonist. Antagonist is defined as a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

The antagonist is the principal source of conflict for the protagonist. Often, the antagonist is a bad guy, a villain, but he doesn't necessarily have to be. He may just be someone who has a different agenda. Antagonists might be one person, a group, or even an animal.

In Paganism, having an antagonist as irritating as it might be, is a badge of honor amongst pagan leaders and means you've actually 'made it' as a leader. The saying "If you don't have 'haters' it means you're not doing anything important" holds true here as some humans become jealous of anyone that gets ahead on a project that they feel they themselves should have been successful at but weren't.

Antagonists aren't necessarily bad - in many stories, the protagonist would have never grown without the actions and the push of the antagonist. In cases of leadership, many people want the position for themselves, while others genuinely believe that they could do a better job or that they have an idea that will better help others. Those who want the leader's position will hope to derail the leader from success and elevate to the leader's level by drawing attention. Those who genuinely care will go out of their way to talk to you and help make changes for the better instead of derailing and rallying the entire community's focus.

If you encounter an antagonist, you might be embarrassed and feel like you have done something wrong or have something to hide. On the contrary reach out to the other leaders in your peers circle, they will congratulate you on making enough waves to get noticed and give you some helpful hints on how to remove these people from your circle.

Also, remember that all publicity helps you. The people that listen to the antagonist and agree with them, will get out of your way, and the people that don't, will be on board with your mission and calling.

Everyone has their own agenda. Different agendas aren't bad, they just aren't yours. Don't let someone derail your group, just because they have a different idea. They can go form their own group and serve people who want what they are offering. Don't worry about who they take with them. There's room for everyone that wants to serve and the vacancies will leave room for you to give attention to those who share your vision.

Groups that form solely out of spite for you do not have a mission statement that will last. But while they do last, they will be your best advertisement. People will listen to the drama, and go check you out. Some people will be swayed by the gossip and believe it, but the people that you want in your church will be repelled by it, and decide to investigate you. They might even join when they didn't plan to, because they want help defend against what they see as someone attacking the Goddess' work. Either way, as long as it's professional jealousy, you win.

Stick to doing your work. Don't let detractors derail you, unless they have a good point. Your critics might be right, and if they are listen and learn. But, if they are just mad at you because you didn't let them steal, cheat, gossip, derail, or otherwise stir up negativity, then just know, that's human nature and keep going.

And remember what Dusty says:

Spring Mysteries Festival is going virtual

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 22:22:35 GMT

Lady Belladonna Laveau speaks to us about the ATCs plan amidst the Covid-19 pandemic

Transcription of the above video aired March 11, 2020

Thank you for receiving this message. May the Gods take my words to those who are meant to hear. I am Lady Belladonna LaVeau the Archpriestess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. This announcement is in response to the growing Global Pandemic.

I have listened to Congress, the CDC, the President, the Governor of Washington State, and the World Health Organization today. I have been monitoring the number of cases. As a US Navy Veteran, having military medical training and knowing how quarantine procedures work, I am noting the many mistakes being made in response to the threat of the Virus. Dr. Fauci testified to congress this morning that it is going to get worse and the CDC says we are about to see a wave of new cases.

The official statement from the State of Washington is "COVID-19 is spreading in several communities in Washington, the risk of exposure is increasing for people who live in our state."

The reason there is such concern, despite that looks like only a few 100 cases in our state is that we lack the ability to test for it. At this time, medical professionals have no real way of knowing how many people are infected. Making matters worse are many younger people are carriers of the virus but asymptomatic and have no idea they are spreading infection. It often takes 14 to 27 days to start showing symptoms after you have been exposed. If you are among the few who are going to have a severe response, you often develop lung fibrosis so quickly that medical help is ineffective if there's any delay in receiving treatment.

The Governor of Washington has asked that we avoid gathering in large groups, and has cancelled any events of over 250 people. We have been told there are testing kits coming and once they arrive we can start mass testing.

If you would like to see how this was handled correctly, look to South Korea. They put people on quarantine immediately and started testing. Their numbers rose quickly, but they have managed to get on top of this and save most of their population with only 60 deaths out of 7,700 reported cases. Compared to America which has 1200 reported cases with already 31 deaths. Getting on top of this and mitigating the spread is imperative. Early detection of serious cases is top priority.

As I mentioned in an earlier broadcast, the Great Mother's Festival is 1 month away. I have been in prayerful retreat with the Gods asking for guidance in what to do about Her festival. Apollo and Triptolemus offered solutions and shared the Great Mother's requests. The message about the state of the world was simple. "We have been told this was coming. Protect your food supply. Let the Goddess know you hear her pain and show Her that you care about the state of the Earth. Know your food, and have some stored up for times of emergency."

Many of you are asking, what about the Great Mother's festival? What does She want us to do? I have asked and received answer.

The Great Mother wants far more people to visit Her in Her Holy City, and hear Her message. She traveled two years ago, and saw many more people. But, not enough. She mourns for the loss of Her Holy Child and in many ways, that's you. Because of this, we are moving Spring Mysteries to Virtual Space and moving forward with an Online Virtual Event available to as many people as possible. Registration will be required. It is Demeter's hope that if She comes that close to you, that you will come to Her.

The ATC has all the technological means to move the Eleusinian Mysteries to Virtual Liminal Space for this year's mysteries. The Eumolpidae are currently working on a plan that will allow the Mysteries to take place in a Virtual Liminal space in a way that is easily accessible from several different internet platforms. Our plan is to reproduce the entire experience online, right down to Shopping with Vendors, musical guests and one on one visits with the Gods. Triptolemus gave me several ideas of how to make this happen, and we will be announcing the concrete versions of these ideas as they make their way into this dimension.

Please come to see the Great Mother this year. While we expect to learn much from the Virtual Mysteries, this may be your only opportunity to see it in this form. The Great Mother comes to us at this time, in the Flesh, bringing the entire Pantheon with her to commune with us. Do not miss the opportunity to experience this from the comfort of your own private space and hear Her very important timely message.

History tells us that this is not the only time that the Mysteries have taken Virtual form in times a political or domestic crisis. One time, an attacking Army experienced the mysteries in a way that sent them packing back home. A copy of that article will be attached in the comments of this post. In the expanse of thousands of years of presenting the mysteries we have faced many challenges. We will endure, we will overcome and we will carry on knowing that everything happens for a reason and all challenges are blessings in disguise.

We cannot offer this event for free, as attendance to the mysteries requires sacrifice. But the good news is. we have made the costs as minimal as we can, so that all can attend, and we have made opportunities for those that can give more, to do so. This is the ATC's yearly fundraiser. Proceeds from this event allow us to do the Goddess' work and maintain her Temples throughout the year. Please attend if you are able, and give generously.

For those of you who have already registered and planned to attend. We are looking at what we can do financially to compensate for the loss of your in person event. Because this is our yearly fundraiser and we depend on these funds to survive, we cannot simply refund everyone's ticket. We have also already spent a substantial amount on producing the festival for this year. We do not know exactly what we can do right now. Whatever we do decide to do, it will be fair and in balance with the best interests of all concerned, including yours and your family's.

In addition, we are taking immediate action to move all Mother Church events to an online platform. We have an active online community on Secondlife.com at the private island sim of Sacred Cauldron. The Mother Church will be stepping up it's sharing of live events, broadcasting School events and activities as well as providing opportunities to worship online and in virtual space. I invite other leaders in the community to utilize this platform while we are asked to reduce the possibility of exposure to this virus.

The ATC further extends hospitality to any pagan groups that would like to host a public event on the WiccanSeminary.Edu virtual campus, and welcomes your help in reaching those that are currently or may soon be in some form of isolation. Please contact helpdesk@wiccanseminary.edu if you have questions.

I ask you to take this warning seriously. Our Elders are the keepers of Wisdom and our most valued asset. Please protect them, call and check on them, do not visit. If you're dropping of food or necessary items, please maintain at minimum a three foot distance. Do not touch each other and if you do congregate please do so mindfully knowing that the risk could cost you or someone else a parent or grandparent.

I am a high risk member of the community. I have several health issues that puts me in a compromised state for this particular virus. We have many at risk members of the community, some being in the Eleusinian Priesthood and the Vessels of the Gods. It would be irresponsible of us as an organization to risk the lives of anyone.

I am saddened that we will not be able to meet in person. But, am encouraged that we can still count on Spring Mysteries Festival being powerful, sacred, and transformational. I am excited about the possibility of so many being able to reach the Great Mother this year and I can't wait for Her response to your arrival. Because I know She will want to speak with you, we will have extended Shrine Time to allow more people to speak personally with the Gods.

Registration is already open for the Virtual Mysteries and the link can be found in the text of this post. If you have already registered for the in person event, it will not cost you anything to register. All registrations that choose the free option will be compared to the previous registration and contacted if there is a question. Please direct registration questions to chaplain@atcwicca.org.

I know you're worried, but remember that you are capable of keeping yourself and others safe. This is still a very low risk virus for most people. We at the ATC are going to continue to work to provide for your needs while keeping you safe. Please utilize the tools we have for you. We love you and blessed be.

The Forgotten War

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Dr. Boudwen,

Below is the translation of FS554-558, the “plaster tablets”.

There were two separate parts to translate. The first is what was written on the surface of the plaster that covered the tablets and the second is what was written on the tablets themselves.

Plaster Etching Translation:

“These tablets are a recording of the Forgotten War, thus named because the Olympians themselves want it to be forgotten and will enforce this wish through killing whomever reads the words under this coating, which should only be removed when there is peace between Olympian and mortal. Below is a list of those who have fallen to the curse. Think carefully before removing this coating.”

Below this is a list of names that, comparing to the authors of the previous tablets, are most likely scribes that lived during the early Trojan Empire. I did a quick scan of the tablets that I believe were written after these and I can see no mention of any of the scribes mentioned.

The tablet itself seems to be some sort of creation myth, a variation on the standard Greek story. I’ve attached the full translation to this message.

If you have any questions, please let me know and I’ll help after I’ve slept for 20 hours.

Lisa

Curse Tablet - Stock Image

Lisa clicked send, leaned back in her chair and rubbed her eyes, stretching to her full six feet. She hated dealing with tablets from the Troy collection because that meant her office had to be in the Archaeology Research Center, aka, where everyone went to party after a dig. Fortunately for her everyone was home for holiday break and the ARC was dead quiet. There wasn’t even the usual smell of gin and leather that so commonly permeated the building, instead everything smelled like a forest.

She walked over to put on her jacket and go out for a smoke, checking to make sure she had at least one clove left.

As she walked out of the ARC to the rear of the building, she couldn’t help but think about the tablet she just translated.

She always thought it was a little odd that according to myth the gods decided to draw lots to see who would rule what. Why would they do that? Why wouldn’t they turn on each other? It seems that at least one ancient writer decided to answer that question.

She tried to imagine what the event, “The Forgotten War” as the tablet called it, looked like.

Most of the deities are not mentioned in this story, only the “Three Kings”, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. After they won the Titan War, they argued over what the world would be like and so, indirectly, who would rule. Zeus wanted a world with a vast and great sky, Poseidon wanted mostly water to cover the world and Hades wanted a lifeless world of perfect stillness. They failed to reach an agreement and fought for many, many “years”. During the day Zeus would call down lightning and send his allies from the Titan War to attack his enemies, while Poseidon would summon things from the depths to try and dislodge Zeus from the mountains, and at night Hades ruled all through his command of the deep earth and the dead. She wondered how long this would have gone on before the gods came together and negotiated the truce that, according to the tablet, holds true even today. "When Kings go to war only death is the victor. Therefore, we vow that the Kings will honor the Covenant and not raise weapons against each other until the world is broken and remade anew."

Lisa shivered as she thought of the word “death”. For her sake she hoped the curse wasn’t real or that there was peace between Olympian and mortal, whatever that meant. Lisa lit her cigarette and looked out into the clear sky. She was almost done for the day. She just had to check on the scans of the tablets and lock up on her way out. As the first translator, she had her thesis in the bag, and might even have an extra box of pasta in the back of the cupboard for dinner when she got home.

She took another drag and noticed that woodsy smell again, right after she heard movement behind her. She casually reached into her jacket pocket to grab her collapsible baton, somewhat sad that she couldn’t go a single semester without someone trying to get handsy.

In a single smooth motion, she turned to face the sound, pulled the baton out of her pocket, and extended it with a practiced flick before taking in what was behind her, causing her to stare in wide eyed shock.

It wasn’t often that she saw a man with horns and goat legs coming out of a bush.

It was going to be a long night...

Reflections of a Four Year Adventure

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

When my graduation from Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary (WSTS) was fast approaching, I found myself experiencing mixed emotions. Don't get me wrong, I was over-the-moon excited to be graduating and earning my Bachelor's Degree in Wiccan Clergy/Ministry, but there was this strange sadness in me. I'm going to miss having classmates and teachers, and learning all the really amazing things in class. Now those who are closest to me know I've had senioritis since Junior year, and now that I'm done I feel envious of those new Freshman who walk into the virtual campus ( SIM ) of the school on Second Life called Sacred Cauldron and are all wide eyed and so eager to learn, learn, learn! I'm not jaded or have not lost that love for learning or the school, but so much has happened over the past 4 years I feel it is important to reflect upon the journey itself. So let's start at the beginning shall we?

I joined a coven that was affiliated with the ATC at the time and learned about Hekate’s Sickle Festival . One of my coven sisters invited me to go with her. This is where I met so many people that would play such an important part in the next 4 years of my life. First off, I acquired a post card that had information about WiccanSeminary.edu (WSTS) and I was fascinated that one could get an actual degree in Wiccan Clergy and Studies! I stuck it in my purse and enjoyed the rest of the festival. When I got home, it had been a few months before I even ventured into Second Life . (I got so frustrated the first couple days with navigating around in-world that I gave up and didn’t return ‘til a couple months later.) Yada, yada, yada, and poof… I arrived at Sacred Cauldron. What a beautiful SIM Sacred Cauldron was/still is! I roamed around like a kid in a candy store. I met amazing people, some were students, some just members of the virtual community. I attended all the events on the SIM, asked so many questions, even wanted to volunteer to help out on the SIM. I was an eager beaver indeed, and finally signed up for the school. My Goddess, it was happening... I was going to learn how to be a better Witch. Now mind you, yes you do learn how to be a better Witch, but mostly you learn so much about how to be a better YOU!

I had to learn how to “go with the flow” of Belladonna Laveau's teaching methods. I am a very organized learner. I need rhyme and reason, bullet points, things done in order, and well, that was not always the case. I'm a Capricorn, so go figure. Don't even get me started on what I learned from Bella. Not only did she teach me about change and transformation, but she became a mentor and a friend over the years. There were many times when I wanted to quit because let me tell you, this is not like Harry Potter - You don't get to play witch all day. You have homework that is intense and assignments that make you reflect upon yourself. Freshman year was about learning the basics like ritual work, Wiccan history, and Wiccan laws… the basic foundation of your Craft.

I then made it to Sophomore year. Everybody I knew who had been through Sophomore year “warned” me that it is a tough year. Of course I thought to myself, “how tough could it be?” (cue hysterical laughter) How can I explain Sophomore year? Well first off, a lot of people quit halfway through and have attempted to come back to re-take it several times. Why you ask? In my opinion and knowing now what I knew then, you have to have all your ducks in a row in your mundane life. You have to be ready for some shadow work and facing your true self. You have to be honest with why you do the things you do and what makes you tick. If you are unable to venture into those realms of your psyche, then Sophomore year is going to be a tough one for you. I learned so many things about myself. I learned that I actually have gifts and talents that people enjoy and are important to the community. I learned that my temper is from having my Mars in the sign of Aries in my birth chart. I learned how to be a better learner. I learned how to listen to Deity clearer and understand that the Goddess is within me always. I also learned really cool ways of working with Chakras and crystals and I took some great electives and re-discovered my passion for Greek Mythology, the list goes on. But the most important lesson I learned was how to love myself, warts and all! And that I am capable of having deeper relationships with myself and others when I am my true authentic self.

I finished Sophomore year and received my Associates Degree . Oh what a feeling! Oh what a headache! Was I prepared to go on? I felt I had no choice because I promised myself I would finish what I started and I learned that when I break promises to myself, I’m breaking promises to the Gods! Junior year I felt like I was a bit more relaxed and prepared, “I've got this!” but as I looked around I realized I started my first year with almost 20 students and only about 6 of us made it through to Junior year, (for various reasons like health issues, time constraints, etc.) so here we were - the dream team of 3rd year students! Lot's of ritual work to be done! And my favorite part? I got to write my own rituals! I loved that! But after awhile (and adding on top of all this) I was part of the staff and acquiring more responsibilities in school, and with my coven; which I was writing a lot of rituals for as well. SO MUCH WRITING! And then my Junior class began to dwindle down and soon, by the end of this 3rd year, it was me and just one other student. I was like...

“OMG! AM I GONNA MAKE IT?!”

Enter Senior Year. Let me tell ya a little bit about how this all started. I had started a new coven of my own, was a newly elevated 3rd degree High Priestess, and started the year off sick with the plague or bronchitis like I always do around that time of year; not to mention continuing my responsibilities at home being a stay at home mom of 2 very busy and nonstop energetic boys. Oh yeah, and it was just me and one other student that got to do ALL OF THE RITUAL WORK! I had moved up in the staff role with more responsibilities. I had a full plate, but I was okay with it because I had proved to myself over the past 3 years that I can handle this and I truly love it, so there is always that right? Well my fellow classmate had to leave school for personal reasons... AND THEN THERE WAS ONE! I know what you're thinking, “oh girl, you had a breakdown, didn’t you?” Believe it or not, I didn’t. I was strangely calm and almost excited to take on this year by myself. Was I medicated? Was I drunk? (that is a whole other article) No, I just applied the tools and skills I had learned from the school and approached it knowing that no matter what, I really could do this! Now don't get me wrong, there were times when I was overwhelmed and scared, but I had come so far and learned so many valuable skills and met so many wonderful people, I couldn’t just leave. It was my responsibility to myself, nobody else, but myself, to see this through.

And I did...

So here we are. Beginning of 2019. I have a coven that is a little over a year old. I have elevation rituals coming up to grant first degrees and second degrees to my coven mates. I have worked rituals online for each Sabbat, learning amazing lessons from a different perspective in my life compared to years prior. I have connected with my Goddess Hekate on so many deeper levels than ever before, thanks to my Hekate shrine assignments. I have become a more competent AND confident HPS, and I have made somewhat of a name for myself in my local community by putting myself out there and seeing what needs to be done to improve it and celebrate it. And the friendships! Oh my Goddess! The friendships I have made from this school , the online community, the ATC festivals , etc., they have all become my chosen family.

Before I end these reflections, I just want to give a shout out to the people in my life that made all of this possible for me and were a huge support system! Belladonna , you really took me by surprise. Your energy and support has helped me in so many ways, I can't even begin to list all the ways how. To my teachers at WSTS - thank you for putting up with my inappropriate sense of humor (how many times did you have to hear me say “That's what she said” during class!) To my husband who worked his butt off so I could stay home with our kids and focus full time on my Craft, to my coven, Children of the Crossroads - you are why I do all of this and you are my family! To my elders Greybeard and Maeve - you saw something in me and nurtured it and allowed me to fly free from the nest and spread my magickal wings!

So if you are a Freshman or thinking about starting your studies at WSTS and are reading this, here are some words of wisdom from this wise woman (okay maybe not so much words of wisdom, but something to think about). Be true to yourself when taking upon this journey. Know that you are joining a community of amazing people that want you to succeed. Be yourself! Ask questions! And most of all… have fun!

I am not leaving the SIM, so I will still be around as Assistant to the Dean of Ministry, (they can't get rid of me that quick!) so if you see me in-world say Hi to me! I promise I will be there to help you and tell some dirty jokes!

xXx Lola

Lola Stardust is the High Priestess of the Children of the Crossroads in Spokane, Wa.

Check out their YouTube Channel: COTC/Witches and Wine

Lola is also a tarot reader and healer. Please check out her FB page Lola's Tarot and Healing . She is the Assistant to the Dean of Ministries of Sacred Cauldron and the Events Coordinator.

Sabbat Magic - Imbolc

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Sabbat Magic - For the next month, I encourage you to join me and the members of the ATC in planning our goals for the year.

Each year at Imbolc, the ATC witches enchant their garden's seeds with goals that we want to accomplish for the year. Then we watch our garden magically grow the life we want, and feed us good food as well. The hard part is figuring out what you want.

Like all gardens, you cannot delay. Start early and plan well. Join us in planning, and then let's all #replanttheearth with love and desire for Demeter come spring.

You'll see posts coming across the Facebook Event page, feel free to participate. I'm attaching your goal wheel below if you want to print it out and start adding your goals.

Goal Planning - More details

Imbolc is the time in the Wheel of The Year in which we set our

personal goals for the next 12 months. You should start now to

formulate these goals based on the guide below. Give much thought to

these goals, as they will make a difference in the opportunities

offered and the amount of goals accomplished for the entire coming

year. Also, be sure to word them carefully, as you can only manifest

what you ask for. Make statements in the positive, and in the now.

Such as "I am smoke-free", rather than "I will quit smoking"

By saying you "will" do it, indicates that you haven't done it yet.

And no matter what you think, to your subconscious tomorrow never

gets here. If you have questions, please ask the list. There are many

people here , including me, who have done this work, and can help you.

There should be one goal set for each of the 12 Houses of the

Zodiac. If this is too detailed for you, then set goals that make

sense to you, such as one for each element, or just one, if that's

all that you can do. When you have your goals in mind, write them

down and post them somewhere where you will see them every day.

Attached is a sheet that lays out the goals in an astrology wheel.

This is what I use. Then I post mine at my desk, and check them out

about once a month or so.

First House of Self - This goal should be a sacredly selfish,

personal goal, something you want for you, because you want it. You

don't need any other reason. Also could be athletic goals, warrior

goals, or other physical body goals such as work out, join a gym,

loose weight, etc.

Second House of Possessions - This is the house of money and

possessions. It relates to what you own, what you will acquire, your

income and you finances. This goal should reflect on what you want

to spend money. The key word is "want", for example, I own a dependable

vehicle or I have a new dining room suite.

Third House of Communication - This house governs the way you think,

speak, and write. Logic, memory, and manual skills are in its domain.

Relationships with siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and neighbors

fall under the influence of this house. This is the house where you

should list your social goals.

Fourth House of Home - This house governs your home. Your

relationship with your mother falls here. Your current domestic

affairs are under its influence. The goal for this house should

involve the kind of home atmosphere you want for yourself in both a

physical and emotional sense.

Fifth House of Creativity and Sex - This house rules over everything

you do for pleasure and how you express yourself creatively. This

house rules all things to which you instinctively give affection

such as lovers, children, pets, entertainment, amusement, the arts,

love affairs, new undertakings, and games of chance. Your goal could

involve your sexuality and other creative modes of expression (the

offspring of your heart).

Sixth House of Service and of Health - This house rules the

relationships with the people you work with. This house also relates

to your state of health, especially illness brought on yourself by

worry and upset. The goal for this house could be about health

issues, your career, or a charitable service you wish to provide.

Seventh House of Partnership and Marriage - This is the house of

partnerships such as marriage and/or mate, or business and work

partnerships. This house governs your ability to work harmoniously

within all partnerships. This is where you blend your personality

with others to pursue shared goals. Your goal for this house should

be about balancing these partnerships.

Eighth House of Death and Regeneration - Also sometimes called the

House of Spiritual Transformation. It includes the life forces that

surround sex, birth, death, and the afterlife. It may concern

legacies that you receive from the dead both spiritually and

physically. This house also governs debt, taxes, and money belonging

to others. This house governs surgery since it relates to

regeneration. Finally, this house rules psychic powers and

mystically oriented knowledge. Goals should be transformational,

anything from paying off a nagging credit card to learning to

read tarot.

Ninth House of Mental Exploration and Long Distance Travel - This is

the House of The Higher Mind. Under this house falls higher education,

philosophy, and the study of profound subjects. Long journeys such as

these by the mind, as well as physical journeys, are controlled by

this house. Travel to, and business in, foreign lands are covered

here. The Ninth House also rules your public expression of ideas and

it is therefore the House of Publishing and Literary Effort.

Tenth House of Career and Public Standing - All matters outside the

home such as your profession, your status in the community, and your

public reputation fall under the influence of this house. It also

governs relationships with your father. It is called the House of

Ambition, Aspiration, and Attainment. It is an outward expression of

your talents, the way you accept responsibility, and the place you

arrive at through your own efforts. This house has a great influence

on your material success in life. Your goal should reflect how you

wish to be known in public.

Eleventh House of Friends and Hopes and Wishes - This is the house of

long-term dreams, goals, and intellectual pleasures. Your involvement

with groups and clubs falls here. The ability to enjoy other people

and harmonious work within a group that reflects each individual's

personality is reflected here. It is the House of Idealism and

Vision. Your goal should be about your long-term dreams.

Twelfth House of Secrets, Sorrows and Un-doing - This house governs

disappointments, accidents, trouble and self-defeat. It is also

called the House of Karma because it contains the rewards and

punishments for the deeds one commits in the world. It is associated

with psychic powers and the ability to interpret and remember

dreams, and discover the meaning of life. Your goal should involve

religion, dreams, sub-conscious self, past life intuition, things of

a psychic nature, etc.

Once you have your goals clearly stated, it is good magic to plant

seeds at Imbolc that reflect each goal. You can even write your goal

on the pot or label to remind you which plant goes with which goal.

These seeds are then related to your goal, and the growth of the

plant will correspond to the growth of your goal. If you neglect

your seeds and don't nurture them to grow, then you will be able to

see that you may be neglecting your goals as well. If one plant grows much faster than the others, that will also be tell-tale.

This is serious and advanced witchcraft. Figuring out how to blend

the different energies of the zodiac with the different things you

are trying to accomplish in life, sorting them out, putting them

down on paper, and then attaching them to a living magical plant is

a focused act. Be mindful of the wheels you set in motion. The

planting of seeds is a powerful act of magic. Bless the seeds, and

ask them to help you accomplish your goal. Then water and love them,

and make sure they get everything they need to grow into perfect,

large, beautiful plants that you can harvest in the fall. Oh, and

remember to do that to your goals too! ;-)

Here is your printable goal wheel. I look forward to seeing your goals.

Brightest Blessings,

Bella

Loki Ban Rescinded - The Troth

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The Troth Officially Rescinds Loki Ban

Philadelphia, PA, United States – January 2, 2019

The High Rede of The Troth in its fourth quarter 2018 Rede Meeting has officially rescinded the 2008 ban on the hailing of Loki at Troth-sponsored events.

The new official policy allows for the hailing of Loki at all official events except for those that are specifically dedicated to a particular being, such as the Idunna blot at Trothmoot. This policy does not apply to official events that are hosted by Troth Affiliated Kindreds (TAK) who are allowed to maintain their own thew (virtues) at these events.

The new policy furthers the Troth’s goal of inclusiveness to all who follow a Germanic and Norse path. Starting in 2019, a Loki blot will be hosted for the next ten years, one for each year the ban was in place.

For more information visit THE TROTH

https://www.thetroth.org

Submitted by Lauren Crow

Public Relations Director

Speaking to The Gods: What to Say When You’re Not Ready to Pray

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

So, you want to talk to the gods? As a religion of clergy, pagans have a direct connection to deity. We are free and able to do so as we wish. Pilgrims often seek out pagan priests who train with and work more closely with a particular deity. That training gives them more profound and deeper connections with those deities. From time to time, non-pagans may also wish to interact with deities. Conversing via an invoked priest provides you the opportunity to be fully present while interacting with said deity.

Setting the Tone

Many pagan traditions have ceremonies and rituals where a priest/ess (I’ll use priest for the rest of this article indicating all sexes) invokes a deity into their body. This ritual is known by many names including aspecting, drawing down the moon, and invocation. For purposes of this article, I’ll use invoke. It is a powerful ritual where the priest takes a divine spirit within them. I’ll publish a separate series of articles (someday to become a book) on the practices. It requires training and experience, it is not something to be done casually.

The priest has established a powerful connection with a deity, (e.g., Hathor, Hekate, Cerridwen, Loki) bringing divine essence into their body. It is not role playing or pretending. This is consensual possession and considered one of the highest forms of worship. Consensual possession between a mortal and other spirits is possible, the focus of this article is on deities.

The meeting between mortal and deity is a joyous opportunity and its own form of worship. It should be done thoughtfully on the part of the mortal. Would you seek audience with a very senior official just to say, “Good morning?”

Some practical advice. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

Priest invoked as Pan at Spring Mysteries Festival

Approaching the God Form

You’re approaching a deity that has taken temporary residence in a mortal vessel. Approach with respect. They may look like someone you’ve met but they are not. Priests may take on some of the aspects or characteristics of the deity. It’s not necessary to call out to the priest of Tyr that he is suddenly missing a hand.

It’s different than a deity that has taken mortal form. Such encounters are very rare, and you may not always recognize it for one until sometime later. Another reason to approach everyone with respect.

As with meeting any other living being you should approach with respect and consent. Know the deity’s preferences as best as you can. Some deities prefer you kneel or that they are on a raised platform such that they are taller than the pilgrims who approach. Be respectful. Honorifics such as Great Lord, Great Lady or Lady so-and-so are entirely appropriate. Casual greetings are not a good idea. Familiar touching without permission even with Bast or other deities known for their sensuality is not a good idea. Consent first.

Consider your own state of mind. Be prepared mentally and emotionally for the visit. If you are grieving some loss be mindful of what you say or do. In such times we often gravitate towards those we believe can help us without considering future consequences.

Visiting Dionysus while drunk is a bad idea. Visiting Set while drunk is a very bad idea.

With deities that are known for their sensuality don’t be surprised at some level of touching. It would not be unexpected for Hestia to greet you with food and a hug. Other deities may be much more familiar depending on their mood and circumstance. Which is a good reason why you should…

Do Your Homework

It’s a very good idea to do some homework or research on the deity. Studying their attributes, likes, and dislikes is key to productive shrine time. Odin is not the serious but kindly grandfather of the Marvel movies. He is a trickster in his own right and not to be trifled with or taken lightly.

Offerings are always appreciated but not required unless special circumstances dictate. Practical is better. Every offering given with love and respect is appreciated. An offering of an artifact such as a cup, knife, or drawing will likely make its way to the deity’s temple or shrine. A consumable such as mead or cakes will likely be given to the priest. Don’t expect the return of an offering or an in-kind blessing. A $10 bottle of wine suffices as well as a $100 as long as it is given with honor and respect. Bringing Aphrodite flowers or yet another hand mirror will earn squeals of delight. Make it clear that it’s an offering. Alternatively, if you are asking a question about an object be clear that you are not simply handing it over.

If Hestia offers you a cookie and you are gluten intolerant (it’s less likely she would but…), take it. Break off a piece and demonstrate respect. However, don’t eat it just because she gave it to you.

Ask a Priest/ess

During shrine time, there is the invoked priest and usually an attendant. The attendant is there as much for you as to serve the god. If you are curious or uncertain, ask them about the deity’s likes, dislikes, and better way to approach them. Don’t ask them how to curry favor or get deities to do something.

"The Great Mother Demeter is here to nurture your dreams to grow! At Spring Mysteries , the trees all glow green in Her presence. Any flowers in the ground bow to Her."

Be careful what you wish for…

Know why you are visiting a shrine. If you are there to pay respect, do so and depart. Your brevity and respect earn you favor too.

If you’re there to ask for guidance, healing etc. know the proper way to approach the deity. Your wishes may be silent or spoken aloud. Since you are in the presence of a deity in a mortal vessel, speaking aloud allows for interaction. Be direct and be as specific as possible.

Ask the gods to empower you. Don’t beg or bribe. Pagan gods react poorly to whining about how unfair your life is, how difficult the lessons are, or how your ex dumped you. Empowerment may take the form of a flash of insight, advice, or tasks to build your internal strength. Setting an intention and taking steps yourself goes a long way. You may not think things can get worse; they can...

Do you really and truly want what you’re asking?

“Strike down my foes with wrath and vengeance”
“Give my ex a horrible disease”
“Make him love me forever”
“Teach me chaos magick and I’ll dedicate myself to you forever!”

There is the three-fold rule to consider. Do you want that energy coming back to you?

I also strongly suggest you read “ The Monkey’s Paw ” every time you think about making a wish. By the way, the gods are not coin-operated wish granting machines. There is a price and a consensual energy exchange. You made a promise, remember?

Try

“Great lord, teach me to heal my broken heart”
“What are the steps must I take to become a better parent?”
“Guide me on this dangerous journey, bless me with your keen eye and strength”

"Hi-ho, It's Apollo! At Spring Mysteries Festival this year, the Grecian Sun God will provide light to your dark corners. Visit him in person, and he will bless your dreams."

Aftercare

Hopefully you had a fulfilling encounter. Your experience may not have been your fondest wish or a happy interaction. That is life. You likely received advice or guidance that serves your higher good. The truth, however, is not always easy to face.

Did you make a promise or take a vow? Did you dedicate? This is not a Disney experience. It’s not over when you leave the shrine. You’ve made a pact with a deity who will not forgive or forget broken promises. Don’t disappoint them or yourself. There may be some action or service you are required to perform. Do it. Even if it is service to yourself, “I want you to take ten minutes a day to enjoy your garden”.

Please also apply common sense. If the deity requires you to do something that is not for your higher good, such as, “Give up all your wealth to my temple”, or “Meet my priest/ess late tonight and bring wine” for example, this may not be an authentic encounter.

Invocation is a deep and special form of worship where the priest is not fully present. Should you meet the priest after shrine time, they are unlikely to know what you’ve discussed with the deity. They may not remember you at all. However, they may be able to help interpret what was discussed. Discuss it with the shrine attendant before approaching the invoked priest again. Invocation is taxing, and the priest may require space, food and rest afterwards.

Say thank you and know when to say goodbye. Overstaying your welcome or asking for one more thing does not help your request.

May this writing help you have a better shrine experience.

This is one of many lessons, that a priest has learned. What lessons have you learned from Gods as pilgrim or priest? We’d love to have you share as much of your personal journey as you care to.

Have a lesson or other story to share? Write to us at editor@atcwicca.org

Blessed be,

Silent Moon Dog

The First Winter Gifting

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

A long time ago when the Gods were much less quiet (and far less kind) Zeus had an idea. You see, despite his ways, he still loved his wife very much and wanted her to be happy. After talking with Athena (the person he talked to first about most things) he decided that he was going to get Hera gifts. Many gifts. It started with things that she would like: clothing, jewelry, a new sword with a jagged edge, and so forth. However, he had the idea to also get her things for the many children he wanted to have with her and from there he assembled a gigantic pile of presents that could easily satisfy every man, woman, and child in the entire realm.

In order to do this in secret, Zeus did most of the work and assembled his horde all the way to the south in Thera in the hopes that Hera wouldn’t find out and spoil the surprise. However, as usual, Zeus underestimated Hera and her spies in Thera informed her what was happening, though they couldn’t tell her why Zeus was assembling this great collection. Hera assumed that some mortal had caught his eye (in her defense usually she would have been right) and hatched a plan. She would wait until he delivered the presents to his mortal and then confront them both for their treachery as her darling Hephaestus confronted Aphrodite and Ares.

And so it was, on the longest night of the year, that Zeus loaded the gigantic pile of presents into his chariot, summoned a great number of eagles to pull it, and in a flash was flying through the air towards Olympus. It was Artemis’ chariot actually, but he convinced her that he really was trying to mend his ways so she let him borrow it for the night.

It wasn’t long until he heard a piercing shriek behind him. He turned around and saw Hera in a chariot of her own, pulled by peacocks and slowly gaining on him. He couldn’t hear what she was saying but it was obvious to him that she was very angry, upset enough that she wouldn’t listen to anything he had to say. He realized that his only hope would be to make it back to Olympus where Artemis and Athena would hopefully be able to talk her down before things got very nasty.

With a great shout Zeus urged his eagles on faster and they responded immediately by moving as fast as the wind. Zeus smiled and turned around to confirm that he was gaining ground.

Unfortunately, he was not. Somehow Hera’s peacocks were faster than Zeus’ eagles. He suspected that she was fueling them with her fury.

As she got closer and closer, Zeus’ heart sank as he realized that he was carrying too much weight. The only way to make it back to Olympus would be to cut the gifts loose.

Now, you would expect that all those gifts would just sink like a stone and benefit no one, but Fate tends to take notice of the affairs of the Divine and this night was no different. The second that Zeus cut the cord with a thunderbolt all those gifts intended for Hera flew off into the night, exactly where they needed to be. Children got toys, farmers got new plows, and even the jagged edged sword sank, point down, in front of the house of a Spartan soldier.

When Zeus made it back to Olympus, he summoned Artemis and Athena so that they were ready to calm Hera down and explain that, for once, Zeus wasn’t up to something.

It was then that Hestia, who knows all that happens at any hearth, pointed out that Zeus and Hera together did something far more kind than they anticipated and advised them to listen to the mortals, who were all shouting with joy, “Praise to the King of the Gods and the Queen of Heaven.”

After laughing off the miscommunication Zeus and Hera decreed that this day should be celebrated with laughter, warmth, and the giving of little things to friends and loved ones, a custom that is observed until this day.

Happy Holidays!

Your Humble Scrivener,

James Jones

New Book: Runic Lore & Legend by Nigel Pennick

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

“I’ve been referring to Pennick’s books for years when I need a fact or an example of some interesting early magic to cite in my books and blogs.”
Barbara Ardinger, Ph.D., author of Pagan Every Day and Secret Lives

Revised Edition of Wyrdstaves of the North

Runic Lore and Legend
Wyrdstaves of Old Northumbria

Nigel Pennick
ISBN: 9781620557563, January 2019
Also available as an eBook
176 pages, 6 x 9 / 65 B&W illustrations
Destiny Books

BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT

This is a guide to the Anglo-Saxon Futhark and how runes were used in Old England. An authority on ancient belief systems, traditions, runes, and geomancy, Nigel Pennick is the author of several books, including The Sacred World of the Celts, Secret Games of the Gods, and The Ancient Science of Geomancy. He lives near Cambridge, England, where he follows the oral tradition and Pagan lore of his native East Anglia.

Excerpt - Chapter 4

Runes and Consciousness: Weaving the Web of Wyrd

The Northern Tradition worldview of the people who founded Northumbria sees human existence as part of a worldwide fabric of people, things, and events traditionally called the Web of Wyrd. The Old English word wyrd is derived from the verb weorðan, which means “to become” or “to come to pass.” It is cognate with the Latin verb vertere, “to turn.” We talk about how events have turned out; and Wyrd means an individual’s fate, position in the world, or destiny. But this Northern Tradition concept does not mean life is predestined. Here the warp of the woven fabric of the Web of Wyrd is seen as time and events, while the weft is composed of individual human acts. As the process of weaving the web continues, the pattern of interactions of the threads, which are lives and events, irreversibly come together. Even the gods are subject to Wyrd, in both the Northern Tradition and English Christianity. As an Old English gnomic verse in one of the Cottonian manuscripts tells us: “The glories of Christ are great: Wyrd is strongest of all.”

Icons of the goddess Frigg, Queen of Heaven, portray her with a distaff and spindle, or riding on a distaff in the manner of a witch on a broomstick. Northern Tradition astronomy calls the starry heavens Frigg’s Cloak. The spindle with which she spins is the North Star, Polaris, while her distaff is marked by the three stars called the Belt of Orion in Graeco-Arabic astronomy. This image of the divine spinner is reflected in Christian images of the annunciation, which depict Mary spinning with a spindle and, beside her, a woven wickerwork basket containing wool. Although connected with the story of Jesus, the weaving of destiny by the woman who enables new human life to come into the world does not originate in Judaeo-Christian tradition. It is present in Greek and Roman cosmology where three sisters representing the past, the present, and the future are shown participating in the three stages of weaving. The first spins the thread from the raw materials. The second weaves the various threads spun by the first into a fabric, and the third cuts or rips the fabric apart. In England, these are the Weird Sisters, and the fabric woven by the middle one is the Web of Wyrd.

Telling of the Weird Sisters, whom the Norse call the Nornir, the Icelandic poem Voluspá recounts that they “staves did cut, laws did they make, lives did they choose: for the children of men they marked their fates.” The Norns have a name that is interpreted as “those who speak,” being related to the Middle English verb nurnen, “to say.” Their utterances or decrees are expressed in the language of runic writing, the Old English words stafir and stafas, “staves.” Staves can mean both runic characters and the wooden staves upon which they are cut. The runes are integral with fate and record: the Old English word wyrdstafas refers to the decrees of fate, and endestafas is death. But whatever happens to us is the result of how we act within the conditions we find ourselves, for we have free will within our circumstances. We are within the given circumstances and must endure their difficulties, but how we endure them and how we deal with our circumstances is up to us. Fate works in accordance with nature; all things that come to individuals are neither rewards nor punishments sent by the gods, but they are the inevitable consequences of actions.

The runes are fundamental to understanding something of the weavings of the Web of Wyrd. At the present day the common view concerning alphabets, other than taking writing and reading for granted, is that they are solely practical in character. They are considered as functional necessities that are required for written communication and the conduct of everyday life. The possibility that there may exist within them some deeper significance rarely emerges into commonplace awareness. But if we begin to penetrate beneath appearances, we enter the realm of many concepts and connections, which demonstrate the basic unity of life that is the Web of Wyrd. For in the use of characters to represent sounds and numbers we penetrate the mysteries that lie at the foundations of existence.

Alphabets are derived from pictograms and glyphs that stand for actual things or actions as well as phonetic sounds. The modern Western alphabets of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Cyrillic, and Arabic owe their source to an ancient Canaanite script that developed into two major versions: Phoenician and Aramaic. Alphabets to the east of Syria were derived from the Aramaic, while those to the west, from Phoenician. Hence the ancient alphabets of Europe—including Etruscan, Oscan, the various forms of Runic, Gothic, Church Slavonic, the Aibítir of Gaelic, and the Coelbren y Beirdd of Wales—are all derived ultimately from the Phoenician script of 3,000 years ago.

The runes have a special place in the European Tradition. The alphabetic glyphs we call runes are what appear in the mind when the word rune is heard. But a rune is not just a letter of an alphabet; it can be a song, an incantation, or an invocation as well as a glyph pregnant with symbolic meaning either as an alphabetic letter, an idogram, or a symbol, in some cases all at the same time. So a rune is more than just a letter in an ancient alphabet. Its actual meaning, raunen, in Old English run and in Middle Welsh rhin, was “mystery.” This meaning tells us that within the simple figure, composed of a few lines, lies a great deal more than its surface appearance.

Photo added by Panegryia: The Norns (1889) by Johannes Gehrts

About the Author: Nigel Pennick is an authority on ancient belief systems, traditions, runes, and geomancy and has traveled and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States. He is the author and illustrator of more than 50 books, including The Pagan Book of Days and Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition. The founder of the Institute of Geomantic Research and the Library of the European Tradition, he lives near Cambridge, England.

Runic Lore and Legend: Wyrdstaves of Old Northumbria by Nigel Pennick © 2018 Destiny Books. Revised Edition of Wyrdstaves of the North © 2010 Lear Books. Printed with permission from the publisher Inner Traditions International. www.InnerTraditions.com

Manzanita Carpenter Sanz, Publicist

Capricorn New Moon & Eclipse - Inspired Change

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Capricorn season is in full swing, and on Saturday January 5th we'll have the first New Moon of 2019 at 15° Capricorn. The 15th degree of any sign is considered to be where that sign is its most potent, so here we have the Capricorn Sun being it's most Capricorn-y. Just before the New Moon, we have a partial solar eclipse as the moon passes slightly between the sun and the earth, so this New Moon is extra potent. New Moons are powerful times for setting intentions and planting seeds, and Eclipses are powerful portals for manifestation, so all the seeds you plant during this new moon will be super-charged - be careful what you wish for!

It's no coincidence that we generally feel a strong desire to set lofty goals of self-improvement at the New Year - it's more than just setting our calendars to the beginning again - it's that strong Capricorn sun influencing our inner drive. Capricorn is the sign of Ambition and this New Moon (Sun/Moon Conjunction) is certainly inspiring us to self-improve.

Remembering the Cancer Full Moon 2 weeks ago, where we were reminded by that mothering Cancer archetype to nurture ourselves and practice self-care? That's still important, but the moon aligned with Capricorn Sun is now pushing our inner focus on the outer work. Are your goals and ambitions lofty enough? Capricorn's Fathering archetype certainly doesn't want us to settle for second-best or give up before we meet our goal.

However, there is a sobering effect to the Capricorn moon. With this earth sign comes maturity and with that maturity, realism and practicality take front and center. Whatever goals and New Year's resolutions you came up with a few days ago - it might be time for a reality check. If you didn't set any resolutions or goals - it's also time now to reality check that strategy! Capricorn season reminds us that life is nothing without some goal to strive for; while also harshly cracking down with rules and structures that might make progress seem impossible. For this reason, Capricorn energy is also associated with a tendency for depression - to have the ability to be so ambitious yet also see the realities of life that will make the journey so hard; can be depressing.

How can you make your goals both big enough for this Capricorn New Moon Eclipse while also being realistic? The hint comes from Pluto - planet of transformation. Pluto is at 20° Capricorn, chiming in heavily on all this energy. In fact, as the moon continues to travel through Capricorn, it will conjunct Pluto several hours after the eclipse before sunrise on the 6th. The sun will conjunct Pluto on January 10th and 11th.

Pluto in Capricorn is all about challenging the structures that hold us back. The ambition of Capricorn when influenced by Pluto is more willing to take risks. Doing things the same way can only get you so far and Pluto is here to remind us that change can be scary, but it's also necessary. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, "The only thing that is constant is change", reflecting that all of life is constantly changing. Capricorn energy generally dislikes change - the tried & true methods haven't failed us so far, right? Except they have. And Pluto's been shining a light on all the structures that need to change in order to really make progress as he's been traveling through Capricorn since 2008. (Just take a look at the world's political climate over the last decade and you'll see Pluto's Capricorn presence) Pluto is really good at pointing out the things we might not want to look at, but through this discomfort we find real motivation for change and transformation.

As you take some time to clarify and re-evaluate your New Year's Resolutions for intention setting with this New Moon - I encourage you to listen to Pluto. This might be time for planting the seeds for a radical change. Are you ready?

Lilliana Blackstar

Hestia's Muse

Author Bio: Wendy, aka "Lilliana Blackstar" is an Evolutionary Astrologer and Reiki Master Teacher living in Washington, USA. She is a practicing Pagan and currently enrolled in the Wiccan Ministry Degree program at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary . You can learn more about her or contact her for services at https://www.hestiasmuse.net/

Spring Mysteries Initiates Terminology

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

"Did they just call themselves a Poptart?"

Epoptai, they may have said poptart, but they mean Epoptai. It is the word that is used to classify someone who is an initiate of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Mystai is the word used to classify those who have not yet been initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The Mysteries are an initiatory experience, and therefore has it's own language. So as it is, a vocabulary lesson is in order!

The Telesterion is where the mysteries are revealed and the initiation takes place.

The Apollo Theater is the main stage, where much of the story is told.

The Eumolpidae are the High Priesthood of the Mysteries.

The Eleusinian Priesthood is the Priesthood that serves to present the mysteries.

A Vessel is they who are invoking the Deities that year.

A Votary is the head of the temple, who carries the wisdom of that temple from year to year.

A Votive is someone who has previously been a Vessel.

A Devotee is someone who has dedicated to a Temple.

There are opportunities for you to come early and dedicate to a Temple this year. Each Temple has it's own duties in service to the Gods of Eleusis. For example, in addition to caring for the needs of the Gods onsite, and attending to them while they are enshrined, the Devotees of Pan will help with the Saturday after ritual celebration and concert, where the Devotees of Hermes will help with registration and upon arrival purification rituals. Each Temple has it's own spiritual needs that contribute to the culture and society of Eleusis.

Coming next, a list of temple opportunities, and responsibilities.

You can register today at www.springmysteries.com/register.

Sagittarius New Moon - Expansive Intentions

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The New Moon in Sagittarius happens on the night/early morning of December 6th/7th, 2018. Both moon and sun will be conjunct at 15* Sagittarius, with Jupiter close by at 6* Sagittarius. Mercury turns direct on December 6th at 27* Scorpio, a mere 9 degrees away from Jupiter.

(Photo - Guillaume Seignac (French, 1870-1924) "Diana, The Huntress")

Artemis is certainly at home in the sign of The Archer, Sagittarius. Sagittarius is associated with Archery - a great metaphor for the sign that loves to look to the future and take aim for what is wanted most out of life. What better time to take aim for our own goals and dreams then with the New Moon in Sagittarius?

Moon and Sun (Artemis and Apollo) are joined by Jupiter (their father, Zeus) who has just recently returned to his home here in Sagittarius . They can already hear the shouts of Mercury (Hermes) from nearby, ending his retrograde to the Underworld and swiftly flying back to Olympus to check in with Zeus.

Jupiter's influence on this New Moon is strong, so it can be a great time to really tap into Jupiter's optimistic, lucky, jovial energy while setting your intentions. What is something you want that makes you happy just to think about? When setting intentions it is always best to phrase your affirmations as if you already have what you are seeking. "I easily and successfully complete my project for school on time" is a much better affirmation than "I will complete my school project on time". "I will" places your dream or goal in some future place rather than bringing it into the present moment where you can manifest it. Under the influence of the reborn maiden huntress, her eternally youthful twin brother, and the jovial father-king of the gods, it is surely an auspicious day for making wishes and setting goals. However, keep in mind the wise archer doesn't just aim an arrow and shoot. She's had to do some work to develop her skill, and she's had to go out hunting to find the perfect target. While there is great energy here with manifesting potential, you'll still have to go out there and take some steps to find your reward. Artemis might be young, but she's certainly not lazy. When you set your intentions this new moon, it may be helpful to make a list of realistic actions you can take to help your dream come true. Tap into the optimism and drive of Sagittarius season to help empower you to take those steps.

Two other planets seem to have a lot to say about what's happening over in Sagittarius. Mars and Neptune are conjunct at 13* Pisces, squaring the moon, sun, and Jupiter. A Square is an aspect between two or more planets in signs that challenge each other. In this case we have planets in Mutable Fire (Sagittarius) squaring planets in Mutable Water (Pisces). Both signs are flexible, changeable, and adaptable; however, "adaptable" means something different to fire than it does to water. Adaptable (mutable) Sagittarius may want to push through any blockages with more heat/pressure, while mutable Pisces wants to just allow the process to unfold as it may. With the challenging aspects there is always a lesson. What does fiery Sagittarius have to learn from Pisces? And what does Pisces have to learn from Sagittarius? There is a balance to be found here, and any challenges that arise from this square are just opportunities for you to find that balance.

(photo - Poseidon - artist unknown)

Neptune (Poseidon - God of The Sea) has recently finished a long retrograde period in his home sign of Pisces and is moving direct again, deepening and activating our tendencies to dream and fantasize. Mars (Ares, the God of War) recently entered Pisces, further activating our willingness to dream big, perhaps to the point of pushing our desires for escapism through fantasy. Slipping into the void is a Piscean dream, but this talk of aiming high and running out for the wild hunt? Poseidon and Mars are offering some stern (yet flexible) advice to the loud, optimistic party of Zeus, Artemis, and Apollo over there in Sagittarius. "Hey, maybe you guys shouldn't take yourselves so seriously." All this planning and intention setting isn't worth much if you're not letting dream and fantasy guide you at least part of the way.

The sun will remain in Sagittarius until Dec 21 when it enters Capricorn - the Winter Solstice and day before the Full Moon in Cancer. Best wishes to you with your dreaming and intention setting. May the Huntress bless you and your arrow fly true!

Lilliana Blackstar

Hestia's Muse

--------------------------------------------------------------

Explore the Underworlds with Black Stones

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

“5-Eagle! You must share what you have learned about the black stones!”

“Yes, My Dark Goddess!”

Here are some tentative results from my research into these mostly black stones during the period when the sun was in Scorpio this year; October 24 to November 23, 2018. At the same time I was studying the impact of two “new” Hadean dwarf planets in my natal chart. I was trying to interpret these crystals and the “plutinos” as keys to experiencing the various levels of the Mayan underworlds. Typically I would combine readings from my crystals books or astrology charts with dreams incubated with the individual crystals close to my knees. This would elicit responses mostly from the etheric and astral planes – so this research effort could more easily be combined with the study of elementals that is a part of my postulant training.

Whilst exploring the underworlds -- Remember VITRIOL , the handy formula for the universal solvent!

Shungite

For Scorpio energies from early Scorpio (1* Scorpio to 15* Scorpio --e.g. before the sun gets to the power point of Samhain); Cauda Draconis energy. Shungite permits water/emotional purification and cleansing. Shungite corresponds to the kidney portion of the kidney meridian while the stones corresponding to 15* Scorpio to 30* Scorpio are resonating with the adrenal glands. Shungite combines easily with Selenite (early Cancer) and Sugilite (early Pisces) for that Albedo and White Goddess moving-water, loving-energy experience. By the way, Love is the universal solvent.

Jet

Can be used to open to psychic experiences and to assist the quest for spiritual experiences. Helps you to see the possible pitfalls in a situation and come up with constructive solutions. Makes you more cynical – but that could be just what you need for the Underworlds. Affinity for Mercury as underworld psychopomp. Snarky Hermes! Move to the 4th harmonic underworld; the National underworld; the “cross-road”.

Obsidian

Black obsidian corresponds to Orcus, one of the dwarf planets discovered in this century. Orcus is your grim reaper planet. So … Santa Muerte, Azrael, Yama. Skeletons-and-scythes R Us. Snakes and kundalini shaktis also -- this is an emotionally cold underworld featuring a relentless drive towards mental silence and solitude. The truest gift of Orcus is spiritual integrity and authenticity. Orcus resonates to the 6th harmonic so it tractor-beams the 2nd harmonic (Familial underworld) and 3rd harmonics (tribal underworld) easily. Orcus also skips past the Planetary underworld to interface directly with the Galactic underworld. Are you ready for the cold isolation of the deep space between the stars? Gentler versions of Obsidian do exist – mahogany Obsidian and snowflake Obsidian are examples.

Black Tourmaline

Corresponds with the classical God of Hades: Pluto and the planet Pluto. Has a strong link with the Familial/Clanocentric underworld (the 2nd harmonic) and the hunter-gatherer cultures of the Neolithic era. Black tourmaline can be a key for eliciting the issues of the bio-survival circuit; eating disorders, dependency issues, both social and chemical – and addictions of all sorts. Here, also, are the rivers of the underworld – both of remembering and of forgetting. You may encounter the axolotl - the underworld fish-guide or perhaps the dark fae. Hopefully, you survive the sea monster. “Wait…I’m not ready!… Is that a zombie?”

Tektite

Tektite vibrates with the dwarf planet Ixion. Typically, there is a lot of iron in tektites. Ixion is the bad-boy, passionate zealot of the 3rd harmonic underworld. This is the so-called “Tribal Underworld” of the Patriarchy. Lucky you. You might meet a fundamentalist sort of devil. You might meet Hecate’s dog. A lot of anger and aggression issues are embedded, and obsessions that trigger fight-or-flight responses live here. This is the underworld where the authoritarian personality and the drive for conformity rules.

A combination for “uniting and separating” underworld energies:

Lapis Lazuli (late Taurus), Malachite (late Libra), Amazonite (late Sagittarius)

This combination helps to introspectively analyze your shadow side while staying anchored in the Taurus/Venus pole of the Taurus-Scorpio syzygy. In this story, Inanna returns from the Underworld – she may learn a lot but perhaps she does not get what she wants.

A combination for “dissolving and coagulating” underworld energies:

Malachite (late Libra), a Scorpio stone (such as obsidian, black tourmaline, or tektite), Amazonite (late Sagittarius). This combination is designed for dealing with Rubeus elemental energies (think Page of Cups). This combination helps to attract and manifest (re-experience, actually) an aspect of your shadow self which needs healing. In this story, Persephone and Pluto have a child in the underworld. The child has a possible gift for you – but this child has had a hard life – so loving and accepting this child may not be easy.

Malachite

Takes your conscious mind into a place where it develops the inner resources to understand and negotiate the underworlds. Corresponds to Persephone as underworld queen; i.e. not the Maiden. Cauda Draconis, the Queen of Swords – not Puella, the girl. Also corresponds to Chalchihuitlicue - the Mayan jade skirt goddess who rules the underground waters.

Turquoise

A stone from early Sagittarius. Able to dissolve Scorpio energies. Helps to recover from overwhelming shadow experiences. Breathe! Turquoise takes you from Hades and places you on Olympus. Have a safe trip! Have a sample of Turquoise ready. Don’t forget to ground and to get physical exercise ASAP.

E Tenebris Lux. Out of the Darkness, Light.

The First Dinner

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Some people think Hestia is simple, others think of her as a glorified Goddess of dishes, still others think of her as “the one that got away” (looking at you Poseidon and Apollo), and others don’t really think of her at all, preferring to focus on "greater” things.

All these people are kind of missing the point of Hestia. She is the Goddess of place, of home, and because of this she can be seen as the Goddess of beginnings and endings (where most adventures begin and end) and, for those who are so blessed, the Goddess of community.

She is the goddess of one more thing though, a strange custom that melds love, anger, frustration, contentment, and joy. A custom that has happened since we have had homes and people that we share them with. That custom is Family Dinner.

For Hestia, the most challenging part of family dinner was always getting everyone together, and the hardest part of that task was getting in front of them. Once she could talk to them she could work her magic to get them to come, but trying to track down the Olympians was much harder. Hermes was always off doing who knows what, Ares was always fighting with someone, Artemis was in the woods playing tag with Pan, and so forth. The worst were always Hades and Demeter. Cerberus was specifically warned to make sure that Hestia never entered the realm of the dead and Demeter, with her extensive travels in the mortal realm, was the only deity that was harder to find than Hermes. And so, all the Olympians were gathered except two, much to Hestia’s great irritation.

This month she decided to do something a little different. Instead of the usual ambrosia and nectar (which was usually brought by doves and eaten whenever the Gods were hungry) Hestia changed the taste and texture of the ambrosia so that it resembled the foods that mortals would eat around this time of year. A mortal walking in would see (and taste) quail eggs, roasted carrots (right down to the slight burn marks), figs, olives, bread, and gigantic slabs of rare roast beef as opposed to the white, square slabs they were used to. All the Olympians were reluctant at first but Hestia’s skill (both in persuasion and cooking) won them over in the end, and so they came to the table, sorting themselves into their various little clusters. Hephaestus next to Hera, Aphrodite next to Ares, Dionysius next to Apollo (you would think they would hate each other but they actually got on quite well), and so forth. The only seats that remained consistent were the three corners (the table was shaped like a triangle with flat points) which were intended for the three kings. At the highest point sat Zeus, the lower right was Poseidon, and the lower left was for Hades (a seat that was never filled). Once everyone got seated and Hestia thanked everyone for coming, they dug in, slowly at first but then with great enthusiasm, as novelty can overcome even perfection given a long enough life. The meal progressed like this for a time, interrupted only by the small conversations that are remarkable only to the people having them, until a clear voice rose over the din.

“Your Majesty, we have a problem,” said Hermes.

Zeus looked up from his seventh artichoke, “Problem? What is so important that you would bring it to me now?” Hestia nodded, “Precisely. Hermes, can’t this wait until after dinner?” Hermes shook his head, “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid it can’t. It’s... about Hades. We need to do something.” The ichor drained from Hestia’s face as she said a quiet, “Oh” and lowered her head.

Zeus chuckled, “Hades? What about him? Did Cerberus bite you again? I told you that if you just throw the hound a chunk of meat, you’ll be fine!” Hermes’ face hardened, “No. Zeus, he raised an army and attacked a village in Arcadia. He is restless in the lands of the dead and discontent with the ‘disorder’ that he sees. He has already risen recently, the first time since the Forgotten War, and will do so again. If we don’t do something his kingdom will encompass all that is.”

Zeus went from chuckling to outright laughter, “Quit being a coward, Hermes. I beat his armies before and together we can beat them again.” Hermes sighed, his voice barely containing his exasperation, “You aren’t getting it. His powers were at their lowest when you fought him because not that many things had died then. Things are different now. The dead far outnumber the living. If he isn’t stopped, Hades will bring the dead to walk among the living, and they shall take their food from the living. No matter how many thunderbolts you can throw, now matter how cunning Athena’s tactics are, or skillful Ares’ blade-work is, Hades can field millions of the dead and we will be crushed under the sheer weight of his numbers. If we don’t do something this may be our last dinner together.”

Zeus stopped laughing and furrowed his brow, “What do you want me to do? Until he does something, we are bound by the treaty that ended the Forgotten War, 'King shall war against king no more and peace shall reign until the world is broken and made new again.'”

A silence fell across the table until a perfect throat cleared itself and a voice so beautiful it caused shivers rose, “I know of another thing that has grown stronger as time passed.” All eyes turned to Aphrodite as she continued, “Am I the only one who has noticed that Hades only knows order and the bad side of life? Maybe if he found someone that might turn him from his present course. Perhaps...” “Perhaps we should leave him alone,” Hephaestus interrupted, his voice hard and his eyes bright red. “All he has done is try to take a tiny village in the middle of nowhere and we are talking about, what? Finding him a love mate? This is madness! Aphrodite, you...” Hestia shot Hephaestus a glare that startled everyone. Hephaestus cleared his throat and continued, “...have an opinion with which I respectfully disagree. We don’t have sufficient justification to do anything yet and even if we did this, “he gestured towards Aphrodite dismissively, “ it would never work.” Aphrodite’s warm eyes grew hot as she glared at Hephaestus, “Listen you…”

“Cyprian…” Hestia said in the tone of a warning.

Aphrodite’s face quickly turned from rage to fear , “…don’t see the merits of what I am saying, my dear. If we try and fight him, we will lose as Hermes pointed out. As far as anyone knows he has never taken a lover or even left his realm except to kill. Why, I even know just the person who could coax him out of his shell.” Zeus looked at Aphrodite, obviously intrigued, “And who is that, my Lady?”

“Well, the Kore has been the Kore long enough and she would make a perfect match for Hades.”

Hephaestus jumped up, steam coming off of him and his eyes a blinding red, “Are you mad? Demeter has protected her since the day she was born and intends for her to be a virgin goddess. If anyone so much as touches the Kore Hades will be the least of our worries. Demeter...”

Aphrodite interrupted, “...will get over it in time as all mothers do when their daughters get married. And besides, if we match the Kore with Hades Demeter may cause harm. If we don’t, Hades will eventually destroy all life. Even you should be able to see the wisdom in that.” Hephaestus’ hands gripped the table, his anger so great that even Hera could not calm him.

“Fine, Cyprian. If everyone wishes to go along with this folly, I cannot stop you. But know that when it goes up in flames, I warned you. And now, I think I need to go outside. I find the air here...” Hephaestus glared at Aphrodite, his eyes full of hate and bitterness, “stifling.” He then got up from the table and walked away, followed by Hera.

The table was silent as they both walked out, a silence that was broken by a rather crude joke made by Tyche and the rest of the dinner passed without incident. And so it was that the sequence of events that started when the world was young, ended with the abduction of the Kore and the balancing of life and death with love.

James Jones

Jupiter in Sagittarius - Aiming For Growth

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The planet of optimism, growth and expansion will travel through the sign of Sagittarius from November 10, 2018 to December 2, 2019. Jupiter has returned "home" to the sign of its domain - Sagittarius! Over the past year, Jupiter has traveled through Scorpio, something that I often referred to as "Zeus visiting the Underworld". It was an intense and transformative transit as the planet of growth and expansion moved through the sign of Death, Sex, and Mysteries. You can read more about Jupiter in Scorpio HERE .

Sagittarius is the sign Jupiter rules over, and it is the sign of The Archer - representing one who has trained in a specific skill (advanced education) and can now set his aim directly at what he seeks. When I think of the energy of Sagittarius, I picture an archer on a mountaintop. He is wise and knows exactly when to use his arrows and when to save them. He has traveled far and learned many things, giving him a wide world-view instead of a narrow view, which actually helps him set his goals and know exactly when to loose his bow. Sagittarius represents higher education, travel, seeking out masters or gurus, and eventually becoming a master or a teacher of others. With expanded knowledge and experiences, the world opens up for us in new ways. It is the sign of the seeker, the student, and the teacher. From the mountaintop we gain perspective through the bigger picture, a world view that is not limited to our own experiences but also accounts for the experiences and wisdom of other cultures and societies.

Jupiter is the planet of expansion, growth, luck, justice, and wisdom. We can easily liken him to Zeus in Greek Mythology as this planet operates as a wise ruler, visiting each realm of our lives through the archetypes of the zodiac signs and bringing expansion and understanding to our world in new ways. Zeus (Jupiter) has traveled around the zodiac wheel visiting each of the signs over the past 11 years, returning now to his throne atop Mount Olympus to reign again, holding court, teaching, and giving out blessings. Io Zeus!

"When Jupiter is in Sagittarius it is free to express its true self and true form. Jupiter is the planet associated with expansion, abundance, benevolence, and opportunity. Jupiter expands whatever it touches, and has the ability to open minds, open hearts, and get us to see the world with a new found perspective." - Tanaaz at foreverconscious.com

Jupiter in Sagittarius is sure to inspire us to expand our minds and open our hearts. Thinking globally should be a theme that comes up as this planetary transit urges us to step back and look at the bigger picture and things that effect people outside of our normal realm of awareness. Tolerance should also be a big theme, and we'll collectively continue to expand upon what we learned through the #metoo movement, now taking that trauma to a new level of understanding as we seek justice and lasting social change.

On a personal level, this Jupiter transit will effect everyone differently, though it should bring feelings of starting fresh, seeking higher education, optimism, and the ability to see potential in everything. The more we recognize blocks or challenges as opportunities for growth, the more we can step into those challenges with optimism and trust - allowing the Truth to lead us.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU?

There are several ways to determine if this transit of Jupiter through Sagittarius will be especially relevant for you. (Some transits are more prominent for certain people than for others, depending on your natal chart)

Sagittarians - If you are a Sagittarius Sun, or your Moon or Ascendant is in Sagittarius, Jupiter's transit through this sign should have you feeling particularly expansive. You may embark on quests for higher education, long distance travel, or seeking out a teacher or guide of some kind. You may have a significant number of "Lucky Days" or expand your life in some way through a change in career or just a change of view. Embrace the feelings of optimism you have, and don't be afraid to follow through with things that feel expansive but exciting to you!

Jupiter Returns - If Jupiter was in Sagittarius when you were born, you will be having your Jupiter Return this year. Jupiter takes 11 to 12 years to pass through all the Zodiac signs, so we all experience a Jupiter return every 11 or 12 years. These years are often lucky, expansive years, that signify personal growth and new levels of wisdom as we step out and explore our world in new ways. Your first Jupiter Return happened when you were 11 or 12 years old. Think about childhood development at that age - we are really stepping more fully into being individuals, separate beings from our parents. While a Saturn Return is known to be "heavy" or challenging, the growth that comes from a Jupiter return generally feels more victorious, lucky, and enlightening. If you were born in the following years, you will probably be having your Jupiter Return: 1947/48, 1959/60, 1971/72, 1982/83, 1994/95, 2006/07

Jupiter Transits Other Planets - If you have other planets in Sagittarius in your Natal Chart, Jupiter will pass over those points sometime in the next 13 months. A transit like this can catalyze some personal growth, as Jupiter sets off some expansive energy related to whatever planet he is passing by in your Natal Chart. Here are some examples:

Jupiter transits Mercury - Expands the Mind, Communication, Learning

Jupiter transits Venus - Expands the Senses, Love, Romance

Jupiter transits Mars - Expands the Willpower, Drive, Passion

Jupiter transits Jupiter - Expansion & Growth Maximized - Height of your Jupiter Return

Jupiter transits Saturn - Expansion of Structures, Career, Rules

Jupiter transits Neptune - Expansion of the Subconscious, Dreams, Fantasy

Jupiter transits Uranus - Expansion of Awareness, Higher Consciousness, Revolution

Jupiter transits Pluto - Expansion of Mysteries, Transformation, Soul Purpose

Jupiter through the Houses - Finally, check and see what HOUSE Sagittarius is in on your Natal Chart. Even if you don't have any planets in Sagittarius, the House that it is in will show you what areas of life will be most influenced by Jupiter through this transit. What area of life might you experience some luck, optimism, and expansiveness?

1st House - Self Identity, Self Awareness

2nd House - Home, Belongings, Money

3rd House - Education, Communication, Ideas & Thoughts

4th House - Family, Home, Emotion

5th House - Self Expression, Fun, Art

6th House - Health, Service, Details

7th House - Relationships, Marriage, Business Partnerships

8th House - Sex, Death, Magic & Mysteries

9th House - Travel, Education, Mastery & Wisdom

10th House - Career & Public Standing

11th House - Friendships, Community, Inventiveness, Inspiration

12th House - Spirituality, Creativity, Emotion, Fantasy

Some Key Dates of the Jupiter in Sagittarius Transit

There are a few dates to be aware of through this transit of Jupiter through Sagittarius.

November 25, 2018 - Sun and Jupiter Conjunct. As the Sun passes over the same degree of Sagittarius, Jupiter's influence here will really be intensified.
November 27, 2018 - Mercury Retrograde conjuncts Jupiter. Jupiter's realm will be highly influenced by Mercury's retrograde, slowing down some of the growth and perhaps dulling some of the optimism while we try to get the details just right.
December 21, 2018 - Mercury conjunct Jupiter again, this time Mercury is direct and perhaps some of Jupiter's luck and growth will shine through more directly.
January 21, 2019 - Venus conjunct Jupiter. As Venus and Jupiter meet, there may be bright times in the realm of love and the senses!
April 11th - August 12, 2019 - JUPITER RETROGRADE - Jupiter's lessons and energies become more subtle and internalized.

Lillliana Blackstar

Hestia's Muse

--------------------------------------------------------------

Author Bio: Wendy, aka "Lilliana Blackstar" is an Evolutionary Astrologer and Reiki Master Teacher living in Washington, USA. She is a practicing Pagan and currently enrolled in the Wiccan Ministry Degree program at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary . You can learn more about her or contact her for services at https://www.hestiasmuse.net/

Aquarian Tabernacle Church: Then, Now and Future

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Because of being asked to join the Arch Priesthood as Treasurer for the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, I quit my job two weeks sooner than scheduled to fly out to Seattle and learn as much as possible about the organization which I have been bookkeeping for since 2011. Having reread " Financial Management in the Church " by Peter Henrickson during the 8-hour flight, as well as forming a list of questions and intentions, I expected to stay out of the way of the daily church activities and observe its management. I planned to remain detached and unbiased. Ha! I didn't expect to fall in love with the place and the people.

The Mother Church is located outside of the most beautiful town I have ever visited. Index , WA is sandwiched between the North Skykomish River (which lulled me to sleep every night) and the ‘Town Wall’, a massive granite cliff rising over 500 feet into the air.

Index is home to charming cottages and vacation rentals with front yard flower beds and vegetable gardens, trails and trains, and a population of approximately 205 people, all within .23 square miles. Walking the 1.5 miles along the sparkling river from the Church to the town’s post office/grocery store, learning the town’s history from the tiny museum and quaint town hall, and drinking coffee outside of the River House Cafe quickly became my morning routine.

The Church itself is delightful. Well-lived-in by the priesthood, both living and deceased, the building itself has many charming characteristics including an extensive library, hidden staircases, a large natural lit office space, along with a kitchen stove and custom-built table I could only drool over. Pete’s presence was made known to me by several unexplained occurrences such as, the stove door opening on its own, the lighting of a stove burner a few times, and the hot tub light controls changing, all without a manifest body nearby.

Outside, the Church’s property beholds both old and new delights. I witnessed the construction of the hothouse over the vegetable garden planted this summer to honor Demeter. I recognized the Garden Circle made up of statuary transported from Bella's gorgeous Garden Circle in Conyers, Georgia, and I daydreamed of staying in the adorable purple fairy cottage (which needs immediate occupancy to finish its renovations).

As for the old, there's the Stone Circle built by Pete in 1981, the fire pit surrounded by patio and meandering pathways, and the shrine dedicated to the ATC’s patron goddess Hekate - THE most amazing feature of the entire property.

Nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of power which emanated from that place -- so much so, that on my first encounter I was forced to leave after only a few minutes because my head buzzed so much. Three days later, on the evening of the Dark Moon, I ventured back with offerings, prayers, incense, and candles and delighted in an hour of quiet solitude in Her presence until midnight. I left with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and Agape Love. The next morning, I returned and spent another hour enjoying the serenity of that holy space.

The final notable feature of the property is the hot tub located in front of Aphrodite’s Shrine. Oh the hot tub! I quickly learned that the hot tub is where ideas fired and flowed at a rapid pace from the three fire-sign clergy who make the Church their permanent residence: Arch Priestess Bella (Leo); High Priest Dusty (Aries) and High Priestess Cassie (Sagittarius). Their brains never stop going whether the topic was the development of the Save the Seeds Foundation , the upcoming festival details, plans to complete the renovations of the fairy cottage, increasing seminary enrollment, the upcoming Green Man Day (clean up and maintenance of the Church by coven members), or any other topic that consumes their every waking and possibly dreaming moments. Many evenings, I was exhausted trying to keep up with the bing and the bang, the zip and the zap of ideas and scenarios spinning deosil around the tub. And, by the way, Pete ‘Pathfinder’ Davis was always included in the conversation.

Pete Davis, the supernal founder of the ATC, made history fighting for religious equality. I delighted in hearing the oral history of this amazing man who fought the US government to recognize Wicca as a religious entity worthy of tax-exempt status as a church by the IRS. Pete established the first Wiccan seminary with a .edu designation . This feat allowed Wiccan clergy to proudly and legally call themselves Reverend. Pete spearheaded the campaign against the US Military to recognize Wiccan soldiers and allow them to display their pentacles on tombstones and identify their faith as Wiccan. Pete was a revolutionary and a rebel and is due gratitude for his efforts to make Wicca an equal among the rest.

Belladonna Laveau , Pete’s successor, is one of the most hard working and dedicated people I've ever met. As I previously mentioned she lives, breathes, and sleeps for her Church and its people. She is tireless in her efforts to unite witches in a common cause to make the world a better place based on Wiccan values . Most recently Bella was actively involved in the Global Wiccan Summit last September, and earned a coveted seat at the Parliament of World Religions in November. Like Pete, she continues to advocate for Wicca as a world religion.

The reach of the ATC has the potential to make a difference through its affiliates and charters. Here is a list of organizations that the Arch Priesthood manages with the help of many talented and dedicated volunteers.

The Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary teaches and trains clergy who are strong leaders in their local communities.
Spring Mysteries Festival , a recreation of the Eleusinian Mysteries , is a unique and powerful experience that can forever change one’s life.
Hekate’s Sickle Festival , the fall festival, provides a less intense but no less Wiccan education venue with rituals, workshops, and networking.
Wicca Press , the ATC’s own publishing company (used by Stewart Farrar) and Panegyria , a quarterly e-zine, are both outlets for ATC literary aspirants.
Wiccan Cauldron , the online store, originally established to provide books and tools for seminary students, sells quality items for magical workings or personal shadow work.
Spiral Scouts , a youth ministry developed by Pete to rival the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.
Sacred Cauldron , a 3D virtual reality pagan community online for those who cannot get to a physical location to worship.
The Mother Church’s local coven that meets twice a month for ritual, runs Green Man Day and serves as volunteer staff for both festivals.
A worldwide affiliate base , which has the autonomy of an independent organization under the legal protection of the Mother Church.

Future projects include a physical Wiccan Cauldron located outside Seattle, a physical museum to house the hundreds of artifacts currently in the ATC collection, and physical property to develop the Save the Seeds Foundation where corporate sponsors support the efforts to grow, harvest, and save heritage, non-patented seeds for the future.

As you can see, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church has served, currently does serve, and will continue to serve, the needs of Wiccan faith. It is a 501c3 Church on the same level as the Catholic Church and is a strong force in our world. And, like all other religious organizations, it needs the support of its people. I strongly encourage all affiliate members take the time to go to Index, see the daily operation, and get to know (and love) our leaders. My perception has been forever changed and it was quite a difficult decision not to stay in Index to directly serve (at least not yet!).

I have seen the inner workings and there is so much to do. So, it is from my heart that I ask you to consider how you can help serve your Mother Church. There are many challenging and fun opportunities to serve in any of the above organizations in roles such as ministering, editing, IT development, organizing, grant research, marketing, administration, and the list goes on. See this page for a list of Ministry opportunities: ATC Ministry Opportunities .

And, if you cannot help with your skills and time, consider a financial commitment to help fund the ministry expenses of the Church. I have provided Paypa l links for a few contribution levels. Please contact me to set up a monthly Paypal subscription for ANY contribution amount that fits your budget starting as low as $5 per month.

$25 per month Donation

$40 per month Donation

As I write this account on my final night at this magical monastery with these amazing people, I am filled with mixed emotions. I am sad that I cannot stay to help because the one thing I did realize is that the clergy of the Mother Church work damn hard and have little downtime. This worries me because the mission is one I believe in, one I will fight for, and our leaders are carrying a heavy load. However, I am filled with hope for the future of my faith, excitement for my contribution to its growth, and enamored with love of an extended family that that will forever be in my heart.

Blessed Be.

Written by Rt Rev Trisha Parker, member of Advisory Board of ATC, Intl., a graduate and first year professor at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, HPS of Wiccan Church of Florida, and Coordinator for Phoenix Festivals, Inc .

Contact Trisha by email at trish@wiccanseminary.edu or Trisha Parker on Facebook.

Jupiter / Sun Conjunction in Sagittarius with Full Moon in Gemini

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The sun rose today in the sign of Sagittarius, breaking free of Scorpio season and pushing through the cusp in the early morning hours! The sun's transit of Scorpio has been a period of intensity and transformation for many of us. Now it's time to take those mysteries and secrets to the mountaintop where we can illuminate them, integrate them, and expand our understanding of what we've just been through.

As the sun stepped through this cusp-gate, we find Jupiter right there. Jupiter just ended his 13-month transit of Scorpio to return "home" to Sagittarius. As both sun and Jupiter meet here at the cusp today, it feels like a "reset" is possible with each inhale. Jupiter & sun make a powerful team, when they join up it gives a brightness and expansiveness to our goals & intentions.

Jupiter & Sun together in Sagittarius is basically Zeus and Apollo meeting up on Mount Olympus. Hermes (Mercury) is there too, in trickster mode (retrograde). It reminds me of a certain time Apollo "misplaced" some cows.

All this fiery Sagittarius energy wants to push us into openness: Open your minds, open your hearts, step out of your shells and come experience all this amazing life around you! Do all the things! Climb the mountain, find the guru, go to school, share the knowledge!! What's stopping you??

Well, the Moon and Mars have some feelings and thoughts on this! Full Moon in Gemini has really activated our inner thinker. Analytical, curious, logical, and expressive Gemini, illuminated by full moon, *and in exact opposition to Mercury* and opposing Sun & Jupiter.

This opposition teaches us the balance between inner and outer realms of knowledge. Gemini teaches us about inner knowledge; the wisdom we gain from our day to day experiences, our youthful curiosity, and how we challenge our own intelligence. Sagittarius teaches us about Outer Knowledge - the type of wisdom we only gain from others (wise teachers, traveling away from home, having our intelligence challenged by others). The full moon here in Gemini seems to be an important check-point in the balance as we head into Sagittarius season. She says, "Don't forget about your own inner knowledge and youthful curiosity as you step into this season of seeking wisdom. If you forget your own lessons and the spark of your own mind, you risk getting washed out, bleached by the sun.

Take all that knowledge you find on the mountaintop but don't forget to make it your own." We'll meet Gemini moon again in 28 days, when She is Dark in Her Crone phase, at the very end of Sagittarius season. What will you tell Her about what you've learned?

The other archetype chiming in heavily is Mars. Mars in Pisces is Squaring both the moon in Gemini and the planets in Sagittarius. This planet of drive is usually fiery when he asks, "what are you fighting for?" in the sense that he wants to know what inspires you to go to battle. However, here in Pisces when he is asking Sun & Moon "what are you fighting for?" it comes across as a hippie asking "why can't we all get along?" (Imagine the collective sideways glance from Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, and Artemis when they are bickering and from the distance they hear ARIES ask them " Why can't you all just get along?") But Mars in Pisces isn't just floating along, high AF. In Pisces he just sees different things "worth fighting for" than the supposed knowledge & wisdom of Sagittarius or Gemini. He reminds us to fight for the Spiritual Truth that can only be found within. Mars is stepping in to challenge both Gemini and Sagittarius to find the common goal of Oneness, Nirvana. To not lose sight of Divine Truth in the quest for Knowledge or Wisdom.

Lilliana Blackstar,

Hestia's Muse

Author Bio: Wendy, aka "Lilliana Blackstar" is an Evolutionary Astrologer and Reiki Master Teacher living in Washington, USA. She is a practicing Pagan and currently enrolled in the Wiccan MinistryDegree program at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary . You can learn more about her or contact her for services at https://www.hestiasmuse.net/

Freya’s Necklace

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Freya's Necklace
A Poem by Brenna Grace

Freya set off dreaming of gold,
winging her hips out into the cold.
Loki followed her and thought “What has made her so bold?”

Deep inside a cave, four dwarves worked.
Freya saw their crafts, and at one, she perked.

Dripping with Amber, golden and curved,
The light caught every perfect angle when it swerved.
This necklace was one Freya knew she deserved.

Freya offered gold and silver and coins,
The dwarves wanted none of it – they wanted her loins.

Freya needed this necklace, and although she fought.
She agreed to sleep with each dwarf and give it a shot.
Although they were ugly, the necklace is worth it, she thought.

Alfrigg she laid first, Followed by the biggest, Berling.
Dvalin was third and Grerr was last, her head was left swirling.

Happy with her necklace, she traveled the Bifrost
When Loki told Odin, Odin felt he’d been crossed.
“Loki, I demand you get the necklace, at any cost!”

Loki turned into a fly and snuck into Sessrumnir
He smartly removed the necklace and made quick to disappear.

The next morning came and Freya slowly awoke.
She found her necklace missing, and she knew only one bloke
Would be foolish enough to make Loki plan and perform this “joke.”

Odin was angry that Freya debased their kind.
Freya was furious, and gave him a piece of her mind.

Odin wanted Bloodshed, he told Freya “Start a war!
Use your god-strength, I want blood and gore!”
Freya scoffed, “Who do you think I am, Thor?!”

Odin thought hard and to Freya he said:
“Pit kings against one another, that should bring bloodshed.”

Freya looked at Odin, and gave him a smirk.
She quickly leaned into Odin, making him jerk,
“Give me my necklace, and I can make that work.”

Brenna Grace

Based off of the retelling of the story of “Freya's Necklace Brisingamen,” by Kevin Crossley-Holland in his book The Norse Myths . Inspired by Myth 140 - Introduction to Norse Mythology .

Visit WiccanSeminary.edu to explore Asgard and the realm of the mighty Aesir. Learn about Norse Creation and Destruction myths as well as who’s who on the Family Tree of the Norse Gods. Explore the nine realms of Yggdrasil and make sense of the symbolism in Norse mythology. The end of session is wrapped up with a Sumble in honor of the Norse Gods. Sit and enjoy the fire in the great hall of Odin and discover the wonder and beauty that is Norse Myth.

Global Call For Action

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

One Voice One People

One Intent for a better world

This is the message of a global call for action from a group of 12 synergistic individuals who came together under the name “ CommUnity ” with a desire to heal the differences between people. They ask no fees, no funds, they merely ask a simple yet powerful request that we all come together as one, for just one night, and heal our differences.

When we focus on our differences we are divided, we are weak. It is only when we can set aside our differences and unite as one that we are strong.

Heal the Differences

On the night of the full moon on November 23 after dark when the moon is in Gemini take a candle and a piece of string of any color you feel represents healing of all people, (white is a suggestion). Tie the string around your candle with a knot to show our unity. Envision the knot as you tie it, linking others with your energy, let the ends leading out, so the other energetic threads weave together. Light your candle. Now touch/hold or extend your energy into the candle flame infusing it with YOUR divine light. Tell the flame to send this energy into the universe to HEAL THE DIFFERENCES between people so that we the people of the earth can focus on our similarities and truly become one people for We are Many We are One . (copied directly from the website)

Visit community.warriorwithinrelease.com for more information and you can also follow this event on Facebook at We Are Many We Are One

Heathens Against Hate to Present at Parliament of World Religions

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Heathens Against Hate will be presenting the “Striving to Save a Religious Identity from Extremists,” panel at the 2018 Parliament of Toronto, Canada .

In this panel discussion, leaders of HAH and the Heathen community will discuss some of the challenges the community faces and what initiatives HAH is undertaking to combat bigotry and racism in Heathenry. Speakers will be Troth Steer and Elderer Ziewer (High Priest) of Distelfink Sippschaft Robert Schreiwer, Heathen Interfaith minister and instructor at the School of Sacred Ministries Brian Weiss, Heathens Against Hate Administrator Eric Thorpe-Moscon, and Heathens Against Hate Public Relations Officer Ethan Stark.

Founded in 2008, Heathens Against Hate (HAH) became a community outreach effort by The Troth in 2017, which is one of the largest international Heathen organizations. Heathenry faces challenges as extremist elements dominate news coverage. HAH serves as practical resource to stand against hate, racism, homophobia, bigotry, etc. within Heathenry. Because bigotry and hatred know no borders or boundaries, their messages are not targeted to any one country, ethnic/racial identity, or sexual/gender identity. HAH work to educate Heathens and non-Heathens on the differences between commonly-held Heathen beliefs and extremism, to advocate for inclusivity and dialogue that promotes better communication among Heathen groups and wider society.

" Striving to Save a Religious Identity from Extremists ” is scheduled for Sunday, November 4th, 2018, at 3:15pm.

The Long Night - Part 2

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

So, where was I?

Oh yeah, I was about to get turned into a snack by a long dead super tiger.

Fortunately for me, even though Hades could exert his influence and keep the villagers from helping, he could only paralyze me with fear for about two seconds before. Living things are messy. Messy is more my thing than his which makes family dinner awkward. Anyway, your hero Giles, Priest of Hermes, and by “Priest of Hermes” I mean “Hermes”, shook off the influence of Hades just in time to be ready to dodge the undead, long tusked, tiger that was coming at him full tilt. Instead of going for the villagers as it passed, it whirled around to make another go immediately. This thing was focused on me and me alone. I’m not sure if that was Argon being an ass or Hades wanting to neutralize me early. Either way it gave me an idea.

With a “Here kitty kitty” I ran towards the moat of fire and with a mighty Messenger of the Gods™ leap I easily made it to the other side, followed quickly by the tiger skeleton. From there I ran towards my new friend Elpis who had just turned the giant elephant into a pile of bones. Running at her, screaming at her to look up, I jumped over her at the last second and the tiger slammed into her, bringing Elpis into the fight. She grinned that smile that Ares’ fan club gets when they get to smash something, picked up one of the bones in front of her, and with a single swing, crushed the skull of the tiger. I really need to give Ares a three second too long hug when I see him next, and no I’m not explaining why. It’s much more fun that way. At least I won’t make myself look like a certain Goddess of love, sex, and pleasure first. This time.

After Elpis took the cat out, it was an easy matter to mop up the rest of the undead force. Once one of the villagers bashed the last wolf I turned to Elpis, “And now that’s done, time to party! I know this guy that makes the BEST wine.” Elpis shook her head, “Sorry Giles, the fun’s just beginning. I’d say that wasn’t the only wave we are getting.” I sighed, “When do you think the next wave will arrive?”

I was answered, not by Elpis, but by the sound of marching feet. I looked over and saw many glowing eyes. It was the second wave, the army of the dead. When they got a little closer I could see them better. There were skeletons and revenants as far as the eye could see, marching in perfect unison. This was the hand of Hades himself, come to wipe the village from the face of the Earth.

I walked back to the choke point and saw Elpis calmly sharpening her weapons. When she saw me she looked up and walked over. “So, any ideas?” I shook my head, “Not yet. I was hoping you’d have something other than ‘die bravely’.” Elpis shook her head, “Nope.” I nodded, “Ok. In that case I better come up with something. Something effective but not too obvious, low key in other words. Gaah! This is such bull….” It was then that I got the beginnings of an idea. A dangerous idea, but an idea, nonetheless.

“That’s it! Elpis, I know what to do. Random village person, rope!”

I gestured to a man passing by who just happened to have a coil of rope (seriously, if you can date a Goddess of witchcraft I highly recommend it) and he was happy to toss it over to me.

From there I went over to where they kept the cattle just outside of the town center and found quite possibly the largest bull I have ever seen. Fortunately I was able to calm him down just enough to work with him, which was the easy part. The hard part was taking the rope and tying it around the bull’s… if you’ve read the story about Loki and the goat you can guess what I tied the rope around. So a quick tie and a sharp yank and we were off to the races. I thought I’d have just the bull as we charged towards the line, but I heard a gigantic thunder of hooves behind me. And a squawk or two.

Army of the dead meet the mostly domesticated army of Hermes.

We were on them in a matter of seconds and plunged deep into their lines as they weren’t ready for a random stampede, but if you think about it, who is? About a quarter of the way through I decided to not push my luck and turn around, thundering towards the cattle enclosure after taking out half of another division. In the span of 4 minutes the whole thing was over… we were even able to get back into the pen. However, it was made quite clear that the bull I rode will never let me near him again.

I looked back where I came from and saw the best devastation I have seen in a long time. I had destroyed a lot of undead and, more importantly, confused Hades. I strode into camp where Elpis stared in awe. I looked at her and beamed, “You may praise me now.”

“Uhhh… good job? Yeah. Good job Giles.” Elpis smiled, regaining her composure.

“Thanks. I think that bought us another hour or two. Y’know, Hades wants this village really bad. I wonder why?”

I wandered away from Elpis with her following behind me. I was trying to locate interesting data anomalies that would make this village important to Hades. I was getting exactly nowhere until I missed a root, fell flat on my face, and saw a milky white stone jutting out of the ground. I reached out and tapped the stone with my fingernail and was answered by a gentle pinging sound throughout the entire village and for far as I could hear, so about 100 miles or so. “Eureka!”

Elpis folded her arms and arched her eyebrow. “Eureka? You just discovered that when you tap rocks they make sounds?” I stood up and turned around to face her, “Well, yeah, but it’s a lot more than that. This is unaligned acoustic quartz. Aligned quartz is primarily used to enhance anything spiritual but once it’s aligned towards something it is almost impossible to reset. Most of it was aligned to the Titans long ago and is useless. The rest has been claimed by the Olympians… except this vein here. Therefore, Hades wants this village for his Temple. Once he aligns the quartz to himself, even his newest Priests will be able to churn out spooks for days.”

Elpis shook her head, “I don’t get it. Rocks are Hades’ other thing. Why doesn’t he just move it somewhere else?” I sighed, “Because it doesn’t work that way. This is part of a greater ecosystem and is therefore dependent on everything around it. He has to set up his camp on this spot.” Elpis nodded, “That’s all well and good but we still have a Priest just outside of the village with… an… army..” Her last few words trailed off as she got the look of someone who has an idea.

Elpis ran to the front. I got very worried.

When she got to our choke point, lit by the fire of our moat, she shouted with the voice of Ares, “Argon, I know you can hear me! In the name of Ares I challenge you to single combat. If you win you can have the village, if you lose then your Second will order a full retreat and swear that this village will never be attacked again. Respond now or be forever branded pathetic and unworthy to command anything, living or dead!” As her words died in the distance a quiet fell upon the land, neither bird sang nor wolf howled. The silence held for a minute before it was broken by a single drum beating a slow march. It was low and deep, an echo of solemn marches that went back as far as the Forgotten War.

Argon, Priest of Hades, had accepted Elpis’ challenge.

As the drum came closer we saw Argon slowly riding forward on a pale horse surrounded by his guard of fell spirits made of shadows with glowing green eyes. The villagers scattered before them until the only ones who stood before them were Elpis and me. Argon casually got off his horse and chuckled, eyeing Elpis with derision. “Why hello there young lady, could you find the man who I am to fight and bring him out?” Elpis sniffed, pulled out two short swords and scraped them against each other making a shower of sparks, “The second you find me an actual warrior to fight, old man.” And with that, it began.

Elpis attacked with her short swords and Argon responded with a spear dripping with a black Ichor. I’ll spare you a blow by blow but if you watch pretty much any good sword fight scene and make it around twenty times more awesome, you’ve got the idea. After about 10 minutes everyone knew that the fight was almost done. Argon had given Elpis a good cut or two and the poison was taking effect, but Elpis had given Argon several nasty wounds. The last pass was quick. Argon tried a thrust, assuming that Elpis was weakened by the poison. Elpis dodged with incredible speed as she plunged both of her swords straight down into his chest, blood bubbling out of the wound as he exhaled his last breath and fell to his knees. She smiled and staggered backwards as Argon started laughing. His eyes went from brown to jet black and his hair from black to chalk white, and a new voice erupted from his mouth as he stood, the swords still in his chest.

“Pitiful mortal, did you think it would be this easy? You have defeated my Priest but against me there is nothing but defeat! Behold the power of…”

I shouted at Argon/Hades, “Hey, Commander Spooky! Listen to this!”

He turned to face me and was about to say something when his look changed to confusion as I pulled a gigantic metal hammer from behind me, grinned that Winning Hermes Grin™, and brought it down hard on the small jut of unaligned quartz to my left. Everything vibrated. The villagers fell over, the flames flickered and died, and I’m pretty sure there were some very happy women at least 10 towns over.

Oh, and because the vibration was centered right around where Argon/Hades was, it pulled the Hades energy right out of him, making him just another corpse.

Unfortunately, that also meant that I got shook out of my vessel, Giles.

You didn’t think that I was there in the flesh, did you?

Mortals... I love you guys.

New Biography Reveals Details of the Life of the Man Behind Llewellyn Publications

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

WOODBURY, MN (September, 2018)

Llewellyn Worldwide is well-known for its extensive line of books exploring topics ranging from Witchcraft and Paganism to alternative health and healing, but until now, the man who built the company into what it is today has remained a bit of a mystery. A new biography, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer and Publisher of Body, Mind, and Spirit by Melanie Marquis sheds light on the life of this visionary whose championing of alternative spirituality, witchcraft, astrology, and metaphysics earned him the nickname of “Father of the New Age.”

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke , who purchased Llewellyn Publications in 1961 and guided the company until his death in 2016, had chosen to live a private life after having spent many years in the spotlight advocating for his vision of education, enlightenment, and empowerment. During the civil rights era, he garnered media attention for his work with the NAACP, helping to secure fair housing legislation in Minnesota and urging national leaders to speed up school desegregation efforts. In the 1970s, he opened the country’s largest metaphysical bookstore, housing over 100,000 volumes on everything from E.S.P. to ancient magic. He opened a school of magical learning and hosted gatherings and festivals, bringing like-minded people together to share ideas and experiences in the budding New Age of expanded consciousness. Weschcke soon became a spokesperson for astrology, witchcraft, and many other metaphysical subjects.

When Weschcke acquired Llewellyn, occult books were difficult to obtain in America, but he was determined to change that and did so by resurrecting old classics that had gone out of print and publishing exciting new authors with fresh perspectives on a vast variety of esoteric disciplines. He brought to a new generation the works of Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune. He was the first to publish the work of Raymond Buckland, introducing countless Americans to the new religion of the Wicca . In the process, he managed to transform the small mail-order based publisher of astrology pamphlets he had purchased into a thriving multi-million dollar business with customers around the globe.

“Weschcke believed in equal opportunity for every human to become more than they are, and throughout the course of his life, he poured his body, mind, and spirit into doing his part to help further this great work in which he felt all people must play a role,” says Weschcke’s friend and biographer Melanie Marquis. Marquis is the author of several witchcraft books and the creator of Modern Spellcaster’s Tarot , a deck of fortunetelling cards. Her latest book, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer and Publisher of Body, Mind, and Spirit shares the details of Weschcke's work and vision, as well as the secrets to success he used to grow his company, create a movement, and transform an industry. The book also delves into Weschcke’s later years, revealing the personal challenges and motivations that led him to embark on a new career as an author at the age of 79.

Other books by Marquis:

The Witch's Bag of Tricks

A Witch's World of Magick

Beltane

Lughnasadh

Witchy Mama (co-authored with Emily A. Francis)

Llewellyn is the oldest and largest independent New Age publisher in the United States, celebrating over a century of leadership in the industry on such subjects as self-help, metaphysical studies, mysticism, alternative health, divination, astrology, tarot, the paranormal, witchcraft, paganism, Wicca, magick, Goddess lore, and garden witchery.

Praise for Carl Llewellyn Weschcke:

"Weschcke's large American life and counterculture passions make for fascinating reading." ― ForeWord Reviews

“With this book, another major piece goes into place in the jigsaw of the history of modern American Paganism and witchcraft. It is an excellent biography—lucid, fast-paced and comprehensive—of one of the most important and best regarded personalities in the formation of those traditions. Most important, it embodies precisely those qualities, of efficiency mixed with love, which summed up the person whom it portrays." —Ronald Hutton, historian and author of The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

“Author Melanie Marquis has done a masterful job of presenting Carl Llewellyn Weschcke as the gentle, insightful, spiritual innovator that he was. Reading this book illuminated those early years of Carl's life that we were not privy to, and made us long for a time machine that would let us experience the adventure of a 1970s Gnosticon Festival, the uniqueness of the purple Gnostica Bookstore, or a ghostly thrill at the old haunted Griggs Mansion. These are just a few of the gems that ornamented the life of a man who was truly instrumental in spreading all manner of spiritual knowledge and magical know-how." ―Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero, co-authors and co-editors of The Tree of Life and Gold: Israel Regardie's Lost Book of Alchemy

Book information:

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke: Pioneer and Publisher of Body, Mind, and Spirit

by Melanie Marquis

Llewellyn Publications, September 2018

ISBN-10: 0738753270

ISBN-13: 978-0738753270

https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean= 9780738753270

Author information:

http://www.llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=5159

The Long Night

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Most people say the worst thing about revenants is that awful moan they make when they see you, and it is awful. The thing that always got me though, was the rancid smell of death. What's even worse, is when you fight them for too long the bits of goo and yuck start getting stuck on you, so you start smelling as bad as the things you are fighting.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The name’s Hermes. No, I'm not “Hermes the magician” Hermes or “Hermes the purse guy” Hermes. I’m Hermes the God of messengers, thieves, and being way cooler than all the other Gods.

This is a story about the time that Hades took a bunch of souls, turned them into revenants, and sent them to my village to get the residents to renounce me and make him their patron. It wasn't exactly a party, though it was still more fun than that time in Troy.

Once upon a time in Arcadia blah blah satyrs, blah blah nymphs, you know the drill, there was a little village near where I grew up called Akakasion. It was small, but my cult there was very understanding, they don’t even talk about the “Incident” or that “Other” time. I was recovering from an unfortunate adventure involving Artemis and Ares and saw a man arrive into the village square dressed in black robes. I immediately pegged him as a Priest of Hades (it's the smell of old death and dirt) even before the cart with the statue of Hades came up behind him, the last bit of daylight fading behind it.

I decided it wasn’t time for me to be seen, so I faded into the crowd that gathered around him as he spoke. “People of Akakasion hear me! I am Argon, Priest of Hades and I bring you your salvation! Hades has chosen your village as the birthplace of his glorious Empire.” The Priest smiled knowingly. “You and your village will be remembered as long as life lasts. All you must do is smash this statue,” and the Priest gestured to the really quite splendid statue of me that was sitting in the center of the square, “and replace it with this statue of Hades, your glorious new Lord who will bring order and peace. You have one hour. If you do not accept your exalted position as servants of my Lord, then you will be consumed by His servants. Choose well.”

The Priest then rode off, leaving the statue at the edge of the square.

Now, before we go any further there’s something you need to know about Hades. He isn't just the King of the Underworld. He's also a major control freak. Though he’d deny it, if you get him drunk enough he'll admit that he thinks this whole “life” thing is a messy mistake and he’d much prefer a world of perfect, unchanging order. Not that I'd EVER do anything like that. With the wine. In the third alcove to the left, where they keep Cerberus’ food. Anyhow. So long story short, this Argon guy really wanted to murder a bunch of villagers.

All I had to do was figure out a way to convince the villagers that Father Spooky McCreeperton didn't have their best interest at heart, come up with a plan, prepare the defenses, and… I hadn't thought of the rest yet.

So I pulled back my “I’m not the God you’re looking for” field and stepped forward. “Hey, I’m Giles, a Priest of Hermes, and I think we need to…“

An old woman interrupted me, “not trust Argon? Agreed. I don’t like the look of him.”

A man walking by chimed in, “Argon? Yeah, what was that about? Did you see his look when he talked about the village being remembered? He might as well have said, ‘because I’m murdering everyone’ and gotten it over with. I think we should get while the getting’s good!”

The old woman shook her head, “No time. We'd try and wander around in the dark and not make a lick of progress while whatever it is that he has planned for us comes a calling. Hey, Giles is it? You have any sway with Athena, maybe? Even Ares would be pretty good!”

I sighed, “I can assure you that Ares will come at some point tonight. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that Athena will be availa…”

Right then a short sword shaped like a throwing dagger flew into the statue of Hades, almost cutting it in half. I turned around and saw the source of the attack. She was tall, wearing a full suit of armor that made her a walking wall of bronze, with a brace of those throwing swords across her back, and a sword almost as tall as I was on top of the brace. She scowled just a little. I straightened up, which meant I was in line with the middle of her chest, “Good evening, ma’am. That’s some very impressive… swordsmanship? Throwing? Landscaping? Name’s Giles, Priest of Hermes.” Her scowl quickly turned into a wide grin. “Priest of Hermes, you say?” She strode forward with jovial determination and gave what can only be described as an ordeal of a hug.

To this day I’m not sure how I, Hermes, feel about being picked up and spun in a hug. After clearing my throat slightly and adjusting my toga, “And you are?”

“Oh, yes. Elpis, Priestess of Ares.” Elpis looked around for a moment and sniffed the air. “He was here, wasn’t he? Argon? What's left of that statue looks like one of his. Come see.”

She walked over to the statue and shifted some of the remains to the side. It almost looked like a sculpted body from the inside, complete with internal organs.

“See, this guy Argon likes to hire mercenaries to kill creatures that turn people to stone. They try, they fail, and he uses their corpses to make statues of Hades. He got my brother and I got the ok to go out looking for him."

I blinked, “You got permission from Ares to go hunt someone?”

Elpis laughed, “Ares? I’m not that much of a hero. I got the ok from Airlea, my… Priestess of Aphrodite.” I nodded knowingly. Women turning to each other for comfort and love wasn't exactly uncommon but it’s important to be subtle.

“Anyhow, what’s up, Giles!?”

“Well, Argon said the villagers had to worship Hades and prove their dedication by putting that statue in the square.” Elpis lightly kicked the pile of rubble at her feet, “This heap of stones?” I sighed, “Yup.”

Elpis put away the throwing sword she used on the statue, drew her great-sword, and started sharpening it. “And he is coming back to kill everyone, right?”

“Yeah. That's the long and short of it.”

Elpis grinned, “So you got a plan or are we going to just wait for the end to come?”

“Well, I was thinking we should dig a trench, fill it with brush, set it on fire, and wait for Argon’s ‘servants’.”

“Oh, revenants? That won’t work at all. If all the ways to their goal are equally bad they'll just push through, fill the trench with their corpses, and kill us all. That is the start of a good idea though.”

Elpis taps her chin thoughtfully and calls over the village elders. After about 5 minutes they came up with a plan. They were going to dig trenches and fill them with fire, the trenches would have a single gap in the front of the town, just like at the Bay of Flowers.

As if timed by fate (dating a Goddess of magic has its perks) the second that the work was finished and Elpis lit the fire, we heard the first cry.

Now, the way you can tell the difference between a revenant and what would be known in a couple thousand years as zombies, is the sound they make. Zombies make a low moan while revenants screech. A lot.

Nature's dead were the first to crash into the line. Rotted wolves, skeletal boars, and misshapen bears, all with glowing red eyes, emerged from the dark of a moonless night charging straight towards the nervous villagers holding sharpened sticks and makeshift shields.

Somehow the line held.

Minutes seemed like hours as the things ran and crashed upon the wall of wood. Elpis smiled and shouted, “Is that all you have, Argon? You are embarrassing yourself!”

It was then that a mighty roar echoed into the distance which was followed by a crashing sound as a gigantic skeletal monster came lumbering towards the line. It had two long curved teeth in the front, enormous feet, what looked like a single eye in the middle of its head, and was easily taller than any mortal... even Elpis.

The Priestess of Ares grinned and turned to me, “Now that’s what I’m talking about! Giles, take the line. I’ve got a date with tall, dark, and bony over there!”

Before I could say anything she sprinted off throwing two of her short swords at the thing’s legs, which caused its charge to slow just enough for Elpis to leap onto first its skull and then its spine, hacking at the magical bonds holding it together. With an ear piercing shriek the thing flailed and bucked wildly in a futile attempt to shake her off.

And then, behind me, I heard a muffled scream.

I whirled around and saw a large tiger skeleton, its huge tusks sunk deep into the throat and lungs of one of the water bearers, killing him instantly. The beast yanked its blood stained teeth out of the poor boy and with a low, grating sound, started to walk towards me. I tried to shout but something stopped me. Something dark. Something immortal. The outer world ceased to exist. It was just the tiger skeleton, Hades’ presence, and I.

Worst threesome ever.

*End of part one*

Q&A with Lillith Threefeathers

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Lillith ThreeFeathers works as a medium, psychic reader, shamanic and alternative healer, writer, and visionary. She has studied dreamwork, shamanic practices, alternative and ceremonial healing, the Toltec Way, and Goddess spirituality for more than 40 years. In addition to shamanic initiations, she has trained as a priestess of Lilith since the Eighties. She is also initiated in Regla de Ocha (Lucumi).

Lillith's new book called Heart of the Elder: Good Elders and Their Influences, co-authored with Joy Marie Wedmedyk was released August 30, 2018 by Megalithica Books, a division of Immanion Press. You can buy it online through Immanion Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Coming soon in ebook.

Q & A with the Author

What kind of Pagan do you identify as?

My worldview is shamanic: I believe in that everything in this beautiful world — every being, person, animal, tree, even places in nature — has spirit and has a reason for existence. We are interconnected, and that interconnectedness continues even after death. My religion is Lucumi.

What is your background that influences your spirituality?

My grandfather was my first teacher, and he gave me a love of nature and nurtured my pagan spirit. When I was 10 years old I began reading any books available about ancient cultures, starting a lifelong fascination. Over the last forty years I have walked both an initiatory and shamanic path seeking to comprehend the world. I studied dreamwork, mediumship,
ceremonies, and various healing methods with Shamans and Elders from North America (including Cuba and Mexico), Australia, Africa, and South America. In addition to shamanic initiations in a number of traditions, I am an initiated priestess of two amazing goddesses: Lilith and Yemaya. I am still amazed by the miracles that arise from interactions with the Divine Ones.

What brought you to study Lilith?

In 1987, I was extremely ill and my doctors told me I had three years to live. Since I had young children, I asked for help to stay alive to raise them. An amazing goddess answered me and changed my life. She was Lilith, but when she appeared, I had no idea who she was. That’s when I began researching her.

You have researched so many paths, what drew you to Lucumi?

I was not drawn to Lucumi so much as lead to it. Many years ago, I began dreaming of a large African man with an infectious grin. As with so many other puzzles, I searched for information on this man, and he turned out to be an Orisha.

Is Lucumi another name for Santeria?

Yes, Santeria is sometimes used to refer to Lucumi, but the term Santeria could also refer to other very different belief systems. It is an umbrella term for many of the African Diaspora Traditions just as the word Christianity is a generalization: it can mean diverse things to different people. Santeria is a nebulous term used for a number of very different traditions that could be considered religious, spiritual or witchcraft and magical practices.

In truth, Santeria is a very controversial term. Many of the followers of the African Diaspora Traditions do not like it because of its historical basis in the slave-master structure. In many places, the slaves could not worship their gods unless they subsumed the practices under the guise of worshiping Catholic saints.

Are there any common misconceptions about Lucumi that you would like to share?

There is the belief that only African Traditional and African Diaspora Religions incorporate animal sacrifice. This ignores the current-day practices of many mainstream religions (such as Islam) and the traditions obviously embedded in Judeo-Christian sacred writings.

These traditions are also believed by some people to be less civilized. Although they have existed continuously for thousands of years, there are some extremely modern beliefs built into
the sacred stories. For instance, the belief in evolution existed as a standard within the civilizations that were plundered for the slave trade all those centuries ago.

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I love it when a student makes the leap to something I have not yet mentioned in class. And that moment when they have a realization about the material, that is what makes teaching great.

About Lillith ThreeFeathers

As a spiritual teacher, Lilith presents workshops and classes on Lilith and other Goddesses, dreaming practices, shamanism, alternative healing practices, healing through ritual, mediumship, the Toltec Way, and religions of the world. She is part of the faculty at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary (also known as the Wiccan Seminary). Follow Lillith’s Blog on Wordpress titled Lillith’s Corner and visit her website Lillith Threefeathers to read more.

Lilliths next class, Myth 170: Introduction to the Orishas for Wiccans, will be starting soon. Visit the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary to enroll now at www.wiccanseminary.edu

The Battle of Arcadia

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Hephaestus was in great pain. It felt like a spear pierced his heart. He clutched his chest and rubbed it, but any relief that gave him was long gone. He felt tears rise and wondered if it was because of the pain or the memory. Maybe both? A word started to come out of his mouth, “A..a..aph” The moment he realized what he was saying he was filled with anger at his lack of control, at his hideousness, at his foolishness. Anger that slammed down the pain, stuffing it deeper and deeper inside him. His face darkened as calloused hands wiped the tears from his face. “PHROURION, COME!”

In an instant Phrourion was next to him. “Sir, it happened again, didn’t it? You need to talk to her, to someone. They are getting more frequent and more severe. I’m sure...” Hephaestus glared at Phrourion, his eyes wide and red, “I’m sure you have forgotten that I can take you apart and rebuild you with a much more compliant personality. Test results." Phrourion nodded, “Yes, sir. Your initial hypothesis was correct. The Arcadian alder and elm are the only trees that will hold up to the transformation process, but I would advise against this course of action. It will result in the near deforestation of Arcadia, leaving Pan homeless.” “I see. That is tragic, but we have no choice. For the good of all I must continue the project. Pan will have to find himself a new home.” Hephaestus turned around, looked at the vast, empty cavern waiting to be filled with machines, and sighed.

“Tragic indeed. Price we pay for progress, I suppose.”

Hephaestus then turned to his mechanical servant. “Phrourion, are all of the other components in place?” “Yes. 20, 000 skinners with a full harvester skillset, partial human mannerisms, and the new ‘no trace’ upgrade are prepared and ready for deployment. We have verified tunnel access from here to Arcadia and the closest cult has seeded the idea of a major temple in honor of Artemis to be built.” Phrourion continued, “We have the forges reconfigured to handle the increased load and heat from the wood essence and the automatons have been upgraded to account for the production increases.” Phrourion sighed, “Once we have the wood from Arcadia we will be able to produce approximately 500 Atlas class automatons per day and be able to maintain that level of production until there are enough for everyone on the planet to have at least two Atlases. Also, the testing of the Atlas automaton has been completed. They are approximately 5 times more effective than any human at any physical task, require minimal maintenance, and could usher in a new world of leisure for the humans.”

Hephaestus nodded. “Outstanding. Begin the process and ready the new ‘Firestarter’ suit with the shadowsteel coating. Wouldn’t want anyone seeing us on our hike, now would we?” It was a quiet and beautiful day. The fields had just enough sun and the woods had a gentle, almost loving quality. Occasionally, even the most spiritually dull might hear a giggle just at the edge of their perception. In other words, a typical day in Arcadia.

The silence was shattered by the sounds of feet, thousands and thousands of feet walking almost in unison. The feet belonged to what looked like a throng of laborers. The only thing they had in common were axes, saws, rope, and dead eyes. When they made it to the trees they began their work, cutting all the trees, large and small, regardless of type. They went on interrupted for five minutes before the problems started. And so it was, far from the eyes of mortals, that the Battle of Arcadia began.

It started with a bellow, from the heart of the woods. It was a shout that could be heard for miles and caused a shudder in the hearts of warriors and farmers alike. The skinners stopped felling trees, looked in the direction of the shout, paused for about a minute, and continued their work. High in one of the trees was the originator of the shout and the lord of this realm, Pan. With gigantic horns that curled under his head he looked first with confusion, then with anger. He had no idea who these humans were, but they would pay for desecrating his home.

Pan leapt down among them to begin his work. Rending one, ramming another, using a third as a club against another five, he was nature incarnate, red in tooth and claw. He realized very quickly that whatever they were, there was nothing human about them. Whenever he damaged one more than a little bit it started to dissolve, its empty eyes always fixed on him as they melted until they were little more than a puddle of mud colored goo. Unfortunately, even with their fragile build there were too many of them. Hundreds and hundreds of skinners continued to come towards him no matter how many he destroyed. Pan was very nearly overwhelmed before he realized he needed to change tactics. He leapt high into a tree far from the skinners, causing them to stop, do a quick scan, and continue their work as if he ceased to exist. As Pan leapt his form changed. Power was replaced by skill, fortitude by cunning. He took the pipes that materialized in his hand and played a song both new and old. A song of warning, a song of enticement, a song for every single living thing in the wild. A call to war.

And so it was that the second wave of the Battle began much like the first one did, with a great noise, only this time it wasn’t Pan’s terrifying shout, it was the wild itself. Wolves, hawks, mighty bears and even small foxes joined the fray. They met the skinners and drove them back with incredible speed. Though many a creature that should have wandered the blessed wood spilled its life blood that day, the number was far smaller than one would think. Except the badgers, but such was the price for the atrocities those fearsome creatures committed. As the tide turned Pan returned to what was rapidly turning into a slaughter.

“HEPHAESTUS! HEPHAESTUS! I KNOW YOU ARE HERE!

COME OUT AND FACE ME OR LEAVE MY HOME!”

Immediately after the last word came out of his mouth the air crackled with the smell of burning and a gigantic shape materialized in front of him. It was a monstrosity of metal and fire, 15 feet tall with a skull shaped head and nozzles on the shoulders and on top of the arms. A voice boomed out, “Pan, it’s you who must leave. You are standing in the way of the common good. Move on or be removed.” Hephaestus punctuated his last word with a gout of black and green flame from all the nozzles at once. Pan readied himself for the fight of his life, but he paused…sensing something. He looked at Hephaestus with a piercing gaze and his eyes widened in horror, “Hephaestus… when was the last time you talked to someone not made of metal?”

“SHUT UP AND FIGHT ME OR LEAVE!”

“It was when you caught them together wasn’t it? You… you’re hurt. Seeing them like that, it twisted you somehow. I think we need another guest to this party, APHRO...” It was about then that Hephaestus, lost in his rage and pain, rushed forward and punched Pan in the gut with enough force to crush stone. This forced Pan back quickly, but Hephaestus was faster, hammering Pan with punches and barely missing him with streams of nightfire and yet Pan still tried to say the name until he was almost totally beaten, and Hephaestus stood over him, ready to deliver the final blow. “And so it is, Pan, that the age of the wild ends and the age of progress begins. Goodbye.” Hephaestus raised his fist for the final strike and the blow landed… on Phrourion as he jumped in the way to intercept the blow. This gave Pan the extra time he needed to say one word…”APHRODITE”

At that point everything stopped as the smell of roses permeated the entire area. Hephaestus dropped to his knees clutching his chest, the psychic wound to his heart making any movement impossible. This was the scene that Aphrodite arrived to. Pan glared at her, filled with anger. “You... you... look around you. Look at what your flitting about has done. Look at the consequences of the failure to perform your duties, Goddess of Love.” Aphrodite, tall with dark hair piled up on her head, glorious in her majesty, looked around nonchalantly. “I’m not sure what you mean. I wield no fire. I created no machine. This is the doing of that… thing on the ground. Take your anger to him if you must.“ Pan’s gaze intensified, “Look closer, at his chest.“

Aphrodite walked closer to Hephaestus, glared at his chest and sniffed with distain. “It looks like someone couldn’t handle the truth. He should get someone to help him with that. That someone would be me, but I don’t associate with broken freaks who don’t know their place.” With a graceful motion Aphrodite kicked him in the head and spit on his face when he crashed to the ground, the skull helmet rolling off, causing hot tears to spill onto the ground. She then looked over at Pan. “Leave him. His toys are as shattered as his resolve. He won’t trouble anyone anymore.” Pan nodded and faded back into the woods as Aphrodite vanished in a cloud of sexy fog leaving Hephaestus to writhe in the middle of the field alone. That is, until a wind swept through and a new shape materialized next to Hephaestus.

It was doe eyed Hera who rushed to him. “Hephy, honey, what happened here? It’s ok, dear, let me look at you.” Hera then looked him up and down and gasped in horror. “Sweetie, oh no, no, no. Here, let me take care of this.” She then put her hands upon his chest and concentrated for a moment sealing the wound as it was at the intersection of love and marriage. She then touched the Firestarter suit, causing it to fade away and took Hephaestus in her arms, as his sobbing became quiet and he returned to normal. “Don’t worry honey, Momma’s gonna make everything ok. Don’t you worry about that woman, we’re going to deal with her later. We need to get you back home and finish fixing you up. And you need a new assistant, one of flesh and blood. I know just the girl. Now, now, don’t look at me like that. You can trust Momma. It’s gonna be ok,“ Hera said as they both faded into nothing, leaving only angry eyes at the edge of the wood.

Understanding and Working with Tyr

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Understanding and Working with Týr

The Norse God of Justice and Fairness

THE TALE OF TÝR

The deities of the Norse pantheon received portents of the end of the world which they called Ragnarök, a time when the Gods themselves would be destroyed, and so they bound the dark players in Ragnarök in one form or another for the sake of self-preservation. The World Serpent Jörmungandr was sent to the Earth’s (aka Midgard’s) ocean and Hel was sent to the Underworld, however Fenrir, wolf-son of the Norse trickster god Loki, was so fearsome that they decided he must be raised by the Æsir themselves. Týr was the only God not afraid of feeding Fenrir and so became his caretaker.

Fenrir grew into an ever more fearsome beast, so the gods attempted to bind him in various types of chains, but Fenrir broke all of these chains. The only way Fenrir could be bound was by a chain made of things that do not exist, such as the sound of a cat’s footsteps, the breath of a fish, and the spittle of a bird. Only a chain made of impossibility would be impossible for Fenrir to break.

Fenrir, when presented with the chain, suspected deception and would not allow himself to be chained without a sacrifice – a gesture of good faith. The only God brave enough to make this sacrifice was Týr, and so Týr gave his right hand in sacrifice to bind Fenrir.

Týr’s courage, bravery, and willingness toward sacrifice is what makes him a warrior, however he is a warrior with a strong inclination to justice. Týr’s sacrifice is an attempt to save the Gods and make right the deceptions attempted on Fenrir. While Týr is a warrior of fairness and justice, he is decidedly “not a peacemaker.” Týr is a warrior who embodies the “use of proper force.” In this sense, he is a strategic warrior.

Týr is depicted as the most serious of all the gods, not lending himself to fun or folly. He takes his role with the utmost seriousness and any amount of time spent in his presence will make that abundantly clear.

THE RUNE OF TÝR: ↑ TIWAZ ↑

The Tiwaz (↑) rune is an important aspect of the God Týr. Edred Thorsson attributes Tiwaz to three different aspects of a mystery, “justice, war, and world column.” He states that Tiwaz is most especially the force of “divine order in the multiverse, and especially of mankind.”

In this mystery, the outcome of war is closely related to “numinous forces in conjunction with physical ones.” In other words, the warrior or army with the most magickal power and greatest understanding of the mysteries will win, granted supremacy by Ørlӧg, which is the overarching force of fate in the multiverse.

The “world column” is that which separates the spiritual from the physical and keeps order. This separation must be maintained to avoid the “destruction” of all things. Tiwaz denotes the importance of discipline in a true warrior, specifically “spiritual discipline.” Tiwaz is what brings people together in fairness and balance and maintains justice.

Unfortunately, many Norse symbols have been co-opted by various hate groups both past and present, including the SS in Nazi Germany and some current white supremacy groups. The Tiwaz rune is one of them. Display the symbol if you will, but be aware that it may attract some negative attention or attract a type of crowd you’d rather not be involved with.

The other thing to note about the Tiwaz rune and Týr in general is that it will occasionally appear in insignias for law enforcement, military, and tactical training companies due to its association with the warrior archetype and a sense of justice.

WORKING WITH TÝR: A SERIOUS ENDEAVOUR

Týr does not take the concept of justice and fairness lightly. If you’re going to ask for Týr’s help in a legal battle or a dispute with someone, it is important to be absolutely sure that your cause, your side of things is justified. If you ask for Týr’s help in winning a case where you are clearly in the wrong, you’re asking for trouble. Týr is not about underhanded deals, so asking him to help you with your dirty work is folly.

Working with Týr, you’ll notice very quickly that he has a very commanding, even intimidating presence. Týr is a God of sacred oaths, and he doesn’t take kindly to those oaths being broken. If you wish to work with Týr, and conversely, if Týr wishes to work with you, he will ask that you make and fulfill an oath to him in exchange for his assistance in your working. I cannot stress enough, DO NOT make an oath to Týr that you cannot keep. Know the consequences, both positive and negative, of the oath you wish to make. It’s wise to not set the bar too high for yourself, as failing Týr can have negative consequences for your workings and your life in general. Most other deities in many pantheons have something of a sense of humour and can be forgiving; Týr is not one of those deities. Take care in working with him, and if you yourself are just, fair, and honorable, he may be of great help to you.

Come to Hekate's Sickle Festival and meet Tyr for yourself!

Registration is open through October 14th!

SOURCES

[1] The Poetic Edda. Lokasenna, stanza 38-39. Translation by Jackson Crawford. 2015.

[2] Eyvindr Skáldaspillir. Hákonarmál, stanza 20.

[3] Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Translation by Rasmus B. Anderson. Pg 30, 34-36.

[4] Tyr and Justice, One Heathen’s Viewpoint. Jordsvin. 2008.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jordsvin/Paths%20To%20The%20Gods/Tyr%20and%20Justice.htm

[5] Tyr. Daniel McCoy.
https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/the-aesir-gods-and-goddesses/tyr/

[6] The Binding of Fenrir. Daniel McCoy.
https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-binding-of-fenrir/

[7] Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic. Edred Thorsson. (pp 53-54) Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. 1984.

Rumors, Gossip, and Juicy Stories All Around...

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

We have been told that rumors are ugly and we shouldn't listen to them. But, there's something in the human psyche that believes that maybe this isn't a rumor. We think "Maybe I need to know so I can protect myself." This fear-based thinking is why rumors are so effective in destroying good people.

Who starts rumors anyway? Jealousy starts rumors. People, who tried and failed and don't want to see another succeed. Why would they want to keep another from succeeding? Because it's sure proof that they were a failure. That kind of shame is hard to take. It's painful to face failure. But, we all fail. To fail is human. Your character is not defined in your failure, it's defined in what you do AFTER your failure. To spread lies about your competition defines your character. To look for ways to impede another's progress defines your character. To get behind those with better ideas and help them succeed where you did not defines your character as well.

One thing is for sure: it's a character flaw to try to prevent another from succeeding just because you didn't. Jealousy is ugly and it makes people do ugly things.

When I was appointed Archpriestess, and I heard the absolute lies being spread about me I asked, "Pete, are they really just going to make up lies about me?" He said, "Yes, that's exactly what they will do. Just ignore it. Stay focused on the work." I was aghast, but he was right. Jealousy makes people do horrible things.

When you hear unkind things about others in the community, think about the character of the person telling the story. Why would they share unkindness? Think about the character of the person being talked about. How must they feel? Do not participate in hurting someone else because you heard "a rumor." If you're truly concerned, do some research and find out for yourself. Ask the person directly. But don't allow your character to become tarnished over someone else's jealous lies.

Whenever you see people hating on others, ask yourself why they are putting their energy into that hate, and then get the hell away from it. Don't take it as true. This is the way good people are destroyed, and our community suffers from it. Pagan leaders are under a microscope everyday. Remember, good people are the target of hate. Remember, they killed Kennedy, they killed MLK. Those who do not want change try to hurt people who are actively making a change towards the positive. Jealous people do horrible things, and lies are easily told, and spread quickly among people that have nothing better to do.

Bittersweet SMF(ony)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 14 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Just over a week ago was the Lammas Monologues at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (#GODCON). This event is an opportunity to honor the Gods by showing off our talents, particularly the talents of invoking. It is also (essentially) the auditions for the festivals that the ATC puts on.

And this year was the first year I have attended and not presented a monologue. I’m feeling a little conflicted.

On the one hand, it was so amazing to get to watch everyone else strut their stuff. We have some amazingly talented people in our Church! And I didn’t have to come up with a costume, or worry about what I was going to say, or deal with performance anxiety. It was awesome!

On the other hand, I actually enjoy performing – the rush, the audience reaction, and being the center of attention for just a short time. I even received a message in my morning meditation while I was there, and had no way to really share it. Talk about bittersweet.

And… I chose this. Last year took a lot out of me. I pushed myself to exhaustion. I know I need a break. I also know that other people need the opportunity to shine, to learn these lessons and mysteries and step into their own power.

So why am I sad?

I’m not even fully stepping away from Spring Mysteries. I’m still the ritual director, which means I still have to go to rehearsals, and I’m very much involved. It will be easier to focus on directing when I am not also playing a role. I can work on liaising with the technical crew. I don’t have to memorize any lines.

Logically, it is a great choice. It makes a ton of sense. Yet my heart is still a little heavy. Performing and invoking facilitating ritual experiences for people is like a drug. I want more.

I’ll still be doing some of that. And I will get to witness and experience the Mysteries in a way I haven’t for seven years.

Will you join me at Spring Mysteries ? And Hekate’s Sickle Festival ?

Blessings,

Mary

Mary Malinski is a 3rd Degree Priestess in the ATC Tradition, the High Priestess of the Circle of the Sacred Muse, and the Maiden of ATC Canada. She is also a Life Coach, and professor at the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary .

This article was originally posted on Mary's website, Walks Within .

Global Wiccan Summit - Getting Ready

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 31 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This article was originally posted on The Daily Spell, a Sister Site and the online hub for the Correllians.

I'm so excited for the upcoming Global Wicca Summit. Witches from all over the world will be getting together todiscuss changing times and how it effects our religious beliefs and practices.

In the 30 years that I've been practicing witchcraft, I have seen many things change. We are a brilliant spectrum of magical beings, each of us unique, with different views and emphasis, different perspectives and priorities. While it is human nature to want people to believe and think the same way you do, the variety of our perceptions strengthens us within Wicca. Our uniqueness, when bound together with a common purpose, creates a web much stronger than the individual strands of which is is composed.

The Global Wicca Summit seeks to bring us together to discuss the different needs of Wiccans all around the world. What is happening in Africa is much different than what is happening in the US, and Europe. Italy is different From Illinois. Each of us has needs and hopes for our future. It is our goal to discuss these needs, and see if we can emerge with a new Global perspective that will allow us as a people to both understand the needs of each other, so we can work towards fulfilling those needs.

As Wicca emerges into a Global religion, our needs have changed. Maybe our purpose must change. That which knocked on our doors waking us up on the 60's, 70's, and 80's has been addressed. We have woken up. We have brought the Goddess back into the light. We have created institutions. We have thrived. Yet our world has new needs today. What good can come of our movement? What is next?

Now as we embark into a new era of cooperation, we are capable of tackling some new issues. Let's discuss what they are and hear with compassionate ears, the needs and concerns of our brothers and sisters.

Here is a list of today's issues, that we face together. It is by no means comprehensive. Do you have topics you feels are important that need to be addressed by the Global Wiccan Summit? Add your thoughts in the Comments.

Environmental Concerns
Social Acceptability, legal acceptability – The Broom Closet: who's in there and why
Gender Issues – Fluidity and Androgyny
Traditional Wicca v/s Modern Wicca
Underground Wiccan Traditionalists
Online training v/s in person training
Job Generation and finding employment for our people
Money in the Craft
Are the Laws still relevant? Do they need to be revised? Should Wiccan Law be a living Document?
Should we do Spells and Magic?
What is the difference between witchcraft and Wicca?
Church or Coven?
Sex in the Craft – Polyamory and Lifestyle, Sexually Transmitted Degrees
Secrecy - Do we need it?
Dealing with our deceased Elders and documenting our growing history
Witch wars and working together
Witchcraft in different countries, what problems do you face?
What does the Wiccan public need from Priesthoods today?

The Global Wicca Summit will be a Teleconference, focused on the central question and theme “Wicca as a Global Faith”. The Global Wicca Conference will be a conversation using transmedia tools, to share and collaborate on understanding our Wiccan community.

Global Wicca Summit will have a central hub on www.Thedailyspell.com/GWS

Kleptes: The Thief Of Aphrodite

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Report to: Akkad of Troy, servant of the King of Kings

From: Ariamnes of Opis, Scribe

After many trials and travails, I've found the descendant of the man we know only as “Kleptes.” For a fee, the young man was happy to tell me all about the story of his ancestor, and even provided evidence. The story below wasn't cheap, but hopefully it will please our master. Also, I need a new robe, a belt, and a coin purse. There is still more than a little bit of larceny in the line of Kleptes.

***

Aphrodite stood before the statue with a small frown on her face, her left hand tapping one of the many gold bracelets on her right wrist. She couldn't help but notice that the statue was a nice likeness. It would be perfect if that damned king hadn't decided to cover it in those stupid bronze chains. She resolved he would suffer some serious consequences, right as she heard a sound in the back of the temple.

A mortal wouldn't have heard a thing, but she was no mortal, and could detect even the faintest of sounds, especially in her temple. She saw a dark shape creeping towards her statue. Eros, standing next to her, readied the one arrow that Apollo gave him in case of serious blasphemy, but Aphrodite held him back.

“Hold on, dear. I want to see what his is doing.”

Like a cat, the black figure danced back and forth, moving from shadow to shadow. He avoided the bells that were there to alert the guards as if he put them there himself. He made it to the statue with ease, and with a wink to the statue, set out what looked like a large skin with a small hollow reed in it.

He then proceeded to blow into the skin, and it began to increase in size like a gigantic balloon. He put what looked like a bit of tree sap in the small hollow reed.

Aphrodite's face lit up with joy and surprise as she realized what his plan was, and giggled gleefully.

Once the skin was filled up to about a foot tall, the man set to work. Starting at the bottom and working up, he picked each of the locks for the chains, gently lowering each chain onto the skin at the base of the statue. Once he was done, he wrapped each chain in a blanket, put it in his backpack, let the air out of the skin, and packed everything back into his now rather full bag.

He then looked at the statue, smiled, and gave it a quick peck on the cheek. “Well, it's been fun, but I gotta run. You're fun, but your chaperones are real buzz kills.”

Kleptes turned around just in time to see Aphrodite standing between him and the temple door, and say, “Leaving so soon?”

“Oh, why hello there, ma'am. I didn't realize the temple was closed, must have gotten lost on the way to the forum. You know, it's good that you chose to be a priestess of Aphrodite, as you really have the look down. Now if you will excuse me I really must be...”

As he talked, Kleptes started easing away from the Goddess, planning on getting just enough distance to bolt. The second he turned around, Eros was right in front of him, with an arrow knocked and pointed straight at his chest.

“You should look closer, mortal. She isn't a priestess of Aphrodite, she IS Aphrodite.”

“Ah. So..wow. Okay. Aphrodite. Uh huh. Yeah,” Kleptes said, as he turned to face the Goddess.

“What were you doing in my temple, mortal?” Aphrodite asked, as she slowly walked closer, her hips swaying hypnotically.

Eros cleared his throat. “This might be a good time to be honest as well as eloquent. And it might be smart to introduce yourself as well.”

The man nodded, “Kleptes. My name is Kleptes. Well, my Lady, it is basically what it looks like. Your statue looked like a display for the local smith, and I thought that wasn't right, so here we are.”

Aphrodite stopped about half a step from him, just enough so that he could feel her presence, but not so close as to be too inviting. “Why, Kleptes? Why did you care?”

Kleptes blinked, “Because nobody deserves to be in chains, even symbolic ones.”

Aphrodite furrowed her exquisite brow, “So, you had no wish, no desire. You did it because you thought it right? But you must want something.”

“I did it more because of the confluence of ethics, aesthetics, and the challenge of the task than anything. Now, I really must be going, my Lady. I’m surprised that the guards haven’t heard us already.”

Aphrodite waved her hand dismissively, “They cannot hear us unless I want them to hear us. Now, don’t change the subject. Even though you didn’t ask for anything, I’m feeling indulgent. Tell me what you want, and as long as it isn’t too awful, I will grant it. I insist.” Her eyes watched him expectantly.

Kleptes thought for a moment, nodded, and extended his hand. “As you wish. I would like, if it isn’t too much to ask, to kiss your perfect hand.”

The Goddess smiled broadly, the smile just a touch off balance, and took his hand. “A good request, and one that I will happily grant, mortal.”

Kleptes moved to kiss her hand in the most appropriate way possible, which actually meant that he would kiss his own thumb, and yet, right before his lips made contact, she shifted just a touch so that he kissed her right on the top of her hand. He attempted to release her hand abruptly, but she held on for about half a second longer.

When she let go as well, Kleptes looked away and cleared his throat. “Well, it’s been quite pleasant but I really must be going. The whole ‘in your temple late at night illegally thing’.” He then turn around, and was face to face with Aphrodite, her arms folded, mouth slightly pursed, and one eyebrow arched. She then extended her hand to him with her palm up.

Kleptes sighed, realizing he was caught, and returned the small gold bracelet he'd lifted from her when he had her hand in his to kiss it.

Aphrodite held the bracelet and smiled. “Hmm. Well, I can’t exactly be too upset with you. You did see the error of your ways, after all. Besides, I think I might have a need of someone with your particular talents. I would like you to serve me. If you agree, I promise you that you will end up happy beyond belief. That is...”

Aphrodite released the bracelet, and it rang like a bell throughout the entire temple when it hit the ground, gaining the attention of every guard within a solid mile.

“If you survive."

Then she, Eros, and the bracelet, all faded into nothing.

Mythology 419: Hekatean Devotion and Magic in the Hellenic Age

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

As a rather new follower of Hekate , I am constantly reading about the Queen of All Witcheries and delving into Her great mysteries while excitedly sharing my journey with others. Most recently, I began writing about my spiritual journeys with Her on social media sites like Facebook and Wordpress, soon after I started moderating a modern Hekate online group for Her followers called The Witches’ Realm and was accepted as an attendant for Her online shrine Temple of Hekate with The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC). Once I began writing about Her more and more doors to Her mysteries started to open for me, and behind one of those doors was an invitation to attend Mythology 419: Hekatean Devotion and Magic in the Hellenic Age as an online guest student of the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary , a state recognized Wiccan Ministry, in exchange for writing about my course experience. Of course I had to accept the offer because I never say no to Hekate, the Ancient Mother has been calling me for a long time, long before I ever knew Her name.

A Key to Her Mysteries

The purpose of the course was to teach how ancient Hellenic Greeks celebrated Hekate in hopes of unraveling some of the mysteries behind Her true origins for the student seeking to know more. In a world where information is at our fingertips we can be assured some of that information is opinion rather than historical praxis and Myth 419 aims to help separate praxis from opinion with this eight week long course. I didn’t exactly know what I was going to learn from this course other than the usual historical rhetoric so I was very open-minded going in. What I learned was way more than I could have ever imagined and I can honestly say after eight weeks of only one class a week I am confident I have gained yet another key to Her Mysteries and I highly recommend this course to anyone who wishes to know Hekate on a much deeper level.

Bronze tablet (3rd century AD) from Pergamon invoking Melinoë along with Persephone and Leucophryne; the three goddesses pictured are labeled as Dione, Phoebe, and Nyche

Unlocking Sacred Writings

The class was held over Skype each Thursday night hosted by course instructor Jack Grayle, an attorney by profession. He has studied ancient Hellenic devotional and magical practices for years and leads a regular Prairie Moon Ritual that is open to the public throughout the year in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. At 7pm sharp PST Jack welcomed everyone to the group and wasted no time getting right to his lecture. For the next hour my head was spinning at the sheer amount of knowledge and experience this instructor had in regards to the topic of Hekate in Hellenic times . Our extensive reading list included sective writings from sources such as Hesiod’s Theogony, the Greek Magical Papyri (PGM), Voces Magicae, and the Orphic Hymns, and even modern writings from authors such as Aleister Crowley, Doreen Valiente, and Sarah Iles Johnston . Jack’s lecture was 60 minutes of non-stop information, inspiration, and occasional entertainment. At the end of that very first class I knew I would indeed learn more than I ever possibly could studying on my own. Without skipping a beat Jack issued us our first assignment, “who is Hekate to you”.

Protective Phylactery assignment using the ‘Ephesian letters’ of Voces Magicae

Making Hekate More Accessible

The assignments were no ordinary assignments, Jack’s assignments gave us the option to submit the work in writing or create a piece of artwork that embodies the assignment subject matter. Having the option to choose either a written or a hands-on assignment submission assured that visual learners would have an equal opportunity for course assignment success! Not to mention the entire class materials required were just modelling clay and paint, paper and pen, and a $3 whirligig. The instructor provided all the course reading material as well, so as you can see, this course wasn’t going to break the bank with textbooks and class supplies like most college and university courses. The course outline, reading material, and assignments were all outlined for us right from the start, so if you were a keener you could read ahead and submit your assignments early. I liked that I could see what was coming next so I could at least prepare my schedule and determine how much time I needed to complete each assignment.

At No Extra Cost

We wrote hymns and rituals, we learned how to invoke deities using Godface , we drew sigils, we crafted ritual tools like a whirligig Strapholos and we even made a Cerberus out of clay. With Jack’s thorough and in-depth lectures we couldn’t possibly ask for more information to better prepare us for our assignments, but wait, there’s more. After every class Jack stayed online for any questions we might have and more often than once we ended up chatting another full hour! The instructor was thrilled with our enthusiasm to learn and we were just as thrilled with his engagement and knowledge in the course material. With a week between each assignment and with Jack’s expertise we were more than prepared for each assignment and I enjoyed each and every one of them.

Whirligig Strapholos assignment

Priceless Precious Information

At the end of this 8 week course I gained not only knowledge but understanding. If you’ve ever tried to read the PGM you’ll know what I mean. It’s one thing to be able to read and regurgitate information, but a true teacher teaches you how to understand that information assuring that it will be with you forever. I can not possibly recall All the information Jack gave us, but that’s why he suggested taking notes, and I did. I have pages and pages of notes to look back on and if I didn’t feel I took enough notes all the classes were recorded so we could go back and listen to the lecture again. Not to mention all the great reading material Jack gave us access to. Did I mention the reading material? I did, because that’s pure gold right there in itself, it’s worth mentioning a few times.

PGM IV. 2708-84

A Very Rewarding Result

Getting back to the purpose of the course and that first assignment, “who is Hekate to you?” The course Myth 419: Hekatean Devotion and Magic in the Hellenic Age has opened my eyes to a new understanding of Hekate and each class strengthened my connection with Her as I learned of the ancient Hellenic traditions of Her devotees. I can now confidently apply these most cherished ancient traditions in my modern Hekatean practice . I learned how vital a role she played in the devotion and practice of Her followers and still see that today in devotees who call out Her many names throughout time, history, and all across the lands. Before this course I viewed Hekate as simply the Triple Faced Goddess, the Mother, Maiden, and Crone, and the Goddess of the sky, earth, and sea. Now She is much more to me; She is Selene of the Moon, She is Artemis the huntress, She is Aphrodite in love spells for attraction, and She is the All Mother. Her many epithets and attributes span worldwide and can be found in most every religion and pagan practise. She is the Great Mother and I am fortunate to be in Her service and listen to Her words.

“Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis; Astarte; Diana; Melusine; Aphrodite; Cerridwen; Dana; Arianrhod; Isis; Bride; and by many other names.”

xXxGypsy

You can take this class by registering for WiccanSeminary.EDU today!

Excerpt in quotations is from T he Charge of the Goddess  by Doreen Valiente, printed here with permission under the  Creative Commons License of the D oreen Valiente Foundation . The use of this excerpt does in no way suggest the licensor endorses me or my use of the material.

Watch for Jack Grayle’s book, "The Hekateon", which will be published by  IXAXAAR this Winter 2018.

The opinions and ideas of this article are solely that of the author GypsyC and and are not a direct representation of the views of any individuals or organizations mentioned here. This material is for educational purposes only.

The Children Need A Hero

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Times have come upon us that we never thought we would see in America. Families are being torn apart, and children are being put in cages. The inhumane treatment of the people, ANY people, is against everything for which America stands. This cannot be ignored, condoned, or tolerated in any way. Not on the planet, and especially NOT IN AMERICA!

America and a whole bunch of children need a superhero! Not one that flies, or has superhuman strength, but one that has a superhuman heart and superhuman willpower. That superhero is you!

The time has come to fight for your freedom. They have told us all our lives that “Freedom isn’t Free” and it isn’t. It asks for more than money. It asks for time, attention, courage, sweat, emotions, and sometimes more. We need to stand together as Superheroes to those who cannot fight for themselves. Stand up now, and do what it takes to take this country back.

The Great Mother needs your help to bring her children home to their parents. We’ve made a list of places where you can join the fight for freedom. Now is the time. Here is the place. The stakes have never been higher. Do it NOW!

RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) provide free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas. They are dedicated to representing immigrant children and reuniting them with their families.

The Florence Project is an Arizona-based nonprofit that provides free services to detained adults and unaccompanied children facing removal from Arizona.

Al Otro Lado is providing critical assistance to refugees, including infants and unaccompanied minors coming from Tijuana, Mexico.

Contact Your Elected Officials
Your call does make a difference – their assistants take down your call and your note, and the reps see them.

To find your rep, go to this website.

Once you have their name, you can find their number here.

Spring Mysteries New Opportunity - Serving in the Eleusinian Temples

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Often the staff and cast of the Spring Mysteries Festival have spoken of the Third Degree Initiations. First Degree is attained your first year, going through the Lesser Mysteries. Second is attained in your second year, when you attend the Greater Mysteries.

The Third Degree Initiation is attained when you join cast and staff. Running this festival is joyous, difficult, and worth it. Nothing worth having is easy to get.

Beginning this year in Spring Mysteries Festival 2019 , we will open up some of the Cast and Staff Traditions to the festival goers. Those previously and currently in the temples of Eleusis have had such beautiful experiences and revelations, and the Eleusinian Priesthood is ecstatic to announce the opening of registration for rituals and opportunities to serve the gods before and after the SMF weekend!

This year you have the option of coming early (on Wednesday) and being dedicated to a Temple as a Devotee of the God of your choice. These are on a first come, first serve basis. Opportunities will disappear from registration as Temples fill up spaces. Guests arriving Thursday will still get to participate in Temple services, but will choose from what is still available.

What will you get to do as a Temple Devotee ? Other than helping to set up the shrine and caring for the needs of the Gods as they incarnate into the physical, you may participate in cleansing rituals and preparing the Vessel. Each God has different needs. You will learn of these needs and have opportunities to assist.

You can also choose to stay Sunday night, help breakdown camp, and participate in the two rituals we hold Sunday afternoon and Evening - Closing of the Telesterion Drum Circle and the Traditional Offering Fire.

Space is limited in Temples, so make sure you register soon to serve the temple of your choice!

Temples and Duties

Athena - Athena's Temple oversees the workshops and special guests. Serving for Athena's temple means helping set up workshops, ensure all workshop presenters have everything they need at the time of their workshop, and ensuring our Special Guests have transport to the event and are taken care of during the entire event as well.

Aphrodite - Aphrodite's shrine is the busiest on site, naturally! Setting up her shrine is a very large task and needs all the help it can garner. You may also be asked to check the shrine for supplies and orderliness throughout the event.

Apollo - Those who serve in Apollo's Temple help with stage management. Changing/preparing scenes and props in Apollo Theater is the major duty, and devotees may be asked to be extras in the production.

Ares - The Temple of Ares oversees the onsite security. Those who volunteer as security, if it is needed, are seen as valued members of Ares' Temple

Artemis - The Temple of Artemis oversees the Children's Shrine and Youth Rite of Passage Ritual. Those assisting with the Temple of Artemis will help plan and execute the YROP Ritual

Demeter - Demeter's Temple is in charge of making sure we have delicious and healthy food filled with love to feed to Her children at Her Holy City

Hades - Those who serve Hades make up the Tech crew. Tech takes care of lights and sound and ritual setup - they move in the darkness of the Underworld unseen, but never unappreciated.

Hekate - Devotees of the Dark Goddess help with the Greater Mysteries - You can only volunteer for this temple once you yourself have attended the Greater Mysteries, as we do not want to break any oaths.

Hephaestus - Devotees of Hephaestus care for the merchants, making sure the Merchant Hall runs well, the merchants have what they need, and that the ATCStore is adequately staffed.

Hera - Hera's Temple oversees the erection of all the shrines. If a God doesn't have help, you may be asked to assist them. Also, you may be asked to assist in wedding and marriage blessing rites if they occur.

Hermes - Those who serve the Temple of Hermes welcome our festival-goers at Registration, helping pilgrims find their way to their bunks, smoothing the transition into Eleusis and assist in making arrival fun and efficient. Chariot drivers are included in the Temple of Hermes, helping the disabled get from place to place during the rites.

Hestia - The Temple of Hestia is focused on hospitality. Making sure guests, especially VIPs, are comfortable and have any special needs met is the primary concern. Hestia's dedicants make sure they get their bedding, driving them from Waterway House to their workshops, and anything else special guests might need.

Pan - Since Pan hosts the best Parties, attendants serving his Temple will be asked to help ensure the Mystai party is fun and is set up, fully stocked with provided supplies, and cleaned up afterwards. He also provides Jacks during the festival (runners, go-fors, tappies).

Persephone - The Temple of Persephone plans and executes the reception at the beginning of Greaters, setting up food, handing it out, and planning/providing entertainment.

Poseidon - The Temple of Poseidon is? for all of you beautiful Sea Priests and Priestesses that assist in Parade to the Sea, both dry and wet!

Zeus - The Temple of Zeus helps deal with Site issues, such as reporting problems with the buildings or grounds that might interfere with pilgrims experience.

Make sure you don't miss out on serving the temple you long to be in!

Register today!

Hekate Ritual Oil - Flying Ointment to Aid Your Astral Travel

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Circle of the Sacred Muse 's herbal alchemist, Gypsy Cece, delicately concocts traditional Unguentum Pharelis (flying ointment), using knowledge gathered through extensive research on ancient witches flying oils. Her deadly nightshade ointments are carefully crafted over a seven day period, following specific moon cycles. This ensures that they will effectively induce a deep, relaxing, meditative state, to assist your travels to the crossroads and back again with ease. Her flying ointment was such a hit when first introduced in 2017 at Hekate’s Sickle Festival (a popular pagan event held by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church in the US), that numerous requests were made to purchase the ointment after the festival. To save her pagan brothers and sisters from steep shipping costs from Canada to the US, GypsyC agreed to make her ointments available at the ATC’s store Wiccan Cauldron .

To get the most benefit out of this ointment, use a cotton swab to apply a small dab or drop to pulse points (like your wrists and inner elbows, as well as your third eye [forehead] and soles of your feet), about 20 minutes prior to beginning your meditation ritual.

Do NOT get it inside bodily orifices, use on external areas only!

This ointment works well for most astral travel meditations, but is specifically charged to work with Hekate. Tune in to your favorite flying mediation, grab your feather for focus, light your candle, close your eyes, and feel your body be stilled as you travel to the underworld, through the veil, and beyond. When you return from your journey, you won’t feel tired from your trip, but rather invigorated, energized, and maybe even a little frisky from the flight!

Caution: Not for internal use. Do not ingest. Avoid eyes, mouth, and genitals. Avoid if pregnant or nursing. May interfere with heart and blood pressure medication including daily aspirin therapy. Some plants used contain alkaloids and atropines that can interfere with your medication and aggravate allergies. If a rash occurs discontinue use and wash affected area with a mild soap and water. If irritation persists or accidental ingestion occurs see a Doctor or contact your local poison control center. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Contents: Flying ointment (0.08oz coconut oil vial, 0.25oz balm tin or 0.50oz balm tin), information booklet with flying chant, feather, tea light, and organza bag (random colors).

Pricing: Vegan Oil Vials 0.08oz - $15, Animal Fat Balm Tins 0.25oz - $20, Animal Fat Balm Tins 0.50oz - $25 (USD)

Ingredients: Pork Fat/lipids in the tin / Coconut oil in the vegan vial, Artemisia v., American mandrake (Mayapple), milk thistle, blue vervain, boswellia, potentilla erectus, balm of Gilead and benzoin (preservatives), and a few other organic ingredients.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

About Gypsy Cece: Cece Pitts Henderson (GypsyC) is a shadow witch, energy healer, and intuitive empath of French Basque and Yemini Gypsy ancestry. She uses all the elements of nature and spiritual energy in the crafting of her potions, ointments, bath teas, and other pagan ritual items. She forages her mountain view property in Vancouver Island, BC, for a variety of flowers, berries, and roots, that provide her with a wild and wonderful mix of crafting supplies. As a lifetime dedicant to Hekate and Wiccan Priestess with the Aquarian Tabernacle Church of Canada’s Circle of the Sacred Muse, Gypsy has big plans to grow her apothecary in honor of the Great Mother and bring all Her dark essences to life!

*The product and information above is for entertainment purposes only and does not replace medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner. Cece Pitts Henderson, the ATC, Wiccan Cauldron, Circle of the Sacred Muse, and all affiliates make no guarantees regarding the results or reactions of this product. Use at your own discretion. When in doubt, go without.

Dance of Pele'

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 18 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Her heat, she burns bright!
Changing her home to fit her needs.
Watch her as she strikes her match for light
Her energy increases as she feeds.

Bursting forth with flames of red
To celebrate her life
A crown of fire around her head
Breaking free from chains and strife.

Happily she does her dance
Happy now she's free.
moving, swaying, she takes a chance,
She now can live authenticity.

Flowing, winding, Burning a path
Into the ocean she flows
Sculpting ways for future life
Trust the secrets that she knows.

(Credit for this beautiful artwork goes to Adrien Le Coz at ArtStation )

The Judgment Of Paris: Prequel

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 18 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Author’s Note:

The below story gives more background on my previous rendition of The Judgment of Paris. It is a dialog between Paris and his first wife, Oenone. In order for the month before The Judgment to make sense, you have to know a bit about Oenone. In mythology, she was a mountain nymph who lived on Mount Ida, and Paris' first wife. She learned the art of prophecy from Rhea/Cybele, and also had mastered the herbal arts. In our time line, Paris left her to marry Helen. When Paris was dying from an arrow wound, he returned to her for healing. She scorned him, and kicked him out. Oenone died by jumping on the funeral pyre that the other shepherds erected for Paris after he died. As the original story goes, she was the only one who truly loved Paris.

***

It was around 2AM. Oenone bolted awake with a start, blood streaming from her eyes. A single drop hit Paris’ cheek, and he sat up immediately. He recognized the feel of blood, and know what it meaned. A true prophecy was about to be said.

Paris, with the casual grace of someone who had done this many times, reached for an old cloth that was once white, but now stained a deep brown. He took the cloth, and moving from the bottom to the top, gently wiped the blood from Oenone’s face. He then removed his shirt, and pulled her in for a gentle embrace.

After a moment, Oenone started crying, and through her tears, repeated “I’m sorry,” and “Please don’t go,” over and over again. Paris quietly and gently rocked her back and forth, and after several minutes, she fell silent.

Paris gave it another minute or so before speaking. “Oni, honey, I’m not going anywhere; where would I go and why?”

This caused Oenone to burst into tears again and fall back into Paris’s arms, softly hitting his chest over and over again.

Once she stopped crying and hitting, Paris gently pulled her out, just enough so he could look in her eyes.“Oni, core of my heart, what did you see? What’s wrong?”

Oenone looked at Paris deeply with her almond eyes. “Dearest, please swear to me that you will never go to Sparta.”

Paris sighed. “Is this about how I shouldn’t eat pork? I know that one of my possible fates is food poisoning by swine, and that Sparta has the best roast boar. I can refrain from eating it if I end up having to go there.”

Oenone barely held back another river of tears. “That isn’t it. It’s...just…something’s going to happen soon. And…you could die.”

Paris nodded sadly. “I see. I hope you are wrong. This life is a good one, and I wouldn’t want you to be a widow.”

Oenone looked at him with a mix of sadness and frustration. “Paris, you don’t get it. Troycould die.”

Paris’ eyes went wide. “Oni. Please. I swear by all of the Gods that I love you, and I am not leaving. Tell me everything you know. If the people of Troy are in danger, we have a duty to prevent it no matter what the cost.”

“You swear that you won’t leave me?”

“Oni, the only way I will ever leave you is in a wooden box. Tell me what you saw, I’m begging you.”

Oenone nodded. “In one month, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera will meet you in a clearing not far from here, over something, I couldn’t see what it was, other than it was very shiny and gold. They will ask you to pick which one of them is the most beautiful. Hera will offer conquest, Athena skill at war, and Aphrodite will offer you…the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Paris interrupted, smiling wide, “Oh, than the problem’s solved. I’ll choose Aphrodite, and go home to the most beautiful woman in the world. We’ll need three extra place settings, and to remind Pisti that he’s not a lap dog...though it might be funny to see him sprawl across all of our guests.”

Oenone sighed. “Honey, I know you think I’m the most beautiful woman in the world, but everyone else thinks it’s Helen of Sparta. You are fated to choose her, and...and...” Oenone started breaking down again with a heaving, sobbing cry.

Instead of holding her, Paris stared, brow furrowed and lips hard. Oenone cried for a brief time, before looking up as if confused. “Dearest...what is it?”

“Oni, are you done? Because I will have you know, that I have no intention of leaving you for some Spartan tart! You are my wife and I love you, even though I’m really, really neglected.” Paris punctuated the last three words by thumping the triple reinforced bronze shod bed. “Besides, that would never work. I’m not of noble birth.”

Oenone stared at the rag in her hand, and spoke quietly, “That’s the other thing. You actually are noble. You are the son of Priam and a prince of Troy. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. You could have lived in splendor, and not like this.”

Paris laughed. “Oni, honey, sweetie. Is this what all this is about? You think I want to leave you to go live in some castle with Helen?” Paris scoffed. “That is silly. I am content with my life here. I have you, a decent house, enough food, I can get out and roam, and I am even able to spend a bit of time in the city to learn from the priests there. Why would I leave all of this to be cooped up in some drafty stone thing to be pestered all day about problems, and end the day with some woman, who though she may be pretty, is not my Oni? So, praise and love to Aphrodite, but what are the other options again?”

Oenone stared at Paris in amazement, wiped her eyes one last time, and spoke. “Hera will offer to make you ruler of Europe and Asia, and Athena will offer you wisdom and skill at war.”

Paris nods, and frowns a bit. “Impressive, very impressive. Ruling Europe and Asia is right out, of course. Power like that rarely ends well. However, being wise and skilled at war sounds great. I’ll choose that. Maybe I can go on a campaign or two, be the man that everyone else goes to for life advice, it’ll be great.”

Oenone shakes her head, “That’s the problem. If you chose skill at war, Aphrodite and Hera will turn against you, and their rage will destroy Troy. If you chose Hera, Aphrodite and Athena will be the executioners. Don’t you see? The only constant in this, is the rage of the Gods.”

Paris nodded. “I see.”

He then fell silent, deep in thought. He got up, put his shirt back on, and paced back and forth, muttering "no" from time to time, and occasionally asking Oenone some small question.

She knew what he was doing. Based on the information he was given, he was constructing scenarios in his head, and having Oenone fill in the gaps to see how they all played out. It made Her uncomfortable. It was almost like the magic of prophecy, but not magical.

After about an hour, Paris paced a little faster. His mind raced from scenario and scenario, and he became visibly more frustrated with each answer he received. After a few more minutes, Paris went to a cabinet, got the jar labelled, ‘Big Problem Tea,’ and made himself a mug full.

He grabbed one of the rough wooden chairs, brought it over to the bed, sat down, and looked at Oenone. “Honey...I think I have it figured out. Like most stories involving the Gods, I don’t think you are going to like it. At all.”

Oenone stared at him intensely.

“You forgot a choice when you told me the options of the judgement, I’m afraid. There is a fourth one, and that is this. The Goddesses could get a judgement that none of them like. You said it yourself. The only constant in this scenario, is the rage of the Gods. We could use their rage to prevent a great tragedy.”

“Paris, you have gone mad. If all three of the Goddesses become enraged, they could….”

Oenone caught her breath as the outline of Paris’ plan dawned on her. “Paris, honey, my sun and moon, no. You can’t do this, you won’t do this. I won’t allow it. We have to figure out another way.”

Paris shook his head sadly. “I’ve spent an hour going over every single possibility, and there is only one way that this ends without Troy becoming a pile of scorched rocks and ash. I will go to my father and explain to him what is happening. He is a good and pious man, so it should be possible. Once I convince him, the day before the judgment, I will have him secretly abdicate the throne in favor of me.

"I will wear the thinnest crown possible, and hide it in my hair so that the goddesses won’t suspect anything. That shouldn’t be hard, as they will be focused on whatever this gold thing is, and appearing as beautiful as possible. I will figure out a way to award the apple to all three goddesses, therefore enraging them. I will have given them weapons that they can use, and in their rage, they will kill me on the spot.

"I will technically be the King of Troy. That means that when they kill me…"

Oenone interrupted. “They kill Troy. The land is the king. The king is the land. The prophecy will be fulfilled, and a decision you made will cause Troy to be destroyed.”

Oenone reached for him and pulled him to bed. They cried themselves to sleep, knowing in their hearts that this would be one of the last nights they would spend together.

How The Wheel Of The Year Works "Down Under"

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 14 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This article was originally published on Witchvox in April 2014.

Wicca begs us to ask questions that lead us to enlightening answers regarding our brothers and sisters from the Southern Hemisphere. As we worked with our new Australian Dean, Adam Barralet (BEAR-uh-lay) , and his assistant, Phoenix Silverstar, new and unexpected questions have emerged.

“The seasons are opposite, does that make a difference? How do the current Witches practice down there? And ultimately, IF the sabbats are celebrated during different Astrological times of the year, wouldn’t that have an effect on the energy of the Sabbat? And if YES, then what would those changes mean?”

My lifelong work has been about decoding Wicca as an astrological mystery religion, so this was a very juicy brainteaser of a question. Since I had never been to the Southern Hemisphere, I could not know what the energy is like, or how it would be different. So I pulled out my scientific baseline for studying Wicca, “The Wheel of WISE” and began the deciphering process. I figured after forming a theory, we would compare what I found to Adam’s experience.

The Wheel of WISE is my brainchild. It started during my formal training, as my teacher had a wooden spell wheel with what was considered the usual correspondences on it. I loved it. Everyone that came into his shop loved it. After we lost contact, I worked to recreate it. After 15 years of study and tweaking, what emerged changed the way I study magic. I use this wheel in my teachings to help my students and I refer to it any time new questions arise in my practice. The Wheel of WISE helps keep me on track, “As Above, So Below, ” with the sacred sciences our religion is built upon. It keeps me from losing my way or wandering off on a magical tangent. Scientists call this a scientific baseline. I find it an invaluable tool that answers every question I have put to it. This time was no exception.

When the question came, I found some interesting answers that are in flow with the questions of our time. I found that those born in the Southern Hemisphere are born into a different energy altogether. I remembered a public service commercial jingle that echoed the sentiment perfectly, and it kept ringing in my head as I worked through this project. It was as though my guides were chanting it, “More WE, less ME.” I felt we were uncovering something very important to our changing, Post-2012 universe. Whereas the overriding theme in the Northern Hemisphere is the success of the individual, the Southern hemisphere has more of a focus towards success of the community as a whole. Here each individual in the south determines their value based on their ability to contribute to those around them.

Interesting shifts can be noticed where the attitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (which has dominated history in the last few hundred years) about success of the individual has come at the determinant of the greater whole. We now see shifts in consciousness as people across the globe resent individuals, such as the super rich, and are turning back to valuing grassroots and community projects that benefit the whole. This demonstrates a more altruistic existence for humanity. I couldn’t wait to share what I found with the officers at Wiccan Seminary and hear Adam’s thoughts.

Adam explained that most of the people in the Southern Hemisphere only change the times that they present the sabbats, meaning they celebrate Yule in July, rather than December. He tells us that the Gardenarians he knows hold true to the BOS regardless of the season or weather, as the Sun is still in that Astrological sign, no matter where you are on the globe. We had no working precedent or tradition to reference when moving forward with this study other than our own astrological knowledge and understanding of the sabbats. It was an enchanting challenge to unravel these energies.

(Credit for the beautiful artwork above goes to Faiwen on Deviant Art)

What we discovered is that in the Southern Hemisphere you are born into a universe of Relationships (Libra) , instead of one focused on the Self (Aries) , where you are a part of something that already exists. Your experience with the world around you is as a member of something larger than yourself - a family, a tribe, a village, etc. As I discussed this perspective with Adam, who also hasn’t experienced the Northern Hemisphere wheel, we discovered some very important differences in the worldview. Understanding these differences can deeply enrich both halves of our globe.

In an effort to share a quick overview of this exciting information, rather than present a long narrative, I offer the following table. This has ended up being groundbreaking in our view of the Southern Wheel of the Year.

Northern Hemisphere (NH)
Ostara @ Aries
Aries is about SELF

Born into a world that didn’t exist before your arrival. Everything in the world is there for you to use to obtain your goals, wants and desires. We define our surroundings by things that are “mine” and “not mine”. We learn of Sacred Selfishness, and the right to thrive.

Southern Hemisphere (SH)
Ostara @ Libra
Libra is about RELATIONSHIPS

Born into a relationship, where you are defined by your place in the family, tribe or village. Your focus is on where you fit in, and what role you play in the whole. We share resources. We look to see how their talents and abilities can benefit the group. This is a time for regaining balance, a constant task of Librans. We are shifting from a time of solitude to a more social time. We prepare ourselves and start to birth projects that will enable us to contribute to the Greater Good. As the weather warms we enjoy more social activities such as BBQs and beach visits. “Mateship”, the concept that we stick by each other, is a theme that is given attention at this time.

NH: Beltaine @ Taurus
Taurus is about LOVE

We seek our partner, the one that makes our heart sing. LOVE is our number one motivation. How the person makes us feel, and what they bring to our world, is the number one consideration. We often fall in love with someone who isn’t good for us in other areas and we work towards learning to be good for each other, so that we can experience the elation of the chemical responses that our company elicits

SH: Beltaine @ Scorpio
Scorpio is about POWER

We seek a partner that compliments our purpose, as well as the family or tribe. One that helps us accomplish our larger goals. We connect with those who help us be better people and who make us more successful in our endeavors. This is also a time when we are summoning and gathering power for our projects. We find strength and passion within and seek resources and people who can help us succeed.

NH: Litha @ Cancer
Cancer is about MOTHER and amp; HOME

At Litha we look for our purpose, what we are supposed to be doing with our life, and how our current surroundings support that purpose. We build a life and nurture a home that supports our needs, and look to improve on ourselves that we may be better able to achieve our goals.

SH: Litha @ Capricorn
Capricorn is about FATHER and amp; REPUTATION

At Litha in Capricorn we are focused on how what we do builds our value to the group. We are concerned about how our actions bring honor to our house. We focus on how to apply our skills and talents in a purposeful way to build a positive reputation within our community.

NH: Lammas @ Leo
LEO is about being APPRECIATED for your INDIVIDUALITY

At Lammas we are experiencing the mastery of our skill and accomplishment. We evaluate our achievements based on how we feel looking at ourselves in the mirror. We thank the Gods for all that they have given us, and demonstrate what greatness we have accomplished with the resources we have been given. We take pride in our work, and appreciate what was sacrificed to achieve it.

SH: Lammas @ Aquarius
Aquarius is about REVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT and amp; HELPING OTHERS

This is a time to reflect on the past cycle. Conscious of those around us, we evaluate our successes often by the reaction of our peers. If we have made a positive change and evoked reassuring feedback, we feel good about our actions. If we have become selfish and forgotten about the welfare of the community, we shall be cut down. In Australia, we have a dislike of over-achievers or showing off. We call it “tall poppy syndrome, ” meaning we disapprove of those who attempt to better themselves at the expense of others. This shows the cultural difference of focus on growing the self where in Australia, if you grow too much of the self, it shows that you don't do enough to help others.

NH: Mabon @ Libra
Libra is about RELATIONSHIPS

Mabon at Libra is the time that we die and return to the All. It’s the time when we truly experience ourselves as part of a whole, something larger than ourselves. We no longer experience the world as an individual striving to accomplish something.

SH: Mabon @ Aries
Aries is about SELF

This is the time that we have completed our work and we take time for ourselves, to rest. Each individual reflects on what they did and looks at what they can do in preparation for the next year to contribute to the community. It is a time of solace and much attention is given in comparing your work to that of others.

NH: Samhain at Scorpio
Scorpio is about POWER

At Samhain in Scorpio we are merged with the All. We are one with the Goddess. We are part of the whole, the ultimate power in the Universe. We are reunited with loved ones, soul mates, soul families and celebrate our time of reuniting with our true nature. On a microcosmic level, this is the time of year when we start our holiday season and make plans to travel to visit family.

SH: Samhain @ Taurus
Taurus is about LOVE

In Australia they see the dying process as Earth taking you back to her breast to nurture you again. In the north, many of our religions see you dying with your soul rising up to the sky. In the south, they see you as returning to the earth. Many of the Australian Aboriginal myths and stories. Much of it looks at the land and its animals and how they came to be. There is a great focus on connection to the Earth rather than the Heavens.

NH: Yule @ Capricorn
Capricorn is about FATHER and amp; REPUTATION

Here we honor and express gratitude to those that helped us throughout the year with gifts. We forgive those who might have hurt us, and focus on being good people and doing good deeds.

SH: Yule @ Cancer
Cancer is about MOTHER and amp; HOME

This is the time of year to take stock in ourselves, to look at how we were able to be of service in the previous year, and how we can build on that in the coming year. We give gifts that are helpful and needed, especially to those less fortunate.

NH: Imbolc @ Aquarius
Aquarius is about REVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT and amp; HELPING OTHERS

We set goals for the new Year. This is the time when we are most able to make long-term plans, and when we are the most connected to our higher purpose. We plan our next incarnation so that we can most easily fulfill our purpose.

SH: Imbolc @ Leo
LEO is about being APPRECIATED for your INDIVIDUALITY

This is the time when we look at how our unique qualities serve the greater good. We take personal stock and plan our next incarnation based on where we can put our individual qualities to best use for the benefit of the group.

The Judgment of Paris

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 13 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Author's Note:

This story is a sort of "thought experiment." It asks what would it look like if the Judgement of Paris happened very differently. The primary difference between what is below and the story as originally written, is that in this version, Paris is noble. This means that things such as the dream of Hecabe, predicting that Paris would destroy Troy, and the fact that Paris was married to the nymph Oenone, are still true in the version below.

Hope you like it.

The story of Paris? Yes, I remember it well.

It was a sunny day, one of the first in quite some time. I was in Troy, teaching some of the local healers about the use of boiling water to clean one’s instruments, when I got a message that my services were needed near Mount Ida.

I went to where the message indicated, and saw a handsome man with a shepherd’s crook, and a dog resting his head on his lap. Next to the man were three bundles, all of which exuded a quiet air of malice. I cleared my throat slightly, the man looked up at me, patted his dog one last time, and stood up.

“It is good that you have come, sir. My name is Paris, and I have need of your services.” Paris then reached for a small pouch and continued, “I don’t have much, but I will--”

I interrupted, “No need. I had a good meal at the asclepeion, and resting under the stars requires no coin. How can I help?”

Paris sighed. “I need you to follow me to a place not far from here. From there, you will wait until you see white smoke. Once you see it, follow the smoke, moving as quietly as you can, and wait. What I need from you will become clear quite quickly.”

With no small amount of dread, I nodded.

“Then, sir, let us be on our way.”

The walk was quiet and somber, but short, as Paris lead me to a small clearing to wait. A short time passed, and I saw the small, curving line of smoke in the distance. I hurried on, hoping to avert whatever misfortune I felt from those bundles. I saw Paris standing before three women, who were all staring at him intently, and listening to his every word.

Behind Paris was a pair of stumps, that had a small brazier on one, and on the other, glittering in the sunlight, was an apple that seemed to be made of pure gold. As I crept a touch closer, I heard Paris speaking.

“Thank you for your patience, great and honored ones. I will now render my judgement, but I require one more thing from all of you.”

The women nodded.

“You must not take any action until I say ‘I am done.’ Do you swear to this?”

The woman on the left smiled, and it was as if the world lit up, “I, Aphrodite, swear by the river Styx, to take no action until you say ‘I am done,’ as long as your behavior is honorable.”

The woman in the middle nodded sagely. “I, Athena, swear by the river Styx, to take no action until you say ‘I am done,’ as long as your behavior is honorable.”

The woman on the right gave the slightest motion of her head, as a queen would acknowledge a vassal. “I, Hera, swear by the river Styx, to take no action until you say ‘I am done,’ as long as your behavior is honorable.”

I realized then, that I was seeing history being made, for good or ill. I crouched down hoping I wasn’t seen.

Paris took a deep breath, and picked up the first bundle. It was red and about two feet long.

“Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, you incite a thirst in both Gods and men that can only be quenched in your perfect arms. So it is that I say that your body is the most beautiful.”

Aphrodite smiled, giggled just a little, and started to reach for the apple, as the eyes of the other Goddesses widened in anger. Paris raised his hand lightly, but with an authority both immense and oddly regal. “Remember you oath, most honored ones.”

Aphrodite stopped, and the eyes of the other Goddesses changed from anger to confusion as Paris unrolled the red bundle.

It was a sword, but one the likes of which I had never seen before. It was about two feet long, covered in exquisite filigree that almost glowed. Its cross guard was shaped like feathers, and the pommel was forged in the shape of a rose. Paris laid the sword respectfully at Aphrodite’s feet.

Paris then turned to Athena. “Wise Athena, whose insight and cunning are legend, your brilliance shines throughout the entire land. Because of this, I name your mind the most fair.”

As he spoke, he unrolled the second bundle, wrapped in plain blue cloth. The second bundle also contained a sword, but that is where the similarity ended. Where the previous sword was beautiful but lethal, this sword was lethal first and foremost, but also somehow beautiful. It was simple, and longer than Aphrodite’s blade. It had a cross guard that looked like the top of an Ionic column, and a pommel in the shape of an Owl’s head. The blade was well forged and sturdy, with an edge so sharp that neither flesh nor armor could stand against it. Holding the sword, Paris bowed deeply to Athena, and laid the sword at her feet.

Athena blinked once as Paris moved on, and bowed low to Hera.

“Honored Hera, queen of the Gods, your authority and honor are without question, and they give your speech a strength and a grace none can match. And so, I judge that your speech is the most beautiful.”

Paris then unfolded the last bundle of cloth, a fabric that was iridescent, like a peacock’s feather. Inside it, like the other two, was a sword. This one had a blade that was not as long as Athena’s, but not as short as Aphrodite’s. It had a cross guard shaped like a Doric column, and a pommel shaped like the top of a peacock’s feather. Paris took a knee, and set the last sword at Hera’s perfect feet.

Paris then nodded, and drew his own blade. It shone in the sun like glory and strength. He moved to stand before the stump that the apple rested upon. With perfect swipes, he cut the apple into three pieces of exactly the same size. With a flourish, he turned to face the Goddesses, and sheathed the blade deep in the earth.

“So it is that I have pronounced my judgement. Aphrodite is most beautiful of body, Athena is most fair of mind, and Hera has the most beautiful speech. Now…” Paris then allowed his knees to buckle, as he sank to the ground, kneeling. “I am ready for your judgement. May what started here, end here. I...am done.”

Paris then lowered his head for just a moment, and raised it again. His eyes were looking not at the Goddesses before, him but somewhere very far away. We all realized at that moment what was happening.

Paris did not mean to walk away with the love of Aphrodite, Athena, or Hera.

He did not mean to walk away at all.

A Magically Mundane Book Review

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes you find the message of Demeter in the most unexpected places. Sometimes you find the magical in the mundane and are forever reassured of your own path without delving into a magical text.

Life is Magical

Here I was a week ago, in between books with my local book club and at a loss of what to go to next. I devour audio books at work and while driving and go between Audible and Overdrive which delivers my local library systems audiobooks to me via a mobile device application. There plastered on the front page of my Overdrive was a book for the 'Big Library Read'. What on earth is that, I wondered. Turns out, it is a program that networks libraries together on a global scale and offers a book without hold times so everyone can access it and discuss it around the world. How nifty I thought.

So, without expecting much other than mild amusement I clicked checkout and downloaded my copy of "Flat Broke with Two Goats" by Jennifer McGaha. With a narration from an older lady with a slight southern accent I was taken into this woman's life.

You start out somewhere in this woman's middle years living in a comfortable home in North Carolina working part time as a teacher and with her husband's job and can afford to send her three children to private school and buy a new house from friends. This is, of course, right before the economy crashed.

Through excellent writing the author weaves the current events of her life with past influences and reveals eventual truths she discovers about herself and her motivations.

There are no magic wands, no dragons, no ghosts or 'evil' in this book.

There are however; bill collectors, tax debts, paycheck garnishments, bank account leans and foreclosure. It is a reality that more and more of Americans face.

In the words written by Jennifer you get to see a change of lifestyle from upper middle class to that of the perpetually low-income homesteader. Hers was a decision made from desperation, yet it is ultimately a decision that saved her life, her marriage, her sense of self and her connection to her own ancestors.

Demeter says we need to plant the land ourselves.

This woman makes no mention of pagan leanings in her ideology. To my knowledge she has never been to Eleusis, but nevertheless, she has heard the call of the Earth. The urge to reconnect with her present reality instead of rushing to and from the hectic beat of modern life as we know it. Perhaps oblivious to the urges of the Goddess this woman nevertheless walks the path we all could walk a little closer too. I had no intention to have a big spiritual revelation so soon after coming home from Spring Mysteries . I had no intention of seeing into what could have been my own past, hearing the words of ancestors who lived in Appalachia generations before. I had no intention of finding some of the most profound spiritual messages I have heard...in a mundane autobiographical book of a normal woman.

In every breath there is magic.

I hope that you have a chance to read this, and comment on your revelations. I didn't want to give too much away in this article, but I urge you all to hear the words of Demeter, even in the most unlikely places.

The Womb Of The Mother

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The Inipi was silent and the ground cool as the women entered.

The darkness wrapped around us like a mothers arms as the door was closed.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

Round one brought questions,
Questions which I knew would be answered within.
The light in the darkness eased my uncertainty.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

Round two brought an inner peace.
Prayers began forming in my mind.
The Ancestors held me safe and secure.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

Round three brought the answers;
Questions which I had asked silently now complete.
My path now opened for me to take.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

Round four brought completion.
I knew the path now, the plan formed within.
The answers I had been seeking finally shown in full light.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

The door opened and the transformed slipped from within.
The womb of our mother had held us safe and secure.
The seeker no longer was seeking.

The hearts of all beat as one in joy and peace.

In the arms of the Mother we lay,
In the darkness of the womb,
The silence of the Inipi stirred my soul.

Purification

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

"Blessed be, dear Sister! Enter the temple of the Goddess with clean hands and pure heart, that you may do honor to the Source of all Life." With these or similar words, the Women Of The Goddess Circle greets seekers and welcomes them into sacred space before we cast the circle. What does it mean to have clean hands or a pure heart? Are these simply empty words repeated by rote because they sound pretty, or is there a notion of cleansing and purifying attached to them? Is such cleansing and purifying necessary? Would the magic somehow fail if someone in the circle were not purified?

These are important questions. In times past our circle used to call this a rite of purification. Indeed it still has many of the hallmarks of a traditional purification. Sometimes we smudge the seeker with sage. Sometimes we splash her with water or stroke her with a sprig of juniper. In spring we may use a bouquet of flowers. Afterwards, as a sign that the purification had been accomplished, we used to anoint her with oil on the forehead. This was a symbol that she is now a sacred person set apart and worthy of conducting the Sabbat about to commence.

Rites of purification abound throughout history and in many religions. Some Jews are scrupulous about washing before rituals. The ruins of Masada and other archaeological sites still show the remains of their mikvahs or ritual baths. Some Jews even consider many actions and foods and even associations with some persons as "ritually impure." Catholics symbolically carry on this tradition with holy water fonts at the entrances of their churches. Muslims have fountains in their mosques to wash before prayers. They also fast before holy days, and remove their shoes upon entering a mosque. In the ancient days of the Greeks, pilgrims to the rites of Demeter washed before they entered the sacred precincts of Eleusis. Aztec merchants bought special slaves and bathed them prior to sacrificing them on the temple steps. Notions of purifying may even go back as far as the Sumerians. The story of Innana's descent into the underworld relates that she had to shed her worldly raiment and enter naked.

Purification also has a negative connotation. It implies that something is impure and must therefore be cleansed before it is worthy. This idea finds its most extreme expression in the notion of original sin. According to those who believe in it, original sin is inherited. This means that an innocent baby just born starts life already in debt. A baby must be cleansed in baptism to be worthy for salvation, which in itself is a purification because it implies that even the baptized must be saved from something.

Pagans, on the other hand, do not believe in the notion of sin, original or otherwise, and do not need to be saved from anything. Paganism is a nature religion. Earth and soil are holy elements to us. We worship outdoors, weather permitting, and barefoot if possible to emphasize our dirt roots. We ground ourselves and usually announce our connection to the four directions, the earth and sky, and to all things, before we work our magic. There is nothing in the world or under our fingernails that requires cleaning to make us worthy for our work. We are born holy and sacred and we live intrinsically holy and sacred. We value all life and all elements as sacred.

So what's to clean? What is there to purify? Bring dirt and feathers, ashes and slime to our altars. Are these not all part of Gaia? What person would we dare to judge impure? Are not all people part of Gaia as well? Not to mention, of course, that nobody appointed us to judge others anyway.

That is why the Women Of The Goddess Circle today does not call our entrance rite a purification rite anymore. We call it a greeting, a blessing or a welcome. We consider our sisters to be just as holy before we splash them as afterwards. Nobody is pure or impure. We just are who we are and we bring our authentic selves to the work of worship that we do. Our anointing does not make us any more worthy than we already were.

I should explain that we are an open circle, not a coven. We welcome all adult women of good intent who sincerely subscribe to our purpose. We do not do public rituals, but we do advertise publicly. We have a listing on the Witchvox website and our brochures are in local bookstores and at conferences. We invite women who approach us to a planning meeting before they attend any rituals. This way they get to meet us, we get to meet them, and they get to see that we plan our rituals from the ground up by ourselves and their participation is encouraged.

This is not to say that washing and anointing serve no purpose. Quite the contrary. Washing or smudging is still effective as a symbol. It symbolizes cleansing away the cares of the mundane world so we can be fully present and focused on the ritual at hand. It is like taking off a coat when you come indoors. You take off the coat so you can be more relaxed and open in the shelter of your home. Without the bulk of the coat, you have more freedom of movement and you reveal the beauty of your inner clothing. There is nothing impure about the coat and it will be there to put on again when you have to go back out into the world.

In the same way we anoint the cleansed woman to acknowledge the sacred energy she brings to the circle. We mark her as a woman set apart. She is no longer an ordinary woman. She is a priestess. She will be contributing her voice, her movements, her intention, and her energy to the ritual work of the circle. All are anointed with the same oil to symbolize that, in jeans or in robes, as newcomer or veteran, each woman's contribution is welcomed and valued equally with everyone else's. She is never considered impure or unworthy. Rather, anointing is like a special badge that announces that she belongs here.

So when it comes to treating an injury, preparing or eating food, or simply smelling good, we certainly support and advocate washing thoroughly. We do appreciate it when women come to our circle fresh and clean, if only to make our company together more pleasant. Ritually, however, we feel purification is unnecessary. Our spirit selves are fine, just as they are. Blessed Be!

Meet Janice Van Cleve in person and attend her workshop at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

What Guardian Spirit?

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

David Spangler – noted author, lecturer, theosophist, and thinker – spoke recently about what he called the “Second Ecology.” By this he meant the spirit world that together with our physical world makes up the total being we call Gaia. He said that this second ecology is inhabited by species of spirits, which are interactive and collaborative states of consciousness.

Our human language cannot really define them, yet they reflect the energies projected onto them. It’s like the Goethe quote about making a commitment and the universe seems to respond to it. Spangler’s goal is to create harmonious mindfulness between the two ecologies. Interesting stuff, until he said he had achieved interaction with one of these spirits and he calls him “John.”

That’s where I decided to get off the train.

Lots of people talk about guardian angels, totem animals, benevolent spirit guides and the like and I am sure they are quite sincere. It’s none of my business to question their beliefs but the notion of spirits with personalities just doesn’t fly for me. If I ever did have a guardian angel, she sped off in leather chaps on her Harley a long time ago.

I have not had much luck with totem animals, either. I remember once at a Hecate Sickle festival sponsored by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, we were assigned to clan families. Each family had a totem animal. I was assigned to salamander clan. I really tried to get into salamander. I wondered what a salamander thought about or if it had feelings. I even made “squiggle, squiggle, squiggle” noises with the rest of my clan. It didn’t work. I knew then that salamander was not my guardian spirit.

Butterflies offered a possibility. I am a Gemini and I do flit and flutter from one thing to another. I like pretty flowers and I can leave a very light footprint when I want. I am also a warrior type and in the legends of the Maya and the Aztecs, the souls of warriors who died in battle returned as butterflies. But I am much more solid and permanent than a butterfly and I like the gray and cold. So butterflies didn’t work either.

Some folks look to ancestors for their guardian spirits. Ancestors have the advantage of blood relationship and past experience. They have lived life and they have the t-shirt to prove it. This was no help to me, though, because I broke with my FOO (Family Of Origin) a thousand years ago, or so it seems. I have no connections with that past nor am I attached to ideas of ghosts, reincarnation, or an afterlife. So much for ancestors.

Many of my witch friends have a familiar, usually a cat. I don’t have any pets. All I’ve got are these geraniums. They seem happy enough, as geraniums go, but I can’t say I have any spiritual connection to them and I certainly don’t think I could count on them to help me in a pinch. So where’s a girl to turn for a guardian spirit?

I went to a women’s conference where a series of workshops was being offered. One workshop was a trance journey into the Other World to find our guardian spirits. I wasn’t having much luck finding one in this world, so I decided to give it a try. Maybe on a non-intellectual level I could find a guardian spirit to whom I could feel a genuine connection. This is what happened, exactly as I wrote it right after the experience:

There I sat on the carpet, my back up against the concrete block wall. It was too warm in the art room but it is always too warm in the art room. To my left was a woman I had met before, although exactly where I could not recall. To my right was a young woman who seemed very into this trance stuff and who talked in husky whispers. There were other women in the room, maybe twenty in all, sitting up or lying on the floor. The trance leader had asked us to get comfortable and there were few inhibitions in this crowd about doing just that.

The leader started a slow, rhythmic drumbeat. The drum was a djembe, an hourglass shaped form with a taut membrane over one end and a hole in the other end. It hung by a strap from her shoulder. She walked around the room, telling us to breathe in and breath out, keeping time on the djembe. We closed our eyes and I took the hand of the woman to my right.

“We are going on a journey, ” she said. Yeah, right, I said silently to myself. I’d been to sessions like this before. The only journeys I go on are through the Internet or out to meetings. “We are crossing the street to enter the park. We come to a large, old gnarled tree with an ancient wound in its side. The wound is now grown over by bark to create two vertical lips, not unlike a yoni.” My mental conversation continued. I said I’d give this a try, so I guess I can stay here until the featured speaker comes in tonight.

The woman I am holding hands with is really very attractive. Maybe we can go out for coffee together afterwards. “We hug the tree and send it our love. The tree groans and opens its lips. We step inside and climb down the ladder to a large room in the tree’s base. It opens to a dirt path through a sunlit forest.” I say to myself that I hope nobody saw me hugging that tree in the park. They’d think I’m nuts. This ladder is muddy with footprints, too. I reach the chamber at the bottom and see the others are already starting down the path.

“Hey, wait for me!” I cry out, and suddenly some brain cell in my head tells me that I must have entered the trance a couple of drumbeats back there. Sun flows easily through the alder canopy to the rhododendrons that line the path. We come to a grassy clearing through which twines a bubbling brook.

“As you stand on the bank, ” the trance leader’s voice murmurs far off but yet in steady rhythm with the djembe, “you see guardian spirits emerge from the forest beyond. Some are animals and some are ancestors. When yours comes for you, take its hand and step over the brook. They will guide you and protect you on your journey.”

One by one I see mountain lions, bears, snakes, owls, grandmothers, fairies, and crones emerge from the dark woods beyond the clearing and find the woman for whom they had come. One by one I see my sisters from the art room take the helping hands, or paws, step over the brook, and go together with their guardians into the dark woods. I wait.

No guardian comes for me. I wait some more. Finally I am the only one left.

I realize then, with a bit of sadness, that no one would ever come for me. So I jump across the brook and walk into the forbidding woods alone.

The trees here are black and bare. What few leaves cling to their ragged branches are a cold gray-green metallic shade and the only light that penetrates at all is a pale olive color which casts a pallid hue over everything. The trail twists over and around gnarly roots and muddy puddles. More than once I think of Bilbo and the dwarves creeping through the matted tangles of Mirkwood. I try to catch up with the others, but always I trip and fall or, frightened, hesitate before pushing on. “You have come to the lair of Spider Woman,” intones the trance leader. Obviously she is talking to those ahead of me but already I begin to see silky filaments stringing from tree to tree.

I round a corner and fall backward in shock. There before my eyes is the hungry maw of the Spider Woman’s whorl. A huge nest of densely woven gauze gobbles up the trail in its funnel. The sticky tunnel is anything but inanimate. It pulses and sucks. Its cold breath chills me even as its magnetic attraction draws me in. I am scared and totally alone, but I surrender. I let go my fears and allow myself to be pulled into the black void.

It seems to have no end, yet, just as I get to the part where the passage is so tight that I have to stoop to pass through, it opens to a chamber – and there she is! Spider Woman. Arachnid Queen. Before I can squeal or run, she freezes me to the spot with her multi-eyed gaze. How long I remain transfixed there I cannot say. What I can say is that I felt an overwhelming warmth and love coming from her. Not only does it come from her, but it is directed solely to me and is meant for me. Whatever emptiness I felt alone on the trail outside is more than filled by the pure, fully satisfying love that is pouring into me in that dark queen’s nest.

When or how I emerged from that place I do not know, but I do know it is not by the route I took to get in. The first thing I recognize is the field with the brook running through it and I hear the trance leader tell us to bid our guardian spirits farewell. The other women are hugging their guardians and waving goodbye. I am in a magical fog all my own and I notice them only peripherally.

I slog through the water by myself and march my way back to the rhododendrons. The ladder inside the old tree’s trunk is still muddy. I am the last one up and the groaning tree seals its opening behind us as we cross the street. “Breathe in, ” coaches the trance leader, “and breathe out. You may open your eyes when you are ready.”

We came back into our bodies with tears rolling down our cheeks. First the woman on the left hugged me and then the one whose hand was still in mine. Obviously all of us had been very much moved by this experience. Even now as I recall it many years later it is as vivid as if it had just happened.

I’ve often seen that old tree in the park and patted its scabby trunk. It does indeed have a large yoni shaped wound on one side. I thank it for being part of that subliminal exercise so long ago. If that was a spiritual experience – if I did walk in the second ecology for a time – so be it. Yet I walked there alone with no guardian spirit to assist me and I found no personality to which I could attach a name.

This article was originally posted on WitchVox. View the full article here .

Meet Janice Van Cleve in person and attend her workshop at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival .

Talking to the Gods: What to know about Temple Shrines

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Spring Mysteries is only two weeks away and there is so much for which to prepare. One of my favorite things to do at the Mysteries is attend the Temple Shrines. At the Shrines, you get to speak one on one with the Gods as they are incarnated into their physical Vessels, who are chosen anew each year. Speaking with Them is an experience of speaking directly with the Gods. Your eyes leak, your body tingles, you are overcome with the presence of Deity and afterwards there is no doubt within you that you spoke with an incarnated God.

Vessels are people of various pagan backgrounds who have presented themselves as willing to hold the living spark of the God within their physical bodies for the year. Becoming a Vessel is an amazing process that is open to all who have experienced the Greater Mysteries and want to dedicate to the continuation of Eleusis. It is an educational and transformational process that allows the Vessel to learn of the God in a deep merging that brings awakenings and experiences that are priceless. It takes a minimum of three years of work to become a qualified applicant for this privilege.

At the Temple Shrines you may dedicate to become a Devotee of that Deity. Each dedication is different. Unlike a Wiccan dedication, you do not dedicate to a teacher or even a religion. You dedicate to serve the God. If you are already dedicated to a coven or a teacher, you should talk with them before making a dedication to one of the Gods at Eleusis. This is a serious matter and will impact your experiences throughout the year, possibly throughout the rest of your life. Consider the consequences and choose wisely, or wait until you are sure. Once dedicated, the Gods never really leave you.

At the Temple Shrines it's optional to gift the Gods with offerings. It's not required, but after 33 years of doing this work, we find the Gods just seem to be more amenable to your requests if they are gushy with gratitude. Offerings can be anything, and some people pick up flowers and nuts from the ground and give them to the Gods, which are then later burned in an offering fire with other such offerings that cannot be used or stored. Food items should be individually wrapped. The Vessels cannot eat when invoked. Any goodies will be taken back to Olympus to share with the Priesthood. Perishables, and supplies such as soaps, perfumes, honey, incense, candles, etc. will be used by the Vessels and Votaries in performing the duties of the Temple. Items of worth will be evaluated and taken into the God's personal museum collection.

The Museum Collection of Eleusis consists of items that have been given to the Gods. These are cataloged, inventoried, photographed, appraised and carefully stored for the God’s personal use. Throughout the year the Vessels and Votaries have rites, and responsibilities to carry out within their temples. The items that are in the collection are used in service to the Gods and the community in facilitating and producing these rites and hold magic within them. If you give an offering, be sure to fill out the offering card, so that our historians can appropriately record it.

Sometimes you will hear terminology that you don't exactly understand. Here's what it means:

Terminology

Pilgrim - They who travel to the experience the Mysteries.

Mystai - They who have been initiated into the Lesser Mysteries of Eleusis

Epoptai - They who have Initiated into the Greater Rites of Eleusis

Devotee - They who have Dedicated to serve a God in a the Temple of Eleusis

Vessel - They who are currently carrying the incarnation of a God.

Votive - They who have previously carried the incarnation of a God.

Votary - A Votive who has agreed to lead the Temple and carry the sacred wisdom forward.

The Eumolpidae - The leadership that maintains and produces the mysteries each year.

If you have any other questions, show up at the newcomers orientation on Thursday night at Spring Mysteries Festival. If you haven’t registered for this year’s rites, there’s still time. Don’t miss this epic event, where the Gods walk the earth.

Interview With Pan

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

Pan is a God of the wild, fertile, untamed land, shepherds and mountain people, rustic music, and wild dancing. He’s a god of satire, seduction, and celebration.

Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

There are more stories of Pan’s parentage than there are flowers in the meadows, but the most likely culprits are Hermes, Zeus, or Dionysus. He may predate the Olympians, or perhaps, he is simply a rural deity that folded into their pantheon.

As for marriage, well . . . Pan’s not really the marrying type, although he boasts of once making love to the moon goddess, Selene. He’s most often found pursuing nymphs in the fields of Arcadia.

What is something about your deity that most people don’t know?

Most people understand that Pan was not worshiped in the traditional temples of Greece, but in the fields and the mountains. What they don’t know is that it was a specific field – the rolling wilderness of Arcadia, a region in Greece. It was such a beautiful, enchanting area, filled with lush grottos, sumptuous forests, and pastoral meadows. During the European Renaissance, the word “Arcadia” came to mean “Paradise”.

What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

I tend to be a pretty driven individual in my personal and professional life, but Pan reminds me to take the scenic route. Life can be brutish, difficult, and filled with worry, so if you don’t take the moments to laugh, dance, sing, and play, you will miss out on some of life’s greatest joys . . . like making love to moon goddess!

If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would you do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

Pan would love to go to a big music festival – clomping away in the mosh pit, bellowing along with the chorus, and feasting on whatever fried things on a stick he could find.

Meet Pan in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at Spring Mysteries Festival.

Interview With Aphrodite

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

What is your deity's, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

Aphrodite represents Love, Beauty, self-love, unconditional love, sexuality, sensuality, passion, romance, relationships, the ocean, and deep watery emotion.

Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

The stories say she has no parentage. She was created from the sea’s foam, and came to land riding a clam shell, with her arrival being heralded by birds and nymphs. Some stories suspect that she came forth when Cronos severed the penis of Uranus, and it fell into the ocean.

She is married to Lord Hephaistos, but this was a marriage that came out of practicality. They have a strong friendship, and a special relationship despite the lack of passion between the two. Her truest passion is shared with Lord Ares, for they are 2 sides of the same coin in many ways. Their divine love birthed many Greek deities including Eros.

What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

For me, seeking Aphrodite was not the same as being her priestess. When I was a seeker of her mysteries, I was drawn to her aspects of self love, her connection to the ocean, and universal, cosmic love. As her priestess, she is teaching me to be fearless, to speak up, to accept my power, hold my head high, and to find beauty in myself. I am drawn to the bold red rose, the power of glamour and emotion. She is reminding me to find pleasure, and that we can choose to carry love in our hearts - or not. I expected that she would make me crazy lustful and irrational about love. It was the opposite - she helped me separate the love from the lust and from the power. She helped me see how all three interact with romance and partnership - and to be able to see when something is only lust and/or power. This was so transformative; it has helped me create more safe space for love and connection in my life, while still empowering my sexuality, and giving me more control. Io Aphrodite!

What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

This shouldn’t be a surprise, but she is very dramatic. It doesn’t really matter what is happening, she enjoys the feeling of the full expression of emotions, and recognizes the power of them. This means tears of joy, laughter, anger, sorrow, fear, embarrassment - you name it! She is showy and likes to have her way - which means she likes to have the last word, and want to feel worshiped in the end - as is right! Haha, for a mere mortal this has been difficult at times, but she is teaching me to find power in not just expression, but also control and intentional use of emotional expression.

If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

This question is hilarious because Aphrodite makes sure to spend every day with me right now, and she definitely influences my choice of leisure activities at the moment haha! We have been spending ridiculous amounts of time in front of the mirror - she like to play dress-up Every. Single. Day. A day cannot pass without lipstick if she is going out into the world to play - which is everyday. Naturally. Together, we get our nails and hair done, and go clothes/jewelry shopping - watch out though, cause the cost is not a concern of hers!!! After all that, or if we are on a private outing, we would go to the beach on a sunny day, play in tidal pools, and look for agates on the beach.

Women of the Goddess Circle

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Women of the Goddess Circle is a Pagan community of women in the Dianic tradition of Wicca based in Seattle. The Dianic tradition worships the Goddess alone without reference to the God as in mainstream Wicca. We have chosen the exclusive company of women and women's symbols to focus the harmony of our magic making. We are a circle, not a coven, and we are open to all women of good intent who sincerely subscribe to our purpose. Our purpose is to mark the eight Sabbats of the year in ritual, to strengthen the Goddess connection within us, to share this connection with others, and to bring wholeness to the world and to our journey as the Wheel of the Year turns.

We began in Seattle under a different name and structure about 1990. At that time we followed a teacher/seeker model in which one priestess pretty much ran things, did all the planning, and brought seekers along individually as they showed promise. The first priestess then moved on and the most advanced seeker became the new priestess. She took the circle to new levels in many areas, including teaching, invoking, and lists of songs and prayers. She developed a core group of seekers before she, too, moved on.

Now in its third incarnation, the Women of the Goddess Circle (WOTG) has adopted a different model. We have let go of all hierarchies, titles, badges of rank or privilege. We assume that we are all goddesses, all priestesses, and all teachers in that we all have our lessons to teach. Of course, some are more knowledgeable and more skilled than others and we turn to them more perhaps than to others for leadership, but they are still equal in every way to the most novice newcomer in terms of respect and standing in the circle.

We have adopted three levels of involvement with WOTG for our convenience and for saving postage rather than denoting ranks. They are seeker, initiate, and member. Seekers are those who have seen our notice on Witchvox or in other publications and who have contacted us. We are open to all women over 18 of whatever background, sexual orientation, race or class. We interview seekers via phone or in person to find out if we offer what they're after. If there is a fit, we mail them our brochure and invite them to the next ritual planning meeting. We have a rule that a seeker must come to a planning meeting before she will be invited to a ritual.

We celebrate the Sabbats on the Sunday of, or before, the actual date just because more sisters are available on the weekend. Samhain, however, we always do on October 31st. We hold a planning meeting two weeks before and encourage all seekers, initiates, and members to attend. This accomplishes three things: It allows us to meet new people and them to meet us, it offers an opportunity to bond and share in a relaxed atmosphere, and it underscores for all of us that we create our rituals from our own selves and not from any outside authority or master book.

WOTG does have a Book of Shadows which is given only to the members. Our Book of Shadows provides a framework to expedite our planning process and to provide some consistency in our practices. For example, there are many ways to call the directions but we always call them after we consecrate the circle and before we crystallize our intention. Everybody is encouraged to participate actively in the planning, even new seekers. We weave in the themes of our current lives. We work hard to bring together an intention for the ritual that captures a common thread (and which has only one verb!). We choose songs and roles. Role-playing is important in our circle and we strive to create as much participation as possible.

By virtue of coming to a planning meeting, a seeker becomes an initiate. No oaths are sworn, no badges or blessings are given, and no money changes hands. If you make the effort to show up and take part, you're in. We mail out fliers to members and initiates to invite them to the ritual. Once a woman has come to at least one planning meeting, she is enrolled as an initiate and continues to receive invitations. If she doesn't come back after four or so invitations, we place her back in seeker status which keeps her on the email list until she returns to another planning meeting or drops altogether.

Members are those initiates who have been to a few rituals and like what they see and the people they are working magic with. They pay annual dues to help support and maintain the circle and to signify their commitment. As long as they keep their dues current and are not removed for cause, members remain members as long as they wish. Again there are no oaths or special rites to become a member. Membership means commitment to the health and future of the circle and the sign of that commitment are the dues.

While all members are expected to take active responsibility for the health and well being of the circle, that is, to "hold the circle," we do elect three facilitators to manage the business of the circle. Facilitators are elected at our annual administrative meeting which is held on the first Sunday of November. Only members may attend this meeting. The duties of facilitators are to approve and terminate memberships, to set dues and fees and manage funds, to decide disputes and disciplinary actions if necessary, and to call meetings of the members. Ideally, facilitators should be familiar with Christina Baldwin's book, Calling the Circle, should have participated in 6 of the last 8 rituals, and should have been members for a year and a day. Their term of office is one year.

At the annual meeting we discuss what is working and what is not, what we'd like to see in the future, and who we want for next year's facilitators. We also review and approve the budget and approve or amend our administrative guidelines. The latter lays out much of what is explained in this article.

Women of the Goddess Circle is not a static body of laws but continues to grow organically. We have increased membership and active participation while shortening our mailing list. We have successfully institutionalized the role of facilitators so the circle is not dependent on any one key person. We have inculcated the concepts within our Book of Shadows so that any of our members can create and perform effective rituals within our intended format. We have a small treasury and steady cash flow to sustain our postage and other costs. In sum, we have a comfortable core of competent women holding the rim of our circle stronger than any one woman could hold it from the center.

This puts us in position to try new things. For some years we have expanded social activities like attending the annual medieval fairs and Yule suppers. We are beginning to develop moon rituals. And we are compiling a book of Pagan songs. We are easing off scripting every word in ritual to allow more spontaneous individual expression while at the same time memorizing and expanding upon standard prayers. We keep learning and growing, not because we are such experts, but because we are closely in touch with our lived experiences and we celebrate them.

Blessed Be!

Janice Van Cleve

View the full article and other posts by Janice on Witchvox

Meet Janice in person at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival !

Interview With The Kore

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?
Persephone, also known as Kore. She represents the transition between childhood and adulthood, and finding your power and strength through challenge and adversity.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?
Persephone is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Demeter raised her on Earth, separate from the Olympians. She was the Holy Daughter, the Maiden of Flowers, always at her mother's side. Zeus granted Hades, God of the Underworld, permission to marry her. Hades abducted Persephone, and brought her to the Underworld. They married, and she became Queen at his side.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?
There's a lot of controversy about whether Persephone willingly married Hades, or whether it was under duress. For my part, I think she truly loves Hades, and would have chosen him, given the chance.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?
I've learned more about the connection between poppies and wheat, and the connection between Persephone and Demeter (a blog post on this subject will give more information).

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?
I would take her to a spa for the full self-care treatment. We'd talk about our lives, and connect with each other. Persephone is quiet, and very self aware. I think she'd appreciate the one-on-one time, especially with some high quality essential oils made from flowers.

Interview With Athena

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

This year I am the priestess of Athena. Athena is best known as the goddess of wisdom, war, and weaving (the three Ws, lol). She has connections to civilization as Athena Polias (Athena of the city), and she is the patron of Athens. She also has connections to truth, justice, and balance.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

The most common story of Athena's birth is that her mother was Metis (meaning wise counsel). Zeus heard that a child of Metis was going to overthrow him, so he swallowed the pregnant Metis. Metis' daughter, Athena, sprung from Zeus' forehead fully grown and already dressed for battle. But that is not the only story of Athena's birth. Herodotus says that Athena is the daughter of Poseidon and “the Tritonian lake”--a lake nymph named Tritonis. According to Apollodorus, Athena was raised by Triton, the god of the river Triton.

Athena has no husband. Hephaestus wanted to marry her, and tried to seduce her, but she ran away. Hephaestus managed to ejaculate on her leg, and she wiped it off onto the earth. From Gaia and Hephaestus' seed, Erichthonius was born, and Athena adopted him (more on that later).

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

The owl is not Athena's only animal symbol. She also has a strong connection to snakes. Some historians believe Athena has her roots in the Mycenaean bird and snake goddess. She is often depicted with a snake at her feet (the statue the Athena Giustiniani is a great example). Another example is Medusa, Athena's former priestess. The goddess cursed Medusa with serpent hair, and the aegis that Athena wears bears the serpents and head of a Gorgon (possibly Medusa). Athena's adopted son, Erichthonius, king of Athens, is depicted as either having serpent legs or having a serpent near him.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

I've learned so much, it's hard to choose just one thing. I've been learning about Athena's connection with other deities, her syncretism, and her roots. She has a connection to Fortuna that I'm still teasing out. She may be related to Neith, the Egyptian mother-goddess of the world.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

I think it would be really fun to go to a sporting event with Athena. I'm imagining her cheering or booing, analysing a team's strategy. I think Athena would love how the Olympics have evolved over time. It would also be fun to dance with Athena. Maybe she could teach me the Pyrrhic dance.

Meet Athena in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival .

Interview With Hades

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

Hades, Aides, The Dark Lord, The Unseen One, He Who Hosts Many, Pluton, Serapis.

Generally representing the human condition of death, or an 'end'.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

He was the first son of Chronus and Rhea, and was swallowed by Chronus like the other siblings. Zeus conspired with Rhea, Gaia, and other deities to release them all from Chronus. They overthrew his rule, and imprisoned the Titans in Tartarus. He is one half of the Holy Matrimony with Persephone.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

The pluton role is not covered much, as it entails a fear of death, which Hades is not really in charge of. That is a duty for a different underworld deity, one which is not shared with any others.

In Hades' role of Pluton, he is the keeper and giver of great wealth; indeed, 'primary wealth' is all derived from digging in his realm-- from the silver on your keyboard, to the oil that the plastics are made from.

The cave you fear to enter contains the treasures you seek.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

The Serapaium, or annex to the Great Library of Alexandria, was not destroyed by the fires, and contained the last books lost in the mid 300's CE. The library was dedicated to the god Serapis, and the few known statues of this god were depicted as having a flower pot on his head, standing next to a three-headed dog. It is thought that Serapis was a final image of Hades that survived long past the end of the public worshipping of pagan gods in Rome.

All of the minerals in the soil that are used to grow the plants we require, are provided from Hades, as a gift and unseen duty.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

I think that photography, and specifically our ability to 'freeze frame,' run cameras so fast as to capture the micro-seconds of events, and run them in a time-lapse mode to experience long-term events quickly, would fascinate Hades. The breaking down of Chronus into micro-segments, and being able to freeze them forever in time, would be like a comedy for Hades.

Meet Hades in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival .

Interview With Hermes

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

He is Hermes, or Mercury. Hermes represents cunning, wealth, luck, and fertility.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

Hermes is the son of Zeus and Maia, one of the Pleiades, and the daughter of Atlas. He isn't married as far as I've been able to tell, but he is the father of Pan.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

Something most people don't know about Hermes is that, along with all the other roles he holds within the Greek Pantheon, he is also a god of spiders. This makes a lot of sense if you think of all the metaphorical webs that he deals with (roads, the internet, etc.)

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

Something Hermes has basically been working to pound into my head from day one is the idea that if you want something, you need to go out and take it. Given that he is the god of thieves, this isn't a surprising concept, but what has surprised me is the extent to which he has asked me to apply it. You want a better job? Get out there and find one. You want love and affection? Go find it, it's out there. You want happiness? Get out there and carve it from the fabric of reality itself if you have to. Have you tried to get the thing that you want but it hasn't worked? Clearly you haven't found what you really want, so keep looking.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

If I were to spend the day with Hermes, I'd probably end up taking him on a road trip. We would probably either just get in the car, pick a direction, and drive until we found something interesting enough to stop for, or make our way through as many hole in the wall "hidden gem" barbecue restaurants as we can find.

Meet Hermes in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

Interview With Hera

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

She is Hera, Queen of Heaven. Hera is also the Goddess of Marriage, protector of women (married ones mostly), and Goddess of the Sky. She is equated in many of the Hymns as air--the element we would greatly miss if it were not there.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

Hera was (according to some) the eldest daughter of Cronos and Rhea (MANY others say she was twin to Zeus, and Hestia was the eldest). She was swallowed by Cronos upon birth. MANY different places claim to have been her birthplace; numerous figures are cited as the ones who raised her.

After Zeus’ many advances on Hera, she forced him to marry her (the first Olympian wedding) and she stayed faithful to her ever-faithless husband.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

Hera was not just tricked by Zeus in the guise of a cuckoo bird, he (according to many scholars) raped her when she rejected him yet again. Her way of NOT being just a victim was to turn the tide on him and force him into marriage.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

Hera’s bitchy persona was created by Homer (or the people who wrote as Homer). In ancient Grecian times, a wealthy many would have many mistresses and concubines at his wife’s consent (she would even be a part of the choosing of those in his bed). In some cases the offspring of those ‘affairs’ would be given higher status than children born of the wife, especially if the married couple only produced daughters. Hera truly is a very loving Goddess, and only wants the respect of her husband asking for consent.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

If I were to spend the day with Hera, we would most likely start the day with a complete makeover, and then shopping on Rodeo Drive, Fifth Ave, and Boutiques of Paris. I’m with the Queen of Heaven, we wouldn’t need an airplane, or passports, or anything like that.

Meet Hera in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

Spring Mysteries: Interview With Zeus

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

He is Zeus. He provides humanity with governance and social order, and the example of what hard decisions must be made for the good of all.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

Zeus was youngest of the Titans, born children of Kronos and Rheia. His mother hid him away from his father, who swallowed a stone thinking it was the latest child. Zeus was raised in secrecy, and developed the alliances and skills to finally overthrow his father, and cast down the rule of the Titans. He took his sister Hera as his wife. He engaged in exploits that tied most of the pantheon together, setting him squarely at the top as King of Mount Olympus.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

What I've learned through working as his priest, is that he must be the father that loves all his children. Yet as much as he sees how their path is unfolding for them, he must let them fall and learn to pick themselves back up, so they will grow into the fullness of their own agency. There is a time that the father can impart knowledge and guidance, yet step back to let each one makes their own choices with that knowledge.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

In truth, I've often avoided the Kings and All Fathers of pantheons, not taking the time to delve into their deeper mysteries. Many in the modern era only see the superficial reflections of these figures, presented in media and by authors of myth that don't take time to interrupt the meaning behind the words. In the modern pagan faiths, we struggle against what we see as tyrannical restrictions and controls placed on our ability to worship and freely express ourselves. Thus, we associate these Kings and All Fathers in the same light we see our modern tyranny, when we should be looking to them for exemplar of what just and fair rule should look like.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

I would introduce him to the methods we use to communicate and minister to our people, and how we are working to keep the priesthoods moving forward into the future. I will not assume to know how Zeus would react, but I am interested in observing him as he moves through the world around us.

Meet Zeus in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

Interview With The Pythia

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

I hold the Pythia, who is not a deity. They represent freedom of spirit, introspection, and psychics.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

The Pythia is the Priestess of Apollo, and They used to be human. In Greece, a young lady would be chosen to praise the Lord Apollo and deliver premonitions to pilgrims. People would line up for miles to meet with the Pythia. Over the ages, the spirits of Pythia oracles became a collective that lend their experiences to current oracles.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

The Pythia spirits aren’t limited to ancient Greece. Some of the spirits come from modern times, and when they were alive, they had no idea that they were oracles. Some have sad histories of misdiagnosis of schizophrenia, or other mental illnesses.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

In the past, I have had psychic experiences. It wasn’t until this year that my abilities have been kicked into gear. I know that no matter how crazy the premonition seems, I write it down, and try to see what could make sense. Symbolism is really important.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

On that day, I would take the Pythia to an outdoor concert. Rock ballads are very popular, as well as hip-hop. We would wear comfortable clothes, and eat pounds of gumbo. They would not like the noise of traffic, but once music starts playing, then all is better.

Meet the Pythia in the flesh and witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

Interview with Apollo

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

1. What is your deity's name, and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

My deity is Apollo, God of the Sun, music, archery, sickness, poetry, oracles, and healing. He was also important to the protection of children.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?
First off, Apollo never gets married, except for in a very fringe sect where he and Artemis were married. In every other story, his lovers get turned into flora by some ridiculous coincidence, or a rage flowering on someones part, and he walks away disheveled. LOL.

He is the son of Leto, the Titaness of Motherhood and Child Protection, and Zeus, King of the Gods. This was not Hera's favorite dalliance, so Hera did Hera stuff and tried to kill Leto by chasing her all across the world. Leto finally found refuge on Delos where she bore Apollo and his sister Artemis.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

One of Apollo's names is Mouse Daemon, because of his tendency to send mice to plague Troy when he was unhappy, and remove them once he was appeased :)

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?
Apollo has no ability to see where other people are coming from. The sun shines, it does not reflect, and because of this, part of his mysteries are about learning how to see where other people are coming from.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?
We would go go cart racing. He would love it. Until I beat him. Then he would probably turn me into a plant.

Witness the gods walk the earth at this year's Spring Mysteries Festival

Interview With Hephaestus

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

This year, the ATC is conducting interviews with all the deities whom will be attending this year's Spring Mysteries Festival . Included below are a couple questions that Hephaestus and his priest have kindly answered for us.

1. What is your deities name(s), and what concepts of the human condition do they represent?

He is Hephaestus. He represents attention to detail, creativity, perspective, creation, and understanding.

2. Give a brief description of your god's backstory. How were they born/created? Who are they married to?

Hephaestus was born of Zeus and Hera, though Hesiod says He was born of only Hera. When She saw Him to be ugly and imperfect She threw Him from Mount Olympus. After falling for a full day, he landed within Mount Aetna. It is here that He forges all of the wares of the gods with the Cyclopes. He was husband to Aphrodite, though later weds Aglaia.

3. What is something about your deity that most people don't know?

Most people assume that Hephaestus is only the God of blacksmiths, but this is a misconception. He truly feels father to anyone to creates and crafts. Every artisan who gives love and soul to their craft is His child.

4. What's something unique you've learned from working with them this year?

I have learned true appreciation for the many creative abilities I have, including a few crafty abilities I didn't know I was rather good at.

5. If you were to spend a day with your deity, what activities would do? How would they react to those mortal activities?

Crafting, tinkering, building, perfecting; making and making all manner of things that we could. I think He would be amused compared to the scope of His creations, but simultaneously would be proud and impressed at the dedication to the crafts.

To meet Hephaestus in person, and witness the gods walk the earth, register for Spring Mysteries Festival today!

Beautiful & Sensual Full Moon

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Beautiful and Sensual Full Moon
March 1, 2018 4:51 pm PST
Sidereal

This lunation began on February 15, under a solar eclipse. Many relationships were challenged and changed under this influence. Life is transforming, and tonight's full moon will be a delightful departure from the previous weeks' stress.

Today, the moon becomes full in the zodiac sign of Leo. Leonine qualities of personal pride, ambition, trusting one’s instinct, and generosity of spirit, leave us feeling empowered, affectionate and giving. People with strong Leo qualities enjoy romance, being the center of attention, and are always ready to promote themselves. Enticement is the keyword. Like chocolate dipped strawberries, the watery nature of the Moon combines beautifully with the strong and affectionate nature of Leo. This combination create sensuality, seduction, and a purrrrfect evening of intimacy. If you are single, spoil yourself with a sweetly scented bath and a glass of wine, and watch a movie.

If we look a little closer, we see the Moon at 18 degrees in the nakshatra of Purva Phalguni, a sanskrit word meaning “a fig tree”. The symbol of this star is the front legs of a bed, indicating a place of rest and enjoyment. This star energizes the Moon with pure shakti, and empowers new creation. Take advantage of this energy by eliminating what is not working in your life. Take a selfie, learn a new makeup technique, develop a desired skill. Most importantly, be authentic, honest and stand proud, like the king of the forest.

DO honor yourself with downtime so you can rejuvenate
DO eat healthy and cut back on spice, as the weakened solar force can effect your digestion
DO be patient with yourself and others as we work through recent events
DO be authentic and show people who you are

Focus lunar magic on self esteem, and compassionately direct your life.

Increase and balance solar influences by propitiating the Sun King. Hold a glass of purified water up to the sun in the morning, invoke his light into the water, and drink it.

In the Northern Hemisphere, our planet is slowly tilting towards the Sun, gently warming the earth. At this time, celebrate the energy of renewal by focusing your dreams into goals one seed at a time.

Helpful Dates

Daylight Savings time begins on March 11 at 2:00 am, set your clocks back one hour.
New Moon is March 17 at 6:00 am PDT
Ostara (astronomical) March 20 at 9:15 am
Blue Moon on March 31 5:37 am PDT

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Provided by
Angela Pennington
Vedic Astrologer
3SilverBroomsticks.com

The Continuation of Eleusis

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

“You should come see what we do,” this Archpriest “Pete” guy said to me.“ We work with Demeter and Persephone. I think you’ll like it.” So, here I stood on this beautiful, warm sunny Friday morning, wide-eyed and excited, waiting to see and experience what promised to be nothing less than a trip to Eleusis itself.

Long have I walked these mysteries as a priestess myself, discovering the hidden secrets, creating the rites. But within the first few minutes of “Parade to the Sea,” which was a purification ritual, readying us for the rites to come, I was awestruck. The Archpriestess transformed the park into Eleusis, and suddenly the magic began. The Royal family welcomed us, it was almost like a ride at Disney world. As we headed down to the sea I was happily full of optimism and absolutely giddy about the experience.

We were ushered into a concrete bunker, the remains of an old fort, which made a perfect stage. There she stood, in all Her amazing glory, Demeter and her daughter, the Kore. Light-hearted banter began, and suddenly, one by one, appearing as if from nowhere, the Gods of Olympus blessed us with their appearance. My eyes began pouring tears.

I am an Oracle. My eyes can’t help but leak in the presence of deity; It’s one of those things that is a validation for me. Once the Gods had appeared, I couldn’t stop my eyes from leaking the rest of the day, so overwhelmingly powerful was their presence. I was home.

Eleven years later, I still remember the people who were holding the Godforms that day. I still regard those physical bodies with a certain amount of awe and reverence. That day changed my life. I watched the rest of the mysteries that weekend with the same heart-touched awareness. The Gods kept saying I would be forever changed. I didn’t take them seriously. I should have. My first attendance to Spring Mysteries Festival was a watershed moment that changed everything for me.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church is a world-wide organization. More than 30 years ago, the Mother Church was called to bring the mysteries of Eleusis back from the ancient past, to the Great Mother’s children of the present. Each year, the priests and priestesses of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church are called to recreate these mysteries on Easter weekend. We renew our commitment to the Olympian and Chthonic deities within the cradle of the Olympic Mountains on the beautiful coast of the Northwestern tip of the United States. We do this through scholarship, as well as shared personal revelation.

The Eleusinian Mysteries portrayed at Spring Mysteries Festival shares of the “eyes only” secrets of the Cult of Demeter. These rites of passage speak to the heart of many of the modern-day Wiccans. The Greek mysteries revolve around the transformation of (hu)man-kind through the luscious Maiden Aphrodite, the fecund Mother Demeter, the changing-woman Kore/Persephone, and the Crone Hekate. The faces of these Goddesses are mirrors for us within the different phases of our lives, speaking to each of us in our own language, touching those that witness the mysteries in ways that cannot be put into words. It is nothing less than the original passion play, showing us the ancient road to understanding immortality and a life free from the fear of death.

These mysteries were one of the wonders of the ancient world. Before the rise of Christianity, the mysteries of Eleusis ran for 3000 years. The ancient people saved up for lifetimes and traveled for many months to experience these rites. So important were the revelations held within, that to speak of their exact nature and rite with the uninitiated was met with extreme prejudice by those that had attended.

I have long been called to walk these mysteries. Aphrodite is a patron deity of my family. My Mormon mother taught me an appreciation for beauty, the importance of love, the art of makeup and a love for fashion that was started early on. Persephone came to me when I was a confused and angry teenager, ready to break away from the constraints of my Mormon upbringing. Demeter sang to my children with my own voice, and guided me in the ways of raising my family. Hecate was always there, overseeing, guiding, validating, whispering in my ear, and redirecting me when necessary. I became their priestess through their subtle tutoring, and through my own intense need to understand God.

Today, I get the rare privilege of producing the modern-day version of what I consider the most holy spiritual event known to man. The many layers of symbolism within the Eleusinian mysteries timelessly speak across the ages to the mind of the modern Pagan. The mysteries reveal what they will to each person, speaking on a deep level and continuing to transform one’s life for years after the experience. Many people have attended for 15 or more years, as each year a new layer blocking their understanding of the universe is peeled away. Each year they find themselves drawn to commune with the Gods of Olympus.

At Spring Mysteries Festival, the Gods walk the Earth.

Today, traveling to the sacred hidden city is different. We no longer pass the obvious temples, and pay the expected fees. We pay different fares to modern day temples, that nonetheless facilitate our spiritual journey with their magic. We sacrifice gasoline and leave offerings at ferry terminals, or airline ticket gates. We document our adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This has become part of the sacred experience. We ask our participants, if it so pleases them, to begin their journey by considering the modern shrines of the Old Gods and to make their journey in mindful reverence. This connects us to the energy of giving, as well as allows people to get into the mindset of receiving the spiritual experience that is Eleusis.

Spring Mysteries Festival is an immersive experience. Festival goers are considered pilgrims to Eleusis, and receive initiations into the rites. Unlike other festivals, where there are many things to choose to, or not to, attend, all are expected to attend the holy rites. The festival is cast within sacred space, which is held throughout the weekend. True to ancient tradition, participants are sworn not to reveal any of the things witnessed there.

There are three degrees of Initiation into the mysteries of Eleusis. The Lesser Mysteries take the first-time pilgrims through an ancient initiatory rite with a theme common to Wicca, but unique in the ways of Eleusis, which frees the initiate from the fear of death. The second degree rite happens on one’s second journey to Eleusis, and takes part during the Greater Mysteries. This rite is transformational and takes one’s understanding deep into the meaning of the afterlife.

The third degree initiation is one’s entrance into the Eleusinian Priesthood, which has its own set of degrees.

This work is a sacred calling. The lessons learned, the blessings received from holding a Godform, or cooking a meal, at Spring Mysteries Festival, is unparalleled in its deeper meaning. The Priests and Priestesses called to this work find it comes from deep within each of us. We pour over the texts of Ovid and Homer. We review and decipher the works of respected scholars, and then we listen to the loud and insistent voices of the Gods themselves. They are here. They want their messages told and they are all too insistent to be ignored.

Why us? Because we are listening? Because we are lucky? I don’t know. I am just grateful to be called, and happier that I can “do.” It is obvious to those who are initiates that someone in the early days of the ATC was guided by Goddess to bring something very special and sacred back to the Her children, and we are oathbound to continue the work. The mysteries sing to my soul. They answer my questions and guide my choices. This is the path as it unfolds beneath me. I am honored to walk it.

Those who have the spark of the Eleusinian Priesthood in their souls see the sacred psychodrama one time, and are ignited to move Heaven and Earth to be the voice of the Gods. People move, people rearrange their lives, people sacrifice their time, treasure and talents to produce Her sacred works. We of the Priesthood recognize this within each other, and know the mystery: That it is an honor to carry the spark of the Gods of Eleusis, and it is an honor to serve as their voice, every year, in whatever capacity we are called to serve. Blessed are we to be in Her service.

Belladonna Laveau is the Archpriestess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, and Dean of WiccanSeminary.EDU, author of Awakening Spirit and a High Priestess of the Eleusinian Priesthood.

Prayer

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Speak Softly

Like the whisper

Fleece of Sheep

Springs from gentle words

or harsh alike, and

without judgment.

Peaceful, it resonates

without judgment.

Peaceful, it resonates

a calm vibration

the ripple moves across the pond

Speak Softly

To the Stars

A whisper to the moon

A wave forms in my heart

And travels the wide space

In a feather’s breeze

A Sighing Tree

And the Earth is Beautiful

And at peace, swathed

In light, Aglow.

The sun’s rays splay

A radiant crown

A corona of light the

Spikes of Apollo’s spear

Flashing round a sphere

He slays the Night

Darkness Bleeds

Itself into Earth.

To Sleep, To Dream

A place of peace

No need to guard the door,

We Mingle here.

Allow Release.

The Rape of Persephone - Part 4

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The last few weeks I’ve focused on Hades’ abduction of Persephone, and whether or not it was rape, or rather, sexual assault.

While that’s a big part of the story, it’s not really the main theme. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is really about Persephone coming of age, and separating from her mother; becoming an adult, if you will.

At the beginning of the Hymn, Persephone is out picking flowers with “the full-bosomed daughters of Okeanos”. Among the many flowers she plucks, she sees the narcissus, “wondrous and radiant, and a marvel to be seen by immortal gods and mortal men”. This plant, a lure set by Gaia (supposedly at the will of Zeus, though that is open to some debate), represents Persephone’s desire for change.

She is the Kore, the eternal Maiden, forever the Mother’s daughter. She is her mother’s whole world, and Demeter is definitely not ready for her to stop being a little girl. And this is really why Hades goes to Zeus to ask permission – because Demeter would never give it.

Yet what young woman would want to stay a girl forever? At some point, every adolescent wants to become an adult, to become a person independent of their parent(s). Persephone picks the narcissus, the flower that represents self-love, to signify that she is ready for the next stage.

Is she really, though? What adolescent is truly ready to be an adult? Which of us has clarity about what will happen when we strike out on our own? Which of us, when faced with the harsh reality of our choices doesn’t long for the simpler days of our childhood? (OK, not everyone’s childhood was simple. And often, even challenging childhoods were simpler than those first forays into adulthood when we think we know more than we do.)

Faced with the sudden change from the bright, nurturing world of her mother, to the dark, lonely world of her husband, Persephone missed the former. The change she asked for was not what she expected. However, that doesn’t mean she truly wants to go back to her old life. She wants the reassurance that she can go back, that her mother still loves her. And she wants confirmation that she made the right choice.

Before Persephone returns to her mother, Hades “gave her to eat a honey-sweet pomegranate seed, contriving secretly about her, so that she might not spend all her days again with dark-robed, revered Demeter”. Again, a choice. She could go back to her mother and stay there, returning to the earth and the life she knew, never having to return to her abductor. She has a perfect out – Zeus ordered it.

That’s not what she wants, though. A mind once expanded can never go back to the size it was before. She has had a taste of freedom, of independence, at least as much as a woman in ancient Greece might be afforded. Hades promises, “When you are here you shall be mistress of everything which lives and moves; your honors among the immortals shall be the greatest.”

She tells her mother, “Aidoneus (Hades) slyly placed in my hands a pomegranate seed, sweet as honey to eat. Against my will and by force he made me taste of it.” She’s afraid of her mother’s wrath; she is still a young woman seeking her mother’s approval. So she bends her story to the tale she thinks her mother wants to hear, and is most likely to tolerate. Her story is accepted, and she avoids conflict with Demeter, while asserting her will over her future.

The Hymn to Demeter is as much a story of Persephone’s coming of age as it is about a mother’s grief at her daughter growing up. It shows Persephone gaining agency over her life. She may not yet be ready to entirely face the consequences of her choices, and that is part of her learning process. She is testing out that agency, and finding out what others around her are willing to accept.

Blessings,

Mary

The Rape of Persephone - Part 3

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve established that the “Rape of Persephone” refers to abduction rather than sexual assault. However, Persephone’s myth often speaks to those who have experienced sexual assault. So it makes sense that some see it as assault.

Rape by modern definition or ancient definition aside, Hades still abducted her and held her in the Underworld. How long was she there before Zeus sent Hermes to retrieve her?

It must have been quite some time, at least by human standards. Zeus only made his decision because he was no longer receiving offerings at his altars and temples because so many of the humans had died due to the blight Demeter had caused. It would probably take a few years for enough people to starve to death that no one was honoring the Gods. Or the equivalent of years, because supposedly there were not seasons before this myth.

And what are years to an immortal being? How long does it take for an immortal to grow from an infant to an adolescent to an adult? We don’t hear much about the childhood of the different Gods. Zeus was raised in secret, with no indication of how long it took. Athena sprang fully formed from Zeus’s forehead; Artemis helped deliver her twin brother after she was born; Hermes stole Apollo’s cattle when he was just an infant.

What may take years for mortals, may seem like mere minutes to a God or Goddess. We really don’t know. Would it have been enough time for Persephone to develop an attachment to her captor? Would it even have been enough time to realize that she was a captive? Probably, actually.

Demeter goes through quite a lot in between Persephone’s disappearance and her return. She grieves. She blights the earth. She wanders for nine days before learning what happened to her daughter. Once told, Homer merely says she wandered “a long time” before settling in Eleusis, where she became nursemaid to Queen Metaneira’s son Demophoon.

Persephone therefore spend at least a few weeks in Erebos, if not closer to a couple of years. There definitely would have been time to realize that she was not free to leave, whether because of Hades himself or the rules of the Underworld. Or perhaps simply because she didn’t have a guide to get out. (“One does not simply walk out of Erebos…”)

Homer doesn’t tell us what happens, other than through what Persephone tells Demeter upon her return, which still isn’t much. She tells of Hermes arrival, and Hades giving her the pomegranate seed, and then of her abduction. No romance, and no tales of torture. No horror stories of how badly she was treated, and no protesting of how wonderful or kind or misunderstood her captor might be.

Generally speaking, Stockholm syndrome consists of “strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the other.”

Mackenzie, Ian K. “The Stockholm Syndrome Revisited: Hostages, Relationships, Prediction, Control, and Psychological Science”. Journal For Police Crisis Negotiations. 4: 5–21 – via Wikipedia.

There is no textual evidence that Hades harassed, beat, threatened, or abused Persephone. Intimidated? Maybe. I’d be pretty intimidated if the Dark Lord abducted me! If he were an abusive partner, though, I doubt he would encourage her to go back to her mother, and promise her great honor by ruling at his side.

To me, Hades seems like a very lonely God, who only wanted someone with whom to share his rule. His actions were misguided by our modern standards, but not out of line for the laws of the time.

Next week I’ll talk more about Persephone’s coming of age, and how that plays into the myth.

Blessings,

Mary

The Rape of Persephone - Part 2

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

I have long comforted myself by saying the definition of rape was different for the ancients. As we found last week , it simply meant abduction, or kidnapping.

Now, Greek mythology is no stranger to our modern definition of rape. You could say that Zeus’s exploits are the antithesis of consent. There is no shortage of jokes about Zeus not being able to “keep it in his pants”, or chiton, if you will. Pan, Poseidon and Apollo might also be accused similarly. However, there aren’t many myths about Hades forcing himself on whatever female he happens to find attractive in that moment. (Though one could say he just doesn’t get out much, and you wouldn’t be wrong.)

I believe that an important part of understanding myth is understanding the culture and circumstances at the time. Essentially, we cannot judge myths from our place of modern morality. Baring the Aegis has a fantastic article breaking down the understanding of rape in ancient Greek culture:

We tend to equate ‘rape’ with the absence of love and mutual consent, but in ancient Hellas, marriage itself was an agreement between men about a woman. Rape in ancient Hellas was therefor not tied to the approval of the woman–any sexual act on her part was performed without love and consent anyway–but to the approval of the men surrounding her.

…Ancient sources also tell us that men were only punishable for sexual assault or rape if they raped a woman–or possibly a man–above their own rank. No one was punished for raping a slave, for example, and the practice was common.

So then, what of Gods? It stands to reason that hierarchical rules also apply here, as myths are formed by the men who tell them. Who is higher in rank than a God? And, above all, who is higher in rank than Zeus? If Zeus desires a woman, He is free to take her under ancient Hellenic law. It also stands to reason that a God lower in standing, say Apollon, would be punished severely for raping a Goddess above his standing. If Zeus had not claimed Hera, and He [Apollon] had laid claim to Her, I am sure He would have been unsuccessful, and perhaps would even have been punished.

~Elani Temperance, “Rape in ancient Hellas and Hellenic mythology”, Baring the Aegis

Looking at the myth in this context, there was definitely no rape involved. Hades and Zeus made a contract. Persephone was exchanged from Father to Husband as part of that contract. Hades was definitely above Persephone in the hierarchy, so he wouldn’t even have needed to ask for Zeus’s permission to marry her. And yet he did ask permission.

Asking permission for marriage isn’t something we often associate with rape. Granted, there are cases of domestic violence that start out innocent enough. Yet, when Hermes comes to Hades relaying Zeus’s order that Persephone be returned to her mother, Hades states:

“Persephone, go to your dark-robed mother,
with a gentle spirit and temper in your breast,
and in no way be more dispirited than the other gods.
I shall not be an unfitting husband among the immortals,
as I am father Zeus’ own brother. When you are here
you shall be mistress of everything which lives and moves;
your honors among the immortals shall be the greatest,
and those who wrong you shall always be punished,
if they do not propitiate your spirit with sacrifices,
performing sacred rites and making due offerings.”

~Apostolos N. Athanassakis, The Homeric Hymns, 1976 The John Hopkins University Press

“I shall not be an unfitting husband…” implies that he has not yet consummated the marriage. A few lines earlier, “He [Hermes] found the lord inside his dwelling, sitting on his bed with his revered spouse; she was in many ways reluctant and missed her mother, who far from the works of the blessed gods was devising a plan.” Again, nothing here says Hades has forced himself on Persephone.

Next week I’ll look at the argument of Stockholm Syndrome. Until then,

Blessings,

Mary

The Rape of Persephone - Part 1

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Persephone’s mythology centers around her abduction, or rape, by Hades. But was she raped in the way we understand rape today? To understand Persephone, I need to understand this myth. I’ve studied the myth from Demeter’s perspective, and now I need to look at it more from the daughter’s perspective.

Persephone, or Kore as she was originally known, was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Kore means “the maiden”, just like Demeter means “the mother”. Kore was Demeter’s whole world. She raised Kore mainly on Earth, away from Olympus, and away from Zeus. Demeter was a doting mother, providing for all of Kore’s needs, as well as providing for the needs of all the humans on Earth, as Goddess of the Grain.

One day, Hades spied Kore, and fell in love, some say because Eros shot him with one of his arrows. Regardless, Hades went to Zeus and asked his permission to marry his daughter. Zeus agreed, and Gaia conspired with her grandsons to create a narcissus to lure Kore away from her playmates, or her mother. When Kore plucked the narcissus, Hades plucked Kore from the Earth, and carried her down to the Erebos, the Underworld.

Demeter felt her daughter’s absence, but did not know where Kore had gone. In her grief, she blighted the Earth; no crops would grow. The humans began to starve and die, which meant less offerings for the Gods.

Here, the myths focus mainly on Demeter and what happened on the Earth. We do not know what occurs between Hades and Persephone until Zeus commands that Kore be returned to her mother (so the Earth will grow once more and he can have offerings in his temples again).

Upon Persephone’s return to her mother, we learn that Persephone has eaten some pomegranate seeds. The number varies from author to author, and whether Hades tricked her, or she ate them willingly is also open to interpretation. The outcome of it is that Persephone is bound to Erebos, and to Hades, for part of the year. The other part of the year, she spends on earth with her mother.

So that’s the summary of the myth. What do the ancient authors have to say about the actual ‘rape’?

According to Pseudo-Apollodorus, “Plouton (Pluto) [Haides] fell in love with Persephone, and with Zeus’ help secretly kidnapped her.” According to the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, “[Demeter’s] trim-ankled daughter whom Aidoneus [Haides] rapt away, given to him by all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer.” And according to the Orphic Hymn 18, “[Haides] with Demeter’s girl [Persephone] captive, through grassy plains, drawn in a four-yoked car with loosened reins, rapt over the deep, impelled by love, you flew till Eleusinia’s city rose to view: there, in a wondrous cave obscure and deep, the sacred maid secure from search you keep, the cave of Atthis, whose wide gates display an entrance to the kingdoms void of day.” (all quotes from theoi.com)

The common word is rapt. Not raped. Rapt. The word rapt is from the Latin raptus, past participle of rapere “seize, carry off”. We see here also reference to the word rape, because it comes from the same root. “Meaning “act of abducting a woman or sexually violating her or both” is from early 15c., but perhaps late 13c. in Anglo-Latin.”

The modern meaning of the word didn’t come about until much, much later. Next week I will explore more about the ancients’ concept of rape, and how this applies to my understanding of the myth.

Blessings,

Mary

Entering Imbolc

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

It seems like ages now, that we have been sitting through the dark of the year. Yet if you truly look around, the first signs of spring are showing, so it is time to celebrate Imbolc.

Imbolc, also known as Candlemas, is one of the eight Sabbats we celebrate as the wheel of the year turns and marks the cross-quarter between Winter and Spring. Mother Earth's bounty is growing within her, and her belly is only just starting to show. The name “Imbolc” comes from a Gaelic word, meaning "in the belly."[1]

It's more than worth noting that this holiday is a celebration of the Goddess Brigid, The Bright Arrow, She Who Is the Flame of Avalon, and She Who Was the First Bride. It is nearly impossible to try and understand Imbolc without knowing Her face. She is a Goddess of the hearth, blacksmiths, fertility, marriages, fire, the sun, and inspiration.

Imbolc is a time of celebrating Lady Brigid's pregnancy, as the Maiden is becoming the Mother.

This is a time of showering her with love, and affirmations for her child, which is the future to come. It is a time when we come together to celebrate the pure potential that spring will bring, and to begin to plan for what lies ahead. The lands are once again fertile, and the first seeds of the year are being planted. This is the time of initiations and new beginnings.

Imbolc is also known as Candlemas due to a tradition spanning back millennia, wherein the fire of Lady Brigid is brought into the home[2], manifested as a candle in every window. This is, quite literally pushing the dark of the year away with the light of the Goddess. This is an ideal time to execute any candle magic you have been planning, and tap into Avalon's light to give your spells an extra oomph.

Celebration traditionally begins at sundown on February 1st, when the candles are placed, and lasts until sundown the following day. In some traditions, a special poppet is made to give form to the Lady Brigid so She may have a vessel to receive Her gifts and be more easily welcomed into the home and family.[3] During this time, She is treated as an honored guest. The Maiden has just gotten married after all!

Associations

Colors:

White: Representing the ever-present snow, and the Maiden's purity
Red: Symbolic of the Great Flame, the color most associated with Lady Brigid
Green: The first growth of spring, hopes and ideals we wish to foster and nourish

Herbs:

Blackberry: Said to be sacred to Brigid, this plant has been used to treat burns, and is in spells for wealth[1]
Coltsfoot (aka Coughwort): This herb has been used medicinally to treat coughs, ever present in the cold of winter, and has been used in incense to ease communion with spirit
Violets: A gift for expectant mothers and newlyweds to bring future luck, also used to bring on a restful sleep

Symbols:

Brigid's Cross: Traditionally created on a walk using found twigs and reeds during the first day of Imbolc, and placed to be left on the hearth.

Brideo'gas: A special poppet made to embody the Lady Brigid. This poppet is taken around the community, and treated as a guest of honor. In some traditions, the poppet is tucked into a bed over the hearth to bring fertility into the home. In others, a special wand made of elder and pointed with an acorn is bound to the hand of the Brideo'gas. It is said that if a poppet with its wand is burned, a special message may be divine from her ashes.

Sources

[1] https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/imbolc-candlemas

[2] http://circleofthesacredmuse.com/celebrations/imbolc/

[3] https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/imbolclore.htm

[4 ] http://www.sheeeire.com/magic%26mythology/gods%26goddess/celtic/goddess/brigit/factsheet1.htm

[2] http://circleofthesacredmuse.com/celebrations/imbolc/

[3] https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/imbolclor

Lessons Of The Priest: Living In The Now

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

At Pantheacon 2017, I was fortunate enough to a perform sacred service in the hospitality room hosted by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC). Shrine scenes for Hestia, Aphrodite, were held by different priestesses. I held my Patron, Eris.

The details of what happened during this sacred service are, of course, private. It’s between the pilgrims who came to visit and Eris. What I'd like share is what happened as O/our time of service was coming to an end.

ATC’s High Priest, Dusty Dionne came into the room where Eris was receiving pilgrims. He informed U/us, “Great lady you have 10 minutes more.” Time, and for that matter distance, are concepts that Eris seems to have a loose or at least very different understanding of we mortals.

Eris left with me with a message to convey. “Dusty, for Eris, there is only now and later. She has a limited and different concept of time.”

“What about, before?” he queried.

I didn’t have an answer.

I didn't think about it very much at the time. Admittedly, I was a bit euphoric from this session of service. In my life, it’s been not often that I have been able bring a message from a god to pilgrims in a very tangible way. For a deity so often associated with discord, Eris has a profound way of pulling on the one thread that brings simple questions, with complex answers, to the foreground. Understanding Her lessons takes much time and reflection.

I keep a journal of my lessons from Eris. Whenever I work through a lesson, I try to reframe it into the form of question. What is the problem or question I am trying to answer? In this instance, I concluded I wanted to know “What does now really mean? Is it simply a point in time or something more?” Mediation and with Her guidance, I’ve written this article.

I’ve concluded that now is the culmination of every

· Past choice and decision we make

· Conscious choice made by others that directly affect us or our environment

· Influence(s) from things in our environment (a bird flying past that causes us to turn our head, a tree/building/obstruction we go around, an apple in the path of the protagonist)

Now is a point of arrival. Now is a series of intersecting waves of influence that emanate from events and choices. It’s a rich and complex state of being to be studied and appreciated. Bad times come too, those are lessons for us that may serve us in the later.

Much of studies, rituals and general work we do in our spiritual and mundane lives involves being in or getting to the now. Being mindful and understanding our surroundings or circumstance of who we are at a given moment is something that every witch or Pagan appreciates. We’ve learned or been taught to ground before, after ritual or when doing spell work. Times of stress or other deep emotions are other good candidates. At those times, we’re brought back from the loss of being the now. Being mindful and in the now are possibly the best things we can do for ourselves and maybe everyone else too.

When I'm invoked with Eris there is a timeless quality as well as deep sense of connection to the all. There is at once a profound awareness of everything around me and the sense of everything reduced to a single point within me. I am often blind yet keenly aware (Others who have been within the sphere of influence while invoked with Eris have experienced this as well) of my surroundings.

Now is a single point, the apex or perhaps an all-encompassing sphere of everything around me. Everything I am, everything I touch, everything that's affected by me have significant and profound consequences in the here and now and everything you do or you are in the process of doing at some point become your past and everyone else’s past. It’s an important lesson from Eris about self-control, mindfulness and minding what you do and to whom. As witches, we are constantly taught that our intents, thoughts and actions make the world around us. As within, so without.

There's an adage "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." While that's true, being mindful that this now will become everyone’s past, gives you the one and only opportunity to change or affect it. Standing on this horizon you can anticipate the changes you will make in the future and alter them. This is, perhaps, the only real form of time travel that exists. It is profoundly important that you recognize every action, every intention has a lasting effect in ever widening spheres of influence. What you’ve done to arrive at the here and now is more important than your study of the past. As with any line, it’s made of a series of now points. You don't move through time, it is time that moves around us.

Steering vs Navigating

One thing that I've learned is to steer and not try to navigate the currents. Let things be and happen in their own time and accord. The advice I most often get from my guides is the same. Stop trying to force life into happening. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare or have prepared yourself through discipline, education, practice and training. It does mean that trying to force things is less likely to get the result the universe needs for it to have. Be in the now instead of making the now.

Imagine being dropped into a rushing river. There are many things you can and can't control on the river. You can't control the current, you can't control obstacles or other things in the river. You can reach out to them. With the right effort, you may alter your course but you’re still in the river. All you have is your personal state of being. Your mental health, level of physical performance, stress level and mental preparedness for how you make it downstream.

What of Later?

Later is the apex of choices made (the latest now you can see/touch). and the intersection or merging of for lack of a better term the lines of choice that passed through your life. In some traditions, these are sometimes called threads.

Somewhere in all of this is a lesson about the Wheel. That is, if you go far enough into the future perhaps we do end up in the past, a past or somewhere else along the spiral, circle within a circle.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is one of many lessons, that a priest has learned. What lessons have you learned from Gods as pilgrim or priest? We’d love to have you share as much of your personal journey as you care to. Have a lesson or other story to share? Write to us at editor@atcwicca.org

Blessed be.

The Road to the Mystic South Conference & What I Found There!

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

A new conference bounded onto the scene in July 2017 called Mystic South. Several reviews and articles have been posted this week while I've mulled over my own experience at the conference. A little over a year ago, my partner and I were experiencing our first Pagan Spirit Gathering (PSG). It was hot, it was challenging, and it was amazing. During this experience, we heard the first rumors of an "academic" pagan conference being planned in our local area. We were excited and intrigued, and we spent some time trying to hunt down the organizer, but never managed to connect that week. We went home and didn't hear anything about it, but occasionally wondered if it was proceeding.

The next spring, we revisited the idea, took a moment to find their webpage, and got excited again. It was going to be in Atlanta during July, in a HOTEL! A hotel pagan event was an exotic concept; we weren't quite sure how that would pan out, but were willing to jump on the bandwagon. However, at that time ,the website was filled with TBA announcements, so we again were unable to proceed.

Around the end of May, we again visited the website, and goodness, but the train had left the station! There were prices of hotel reservations to consider, along with lots of other things.

Unfortunately, we'd missed some of the deadlines that we'd have like to have made, but never the less decided to attend, even if we couldn't submit papers or have a table. It still sounded amazing! Well, it was amazing! Others have written about the location challenges, but to be honest, those were mild to some of the flood, heat, and storm stories I've heard about other pagan events. The staff handled the heat and the lack of water throughout the hotel well and kept the attendees updated. It was a shared challenge that caused many of us to get to know people we might not have otherwise. The workshops were well attended and those I went to – each hour had multiple choices so I had to miss others that I also desperately wished to have been able to attend – were well done. They varied from 101 type offerings such as "The Power of Line and Sigil" or "Ochun's Honey Pot", to advanced work such as "Appalachian Folk Medicine" to "Fairy Magic and Re-enchantment of the World", and offerings all between. I had the great pleasure to attend Orion Foxwood's and Byron Ballard’s workshops, and loved them both, even though their styles of presentation were vastly different.

Orion's workshops were inspiring and thought provoking, and Byron's were humorous and down to earth. I totally expected to have challenges with her "Willful Bane" workshop that covered the 9 Levels of Bane and the Marshmallow Hex, but walked away without one issue!

I also attended Amy Blackthorn's "Hoo Doo and Aromatherapy" workshop. It was well attended and very interesting. She's well versed in the material and a lovely presenter. She covered methods for determining how pure an essential oil is that you might purchase since many companies are diluting their essential oils for profits. She also discussed why certain oils were considerably more expensive than others in detail. Another favorite was Heron Michelle's " Theology of Perfection" that discussed how we can be in perfect love and perfect trust when entering the circle, and Tempest's "The Power of Line & Symbol". Tempest made sigil building practical and easy to comprehend. Her knowledge of historical folk symbols as well as ceremonial symbols was impressive. I don't know too many people who are versed on Berber symbology! Really not one workshop was bad or poorly done. There was a range of topics and levels for all comers.

There were also some lovely vendors with interesting items that I enjoyed perusing. Items from oils to brooms and a lovely wand vendor who was also a presenter Gypsey Teague, a fascinating Hoo Doo Museum, as well as a healing room for those who overdid their day in the heat and needed some care. The main provider in the healing room was Revitalize Health and Wellness, an Atlanta massage therapy group.

In addition to the workshops, there were academic papers being presented. I only made it to two presentations, but both were informative and interesting. The first presentation was on how social media affected pagan activism. Three online social groups were studied during the year long project. The second presentation was on how witchcraft was both empowering and dangerous to women in today's world. It focused on the abuse of the witchcraft label in third world countries. As someone interested in pagan academics, I was very excited to see and attend one of the first pagan presentations of papers. I look forward to next year's presenters.

There were also rituals, which due to the tight scheduling I was unable to attend, and an amazing concert on Saturday night by Tuatha Dea. If you haven't experienced their brand of magic, you really should attend one of their performances. It's an amazing blend of myth, music and showmanship. Their energy is always happy and upbeat.

So much was happening that weekend, and I missed lots of it not being able to bend time and space! I hope that lunch allowances will be built into the schedule next year, but that was really my only suggestion. It is horrible to have to choose between eating and wonderful offerings. What an awesome problem to have! I look forward to next year's offering and hope to be more involved.

Wiccan Churches Within A Community

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The weather was just right, not too cold, with a nip in the air. All fourteen of us were waving and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Yule as our float approached the old High School in Lake City, Arkansas. We noticed the crowd that had gathered along the Streets was about twice the size it was last year. Since our Church won 1st place last year for “Best Church Float,” we were given the honor of being the first float in this year’s parade. As we approached the crowd we heard a few people proclaim, “Here come the Wiccans!” Everyone was waving and smiling and cheering as we slowly rolled by.

When we arrived at the end of the parade at the local fire station, everyone went inside the large hall for fellowship, hot dogs, and prizes. There was about 800 people that attended, (which is pretty good for a small town with population of just over 2000). We didn’t win the first-place trophy this year, it went to 1st Baptist Church. Their float was a beautiful creation of Noah’s Ark, complete with children dressed up as the animals. In fact, ALL the other churches had upgraded their floats from the same old floats they had being using for years. The parade had expanded and grown to a wonderful expression of community participation and effort.

A week after the parade, my son and his wife were visiting at the 1st Baptist church for one of their functions. The pastor recognized my son and struck up a conversation with him. He told Zach, my son, “You know for years I’ve been trying to get my congregation to upgrade our Christmas Float and get our community more involved in the parade. Last year when your father and his church showed up with their fantastic float, I said to myself, ‘Finally some friendly competition!’”

The Southern Delta Church of Wicca-ATC has been established in our area for years. I have always believed that for the religion of Wicca to thrive and grow, it has to find its rightful place within the community in which it lives. It has taken us quite a while and a lot of work within our church to achieve this goal. By getting involved with our communities, environmentally, socially, and even politically, it helps to educate the public as to “Who we are” and what the Faith is about. When this happens, Wiccan Churches become more acceptable in communities, because correct information is being disseminated and the misconceptions about Wicca are being re-examined and seen as incorrect.

Wicca is going to continue to grow and evolve and eventually assume its rightful place in equality with all the other major faiths of the world; it cannot unless it engages in an interpersonal relationship with humanity and communities of the world.

There were many different people of many diverse faiths at the Firehouse in Lake City after the parade. We all came together in fellowship for a common purpose, “The Community,” and I was proud to say that SDCW-ATC, a Wiccan Church, was a part of it. To paraphrase a prayer from Tiny Tim, from A Christmas Carol, “ALL the Gods Blessed Us, each and every one!”

Terry Riley is the founding High Priest of Southern Delta Church of Wicca - ATC in Jonesboro, AR, established in 1994.

For the last twenty years, Terry has promoted Wicca/Paganism on T.V. Radio, Newpaper articles and been in Newsweek Magazine. His book "Brothers of the Sun: Pagan Men's Mysteries," was published and released in 2011.

The Garden of Ohn - A Short Story

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Once, just outside of the sparkling woods in the land beyond the mist, lived an old gnome named Ohn. Ohn would get up every morning, eat a simple breakfast of cheese and fruits, and go out the round door to work in the garden.

Ohn took great pride in his garden. All the Faeries for miles around would come to share his fruits and vegetables,and he grew so very many different things that he always had something new to show them. Ohn did not mind sharing his garden with the other faeries. They never took anything without asking, and they brought many marvels things to share with him as well. Some would bring him special plant food to help his plants grow. Some would bring him medicine to sooth his aches and pains, or help feed his birds, or make him tools. In this way, the Faeries helped Ohn to continue to grow his magical food.

Ohn's house was full of magical and beautiful things, and he lived quite well. Whenever there was a Faerie in need of kindness, Ohn was happy to help them. When they were able, they would often bring him a gift in thanks.

Of all the wonderful things in Ohn's house there was one that he treasured most. It was a stone of brilliant green, given to him by the Lady of the forest. She had called on him one cold night in winter, waking him from sleep. “Please noble gardener,” she had said. “All of the food is gone, and the animals of the forest are hungry. Feed my animals, and I will reward you greatly.” Ohn had opened his stores, and given all that he could spare to the wild creatures of the forest. In return the Lady had given him two gifts: the green stone, and a single silver arrow.

Ohn was grateful for the beautiful gifts, and had been enchanted by the stone form the start. One night he had taken it out in the garden under the light of the full moon, when the stone had begun to glow. Fascinated, Ohn walked this way and that, watching the stone grow brighter and dimmer, until finally he stumbled into a tomato plant. The stock had snapped, and saddened by the loss Ohn reached out and tried to straighten his precious plant, when suddenly the stock mended itself in his hand.The little tomatoes, still green a moment ago, fell plump and ripe right into his hand. From that moment on the stone was Ohn's most prized possession, and the secret to his great success.

One day, as the first breath of spring was melting the snow, Ohn woke to make his breakfast. He wanted to fry some tomatoes to go with his cheese, and opened the cupboard to find that it was looking a little bare. Most of his plants would not grow in the winter so he always stored things to eat, but this winter had been long and cold and his stores were running out. He was out of tomatoes, so he started to think where he could find something good to go with his cheese when he remembered the path through the old shadowy grove out behind his garden. He thought he could find some mushrooms there.

Few Faerie ever ventured into the grove. It was always full of mist, and they would say that you could wander into another world and get lost. But Ohn was not afraid of the mist, so he put his breakfast in a basket and went out back to the shadowy grove. Ohn followed the old path through the mist, cutting every mushroom that was big enough to eat. He was not paying attention to where he was going, and suddenly ran smack into a wheel of a cart. He looked up to see that he was no longer in the grove. The sun was shining down on vast fields filled with grain. The grassy yard where Ohn now stood was scattered with very large, and very rusty tools.

Ohn spun around and look behind him. The grove was gone, and in its place stood a forest of tall, straight trees. He could just make out a path from which he had come nestled among the ferns. He was about to walk back down it when suddenly he heard a drawling voice.

“What do we have here?” it said.

Ohn looked up to see a tall man in a straw hat and and dirty clothes. Staring down at him. “I am Ohn,” he said indignantly, “Gnome of the sparkling wood, and professional gardener!”

The man creature spat rather rudely on the ground, “Gardner? Ha! While you are tending your little garden, I am planting my vast fields, to fill my pocket full of gold.” He gestured grandly to his grain.

“My garden is not small!” Ohn shot back.

“Oh yeah!” said the man. “If you’re so good at it, why are you out here grubbing for mushrooms.” He wrenched the basket out of Ohn's hands and turned it over on the top of a barrel, then suddenly stopped and stared in wonder, for on top of the pile of mushrooms were two blueberries the size of pigeon eggs.

The man picked one up and took a big bite. “Delicious!” he exclaimed. “How ever did you get them to grow so big?

Ohn crossed his arms. “That's my secret!”

The farmer narrowed his eyes. “You may have giant blueberries, but you can never grow as much as I can, and I can tell that you must be short on food. If you tell me your secret I can help you.”

“No!” Ohn said “I will not give you that that!” Then, snatching up his breakfast, he turned and ran down the path.

A few weeks later Ohn woke to find that all of the plants in his beautiful garden were dead. Every leaf and stem lay withered on the ground, and not even the green stone would revive them. Ohn took the stone and ran to the path in the grove. When he got to the other side of the mist he called out to the farmer. “My plants are gone! The ground has gone bad!”

“I can help you.” the man said. “You can grow here, but only if you share your secret.”

“I will.” Ohn promised.

Ohn got to work planting a new garden on the farmer's land. At the full moon he brought out his green stone and showed the farmer how to work it. The man looked at the stone with a strange gleam in his eyes, and Ohn quickly put it away.

For a time, it seemed to Ohn that he would be all right living on the farm. When the farmer began to treat him poorly, he did not think that he had anywhere else he could go. He ignored the man's angry words when he got in his path, and the cramped, leaky hut that he would not let Ohn expand.

Then one morning Ohn woke as usual, and went to make his breakfast. His cupboards had been filled the night before, but now not a scrap remained. Ohn ran to the secret little chest where he kept the green stone, only to find the lock broken and the stone gone. He ran outside and looked around in shock. Every fruit and vegetable had been stolen, every nut pillaged.

Ohn turned his fury on the farmer, who leaned against a fence post nearby, watching. “What happened to my garden? Where is all my food!”

“Your food?” the farmer drawled. “Everything that grows on my land is my own property little gnome. Just ask him.” The farmer gestured to another man who stood nearby with a sword, looking menacing.

“That was not our agreement!” Ohn shouted “And you took my green stone! That was never yours! It was given to me by the lady of the forest!”

“I don't know what you are talking about there.” the farmer replied. “But best of luck to you, though.” The farmer waved mockingly and walked away.

Ohn fled to the old path through the forest in hopes that the trees would hide his grief. He had nothing to give to his friends, no food to eat. In the safety of the trees he fell to his knees and wept, not knowing what to do. After a time Ohn was distracted by the soft sound of fluttering wings. He looked up and his eyes met the gaze of a tiny Faerie perched on nearby tree stump. She was as dark as the wet earth in his old garden. Her eyes were solid black, and she had a log mane of raven colored hair. A pair of tiny silver antlers sat atop her head, and dark purple lines swirled across her skin forming what almost looked to be letters. Her wings gleamed deep violet, and blue, and bronze.

Ohn looked on her in amazement. “Who are you?” he asked when he had caught his breath.

“I am Lythna, Faerie of the Shadows.” The Faerie said. “I have heard your cries. Long have I traveled this world, learning the grief life brings, and well do I know the aches and pains that haunt your heart. All those who anguish are within my care.”

“Can you help me?” Ohn asked.

“Yes. If you are willing to do what only you can.” Lythna replied.

Ohn nodded his head, then proceeded to tell Lythna the entire story.

“I can help you.” Lythna told him “You can have back all you once had and be forever free of the farmer. But only if you are willing to do one thing, which no one else can do for you.”

“What is that?” Ohn asked.

“You must recover the stone of the Lady. To do this you will have to return to the farm. But you do not have to speak to the farmer. He may not even know that you are there, but the stone will be very close to him. Have you the arrow that the lady gave you?”

“Yes.” Ohn replied, showing her the special case he hung across his shoulders. He always kept the arrow there as a reminder.

“Good. The arrow will point your way. It is possible the farmer may try to confront you. It is important that you do not engage him. Only take what you need and get to safety. I will distract him.”

“But what is to be done about him?” Ohn protested. “What if he does this to someone lse?”

“Do not worry about the farmer. Only what he has earned will come to him. You need not put yourself in the way of harm. Say naught to him and he cannot harm you, not while I am with you. That I promise.” she assured him.

“I believe you.” Ohn said “When do we start?”

“Tonight. Tonight, the moon is dark.”

That night Ohn met Lythna at the head of the forest path into the grove, and they traveled to its end together. The moon was dark and the stars were veiled. The rolling hills of the farm were obscured in shadow. In the light of a sputtering lantern, hung from a long metal pole, Ohn could see the younger man with the sword sitting on a barrel. His thoughts were clearly elsewhere.

“Wait here.” Lythna said firmly. “Once he is out of the way begin your work.” In the blink of an eye, Lythna transformed into a tall agile woman. The hood of a long dark cloak hid her face, and a jug covered in strange writing was in her hand.

Lythna slipped out of the shadows and approached the young man. She whispered something to him and offered him the jug. He drank deep, smiled up at her and then slid sideways of the barrel, fast asleep.

Ohn took the silver arrow form its case, and placed it flat on his palm. The arrow turned, pointing him in the direction he needed to go. Ohn followed its direction keeping to the shadows. He crept towards the enormous barn where the farmer kept his food. Slipping inside he placed the arrow on his palm again. It pointed off into the dark building. Ohn followed its point, but stumbled into a stack of boxes he could not see. He fell hard against them, and they came tumbling down around him, making an awful noise.

Lythna saw him fall, but Ohn signaled to her that he was alright, and began to dig himself out. Then they heard movement inside the farmers house.

Lythna snatched up the lantern pole and dashed out into the field. At the top of the nearest hill she stopped, planted the pole, and flung her cloak aside, to reveal a long, shimmering silver dress. Then she began to play a small silver flute. The sound was tantalizing, echoing like a welcoming whisper. In the next moment the framers front door slammed open, and he stared slack jawed at the silver-clad woman standing out in his field. For a moment he stood as if transfixed by the notes, then slowly began to make his way towards her. Just when the farmer got close enough to stagger into the circle of light, the lantern winked out. The farmer looked around in confusion for a moment, the music still whispering around him. Then the light flared to life again on another hill with Lythna sitting beneath it, playing her enchanting tune.

Meanwhile Ohn had exhumed himself from the fallen boxes and crept farther into the barn. He followed the directions of the silver arrow carefully, until finally he stood near the back of the barn. The arrow spun in his palm as if not certain where to go, then abruptly stood strait up.

“Of course!” Ohn whispered excitedly. Quickly he scrambled up the ladder and into the loft. He searched all around him, digging through the straw, but all he could find was hay. He placed the arrow on his palm again. This time it wobbled and pointed slightly down and to his left. Ohn quickly cleared the straw away to reveal a trap door with a padlock. He drew out a set of picks, and had the lock off in seconds. He threw the door open. The Arrow in his hand was glowing, as bright as the north star.

Beneath him Ohn could see dozens of baskets filled with food from his garden, and Perched atop one mound of food, was the stone of the Forest Lady. The stone shimmered in the light like green flame. Moving quickly, Ohn pulled a large sack and a piece of silk cloth out of his pack. He folded the stone into the silk and stowed it in his pack. Then he shook open his sack and filled it with enough food to last until he could grow again. He stowed the silver arrow in its case, slung the sack over his shoulder, and scrambled back down the ladder as fast as his legs would move.

Ohn was just leaving the barn when he saw the farmer lunge into the circle of light where Lythna still played her haunting flute. The man made a clumsy attempt to grab her. In the last instant there was a soft “poof!” and the silver dress floated to the ground. Lythna, now her small faerie self, laughed and zipped around the farmers head. The farmer yelled and flailed his arms about wildly but caught nothing, and Lythna darted back into the shadows.

Ohn made his way quickly towards the forest path but half way through the yard a twig snapped. The farmer turned. Seeing Ohn with his sack of goods he snatched up a rusty hoe and rushed forwards bellowing. Ohn ran for the path, his heart pounding in his chest, desperate for the safety of the trees. In the last moment he realized he was not going to make it, and turned to face his attacker. The Farmer towered above him, hoe raised to swing, when suddenly shock replaced anger on his contorted face. He froze, and a soft cracking sound filled the air. Dark, wrinkled bark spread across the farmers skin, and in an instant a gnarled old tree stood where the farmer had been.

Ohn stared up at the tree in disbelief. “But he was real!” Ohn stammered.

Lythna swooped down and landed next to Ohn. “He is real,” She said. “and so is the harm that he has done. But I don't think that the greedy farmer will need any more coins or magic stones. He will be rather busy vegetating.” She giggled and took Ohn by the hand. “The fear of what he has done will pass.” she said. “Not quickly and not tomorrow, but only once you have let your heart have enough time, and listened to it well.”

The two turned and headed down the forest path towards Ohn's home.

Some time has passed now since Ohn's adventure on the farm, and the garden of Ohn grows as hearty and beautiful as ever it did. Only now there is one guest at Ohn's garden for which he saves his very best: Lythna, Faerie of the Shadows. Lythna had revealed to Ohn that his garden had been poisoned by the farmer, and had helped Ohn cleanse the land so that he could begin growing again. She also helped him gather new seeds to plant and showed him how to sing to them to help them grow.

The Farmer's fields and crops are gone now, his lands mysteriously swallowed by the forest. His neighbors only mention him in whispers, and none of them dare to visit the land where his farm once stood.

Meanwhile, Lythna continues her work among Faerie and human peoples alike, helping to heal the deep wounds of the heart. You may see her sometime, and she may offer to help. If she does, remember that you must be willing to do what only you can. do. And remember also the garden of Ohn.

An Eve’s Blessings

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

An Eve’s Blessings

Be blessed I say to everyone
Be blessed by the return and rise of the sun
Wherever you’re at north south east or west
For many this time of the year is the best

Each has a view of what should happen these days
Bringing warmth and light in their own ways
So I deliver ancient blessings that this time brings
From every direction these things

Be blessed the north with thy coldest days
Both near and far reflect your ways
Plump belly reindeer and fire glow
Helped us make it through days of old in the snow

The land of the east and the morning sun
Has been many days so the place holds the name
Where the sun does rise
Here is where new life comes from, the sky

The south from whence cometh such soul and fire
Where the sun neither wavers falters or tires
Steady its heat comes like the beat of the drums
That speak of the place friends and family do come

In the west the sun sets as the past goes on its way
Always leaving the promise of a new risen day
So wherever you are look inside and remember
All over the world solstice comes in June and December

Truly all good things come from above
All places are the same located in love
Listen with your heart can you hear the singing
It’s the joy that friends and family are bringing

Oh! And one last thing before I go
The debt and greed of the season
That bullshit is from below

Lennée Reid is a geeky veganish ecclectic mystic poet activist QPOC single mom survivor goddess on the spectrum who doesnt like labels. She has appeared in the UPS DIRT! project, Creative Colloquy, Tattoosday, Lost Tower, Works In Progress, Spectrum Women, and her chapbook “Universal State of Mind”, published by The Girl God. Lennée has featured and slammed across the country, was The Olympia Peoples Mic first WOWPS representative, opened for Pussy Riot, was heard on Paradigms, Tell It Slant, and Wheel of Wonder. Her spoken word album “The Second Coming of Matriarchy” is available at lenneereid.bandcamp.com

Follow her on Instagram (@lenneereid) and mamamystic.wordpress.com

PRESS RELEASE: The Aquarian Tabernacle Church Stands With the Satanic Temple in Colorado Cake Discrimination Case.

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We sit on the edge of 2018. As we move closer to the United States Supreme Court's ruling on a Colorado bakers right to refuse a wedding cake for a Homosexual couple, many people are looking for answers. The Satanic Temple brought forth answers in a press release that they themselves presented in late September. (link)

"The argument has been contextualized as a matter of Free Speech versus Civil Rights. However, because sexual orientation is not a protected class under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, whereas race and religion are. [...] For this reason, The Satanic Temple (TST) has announced a plan for those who feel alienated or oppressed by the privileged status that religion holds over sexual orientation: Request your homophobic baker make a cake for Satan."

In a show of solidarity with the needs of the LGBTQ community, and our own standard of inclusiveness in the eyes of the Gods, The Aquarian Tabernacle Church would like to endorse and expand upon the good work being done by The Satanic Temple (TST).

Some people may feel less inclined to request Satan on their cake as others might, yet those same said people may want to participate in showing religious zealots the lengths they will have to go to to remain discriminatory based on their fear and prejudices. It is for these people that we, one of the countries largest Pagan churches, want to expand on the good work being done by TST.

There are MANY Gods and Goddesses, that are not Satan, that are "devils" in the eyes of Christians. There are also many pieces of liturgy that can accompany those deities.

Examples include Priapus, the God of Vegetable Gardens, with his ENORMOUS erection , and the quote from the Charge of the Goddess, "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals".

Or a cake depicting Kali, who is a destroyer of the perverted and dances upon the skulls of the dead as she protects children and women, and her lover Shiva, to whom marijuana is not only sacred, but sacrament.

Then there is the obvious Pagan cross over with TST: Baphomet. The winged, breasted, goat legged and headed deity representing balance in all things. For a wedding, this could easily accompany the quote, "I have been with thee from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire"

From Tazzum and Baal, to Lillith and Ashera, there are many choices that would be perfectly acceptable to utilize within the world of Paganism.

To once again quote The Satanic Temple: "Because religion is a protected class, a baker may refuse service to LGBTQ people, but they may not refuse service based upon someone’s religion."

We at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church would like to commend The Satanic Temple for the work they do in keeping the people free from the demands of a vocal minority that seems bent on creating, within our countries borders, a Theocracy devoted to YHWH and the teachings of Abraham. We take our direction in this situation directly from their shining, illuminated, example. All Gods fall into the purview of Paganism in one way or another, and so with TST's inspiration we open that world to you.

The ATC is a legal, fully recognized, multi-national, faith based organization, and can be found in all regions of the United States. Our churches are all inclusive, and our ministers, who are legally qualified to perform legal marriage ceremonies , including the LGBTQ community. We leave you with one of the tenants of our faith:

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will."

From the Cauldron: White (Bliss) Altar Box

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This month we find ourselves connecting to the greater spirit. Regardless if you call it the Universe, Christ, Goddess, or Santa, you can feel the very earth holding its breath before the winter solstice. Many of us work with chakra magic, and/or color therapy, and colors have symbolism in every culture and religion.

White, or the iridescent Divine light of the Crown Chakra, Sahasrara is the energy we want to evoke with our Blissful Wisdom Altar Box. Inside this kit you will find tools specifically geared towards helping you to connect to Deity.

The crown or Sahasrara is the seventh chakra, that extends over the crown of your head. It is the seat of cosmic connectedness and we all feel this very deeply in the season leading up to Yule. Not only pagans, but our society as well is gearing up towards food drives, community minded projects and giving back.

In our Blissful Wisdom Altar Box, we have included magic to help you be at peace this season. White includes the entire color spectrum. No matter where you may feel fatigue or discomfort, white can help you create balance. It helps heal fears, fight infections, and strengthens us both magically and physically.

Now that you know what is driving this particular offering, let's get down to the details!

Included is a white satin altar cloth. Upon which you may place your white seven-day candle. The altar cloth helps give us a focus in our space, it provides a cohesive home for your tools and can help drive your intent. Candles help us connect to the fire element, which helps inspire us. This can be used for healing, prosperity, luck, love. Remember, you are a witch, and you can make white work for anything you want.

We also included a Bliss Wash . This wash with the magic of the Mother Church added to it, is specifically geared towards wiping away negativity. You can use three caps to a half gallon in a cleaning solution for your home. You can also add one full cap safely to your bath water for some personal magical upkeep. While we all are aware of the great interconnection we have with the universe and our fellows, sometimes drama arises (who has THAT relative?), and you don't need to keep it. This is the purpose of the wash; whether they be well-meaning nastiness or deliberate ill-thoughts in your direction, these are easily removed with the Bliss Wash. What better to help level out emotions and thoughts than the power of the element of water?

"I don't need any more stones," said no witch, EVER. Never fear! We have included a combination of delightful crystals and a color coordinated organza bag that you can keep on your person, at your job, on your altar, or by your bed for the ever manifesting, prosperous power of the element of Earth. Here we have the Herkimer Diamond, White Lace Agate and the ever-handy Quartz point crystal.

Herkimer Diamonds are not actually diamonds, as some of you know. They are a specific type of exceptionally clear quartz crystals found in the Mohawk River Valley of New York. Melody describes Herkimer Diamonds as an attunement diamond. This helps you not only connect with the Divine Goddess, but with yourself or others. It helps magnify the strength of other stones with it as a kind of cosmic battery. This stone can particularly help you reacquaint yourself with friends and family comfortably over the holiday season. Sometimes our own life happens, and we lose touch. Herkimer Diamonds can help reestablish our connections to avoid unwanted awkwardness around the holiday get- togethers. Know that Herkimer is a great tool for any time of year specially to power up other crystals and provide healing support to your workings.

White Lace Agate not only provides metaphysical support of agates in general, but more specifically towards alleviating depression. Sometimes it's called 'Happy Lace Agate' for this reason. This stone also helps slow things down energetically so we have a chance to catch our breath, to ground, and to make a firm connection with not only our highest good and greater self, but the universal Divine as well.

Quartz Points in this configuration are great little cleaners; they're like the handheld vacuums for our spirit! When we point it at ourselves, we draw off negative energy and replace it with positive even when the crystal is unprogrammed. I like a clean spirit, I'm sure you all enjoy clean floors (*smile*). Spiritually, quartz can be programmed to do just about anything. They take direction well and can help extend your willpower in your workings. Cosmically speaking quartz also helps us connect to the Divine consciousness. It helps support positive thinking and helps balance the light bodies of our Auric field.

No kit is complete without a little influence of air, and for this we have included a white ostrich feather for your altar. Air gives us our wisdom and intellect. It helps us plan, use diplomacy, and communicate effectively. The energy of the feather that is included can be identified as a talisman of Grace. Grace means we have the ability to hear the intent beyond the limits of mundane communication. Grace is not just for Angels, it's for all of us. It helps us effectively and effortlessly juggle all that we desire with a firm grasp of wisdom.

For fun we have included white rhinestones that you can use to stick to nail art, mirrors, phones, desks, or anywhere you need a little reminder of your connection to the divine. It is your own white light of hope, love and bliss. (Least it's not glitter folks, you CAN clean up rhinestones so much more easily!)

We have also included a lotus charm on a white ribbon. You can use this as a necklace, bracelet, talisman or however you wish. You are the witch in charge of you, after all. The Lotus was included with the intent to reflect an aspect of the ultimate lotus found in the crown chakra. Lotus for many cultures and religions represents spiritual awakening, the higher consciousness and our ability to connect it all from the very base to the glorious top that opens to the sun.

Speaking of the ultimate lotus, we have also included two temporary tattoos of the Sahasrara Chakra. Place one on your upper forehead during a mediation, or as a reminder on your hand (or before going out because it looks so cool!).

This is our Blissful Wisdom Altar Box. Each part of it was chosen with care, love and an eye towards the Crown chakra and the power of its color therapy. Order one today before they're all gone.

Skyfae Laveau is a first degree initiate of the Lady Belladonna Laveau and Dusty Dionne and a senior student of WSTS. In addition to her many duties, she is also the manager of our store, Wiccan Cauldron .

From the Cauldron: Pentacle and Moon Pendant

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The moon has always held mysteries for those who work the Craft. The moon helps us know when to start new things, or put them away and focus inward. Her ever changing perspective gives us insight into our own complexities.

Here in crescent form the moon is shown in transition. We are always moving from one place to another. Sometimes change can be painful, but usually when we can gain some space to look back we know that uncomfortable change was just what we needed to spring board us forward to a whole new level of self understanding.

Combining the symbolism of the moon with the five elements of the pentacle graced in red stones helps keep us grounded through our connection with the red root chakra and balanced between Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Even as the world around us changes this magical tool can help you keep your cool this holiday season.

I hope you get a chance to add this limited offer to your own collection. Look forward to many other exclusive offers by our store which helps support the Aquarian Tabernacle Church but our seminary as well, Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary .

Skyfae Laveau is a first degree initiate of the Lady Belladonna Laveau and Dusty Dionne and a senior student of WSTS . In addition to her many duties, she is also the manager of our store, Wiccan Cauldron.

New Sophomore Track for Wiccan Seminary

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary is happy to announce the two sophomore tracks for 2018.

"Your Year and a Day" and "Crystals" sophomore classes will be continue to be offered at 7 P.M. SLT on Mondays, taught by Belladonna LaVeau and Pheonix Silverstar, using the astrological placement of the elements.

Our new track, "Progressive Witchcraft," will be taught by Gavin Bone at 11 A.M. SLT on Wednesdays, which will use the traditional placement of the elements. Read on to learn more about this new class!

Successfully completing either class will meet the requirements for the WSTS sophomore year.

The Progressive Witchcraft Course

Gavin Bone

The Progressive Witchcraft sophomore class at the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary is an eight-lesson Progressive Witchcraft Course taught by Gavin Bone. The class has its origins in the system of training developed by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone in the early 2000s.

The system of training is based around the two core components of Spiritual/Mythical Cosmology and Magical Energy work, and was created to fill a need among students who had already been practicing witchcraft for some time prior to joining a coven.

The central concept is a system of training which is based on the root core elements of all magic and witchcraft. This allows any cultural or mythological elements, and traditions, to be overlaid upon that which has already been learned by incoming students. It is currently in use among several covens and traditions around the world, including in the United States, Belgium, Italy, UK and of course Ireland.

Spiritual/Mythical Cosmology work allows occult, mythological and psychological realms to be placed in the context of a 'map' which allows 'travel' around it, as well as explaining basic Wiccan practices. These range from the placing of the Elements and Circle Casting, to Drawing Down The Moon. It also combines elements which would be familiar to anyone practicing Shamanism.

The Magical Energy Work component teaches students how magic works on the most basic level, which is at the core of all magical systems. It teaches sorcery in its purest form; the manipulation of energy directly, which allows a thorough understanding of the purpose of Ritual.

The course is an intensive one, comprising eight six-week lessons, which cover an introductory lesson, the four elements, plus Ether, Mind and Spirit. Essays, practical exercises, as well as meditations combine to create a comprehensive course suitable for those who have already learned the basics of modern Witchcraft, but also appeals to those who have an interest in techniques which will allow them to access the deeper mysteries.

This is a year-long sophomore class. You must have successfully completed Ritual 101 and Accelerated Wicca 101/102/103 to be admitted to this class. You are expected to complete ‘Wicca 106 – Wheel of the year’ during the year which you take this class.

The Progressive Witchcraft sophomore class will meet at 11 A.M. SLT on Wednesdays.

Gavin Bone is an active member of ATC Ireland and ran Coven Na Callaighe until early 2009 with Janet Farrar. He has been a teacher at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary for the past year.

Free Yule Gift! - Printable Yule Card

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This time of year is pure magic.

The days grow shorter, the crops are all brought in and processed for the long winter ahead, and family and friends are pulled close.

We appreciate you for serving the Goddess with us, and for bringing us joy, love, and growth in the previous year. We gift you this greeting card as a way to help show how much we appreciate you, and all you do each and every day.

The Holly King brings you and yours gifts of love and prosperity this holiday season, as you make your way through the long night of winter. You may download and distribute this card, link found at the bottom of the page, to anyone whom may be deserving of your love this season.

This is also the time of year for you to remember the institutions that serve you, and need your contributions to survive. If there is a group in your life that fills this need, take the time to show your support. If the Aquarian Tabernacle Church is one of those organizations, consider making a charitable donation.

We're grateful for you. Get your free gift here!

As always, we honor you and yours with a merry blessing from the Holly King, and from all of us here at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church.

With Love,

Bella, Dusty, Cassie, & Austin Baker (as the Holly King from Hekate Sickle Festival 2018)

Embodying the Graces

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This post originally appeared on The Aquarian Tabernacle Church's blog on PaganSquare, run by Witches and Pagans.

One fateful day, after Lammas Monologues, hosted by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church , I gave my permission to be cast as a Grace for Spring Mysteries Festival 2017. Little did I know, how demanding, and how rewarding this role would ultimately prove to be.

While I cannot give many details about the journey of Spring Mysteries, because it is something we all must experience for ourselves; I wanted to share my journey as a cast member for this intrinsic and profound experience.

The rehearsal schedule was demanding. Just like any production worth their salt, the ATC takes their responsibilities to the travelers to Eleusis very seriously. By August the previous year, we knew our roles, and shortly after Hekate’s Sickle Festival in October our schedule began. Every Sunday was spent rehearsing lines, energies, costumes and more.

Silly me, I had thought that being one of the Graces would be a simple role. Just sing, and be merry right?

The Goddess has many faces, and in this assumption I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Being a Grace, means not only working with the energy of one of the Graces, but of the Furies, and the Fates as well. There is a triad of energy one learns to manage and maintain, while still memorizing lines and songs. Learning to balance, and interweave that presence with the Gods, the cast, and the participants was life changing.

One energy is that of new beginnings. The Grace energy took me on a ride of gently but firmly mastering the ability to see the new, to nurture love and joy. The second energy of the Furies is intense, and obviously angry. For myself it was easy to become the Den Mother of the ritual, the bridge between the pilgrims and the Gods. However, it was not easy to let myself be angry.

So much of our society has no place for true rage to be channeled in a healthy way. Rehearsal after rehearsal, I struggled with this emotion. How to emote pure primordial rage without succumbing to it? I tried different props, I tried different makeup, I tried screaming exercises. It really wasn’t until it was that weekend, that the energy finally fell into place and allowed me to be terrifying, and angry while consciously not invoking the Furies, or bringing unwanted energies into the Holy Rite and Sacred Space of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The third and final energy is that of the Fates. They watch, they witness the travelers on their path. This was the eternal quiet. There was no place for ego, there was no place for false modesty. This energy was almost like the witching hour. We’ve all felt that one time during the day, where we realize and acknowledge our own power and we realize that we are ‘the most powerful thing on earth’ and can do anything! Yet, with that knowledge is also a profound sense of understanding of where that energy can be channeled to the best benefit.

Graceful joy. Enraged Fury. Fateful acceptance.

Three energies, combined into one like a pyramid sheltering all those who came to seek the mysteries.

I now sing a little louder.

I now communicate my feelings more clearly.

I now wait patiently and powerfully as I observe my path and the direction I walk without guilt or fear.

Being cast as one of the Graces, was NOT simple.

This being said, there is no ‘small’ role in the Mysteries. There is no ‘throw-away’ part for the mildly committed. Every single aspect is vitally important, and touches every cast member as well as those attending in new and transformative ways.

Find more information about Spring Mysteries Festival and the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Skyfae LaVeau is a First Degree Priestess of the WISE Tradition with the Keepers of the Gate at the ATC Mother Church under Belladonna LaVeau and Dusty Dionne. She is a Senior student of the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary and a suitable human servant for ‘her cat’.

Book Review: The Tarot of Bones

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Reviewing The Tarot of Bones created by Lupa has been an intriguing journey that offers what I have been missing from most animal-related tarot decks. This Tarot deck is very beautifully thought out; the significance of the cards was planned carefully and creatively to reflect the complex story of Tarot using bones. The idea of Tarot of Bones is well overdue and I am ecstatic that a deck of this kind has been brought to us.

The weight of the power of the bones is transmitted through Lupa’s art, arranging the bones of various animals among a variety of natural backgrounds. Each card is an altar to the symbolism and the animal’s characteristics. Lupa brings a very natural and organic depth to tarot, asking us to feel the story and observe a relationship between animals, to allow the reflection of our lives to rise to the surface of our consciousness and guide us to clarity.

When I began this review I did not look at the book first, but dove right into the cards. I found the images intriguing and the layers of meaning found especially in the major arcana cards captivated me. I pulled Justice - the alligator skull and the metal heart hearkens to the Egyptian Goddess of justice, Ma’at and the weighing of the heart after death. Ammit is an Egyptian Goddess with an alligator head, lion torso and hippopotamus bottom half. If your soul is too heavy, Ammit will devour the heart, returning the soul back to the great cycle, removing all possibility of reincarnation. The rusty heart in the card image represents a heart that has lived life - so too has the reader who has pulled the card of justice. The intentional contrast of the rusted heart next to the white, almost glowing, skull implies the sacred persistence and dependability of justice, a powerful image for a powerful card to pull.

The significance flowed easily for me and my message further developed when I looked over the book. The book is the perfect companion for this energy Lupa has conjured. She explains perfectly the symbolism in the cards as well as addresses the common confusion between justice and judgement. She intends Justice to recognize the moment of realization, the weighing of the heart, the threat of what is next but not yet experiencing the karma and atonement that judgment speaks of. How better to portray this than with Ma’at and Ammit?

I appreciate the author’s clear communication without being overly preachy or vocatious. True to her words, and true to the desires of the bones, she provides a guide to the symbolism but steps away so the reader can freely interpret and interact with the cards.

This deck is searching for those of us who want the deep earth and bones vibration in our craft, who resonate with animals and are looking for more than a retelling of animal totem medicine. I found the complex interweaving of natural history, art, bone magic, and sacred animal energy told through myth to be more complex and organic than I have found before.

This deck wants to be known, it wants to be held close, to be intimate with its keeper and used for great magic. It has stories and messages to be told; the bones are calling to us. Tarot of Bones is going to be a must for my tarot repertoire.

Simone Mack is a dedicant of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. She is a student of Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary and a graduate of Western Washington University, passionate about witchcraft and all things in nature. Click here to get your own copy of The Tarot of Bones.

Luna

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

There is a reason

I call the Moon my lover.

She never questions my adoration,

nor anything else. She never begs

for answers I cannot give. My affection

for Her is testament enough. My tears -

Her quiet solace. And in most ways,

others can never understand,

She is my beacon,

Protecting...

Guiding...

Comforting me in heavenly

Stardust.

Mi Luna y Estrellas.

The Shadow of the Moon Shall Pass - A Reflection on the Eclipse

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I was not in the path of totality for the solar eclipse, and it was a cloudy day for the partial eclipse for me. As a result, my viewing of the eclipse was through the live feed held by NASA online. As I watched the work of NASA and the people viewing it, I was impressed and amazed at the diversity of the people who were involved in this production.

It showed me this huge variety of people who were all watching and studying this event. It was lovely to see this coverage by people from all over the world. There was no separation between people due to race, color, gender, or anything else. There was complete acceptance of the differences of each person, but at the same time they were honored as individuals.

This touched my heart and made me have hope for the world. This affected so many people and helped me see the connections between people and the world they live in. There were people who studied this phenomenon from so many different points of view. There were studies of the effects that the eclipse had on animals, studies of the sun itself, and how the sun affects bacteria.

The announcers asked many people about the feelings that they had experiencing the eclipse and expressed their own of how this event felt to them. There was also talk of the energy of the event and even through the lens of the camera, I could feel it myself. They spoke about the darkness and chill in the air that closed in as the moon passed over the sun, and there were cheers as the light returned.

The return of the light was a magical experience for people, even if that is not the word they might use. The shadow of the moon was viewed from planes overhead as it crossed over the United States. The atmosphere was dark and cold as this shadow passed over people. One person spoke of how they pulled together and hugged during this darkness and cheered as the light of the sun returned.

This helped me realize that like the shadow of darkness that has been crossing over our country of late, and like the shadow of the moon, it will also pass. We can experience the light once more in our country and in the world, and we will all cheer with the return of the light. Be blessed.

The Oracles of Delphi - A Living Priesthood

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This post originally appeared on The Aquarian Tabernacle Church's blog on PaganSquare, run by Witches and Pagans.

I am an Oracle of Delphi.

When I first began learning about Wicca and the Greek Gods, I was immediately drawn to Apollo. The more I learned, the more it made sense.

I grew up loving dolphins, one of his totems. My name, Brenna, is derived from a Celtic word that means “Raven” (ravens represent prophecy, making them sacred to Apollo). When I was a child, I would stare at the sun, feeling power build up inside of me when I did. In witchcraft, I gravitate toward all forms of divination. My passion for work lies in the public relations/marketing fields, realms that fall under Apollo’s rule.

This year at Hekate’s Sickle Festival 2017, I had the opportunity of playing the part of an Oracle during an Oracle Ritual.

We began about a three-minute walk away from the ritual. Four oracles surrounded the leading priestess in a square, and we walked in formation in silence to the ritual. I held a chalice, the other three Oracles held glitter, an incense burner, and a torch, symbolizing the four elements. We were invoked and more than ready when we arrived at the ritual location. I felt a warm breeze and could smell the sweet Mediterranean air.

We approached our beautiful Oracle chair, covered in Ivy. The Oracle carrying the torch lit the torches flanking the chair and the other oracles, creating a beautiful vision for those attending to behold. There was an incense burner hanging beneath the chair, fumes wafting up from it. The steam vent from the building nearby also played the part by starting each time a new oracle got up into the chair, and stopping when the oracle climbed down.

We called upon our God, Apollo, to help us deliver messages to the humans standing before us.

Individual attendees stepped up before the chair to receive readings from the oracles. Even when I wasn’t on the chair I still was unintentionally reading for every person. One person walked up, and I received the message of “spiders.” My fellow oracles told him he was at a crossroads; clearly this man had a message from Hekate.

When it was my turn, I stepped toward our priestess, and she placed the Oracle’s Red Veil over my head. I turned, surveyed the crowd, and climbed up into the chair. Immediately I knew this was going to be a very intense experience – images, words, and voices began to move through my mind.

The messages flowed easily. I often struggle to figure out what is being said to me and how to say it in a way the person receiving the divination can understand. The Oracles, however, are not concerned with deciphering it or crafting it in a way to make sense. I said what came to me, having faith that what I was hearing and seeing was meant for that person, and that they would understand what I gave them.

The images and voices lessened once I climbed down from the chair. I was still seeing things I don’t normally see; the stars above me connected and formed new constellations in my mind, creating meaning through their shapes and numbers of stars. I still received messages just by looking at someone, feeling the needs to make sure each person heard what the gods had in store for them.

Upon finishing, we took our elemental tools back up, reentered our square walking formation, and headed back. As we walked back, the real world started to come back to me. When we ended back where we started the night, I had almost fully devoked and realized how cold it was, suddenly hit by the damp, Pacific Northwest-smelling wind.

As I was lying in bed after performing the Oracle Ritual, it suddenly hit me:

We are the Oracles of Delphi.

We are the Priestesses who are carrying this energy, delivering the messages to those who seek the Oracle. We tapped into the memories and energy of countless oracles before us, thousands of years old, and are keeping this tradition alive.

I AM AN ACTUAL ORACLE OF DELPHI.

I’m not just acting, pretending, or holding the energy for a short amount of time. This is something we are going to continue and is now imbued into my mind, body and soul.

We might be the first ones in thousands of years to recreate this ritual, reading for those who come and giving them the answers they seek (no matter how little sense it may make at the time). I’ve tried to look to see if anyone else has recreated these rituals, but I have not found anything to indicate otherwise yet.

I’m not sure that will ever fully sink in, but I am beyond proud to serve my Lord Apollo in this way, and am ecstatic and filled to the brim with contentment and satisfaction that he chose me for this task.

Brenna Grace is a 1st Degree Priestess in the Wise Tradition with the ATC. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in PR/Journalism from Western Washington University in 2013 and will soon have her Bachelor's from Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.

[From the Trove] An Archpriestess’ Day is Never Done

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

[ Originally posted April 16, 2013]

Oh my Goddess, I’m finally home and able to look at Facebook and email from someplace other than my broken, not-always-so-smart phone. Brenna Lynn had the house cleaned up and the energy as welcoming as we could have imagined. It was wonderful. Micah Mansur cooked us breakfast this morning, and I spent the morning listening to him and Tatianna Nitro Thompson sing songs and play together. Brian Linton stopped by and we caught up on the news of his life. I’m expecting to see everyone else in the next day or so. It’s good to be home.

But what a great trip! Spring Mysteries 2013 was an enchanted blur of magic and connectedness. I enjoyed seeing so many beloved members of my spiritual family. Terry Michael Riley and Amanda Riley were fantastic; many told me how much they appreciated getting to know our elders from other lands. We have an amazing group of talented affiliate leaders across the country, whom the Mother Church rarely gets to see. It’s been a huge blessing to be able to bring them to our gatherings and have them share their stories and wisdom with us. John and Jeanine Lesniak, from Golden Thread Grove in Idaho came and taught as well. There were seminary students that helped in the AAoP and so many amazing staff and cast members! We bonded together in what was nothing short of a trip straight into Eleusis. I’m so grateful for the experience. Dusty Dionne is putting together the behind the scenes video for the “Road To Eleusis” Project, and as I watch it, memories flood to my mind and I giggle with delight at the roller-coaster of experiences that wash over me. I am truly blessed.

The trip home was equally as wonderful. Rather than have a trip filled with speaking engagements and class dates, I just visited with my loved ones this time. I spent the night with my newest dedicated student, Tatsuwa, and her husband, Eoin. They fed me sweet potatoes and they were delicious, which ordinarily wouldn’t be a big deal, except that the cast’s inside mantra for the festival was “IO Yam” because of an offering of a huge Yam that was given to Demeter at the festival. I ended up having two more dinners of Sweet Potato during the ride home, to which I then succumbed to the Yam Gods and have agreed to add them into my diet.

We set off for Missouri and Wite Ravyn Wednesday morning. Note: Wyoming is 1) cold as hell, like colder than anything you’ve ever thought of. -21º on the way out and a mere 13º above freezing on the way back. DAMN IT man, cold and 2) Sparse on Gas Stations. Don’t let the gas get below half a tank. Cassie almost ran out of gas in Wyoming on the way out. I almost ran out of gas on the way back. We both ended up at the same closed down gas station. My mother called me in the middle of us looking for a gas station in the middle of the night, that was 10 miles away, and we had 8 miles of gas. We made it, but there was much prayer to many gods along the way. Offerings and thanks were given at the very odd “nobody works here” credit-card only, gas oasis in the darkness.

Alfred and Willow of Wite Ravyn were wonderful as always. It was good to see Nerissa again. Dusty had fun dishing with his publisher about his new book. Alfred, Willow and I talked shop into the night and early the next morning. Alfred is my doppelganger We have so much in common, talking to him is always exciting. We love each other’s ideas, and spin visions of educational excellence into the night. We made it to Terry Riley’s for dinner. They fed us meatloaf (mine and Terry’s favorite), and sweet tea. We sat around his kitchen table, and listened to him tell stories of Spring Mysteries, and how much fun we had together. They have done so much work on his place, due to the Home Depot grant he received. It’s amazing to see the transformation. It was so great to be in the south again and enjoying that southern cooking. Amberly Riley is an awesome cook, and they always are good to us at Southern Delta Church of Wicca.

We ended up in Memphis, TN about 9:00 pm, and enjoyed Sonya and Brian Miller’s company until I turned into a pumpkin, which is somewhere around midnight for those of you who have never stayed up late with me before. Then woke up to breakfast of bacon and eggs. I love their little house in Memphis. Such a contrast to the Arkansas and Missouri countryside. Seeing the pyramid always remind me that there is a new incarnation of Egypt on the Mississippi. Isis is Everywhere!

Leaving the Mid-South is never easy, no matter whose covenstead you’re at, but Home was beckoning and we left at noon as scheduled–regardless of Dusty’s continued please to stay longer at every stop. We arrived home to Micah, beer, and Tatiana’s singing. The house was clean and cozy and filled with Brenna and David love. We slept in our own bed and watched TV for the first time in almost four months. Yay. Sigh.

It’s been a gauntlet of a year. Becoming Archpriestess was intimidating and exhilarating I have had a year of meeting the most amazing people, and putting on the two most amazing pagan festivals that I can imagine facilitating. It’s such an honor to be able to serve Goddess in this way. I am so thankful to everyone that has supported me in the amazing journey. I can’t express the loving sacrifice that my family has happily endured, while empowering me to be able to do this work. I am eternally grateful to Pete “Pathfinder” Davis for entrusting me with this most holy charge, and to E’bet for taking care of the Archpriesthood while we carry this blessed work forward.

As I leave this first year and prepare for a new one, I am making plans for permanently relocating my family to Seattle. I think of all the many amazing experiences of the past two weeks and smile, realizing that it’s been a whole year of amazing new experiences as I walked the wheel as the “new” Archpriestess of the ATC. But, now that wheel has come full circle, and I am no longer the new Archpriestess. Now, I’m just the Archpriestess. Wow! Cool.

[From the Trove] Some Thoughts On Personal Responsibility: Keeping Agreements

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 31 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

[NOTE: This article, written by Maureen Moss, was published in Panegyria, Issue 100, 2008, and is reproduced here in its entirety.]

I have been thinking for a month about how I was going to write this piece on keeping agreements. I don’t plan what I’m going to write in the newsletters until I sit down and start writing. This month however, I had a strong inkling that what was coming up over and over and over again was going to be written about this month. It’s called “Keeping Agreements.” I was awakened at 4:00AM several days ago to write this.

In this past month I and many others close to me have noticed a seeming pandemic of agreement breaking. One agreement after the next being broken…. and broken in cavalier manners leaving people reeling as to what just happened. I questioned whether it was a current mirror experience or whether it was an up to be healed from all time experience? I discussed “agreements” with friends, family, and a deeply respected psychologist and author.

Pondering, discussing and writing I realized it didn’t matter if the issue was from now or later, it was blasting up all over the place because we haven’t deeply and properly taken care of this agreement breaking business, or incompletions with ourselves or each other. The alarm has gone off. It’s a wake-up call to take a deeper look at agreements… our keeping them and our breaking them. And I for one am paying attention to my part in it all and taking responsibility to correct my part in it all.

This agreement breaking has to be healed once and for all in every single one of us because it’s creating a deepened decline in humanity. In my awareness of this, I realized this issue seems to be off our radar as we busy ourselves with things like learning to love ourselves in ways that are not all-inclusive of all aspects of Soul and Self, being in the moment (and forgetting agreements made two moments ago), discovering our passions, finding our purpose or perfect relationship outside of ourselves, helping those less fortunate than ourselves with strings attached, or a litany of other things on our list to seemingly raise consciousness. I sense that if we take care of this ‘agreement breaking business,’ other things will take care of themselves.

This appears to be a “big give”(thank you Oprah) we would be wise to give to each other and ourselves. Keeping our agreements is one of the biggest gives we’ve got to give. We don’t reach into our pockets for this one, yet we must reach into our hearts of consciousness.

All month as I watched agreements being broken all over the place, and watching the hurt and chaos it caused, I thought, is there any wonder why hearts are broken, psyches are bleeding, and the walls to protect ourselves are being constructed quicker than usual? We’ve been duped or dismissed over and over and over again and not just by another but also by ourselves.

We’ve done it in big and small ways and it’s got to stop. We humans have made “little white lies” acceptable, giant incongruencies tolerable, and agreement breaking a matter of “Oh! I forgot” or “oh, well, things change.” We are creating confusion, distortion, power outages and chaos in the minds and lives of others and ourselves when we break agreements. We are supposed to be living up to ourselves not stripping down ourselves or another because we don’t have the consciousness of follow-through. (We do tend to have Master Degrees in excuses don’t we?)

When we don’t keep agreements, we live in a state of incompletion and leak energy all over the place. Psychologist Gay Hendricks shared with me “..when we make complete agreements the power of phenomena cannot be overstated.” In the same conversation I said to him “and when we don’t keep agreements that low level of consciousness goes into the planetary grid and into mass consciousness and creates a ripple of fear and mistrust. On some level everybody suffers,” I said… as I felt my own constriction and sadness of where I have contributed.

It is time for each of us to understand at the deepest and highest levels how impeccable we must become with our agreements, whether it’s to call when you say you will, send a person something you said you were going to, follow through on a business agreement, work out 3 times a week, honor what you promised your friends or your lovers, and do so when you say you will. We need to take oaths of impeccability starting this day. There is power in agreement completion.

Agreements kept establish our true Divine identity and enrich every relationship we have. They create a solid platform where others feel safe to stand next to u,s and it creates a place where we feel safe to be with ourselves! Broken agreements establish weakness and mistrust, not just in the minds of others, but in ourselves as well.

When we don’t keep agreements with ourselves, we can go to the bank on the fact that if asked if we trusted ourselves, our answer would be NO. Once we don’t trust ourselves it is impossible to accept ourselves. Another pitfall of human nature. We don’t need any further setbacks in consciousness. We need every reason to love ourselves back into wholeness. Once we commit to no further agreement breaking, there can be no hypocrisy, no contradictions in thought, word or deed.

Once we say we will, we must, unless there is a reason so big that it’s created an impossible hurdle. Then we are responsible to talk about it and work something out that feels right for each. Keeping agreements elevates the human spirit into Divine Spirit. When we make our agreements big or small with ourselves or with another, we would each be wise to take them as sacred vows, or say nothing at all. Keep in mind any agreement left open in this incarnation will be re-created in another.

I don’t know about you, but I no longer have any plans to deal with unfinished business here or somewhere else. It’s been along haul and I choose to create a clean slate with myself here. I sense my soul (and all souls) will be relieved. So here’s the action I have created: Perhaps you would like to entertain this for yourself. Write down every single agreement or incompletion that you can remember (this is not to judge yourself, it is to become aware of what’s left hanging open that’s energetically taking you or another down). WARNING: Your ego will start to give you a thousand and one reasons to either not acknowledge something as an incomplete agreement, or make excuses for why you didn’t follow through. DON’T PAY ATTENTION. Move forward.

Once you’ve written each incomplete agreement, go back through your list (it will most likely be pages) and just be with each one. Feel what you feel like when you notice each agreement that you didn’t close, including ones you made to yourself. For me, this was like what I believe a life review would be like. It was very painful and it was quite impacting. Ask yourself, “if I could do this over (each one), what would I do to have kept this agreement?”

One by one, if it’s possible, contact any person you have made agreements with and let them know you have come to realize that it is important for you to first acknowledge and take responsibility for an incomplete agreement, and then ask them if there is something you can do now to close the circle of the agreement. And then DO IT! You will be surprised in a pleasant way at some of the responses you will get. If you absolutely can’t contact the person (NO EXCUSES!), then create a sacred ceremony of completion around each one.

Remember you can always speak to another’s soul. When you are complete with the above (it will take a while, but it’s worth every bit of it), please write yourself a letter of forgiveness. Then write yourself another letter of commitment. The second letter will be easier. “I promise that from this day forward, every agreement I make will be met with completion at the time I agree to do so. And so be it.”

In closing, I would just like to say this. I have come to learn that from now on, I will not make any agreements with another until I have given myself 24 hours to be with whatever I am going to make an agreement about. I will not make any agreements or promises based on fear. (Fear is the number one reason we make erroneous agreements to begin with that we can’t follow through on.) I have also decided that when anyone makes an agreement with me, I am going to ask them to give themselves a day to make certain it’s something that really feels good, and they feel certain they will follow through on it.

As for agreements with myself, they must now be made from sacredness to my God Self regardless of their size.

Ms. Moss is a multi-published author, keynote motivational speaker and Executive Producer of the World Puja Network. Please feel free to pass this on with proper credit. More at http://www.worldpuja.org

[From the Trove] ALTERNATIVE SCOUTING

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

[UPDATE August 2017: Since the original publication date, the Boy Scouts of America have made great strides towards inclusiveness,. We honor their journey while we all, as a people, are learning that discrimination isn't appropriate to teach to our children.]

In the beginning, mankind lived outdoors. He enjoyed feeling the warmth from Apollo on his skin, the breath from the Mother and tears from her skies. Her body grew fruits for him to eat. But as time progressed, mankind began to hide in structures he had built to shelter him from the vagaries of Mother Earth and Father Time. Within these shelters, man began to forget the joy of the outdoors. Yet some of mankind remembered how wonderful it was to be outdoors with their brethren, and saw the emptiness in the eyes of those who had gone into hiding. Some determined not to forget the Mother and Father, and took it upon themselves to create a way to remind others how wonderful it was to connect with the elements. From this inspired endeavor, scouting was born.

Currently, the news is abuzz with alternative scouting organizations. The major scouting organization, Boy Scouts of America, is still debating whether to change their policy about allowing known homosexuals in their organization. For many other scouting organizations out there where this is not even an issue up for debate. One of these is SpiralScouts International (SSI).

SSI is a scouting organization that is all inclusive. SSI was originally created by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church in 2001; it has blossomed from a half-baked idea for alternative scouting for Pagan children into a nationwide organization. Boys and girls enjoy learning adventures in scouting together in a safe, accepting and balanced environment with leaders of both sexes working with the groups.

Scouts do everything from camping and drumming to sewing and swimming. They learn about the different paths of the deities, and how we are all connected. SSI is a family-oriented scouting organization that provides learning adventures to share with scouts and their families. An ongoing discussion revolves about the elements and how we all spiral up and onward during our lifetime. Scouts grow together as a scouting charter, and also as individuals discovering their own gifts and talents, and how those gifts can benefit those around them.

SpiralScouts now has grown to encompass 4 different age groups: RainDrops (ages 3-5), FireFlies (ages 6-9), SpiralScouts (ages 10-13), and Pathfinders (ages 14-18). There are several Charters across the United States. You can locate the closest one to you by visiting the SSI website at: www.spiralscouts.org and clicking on the circle locator on the left side of the screen. You can also email us at: publicrelations@spiralscouts.org

If you would like to learn more about SpiralScouts International please visit: www.SpiralScouts.org

=======================================================================

Rachel Scott is the PR Chair for SpiralScouts International. In addition, she is Tribal Coordinator for the Volunteer Tribe in Tennessee and Co-Leader for The Spirit Guardians Circle #312 and PC# 0413C10-Smyrna.

[FIRST PUBLISHED MARCH 9TH, 2013]

The Age of Aquarius - Era of Accelerated Evolution

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Age of Aquarius is upon us.

And all over the world, the subtle and complex changes that accompany the changing of the seasons are felt in small and large measures alike. For the seasons have changed and with this change come startling new developments that will help catapult mankind to finer and higher spirals of evolution. First, let us compare this new age with its predecessor then examine the multi-faceted features of this age where we are in right now.

The previous age, the Age of Pisces, was an age characterized by secrecy. Secret groups and organizations filled the earth. The teachings of the spiritual masters remained in secrecy in large parts of the planet. And there were reasons for this secrecy. The main portions of the masses of Earth were mired in the quicksand of ignorance. World education was badly needed. And so, people all over the world did not easily comprehend the great spiritual teachings. The result? Most esoteric teachings were articulated underground, in the halls of secret mystical organizations.

Now, in this new age, this status quo is about to change. The Age of Aquarius is characterized by world education to a level we have not achieved before. Fundamental learning, so necessary to grasp the higher principles of spiritual evolution, is now disseminated to a large portion of humanity. The advent of the global village and the creation of the internet superhighway are the building blocks of world education in this new age. The internet has made accessible the great spiritual teachings to large masses of mankind. Humanity is now undergoing a renaissance of learning in the arts, sciences and humanities. In addition, the esoteric realms of thought are becoming known by more and more people. Secrecy, so prevalent in the previous age, is now replaced by openness. Openness to new ideas. Openness to new cultural systems. Openness to the influx of new races, through tourism and immigration. Openness to new disciplines. Openness to new ways of expression and new ways of living.

Mystical groups and spiritual organizations of an esoteric nature shall have increasingly more importance as this age goes on. But unlike the previous age, there will be more openness rather than secrecy. Esoteric groups, which have a service component in their mission statement, will have more success. Preferably they must combine their esoteric curriculum with a real background in philosophy, psychology, the sciences and mathematics. Only those groups, which combine the spirit of scientific inquiry with a love for esoteric learning, will become the new torches of humanity, the nodes of light, which will help advance spiritual evolution.

Another feature of this age is the exaltation of the mental realm. I mean not the lower mind but the higher mind, its concepts, precepts and paradigms. Computation and cognition will reach a level not yet reached before in the previous eras of evolution. The development of humanity will be seen in a better light as a step born out of the previous ones, emphasizing this time the power of the illuminated mind. To advanced students of the spiritual path, the previous stages will be seen as the necessary initial steps of the ladder that leads to higher and higher rungs of glory. Philosophy, the mother of the sciences, provided the initial spark. The great philosophers of East and West blazed the pioneering trails to glory. Names like Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Socrates, Plato, Zoroaster, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Vardhamana Mahavira, and Plotinus were the champions of philosophy. Then this mother field gave birth to eventual children like chemistry, biology, physics, ecology, mathematics, sociology, history and psychology. In turn, these children gave birth to sub-disciplines of their own. As an example, psychology is very fortunate to have Carl Jung grace its presence and quicken the awesome sub-disciplines of Analytical Psychology and Archetypal Psychology. All these esoteric disciplines have had major parts in the theater of the Web of Life. Now, the game becomes more interesting as more players enter the scene and contribute to the eternal symphony of evolution.

In the Age of Aquarius, the esoteric realms, which were accessible to only a few in the past, will now become more widespread. More and more people are interested in esoteric philosophy nowadays. The younger generation, composed of intelligent and curious teenagers, is delving more and more into arcane stuff like Wicca, astrology, tarot, Kabbalah, rune craft, divination, astral phenomena, meditation, nature magic, shamanism, psychic powers, Gnosticism, the grail quest and spirituality in general. There are advantages and disadvantages of this curiosity. The advantage is that they get to acquire knowledge and participate in the great dance of spiritual development. The disadvantage is that these kids will obtain the wrong information from the wrong hands. Or that they will obtain only partial knowledge about certain aspects of the spiritual path without the synthesis that is absolutely necessary for correct understanding. Synthesis is extremely important in the esoteric realm, more so than in the esoteric fields. It is synthesis of knowledge that leads to wisdom. It is synthesis that leads to spiritual insight. It is synthesis that leads to spiritual illumination. Therefore, synthesis is a goal to be achieved at all costs.

Thus, the spiritual teachers and masters of the Age of Aquarius must possess both knowledge and wisdom, both in the esoteric and esoteric realms. Versatility is to be extolled. A multi-faceted spiritual teacher must be preferred over a narrow-minded one. The new generation of spiritual teachers must have a good background in the natural sciences, philosophy, mathematics, social sciences, literature and the humanities to be able to serve the greatest number of people. And, of course, spiritual teachers must be knowledgeable about the esoteric realms of thought. The best spiritual teachers are those who will be able to merge both the esoteric and the esoteric realms. This is a prime requirement of the Age of Aquarius: to merge the feminine and the masculine mind. To synthesize insights from the various fundamental fields of thought. Above all, spiritual teachers who have a good background in psychology and counseling will have a paramount place in this new age.

In the United States and other countries, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church is at the forefront of spiritual development, making Sacred Wisdom accessible to the populace and maintaining a blog, the Panegyria Journal online, for the dissemination and celebration of spiritual wisdom. This is an example of Wisdom being propagated more and more to the world population at large, a singular facet of the Age of Aquarius. In the Philippines, the Kore Grove of the Anam Cara Philippines Learning Organization is also in this nexus, valiantly and cheerfully making Wiccan, Druidic and Gnostic wisdom accessible to the masses.

The Age of Aquarius is upon us. And now, it is the turn of Humanity to partake of its gifts and turn them to advantage. The gifts of Eternity are not to be taken lightly. They must be absorbed, assimilated, savored and transformed. Only by transforming our inner selves can we gain mastery of our outer selves. And that is the central message of this Age of Accelerated Evolution.

The Fourth Face of the Goddess

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

For many years I have wondered at the triple Goddess, with her beautiful and convenient faces. Maid, Mother, Crone, yes! Obviously, we can see, this is the journey of Woman. Let us celebrate our womanhood and ability to have babies!!

She is the face of change and power. She has overcome her challenges and gained power from them. She may be young or old, a mother, a wife, single, or barren. Her children, or lack thereof, do not define Her. She rises to leadership. She cares for all. She shapes society. She leads the way. Whether it's matriarch of Her family, president, CEO, business woman, or social activist.

The Queen takes Her power into Her own hands, and leads us into a better future. Fearless in the face of change, adaptable, courageous, nurturing and kind, the Queen rules us, because we trust Her decisions and love what She does for us. We follow Her because we like the path She takes us upon. We worship Her because without Her we would not know the mysteries of magic and mastery, of overcoming and succeeding.

Meet the fourth face of the Goddess, the Queen. Meet Persephone in Her power at Hekate's Sickle Festival , October 12-15th, 2017.

Gratitude

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Gratitude

Written during Wicker Man Burning 2017

At the end of our Lammas ritual, there was a Wicker Man burning. We had been asked to write a note of thanks to send up with the Wicker Man to the Gods. The Wicker Man is used to show the sacrifices that are made for the harvest that year. In its burning, we are offered the chance to let the Gods who give Their lives each year so that we may be sustained.

I was compelled to write this as my offering of thanks and I wished to share it with others because it is easy for any of us to see things that we wished were better. It is easy to complain about the things that we don't have, and in these times, it is difficult to remember the things that we are grateful for. Many of us find it easy to be upset at the difficulties in our lives and forget all the blessings that we have each and every day.

I am grateful for the love shared with friends and family,

for food and drink and a shelter over my head.

I am grateful for the path I walk, and the freedom to walk it as I please.

I am grateful for my Ancestors of flesh and of spirit who have given their lives for the freedoms that I have today.

I am grateful for the turn of the wheel, the changing seasons and the changing moon in the sky.

I am grateful for my health and the health of those close to me.

I am grateful for the sharing of music, ritual and dance.

I am grateful for books and the knowledge and wonder they hold.

I am grateful for all my teachers on this path from those who teach me magic to those who taught me to read to those who have written of their struggles to the teachings of nature and the Gods themselves.

I am grateful for all the Gods and Goddesses of this world and the lessons they teach, even when they are difficult.

I am grateful for the air I breathe.

I am grateful for the runes and tarot and the stories they share.

I am grateful to be ever-learning.

I am grateful.

Building Community is Bigger Than Our Congregations: A cross post from the ATC's Pagan Paths Blog

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The ATC Mother Church exists in a small, mountain, town. People out this way care about their community. They want to make sure that it remains the place where they want to raise their children, relax, and grow old. In 1979 when we opened our doors, Snohomish County was much as it is today. The farms stretch down the highway leading up to the foothills of the mountains. The closer you get to Stevens Pass, the more isolated the communities become, and the more they depend on one another. There could be a localized disaster that cuts a community off from the outside world for days at a time. The people out here need to know that they can depend on each other.

"It isn't until we start helping our local communities that we will stop being seen as those witches down the street." Rev. Terry M. Riley, HP Southern Delta Church of Wicca-ATC

The ATC found out the importance of connecting with our community early on. Our founder Pierre "Pete Pathfinder" Davis began his work as a politician, and he brought that need to create systems, and take care of the people in his world, with him. He was instrumental in keeping a post office in our little mountain town. He led the way to getting a new fire truck for our first response, mountain, fire department. Pete designed the towns emergency[....]

To continue this article, hop over to The Aquarian Tabernacle Church's Pagan Paths Blog

Ritual for Solar Eclipse 2017

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Purpose – To dissolve the current reality of hate, greed and corruption, and rebirth a reality that is rooted in love, respect and sustainability.

Prepare and Circle up in your own tradition and style.

Ask whoever Gods or spirits call to you to aid you.

As the sun disappears:

Visualize the current hate, war, unrest, bullying, murder, abuse, racism, sexism, ageism, hunger, pollution from factories, corporate corruption, suppression of information, dirty fuels, smoke stacks billowing into the sky, and every other way we humans harm each other and the planet. See it like a will chakra gone out of control, the greed and projective energy of mankind manifested in the world you see today.

Visualize this negative reality fading into the darkness, being eclipsed by the dark face of the Goddess, until it's completely dark and you can no longer see it, as the moon eclipses the sun. As the light of the sun recedes, so too does our current view of reality.

When the entirety of the sun is eclipsed:

The God and Goddess will have merged, creating at its center the void, a fertile womb created by the coupling of these two divine energies. The light of our current reality will have disappeared with the rays of the sun. In this moment, we will plant a new "Seed Reality" in the center of that womb-like void. Visualize placing this beautiful celestial seed made of light and love directly into the center of the eclipse to grow in place of the reality that has dissolved with the darkness. Set it here in this window that will close as the eclipse moves on, leaving the Seed Reality safe between the worlds to grow and flourish.

This seed carries within it all it needs to create a new reality of love, connectedness, and sustainability. Charge (or program) it with the reality we want to create. Focus on it and imagine a world where everyone works together, listens to, hears and understands each other, cares for each other and the planet, has love and respect for all things. Imagine clean technology, sustainable living, and governments that prioritizes the good of the planet and all the inhabitants upon it. See our world as the utopia that you wish it to be, that you know we are capable of having. (Refrain from thinking of things you DON'T want, and focus on the reality you DO want to create.)

As the sun returns:

See this reality come to fruition. Let the light of the emerging sun be the light of this new emerging reality shining down upon the planet. Imagine living in this reality and what your day/life might look. Put love, happiness, laughter, caring, compassion, understanding into it. Dance, sing, drum the light back and as you birth this new reality into being. Let this reality become all-encompassing and real inside of your heart as the last of the darkness recedes, and the light of our new reality shines down. Leave this ritual knowing this will by our new reality.

Plant this seed and trust that it will grow. Be strong in the knowledge that you started the process and believe in your magic.

Thank the Gods that helped you.

Close your circle.

Dusty Dionne is the High Priest of the Mother Church in Index, WA. and High Summoner of the ATC, International. A lifelong student of the craft, his work is in the political and media arenas. Dusty is the Dean of Marketing and Public Relations as well as a highly regarded teacher at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.

Spiritual Declaration of Human Independence

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I am a human. I am a citizen of the Multiverse. I am a disciple of the symmetry of Ultimate Reality. Consequently, I have the rights and privileges of a being and citizen of the manifolds of the Cosmos, fully recognizing the diversity and multiplicity of the Multiverse, and its capacity to express and evolve all forms of Life.

I am a human. I have the right to Life and Meaningful Existence. In all my cosmic explorations, I have the right to protect the identity and security of my being, fully recognizing the rights of other cosmic beings to the same. In addition, I have the right to celebrate, modify and evolve my own cosmic identity, cognizant of the dynamics of change, and respect the rights of others to the same.

I am a human. I have the right to Truth, and Knowledge, and Wisdom. I have the right to access, contemplate, celebrate, articulate and disseminate Truth in all its forms, without endangering the harmony of the Cosmos in the pursuit of Truth. I respect the rights of all other cosmic beings to Truth and the celebration of Truth in the community of cosmic beings.

I am a human. I have the right to free expression. I have the right to express myself aesthetically and experientially in all the forms of Art. I have the right to pursue, celebrate, present and modify my Art in all forms possible, as long as it does not injure a cosmic being, or cause injury to humanity or the community of cosmic beings in any way. Whenever my Art causes discord in the harmony of the Cosmos or purports to cause injury to any being or system of beings, I am willing to enter dialogue to modify such Art and rectify its mistake, in order to preserve and facilitate the harmony of the community of cosmic beings. I uphold the harmony of the whole, and the evolution of the Totality over the desires of a singularity.

I am a human. I have the right to go Home. In all my cosmic adventures, I have the right to inquire and quest for my true home, the nativity and origin of my being. In all cases where home is situated in higher realms or dimensions, I have the right to pursue Ascension in all its forms. Whenever such desire and quest occurs, the systems and communities of beings in the cosmos must respect this right and provide meaningful assistance, or refrain from constructing any impediments, as well as allow me the right to go home peacefully, cheerfully, and cordially. I have the right to extricate myself from impediments to the wisdom quest, as well as all other systems born of polaric duality which prevents my Ascension and return to higher realms.

I am a human. I have the right to experience all the facets of Ultimate Reality in all the realms, planes and dimensions of the Cosmos. Let no system of thought, or set of beings ensnare, or deceive, or enslave me in my peaceful exploration. Whenever such dichotomies of deception occur, may I exercise my right to resolve my harmony, integrity and freedom within the concord of cosmic harmony. Let my thoughts dwell on unity encompassing diversity, fully realizing the rights of other communities of beings to experience Ultimate Reality in their own ways, modes and styles, and frames of reference.

I am a human. And I am free. Free to travel the manifold dimensions of the Cosmos. Let us all respect the rights of every being to cheerfully experience Life in all its forms, acquire Wisdom and return Home.

I am a human. I am free. I am Love. And I am recursive!

Working with Hekate

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve been working with Hekate for many years now, though the months of working with her for Spring Mysteries were by far the most intense.

Hekate is the patron Goddess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. She is known by many names – Torchbearer, Keeper of the Keys, Goddess of the Crossroads, Mother of Witches, Psychopomp…

Hekate has a lot of various aspects, and she works with you wherever you are at, with whichever skills and interests you have that align with Her. You don’t need to learn EVERYTHING!

In modern paganism, a lot of people see Hekate as the Crone face of the Triple Goddess, the wise woman. Others see her as the hidden fourth face, the Dark Mother. To the Greeks she was a young woman, or the triple Goddess all on her own (Hekate Trivia). One thing Hekate kept telling me is “Just because I am ancient doesn’t mean I am old!”

Walking with Hekate, I’m seeing more patterns in the world.

“It’s all been done before.”

“There is nothing new under the sun.”

Hekate has been around for a very, very long time. I personally believe she is pre-Greek. I believe she was a Goddess of Place, local to the area that became Greece, long before the Olympian mythology. Not unlike Brigid to the Irish, she was popular enough among the people that the incoming (invading?) religion could not push her out. They included her as one of the Titans, one who came before the Olympians.

After the Titanomachy (the overthrow of the Titans by the Olympians), Zeus divided up the rule of the worlds between all those who had assisted him. Hesiod tells us:

"And she [Asteria, wife of Perses] conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honor also in starry heaven, and is honored exceedingly by the deathless gods. For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices and prays for favor according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great honor comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives favorably, and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is with her. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion.

The son of Cronos did her no wrong nor took anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea. Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives not less honor, but much more still, for Zeus honors her. Whom she will she greatly aids and advances: she sits by worshipful kings in judgement, and in the assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. And when men arm themselves for the battle that destroys men, then the goddess is at hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will.

Good is she also when men contend at the games, for there too the goddess is with them and profits them: and he who by might and strength gets the victory wins the rich prize easily with joy, and brings glory to his parents. And she is good to stand by horsemen, whom she will: and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. The droves of kine and wide herds of goats and flocks of fleecy sheep, if she will, she increases from a few, or makes many to be less.

So, then, albeit her mother’s only child, she is honored amongst all the deathless gods. And the son of Cronos made her a nurse of the young who after that day saw with their eyes the light of all-seeing Dawn. So from the beginning she is a nurse of the young, and these are her honors."

~Hesiod, Theogony

We see here that she had a great many roles and honors, more than some of the Olympians even!

Another piece that spoke to me is the lovely Orphic Hymn to Hekate:

Hekatê of the Path, I invoke Thee, Lovely Lady of the Triple Crossroads,
Celestial, Chthonian, and Marine One, Lady of the Saffron Robe.
Sepulchral One, celebrating the Bakchic Mysteries among the Souls of the Dead,
Daughter of Persês, Lover of Solitude, rejoicing in deer.
Nocturnal One, Lady of the Dogs, invincible Queen.
She of the Cry of the Beast, Ungirt One, having an irresistible Form.
Bullherder, Keeper of the Keys of All the Universe, Mistress,
Guide, Bride, Nurturer of Youths, Mountain Wanderer.
I pray Thee, Maiden, to be present at our hallowed rites of initiation,
Always bestowing Thy graciousness upon the Boukolos.

While I was working with Hekate leading up to Spring Mysteries Festival, I started doing an exercise I read in The Temple of Hekate: Exploring the Goddess Hekate through ritual, meditation and divination by Tara Sanchez, called the Tetrahedron. The book said it was for balancing your energy. I found it connected me with my guides better, and my intuition.

One of the biggest lessons Hekate gave me was about surrendering. Hekate taught me about the grace in surrendering my will to the will of the Gods, and about letting go of control – something I struggle with quite a bit. For example, I rarely give up control when I am invoked. Deity is there, and yet everything filters through me. Hekate worked with me to step aside, to let go and observe, rather than filter.

Shrine scenes were the most intense they have ever been for me. I worked hard to step out of the way, and it’s probably the best I have done so far. I remember fragments and glimpses. I would recognize people, and then not recognize them – at least not in the same way. There were musicians playing on the green, and I would think, “I like this song…” and then be reminded to step aside. Hekate appreciated the talent, and the service they were providing. She even sent out tokens in thanks.

At one point, a bee or a wasp that had been buzzing around the upper window of the shrine came down and landed on my chiton. We tried to encourage it away. I wasn’t afraid of it, as I might have been if I was fully myself. It kept moving from one flower to another on the chiton. We finally asked the petitioner to open the door, and walked to the entrance. We shooed it off, and it wouldn’t go at first, then it flew away to freedom. It was a very magical moment.

Hekate has an interesting relationship with Aphrodite. For me, I felt exasperated with Aphrodite’s shenanigans, and yet also felt a respect for a fellow ancient energy, as though Aphrodite was the impulsive one who acts on whatever whim she feels, and Hekate is the one who has to clean up the mess. There’s respect for getting things done, just not for HOW they are done.

Coming home, I felt like I was in a strange place. It’s always difficult returning from extended magical space – whether it is a festival or a course or just time with loved ones – and moving back into the mundane day to day life. Returning from Eleusis is no different.

I was in a world outside of time and space, a world apart from the concerns of daily life. It wasn’t that time didn’t exist – there was definitely a sense of treasuring and honoring the moments that I had with the family that was not of my blood, serving my community in such a unique and special way.

The most challenging part of coming back is reflecting on the lessons and integrating what I’ve learned. Once out of the magical space, it starts to fade, like waking from a dream.

One thing that doesn’t fade is the connection that I worked so hard to establish with the Goddesses I worked with in the months leading up to Spring Mysteries – Hekate and Ereshkigal.

These two work very well together. I even learned that in the Greek Magical Papyri, they were event conflated as Hekate-Ereshkigal. Many people are afraid of the Dark Mother, and of the Underworld. And I’ll admit, if you are not ready to meet Her, or your own Shadow, She can be frightening. She is not soft and gentle, though She is beautiful. Terrifyingly beautiful.

Hekate and Ereshkigal will hold you accountable. She will kick your butt to keep you going. She pushes you to grow. And I love Her for that. She pushed me a lot. She is STILL pushing me to be more, be better, keep growing, and keep serving.

Lammas

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Lammas, also called Lughnasadh, honors the god Lugh. Stemming from the Anglo-Saxon word, half-mass or Loaf Mass, Lammas marks the time where we, as Wiccans and Pagans, celebrate our first of the harvests, and give thanks for our other harvests to come.. This time of year is crucially important, as it sets the stage for how we will survive the upcoming winter. It is traditional that we feast with loaves of bread from the harvest of our grains. With corn husk dolls, grapes and grain, fresh picked vegetables, apples and other fruit, we express our gratitude.

At Wiccan Seminary, this celebration is no different than at your local covens. Here, on our online campus, we invoke deity. Invocation is what the Aquarian Tabernacle and Wiccan Seminary is known, and quite famous for. We channel the energy of the gods, such as John Barleycorn, Lugh, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Zeus, Persephone, Diana, and many others. We do this every year, and it is known by the name The Lammas Monologues. It is a very special connection where we, the student body, take into ourselves the very energy and life-force of deity.

In a recent interview, Kara, the Dean of Education, was quoted as saying, “In Wicca, invocation is one of the primary ways that we interact with deity. We invoke so that we as clergy can commune with a deity in a very personal way and so that our community can interact with deity in a more direct way. “

When asked how this translates to an Internet environment, unlike a more traditional coven or church, Kara stated, “The SecondLife program follows many of the same invocation-heavy ritual style that the mother church does. While we don't do Spring Mysteries in SecondLife, we do have several rituals that require multiple invocations throughout the year.”

At Wiccan Seminary, one can expect multiple opportunities to practice invocation of deity. It is one of the truly special connections WSTS gives its students and faculty that you may not find in many other schools. The Sabbat rituals throughout the year are always well attended. They are very well received by even the most senior of students, practitioners, faculty and even alumni.

Please find the time for the Gods, come to the campus on Second Life and be enlightened by the deities and the story of our history. Honor deity in a truly special connection, have fun and share bread with us. By invocations and honoring deity, deity and source honor us. It is within this special bond where Wiccans find our place in the Universe.

We look forward to sharing bread, and maybe some mead with you. Blessed Be.

Priestess Journal: Grace, Fate, Fury

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Spring Mysteries Festival 2017

This mysteries festival was a definite one of change and transformation for me. I was originally offered the role of mermaid/maenad, and I was ready to wholly embrace those roles. After the initial read through, it came to light that we were down a Grace/Fate/Fury, and I stepped forward to take the available role. This was something so far out of my comfort zone, I was afraid and nervous, but also excited and determined to take on this challenge for me. I do not have great memorization skills, but I embraced it and found a way (with the amazing help of Pixie and Joy) to learn my lines and cues. These roles are not something one looking for a ‘minor’ part would want to accept (if one can say any role in the mysteries is indeed minor).

I can say that I had some inkling of what I was volunteering for. However, even though these seem to be ‘smaller’ supporting roles, they required me to run the energy and such for the entire duration of the festival. It is a time-consuming role, as you need to be present at pretty much every rehearsal! To quote a friend, “You will need to look honestly at your life and your abilities and the sacrifices you will need to make in order to do your best”.

The Roles

There are three different parts I got to hold.

I was honored to priestess for the Grace Thalia, the Fate Atropos, and the Fury Tisiphone. Even though the Furies were never drawn-down, I still chose to honor and respect that I was bringing her energy into the space as an actress.

I took the time to do some research on each of the aspects I portrayed, and it was fun to bring these amazing Goddesses to life.

We spent the most time in the Grace aspects, bringing them to life in Parade to the Sea, the first part of the Lesser Mysteries, and the beginning of the Greater Mysteries.

The Fates made a brief appearance during Parade to the Sea, and then again in the second part of the Lesser Mysteries, and finally throughout the Greater Mysteries. The Furies were only brought in during the beginning of Lessers 2, and were ONLY acted, not invoked.

Research

The Grace Thalia

She was the Goddess of festivity and rich banquets, she was known as ‘pleasure abundant’ and her name meant ‘the blooming’. The Graces were known as the attendants of both Aphrodite and Hera, and would spend their days frolicking with the ‘young maiden of spring’.

Many of the references I found were from Theoi.com, Hesiod’s Theogony, the Orphic Hymns, and the Homeric Hymns.

The Fate Atropos

Known as the ‘inflexible’ or ‘inevitable’. Atropos is ‘she who cannot be turned’. The research I found, called the Moirai, were those who presided over the cyclical descent of Persephone. They were also the ones who would bear witness to all oaths sworn (along with the Styx). Standing and bearing witness to the oath that was sworn by all participants was so powerful and profound for me. I felt the Fates needed to be utilized more in the mysteries in order to truly establish their importance.

The Fury Tisiphone

Although we never actually invoked or evoked this aspect/energy, I made certain to pay this Goddess/Titan the respect she deserved at each rehearsal. In my research, I found that the Furies were deeply respect and worshiped in Athens, and even had a festival in their honor. Although only two of the three were ever depicted, there was a statue devoted to them, and offerings were regularly left for them.

The Energy

Working with the Grace energy had to be the most fun I have ever had! It was an energy I have not experienced in my own workings, as I tend to work with the more serious Goddesses. I wanted to be sure to represent Thalia as the Orphic Hymn presents the Graces, “mothers of mirth, all lovely to the view...pleasure abundant...” and much more. I wanted to bring this to the mortals, especially during shrine time.

My own personal experience holding and working with the Fate energy was quite amazing, as I find myself working quite often with the darker, more stern/serious Goddess energy. I wanted to delve more deeply into working with Atropos, however, things moved so fast and the Fates were utilized so minimally, that I never had the opportunity to do so.

The Fury energy was almost intoxicating to run. Even though they were not invoked, one could not but help getting caught up in the acting and energy of the scene. It was not an easy transition with how swiftly we needed to switch from the Fury to the Fates; I felt it very hard to go from the high endorphins of the Fury to the sombre Fate. Trying to keep even with the energy still pumping through is not easy, and having to sing after the yelling was slightly painful on the vocal cords.

What does all of this mean?

Well.

It was an amazing and magical experience, one I would recommend to ANYONE wanting to push the envelope. No matter what you may believe, you can totally do it, you can bring everything to the role that chooses you.

I had the most amazing time moving the energies of the mysteries, playing with the currents of magic and feeling.

I forgot to mention that. You. Feel. EVERYTHING! All of the feels. Every emotion that moves around, and through, and over, and under. All of it!

That is not to say you get emotional overload, pummeled by the emotions, however, because you ARE moving the energy of the festival you WILL feel the anger participant ‘X’ is feeling, or the anguish participant ’Y’ feels.

My way of dealing with that was to acknowledge the feeling and move it along in the energy, so it became part of the magic but did not impact other participants.

As with all mysteries, it is something that has to be experienced and cannot be explained.

Know that holding a part in the mysteries is exhilarating, exciting, terrifying, and magical.

__________________________________________________________

Want to participate in Spring Mysteries Festival? If you attend SMF two years in a row, you are eligible to play a role! Auditions are held yearly during the Lammas Monologues at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. Click here for more information!

Lessons of the Priest

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

On the Pagan Path: Lessons of the Priest
Holding [Sacred] Space

Grief enters everyone’s life. Whether it is illness, the unexpected passing of a loved one or ongoing tragedies that have marked national and international news bad things happen. It is inevitable but as people we can be of assistance to others. This is what makes us human and connects us as the larger family of mankind. The need for individuals who are mindful of service to others is more urgent than ever in this increasingly complex world we find ourselves living in. This article is perspective, a call to action but not training. It may motivate you to grow and find such training for yourself.

In many faiths priests (gender neutral) are often on the front line of trauma. As a priest, one is often called upon help people in times of distress sometimes by that person or those around them. It may be something traumatic happening to them personally, their family or loved ones or trauma in their community.

As Pagans, we know that we do not require a priesthood since all of us have direct connection with Deity. As a religion of clergy, we hope to find in priests a deeper wisdom, experience, training and perhaps extend relationships with deity that they share another perspective. Many of us have taken on the role through formal initiation and self-initiation.

My training as a priest has come solely through my Patron and some observations of others. My relationship with my Patron is rich and a Path is filled with complex lessons. The lessons are meant to prepare me to be a better person and for interaction with others. My Patron is Eris.

When individuals are called upon to help someone in times of stress, it’s often referred to as “holding space.” You are somewhere between a witness and a counselor. Your more difficult personal role is to journey with them without interference, judgment or control. You may also find yourself holding space for someone while they hold space for another. It is a sacred and selfless service to others. You are there for them when they are vulnerable and may need to be weak. No matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished, someday someone will be there (by Goddess’ grace) to hold space for you. It’s not required that you be a priest to hold space but it is often who the community looks to in emotional times.

What does it mean to hold space in practical terms? While someone is going through a deep emotional trauma and perhaps life altering experience, your role is less about what you can do for them and more of what you can help them do for themselves. I offer you the Erisian perspective. As a priest of Eris, vows are specific about our interaction with others. “Teach. Guide. Witness. Do not intervene.”

Some thoughts on holding space

1. Share what’s important in the now

The situation and people have all come together in a point in time as the result of a series of events. The past is over and unchangeable, the future unknowable. The now is all that matters. Be an oasis for other to gather in their own strength rather than attempting to direct the situation.

In situations such as these there’s a lot going on. Perhaps someone is going to pass over, in the next few weeks. Reminding a person to contact distant friends and loved ones is in the now. Asking them if they want catering after a memorial service is probably a later activity.

2. Be a guide or instructor. Don’t take over.

In times of mourning or grief, the person(s) left behind are often paralyzed with indecision. It’s too easy for strong personalities to enter in, with best intentions, and try to solve things. Taking away even simple decision making takes away their personal power and strength. It can scar or set them on a different Path for a long time.

Your ability to witness, be present and mindful, while offering non-judgmental wisdom is all that needs to be done. Presenting experiences and outlining options or giving them a process is healthy. You will make them stronger and give them the power to make decisions that will often have long term effect. In situations where the person is fully incapable for some reason, there may be a reason to acquire aid for them. This is not to be done without conscious consent of their life partners or family.

3. Offer parallels and not platitudes

Talking is an often-used form of providing comfort. Remember how your words have intent and create the world around us. Our remarks, even with the best intentions, may be less than helpful. Often used remarks that could be phrased a different way:

“Goddess never gives us more than we can handle”
- This evokes all types of questions and is a test of anyone’s faith.
- Suggest: “It’s okay to grieve at your own pace.”
“I know how you feel”
- No, you don’t. You are not that person and don’t know how they are processing recent events.
- Suggest: “We are here for you when you’re ready to talk”
“How are you?”
- In American society, we often use it in place of “Hello.” This often turns into a plea to them to make you feel better. You need to hear the answer that they are enduring, getting on with life, getting over it etc. it’s an unnecessary pressure them
- Suggest: “I understand this is difficult for you”
“What can I do for you?”
- Don’t add the responsibility of finding some way for you to be helpful.
- Volunteer practical things. “I’d like to drop off some meals.” “I can take the kids to after school activities for the next few weeks.” “We’d like to shovel the snow from your driveway.”
Saying nothing at all
- Sometimes, it is enough to sit with a person and let them know you’re there. However, many people are uncomfortable with silences and therefore they seek to fill the void. Communicate, even in small ways. Try some of these others expression of support lest you create a situation where they now must take responsibility to make you feel better. If you feel uncomfortable, excuse yourself from the situation.

4. Create safe and sacred space for them

Chaos, change and death are all part of the natural order. Build the oasis for them and let them come at their own pace. Give them a place to be safe, sacred, weak and away from judgment. These are times when you can build a barrier where they can be alone with their thoughts and choices. Casting a circle, a ring of white light/barrier or simply suggesting they sit in a grounding salt-water bath make them strong to be weak when and if they need it.

Think of it as putting pillows on a coach. Let other arrange as they see fit.

5. Do them the honor of different choices

Their choices are their choices. Don’t interfere with their power and make them second guess particularly in stressful times. You may not have chosen an action or made the same selection. It’s not your choice to make. It’s okay for them to make mistakes. Honor that they may have different rituals that you might expect. Be mindful and remember this is not about you. Remove any ego. If you cannot, excuse yourself from the situation.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

This is one of many lessons, that a priest has learned. What lessons have you learned from Gods as pilgrim or priest? Panegyria would love to have you share as much of your personal journey/lesson as you care to.

Have a lesson or other story to share? Write to us at editor@atcwicca.org

Blessed be.

Understanding the Fundamental Metaphysical Questions

Sat, 08 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Who are you?

“I think, therefore I am.”

“You are a child of the universe…”

“We are all in a widowed state, and our task is to remarry.”

The first one is attributed to the philosopher Descrates. The second is from the poem Desiderata. And the third one is from Louis Claude de St. Martin. Throughout the ages, the greatest thinkers of humanity have endeavored to answer this most fundamental question of human existence. Let us now explore how various paragons of the ages have approached it and savor the insights we can glean from their thoughts.

“You are a creature of God,” pronounced the Western theologians. But a sinful one, they admonish and thus continue the argument by explaining how you can be saved in the form of the various theories of salvation. “You are atman, a fragment of the Universal Soul,” asserted the Eastern spiritual gurus. Sinfulness is not an issue in the East, compared to the West, but ignorance of one’s true nature is. Therefore, the Eastern spiritual traditions emphasize the need to know one’s true nature. Some would say the East presents a much more cheerful prospect. “Man is rational,” said the ancient Greeks. “Man is spiritual,” countered the ancient Eastern spiritual teachers.

“You are a body”, intoned the mechanistic Western physiologists. A lack of subtlety there, everyone can see they have a body. “You are a mind existing within the confines of the body,” championed the Platonian idealists. Subtler, assuredly. “You are a body with a mind that is full of psycho-sexual dilemmas,” declared the Freudian psychoanalysts. The various psychoanalytic paradigms all flowed from this concept. “Your psyche is rooted to the Collective Unconscious, countered the brilliant Jungian archetypal analysts. And their disciples have been searching for archetypes ever since, uncovering every nook and cranny of the human psyche.

“You are a battleground of the forces of light and dark,” lamented the dualistic-minded Zoroaster. Dualistic religions and philosophies flow from this theological position. You are a combination of Yin and Yang, but they are enemies on the surface only. This is a paraphrase from the Taoist masters. For them light and dark, yin and yang, are lovers beneath, whose eternal dance comprises the phenomenal world. “You are nothing,” counseled Prince Siddhartha Gautama upon his ascendancy as the Sakyamuni Buddha, perhaps with a twinkle in his eyes. Did he mean it literally? Allegorically? Or was he thinking of something else. “You may be nothing, but you create your reality by your free will,” added the pragmatists and existentialists.

“You are a collection of atoms, obeying the classical laws of physics, argued the mechanical Western scientists. For centuries, this has been the norm of Western classical thinking. But Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and other more super-intelligent quantum physicists arrived on the scene. And they changed the landscape of science forever. “You are a monad, a fragment of the universe, complete unto itself,” offered Leibniz, co-inventor of the calculus. “And you are immortal,” echoed Vardhamana Mahavira, champion of Jainism, thousands of miles to the East. Both of these thinkers are separated by distance and time, yet show surprisingly similar positions.

So who are you?

The best answer to this question comes from the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage, of quantum physics and the mystical arts. The most advanced quantum physicists are penetrating into the deepest mysteries of space-time, nature, and the universe. They are beginning to behold the Divine Wisdom, the wisdom of the ages, which has been shrouded in mystery since time immemorial.

For centuries, the Divine Wisdom has been in the hands of the mystics of East and West. Experiencing firsthand the presence of Divine Intelligence, mystics are given a true experiential event where they apprehend personally the nature of man and the universe.

Hieros gamos. The sacred marriage. More and more quantum physicists and mystical philosophers are communicating, sharing knowledge and critical insights. This conference of minds will help usher the Golden Age of humanity.

This concludes our basic survey of the first fundamental metaphysical dilemma. It logically now leads us to the next question…..

Why are you here?

“Something is doing we don’t know what.” A legendary remark attributed to Sir Arthur Eddington. Let us continue our pilgrimage in wisdom by studying the second fundamental question of existence, the question of origin and purpose.

Two great systems of thought contested the nature of man’s origin in the past: creation and evolution. The diametrical opposition of the mechanical scientists and the stubborn theologians dominated Western civilization for centuries. But today, a new kind of thinking is emerging which is destroying the obsolete paradigms of the past. In this paradigm, both viewpoints can be assimilated into a new system of thought, one that synthesizes both creation and evolution.

The universe is suffused with energy. And Einstein has demonstrated that matter is simply crystallized energy, a new concept that was extended by the mystical quantum physicists. This position correlates well with the viewpoint of mystical philosophers that matter is the lowest form of energy. We can accommodate the creation theory by tentatively accepting that the creation of this universe did exist as a point in time, corresponding with the Big Bang of the Western scientists. That settles the point of view of creation.

Observe the universe. Explore our world. Open your eyes to your environment. The forms in our world exist as hierarchies. But the hierarchies are inter-related. Atoms give rise to various molecular arrangements. Molecules give rise to mineral categories. All the various kinds of plants are composites of atoms, molecules and minerals. But the whole is more than the sum of its parts. In other words, a plant is more than a collection of atoms, molecules and minerals. It is something more! And by extension, all the forms of life are more than the sum of their preceding hierarchies. Plants exist as the subsistence of some animals. But animals are entirely different from plants. In the same way, humans eat plants and animals, but their forms are different. Humans are infinitely more complex than plants or animals, although these forms are composed of the same fundamental building blocks: the atoms, molecules and minerals.

Thus, there exist hierarchies in nature. Preceding wholes give rise to new kinds of wholes. The building blocks remain the same, but the configurations are entirely different. All these permutations in nature display the fact that energy configurations are evolving from one context to the next, from one level to the next, from one hierarchy to the next. Visualize smaller circles of life giving rise to larger circles of life. Smaller energy configurations giving rise to higher energy configurations. This, then, is the new paradigm that accommodates both creation and evolution. In this way, we see evolution manifesting as the development of energy configurations in different environmental matrices, each building on the preceding whole. And creation is the original impetus that gave rise to the universal primordial archetypes of these forms.

Fascinating!

If energy configurations are evolving, then the level of awareness of these energy systems are evolving too! The level of awareness of an atom is limited to energy interactions that maintain its nuclear shape and integrity and insure its ability to form molecules with other atoms. The awareness of a mono-cellular organism is something else entirely. Its biological activities revolve around the maintenance of homeostasis and the capacity to reproduce. Thus, its awareness of itself has reached a different level, not necessarily higher in essence than the preceding system of an atom, but perhaps richer in context. Because the necessities of homeostasis and reproduction will cause the organism’s awareness of its environment to be on a higher level of context, richer, and more detailed.

Which leads us to human awareness. The consciousness of the human has reached a level where they begin to inquire on the fundamental questions of existence. Their awareness of themselves is not necessarily higher than molecules, plants or animals. Rather, it is richer relative to the environmental matrix. Because if the human is to survive, they must assimilate and conquer more of its environmental variables as compared to the lower hierarchies.

Therefore, we can see that evolution is proceeding level by level, whole by whole, context by context. This is a secret that used to be shared only by the best quantum physicists and the most enlightened mystical philosophers. This is the fact that evolution means not only the development of outer physical forms but it is actually the enhancement of consciousness as a form experiences its pilgrimage through the levels of complexity in the nature of the universe.

Creation means the inception of a universe. Evolution means the development of awareness or consciousness in that particular universe as its levels of complexity deepen; thus revealing their inherent beauty.

And now, we are ready to tackle the final fundamental dilemma…..

Where are you going?

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This is a mystical saying attributed to the semi-legendary figure of Lao Tzu, reputedly the author of the Tao Te Ching, and considered the nominal founder of Taoism.

We have been exploring the fundamental questions of existence. We began with the question of fundamental nature: “Who are you?” Then we continued with the question of origin and purpose, “Why are you here?” Now let us study the question of destiny and finality: “Where are you going?”

We have seen how the forms in nature are evolving into more complex forms, hierarchy by hierarchy. This process pervades the entire universe. And while matter is the outer form or clothing of this process, it is the evolution of consciousness which is the engine that drives it.

There have been many allegories of this process. Some mystical writers compare life on earth in particular and life in the universe in general to a school. In this allegory, all beings are enrolled in some kind of school where skills are gained, lessons are learned and insights assimilated. In mystical Hindu philosophy, the tempering forces are called karma, dharma and samsara, among others. When a particular insight is learned, developing beings go on to the next level, where there are fresh lessons and new insights. Another allegory worth considering is that of a pilgrimage or a journey. In this particular allegory, the beings of the universe are on a grand adventure. The goal is perfection in evolution as well as the joy of exploration. I find this allegory to be a perfect educational tool for aspirants in the spiritual path.

From the point of view of a single individual, life is so complex with its attendant problems and vicissitudes. Anyone can be overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of it all. Yet, all the great spiritual traditions of mankind have maintained that life has a purpose far more magnificent than our mundane existence. The trick is to discover the higher meaning of life. For this, all spiritual aspirants since time immemorial have been challenged to open their eyes to the wider world.

Expand your consciousness. Inquire more. Reflect more. Contemplate more. Meditate more. Discover more perspectives. Get out of your shell, psychologically speaking. As the forms of the universe evolve into higher and higher modes of expression, so you too are invited in the great banquet of eternity. We have seen previously how the forms of life seek to produce more wholes, each more complex than the preceding one. In the same way, the journey of evolution is a pilgrimage of wholes. Let us see how this journey plays in the dance of the universe. Reflect very deeply as we essay the next few statements.

You are a whole.

Yet, you are incomplete.

This incompleteness is not your fault (paradigm shift in Western religious thought). Rather, it is the product of inexperience. Why is this so?

As you have journeyed in the planes of existence, you have assimilated experiences from your own perspective. Since you are a fragment of the greater whole, this perspective is necessarily incomplete. You can gain a better understanding of the infinite universe by increasing the quantity of your travels in awareness. This means experiencing more of the whole from your vantage point. More lives. More experiences. Thus, the wheel of time, the cycle of reincarnation.

Meanwhile, you are a whole that seeks to enhance its wholeness. You seek perfection, but think it unattainable. Well, good news, your lower mind cannot attain perfection by itself. It must use other weapons at its disposal; some of which are known only to the Collective Unconscious. Waiting to be discovered, of course.

You are a whole.

Yet, you are incomplete. A fragment of the Greater Whole.

And this is the reason why there is a pilgrimage.

You are bound to evolve, into greater and greater Wholes.
Your coherence increases as your pilgrimage deepens.
Your capacity to process information shall increase!
And you shall evolve, more and more, expanding higher and higher!
Let me conclude by offering this saying of Teilhard de Chardin for contemplation:

“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey; we are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Sensei Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. His hobbies include chess, poetry and Tarot counseling. Currently, he is active in organizational work, where he is promoting advocacies in educational philosophy, spiritual counseling, and environmental issues. He is also the founder and mentor of a learning organization and Wisdom Community, the ANAM CARA Philippines Learning Organization. He has written numerous essays on wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy and psychotherapy.

The Three Kinds of Seekers

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

There are three kinds of seekers on earth. This is analogous to the school system where we have elementary, high school and collegiate levels. To make this treatise more technical, let us use the following terms for the purpose of discussion: primary seeker (equivalent to the elementary level), secondary seeker (equivalent to the high school level) and tertiary seeker (equivalent to the collegiate level). Please understand that we are discussing soul hierarchies, and not cognitive domains. Let us begin.

The primary seeker is the novice. This is the seeker who seeks refuge in a structured spiritual learning environment for the purposes of spiritual learning. The most common form of structured spiritual learning is the religious system. The religions are dogmatic institutions where spiritual learning is conveyed in a digestible form to a community of adherents. Typically, the mystical insights, which are the basis for Truth, are downplayed in religious systems because they serve little purpose.

The prime mode of control in a religious system is to keep the adherents in line and always looking to the absolute external control of the reigning priesthood for interpretation of mystical insights. Because mystical insights are hard to teach to a flock of elementary learners without the exceptional methodology of personal questing, the spiritual lessons are delivered by the religions in the form of ethical lessons mostly. The basic food of the primary seeker is always the digestion of sacred books, and memorization of its passages, with or without external application. He or she sometimes does not make the distinction between the language of “sacred law” and its intent. Conformity is his goal.

Yet, the ethical lessons must be wrapped in the outer layer of dogmatic control, otherwise the elementary seekers will be awakened to the nature of the game, and leave the religious environments altogether, which is bad for the profit-making schemes of these religions. Outer dogma and external control are the two warps which encapsulate the ethical teachings within. Normally, the primary seekers do not question this, since programming insures that they are held in the tight grip of the religious system.

The primary seekers compose the main section of current Earth population. They are loyal to their respective religious families, and will be hard to awaken, even in the presence of apocalyptic environments. They are dogmatic, stubborn, and resistant to change. They are also very faithful to the collective of which they are a part. If you will debate with a primary seeker, you are wasting your time, because they will cling to the dogmatic beliefs which have been their heritage in the religious family of context. So, what is the purpose of immersion in this kind of environment?

The primary seekers are learning to live within the stifling confines of the herd mind. They are learning obedience, control, power, and subterfuge. They are learning the dark side of external manipulation. They are learning the experiential extremes of the sequential universe. Many eons pass before the primary seekers are able to free themselves from the external locus of control that is imposed by the herd mind. The impetus of freedom and independence shall come from the Higher Self. Until such time, the primary seekers are imprisoned in a dark cave of their own choosing.

Do not debate with a primary seeker; do not attempt to enlighten him/her. The primary seeker will grow, in time. The primary seeker is not prepared for the glories of mysticism.

The secondary seeker is the journeyman. This is the seeker who begins to questions his native upbringings, and starts to defy his original religious family and contextual heritage. This is the seeker who begins to contemplate the fundamental metaphysical questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? In the pursuit of Truth, the secondary seeker will cross boundaries every now and then, and seek Truth in many places like the sciences, the religions, the philosophical systems and even various occult and spiritual systems. They are often not content with one, and may live in many “worlds” at once; filling their cup with the wisdom they can partake and digest from each sphere. They will try to come up with an amalgamation of teachings from various sources, and sometimes may delude himself and think it is “his own personal system” when in fact it is just a conglomeration from various disparate streams.

The measure of learning competence from a secondary seeker will depend on the tenacity of his spiritual foundation as well as his ability to absorb higher level mystical insights. Contrary to the prognostications of various so-called “enlightened persons”, the sciences are the keys to mysticism. For is not science the lower order expression of high mysticism? And is mysticism not the highest level expression of the sciences? Thus, it is incumbent on the secondary seeker to acquaint himself with the sciences as much as possible. For the sciences form the background of the quest. The methodologies of research inherent and embedded in the sciences serve as a springboard to model the mind to search accurately for the patterns and clues that form together into a gigantic puzzle called the game of life.

This puzzle needs to be unlocked in a mystical journey that shall captivate and ensnare and tantalize the secondary seeker.

Do not judge the secondary seeker’s propensity for flirtation. The secondary seeker will jump from ship to ship, from system to system, to absorb all the jewels that various spheres can bestow on him. It is the nature of the secondary phase to travel from world to world as much as possible. The secondary seeker will be wild-eyed and enchanted from his various travels and will have no time to consider the comfort of other travelers. They are absorbed in their quest, in his own search for Truth and will be apt to ignore other consciousness forms. Their only value will be to provide them with more stimulation. Here we can see that the communication faculties of the secondary seeker need to be highly developed in order to explore and access many realms of thought. The particular language where the secondary seeker excels shall be a dialogue between his Deep Self and his fractal self.

It is a norm that the secondary seeker develops their facility for various kinds of languages at an early age to facilitate and catalyze his thematic break from his native upbringing and original religious and philosophical orientations. The degree of language facility is directly proportional to the degree of fractal soul adventure. When I say language, I mean the various linguistic, mathematical, metaphysical, symbolic and esoteric languages.

Indeed, the greatest weakness of the secondary seeker is to mistakenly identify the quest paradigms with the summit of the mountain itself. This is obviously a subtle error. The road is only a map, and should not be exchanged with the destination itself. And yet, many secondary seekers make this mistake. Thankfully, the eternal paradigm of the cosmos supplies the ever-ready answer, which is the presence of inherent polarities in the planes of matter that will challenge the assumptions of the secondary seeker from time to time. The presence of the polarities shall be the impetus for the necessary change that will “awaken” the secondary seeker every now and then. Variety indeed shall be the spice of their life.

These consciousness jolts take the form of personal crises that drive the suffering soul to continue their quest for the true summit of the mountain. Complacency is also another weakness. The secondary seeker may become weary from time to time. To counter this, his Higher Self will predetermine the occurrence of inspirational themes which shall provide essential soul nourishment in times of spiritual starvation.

By all means, debate with a secondary seeker. Their soul needs these mental challenges from time to time. But be aware that the secondary seeker does not possess the experience of Truth yet. Their system is “undergoing development” and will be raw as compared to the wisdom of a master. The secondary seeker understands some fragments of the game, and will in fact, attempt some preliminary syntheses from time to time. Yet, these gleanings of the tree of life are still far from the supreme synthesis of the cosmic ensemble and will only serve to reflect the distance of the seeker from the summit of the mountain. Be patient with them.

One day, the secondary seeker shall discover meditation and mysticism. At this juncture, their soul will begin to be awakened to the supreme synthesis. Rejoice for that day.

The tertiary seeker is the adept or master. This is the soul phase which has experienced all the houses of the zodiac in their manifold beauty. This is the culmination of the journeyman. This is the stage where the soul can learn using various methodologies. This is the supreme learner, adept at configuring his environment to suit his learning needs. This is the supreme hermit, who can easily spot and disdain the puerile games of sterile materialism and leave them. This is the supreme artist, who can paint beautiful echoes of a humble life, and be an inspiring presence in his environment.

This is the spiritual warrior, who can apprehend the subtleties of both the white and the black aspects of nature, and navigate a balance in his personal life.

One of the indications of mastery is the understanding of the difference between the nonlinear thought processing and sequential thought processing. This mega paradigm is the basis for the cosmos itself. It explains the presence of two spiritual curriculum systems that soul collectives and consciousness singularities can choose. The comprehension of the nonlinear world, the true state of the cosmos, distinguishes the master from the mere sorcerer. For the nonlinear thought process is the hallmark of the highest realms. Only a traveler who has experienced and understood this realm in its true glory can teach this supreme synthesis to other learning souls.

The master has the privilege to teach others. They know the supreme synthesis and has the right to train others to reach the summit of the mountain in their own way. However, it is not necessary to teach continuously and the master has the option to withdraw from the game of life from time to time. Even one who has touched the nonlinear planes of thought and divined the true mysteries of the cosmos can still benefit from the spiritual graces of incubation, reflection and contemplation.

Also, the tertiary seeker has the unique gift of being able to “cook” the life configurations of the soul phase called the “finale.” They do this in consortium with other tertiary seekers of their nativity. In this respect, they are the supreme alchemist. They arrange the permutation of the spheres and selects a beautiful art form to suit their tastes and to celebrate his uniqueness. The finale that they will compose will be the aspect of their spirit to ascend to their Higher Self.

It is the fractal aspect that culminates the wisdom quest, taking it into it the summit of the mountain. With the spiritual graces of the cosmos thrown at they, the tertiary seeker’s most palpable quality is therefore, gratitude. Gratitude for this opportunity to learn from the eternal gems of the manifold cosmos.

Gratitude for immersion into the realms of Life.

Gratitude for experiencing the beauties of Love.

Gratitude for reaching the pinnacle of the wisdom quest.

To conclude, these are the vectors of understanding utilized by various seeker hierarchies to access Ultimate Reality mega paradigms. For the primary seeker, their vector of understanding is one dominant system inculcated into their minds and programmed for long term manipulation or dominance. This vector is programmed to resist all incoming vectors of understanding. Resistance to alternative quest infusion is high; coherence to the Oneness is low.

For the secondary seeker, their vector of understanding consists of varying thought systems all competing for dominance in their mind; their selectivity quotient is the determinant of the rite of passage. A primary vector may or may not be chosen, since the secondary seeker is playing with various aspects of the quest flow synthesis.

Resistance is contextual and may vary, depending on the current mood and state of the soul. Coherence is also highly variable. Further, the revolutions and existential loops in the life of a secondary seeker is extremely high, it is as if the wheel of life is heaving all its energies on this phase. For the tertiary seeker, their vector of understanding has evolved to include higher planes of thought. The Oneness is experienced by methods unique to the Deep Self and fractal self interactional scheme. Resistance to alternative quest infusion is low, as the soul is now open to the manifold dimensions of the Cosmos. The tertiary seeker is highly tolerant of ambiguity. Finally, coherence to the Oneness is, of course, very high. This ultimately means that the tertiary seeker is a node of Love.

Who are you? What drives you? Which of these soul stages are you in? What spiritual impulses are stirring deep within your being? Are you a primary seeker? A secondary seeker? Or a tertiary seeker? The stage where you are in shall determine the kind of life that you have, including all your existential loops.

Do not begrudge others nor envy them their particular lives. This is their flavor, their moment, their phase. Contemplate your phase and make the most out of it, such is the way of the universe. Savor it. Cherish it. It is unique.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Janet Farrar & Gavin Bone

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone have authored many Wiccan books over the years. We had the extreme honor of having them as our guests at Sacred Cauldron.

As Janet and Gavin ironically shared the same avatar during the interview, they began their discussion of their same but sometimes separate journeys. Gavin began speaking. Gavin started by discuss his coming into the Craft.

Gavin started his experience, strangely enough, as a Sunday School teacher. From there, his interest in non-traditional beliefs started to flourish. Gavin spent much of his time studying Eastern religions. This eventually brought him to Wicca when he read Doreen Valiente’s book, ABC’s of Witchcraft. For the first time, he no longer felt isolated. Several years later, Gavin met Stewart and Janet Farrar.

In the years that followed, they’d belong to many covens of differing but similar tenets, including Seax-Wicca, Gardenerian and Alexandrian Wicca. In those years, Stewart, Gavin and Janet started a coven of their own. Following that, in the 70’s they moved to Ireland, where they incorporated folklore and myth into their practices. It was shortly after that, where they started to life as authors.

Twenty years later, they would find themselves touring the United States and other countries, spreading their belief systems which were uniquely their own. This met with quite a bit of applause to a more than eager crowd of witches, where Gardenerian and Alexandrian were the primary sources one would find. This belief system would come to be known as Progressive Wicca, and it prolific today.

Progressive Wicca is a relatively recent concept where Gavin and Janet took the culmination of Stewart, Janet, and Gavin’s studies, and created basic tenets to define the evolution of what Wiccan Witchcraft has become. At its core, it is designed around the spirit as the center of beliefs. It is not heavily reliant on proper structures of circle preparation, and relies on more of a natural, intuitive approach to magick where the divine, not dogma, is at its central system. While still based on the original tenets of the Wiccan Rede, Progressive Wicca incorporates dualities such as yin and yang, god and goddess, as well as intrinsic human relations with magick. The result is a system unique and of itself, not based on tradition, but rather what simply seems to work.

Their newest endeavor, Lifting the Veil , a book that came out last year, is worthy of a read. In it, they discuss newer concepts such as Elder Support and some assistance with people who run covens. You can find this on Amazon, or in your local bookstore. Rumor has it, for a nominal fee, you can request autographs of said books!

This was one of many of the unique guests that Aquarian Tabernacle Church and the Staff and Students at Wiccan Seminary are privileged to take part in. Yet another reason that if you’ve not looked into it by this point, come down and see what all of the excitement is about.

The Astrology Paradigm

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Astrology Paradigm as a Theory of Intelligence

The astrology natal chart is a very powerful way of understanding the nature and dynamics of multiple intelligences. Let us see how it explains very comprehensively the various intelligence models currently being presented by science, education and psychology.

Aries is a model of thermodynamic intelligence. It is the level where energy is trying to understand itself, its capabilities and potentialities and its ability to affect its environment. We must understand that the Aries energy pattern represents the lowest stage in the Involution of Energy-Matter-Spirit. Therefore, it is the stage of maximum ego. The energy pattern is totally egocentric and defines its narratives and environmental dynamics through the perspective of the self mostly. This means the lower self, or the ego. On the other side of the coin, this singular focus of the Magician archetype brings with it the singularity of determination that characterizes this soul phase. The avatar of thermodynamic intelligence has maximum access to the energy population set at its disposal. Thus, he is perfect for arenas where can demonstrate this thermodynamic access. In sports, we can clearly see the excellence of the Aries archetype. As well as other areas where the self, meaning the ego, competes in some way. This archetype thrives in competition.

Taurus is a model of biological intelligence. It is the level where the energy has learned to encase itself successfully in various case sheaths or vehicles of expression. This particular mode of existence has its advantages. The monad has an additional form of protection against the dangers of material universe existence. However, it may also come to exalt the vehicles of expression themselves and give them operational control of its narrative. This is the greatest danger of encasement. To counteract this existential dilemma, souls who are exploring the pleasures and varieties of the material realm are given a unique “gift.” This is of course, the “Wisdom Quest!” The memory of light. The evolutionary spiral. The graduation process. Much has been written about the soul-body dichotomy throughout the ages. The important thing to remember is that the soul and the body are not enemies, have never been enemies. But both must remember their “existential stations.” The soul is the avatar of levity; the body is the avatar of gravity. And their conversation defines “life” in the material universe. This conversation is, and has always been, a crucial learning paradigm in the maturation of a monad.

Gemini is a model of cognitive intelligence. This is the soul phase which is an information processor par excellence. This energy pattern assimilates, absorbs, processes, plays with, regurgitates and expresses all forms of information constructs. The speed of information processing is also a hallmark of this energy pattern. This is the reason why so many Gemini personalities are charming, witty, smart and intelligent. They absorb information at a prodigious rate. But since, most information will be in the translation format of the material universe, the Gemini personality is known to be very practical. He prioritizes those informational schemes that can promote his own egocentricity. Why? Because he has not learned to consider the true needs of his environmental variables. His focus still remains at an egocentric level, a legacy of the previous two phases. To travel is also to assimilate new information, so the Gemini personality loves to travel in many ways and tends to sample and explore new dimensions of experience every now and then. The absence of new information would be tantamount to death for this energy pattern. This energy phase can thus be understood as an avatar of local novelty, the type of novelty that titillates a personality, in contrast to Novelty, which is a civilization-changing parameter.

Cancer is a model of gestational intelligence. In this soul phase, the energy pattern learns to incubate all that it knows, to access realms beyond those of the conscious processing level, in order to give birth to something new later on. In the Cancer phase, we learn that growth can also occur in phases of sublimation. The energy of sublimation is a different order of processing. It occurs in dimensions of mystery in contrast to the previous stages where growth is palpable. In order for incubation to truly succeed, all of the necessary materials must be present, and in the right amounts and frequencies, and in the most appropriate contexts and environments. The Four of Swords in the Tarot is a fractal illustration of the power of incubation. It tells us the lesson that all elements must be present in a conglomeration, for self-organization to occur and give rise to new narratives and new energy patterns. Cancer is a stage of death, as well as a stage of growth.

Leo is a model of centrifugal intelligence. The energies and potentialities accumulated in the previous stages are transmuted, incubated and are born anew into a new form. This form has a self-organization and singularity potential that is different from the previous stages. Thus, Leo can be said to be the first truly emergent form after the Aries energy pattern. This also imparts to us the realization that the progression from Aries to Cancer is a series of permutations of the original creative inspiration that occurred with the birth of the Aries archetype. In the Leo phase, the soul has enough strength to begin to battle with the propensities of the vehicular expressions. This personality realizes how strong both of the existential modalities are. There are many ways to illustrate this fractal strength. One is to radiate it to its environment, and that is why the Leo archetype is creative, artistic and dramatic. He is well suited to those realms where he can radiate his powers, whether for good or ill. Another point to understand about the Leo phase is that it is the period where the soul is beginning to realize the necessity of attaining a successful. negotiation of the body-soul dichotomy. In the Tarot, this stage is aptly illustrated by the Strength card. But this archetype does not exist in a vacuum. Long before the soul either rises in virtue or regresses to depravity, the seeds are already sown in the insightful archetype of the Lovers. The Lovers archetype sets the stage for the critical decision point when the soul begins to acknowledge the need to “return Home.” The Lovers archetype therefore is a stimulus to the planting season that is represented by the Leo energy pattern.

Virgo is a model of isomorphic intelligence. The excellence of the previous stage is taken further and imposed not only on self but on the ability to manage the immediate necessities of life in the material universe. This phase also represents a culmination of the strengths of the previous stages. The thermodynamic intelligence of Aries is refined into a fire that creates rather than destroys. The biological intelligence of Taurus is refined even further into understanding the intricacies of habitats, environments and contexts. The cognitive intelligence of Gemini is refined into a penetrating ability to get into the heart of a concept, issue, modality, or occupation. The gestational intelligence of Cancer is refined into the ability to be consistently creative regardless of the vicissitudes in the life of the person. The centrifugal intelligence of Leo is refined into the ability to perform at a high isomorphic level, regardless of the plenitude or scarcity of environmental inputs and conditions. Isomorphic intelligence is the ability to perform consistently at a high level regardless of environmental conditions. There are certain personalities which can produce and perform only in the presence of the best conditions. The Virgo personality, on the other hand, thrives in almost all conditions. This level of endurance and consistency is the highest among the first six personality types. In addition, this energy pattern is known for its penchant for precision, exactitude and accuracy, which are gifts of its isomorphic intelligence.

Libra is a model of symmetrical intelligence. The appreciation of symmetry is at its highest in this energy pattern. Recalling the raw power of Aries thermodynamic intelligence, the Libra energy pattern attempts to balance this by emphasizing the symmetrical operations between two interacting pairs of abstractions, modalities, personalities or collectives. This appreciation flies into the realms of art, music, dance and similar right brain and holistic perspectives. The Libra personality, being appreciative of these themes, frequently applies them in his life. The charm, intelligence, culture and elegance of a Libra archetype, therefore, all proceed from this paradigm. This sign also governs the natural exchange that occurs between actual processes and tangible objects of perceived equivalent value. When one is exchanged for the other, it is assumed that both follow the principle of equivalence, thus giving rise to commerce. All areas where harmony is the paramount principle are governed by this energy pattern.

Scorpio is a model of alchemical intelligence. The power of transmutation and transformation reaches its greatest apex in this soul phase. Recalling the biological intelligence of the Taurus energy pattern, the Scorpio phase attempts to expand and deepen this experience by continuous awareness, management and alchemical transformations of its biological as well as non-biological resources. First, it is constantly aware of its biological and non-biological potentialities, both in its own self and in its interactions with its environment. Secondly, being hyper aware of this microcosm of potentiality, it recognizes the possibilities of power plays, tactics and strategies as ways of dynamically interacting with its environmental parameters. The extreme form of this personality therefore engages in power struggles of various kinds as a way to test its own existential fitness and as a vector to acquire and maintain additional resources. Whereas its opposite sign, Taurus, is concerned with biological survival mostly, the Scorpio phase goes beyond that to contemplate biological and non-biological survival. Probing into the mysteries of the universe, the Scorpio personality therefore has a predilection to explore esoteric and occult knowledge to further its survivalist agenda. The Scorpio personality is at once an adept, a warrior, a lover and a progenitor.

Sagittarius is a model of synthetic intelligence. This phase culminates the previous cognitive intelligence phase developed by the Gemini personality and takes it to the extreme. In the opposite sign of Gemini, the emphasis is on the assimilation of raw data of various kinds. Gemini can be a sampler of knowledge in this respect. There is an attempt at basic synthesis but it is limited to the appreciation and coordination of raw practical data. In the Sagittarius energy phase, the focus is on the integration, synthesis and evaluation of various kinds of data to give rise to models, hypothesis and theories which can explain these data sets comprehensively. The Sagittarius personality loves to integrate various kinds of data and also loves to theorize about possibilities and applications of those integrations. He is therefore the quintessential theorist, philosopher and mentor. Being extremely versatile, and combined with eloquence, this archetype also is the perfect mentor. Thus, while this personality is growing up, it is imperative that he explores various fields of knowledge to get a feel of each. He will most likely have aptitude in more than one area of knowledge. As he is growing up, he must learn to coordinate this knowledge set into an integrated whole. The Sagittarius personality is a disciple of interdisciplinary thought. When mature, he will synthesize his various learning paradigms into comprehensive theories and models which he can convey to the next generation in whatever format he deems is appropriate. Thus, he frequently is active in writing, lecturing, mentoring and related stuff. This archetypal phase is also a fractal of the Wisdom Quest itself. This is the soul phase where the Seeker begins to be awakened to various esoteric, spiritual and mystical streams of knowledge which give tantalizing hints of the Ocean beyond. Sagittarius is the Seeker personified.

Capricorn is a model of managerial intelligence. In this phase, the soul has accumulated many different experiences as he traveled through the various planes of existence, represented by the houses of the zodiac in archetypal form. Concomitant with this voyage is the assimilation and integration into its being of the various gifts obtained in these planes of experience. Capricorn is fortunate to learn from the past. And to imbibe the gifts of experience from previous eras. The courage of Aries. The common sense of Taurus. The sparkling wit of Gemini. The loving care of Cancer. The strength and talents of Leo. The consistency and accuracy of Virgo. The diplomatic flair of Libra. The depth of Scorpio. And the breadth of vision developed by Sagittarius, its previous phase. Capricorn now assembles these various weapons and creates an organizational masterpiece that is rooted in the planes of matter. He tries to elevate the manipulation of matter into an art form. He combines the left-brain power of science and the right-brain power of art to configure sociological frameworks that can withstand the forces of fate and time. He is trying to build a citadel. A citadel that will stand as an everlasting memorial to his determination, practicality, prudence, business acumen, organizational leadership skills and vision. As an administrator, this energy represents the peak of archetypal power management. Because he possesses the ability of Virgo to master detail, Libra’s penchant for symmetry, Scorpio’s singular will to penetrate into the heart of a situation, and the breadth of vision of Sagittarius. What differentiates it from the previous phase is that the Capricorn energy pattern is willing to spend energy and time on to his project building efforts. He knows, like Cancer, that in order for large social ventures to succeed, time itself must be coaxed, romanced and be used as a catalyst. Capricorn shares the gestational power of Cancer, but applies it to extremely large settings and ventures. He is the archetypal civilization builder.

Aquarius is a model of holographic intelligence. In this phase, the individual archetypal patterns begin to sense the presence and influence of non-material planes of existence. It begins as a series of stimulating gifts from the realm of serendipity. These gifts may come in random packages. The ability of the soul to sense the presence of serendipity and associated higher realms is proportional to the work he applies in making his mind and whole being a conduit to this creative process. Thus, the Aquarius energy phase is really the stage where the soul is becoming extremely proficient in “listening” to the input of other non-material realms of thought. Aquarius is especially adept in creating a balance between individual creativity and group participation. As an iconoclast, he is sensitive to ultra-advanced modes of thought but he has the common sense not to disturb group social processes just to promote his own individuality. Certainly this balance is prominent in the mature personalities of this sign. Otherwise, the extraordinary ability of Aquarius to sense and receive inspiration from the higher realms may become chaotic. This leads to the tendency of some of the personalities from this archetype to display eccentric behavior. It is either that these types have been denied the individual expression of their uniqueness and creativity or they are unable to express it due to personal stress of some kind. On the positive side, since this energy pattern has high holographic intelligence, the natives of this sign are very tolerant of other individuals, their eccentricities and peculiarities.

Pisces is a model of mystical intelligence. As the summation and culmination of the archetypal energies, the Pisces energy pattern can, in theory, access and utilize the gifts, strengths and potentialities of all the astrological family energies. In the same manner, he can express the negative qualities as well. This energy has a great potential for spiritual growth because he is tuned into higher spheres of existence. Whereas Aquarius is a vessel where the higher dimensions can pour their gifts, Pisces actually has experiences where he lives part of his existence in the pleasures of the higher dimensions. This zodiac sign therefore signifies the capacity of the soul to access larger and larger cycles of experience beyond the material universe itself. In practical terms, it is expressed in various ways. One is through the living harmonies of art, music and beauty. Another is through the ability to care for others, especially underprivileged classes of society. Another is the capacity to enjoy service even in habitats of seclusion, like monastic communities and hermitages. The Pisces energy pattern enjoys solitude because it allows the soul respite from the “noise” of the material plane. Finally, this soul phase has extreme predilection to enjoy the music of the spheres and the ethereal beauties of the higher planes of thought. Thus, he is most likely to enjoy a life of seclusion, meditation and loving service to all mankind. This is the archetypal avatar of mysticism.

Astrology & Tarot

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 01 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Astrology and Tarot: A Dialogue of Sequential and Non-Linear Thought

Astrology is an esoteric theory of personality that seeks to unlock the potentials of a human being through a crystal-clear understanding of the archetypes that powers his soul. On the other hand, the Tarot is a meditation and visualization tool that that unlocks the potentials of a given situation through an inspired interaction with the power of symbols. The purpose of this reflection is to understand the power of both esoteric systems to unlock the powers of the rational and the intuitive minds, thereby achieving psychic and emotional balance and facilitating self-actualization.

The alphabet of Astrology inclines us to understand a structure that unfolds from the chalices of spontaneity. The Four Elements are highlighted. Fire signifies energy, passion, and the accompanying drives that are necessary for energy to be translated into action, like initiative, enthusiasm and the like. The three Fire signs in Astrology are different ways of expressing this drive. Aries is incipient fire that seeks to express itself in the environment as the singularity’s penchant for excellence. Leo is stable fire that seeks to enthrall its audience with its radiance and brilliance. Sagittarius is multi-potential fire with its ability to express itself in various environments. Within the wonderful symbolic world of the Tarot, the elemental power of Fire is given articulation with the Suit of Staves. We can see the dynamic development of this theme of energy expressing itself from the Ace of Staves to the King of Staves. The Suit of Staves is all about energy trying to express and manifest itself in the planes of matter in various conditions of being. So we can clearly see the thematic correspondence of the astrological fire signs with the various depictions in the Suit of Staves of the Tarot. Such thematic correspondences also occur with the other elements.

The Air Signs in Astrology encourage us to contemplate the powers of the Mind and its capacities for permutation, computation, analysis, mentation, discrimination, and synthesis. In addition, we are also encouraged to reflect on the various ways the Mind expresses itself, such as the various linguistic systems, as well as the various mathematical, statistical and computational languages. Gemini as polarity, Libra as symmetry and harmony of thought and Aquarius as the openness to unconventional modes of thought are Natal Astrology’s portals to understanding the verities of the Mind. Similarly, the Tarot develops a similar theme as well, because the powers and capacities of the Mind are celebrated, conveyed and exemplified by the Suit of Swords. Beginning with the Ace of Swords and culminating with the King and Queen of Swords, this Tarot suit encourages us to enter the portals of the Mind, understand its peculiarities, comprehend its strengths and weaknesses, and learn the various ways the Mind expresses itself while exploring the planes of matter. Both Astrology and Tarot extol and celebrate the power of the Mind. Yet simultaneously, these two legendary esoteric systems caution us against using only facet of the mind, like the rational mind, thereby limiting and disregarding the other facets like the intuitive mind. Instead, both Astrology and Tarot encourage us to use both reason and intuition to achieve a state of true mental balance.

Going farther, we enter into the realm of the Water Signs in Astrology. We realize that this is the veritable realm of relationships, networks, and associations. No man is an island, indeed, and the Water Signs remind us that true balance, harmony and inner peace can only be gained by harmonizing ourselves with our relationships. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are signposts of symbiotic intelligence. But they emphasize different ways of achieving harmony and symbiosis. Cancer seeks a state of harmony with its native environment. Scorpio seeks a state of harmony with its conjugal environment. And Pisces seeks a state of harmony with all possible environments, especially those that signify union with a transcendental state. Amazingly, the lessons of these three zodiac signs also resonate very well with the Suit of Chalices or Suit of Cups in the Tarot. Starting from the Ace of Chalices into its culmination in the King and Queen of Chalices, the Fool archetype in the Tarot journeys in wisdom and compassion and love by acquiring the values and virtues extolled by the elemental power of Water. Those who study deeply Astrology and Tarot would soon realize that the more we work hard in understanding, improving and enhancing our relationships with other people, the more we shall achieve harmony and happiness in our lives. And so, indeed, in this area, Astrology and Tarot once more combine to bring these essential lessons to us, although they convey them in a highly symbolic and arcane language, compared to such fields as the social sciences.

The final element, Earth, also shows characteristic similarities in the lessons offered by both Astrology and Tarot. The Earth Signs in Astrology, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, challenge us to understand the material world in all the ways possible so that we can use this world as a template to enhance our lives and achieve our fullest potential. In the same way, the Suit of Pentacles in the Tarot echoes this sentiment. From the Ace of Pentacles to the King and Queen of Pentacles, the lessons are hard and unforgiving, but beneficial and rewarding in the long run. Values and virtues such as diligence, persistence, determination, focus, concentration and self-reliance are absolute qualities to have in order to succeed in the material realm. These same lessons have long been articulated by Astrology. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn all encourage us to work on our weaknesses, harness our strengths, focus our talents, and diligently work on our goals if we are to succeed in the long run. Once more, Astrology and Tarot are in the same wavelength in their advocacy to teach mankind the rudiments of long-term success. Such advocacies can only benefit a human in the long run, whether financially, professionally or socially. These same lessons are also the same postulates long held by psychology, management and the social sciences as the paths to success and self-fulfillment.

Astrology and Tarot, as esoteric systems, both unfold Order from within Chaos. But they do so in slightly different ways. Astrology is a linear system of absolute logical consistency. It has an alphabet, a grammar to understand the ways of combining these different alphabet forms and a system of prediction to understand how the alphabet influences the dynamics of individuals as they unfold their lives through space and time. The alphabet of Astrology is, of course, the twelve (12) basic zodiac signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. These are twelve possibilities which can be combined in infinite ways to present more possibilities in space and time. The permutations of the zodiac signs in Astrology are truly immense. The twelve zodiac signs are simply templates of a very basic kind. Enter the planets, and the aspects between the planets, and the narratives and plotlines that can ensue from the combinations of these planets in the various signs, with the aspects between them, are truly staggering. A natal chart is a unique representation of reality, individuality and potential all merging together in one moment in time.

On the other hand, the Tarot is also an esoteric system of vast proportions. It is a cathedral with an almost infinite number of mansions. The Major Arcana of the Tarot alone is a system with 22 archetypes, beginning from the Fool archetype and culminating in the World Dancer archetype. Add to this the Minor Arcana of the Tarot with is 56 symbols of self-transformation and we have a living nonlinear system with an almost infinite number of permutations. The tarot reading environment, which is actually a contemplative and counseling environment, is an intersection of Art, Symbology, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Hermeneutics, Quantum Physics, and Linguistics with a dash of Music. The moment is charged with awesome potential, whereby the Tarot counselor and the client unfold timeless lessons from the mysteries of the Cosmos.

In conclusion, Astrology and Tarot are both extremely powerful esoteric systems for self-understanding and self-realization. Astrology is sequential, logical and mathematical. Yet within its boundaries of sequential thought lie uncharted areas on Nonlinearity whereby the art of the astrologer can derive valuable lessons for a client. On the other hand, the Tarot is nonlinear, existential and symbolic, but within its manifold chambers we can find areas of structure, logic and reason. As esoteric systems, both Astrology and Tarot continue to present Humanity with alternative ways of understanding itself. They are doors to the Wisdom of the ages, the legacy of the thousands of years of Seeking and Pathfinding.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Sensei Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the Philippines, he added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. His hobbies include chess, poetry and Tarot counseling. Currently, he is active in organizational work, where he is promoting advocacies in educational philosophy, spiritual counseling, and environmental issues.

A Tasty Litha Treat!

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Off the beaten path and away from the paved roads.
Distancing yourself from the cars, the noise, and the chaos.
Continuing on, past the meandering brook, where tadpoles swim about.
Over moss-covered rocky outcrops, where salamanders frolic about.

Journeying through tall majestic trees, as sunlight high overhead come filtering in on monarch wings both delicate and pure…

You are transported as the warm breeze greets your face in this forest oasis, Mid-Summer is upon you.

The longest day of the year, when light and life are readily abundant, is a time for celebration. The mighty Sun-God sheds his gifts on us, as his strength and glory are realized. The Green Man peers from his grassy throne as he winks to you, mirthfully, through a foliage adorned mask.

The Fae are playful, as even Shakespeare would write about. For us, we know this to be one of our sacred days – Litha. From June 20th to the 22nd, we celebrate Litha with fresh fruit and vegetables of our harvest. With honeysuckle, lily, rose, ivy, yarrow, daisies, and carnations we adore the sweet scents of our summer herbs and flowers. We invite Pan to our faerie ring with soft clouds of lemon, myrhh, wisteria, pine and rose incense. And as the sun finally sets, we ignite our oak bonfire as we dance the circle nine times round.

It is during this time that we reaffirm our vows to the Lord and Lady for all that they’ve blessed our lives with as we follow the ways of the old traditions. With cloven hooves, and the sound of playful pipes carried on the wind, Pan reminds us that love is in the air. We celebrate life with sweet mead, and cakes as we share ourselves and our lives with one another and our God and Goddess. I’ve provided my own recipe for cakes at Litha that can also be used at Lughnasadh or Lammas, in a couple months from now. Put on your Kitchen Witch Aprons, and invoke some tasty magick!

Candied Lavender Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Mead Frosting

Ingredients

· 2 sticks butter
· 1 C + 2 T sugar
· 2 C Flour
· 4 Eggs
· 1.5 C Applesauce (unsweetened)
· 1.5 t fresh cinnamon stick
· 1 C finely chopped apples (I used Fuji)
· Frosting Ingredients
· 1/4 C butter
· 2+ cups powdered sugar
· 3 T whole milk
· 2 T Mead

Cupcake Instructions

· Cream butter, sugar, flour and eggs in blender until very light in texture. Do not over-mix, though
· Stir in applesauce, cinnamon and apples slowly, so that it does not break. Do not over-mix, again.
· Fill cupcake wrappers.
· Bake at 350 for 25 min.

Frosting Instructions

· Beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
· Mix in whole milk and mead

Candied Lavender

· Get a clean, dry paintbrush with a fine tip, an egg-white, and some sugar.
· Gently wash fresh lavender blooms. My suggestion is using a spray bottle and a strainer as they are delicate.
· Allow to dry on paper towel.
· Dip paintbrush in egg-whites.
· Paint Each bloom of lavender.
· Sprinkle with sugar, lightly.
· After cupcakes come out of oven and cool, add frosting to cupcakes, then top with candied lavender.

Enjoy!

Book Review: The Oracle of Luna

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Oracle of Luna: Meditations with the Moon Goddess , by Bridget Engels, will resonate deeply with women. Engels, a Dianic Wiccan, has written these meditations for her own personal coven.

The imagery that Engels evokes in her meditations is marvelous and beautiful. Just reading them, even without actively meditating, you can still fully experience the places she creates through all the physical senses.

There are many meditations in which Engels dictates messages from the Goddess, which is perfect for beginners wanting to connect with the Moon. Anytime animals are communed with, the encounter is less structured and time is allowed for personal lessons, which is a great learning opportunity and helps those following ready themselves for moving on to less structured meditations.

The phase of the Moon and the Goddesses can be interchangeable depending on what phase of the moon you are holding ritual or meditating in. This is a great foundation for those who are utilizing these Meditations in ritual or solo practice and is meant to open up possibilities for deeper connection with the Goddess, the Moon, and your own inner healing.

There are many opportunities to make these meditations your own as well. The way these meditations are written are going to be worthwhile to readers with more projective energy signatures, but tweaking some of the wording can easily make it more versatile. Her standard recommended length of silence is 3 minutes. That is a long time to those beginning to learn to meditate (though it always varies person to person), but you can always change that depending on the group you are working with.

Overall, I think this is a wonderful set of meditations that could be useful to anyone in the craft. It lays a wonderful foundation for beginners, and brings new imagery and light for those who are advanced in meditation.

Bridget Engles is an Artist, Writer, Priestess, Ritualist, and Founder of the Circle of Luna (a Women’s spiritual moon circle in Seattle est. 2010). She has actively practiced the Dianic Wiccan tradition for over 13 years and has written, planned and led private and public women’s-focused Esbat rituals and ceremonies in the Seattle area since 2010. She received her BFA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and has worked as an Art Director in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.

You can buy her book today on amazon.com!

Counseling Tips for Dedicants and Initiates of the Craft

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In Wicca, first degrees are not at liberty to counsel. As a first degree, one is charged with learning the path. This can be frustrating for priests and priestesses in training as you are bright shining lights, with enthusiasm to help others. People are drawn to you because this is the energy you are expressing. For many, it is near impossible to decline what the individual in need is requesting of them. Providing counsel can almost feel like a compulsion, the feeling is so strong. Let’s ask questions and consider the situation from what you can do to help others.

What am I supposed to be learning as a first degree on the topic of counseling?

This is the time that you listen and incorporate these lessons for yourself. Look at your life and see if you are applying the topics you hear your High Priest or High Priestess discuss. Listen while your HP/HPs gives counsel to others in whatever form is their preferred method of counseling. Notice the advice given to your fellow initiates, strangers on tarot calls, words of wisdom offered over the phone. Listen as your HP/HPs processes an issue and how they seek to best address it. You are given leave to be present during these times. They haven’t forgotten you are present. They recognize that this is a learning opportunity for you. Honor that opportunity and remember to keep confidence with your silence when these treasured moments are offered.

How do I help those in need at this point in my training when they come to me for counseling?

Just as with any new skill we learn, we must focus and apply discipline to our actions. During this time, you are learning the foundation of counseling. The foundation of counseling is creating a safe space for individuals to be vulnerable with their issue. You create this space by being willing to listen, by making eye contact, listening with focus, and repeating back what you have heard. Sometimes you use the individual’s exact words because that is their reality and they will know you are listening to them. Sometimes, you summarize what they are telling you to weed out less pertinent details, ending with a question so they can agree or help you have better understanding by clarifying. In professional counseling, these terms are called building rapport, active listening, reflective listening and summarizing.

As Priest/Priestess, you are learning that sometimes the greatest and most healing gift is to listen. In our world of egos and wanting to get our say, often persons do not feel heard. It is imperative that a Priest/Priestess learn to hear the words being said as well as what is not being said. While you learn to listen, you also learn to attend the person’s energy. You are tapping into your intuition and listening to what your guides or deity is telling you about the situation. If you are focused on what you are going to say, you miss all of that.

In Wicca, we believe that each individual is a co-creator of their reality. If given space to work out their issues, many times they will heal themselves. Clergy or counselors do not heal others, we create the space for individuals to heal themselves. And when you can do that for another person, you have empowered them. That empowerment is a gift that is without value and will serve them in other aspects of their lives.

Please note the pot hole in the road! The advice “I just told them what I have done in a similar circumstance” is still considered outside the bounds. In many ways that is worse that offering counsel. You have made the conversation about you and taken the focus from the individual and their issue. In simple terms, that is an ego move and to be avoided.

Why is it done this way?

We encourage you to ask questions and to understand the reasoning behind things whenever possible. So, we offer this explanation: you do not know what you do not know. When it is time, your supervising HP/HPs will deem you ready to counsel others. They will offer guidance and provide a safety net for you and the person being counseled. Eventually, you learn when to speak and when to be silent. Only with wisdom and confidence are you able to separate your understanding and perceptions from the individuals. This takes time. Your elders have determined that this is the best policy for your growth and the safety of the community.

When your academic training puts you at odds with your first degree strictures, communicate with your supervising HP/HPs to seek clarification as each student’s path is individual. Remember, being in initiatory training is a time for focus on yourself. You are, possibly for the first time in a long time, not responsible for helping others. Mastering the discipline of being able to hold space and witness someone’s pain without interfering in their lesson is imperative. Without it, you cannot progress to the next level.

Blessings on your path. Learning the path is not easy, but is rewarding when you are willing to trust and apply what is being offered to you.

Stacia Schmidt (aka AnaStacia Sylvester) is the High Priestess of Covenant of WISE, a third degree in the WISE Tradition, and a licensed therapist with a Masters in Social Work. She is an instructor at the Woolston-Steel Theological Seminary.

Paris Agreement Press Release

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of Her.

INDEX, WA (June 1st, 2017) - From the World Headquarters of The Aquarian Tabernacle Church

It is a sad day for the planet that we call home. When faced with the reality that climate change is affected by the people of our world, President Trump showed us that the short-term profits are more important than the land that sustains us, at the expense of the collective people who live there.

On many levels this decision undermines founding principles of this nation:

It proves that we do not see the value in a sustainable economy, and are short-sighted in the face of quick, and dirty money.
It proves that we have ignored the standards of science and education through the dismissal of 99% of the world climate experts.
It shows that not only are we willing to remove our own people's right to healthcare, but that we are willfully participating in the deterioration of people's health worldwide.
It disrespects and disregards the collective decisions of those that call us allies and enemies alike.
It caters to a personal agenda that opposes an agreed upon global priority, which removes us as a global power.
It reinforces our stance as an aggressor nation to have to subdue for survival.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church represents a large community of people who worship within an Earth-Based religion. One of the fastest growing religions worldwide, we are a faith that reveres the planet. The earth is the physical manifestation of the spirit that we call "God/Goddess." The soil beneath our feet is the life-sustaining entity that brings us the food we eat, the water we drink, and air we breathe. We, all of us, in every sense of the word, drink of Her blood and eat of Her flesh.

Wicca is a religion of knowledge. We embrace science as well as faith, and as such we honor education. We do not honor the path of the willfully uneducated as a sign of faith, or of dedication. As we see humanity as a part of the earth, instead of apart from the earth, we consider the actions today as an affront to the very core of our beliefs.

We cannot sit by and allow the current course of climate science to be derailed without comment. The actions of current administration in reference to the Paris Climate Agreement are abysmal. Partisanship aside, this is the move of an ignorant and greedy government looking to exploit the planet while ignoring the best interests of the world in the pursuit of the personal interests of the few.

We have chosen to speak out due to our conviction as a worldwide earth-based organization. The health of our planet is vital to the lives of people worldwide and central to our worship. This decision by the Trump Administration is not only abhorrent, but it shows a willful disregard of the proof shown to us through disappearing coastlines, the greening of Antarctica, the rising of extreme highs and lows in temperature, and the myriad other planetary changes happening in clear view of the world.

Mr. Trump claims to be a religious man, but actions speak louder than words. With eyes that see and ears that listen we are shown, if President Trump follows the will of a higher power, it is not one that has the world's best interests at heart.

The Parliament of World Religions said today in their address :

"Every individual and every nation, every institution and every corporate entity, every religious and spiritual community faces this momentous ethical challenge of our age. Those with the greatest opportunity and power to affect the course of the 21st century have the greatest responsibility to act with unflinching moral integrity."

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church, a worldwide church with members in a dozen countries across the face of our beautiful planet, come to you, people of the world, to beg of you this one concession:

The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of Her.

Each of us was born with a love for Mother Nature. No matter how you worship, the earth is central to your teachings. Whether you worship the hills and waters beneath your feet, a host of beings that fought over the outcome of the planet, or a messiah sent to tell us how to live upon the earth, there is one central theme: That this place we call Earth is sacred, and without it, we all perish.

We add our voice to the chorus and call for President Trump, and for those close to him, to reexamine their decision and see that it is not in accord with the majority of Americans, or the global community that they find themselves in.

We call for you to reverse your decision, President Trump.

We call for you, elected officials of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, to stand against this decision.

We call for you, people of conscience, to make a similar plea.

We call to you, who breathes air, and drinks water, to contact every level of government you are able. Keep their phones ringing, while bringing forth the cry for us to act in accord with the Paris Agreement, and the rest of our brothers and sisters in the free world.

In Peace, Love, and Light,

The Archpriesthood of The Aquarian Tabernacle Church

Celebration Of The King

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 17 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

When the leaves change from green to gold and red
As the nights grow longer, and my days upon this incarnation
are less

Though my time dwindles, the thought of you
carries me

My Lover, My Goddess. My Essence.

When you return, after the bitter cold ebbs
You bring in your wake: blossoms, life and song

As all around is renewed, your soul calls to me
asking me to once again join your hand

and in that precious moment, I am reborn

our cycle of love, creation, and beauty

continues...

Are, You?

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 02 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

ARE YOU LISTENING WHEN THE WINDS BLOW?
ARE YOU CLEANSING WHEN THE WATERS FLOW?
ARE YOU WATCHING WHEN THE DARK MOVES TO LIGHT?
ARE YOU GAZING AT THE STARS SO BRIGHT?

ARE YOU LEADING AT A STEADY PACE?
ARE YOU DEDICATING WITH LOVE AND GRACE?
ARE YOU HEALING WITH GENTLE HANDS?
ARE YOU KNEELING ON THE BOUNTIFUL LAND?

ARE YOU LEARNING WHEN THE FLAMES ARE HOT?
ARE YOU CREATING, OR ARE YOU NOT?
ARE YOU DANCING WHEN THE MOON IS FULL?
ARE YOU LOVING WHEN YOUR HEART IS PULLED?

ARE YOU FLOATING IN THE AIR?
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ME EVERYWHERE?
ARE YOU GUARDED WITH A SINGLE BLADE?
ARE YOU WATCHING MAGIC BEING MADE?

ARE YOU GOD OR ARE YOU GODDESS?
ARE YOU FILLED WITH KINDNESS?
ARE YOU LIVING IN YOUR REALITY?
ARE YOU CREATED IN SPIRITUALITY?

2014

Who is Dionysus?

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 01 May 2017 00:00:00 GMT

"I stand in circle. My white linen robes fall over my skin. My black tabbard, still bare of it’s 3rd degree Wheel, is draped over my shoulders and tied around the back with my rope cingulum. It lifts gently as I raise my arms to the heavens…

The cingulum of red and white cords denotes my rank as a 2nd degree in British Traditional Wicca. On the day I went to buy those cords, I searched everywhere for good old American Flag Red colors. I went to four stores. I was going through my Second Degree Initiation. This was a big deal. But I could find nothing. nothing at all. There were no red cords to be had in two cities. I solemnly went back to the first place I had tried, in the hopes of manifesting a set out of nothingness. Goddess knows it had happened before. There were no red chords to be found, yet again, but there was something far more perfect: Merlot colored cords.

I lift my voice and speak over the North Altar, and across the Veil: “Lord of the Vine, Thrice Born Son, He Who Walks Among Man. Dionysus, Please descend into the Body of this thy Priest.” My hands lower gently to my sides as I draw in the energy of my Patron God…

It was too perfect to contemplate. With $9, and a new outlook on my service to my Patron and to the sacred community, I set off back home. It is difficult for someone whose patron is truly Dionysus to accomplish academic learning. We naturally desire to forge through nature and the world, creating and teaching others. Our teachings usually come from self study, and not from a guide. We find our guides through Mercurian role models. Usually our most influential teachers are people we meet at the bus stop, someone we met in that one class during college, or any number of the 10 minute mentors that show up in our life. During my early days of studying with Bella (bless her heart), I had a very hard time sitting in a seat and allowing myself to be taught.

As I move through the ritual, my thoughts hang suspended. My mind moves out of the way so that the sacred works can flow uninhibited. Feelings and concepts move through me, like a Jungian slide show. I am the Archetype of the Sacrificed God. My heart moves for the people in my circle; not because they are my charges, not because I am lucky enough to be allowed to do the work, but because I am the Earth, and the Sun, and the Moon. I am their Life, and their Death, and in this I feel their every heartbeat, their very soul, in my own chest….

***

I had been looking for a teacher since I was 16. I had also started going to the Wisteria Festival Grounds for Pagan Spiritual Gathering. PSG is held every June, on the week of the 21st, and thus, is very sacred to Dionysus. For 5 years, I went to PSG. Every year I would quit my job, sell anything I could, leave whatever lease I was in and my living arrangements, and move to southern Ohio for a month to help put on the festival. I would lose my home, my stuff, my job. What others would call “my life’ would be sacrificed to this event every year. In this, my patterns of life were very sacred to Dionysus. I aligned my life with his energy.

Dionysus is often labeled as a God of Madness and Debauchery. It is true, he is both of these things. He is the God of Lunacy because of his association with the Moon. Likewise, he is the God of Werewolves and Changelings. Yet his was not the worship that scared the locals of Greece, India, and Northern Africa. He was celebrated, worshiped openly, and considered to be one of the only Gods with the mortals well being in mind. The truth is, no one worshiped Zeus or many of the other major deities outside of the temple. Calling to him might get your wife pregnant out of nowhere. Poseidon might sink your husbands vessel if you made yourself seen to him. The same is true with Apollo, Pan, Hecate, Hera, Aphrodite, Hades (whose dedicates did not even know his real name outside of the temple), and almost all the other Gods, except Demeter. Dionysus however, lives with the People, among them. Hestia was asked to step away from the Olympians’ Table so that Dionysus may join. He respectfully declined. He walked the Earth instead, living and dying each year. His energies intrinsically connected to humanity. A thought occupies my mind, but I know it will not bear fruit in my mind until I devoke the Mad God’s energy: Why, in the modern age, do we treat him with ‘gloves on’? Why is the energy seen as so malign and uncontrollable, when inside my body It is so pure, the divine love of mankind?

My whole life I had walked through the sacred patterns of Dionysus. My father is a Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter. My youth was spent traveling from place to place, learning from everyone I could, and then turning around dishing it out; teaching to people far older than me. Eventually I would make it to my teens, and begin living the mysteries out each year, until my 21st year on the planet. Oddly enough, just old enough to drink. I was yet again at PSG. It was late, I was drunk, and I began to tell the Goddess exactly what I thought about Her not giving me a teacher.

I’m not saying there isn’t a measure of loss of control involved in the worship of the Mad God. In vino veritas. In Wine is Truth. Truth of word, as well as action. We often see the inability to not tell the truth, or to not hold ourselves back from our desires, as ‘Mad’. Wine loosens our lips, as well as our hips, and allows us the freedom to go take a dip. But the point of Dionysus is not to make you do things you don’t want to do. THAT is the Great Misgiving of our Vined Lord. As I look into the eyes of these people in my circle I do not feel the need to throw myself into their energy, and raise their passions. I do not feel the need, as I look through the eyes of a misunderstood deity, to spin them into madness. It just isn’t a part of the make-up that is the Sacred Archetype of the Sacrificed Son, or the Mad God. My needs are those of connection. To feel myself connect with each and every one of them through the pleasures of the physical, spiritual, and emotional realms. Feathers on skin. Yelling at a football game. Kissing a neck. Devouring a mango. Brushing hair. Running through the woods. Spinning in the street. Crying together. Singing together. The madness comes from the bubbling up of love, and the need to bring that love to those around you. It’s not madness, but ecstasy of life. Making crazy, obviously illogical decisions, for the sake of love, and desire, is that not madness?

The Goddess always gives us what we need. If possible, she bundles it with what we want as well. I was a raving mess. I had already had two experiences where the fine upstanding ladies involved yelled out that I was Dionysus at the top of their lungs. (I will neither confirm, nor deny if this was during really, really good sex or not) one of them even wrote me a note in my notebook, calling me Dionysus through the whole thing. I have always followed him, but never had acquaintances just pick up on it. As fun as the week had been, my love for my path, and I want to reiterate that all madness stems from love in one way or another, was driving me into the Sacred Madness. I told Goddess that I was absolutely going to become a Taoist Monk if She didn’t pony up, and give me a teacher. Cue Bella.

The ritual crescendos. The energy peaks. My desires do not spin out of control. I do not fly wildly toward lunacy as I fill to the very brim with the sacred energies of my charge. The feeling is like climaxing through each vertebrae up your spine, in succession. I make my way back to the front of the circle, drawing the energies together to release the circle, and bid farewell to He That Has Graced Us This Evening.

The week became a whirlwind of magic. Bella was everything I could have ever hoped for in a priestess. When we met I took her to the faerie shrine, and she invoked Dionysus into me. It was the first time I had ever invoked, and the third time I had been called Dionysus. The most magical experience of my life would ensue. It has yet to stop. The pieces were lining up. My patron was making himself known, and He was letting me know that He would know me and be with me. All I had to do was walk the path.

The vessel that is me has held the Divine energy of Dionysus; leading the people through the sacred mysteries that they could only trust from a God who lives and dies with them to convey. The trust that is shared between us, is older than us. Older than our country. Older even than The Mysteries themselves. Dionysus is OUR god. He is OUR companion. He walks with us day in and day out. He feels our burdens, and he longs to help us with them. He feels our Happiness, and he longs to share it with us. My hands raise to the heavens as I let this divine knowledge flow through my core. Connecting with it I begin to release the energy back across the veil.

My path lead me to Spring Mysteries Festival ‘06. A wonderful Priest was playing Apollo. I had been so steeped in Dionysus that I felt that I had fallen into the madness and was not able to get out. I asked Apollo “How can I be more like you, without loosing myself? How can I balance Dionysus’ energy with your energy?” Apollo looked to me and smiled “I am but one side of a single coin. I rule Delphi for 6 months, and in the other 6 months the other side of my coin is in charge of my shrine. Do you know who that God is?” His smile told me everything.

He gave me a small golden sun charm that still lives on my Wine Colored Cingulum. I had learned a sacred lesson. Dionysus is tempered through the societal understandings of Apollo. One cannot flourish without the other. Society falls with no pleasure. Pleasure corrodes with no responsibility. I had pieced myself together in a sacred way. I had become a whole being who had truly become the God the world had said he was. The true God, Born of Madness, yet tempered by Society.

The circle closes. The working complete. The words I spoke during the rite have traveled across the veil to join the Divine energies they reached out to meet, so I think of the love that has been left inside of me. The Divine Son, who has had his home within me my whole life. The Vined Lord, who led me down the path to find out my sacred charge, and sacred voice. The Thrice Born God who lent me his name at my birth; allowing me the Divine Blessing to be named Dusty Dionne. His mysteries are deep. They are born of ages worth of worship, and have been passed by word of mouth since before the great Library of Alexandria. In this space, and in this Circle, I have added my name to the list of priests touched by His hand, and moved in His ways. As I leave the Circle, I know that I am blessed.

June 2011"

The Rite - A Ritual Poem

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Good ritual is Magic! To experience it is to be initiated into a Mystery. It is to step outside of the mundane world and to connect with spirits, with powers, and, foremost, with Deity. It is to be awed and empowered and yet to feel humbled and nurtured. It is join in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth and to feel the powerful tides of that cycle.

When I set out to write this poem, I wanted to attempt to extract the essence of what ritual is to me. I wanted to capture the feelings and the emotions, the lessons and the power, the structure and freedom of each step of the process. To re-experience the moments that cause shivers down the spine, even when I have already lived them a hundred times. I wanted to be able to reenter that space more easily, and I hope this poem can convey to you even a small part of how truly great ritual feels to me.

The Rite

Ain Soph (Preparation)

The altar is ready we’ve finished the plan,
The priest and the priestess have done what they can,
The seekers are present, they’ve answered the call,
Let go of your fears and surrender it all.

Kether (Call to Deity)

From out of the stillness, we reach for the heart,
The Ancient still presence, the source of our art,
Female and Male and much more all entwined,
For those who shall enter, touch heart, soul, and mind.

Chokmah (Drawing forth the spark)

We call forth the light from the heart of all things,
The root inspiration, and strength that it brings,
The spark that bursts forth as our candles we light,
The boundless potential to power our rite.

Binah (Defining the space)

The lighting of incense, our will to express,
Then salt into water, the circle to bless,
Go thrice round the circle, defining with power,
The circle is formed in this place, in this hour.

Dath (Processional)

The guard of the circle, will now do their part,
Procession of people is their role to start.
They open the circle, and let them all in,
When all have so entered, they’ll close it again.

Chesed (Blessing)

As each person enters, she asks for your name,
She welcomes you home and is glad that you came.
To welcome and greet you, and warmth to express,
As each person enters, the priestess doth bless.

Geburah (Challenge)

The priest offers challenge of how do you come,
And honestly can be a challenge to some,
The point of the challenge is not to exclude,
But see that you come with the right attitude.

Tiphareth (Circle casting)

The place and the people have all been prepared,
The parts are all ready, but still must be paired,
So start with the mystic from first to the last,
From my heart to your heart the circle is cast.

Netzach (Quarter calls)

Then call to the watchtowers, guardians four,
We call by direction and aspect of lore,
To share of your gifts and to witness our rite,
To guard this our circle on this sacred night.

Hod (Explanation of working)

Describe all the steps and each role as we can,
By stating intention we strengthen the plan,
Preparing our minds to let energy flow,
We are of one purpose, we’re ready to go.

Yesod (Deity invocations)

To invoke or evoke are both a fine choice,
Or offering vessels to speak as their voice,
We call to the spirits who aid us this night,
We call forth the gods to attendeth our rite.

Malkuth (Part 1 - Working)

Through actions or chanting, there are many ways,
To power and strengthen and energy raise,
A spiral around will now build to a peak,
Releasing will summon the end that you speak.

Malkuth (Part 2 - Great Rite/Blessing of the wine)

To finish and seal it, to lend it true might,
The priest and the priestess perform the great rite,
In symbols the rite is most commonly done,
With knife into chalice to join them as one.

Malkuth (Part 3 - Blessing of cakes/communion)

With wine now made holy the cakes we address,
The priestess beseeches the goddess to bless,
So say never hunger as the bread passes first,
Then passing the wine say to each never thirst.

Malkuth (part 4 - Sacred BS)

With food that is grounding the working is done,
And now there is room in the rite for some fun.
To revel or ponder, feel big or feel small,
To be in a space that is safe for us all.

Reverse and Release

But fleeting is always the time we transcend,
The moment must come when things draw to an end,
We open the circle the usual way,
Releasing and thanking and sending away.
If order of service is ever in doubt,
The first in the circle is the last to go out,
The people are next with my heart to your heart,
And merry did meet and merry do part.
The rite may be over, you may feel decreased,
But good rites all call for a glorious feast,
So feast and be merry, share love through the night,
For all acts of pleasure are part of the rite.

Meadowhawk Serendipity has been part of the Greater Atlanta Pagan community for over 20 years. Together, he and his wife, Waterfall Serendipity, have organized Serendipity Household and the very diverse Serendipity community of 30 to 40 individuals for more than 15 years.

Serendipity Household follows a Progressive Wiccan path that pulls features from Alexandrian Wicca, energy working, Kabbalah, and Vodoun. Meadowhawk holds a 1st Degree in two different traditions, but is also a student at WSTS pursuing further studies.

Winter to Spring - Tales of a Bard

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Crone has left her icy throne!
Within the Earth, where rests her bones...
She has gone unto the deep
To lay her head down while She sleeps...

Within the Earth, where rests her bones...

Pay respects, where now ye roam
Hear my words, let it be known
The Crone has left her icy throne...
Within the Earth, now shroud in stone.....

All Hail The Maiden of Spring!

We Are The Muses

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This was originally posted to Panegyria in April, 2014.

We are the Muses,
Goddesses of the Arts.
If you should ever call upon us,
Beautiful words will flow from your hearts.

But which do you call to fulfill your need?

Are you a historian, and need only fact?
Clio can help you keep things straight.
She does not deal with the abstract,
But, as history goes, she may make you wait.

Do you love to dance and sing?
Terpsichore is light on her feet,
She can make your dance full of feeling,
But only if you bring her a treat.

Have you found the one and must tell the world?
Erato will give you the words you need,
She can whisper sweet words until your toes are curled.
But she enjoys just as much hearing you plead.

Do you wish to write with rhyming rhythm?
Euterpe makes words that sing and dance.
She can fill your words with thoughts and vision,
But beware her enchanting words leading you into trance.

Are you riddled with tragedy and loss?
Melpomene delights in telling your painful tales
She can make readers cry even when cross,
But you might never stop, for she loves your wails.

Do you long to sing glorious hymns?
Polyhymnia sings sweet melodies to those who listen.
She can make you feel music all the way through your limbs,
But she may make you sing until you begin to glisten.

Have you found yourself staring at a particular star?
Urania brings knowledge and understanding of the dark.
She brings awe into your soul and loves the bizarre,
But often times you’ll find yourself making a strange remark.

Do you love to laugh and play?
Thalia fills you with a joyous air.
She can make you giggle all day,
But when you can’t stop, try not to pull your hair.

Have you ever dreamed of writing an epic?
Calliope inspires the longest of writings and arts.
She can make your stories sound majestic,
But grab a chair, for she won’t stop once she starts.

The Muses are here for your every desire,
They know what you need to make you stronger.
Whether you are a lover, singer or crier,
Call upon us and wait no longer.

Songs & Symbols in the Tarot - The Hanged Man

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In the Tarot there are many who feel that the Fool begins his journey new-born and unaware of the dangers they may face. He seems reckless and headstrong because the Fool only acts on instinct. The Fool has no concept of others, only self. I agree with this assertion, though I urge everyone to do their own research and meditations if you practice reading or are just vaguely interested in it.

The card I want to talk about today is the Hanged Man. I love listening to music of all flavors, and whenever I hear Mumford & Sons - The Cave. I feel they are speaking on many levels of sacrifice, awareness, and emergence that ring in close harmony with the Hanged Man (or Woman!). I also have a part-time hobby of listening to songs and trying to feel what tarot card lesson the song brings out for me.

".....So come out of your cave walking on your hands.
And see the world hanging upside down.
You can understand dependence,
When you know the makers land."

If you look up some of the discussion about the lyrics that make up this spectacular piece of work, you will find many people who find correlations to Plato's Cave as well as Homer's Odyssey . I see no reason to refute these opinions, and every reason to agree with them.

In Plato's Cave, Plato talks about how people who are under no other torture are forced to sit chained in the dark, unable to move their heads and watch shadows of people walking by behind them back lit by two fires. It talks about how this perspective becomes their reality until the point where they conceive no other thought about their reality, until one crawls away and experiences the outside world. They try to come back to impart their wisdom to the others in the cave, but many disregard the truth spoken to them because they cannot see it.

In Homer's Odyssey, one of the stories talks about the lesson of the Sirens who try to pull Odysseus's ship off course and crash it and kill everyone on board. The others didn't understand the sweet song they heard was actually heralding their doom. Odysseus did and managed to steer the ship rightly back on course and away from the Sirens call.

"....So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say..."

In the story of the Fool, when he comes to the stage of the Hanged Man, he has begun to understand the world outside of himself (I'm only using masculine because of ease with the name of the card. It could be man, woman, child, non-binary, dog; anyone). There is sacrifice here, there is awakening and a new urge to bring balance.

The sacrifice of the Hanged Man is made because a person feels that they will come out of the situation more enlightened than when they went into it. It's not the sacrifice of worldly goods for personal gain, it is a sacrifice made for the world, the greater community of mankind.

"...'Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be."

This concept is also explored with various beliefs and deities such as Jesus, Prometheus, Odin and Dionysus to name a few. With this sacrifice, we begin to see our world a little differently because we see it from another perspective. One corner stone of witchcraft talked about by Lady Belladonna LaVeau is perspective reality. In short, your interpretation makes up your understanding of your reality. Change your perspective, and change your reality. For more information, I highly suggest WiccanSeminary.EDU .

In the Hanged Man phase of lessons, the Fool has decided to change his perspective reality, quite literally. With this he begins to realize that he has a subconscious mind, and that his subconscious affects the reality he finds himself in. Not only that, but the reality that others around him may perceive as well.

His experience touches more than just himself.

His actions touch more than just himself.

"Oh boy," the Fool thinks. "Maybe I've messed up somewhere. Am I living the life I want?"

For some of us, this lesson comes later than others. Some of us like to repeat this lesson often with gusto... (looks in mirror...chuckles). So I urge you all, to take a listen to the song and come to your own conclusions as mine is just one among many possibilities. Perhaps take a moment to think about the kinds of sacrifices you want to make, and what the outcome of that exchange you want to experience in your life.

"I will hold on hope and I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again."

Bright Blessings upon your journey!

-Skyfae Laveau

Ostara Blessing

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Winter waxes, the Wheel doth turn,
The maiden comes and Spring time burns,
Mother Earth awakens from her sleep
New life comes forth, the cycle keeps,
Light and Dark are partners now,
Lovers joined, keeping their vow.
Lord of light, I feel your rays
Of equal nights and equal days,
Sun filled days and seeds of life
My life abundant, free from stife
Fill my world with with joy and light
As day doth wane to calm of night.
Lady and Lord, accept my love,
For the ground beneath and the sky above
A cool soft rain, a field of flower,
Light and life, I feel your power,
Abundance gained on my life quest,
I thank you now, I am truly blessed.

The Long Pilgrimage by Mary Malinski

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This post was originally published on Panegyria on January 28th, 2014.

Of all the cast and crew for Spring Mysteries 2014, I think I have the longest commute. Though the days are long, the time I get to spend with my “other” family is well worth the effort.

Journey to Eleusis Part 1

This video is a summary of one day of my travels to rehearsal for Spring Mysteries Festival. I’ll be sharing more as I work with Aphrodite about the Journey to Eleusis, preparing to recreate the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Blessings,

Mary

Athena, Goddess of War

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 06 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This was originally posted on March 7th, 2014 on Panegyria.

"Of Pallas Athene, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back. (l. 5) Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness"

Homeric Hymn XI to Athena

Bella and I had been talking about sophomore year in the seminary as I was finishing up my freshman courses and being considered for the role of Athena in Spring Mysteries Festival 2014.

She had told me about the daily invocations. “Many women want to invoke Athena for the red warrior section.”

I gave her a funny look and shook my head. “That’s not right.” I couldn’t tell her why that wasn’t right at the time, but I knew that She didn’t fit that profile, and Bella agreed with my assessment. She calls it a “modern misinterpretation of Her energy.”

As I’ve worked more with Athena and the red warrior energy, I’ve come to understand my intuitive “That’s not right.”

My family has a long military background. My father, much of my extended family and both of my grandfathers and beyond were part of the Armed Forces. The term “warrior” has evolved, become a title. It’s been applied from everyone from the soldier on the front line to the general in the war room, making strategic and tactical decisions, making sure not only the war is won (sometimes at the expense of the battle) but also that the soldiers are fed and armed.

Does this mean that the general can’t strap on a gun and fight on the front line shoulder-to-shoulder with the private?

No, but it’s not the best use of his or her skills – and even if he or she does, (s)he is not going to look at the battlefield in the same way as a 18-year-old private fresh out of bootcamp.

When we talk about the energy of the red warrior, we talk about the rash, bold hot-headed energy of the 18-year-old private. He’s not carefully considering every aspect of terrain, supplies or even the larger war; it’s all about that moment and the rush of battle.

Athena has never had this energy. She sprung fully grown from Zeus’ head, prepared to do battle from the view of a tactician. Chess and Risk are Her game, not Call of Duty.

Her energy is much cooler, looking for a way to end the battle – or war – with minimal losses in men and supplies. She understands that when people leave sacrifice in Her temple, they pray for the war to end – not for help striking down their enemies.

Hers is the energy of the battle-hardened general, making cold calculations based on numbers.

Does that mean She is any less of a warrior?

By the modern definition, no, She is still as much of a warrior than Ares. However, that does not change the nature of Her energy.

A Ritual and a Poem for Spring - Tales of a Bard

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Spring is ever growing closer! Everything around us is starting to bloom and take on life. Love is in the air! We take this time to breathe it all in - from the sweet smell of honey bees as they pollinate gentle flowers, to the heady breeze, laden heavy with green lush grasses. What better way to honour this miracle of rebirth than to connect with our Fairy Maiden, herself?

Gather some fresh spring flowers from the garden. You’ll want at least one (preferably more) flower that is red, one that is blue, one that is green, and one that is yellow. Create a space outside, where you can comfortably walk barefoot and feel the dirt or grass under your feet. Place the flowers in an offering dish or similar cleansed bowl. Remove your shoes. Hold the plate in front of you. Close your eyes. Calm yourself. Take deep breaths in, and slowly exhale. Relax your shoulders. Stretch your toes. Feel the connection between our Mother and you. Feel your feet, reach deep into the Earth where all things come from and all are connected. Let your energy combine with Hers. Hold the flowers in your hand. Connect with their energies. Let them flow through you, down into your legs, then back to our Mother. Let your consciousness combine with their life force and Hers. Let yourself become one with this miracle of rebirth as it enters you and becomes a part of your being. When you are ready, open your eyes. Starting in the East, lay your yellow flowers at your feet. Thank the Air. Next, turn to your South, and lay your red blossoms at your feet. Thank the Fire. Now turn to your West. Lay the blue buds at your feet and thank Water. Finally, turn to your North and lay the Green flowers at your feet, and thank the Earth. Now, thank our Mother Goddess for allowing you the pleasure of her maidenhood as She fills you with the energy of all things..

Poem Entitled: Fairy Maiden

As springtime sun melts crystal snow
And early buds start to bloom
The Crone grows tired from her wintery rule
With arrival of the Maiden’s womb

Hares are seen between the brush
With sunlight streaking in
Squirrels and deer feed in the thrush
As Ostara comes once again

One time more, the Fairy Maiden
Comes dancing in her glade
The icy winds and snows stop falling
As barren winter is stayed

Beasts awaken from their slumber
To herald her rebirth
Life springs forth, in vernal course
From deep within the Earth

Sweetly now, the breeze starts blowing
Drowning out the cold
As the Maiden and consort, sowing
Trading new life for old

Treading softly through the valley
Fresh dew flowers from bud
Waters from the springtime, thaw
Sprouts her blossoms from mud

The Mystery of Baubo

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

You've heard of Zeus, Artemis, Aphrodite, and many more Greek gods. And you've probably heard of several renowned mortals of myth: Odysseus, Heracles, Helen, Cassandra. But unless you're a Greek scholar or have been to Spring Mysteries before, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Baubo.

Who was Baubo? A goddess, a mortal? And what does she have to do with the Spring Mysteries Festival?

The thing is, no one actually knows if Baubo was a goddess or a mortal. Even when reading scholarly articles, sorting out interpretation and hypothesis from fact is a mean feat. At SMF, the ATC recreates the ancient Mysteries of Eleusis every year, and Baubo has a small but integral part. This year I have the privilege of being the priestess of Baubo.

In this post I’ve tried to condense all the information I’ve dug up, and to present it accurately, but I must dance around Baubo’s exact actions for the sake of the oath I took at the Mysteries of Eleusis.

What we know for sure: In the myth of Persephone and Demeter, Baubo makes Demeter laugh. In the Hymn to Demeter, she is called Iambe. In the Orphic fragments, she is called Baubo.

Some accounts say Baubo was the wife of a poor farmer, in others she was a servant to Queen Metaneira, in others she was a queen herself, in another she was a maenad and wet nurse. She could be the daughter of Pan and Echo. She could herself be the mother of Protonoe (Primal Intelligence) and Misa or Mise (Sexual Lewdness). She has been associated with Hekate, with night creatures, with frogs, who are known for their magical and transformative powers. Mentions of Baubo on dedicatory stones and in temples suggest that she was a goddess with her own cult.

Iambe and Ritual Jesting

Iambus was a type of poetry in Iambic meter, often obscene and satiric. Bawdy jokes and insults were a ritual aspect of the Eleusinian Mysteries, as well as Thesmophoria, another festival dedicated to Demeter. The laughter Iambe causes in Demeter is a pivotal shift in her story. Gregory Nagy says Iambe “provokes laughter and thereby promotes fertility.”

Laurie O’Higgins explains the potency of Iambe’s jesting and the jesting of the women at Thesmophoria:

[Women’s] use of obscenity was believed to have a power denied to men. Sexual and transgressive natures gave them an affinity with sexual and transgressive speech. At the same time, since the rules governing speech were more stringent in the case of women, the power released by women breaking those rules was proportionately greater.

Baubo of the Belly Laugh

Some have conjectured baubo means belly laugh or vulva. Either way, Baubo is an earthy, jolly character.

Maurice Olender suggests there’s a connection between Baubo’s name and several ancient Greek words with the root bau-:

Baubauein (to sleep), baubalidsein (to rock), bakale (a cradle), baubon (a pacifier, possibly a dildo). These reinforce the likelihood that Baubo was a wet nurse or nursemaid, to Metaneira’s son Demophoon.

Bau- is an unusual syllable in ancient Greek, which causes some to hypothesize that Baubo may have been an import from another culture. There is Bau, a Sumerian goddess of the dark waters of the deep. According to W. M. Lubell, the Phoenicians saw Bau (or Baev) as “the mother of divine races…she was the guardian of the source, the well, the cave, hole or entrance, ad perhaps the womb and vulva.” Syria had Baalat, a goddess of love and war. Ancient Egypt had the goddess Bebt, as well as Bast.

No matter how you interpret her, Baubo/Iambe is a tribute to the power and fertility of women’s laughter and women’s bodies. Since it’s so hard to sort through the piles of conjecture about Baubo, I’ve created a timeline of the evidence for Baubo for easy perusal. I hope you find it useful. But if you’re really curious about Baubo, I hope you’ll come to SMF and experience her for yourself.

Timeline of Baubo Appearing in Literature and History

1500 BC The cult of Demeter was established around 1500 BC and the Mysteries are rooted in an agrarian cult in the Mycenean period (1600-1100 BC).

7th Cent. BC Hymn to Demeter written (part of the collection known as the Homeric Hymns, despite not being written by Homer). This may be the first mention of Iambe.

6th Cent. BC Several fragments of Orphic writings refer to Baubo and how she cheers Demeter. (Some think the Orphic fragments were written later, but others make a good case that they were written before the Hymn to Demeter, in the 7th or 6th century BC.)

4th Cent. BC Philochorus, writes that Iambe is the daughter of Pan and Echo.

4th Cent. BC A dedicatory stone is made, listing the names Demeter, Zeus, Kore, and Baubo. This stone was found on Naxos, an Aegean island.

4th Cent. BC or later A sanctuary in Dion has an inscription dedicated to a priestess of Baubo.

2nd Cent. BC – 5th Cent. AD The Greek Magical Papyri, a collection of spells and rituals from Graeco-Roman Egypt, include the name Baubo in places, including in an invocation of Hekate. From PGM IV. 2708-84, translated by Edward N. O’Neil: “Come, giant Hekate, Dione’s guard, / O Persia, Baubo Phroune, dart shooter.” Phroune means frog.

1st Cent. BC A marble plaque from Paros is dedicated to Demeter. It lists the names Hera, Demeter Thesmophoria, Kore, Zeus, and Baubo.

1st Cent. AD A marble plaque dating from this period lists the wet nurses or maenads of Dionysus, from the family of Ino of Cadmus (Ino was the original wet nurse of Dionysus). Baubo is the name of one of the three.

170-396 AD The Eleusinian Mysteries started to fade in 170 AD when the Temple of Demeter was sacked by the Sarmatians, and was completely over by 396 AD when Arian Christians destroyed the sacred sites.

Spending Time With a Grieving Goddess

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Spending the winter with a grieving goddess is sometimes difficult. Since the part of Demeter at the Spring Mysteries Festival was given to me back in October, I have spent time in daily invocation of Demeter. This has been wonderful and challenging at the same time.

I noticed a change around Samhain. I felt that I was always close to tears. Anything could make me cry, good or bad. I wanted to stay in bed. I didn’t want to see my friends or go to events at the church and to be honest I wasn’t all that productive at work. The other priestesses who had held Demeter before assured me this was a normal part of her grieving process. I was worried that this would be a long, dark winter.

I started to notice a change around Yule. I attended the Yule celebration held by the Mother Church and had a great time. We did a small ritual where we passed around the Yule log and spoke our intention to give up what we no longer needed. We then spoke our intention for the coming year. I promised to take better care of myself. I have a tendency to put much more time and effort into helping others than I do in taking really good care of myself. I felt that Demeter was also ready for this. I thought a lot about how she occupies herself during the winter. I found that doing yoga, taking baths and reading books felt the best. I imagined Demeter going to visit Rhea, reading old stories and eating good food during this time.

As we come to the time of Imbolc, I have noticed another change. I feel excited. There is so much to do. There are seeds to plant with my intentions for the year. There are costumes to make for SMF. I feel Demeter’s excitement to help the mortals in their preparations for spring. I also feel her anticipation for Persephone’s return.

I think that Demeter has shown me a great path to follow when dealing with sadness and loss. First you grieve. Feeling it without shame or self-conciseness. Then move on to self-care when the time is right and the season has changed. Finally moving to acceptance and focus on the future.

I am very happy that I have gotten to spend time with Demeter while she was grieving and then taking care of herself. It has made me feel closer to her.

Experiencing the White Goddess

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This is a write-up of a attendee's experience of the White Goddess Ritual performed by the ATC at Phoenix Fire Festival in Florida, March 22nd - 26th 2017. This ritual will be performed this weekend, April 1st, after the Green Man Day Event in Index, WA.

The ritual that really got me though was the White Goddess ritual, in which we lined up around circle and chanted/sang while the drummers went. And one by one we approached a lady who deeply invoked the White Goddess. I don't know if it was the energy, or the just the knowledge of what I was about to face but waiting in line was hard for me. I was nervous, and could barely contain myself. I kept trying to hold back tears I can't explain why they were there.

When it was my turn I went to the White Goddess. I didn't know what to say, I just knew I had to be myself so I said simply "Hi Goddess" and we embraced as she greeted me and I immediately started bawling. I couldn't stop. Luckily she did nearly all of the talking because I couldn't manage more than a couple of words

Bear in mind this was the first time I had cried in something like three years. That's incredibly rare for me, especially in front of others and I was SOBBING in front of something like a hundred people.

The first thing she told me hit me so hard. And not in a bad way at all. She said "Welcome home my sweet child" and the floodgates just poured open. Everything in me just opened up.

All I've ever wanted in my life was a home. More than success, than a career, a family, a lover, ANYTHING. When I was little I had a home, and it has always been my most cherished memories. At six years old my parents split up, my dad moved out and my mom's piece of shit boyfriend moved in and turned my life upside down. So when she said that it shook me to my core. I DID feel like I had finally come home. She told me all of these great things about myself, and she asked why had I denied myself for so long?

I started studying Wicca when I was twelve. I am nearly 28 years old now. And for the longest time I have wanted a coven, a community who shared similar beliefs. I've wanted that connection with the goddess and I've wanted to finally be me. But I just didn't. I made excuses of why I couldn't have that. I've told myself I didn't deserve these things.

And I choked out "I don't know, I don't know why I would ever do that" and clutched her tight while she held me and wrapped her hand around the back of my head, and whispered in my ear. She told me I was perfect, that she gave me everything I needed and has filled me with her power. All I need to do is grasp it and never think I'm not worthy, to never think I'm not good enough or don't deserve the things I that I want. And then she let me go and asked what she can do for me.

We were supposed to come to her with a question, I think a request. I had thought about and there was only one thing I could think worth her time, so I asked how I could better follow her and my path. She laughed, I could hear her smile and embraced me again, saying "Aw my sweet child. You're doing great just make the time for me and for it, that's all" and I said okay. And that I loved her, and thank you (as best as I could through my sniffling). She said she loves me and I left.

Someone was waiting past her to receive me, and I went to them. They held their arms out and my first thought was "No, no more hugs," then quickly changed. "No, I'm not going to turn down someone on a hug" and I hugged her tight and realized I needed that, too. I kept bursting into tears the rest of that night and halfway through the night and through the next day. I just couldn't stop because it shook me all of the way through, it was such a profound experience. And I could feel so much of those fears and past issues, that longing for home and all of that time bottling up my desires unknot and fade away.

And that was the most profound spiritual experience of my entire life.

Spring Mysteries Festival: Bringing Offerings

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Spring Mysteries is a time of dedication, communion, and spiritual offerings to the Gods and Goddesses of Eleusis. There is a talent show, great food, warm showers, deep spiritual growth, brother and sisterhood with your fellow pilgrims, enriching workshops, and fantastic shopping. But first and foremost, SMF is about your personal connection with the deities you find there.

Many of us have deep connections with a number of the Gods present this weekend, and have ways that we show our appreciation, devotion, pride, and thanks for their presence in our daily lives. It is for this reason that Spring Mysteries Festival makes time on multiple occasions throughout the weekend to give offerings - three times to be exact: twice to Demeter, once during the rich times of plenty, and once again when things have begun to run fallow. Giving offerings at these two events allows for different energies to find their way back to you. One to say thank you for our daily abundance, and one more to say that we honor the hard work of the Goddess; that she may bring back fullness into our worlds.

The third time you are able to give offerings is during Shrine Row. This is the time that the Gods and Goddesses of the Mysteries are available within their Temples. Each deity brings with them specific messages. Many of our own personal, daily, patrons/essess can be found here in the Temples of Eleusis. Zeus, Hera, Demeter and The Kore, Apollo, Artemis, Hades, Poseidon, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Ares, Hestia, Hermes, and Pan are all present and available for you to visit, honor, and receive blessings from.

You have the chance to give a gift to the Gods and Goddesses of your choice in honor of the work they do in your lives. Do you HAVE to give an offering? No. Absolutely not. The Gods love you for who you are and what you do, not what you give them. The reason to give offerings is the Law of Giving and Receiving. Deepak Chopra says that the Law of Giving and Receiving is "based on the fact that everything in the universe operates through dynamic exchange. Every relationship is one of give and take because giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. [...] If you want love, learn to give love, if you want attention and appreciation, learn to give attention and appreciation, if you want material affluence, help others to become materially affluent. If you want to be blessed with all the good things in life, learn to silently bless everyone with all the good things in life. The more you give, the more you will receive."

When we give gifts to the Gods, it programs the Universe how to interact with us. In our daily lives we have few chances to give gifts directly to the Gods' Temples. We may have our own altars and shrines, but very few of us have access to a public temple with access to priests and priestesses of the deities we are looking to connect with.

When you give to the Temples in Eleusis, all of your donations are kept within that Temples sacred items. This means that you have the chance to see your gifts year in and year out. Your donations become holy relics of that deity. Some of us also have friends and loved ones who are embodying rolls within the Mysteries, themselves, and we wish to bring them gifts for their hard work. This is okay as well, and should be done outside of Shrine times. This makes sure that any gifts given to the Gods themselves are kept within their temples.

The act of giving is the act of receiving, and vice versa. The Gods want you to be happy. They want you to feel touched and connected to the Mysteries and Deities around you. Three times. That is the number of moments that you will have to be able to give of yourself to these Mysteries. That is until you have been three times. At that point you can join the cast and crew that produce these sacred rights. Then you can offer of you time and spirit, and worship as you walk within the Gods themselves.

The Greek Gods Photo Collection

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Greek Gods, for some, are far away on Mt. Olympus. But for the many converging on the Pacific Northwest for the Eleusinian Mysteries, the Gods are much closer . These ask the question that the known world asked for over 3000 years:

“If you knew there was a place where the Gods walked the earth, wouldn’t you go?”

The work of the scholars of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church and it’s colleagues for the past 34 years has focused on bringing that question back into the world. The Mysteries were, and still are, an oath bound event. It was said that it was ill advised to tell what you experienced.

For thousands of years, longer even than the current millennia’s long pilgrimage to Mecca, people from around the world converged on the city of Eleusis, Greece. Thousands upon thousands each year would make their way on foot to learn of the mysteries. It was said that those that attended no longer feared death. The sacred Psychodrama of Demeter, her daughter the Kore, and her descent into the underworld to become the bride of the Plutarch is not something unknown to history.

So what was it that made people connect so deeply that the known world would make the pilgrimage to experience it, year in and year out? Without giving way to breaking their oath, participants say that at some point throughout the weekend it becomes very personal. Two such participants have been using their experiences to fuel an art project based on the Gods and Goddesses of the Mysteries.

Cassie Gendlek

Cassie has been a long time attendee of the Mysteries. Her first year attending was 2007. She had been an avid reader of the Greek Mysteries when she was young. When she came home to Wicca in her teens, the Greek Pantheon greeted her with open arms. After a near decade of solitary practice, she went along with her college Pagan Club to her first SMF. Seeing the Gods walking the earth for the first time changed her to her core, and she vowed to be in service to the Mysteries of Eleusis from then on. It wasn’t long before Cassie was a member of the priesthood that was putting on the event.

Now in her tenth year of service, she has started using her digital editing skills to bring out the essence of the Gods as she see’s them through the photo’s of,

Dusty Dionne

Dusty is in his eleventh year of the mysteries. He started attending when his then girlfriend and now fiancée, Bella, told him it would change his life.

“The first minute I arrived in Washington State I knew I had to live there, and once I got to the land that becomes Eleusis every year, I was home!”

His love of the land led him to start getting serious about photography, which eventually led him to wanting to present the energy of what he had experienced in a way that captured the intensity of his experience without giving way to the oath.

Cassie and Dusty’s work comes together to make some amazing pictures that bring the Gods of Eleusis forth in a deeply intense and intimate fashion. Without further ado, you may find them below.

"Hekate, Goddess of the Crossroads"

Hekate is a driving force of the Gods and of Men. She guards the crossroads and helps us make choices; Hekate's role is very much the same in the scope of the Mysteries. The fires of her keys represent the heat of decision and choice.

"Aphrodite, The Goddess of Love"

Aphrodite is the essence of seduction, temptation, and being happy about both of them. She offers us what we most desire: a chance to be loved. The rose represents the intoxicating effects of falling in love and the lengths you will go to obtain it.

"Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt"

Artemis is a powerful roll model of a Goddess for many women in the Craft. She represents an independence from the confines that Man puts on Woman. She is her own person, a "virgin" in the sense that no man holds sway over her. As a Moonlit Deity, she brings a sense of wonder into the realm of the Greek Gods.

"The Pythoness, The Oracle of Delphi"

The Oracle of Delphi is one of the most recognizable non-deities in Greek Mythology. She was the priestess of Apollo, the Pythoness, the Pythia. The smoke in her cauldron represents the divinatory smoke that once rose from the crack beneath her chair, Its visions alighting Gods and Men alike to their future.

"Athena, Goddess of Strategy"

Athena came fully formed from the skull of Zeus. She is often referred to as his favorite child. That is why her spear is crackling with the energy of the Father that she was born from. Her stroke of brilliance is a gift much needed by the Gods as they deal with Demeter's grief. Her abilities are sharp and effective, represented by her spear in this picture.

Each of these models are part of the 2017 production. The Eleusinian Mysteries occur every year over Easter Weekend. You can register and find out more at www.SpringMysteries.com .

Columbia: The Goddess of America

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

There is a Goddess of America, and her name is Columbia. This is not a witty line portraying a concept. I am not using an analogy to liken the capital to a Divine Mother Figure. I am simply stating facts: There is a Goddess of America, and her name is Columbia.

Our founding fathers were not fond of colonial era England, and were all well versed in the periodical of the time: Edward Cave's The Gentleman's Magazine. The Gentleman's Magazine, in which quasi-illegal transcripts of the Parliamentary proceedings were loosely disguised as fictional works. It was illegal to print the transcripts from such, and so pen names were chosen for all people and places involved. Colonial America was known as "Columbia". When our Forefathers got here, they continued the use of this name in Reverence of the early anti-government movement that helped drive the revolution.

In the years following our succession from imperial rule, the people of the country began to personify her. They dressed her in Red, White, and Blue. Her golden curls, or long straight black hair, cascaded down her face. Her look of determination, and open armed embrace, concretized in picture that which was quintessentially American. They gave her the liberty crown. They placed her atop government buildings, as she led our country through conflict; standing next to her male counterpart, Uncle Sam.

She has watched over our country as the mother protects her children, and through her we have always found our way into peace, and freedom. Security for those in need, and a promise of abundance if you work hard. A Mother's praise for a job well done.

Like a true Mother of Us All, she has smiled down on us. She doesn't try to hog the spotlight. She sits quietly and watches as her children play beneath her. Glory is not her calling. Her calling comes from the triumphs of her children. She shakes her head softly when we fight, and giggles when we are funny. She sheds her tears for our accomplishments readily. She saves the tears caused by hurts we inflict on her for when we aren't looking because the way we treat each other breaks her heart, and she wants to stay strong for us. Columbia has been our heart and life force since before we were born; since we were still growing within her, in the pages of The Gentleman's Magazine.

We have forgotten the face of our Mother.

It is time to remember her.

In times of great need she gets out of her chair, and reminds us that we are all supposed to 'fight nicely'.

African American Poet Phillis Wheatley wrote:

One century scarce perform'd its destined round,
When Gallic powers Columbia's fury found;
And so may you, whoever dares disgrace
The land of freedom's heaven-defended race!
Fix'd are the eyes of nations on the scales,
For in their hopes Columbia's arm prevails

She knows when to stand, and now is the time to stand. Now is the time for all of us to remember the Face of our Mother and smile at her; to unite under her ideal of 'get along with each other'. We have it in us. We come from strong roots. We can remember that we are one people in this nation, and if others want to count themselves among us then it is their inalienable right, because we are the land of the free, and our Mother Columbia's arms are big enough to hold all of her children.

That's why our Forefathers made sure she had a place at our table. That's why our Capital is called the District of Columbia.

It hurts my heart that some of my brothers, and sisters have so much fear in their hearts. Our founding fathers didn't want this for us. They didn't want us to segregate, and ostracize. They would not be happy with a single religion for America. They purposefully left our Great Nation without a national religion. They wanted us to all learn each others' religion. They would not be happy with a single language for America. They purposefully left our Great Nation without a national language. They wanted us all to learn each others languages. Our Forefathers were Masons. Masons at their core encompass all people equally. They revel in the blending of ideas. This is the energy that our founding fathers, and Columbia wanted. They did not want us to play King of the Mountain. They wanted us to play Sandbox.

(Original posted to Newsvine.com Mon Jul 25, 2011)

Ares: Violent Misogynist or Loving Dancer?

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

“Why Ares?” It was August 2016 and I had just been chosen to be the priest of Ares for the Spring Mysteries Festival that next spring. My wife gave me one of those long patient looks that they must teach in the Red Tent, as we drove back from the Aquarian Tabernacle Church . “But seriously, why Ares? He’s so angry,” I grumbled.

When people describe me to their friends, they usually use words like, “Loveable” or “Goofy” or perhaps, “a little doughy around the middle”. Rarely does the phrase, “murderously violent” come up in reference to my life and the idea of bringing in the War God was making me extremely skeptical. So naturally, I hit the books.

I started with the great poet, Homer and the Iliad. “Ares, bane of the living, blood-drenched sacker of cities”, “Ares, raging in his fury, treacherous plague that he is . . .” Even Ares’ father, Zeus, took a few moments to tell Ares exactly where he stood, “Don’t come here to whine, you backslider. Strife, conflict, and war are all you care for, so much so that I loathe you more than all the other Olympians.”

Harsh description for a man, even worse for a God. Was this deity simply an embodiment of toxic masculinity? Did it even fit in our time? I’d always identified as a feminist and had committed myself to deconstructing the rigid, brutal and violent misogyny that pervades our culture. How did that fit with Ares? Would he be a comical deity or simply rehashing the same old broken warrior clichés. I admit, I grumbled, “Why me? Why Ares?”

As I prepared for the role; reading deep into the myths, invoking for rituals and of course, rehearsing my lines, it still felt odd and uncomfortable but then, right on schedule, the Gods sent me a clue. Well, two actually.

The first clue was the sudden ascension of an openly misogynistic, aggressive and often cruel public figure to political office – filling my social media, my newspapers and my work life with the echoing catcalls of his brand of masculinity. It was, and still is, inescapable. Is this what it meant to be a man? The war god felt uncomfortably close.

The second was welcome news. After a year of trying, my wife was pregnant, and we were having a son. A boy! Suddenly, my life was turned upside down. What sort of man would he be? How would he take all the world throws at him and make his way? Would he be kind or cruel? What could I teach him about being a man?

During this turmoil, one of the other priests who was part of the Temple of Ares reminded me, Ares learned to dance, before he ever learned to fight. That is the crux of it. With fresh eyes, I surveyed his story.

He was more than a lover to Aphrodite, he was father to five of her children, including her beloved Eros and his beloved Phobos, Deimos and Harmonia. Cadmus, ancient hero, took the bones of Ares’ water dragon and with his daughter, forged the great city of Thebes. His statue near Sparta shows him in chains, to keep his spirit of war and victory connected to the city.

Ares is not the violent cruel bully as he has been portrayed. Instead, I see him as the reminder that violent, aggressive urges need to be acknowledged and directed. That strength and pride are vital parts of the masculine experience. But most importantly, that learning to laugh and dance and love is essential to succeeding, not just in the battlefield but in all realms of life.

We need better paths for men to walk between Youth and Sage – and what better God for smashing through old ways and setting a new course than Ares.

Why Ares? Because he is needed, now more than ever.

Spring Mysteries Festival: The Oath of the Eleusinian Mysteries

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

For the history of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the oath is one of the most prevalent topics when discussing the Mysteries. The main reason for this is because without the oath, we would know exactly what was done in each part of the Sacred Rites. As it stand we know a fair bit about what happened in the Lesser Mysteries, but not so much as to what happened in the Greater Mysteries. Scholars, many of which have worked with the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, have pieced together a great deal of what they think happened, but that oath has stood strong to keep the complete mystery of the rites shadowed in time.

The Mysteries are known as a ‘cursed rite’ in that if one is to break their vows connected with the production and/or sanctity of the Mysteries and their secrets, they can have unintended consequences. In ancient times, when people spoke of what they saw to others, they would often find their untimely demise. This is why we have stories of what happened in the Lesser Mysteries, but not so much the Greaters. The people who would have been loose-lipped were often removed from the equation, leaving only the truly devout and honorable to live long enough to return to the great city for the second part.

At the continuation at Fort Flagler, oaths are still enacted. In the theater, before the Gods and your fellow pilgrims, you are asked if you are willing to keep the secrets that you are reveled. Three times the participants are asked if they will keep the secrets of the mysteries, knowing that to share them with those who have not experienced them would cheapen their own experience, as those who they attempted to enlighten would have not experienced the sacredness of their epiphany. Epiphanies at their core are ineffable: bolts of realization that convey a feeling through your bones of a new, and more profound understanding on a subject. How can you share that in a conversation with someone who has no context to apply it to? You can’t. You can only drain your experience of its magic as the person paints it black with their misunderstanding. As you attempt to explain how sacred the experience is, they continue to reply with a simple “I don’t know. It sounds cool, I guess”

So what does that mean? Don’t talk about the people you see there? Don’t talk about the rituals? The food? The location? Don’t talk about ANYTHING??!?

Well that is a fine question, and one that in the past few weeks has been getting some attention as we get within just a few weeks of Spring Mysteries Festival 30 — so let’s talk about it. When you take your oath you are asked to not reveal the things you see in the mysteries, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t speak about ANYTHING you experience. Your pilgrimage to the Pacific North West can be life transforming. You’re going to want to talk about it. Below are two lists of examples of things that would and would not break your oaths.

Oath Keepers. These are the things you can do that will keep your oath.

A person coming to the Mysteries is taking a pilgrimage that is highly spiritual. Even if she has never come to the festival before, and has no idea what to expect, the time and treasure involved have already made her connected to the energy of the rites. It is fully appropriate to tell the people around you about the experience you are about to embark on. Tell your social media, friends, family (considering you are open in your life with your faith, and comfortable with people knowing you are attending a Pagan Passion Play) and the person sitting next to you on the bus if you are so inclined. It is a beautiful thing to be proud of your spirituality, and you should express it as much as you're comfortable.
There are many things that happen at the Mysteries that are not ritual. There are workshops, auctions, eight wonderful meals, wild animals, hiking trails, a talent show and an entire fort to explore! These things are all open game to talk about. (With some restrictions that we will get into in Oath Breakers) Some amazingly talented, dynamic, and life changing events, acts, and items from the auction come across people’s paths. How better to honor your experience by allowing that sword you got at the auction to have its story told to those who ask about it? By telling them that you got it at a life changing event called Spring Mysteries Festival. Telling them that it came from a Priestess in the community and how you got in a bidding war, but it came home with you. That’s a powerful experience. You should share it.
Did you have a good time at the event, and you want your best friend to come with you? You are fully at liberty to talk about the festival with people. You can tell them they should come. It’s an amazingly life-changing event that has 30 years of history behind it. You can tell them about the sleeping arrangements. We have barracks that we sleep in, as well as housing that can be rented for extra. The fort itself, Fort Flagler, is out in Nordland, WA on the Puget Sound. It was the long range gun battery that would have been the first munitions to fire at ships attacking from the Pacific during WWII. You can tell them about the amount of rituals — there are 4 parts to the Eleusinian Mysteries Proper: Parade to the Sea, The Lesser Mysteries 1 and 2, and The Greater Mysteries. In the Pacific North West there has also historically been a Skyclad Ritual, as well as other rituals. Share the schedule. It is a Pagan Passion Play. It is not a ‘sleep in and go to the workshops later in the day’ event. It is a ‘get up at 7am each day and interact in a highly participatory weekend long ritual’ event. Tell your friends about the eight wonderful meals. Meals are on a tight schedule to work with the ritual. Most food issues are taken care of. Don’t forget to talk about the headliners. Did you meet Selena Fox? Oberon Zell? Terry Riley? Willo’ Wellspring and Alfred Willowhawk? Share your experience. What did you learn from them? What did seeing them mean to you? Talk about the workshops (unless otherwise stated). Did you learn a lot? How was the teaching? Explain the myth. The Eleusinian Mysteries are the story of the Kore’s abduction by Hades into the underworld, the blighting of the world by Demeter at the loss of her daughter, and the reemergence of the Holy Daughter as Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. This is not a secret, this is historic fact. Are there deeper lessons revealed through the administering of these sacred rites in ritual form? Yes. Can You talk about those? That brings me to our next part:

That brings me to our next part.

Oath Breakers: The things you cant do, or else you have broken your oath.

No. You can not tell people what happens within the ritual as it is presented at the event. You cant talk about any of it. The Gods, the presentation, the words spoken, the specifics of a particular God or their costume, or anything that happens in the mysteries themselves. Likewise you cant speak on any workshop that teaches a broader view of the mysteries themselves. These Workshops are marked as sensitive.
Likewise we have two levels of participants. Mystai (Mist-eye) and Epoptai (EE-pop-tie). Mystai are those who have been through the Mysteries one time. They are able to see the Parade to the Sea, and Lessers 1 and 2. They are welcome to talk about their complete experience with any other Mystai or Epoptai. Epoptai are those that have seen the Mysteries at least 2 times, and have been through the Greater Mysteries. They are only at liberty to talk about their experience in the Greaters with other Epoptai.
You cannot talk about the participants that attend with you. You never know who attends in silence without telling their world about their spirituality. It is their right to keep their activities to themselves, and so if a person is a simple participant, you should never talk about seeing them at them event.
No Pictures. You can take pictures of you and your friends, by yourselves, with no person or prop in the background (the deer are okay to include!). Catalog your experience — but keep it your experience, don’t unwittingly share other pictures of other people.

And there you have it. Now you know how to keep your oath. Now you know that you are fully open to tell people who you are, and what you do. Just keep the mysteries safe for those that long to experience them, and allow us to unfold the spirit of those that your stories have touched, who now long to attend. Children of the Goddess, it’s time to come home. See you there, SMFPilgrim.

A Poem for Ostara - Tales from a Bard

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Now is the time of Ostara. This is the Vernal Equinox, and it marks the beginning of Spring. This is when the Maiden will be reborn. The Crone, departing her winter-time reign, will sleep once more as the circle continues on. With the Maiden’s arrival, the flowers that have been budding will start to bloom. The deer and other animals of the forest shed their yuletide fur, and the springs, lakes and rivers teem with life. In days gone by, it was a time for great celebration as witches would rejoice at the survival of another year!

When I was a child, this also marked the time when my grandmother would sit me on the floor in front of her chair, as she would tell me tales of faerie folk. Grandma would tell me how, with all the rest of the denizens of the old forests, the Tuatha would also wake from their wintery slumber. She would tell me that if I were to go into the nearby forest, I should keep a watchful eye that I should not happen to enter a fairie ring, she would say. When I asked her what a faerie ring was, she would tell me, “Silly boy, those are the rings made up of toadstools. If you enter one, you’re in the little people’s land. If you stay too long, you might just get taken away to the land of the fae where even I can’t get to you!”.

I remember her stories of nosy children not minding their grandmothers and parents, as they spent too many hours among the mischievous wee folk. Some, as she told me, were never seen again...

Here is a poem I wrote in my Grandmother’s honor for the coming Ostara:

Title: Tuatha

Shimmering light

By day or night

The fae now dance and sing

In their glade

so secret laid

around a toadstool ring

Mortals sleep

Yet when they creep

the faeries come to play

to steal their things

within their ring

and whisk them all away!

Bluebells crest

as your head rests

And songbirds fill your ear

with Elfin hands

that fill your land

and Tuatha commandeer!

So, gather 'round

and hear the sounds

of laughter, glee, and cheer

But tarry not

or you'll be caught

As Spring draws ever near.

Dedication FAQ: Dedicating to Deity at Spring Mysteries

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Spring Mysteries Festival , a re-creation of the Eleusinian Mysteries put on by the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) every spring, is a time when many choose to become dedicants. This isn’t a dedication to a coven or to the ATC, nor is it a dedication to the craft or the pagan path.* It’s a dedication to a particular deity. At the festival, participants have the wonderful opportunity to talk in person, one-on-one to the Greek gods. We call these shrine visits. On shrine visits, you can give the gods offerings, ask for their blessing, tell them how much you appreciate them, or ask them a question. And you can use this time to dedicate.

If you’ve never been to our festival before, you probably know very little about this process. Even if you’ve been before, chances are you still have some questions (I’ve been twice and I’m still learning).

So, here’s a list of Dedication FAQs.

Who can dedicate? Anyone can dedicate, even children.

How long is a dedication? Dedications are usually a year and a day, but Spring Mysteries isn’t at the exact same time every year (it’s always on Easter, which is the first weekend after the first full moon after the spring equinox, which sounds pretty pagan to me). So your dedication is from one Spring Mysteries to the next. But if you don’t go to Spring Mysteries the following year, then a year and a day works.

What does dedicating entail? The deity you dedicate to will likely give you a task or practice to accomplish over the year. Apollo might have you learn a new instrument, for instance, or Hermes may have you bless one of your local crossroads in his name. Beyond what the deity asks of you, it’s up to you to decide how to honor your dedication.

Do I have to dedicate if I attend the festival? No! This is totally up to you and where you are on your path.

Who do I dedicate to? Most of the Greek gods at the festival take dedications. The gods you are able to visit are: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia, Hades, and Persephone. If you have a patron deity, you can dedicate to them, but you can also choose to dedicate to someone other than your patron. If you want to become a parent, you might dedicate to Demeter. Zeus might be able to help with your prosperity. If you are a soldier or veteran, you may be drawn to Ares. If you are a newlywed, Hera might be your jam.

If you still want to dedicate but can’t figure out to whom, you can pray, listen, wait for inspiration. Last year I didn’t know who I was going to dedicate to until minutes before it happened, not until I was walking toward the shrines, when the perfect answer came to me.

Can I dedicate to the same deity every year? Definitely. At the next festival you can visit your deity again, tell them how you served them during the year, and ask to renew your dedication.

Can a deity refuse my dedication? Yes. But don’t take it personally. Some deities some years won’t take any dedications. Some deities get many dedication requests (looking at you, Aphrodite), and that deity may decide to limit their number of dedicants. Or do take it personally: A god or goddess can decide that dedicating to them isn’t right for you in this moment. I’ve had this happen to me, and upon reflection I understood why the goddess wouldn’t accept my dedication.

Must I bring an offering to the deity? It is not required, but you may want to bring offerings to your favorite gods and goddesses whether or not you’re dedicating. Outside of dedication, there are multiple times throughout the weekend to give offerings to Demeter in exchange for abundance There are no rules about what an offering can be, so long as it is from the heart. All offerings are respectfully archived and kept in the church for the Temples and Priests and Priestesses to use in the future.

Perishable offerings (such as soaps, lotions, teas, etc) will often be eaten or used by the priest or priestess of that Godform that year to honor it. Wearable offerings will likely be used by the god from year to year (the deity may wear jewelry you give them, for instance). Edible offerings will be eaten, but not until after the shrine visits are over.You will be given an offering form. Make sure you fill out the offering form, so we can remember the important details of your offering. Often times a stone is just a stone unless you know the story of where it came from. These help us honor the sacredness of each offering, forever. Shrine attendants will have extra forms available.

So now that you know what dedicating is...who will you serve this year?

*If you would like to dedicate yourself to the craft, there are a few ways to do so. You can participate in the Adult Affirmation of Path (AAOP) which happens every SMF. You can register for AAOP when you register for the festival. Space is limited. You can also dedicate yourself to the path by serving the ATC. Talk to Belladonna Laveau (Arch Priestess of the ATC), Dusty Dionne (High Priest), or Cassie Gendlek (High Maiden), for more information. You can also do a private ritual of your own.

Why I Wear White on St. Patrick's Day.

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I have heard good reasons for Pagans wearing green on St. Paddy's day, and I think everyone, Orange Irish or Green, should wear the color that speaks to them.

This is why I am going to wear White.

I wear Green A LOT. I'm Pagan. I love nature and the smell and feel of the outdoors. Some of us wear black. I wear a lot of green. It's the color that most represents my connection with the Divine. Much like the Catholic Irish, I love this color and would wear it with pride to represent my love for Ireland on St. Patrick's Day. It is a color synonymous with the green lands of Éire.

The two outer colors of the Irish flag are well represented. In today's world the 'Green' on St. Patrick's Day stands for the proud Catholics whom did everything in their power to set themselves as the voice of the divine on the island. We, as Pagans should remember that they made sure that grove after grove was burnt and cut so that monasteries could be built in the clearings. Statues of Brighid covered in veils and renamed to Mary.

Then we have those that wear 'Orange' on St. Patrick's Day to represent King William III's defeat of the Catholic King James II at the Boyne River. This was the start of years and years of Protestant rule over the Pagan lands of Éire. This battle was of so little consequence to the Dutch King that the orange is worn for, that scholars say that the whole battle was "but an irritating sideshow to his main interests on the European Continent"

But there is another group of people that make up Ireland. A people who some would say are at the center of where Ireland came from. I see another color on that flag with placement and symbolism that speaks to my heart as a Pagan.

There is room for every color on that flag, and they all make up the whole cloth.

The official word is that the color white stands for the hope for peace between Catholicism and Protestantism, but to me it stands for something more concrete. Something that brings the whole of the cloth together. The color white represents a state of being that is untouched by outside influences. It represents a land untouched by the removal of it's Gods and wee folk. Before the Green of St. Patrick's attempt to remove the "snakes" from Ireland. Before the Orangemen and the Dutch Kings invasion.

The placement of the white in the Irish Flag is at it's center. Just as the center, the core of Ireland, lies in its magic. It lies in her harps, and her wells. Her rivers and her hills. In the very fabric of her creation. She is The Fir Bolg, The Tuatha de Danaan, the Sidhe, the Sons of the Mil and Taliesen the Bard, Finn Mac Cumhail and his legendary Fianna Warriors. These are the center of Ireland. Just as the white block stands tall in the center of that flag, so too do these icons stand tall in the center of the hearts of the Irish and their lands. The center. The Goddess Éire, flanked on both sides by all that has tried to subjugate her, yet the one who has been given the job to bring peace to the whole.

And this is why I will be wearing white this St. Patrick's Day. And make no mistake, I am Pagan and I will be wearing white for that reason. And I will do so with love and respect for the pinches from the other colors of my flag, no matter what walk of life you find yourself in. You may join me or you may do something otherwise. Do what feels right to you. There are three colors on this day, and we make up the whole cloth.

Hermes and Modern Magic or Invoking Between the Worlds

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I invoked Hermes online Friday (2/24). To some, that may sound very strange as an online invocation may imply it would be extremely impersonal, and that others would not be able to connect with the Divine in a meaningful way. I assure you that this was not the case, and that there were many people who were touched by the experience.

The medium is called Second Life and part of the process I used involved creating an online character or avatar for the God to use. Through me, Hermes was able to pick out his entire appearance, including what he wished to wear, his hair style, his body shape, skin tone, and even the color of the winged shoes he wanted.

The God’s avatar was in a simulated world where other people could interact with him, and an area was set aside on this world and decorated in a way that he found appealing. The place he chose was a cave area with water off to a few sides. There was stone seating and torches lit for lights. Behind where Hermes asked his throne to be placed, a beam of light shone through, creating a streak of light.

Once the place was set and the time was drawing near, I began to prepare myself for the God’s presence. I showered and Hermes wanted me to use a fragrance called Celestial Smoke (I am not in the habit of wearing fragrances but Hermes wanted me to wear that particular scent that night). As soon as I put the oil on, I knew he was there. He had me write something out that he wanted to share as a message at the proper time in the gathering.

When I logged in the avatar, I was aware of what happened, but it was like sitting in the back seat during the experience. Hermes greeted people and spoke to any who wished it privately. While I know he spoke with many people that evening, I do not know any of the messages that he gave any of the people he spoke with. He did wish to lay his hands on each person’s head and give them a blessing to let them know that they were never alone.

I have heard of others who had invoked Hermes and they thought that his energy was always moving and almost frenetic. This was not the experience that I had with him at all. He was very down to earth (especially for a God so connected with Air)! He was also very open and accepting of each person and very loving in his dealing with each of them.

All of those that he spoke to, he would lay a hand on their head after speaking and give them a blessing of love and comfort. He wanted to let people know that they were never alone. He shared a message about communication for all the people who were gathered. His message was that we must be clear in our communication not just with our words but with our intent, and to speak and hear with our hearts.

His message was to find the intent in what other share with us, and if words are spoken in anger or we feel that they are meant to hurt us, we must look at these words with our hearts. Our hearts will see words that are fueled by others’ pain or fear, and we will recognize that is the place that they speak from. We will then be able to answer with compassion rather than reacting to the emotions behind the spoken words.

This was my first time invoking Hermes. I do not have a great deal of experience with the Greek pantheon, in general. However, I found this to be a very powerful experience for myself and for the others that attended the event. I believe that the people who spoke to the God that night received the messages that they needed to hear.

My parting note about this energy experience is to speak briefly about the internet. As Wiccans and pagans, we often speak about working between the worlds. The internet is just such a place. It has no physical existence, but nevertheless, it is there all around us everywhere, and no one can deny that it truly does, in fact, exist. If any may doubt the power or veracity of how energy can be carried on the internet, I would invite you to experience for yourself. Maybe I will meet you on Second Life. Blessed Be.

Returning to Aphrodite

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

This article was originally published in Panegyria in March of 2015.

Aphrodite was my first Patron Goddess. She claimed me when I was very young. My first paper about Pagan deities was done in the 10th grade. It was a comparative study on the love goddesses of the Norse, Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians. It was an oral report. I sat there nervously for a week, through everyone else’s report waiting for my turn, and when it was all over the teacher asked if anyone had been missed. I raised my hand, and she looked at me confused. She said, “You volunteered to go first. You got an A.” I don’t remember doing it. I guess I said the right stuff. It was years before I realized I must have channeled that report.

I don’t tell people that I’m a priestess of Aphrodite. Because it’s often thought that Her ministry is all about sex, and for some it is. My ministry is more about love. I talk about THAT often. I work to create a loving environment for everyone I meet. I feel that life is kinda pointless if people don’t give and receive love. I know that’s not everyone’s opinion, but it IS mine. Love is a driving force in my life, and always has been.

Invoking the Greek Gods as a member of the Eleusinian Priesthood is different from being a Wiccan invoking deity for ritual. The Gods come to you quickly and powerfully, sometimes even before you are told that you’re holding them. I come to this work a seasoned priestess. There are few times when the Gods have landed on me so intensely as during the months of preparing for Spring Mysteries Festival .

She started sneaking into my thoughts, changing my tastes, causing me to think more about my visual appearance, and having more desire to look nice than to eat that. I found it amusing to discover She doesn’t like sour cream. I would have thought She would. She thinks there’s something very wrong with cream that has gone sour, Cow Goddess that She is.

There are aspects of Her that I have forgotten were Hers, and had come to claim them as my own. Such as my love of makeup, delicious foods, fashion, romance, flouncy skirts and being a living work of art. Then there are aspects of Her that I’ve forgotten to live everyday, like that love of taking care of yourself, the sheer delight of being in the flesh, the beauty of my delicious curves, and the lusciousness of playing with my hair.

Aphrodite is everyone’s lover. She’s enamored with you. She loves everything about you. She wants to delight in your essence, and revel in your scent. She loves the flesh that is you. She loves the heat that is you. She loves that you breathe in and out and that you exist in all your lusciousness. She’s quick to correct you when it involves doing something to your detriment. But, She makes up for it in the love she pours upon your spirit.

It’s been a wonderful journey reconnecting with Her. Embodying Her is like stepping into my old self. It’s easy, fun, and sexy. I’m loving it, and I appreciate that She allows me to see you through Her eyes more often than not. It’s easy to see your beauty and to love you unconditionally, because She let’s me see through Her eyes. I’m looking forward to seeing each of you through Her eyes at Spring Mysteries . This journey is incredible.

Mighty Aphrodite, I am Yours.

Hermes - Tales from a Bard

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The twilight was brisk, and the birds could be heard overhead as I entered a hidden glade. I was joined by our Head Mistress Belladonna, and many other students and faculty members. The water could be felt, as small eddies twisted under your feet. As the sun set, and the silvery moon crested the horizon, a beam of moonlight shimmered through the lichen overhangs. Suddenly, on a wing-backed throne, a presence appeared.

As the presence took shape, his curly blond tresses and white toga became visible. It was none other than an invocation of Hermes himself. Once his form had taken shape, we could hear his words speak to us. He asked each of us what we would wish from him – be it a blessing for ourselves or for loved ones, an answer to any of life’s questions, or even a simple prayer to be taken to the Gods and Goddesses themselves.

This is only my second invocation at the Seminary, and I was overjoyed to experience such a visage, especially since Hermes, being the messenger of the Gods themselves, has a rather daunting job that, even with his speed, never seems to be done. As I joined a fellow student, and sat on a nearby moss covered rock, I pondered what I might ask him…

Should I ask about my schooling here?

Perhaps I should ask what tomorrow might bring?

Should I ask for a blessing for the work I do?

This would require deeper thought… As Belladonna played a haunting tune on a wonderful golden harp, I found myself lost in contemplation. Luckily, there were plenty of other people asking him things, so that I wouldn’t dare keep a God waiting! Finally, I came up with the perfect thing to ask our Lord Hermes – something I felt, would befit one of his stature!

I reached in my robes, and I grabbed a small vial of ink and a feather quill. After fashioning the tip of the quill into a pen, I then borrowed a piece of parchment from Nimue, a fellow student. I proceeded to write…

At first, no thoughts came, so I tried to relax. When that still didn’t work, I started my breathing exercises. When I felt that I was centered and grounded, I tried again. This time, the words came…

When I was done writing, I asked Hermes using none other than my thoughts, for a moment of his time. This being Hermes, though, a moment is an eternity, but thankfully, he obliged! I happily glanced over the words I’d written on the parchment, and used this telepathic link he provided to ‘think’ my words to him.

“Carry my message on angelic wings

Soaring to the sun

With blessings that your presence give

and your godly will, be done

Speed thee through the sky,

With clouds, thine heavens stayed

Upon your wings such blessings give

to be given to us this day

I ask thee Hermes in your name

To bless us in this glade

And with it, thy embodiment

of beauty thus portrayed.

I ask your blessing this day, Hermes.

Not for me, but for all here.

When I was done, he kindly nodded. He thanked me for such lovely words, and to my disbelief, he mentioned that he would not only provide us all a blessing, but when he presented my words to Zeus, Zeus himself would be jealous of him! As I write this, I still find my words strewn with tears of disbelief. May Dionysus strike me mute if this were not the truth! When Hermes had given us much more time than we should have dared ask for, he bid us adieu and as quickly as he had come, he was gone.

It is the words of this Bard alone, that I say tonight, we were all truly blessed.

Gwydion Pendragon is a freshman at Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary . While he has just started as a student, he was born into the craft - he's traced back his heritage to the Masons in the 1300s in Northern Italy/Switzerland.

Journey to Eleusis: Walking with Hekate

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve posted a few times already about my Journey to Eleusis this year, and I haven’t really talked about the Goddess I am working with yet. This year, I will be holding the energy of Hekate at Spring Mysteries Festival .

Hekate is the patron Goddess of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church . She is known by many names – Torchbearer, Keeper of the Keys, Goddess of the Crossroads, Mother of Witches, Psychopomp…

In modern paganism, a lot of people see Hekate as the Crone face of the Triple Goddess, the wise woman. Others see her as the hidden fourth face, the Dark Mother. To the Greeks she was a young woman, or the triple Goddess all on her own (Hekate Trivia). One thing Hekate keeps telling me is, “Just because I am ancient doesn’t mean I am old!”

Walking with Hekate, I’m seeing more patterns in the world.

“It’s all been done before.”

“There is nothing new under the sun.”

Hekate has been around for a very, very long time. I personally believe she is pre-Greek. I believe she was a Goddess of Place, local to the area that became Greece, long before the Olympian mythology. Not unlike Brigid to the Irish, she was popular enough among the people that the incoming (invading?) religion could not push her out. So they included her as one of the Titans, one who came before the Olympians.

After the Titanomachy (the overthrow of the Titans by the Olympians), Zeus divided up the rule of the worlds between all those who had assisted him. Hesiod tells us :

And she [Asteria, wife of Perses] conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honor also in starry heaven, and is honored exceedingly by the deathless gods. For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices and prays for favor according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great honor comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives favorably, and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is with her. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these she has her due portion. The son of Cronos did her no wrong nor took anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea. Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives not less honor, but much more still, for Zeus honors her. Whom she will she greatly aids and advances: she sits by worshipful kings in judgement, and in the assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. And when men arm themselves for the battle that destroys men, then the goddess is at hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will. Good is she also when men contend at the games, for there too the goddess is with them and profits them: and he who by might and strength gets the victory wins the rich prize easily with joy, and brings glory to his parents. And she is good to stand by horsemen, whom she will: and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. The droves of kine and wide herds of goats and flocks of fleecy sheep, if she will, she increases from a few, or makes many to be less. So, then, albeit her mother’s only child, she is honored amongst all the deathless gods. And the son of Cronos made her a nurse of the young who after that day saw with their eyes the light of all-seeing Dawn. So from the beginning she is a nurse of the young, and these are her honors.

~Hesiod, Theogony

We see here that she had a great many roles and honors, more than some of the Olympians even!

I’ll leave you with the lovely Orphic Hymn to Hekate :

Hekatê of the Path, I invoke Thee, Lovely Lady of the Triple Crossroads,

Celestial, Chthonian, and Marine One, Lady of the Saffron Robe.
Sepulchral One, celebrating the Bakchic Mysteries among the Souls of the Dead,
Daughter of Persês, Lover of Solitude, rejoicing in deer.
Nocturnal One, Lady of the Dogs, invincible Queen.
She of the Cry of the Beast, Ungirt One, having an irresistible Form.
Bullherder, Keeper of the Keys of All the Universe, Mistress,
Guide, Bride, Nurturer of Youths, Mountain Wanderer.
I pray Thee, Maiden, to be present at our hallowed rites of initiation,

Always bestowing Thy graciousness upon the Boukolos.

Blessings,

Mary

Mary Malinski is a 2nd Degree Priestess in the ATC Tradition, the High Priestess of the Circle of the Sacred Muse, and the Maiden of ATC Canada. She is also a Life Coach, and professor at the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary.

This article was originally posted on Mary's website, Walks Within .

Photo taken by Dusty Dionne, edited by Cassie Gendlek, modeled by Mary Malinski.

Four Ways to Show You Love #ThatPaganLife

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Listicles, you cannot scroll through a major website or new program without seeing one. Arguably made popular by Buzzfeed , listicles are a journalistic or blogging tool with a lot of impact. Starting with a title that tells you there is a list of information (listicle is a portmanteau of “list” and “article”) within.

“Three easy changes to decorate your altar for Mabon”
“Six things you should never do during a Great Rite”
“The nine sketchy things no one knows about Fae”

I’m going to help you write (maybe your first!) an article that illustrates how well you know #ThatPaganLife. Maybe it’s something will help your coven, personal craft business or just betters the Pagan lifestyle for all us. This should be fun and easy and we hope you’ll come back and be a recurring author for Panegyria.

There is an opening paragraph, then the list of items. Each item may have as little as one line of content or several paragraphs. How long is predicated on several things:

Your audience – Pagans, generally want it short and to the point, although some might look for fewer bullets and more detail
Your style – Write your way. If you’re known for short pithy sayings, use that to your advantage
The topic – Deeply technical areas merit a bit more attention, however, don’t drag on. If you are an expert, you should be able to make your point in a few sentences (more on this later). If you really need to write more, consider a different format for the article.

Why use this format? It draws immediate attention and generates a call to action. Attention generates eyeballs and revenue, whether direct or indirect. Why? People are drawn to numbers that indicate quantitative hard data (“Five Weather Patterns to Know During a Full Moon”) or qualitative data, if it’s from sources we know, trust, or respect (“Mother’s Four Favorite Yule Appetizers”). People are most likely to act upon short bites of practical and pragmatic information.

1. Demonstrate your “Command of Data”

Einstein wrote, “If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself.” Using lists shouldn’t imply simple or less relevant content. They should be used to demonstrate that you understand a topic well enough to break it down and explain it in relatable, everyday terms. Even for highly technical subjects there are steps, an order of precedence, or just a relatable number. For example, “Three parts of a good ritual”, “Nine Tips for making herbal remedies”, or “Four Steps You Must do to when Designing Mandalas”.

This is your opportunity to demonstrate to the world your expertise, passion, and most importantly, your capability. Anyone can over-complicate an article.

Organize – This shows depth of understanding. Creating a compelling and understandable structure or taxonomy illustrates how well you know a topic
Be to the point – As above, brevity and completeness combined show expertise.
Make it actionable and/or action-oriented – Briefly describe some technique for putting your point into action. If it requires some foundational skill or knowledge, say so. (“Readers are assumed to have a basic background in Asatru traditions”)

2. Be “all in” with your headline/title

Your title is the only reason people will read your article, unless you have an established fan base. It’s the first thing they see. Whether you’re pitching an idea or self-publishing, you need to state the one thing people will take away from the article. Make it clear and compelling. Numbers add credibility. You clicked on this headline, so there’s your first bit of proof.

If you’re a great writer, or a muse, you know this and can spout engaging headlines without effort. If not:

Start with a placeholder title
Write your article
Your title takes about 10% - 15% of the effort of writing the article. Give yourself the luxury of time to create an engaging opener. You only get one shot per article.

Crafting that sweet title:

What’s the one thing people will take away?
Is it relatable to everyone? “Better GRoTP for Lefties” is going to be passed over by 99.9999999% of the world. Make it work out of context.
Numbers are compelling. Adding the right number will draw in an audience - after all, that’s what listicles are all about.
A promise made is a promise kept. What are you promising with your title and do you keep it?
Less is more. Is every word necessary?

An article entitled “27 Personal Rituals You Should Do Every Morning” will likely raise eyebrows and be passed over. Why?

The number must credible or incredible. 27 things is not either as, even assuming each item takes only two minutes, completing the list is nearly an hour of time gone. Incredible invites a closer look (“999 ways to make wands”, “1,001 ways to screw up your evocations”).
Every morning? In today’s world, we have a much more varied routine. In this headline we’re also including weekends, when generally people’s routines change over the weekend.
It’s not very specific. Try “Three Things the Spiritually Adept do.”

Add a picture that tells the entire story within the image. Many listicles have pictures (using animated gifs) for each bullet.

3. Keep notes

Writing takes time. Start with your list and develop the article around. As an adult, there are lots of things you do well. Pick a subject area and start to organize. There is no need for it to be perfect the first time. Edit, edit, edit till you get it down to a manageable pitch. A direct and focused article tells people you are an expert.

Many authors will tell you, “There’s no good writing, just great editing.”

Lists can become addicting. I once showed an artist, a most unlikely of list makers, this simple technique. On the one-year anniversary she sent me pictures of three page lists of tasks and activities.

4. The Phrase that Pays

Way back in the early morning of the modern Internet (1997), RFCs (Request For Comments) were used to define how certain words were used in standards documents. The controlling body, the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) still exists and is quite active.

The RFC post, Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels , is the set of words used to signify requirements. “Should, Should Not, Must, May, Optional” all have specific contexts. Use them in your lists titles or headlines to generate impact.

Other attention-grabbing words include “Best, Worst, First, Last.” Remember this point when creating your title. Keep that promise and your readers will come back for more.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listicles are only one format of writing. As with all good communication, know thy audience.

That’s a wrap for this article.

Blessed be!

Patheos.com's Journey to the Summerlands

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The world is not as it once was. Executive orders have changed the face of our nation. The locking down of our scientists is now a reality, with rogue forest rangers being the unlikely voice of dissent on the subject. Our educational programs are in jeopardy of being mismanaged. Our future doctors and leaders , the ones who will be in charge of leading and healing us, are having their educations maligned. Chief among these lock-downs of the public sector involves the unofficial 4th branch of the Government: The News. In a political climate that has focused on public news being labeled as “fake” by those in positions of power, a trusted member of the Pagan news community seems to have fallen to the tides of censorship.

Patheos.com, at it’s core, is more than just a Pagan site. Patheos has had continual upward movement as a trusted source of religious opinion and news since it’s inception in May 2009. In just 8 years this startup consisting of blogs and a religious library has grown to be the largest English religion and spirituality website in the world, boasting channels whose web presence in Paganism, Catholicism, Progressive Christianity and Atheism are the highest in the world. With these web numbers, eleven faith channels, and four hundred and fifty blogs throughout, Patheos has become many a seekers go to for spiritual information on entertainment, lifestyles, education, business, law, and more. (1) It even boasts one of the most preeminent Pagans alive as their editor, Jason Mankey. (A great person with an easy wit and friendly demeanor.)

It is for all of these reasons that in September of 2016 Patheos caught the eye of BeliefNet. BeliefNet was founded in 1999 and from the first time it changed hands, it has had an interesting history with their management. In 2007, it was sold to Fox News Entertainment, who had an eye on integrating it with other Fox-Owned faith based organizations. This didn’t seem to work very well, because in just 3 short years the property was resold to a company called BN Media-LLC. A little more digging finds that, even though BN Media-LLC has its own board of directors, the company's monetary investors are the same people that make up Affinity4; a for-profit company that raises funds for nonprofit organizations. (2)

With a little more digging, we find that Affinity4 is a parent company that funnels money into different charities that it sponsors. (2) Some of them are very positive, such as ‘Feed The Children’, which disseminated 107 million pounds of food in 2015 alone. But there are other organizations that Affinity4 sponsors, such as the self named “American Center for Law and Justice” which is a Christian-based social activism organization that has led campaigns across the world ranging from instilling prayer in public schools, blocking Kenyan constitutional reforms to allow abortion, they were the force behind trying to stop an Islamic cultural prayer center from opening near the 9/11 memorial, and have fought for law changes in Uganda that would install the death penalty for homosexuals. The Human Rights Campaign has even called for the removal of their charitable status due to not meeting 10 of the 20 standards for charity accountability set by the Better Business Bureau. (3)

Then there is “Focus on Family”; another organization run off of the support of Affinity4. FoF is an American conservative Christians organization founded in 1977 with a long, storied, history of pro-fundamentalist Christian activism. Some of the things that FoF works to bring an end to include: Lack of prayer in school, transgender rights, evolution, divorce, opposite sex parents, abortion, intelligent design, and LGBT rights with a particular focus on adoption. (4) They have been called out on numerous occasions for misquoting studies to bolster their position. The commonly misused study that they implore in their dealings with the LGBT community states that studies prove that children do better in families with a mother and a father, but they neglect to tell you that study was done to show that households with two parents (they used hetero couples for the study group) were better for the child than a household with a single parent. It literally has nothing to do with homosexual parents. (5)

This is not a good look for a website that has made its name on inclusive, expansive, well-nurtured, and spiritual content. It took a lot of love to create a community like you find at Patheos. It isn’t something that just anyone can create, which is evident by it’s almost unprecedented traffic up to this point.

When looked at, it seems like the Pagan community at Patheos is up against a harsh combination of ideologies from their new bosses; this is rough news for the Pagan community at large. There are only a handful of websites within Paganism that offer the kind of thoughtful blogging and reporting that you find at Patheos. BeliefNet’s financial founders don’t seem to have any communities’ best wishes at heart other than fundamentalist Christianity, going so far as to outright remove the Atheist section and rename it “Non Spiritual.” Those are not the same things.

On top of all the changes to the front end of the site and to its political ideologies, it would seem that there is a great deal of what could be seen as underhandedness happening behind the scenes. In what will live on only as a series of screenshots, contributor and student of law, John Halstead wrote that on January 31st, 2017 a series of changes to what is expected and provided for writers at Patheos was released. Those changes included not just an increase to two to three articles produced a week, but also a decrease in monthly pay, which according to Halstead was only $50 a month before it was lowered.

To go along with the increased workload and less pay, a censorship clause was introduced. According to the article, this new part of the contract states that editors have the right to change, delete, rewrite, and restructure an article that they deem not falling in line with what Patheos is calling their contemporaries: Huffington Post and Slate.

“I write for Huffington Post, and I didn’t have to sign anything like this to write for them. Nor did I have to sign anything like this to write for ‘Witches & Pagans’ or ‘Gods & Radicals’” the author continues. The final addition to the new limitations of Patheos writers seems to be a complete ban on writing anything negative about Patheos itself. Now, companies have many policies that quiet down public displays of dissent. Social Media Contracts are a good example. MANY companies have gag orders for their employees when it comes to talking to the public, but not many of those organizations are run off of blogs and opinions, either.

The entirety of Halstead’s post can be found in the pictures below, as well as the same page that shows the content removed.

We are not a large company here at Panegyria. We are run solely on volunteers and have been for the entirety of our life as a publication, but we have been a voice in the Pagan community for over 30 years. We pride ourselves not on being the biggest, or loudest, but by putting forth content that is relevant, truthful, engaging, and (hopefully) important. Panegyria’s mother entity, The ATC, has a proud voice in the community, civil rights, and politics. We can attest that we have never witnessed from a contemporary, or produced of our own accord, a gag order on writers like the one that came to light, today. In the face of a nation that is seeing its news organizations under attack from those that would sway them to their own purposes, we at Panegyria find the news of Patheos both regrettable, and as a sign that the changes coming to our country do not stop at our door. They are right here standing next to us.

In closing, Patheos CEO Leo Brunnick stated in BeliefNet’s September Press Release that "BeliefNet is a company who shares our values, and there could be no better community for us to join than theirs."(6) It is a sad thing to admit that your company, that was founded on broadening the inclusiveness of religious dialogue, would find on its final days that it fell in line with, and shared the values of, a company so wholly out of line with the Golden Rule.

Surviving Political Strife as a Religious Minority

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Protecting your Rights in an Age of Intolerance

For many of us in the Pagan community, this last political season brought many concerns about our own safety and security. Between the sudden uptick in hate crimes and political leadership changes, it can be a frightening time for people in the minority – including our own religious minority.

Here are some things you can do to protect yourself during this time.

Defend Yourself

Witchcraft has long been persecuted and a good witch should always be prepared to protect themselves; physically, emotionally and spiritually. At the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, you can learn some of the traditional energy work to protect yourselves, but it can also be as simple as blessing and protecting your home with runes, planting bushes for privacy and not starting fights with that one toxic coworker (yes, that means you, Steve!). The important thing is, you can’t protect your fellow pagans if you don’t take care of yourself.

Mind the Paperwork

Religious discrimination, like most forms of discrimination, often takes place over technicalities that would otherwise get waived. For example, you come back to your parked car and the cop is giving you a ticket – normally they would waive it if you are about to hop in and drive off but they saw your pentacle bumper sticker and are making a point.

As we enter this age of aggressive discrimination, it is essential that everyone minds the letter of the law. There could be knock-down, drag-out fights over free expression rights, and you don’t want to make yourself vulnerable over some minor infraction; so read the instructions, fill out the proper form and pay that parking ticket.

Find and Support Allies

Now is the time to connect with allies, and when it comes to religious discrimination, we want to make sure that we are strengthening those interfaith connections with Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Agnostic and Atheist communities. They will be facing some of the same struggles in the coming years and could be your staunchest supporters. While we may not have the same spiritual beliefs, we all can share in the beliefs of equal treatment under the law and freedom from persecution. Stand up against all forms of discrimination, whether they are directed at you or not and work to find common ground.

Finally, come from a place of love. At the end of the day, we are all just people sharing the same world, breathing the same air and trying to figure out how to coexist together. While there are some scary ideas being discussed, if we look after each other and defend the most vulnerable, everyone will survive this chaotic time. Even Steve.

Indulgence or Escape?

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This weekend I had an interesting discussion while I was reading tarot. The 9 of cups came up in the reading, and we talked about enjoying the pleasures of life, while being careful of overindulgence.

The other person commented about over-consumption, and I responded that it’s not just that. For whatever reason, that card hit me personally, Overindulgence is not just over-consumption. It can also be escapism.

I am a Pisces, and there are times when I really have to focus to stay in the “real” world. I have a tendency to want to escape (and I really hope you read that in Dory’s voice from Finding Nemo… es-CAH-pay!).

Pisces have a tendency toward addictions as a way to escape the world. Drugs and alcohol are obvious choices there. And yet there are many things one can become addicted to – caffeine, sugar, people, lifestyle, etc. I’ve managed to avoid addiction to drugs and alcohol, and I’ve experienced addictions to caffeine and sugar and people and experiences.

Addiction isn’t the only way to escape, though. I escape into books or movies. I escape into creative projects. I escape into games on my phone. I’ve been escaping into books mostly. (To be fair, it’s a REALLY good series, and I’m almost done.)

Reading is a lovely indulgence. It gets me away from the glowing screen, and activates my imagination. It’s also a means of escape. I’m frantically writing this blog post before I go to work this morning because I chose to read yesterday morning, and go to a movie yesterday afternoon.

Was it self-care? Heck yeah! November was a crazy busy month, and December doesn’t seem much less busy, with more requests of my time the more I try to hibernate. With all of the demands on my time, it doesn’t seem too unreasonable to give myself the downtime of reading.

As long as I keep it balanced and get my work done, too.

How do you find your balance between indulgence and escape?

Blessings,

Mary

This article was originally posted on Mary's website, Walks Within.

Gods Save Me from the Coca-Cola Santa

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Surviving Christmas as a Pagan

Okay, another season of red and white lights, garish sweaters and rampant materialism, and a whole lot of Christians trying really hard to work Jesus in there somehow. Yes, that is a little brisk but for those of us swimming in Christmas culture, the winter season can leave us feeling more Grinch than jolly. Here’s a few approaches to help us heathens stumble through the season.

Take Solace in the Pagan Themes

There are plenty of pagan themes in our modern Christmas celebrations. From the ceremonial lights to the yule log to the feasting, the echoes of pagan rituals are heard throughout the season. While you may pass on the Nativity scene, soak up the lasting impacts of the solstice celebrations that have trickled through the ages to our times.

Hang the mistletoe in honor of the ancient Druids, leave out your boots (or stockings) for Wotan to fill with sweets after his Wild Ride, and party it up like a Roman on Saturnalia. After all, it’s the reason for your actions that makes it magic.

Take a Page from the other non-Christians

Have you ever wandered the streets during a snow day? It’s amazing, the level of quiet and peace that can be found when the common spaces are empty. Take this as an opportunity to enjoy things during the holiday season when others are occupied.

Hit the movie theaters, or the snow slopes or try your favorite restaurant if they are open. Remember to tip well, while you may be enjoying a day off free from obligations, your servers are not.

Dive in with Both Feet

That jolly-old elf brings the Holly King magic with him and there is power in that red suit. Set aside your quibbles over mangers and miraculous births, and recognize that this is a holiday honoring new light in the world and good cheer. How often do we spend a whole day praising peace?

Drink the hot chocolate, sing carols at the top of your lungs, give gifts that make people smile and celebrate with those you care about because at the end of the day, the most important message of the holiday season is welcoming the light of the coming season. Don’t worry, the Gods know that you can welcome that light in a cloak or a garish sweater or both at the same time.

We Are Change

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Change has come to America. The people have taken the Presidency away from the Politicians.

We do not know what will happen next, but everyone can be united in the fact that we are all begging for change in government. Change comes in interesting and usually unexpected ways. It's interesting times we live in, for sure.

Now, more than ever, make your voices heard. Now the time is open for new ideas and new ways of thinking to emerge. When things are spinning into intensity, more power is accessible. Use it to visualize your perfect future into a reality.

Change doesn't happen out there, it happens within. I ask you not to leave it up to others. Be the change you seek.

When I'm filling out a ballot and see so many unopposed, I ask myself, where are the Pagans in that community? Why aren't we on school boards, running for councilman or Mayor?

A wise Elder named Terry Michael Riley once told me that until we are fully involved in our local communities, we will always be seen as that 'weird religious group' down the street.

Community extends beyond our magical brothers and sisters. We have the ability to create change. It's time we get involved. This week I am driving to Standing Rock to help provide media coverage, because the news channels refuse to do so. That's my contribution to our greater community as citizen and Arch Priestess.

Ask yourself what you're willing to do. We close circles with "We are power, we are change." It's time to make that intent real. Because clearly, we have left Grandpa alone with the rule book for too long.

If struck by Cupid's arrow, do not breathe.

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Where am I?

What city is this?

It's dark, night, late, very late.

Cobblestone. Not in the best upkeep, but old.

Avoid the holes, pull her with me.

Wait, her? Who?

Hands clasped, we move together as if we had been doing it forever.

Is this a memory? A dream?

What world is this clear, without distraction, without limits?

The night is clear. So many stars. Winking at us, smiling at us.

“What if?”

The words are not heard, but felt.

They echo from the top of the Mountain where She stands at a gazing pool,

down the sides of the Mountain through the valleys all the way to Her ocean shores.

The foam rises on the shore with the words,

and the waves pound in the rhythm of a slow heartbeat.

My heartbeat quickens. I feel alive, more so than I have for a long time.

I have felt the small but sharp pinprick of the arrow.

But did it hit my heart, or my hand?

My hand! I can still feel the mark on my palm. Was it a brand?

There is no mark, I know this even though I don’t let go to look.

I don’t want to let go.

I can certainly feel her first touch down to my gut, the touch, her finger touching at my soul.

“What if?”

The echo rises in my ears, repeating the words again and again.

She smiles. I can’t help but smile in wonder.

She was the one who reached for my hand, something that just. doesn’t. happen.

But it did.

Now what the hell do I do? My partner knows, of course.

I could hear her smiling over the phone. “Be safe, be smart, enjoy.” Her only advice.

Wisdom from the lady of the crossroads, mixed with roses.

I see a dark corner, under some trees. I gently pull her with me, and put my back to the brick wall.

I can’t see her eyes, but they feel closed to my lips…

I feel her heartbeat racing mine, a stag and doe chasing each other.

We can barely breathe, but the touch is light, teasing, tempting, very surface level.

Wondering, wishing, asking.

“What if?”

The hallways are bright, but with many corners and side paths.

It’s too late for anyone who knows us to be up except in the lobby that we walked through, but the staff is starting to move around getting ready for the dawn.

We keep looking.

We finally find someplace where it’s unlikely we will be seen.

She leans back against the wall this time, and I hold her there as our knees shake and our hearts race.

It’s been a very long day, and a long night.

“What if?”

She’s packed, but she grabs a quick drink of water.

My friend and I have just had breakfast, and we’re getting ready, but she had come in because she wanted to say hello and goodbye before her flight.

She gets up to go and heads towards the door. I follow, and after we turn the corner out of sight, I pull her towards me.

No words, very quick, but very clear. Third kiss, third touch, third brand that might never heal. Worth it. She smiles, and disappears.

Like a dream, like a memory, like an echo.

“What if?”

Integrating the Shadow - Cernunnos (Part Four)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Here is a good way to begin the process of integration between the Shadow and the Light. It is something that you can use during both the light and dark half of the year. Of course, like any good plan, it’s subject to change. See yourself sitting in a room objectively observing the shadow and the light. Now have them turn and acknowledge each other. What does your Shadow look like to you? What does your Light self look like to you?

It’s not scary, it’s just you. Remember that our logical minds can deceive us too. I remember one individual whose emotional shadow self was dark, with fangs, and claws, and big yellow eyes. Another person’s physical self shadow was obese, sloppy and didn’t smell very pretty. In another case the Logical self was a professor with glasses, perfectly dressed as an Edwardian era Peer.

Each of us puts together what we see based on the inner workings of each of ourselves. These pictures are the clues we use to begin our integration of our shadow. The first step in any relationship with your shadow is to meet and acknowledge its existence. It’s a relationship,not a battle,a relationship. To facilitate this relationship, envision your ideal location for meeting a new person. For me I would imagine a coffee shop where I am sitting by the fire in a wing-back chair, reading a book with my favorite coffee drink, espresso. Then someone comes and sits on another comfy chair with their drink, a Café Americano, (no accounting for taste) reading the same book as me- but the words are backwards. I can see the cover but right to left instead of left to right. I look over the top of my book and see that the person is also looking up at me. I start a conversation, say “Hi”, introduce myself and go back to reading. The person acknowledges my greeting and introduces himself. I imagine that his name is Derfla, Alfred spelled backwards. Afterwards, we both go back to reading our books. The next day we are in the coffee shop again together, and this time we start a conversation.

You see where I am going with this? Build a relationship with your Shadow, and start small. Start with one aspect of yourself and let that body and its shadow start a relationship.

After a while, begin sharing your thoughts, aspirations, opinions – this is what I mean by the beginnings of integration and accommodation between the shadow and the non shadow. Let’s not call it Light and Dark or Shadow and Light anymore, let’s call it shadow and non shadow, or just call it self.

Work on this, no fear, no pain, no past, no future; only now and integration. It will take time and some of the work might be uncomfortable, however, in the end you will see the benefits when the shadow and non shadow aspects of yourself are completely integrated.

In Pagan circles this is the time of the turning of the year. The nights are becoming longer and the days shorter. It feels like there is not much time to complete all the tasks of the day. For some they wake up before the sun rises, go about their day, and come home in the dark. To them, it’s almost as if there is no day, no light. This is what it sometimes feels like when the shadow is manifesting. It breeds discontent, depression, and anxiety. Looking and hearing what is deep in our own shadows helps us to heal and become stronger more complete individuals - what I call a Warrior of Spirit. It is the way we increase our own vibrational pattern to become Homo Luminous and an agent of change in the universe as we slough off the remnants of the Piscean Age. It does not matter how old you are chronologically, or even how old you are emotionally, I am sharing a paradigm that you may or may not have thought about. I encourage you to look at this from a new perspective.

The way to do this is to release judgment on yourself and others. Release it so that you can learn from each new experience and take responsibility for your actions and let others take responsibility for theirs!

No one controls you, you are the controller! It’s okay to let go of society’s strictures on your being. Society’s expectations are not your expectations.

If you want to go to a festival and dance naked around the fire, (where appropriate) go ahead! Do it. Commune with the world around you in the way that you desire. No one has the right to dissuade you. It does not matter what your shadow says about your body, it is your body, you need to accept it!

Understanding the Shadow (Cernunnos, Part Three)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is the third part of the Cernunnos series. Stay tuned, we will be posting these leading up to Hekate's Sickle Festival , where Cernunnos will appear and share his wisdom of animals with us!

In December of 1994, spiritual archaeologist Aluna Joy Yaxk’in wrote an article entitled “The Reawakening of the Cosmic Human”. She wrote that people were having and would continue to have a connection to the deep inner calling of hidden truth. The article also reported that in the spring of 1995, we entered a new cycle of time that has started a deeply profound and exceptional transformation, bringing us to the time when ancient and hidden knowledge is to be reawakened in the human DNA. The Mayans understand it as the end of the “Age of Belief” and the beginning of the “Age of Knowledge ,” the Itza Age. Or, as we of the Western world say, the Age of Aquarius. With the initiation of this new cycle of time, we will no longer be veiled by illusion. We will remember all that has been forgotten, and the limitations of the unconscious will be wiped away.

Each year as the wheel turns, we have the opportunity to put away those things that were not useful to ourselves. With the coming of the dark, we can let them lay in the ground, sleep, deteriorate, and come again in the light half of the year as positive lessons of the past.

This self-assessment is part and parcel of what we call the Warrior of Spirit. Think for a minute, and realize that you are part of the cosmic cycle of re-awakening. So, what do we have to fear from our own shadow? Nothing. Then what, truly, is the Shadow’s part in our own lives, and how can we incorporate the Shadow Self in a real and meaningful way?

Since the shadow is neither good nor bad, how can we describe it? It seems to me to be the more wild, untamed parts of the self. I can see how it would sometimes seem scary - all those aspects of ourselves that we bury deep down inside and hope to hide from ourselves, that sometimes just break out when we least expect it. However, while the shadow is sometimes wild, it does not have to be scary. Here is a secret: you are in control!

With the Great Shift of the Mayan structure, and with the higher vibration pattern of the world and each of us in it, we are all moving toward Homo-Luminous. If we can begin to recognize that some of those things that we put in our shadow are protective measures, we can gain a better understanding of our Shadow . Each time we have a trauma, especially an emotional trauma, we create a mechanism or measure to protect ourselves from being hurt again: we take the hurt itself and place it in our shadows. Each of these things then gets “hidden” from our day to day life until it either comes out on its own or we bring it out. Here is a simple example of what I am saying:

When a child of 3 or 4 years stands in the kitchen and sees the hot stove, they want to investigate the glowing fire, or the bubbling pot, or whatever. Usually a caregiver who sees this says something to try and stop the curious child from touching the hot item. In some cases, the child (me for instance) still reaches and reaches until they get to see what they were trying to see. Well, we all know what happens, it burns and there is pain, so the child files away touching the stove is painful and, in the most extreme cases, they do not want to ever touch it again. Now, in this hypothetical case the child never goes to the stove again, and over time places so much of the “I am not touching a stove again” into their awareness that as an adult they still will not use a stove. The original issue occurred way long ago, yet the compensatory mechanism is not to go near a stove. Over time they have forgotten what occurred, and yet they still will not use a stove. As an adult they use a microwave, but the stove in their apartment is always clean. They do not know why they do not like stoves, but they do not like them.

Sitting deep in their shadow is the physical hurt from when they touched the stove and got badly burned. One day they may decide that they are going to work through the issue, but then emotions get involved and they lash out in anger at anyone who is trying to convince them that using the stove is okay. It’s irrational, but it just comes out. Their shadow believes that the stove will cause pain, so it tries to protect the person.

See, the Shadow is really your friend. As we work more with our shadow, we learn to understand and accommodate for its actions. By creating consensus within ourselves, we can gain more self-control and move closer toward Homo Luminous.

Stay tuned for the next part to this series!

Defining the Shadow - Cernunnos (Part Two)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is the second part of the Cernunnos series. Stay tuned, we will be posting these leading up to Hekate's Sickle Festival , where Cernunnos will appear and share his wisdom of animals with us!

The previous article left us with a very big question - what is the Shadow? The Shadow-self of a person can contain many different ideas. For some, it is indeed the repository of all that we do not like about ourselves. For others, it is the more primal qualities of ourselves.

Those aspects of ourselves that we call the “Shadow” are those aspects of our personality that we as individuals deem “not good.” This is a personal judgement that we make on ourselves for a plethora of reasons. Some of these reasons are related to our social environment, our personal experience and other learned behaviors.

Here is an example I really like:

A particular person grows up in a home where to be compassionate and sensitive is considered a problem. As a child,he or she was repressed, punished, etc., for showing compassion. Therefore, as an adult this person put compassion in their shadow – that place where we put things that we do not wish to present to the world!

A different person grows up in a home where to be angry and show it is a problem. As with the previous child, signs of anger were repressed, punished, etc. As an adult, this person is very quiet and does not show anger – he or she has placed it in their shadow.

While we as outsiders may have opinions on which emotion should be in the shadow, both examples are perfectly valid. Remember, when discussing the shadow, there is no good or bad, there is only you!

Acceptance of all aspects of oneself is one of the things that an understanding of the Dark and Light half of the year can assist us with. It is not easy, for sure. We have whole lifetimes of what we “should” be. What we “could” be. This is the coulda, shoulda, woulda syndrome and it is totally not useful.

The point is – the shadow is part of a whole person and needs to be acknowledged and worked with. Carl Jung, renowned psychologist, said that unless we recognize the shadow within and reach the point of integration, it will continue to act without conscious control of the individual. Personally, I am too much of a control freak to let that happen. What about you?

Jung also writes on a collective Shadow that influences how one operates in society at large. This is an interesting concept and, for me, it is yet another challenge that the Warrior of Spirit works with to become the best that it can be.

In some circles, people say, “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” Remembering that we said good and bad are individual judgments, the point here is that people choose to do things. It means that the Divine does not cause a person to do anything. That statement above is what victims use to justify their own behaviors. If a person lives in an area where violence is the mode of operation for the bulk of their community, it follows that experiencing an act of violence is far more likely. It behooves us as individuals to “rise above” the circumstances and to choose a different path. So, the answer to the question – of the Divine letting bad things happen to good people is that the Divine does not do it – people do.

So in summary, we choose to place those things that do not serve us in our personal shadow. On top of our shadows lie the shadow of the collective consciousness of the world we live in and the shadow of our species.

Stay tuned for the next part to this series!

Embracing the Dark Side - Cernunnos (Part 1)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is the first part of the Cernunnos series. Stay tuned, we will be posting these leading up to Hekate's Sickle Festival, where Cernunnos will appear and share his wisdom of animals with us!

I have often been asked why I feel such a strong connection with Cernunnos. When we first look at Him, we see him as a wild man who doesn’t care what others think. He seems to act on impulse, and for his own purposes. Yet, when we look closer, we see that He is actually an important ally in a world that is becoming too rigid and closed. He comes to us both during the dark and light halves of the year.

The dark half of the year is the time when Cernunnos guards the world. What does this really mean? The Dark half of the year begins when the Earth, a celestial body, pulls farther away from the Sun, another celestial body. At this time we begin to see the days get shorter, even though at first it is still warm. We know that harvest is around the corner and the colder temperatures will not be far behind.

Cernunnos, Lord of the Wild Things, Lord Protector of Nature. He who pushes the boundaries of what society says is okay. He is neither black nor white but rather green and gray. What does it look like for us as humans to tap into the energy that is Cernunnos? How can we actually connect with Him and still operate effectively in 21st century Western society? These are great questions that reach deeply into the human psyche.

According to Dr Anthony Smart of Enyclopedia Mythica, and others, He is "The Horned One" who is depicted all through Paleolithic Europe from Britain through Gaul, and all the way to the Danube river. He is the quintessential god of fertility, life, animals, wealth, and the underworld. Paintings and other works of art show Him with the antlers of a stag, sometimes carrying a purse filled with coin. In some traditions, He is born at the winter solstice, marries the Goddess at Beltane, and dies at the summer solstice. He alternates with the goddess of the moon in ruling over life and death, in the continuing cycle of death, rebirth and reincarnation.

For the Druids he is Hu Gadarn, god of the underworld and astral planes, and the consort of the Great Goddess. When we connect to Him, we can become one with the tide of the year, allowing us to reach deep into our primal core and bring our true selves into balance with its natural ebb and flow. . The entire world and all of creation is in tune with Him and it is only humans who fight against the balance He embodies.

It is important to remember that each creation on this planet is attuned to this time of year, in some fashion, and within them is a tide that follows the same pattern. In humans, we call this tide the light and shadow sides of ourselves. Our light side usually refers to those things that a person and others like about themselves. The shadow, on the other hand, often means those things that a person and others do not like about themselves. The issue with this definition of light and shadow is that like the Dark and Light half of the year, a person needs both of these to be whole.

After all, what would happen to the world if there was no Dark Half of the year? No harvest, no rest, now wouldn’t that become an issue?

Stay tuned for the next part to this series!

Happy Samhain – A Poem

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Happy Samhain
Trick or Treat
Candied apples,
Spooks and sweets

Thinning veil
That holds the dread
of long lost loved ones
Long since dead

Skeletons walk
on Halloween night
Gargoyles circle
in stone aided flight

Witches in belfries
in conical hats
and blood sucking fiends
that turn into bats

Houses on Chicken Legs
Hop through the park
Werewolves’ own howling
ring through the dark

Muggles are running
back to their beds
from vision of ghouls
with long severed heads

The Children of Samhain
With cloaks pulled round tight
Walk with the deceased
On All Hallows Night

With hisses and boos
From graveyards of mist
and sullen long longing
From dead widows lips

Today is the night
And the night is today
When spirits and loved ones
return here to play

So under the covers
or out on the town
The spirits will find you
You’re not hiding, You’re found

So make up a dinner
Set it out for the dead
They’re ever so hungry
and long to be fed

And tomorrow upon waking
If you make it to morn
And your sanity’s in tact
Your clothes are untorn

And the sun looks upon you
smiles its smile
then forget not to sit
and pray for a while

Thank the creator
Say your’ Amens’
And know that last night
Will not happen again

At least not till next time
In exactly one year
When the veil’s at it’s thinnest
and the dead smell your fear

So enjoy this fair evening
And dance with great life
Which will honor the deadites
Who rile in strife

And come back and tell me
Your great tales of fear
And celebrate Samhain
The Celtic New Year.

Kallistēi – The Failure of Paris

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

There have been many parables throughout history. An early parable is the apocryphal story of Eris and the Golden Apple. According to legend, the Apple was the cause of the Trojan War. Many versions of the first story are writ; The aftermath has been well documented. Invoked, I transcribe this lesson as told to me by Eris. She is my patron and guide. It is Eris’ first lesson and caution to mortals.

A warning. The story and portrayal of certain God/Goddess forms is less than kind. You can’t unspill the milk. Once you read this, you are changed...

This lesson is not about vanity. Broadly all suffering results from the loss of self-control. When passions get out of hand from feelings of jealousy, inadequacy or envy mortals suffer. These passions turn to rage. Rage which is too oft directed inward, or directed upon others whom they falsely feel are the authors of that suffering. When rage spreads it becomes the plague called “War.”

Yet, War makes for good theatre that mortals seem to love and congratulate themselves for century after century. Wars are written with lengthy prose about heroes or peoples who did this, or that. Perhaps it is the sacrifice of an individual for the greater good. In the end there is only tragedy and the vanity of victors. War is the price for loss of control. In the end, it only makes for loneliness.

To understand the lesson you must understand a little about me, Eris. Am I a petty and small thing feeling sorry for myself for not being invited to the wedding of a mortal? Did I lose control? I am Change, I am Whimsy and I am the stillness just before a flower blooms. I exist outside of the hierarchy of power. Therefore I am labeled a “disruptive” strife bringer. Discord. I am the divine feminine of creation that must not yield. The egg must break before you enjoy what’s inside, otherwise it stagnates and then rots. Yet even when change comes there is a natural rhythm and order. I bear Witness.

The slight I addressed was not to me and my lack of an invite. It was to a power which does not yield or conform to hierarchy. Know this: my first Mystery is control, or as some would mark it, willpower. All control is self-control. Power over others is an illusion. You either have self-control, or you relinquish to another. It is as the motion of your arm; muscles only pull in one direction.

I simply put two shiny objects made of pure Will in view of those assembled. What happened afterwards was not of me.

Kallistēi – For the Fairest.

Conformity, mediocrity and fear of upsetting the status quo were the order of the day. Divine beings like everything to follow their roles and play their parts. Their response to the apple was predictable. We all played our expected roles.

Poor role models were they for the mortals present.

The Goddesses thought only about how would others perceive them should they posses the apple. The embodiment of Wisdom couldn’t see the folly of squabbling over a trophy? “’I am fairest.” “See me.” “Look at me.” “Desire only me.” Upon the apple they pounced like ants devouring honey. Had I made it into a sword, they would have skewered themselves upon it.

Then Zeus did a most un-regal thing. To avoid conflict with His peers, He gave up control. True rulers are ready to take accountability and responsibility even when choices are difficult, yet he left the decision to a mortal.

And what of noble Paris? His part in history is often called “The Judgment of Paris.” The years have been kind to him and his part in the ensuing bloodshed. The story is my judgment and the failure of Paris. Paris had many choices. Cut the apple into three and appease the Goddesses. For that is the power of Will, no matter how small it is you can always grow it. He could have taken the Apple for himself or destroyed it. In turn the goddess would have destroyed him but then war would not have come to Troy. He could have made the sacrifice for his people.

Paris lost control to selfish desire. Tragedy he brought upon his people, lust for an unobtainable creature. Helen was a Golden Apple I made in another form. Paris cast aside his current mortal companion and more for Helen. He saw Helen not as a companion but as a possession. It was only fitting to his hubris that the most beautiful woman be his, should he not have the Apple. Through free will, Paris could have refused the gift of Helen.

And what of the Apple? The Apple’s power develops your will if you consume it, but Aphrodite locked it away. She could only bear to give it away when it served a higher greed. True beauty must be shared, and seen by the light of the sun and moon to be appreciated.

My lessons are not easy and oft appear cruel. Baby birds are pushed from the nest to understand their ability to fly. Yet, not before their parents show them the way. It is instinctual. It is as all the others do, and so they do it as well. In all of creation only mortals have free will. It is your greatest gift, possibly the greatest of all. How you direct your will sets your fate and that of those around you. My lessons teach self-mastery and growth: to grow, study self-mastery; Improve yourselves mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally; become your own greatest work . Otherwise you will have proven to have learned little from my lesson. War will seek you out. And in the end, only I will bear witness.

Blessed be.

Facing the Dragon

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In our mind’s eye, before us looms a fearsome dragon with green scales, glistening teeth and wings that batter the air. In this reality, it is currently a pile of PVC piping and chicken wire. It’s July, and before mid-October, this creature needs to come to life - and neither one of us has ever done anything like this before.

My name is Riley Sweeney, and together with my wife Bryna, we are one of the totems for this Hekate’s Sickle Festival held by the ATC. It is our first festival as cast and we are bringing the spirit of Dragon to life.

As soon as we confirmed our role, we began sketching out designs. We wanted the dragon to be big, intimidating, and fierce. However, as we added requirements (it had to be able to move and it must be recognizable from behind), we quickly realized this was an immense engineering challenge. Although both of us lack experience with power tools, we dove in, undaunted.

It’s August, and a strange skeletal creature has been formed by fastening the piping together with wire. In between building sessions, we are gathering tidbits, myths and legends about dragons; snippets of Fafnir from Siegfried, quotes from our beloved Tolkien, translations of Beowulf. If you asked someone to describe a dragon, anyone could do it, but our goal is to discover the original source, the core of Dragon.

It seems impossible. Dragons are creatures of magic and of transformation. They shed their skin and call on deep powerful sorcery – so powerful that keeping them contained to a single idea was proving to be too much.

Draka, as she is now called, has a fully formed head and glorious cloth skin. Our hopes of making her move have plummeted with the brutal laws of gravity. As her head droops, we argue back and forth, trying to figure out a solution. This project has been dragged out to the end of August, time is of the essence and tempers are running hot. It feels like we can never overcome this obstacle.

But that’s it! That’s the breakthrough – Dragon is the totem of transformation BECAUSE she is that obstacle. She is the deadly challenger. The guardian at the gate. She is staring you in the eyes; daring you to enter her cave and face her. To screw your courage to the sticking point and fight, for in doing so, you will transform into a better person.

It’s now September, and her head is properly mounted and moving. We are working smoothly as a team – drilling, wiring, measuring, and cutting materials together. Her scales shine bright and her eyes glint as they follow our movement about the garage. We hurry to perfect the finishing touches on her wings and tail because we’ve already begun to hear the drumbeat of Hekate’s Sickle. Cerridwen stirs her cauldron, and Cernunnos calls us to the forest.We are ready to answer Them.

We are Dragon and there is nothing that can stand in our way.

My lil' Sabbat Coloring Pages - Mabon

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the first downloadable installment of " My lil' Sabbat! " What better way to sit and reflect on the season than with a Mabon-themed coloring page?

Every eight weeks our sun makes its way into a new spoke of the galactic wheel. It's at those times that we summon all the colors of Goddess and download the next installment of " My lil' Sabbat ."

A Page from Bella's Book of Shadows - Mabon

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Mabon

Sun is in 1º Libra

On or about September 21

Light and Dark in Balance, Beginning of Fall, Season of Water

Recognizes others as individuals with same feelings, drives, wants, and needs as ourselves.

Colors – Red, Orange, Black

Magic – Reaping harvest and bounties, Resting, Re-connecting with family and friends

Mabon is the second Harvest. It is the time of our yearly incarnation that we pass away from the trials of the year, reap our rewards and embrace rest. We reflect on the year’s lessons, and try to gain clarity as we integrate with the whole. We ritualize the myth of Persephone’s abduction and descent into the Underworld, and follow her on her journey into the dark. We recognize that we are leaving behind our individuality, and embracing the connectedness with spirit with which we have longed to reunite.

Mabon is a funeral. It is the passing into the dark half of the year. It is the death of our current yearly incarnation. But it is a birth into your understanding the transformation of death, and how your unique talents not only contribute to the evolutionary process, but also transform it into something greater than it was before. The relationship between man and God, individual and whole is symbiotic. Without the individual there would be no whole, without the whole there would be no individual. Without mankind there would be no God, without God there would be no mankind.

A personal ritual could include finding items within your home that you no longer need or want, clean them up, and store them away as presents to give to loved ones at Yule. It is time for the final harvest of the plants you have been nurturing all season. Nothing can be taken from the garden after Samhain, so do all your final reaping now. Prepare your garden for winter.

Mabon Ritual – The Descent of Persephone

This is a psychodrama that tells the story of Persephone’s descent into the Underworld. If you do not have enough people for the parts, it can be reworked into a meditation.

Thanksgiving Feast and Last Supper (This is a strong ritual, eating first is advised, grounding with dessert afterwards)

Demeter and the Kore bless the food, and oversee the feast, seated in a shrine. Participants are encouraged to offer a story or entertain the Goddesses and ritual participants, before asking for something in return. Demeter grants all requests. (Demeter and the Kore offer harvest goodies to participants)

When all are done eating, the Nymphs enter. Aphrodite casts circle and nymphs call the quarters.

Nymphs welcome everyone to the season of water. They are loving and inviting, sensual and displaying different emotional responses.

Aphrodite welcomes everyone - acknowledging that she knows this isn’t her normal time to show up, but it’s Libra! And this is about love.

Holy Daughter and Demeter are moving about the circle, talking and sharing in the mother/daughter bond that they have. The Kore is making flowers for her mother. The love for each other is evident.

The Kore, bored with the game, asks Demeter if there is anything else to her besides making flowers, what happens after they bloom. Demeter tells her not to worry and to go play with the nymphs, and Kore runs off.

Demeter’s smile is replaced with a worried look. She then turns Her attention to the crowd, offering gifts, coins, bounties, and boons. She asks people what they need, and offers it to them, granting wishes. She moves Her way through the crowd and disappears.

The Kore and the Nymphs play and dance about a bit, and then Hades appears near the Kore and the Nymphs, admiring Her beauty. He has overheard the conversation between the Kore and Her mother, Demeter.

The innocent Kore has her abduction from the land of the living to the underworld reenacted with the Lord Hades in his role as demanding bridegroom, and Hades leads her to the West and into the land of the dead.

The nymphs come in, whispering and gossiping about what just happened. Demeter returns, demanding to know where her daughter is. The nymphs deny seeing her, and Demeter shouts at them to go find her - the nymphs run off into the west, afraid

Demeter covers herself in a black veil and leaves the circle.

Aphrodite returns, stating that each person there desires something, and that desire determines their path. She tells them they are driven by their desires, and directs them to walk toward the west.

The participants wade through the mermaids, who “kill” them as they go into the underworld.

Hecate waits at a crossroads. She asks the participants which way they want to go (there are two paths, Persephone and Hades are on each one - the participants should not be able to see which they are choosing).

After everyone has finished, Aphrodite re-enters the circle with the Mermaids.

Aphrodite describes love: it’s what people live and die for, it transforms, changes and rebirths - it motivates you to take action. It lightens our hearts and helps us appreciate the world of the living. Without love, we become stagnant. It changed the Kore, but it also changed the Dark Lord. We all must love, grow, and change. We must give attention to and make room in our lives for the things we love.

Aphrodite encourages the participants to shout out what they need to change about themselves, while energy is raised by drumming and clapping.

Release the energy with a “So mote it be!”

Close quarters, release circle.

We have all of this information available for purchase at our store in a printable format! Add this page from Bella's Book of Shadows to yours!

People of the Woods Church of the Old Ways: Bunny Power!

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Nestled in the woods, 25 miles outside of Spokane, WA, is a beautiful and magical place called Glenconey (pronounced “Glenn Cunny”), the covenstead for The People of the Woods. The covenstead is a 6,000 square-foot, one-level home, sitting on 20 acres of land - comparable to a large warehouse. When you enter, you are usually greeted by a kitchen table full of coven members and the HP, Greybeard, and HPS, Maeve (pronounced “Mave”). They are all smiles and hugs, enjoying wine, cheese, snacks, and each other's company. Posted on the front door are the “rules of Glenconey” and they are as follows:

As far as possible, do what you really want to do.
Don’t get arrested, or, if arrested, don’t get convicted.
Remember the great things: beauty, pleasure, joy, power, and love.
No yelling
Strive ever to be soft and cuddly.

When you look around the large home, you will see stuffed animal bunnies everywhere. You will also see all the magnificent witchy things here and there. It is a big, open space, but none the less,it is comfy and welcoming. This is our home away from home, our family of “bunnies,” our coven brothers and sisters.

When I decided to join a coven, I was ready to join forces with other like minded folks after practicing on my own for a while. I googled “Spokane Covens” and the People of the Woods website popped up as the top search. I went and looked at their website and was instantly impressed. It was so informative and easy to navigate. I highly suggest visiting the page because it is not only about our coven, but it has information about Wicca in general including Terms and Definitions, the Wiccan Rede, The Wiccan Laws/Ordains, pictures, suggested reading list for each degree, etc. I was intrigued and enchanted all at once and after reading the whole website, I decided this was the place for me. I emailed them to show my interest and was instantly contacted via email by Greybeard.. We set up a time and place to meet in person.

They like a small little pizza place in the college town right outside of Spokane, WA and about 10 miles away from their covenstead. When I walked in , we spotted each other right away. How could I miss the man with the long grey beard, twinkle in his eye, donning a black hat and no shoes! (Think of Odin meets the Oak King/Holly King). Next to him was his wife, Maeve, a beautiful lady with salt and peppered hair, a big smile, and standing up to greet me with her famous hug. When I hugged this woman, I knew I was home.

Fast forward to a few years later, and I am working on my second degree, we have a coven of 12 members (when I started, there were 6 of us), and these coven members are my family. But what makes our coven so great? Well I could go on and on and on, and this article would turn into a novel, so I’m going to start from the beginning of The People of the Woods, and how we became the bunny coven we are today (Yes, I will get to why we are the “bunnies”).

The People of the Woods began formally on Yule, 1995 in Los Alamos, NM. Original members included High Priest Greybeard who had previously been High Priest of Our Lady of the Woods coven with High Priestess and author Amber K. Greybeard was also First Officer of the Cimarron Local Council of Covenant of the Goddess (COG). Greybeard was a friend of Pete Pathfinder Davis, whom he had met at COG councils. The initial High Priestess had previously been High Priestess of a Wiccan coven in Jemez Springs, NM, called The People of the Mountains. She was also a Lakota Sioux medicine woman. Maeve had been practicing eclectic witchcraft with an unnamed women's group near Santa Fe, NM. Another member made 4 total. They combined names of their two prior covens to create The People of the Woods. Their oldways.org web site began in 1997. By then Maeve had become the High Priestess.

By 2000, The People of the Woods was holding regular rituals in Albuquerque, NM, incorporated as “The First Congregational Church of the Old Religion, Inc.,” grown to around 10 members, and sponsored a 3-day midsummer camping retreat called Freedom Fest. In 2004, after some time there in the Land of Enchantment, our elders, Greybeard and Mauve, moved for job reasons to the small college town of Cheney, WA. The coven diminished in NM thereafter, and the incorporation expired. In Washington State Maeve and Greybeard found the land on which they would build the remarkable Glenconey covenstead.

I asked Greybeard when the notion of starting up a coven locally in WA entered their minds. He replied, “We thought about it, but nobody asked to be a member. We hosted Meetups for 3 years, and did other outreach, but never met suitable people who wanted to participate with us. Maeve was very busy teaching and working on tenure at her job. Perhaps not enough energy left over to devote to the coven. The Gods did not send us any members. Then, in 2013, our annual I-Ching reading was all about teaching, and suddenly we had people wanting to be members.” The People of the Woods Church of the Old Religion was reborn!

Once people started coming, they came rapidly. The coven, People of the Woods, began to get more recognition via it’s website and listing on The Witches Voice. In 2014, the coven became affiliated with the ATC, and what a wonderful connection to have! We have participated in the ATC’s Hekate's Sickle and Spring Mysteries. Some of our members are involved in the ATC’s online Wiccan seminary. The coven trains its members to become Initiates of the Craft, Priest and Priestesses. Our coven offers 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree initiations. As our elders have told us and others, our coven is hard to get into (due to lots of sacrifice and studying) but easy to get out of, meaning they do not stand in the way if you decide to leave. We also have family-friendly gatherings on the Sabbats, and closed circle gatherings on the Esbats.

One of the things we as a coven celebrate that no other coven celebrates is “Freedom Fest” in place of the 4th of July. This was a tradition carried over from the New Mexico coven in which we not only honor the freedom of our country, but also personal freedoms that are important to our Pagan ways, such as sexual and religious freedoms. There is always food, fun, workshops, and much more at this and many of our events. Wine is our staple beverage, and laughter and love is our language.

The term “fluffy bunny witches” was coined in the 1980s to describe wannabe witches who won't spend the time and work to learn, or who may not like to practice the dark side of things. Our elders decided to take back the bunny term and make it our own. We are a coven of bunnies, always cuddly and lovable, but yes, we enjoy the dark side as well. As Greybeard says “we like enlightenment and endarkenment” (My devil bunny tattoo was one of things my HPS noticed at our first meeting. She knew then, I was right for the coven!).

Our coven practices British Traditional Witchcraft, but we also incorporate many other traditions. Just recently, we did a Stregheria themed Full Moon ritual. Stregheria is a type of Italian Witchcraft in which they worship Diana the Mother, Lucifer the Father(not the Christian Devil) and Aradia the chosen daughter. This ritual not only opened up our eyes to other practices, but was also incredibly powerful and unique. One of our second degree Priests teaches a class on Ceremonial Magic each week for those who are interested. We have done trance journeying, scrying, meditations, worked with Artificial Elementals, worked powerful spells One of our coven members requested a spell to get more business at his job, so we did a spell for him, and a week later he had so much business, he was working up to 16 hour days 7 days a week! (Be careful what you wish for!)

Our coven members have so many unique talents. We have members who talk to those who have passed. We have members who can read another person’s energies immediately. Some have visions of magical beings, other are just really good at making you feel at ease and comfortable. And those famous hugs by Maeve? I suggest all of you experience that phenomenon.

The drive out to our covenstead is a magical happening in itself. Being out in the middle of the woods, literally, as you leave the small conservative college town behind you, you begin to see more and more trees, nature, animals, and scenery. It is a lengthy drive, but worth it. All members of the coven (and non members) agree that there is a portal of sorts you enter about a couple miles inward, in which you feel the change. You feel you have left the mundane world behind, and are entering a vortex of sorts. It is hard to put in words, you just have to experience it for yourself.

I remember my first drive out there to begin our 5 week discussion series (held for those interested in becoming a dedicant). I just kept driving and driving, further away from civilization, going to a place in the middle of nowhere, and thinking to myself “What am I getting myself into… I really must trust these two to be going out where there is no cell phone coverage.” Oh yeah, did I mention, you lose all cell phone coverage out there. You literally “disconnect” from the city and are in a magical place full of enchantments and mysteries.

Practicing that far out is a necessity at times though due to the conservative small town values of Cheney, WA, home to Eastern Washington University. We need to be careful about our privacy at times and how we are looked upon by the locals. We’ve never had an issue. Maybe while stopping in town before or after ritual to gas up the car, some of us wear our pentagrams and I am sure the attendants look at us as if we are from another world. (I’m used to getting looks like that though, so it doesn't really bother me). The covenstead allows for us to frolic in the woods in our robes (and skyclad if we really wanted to) and be the fabulous witches we truly are. It has an indoor circle that comfortably holds all 12 members and an amazing outdoor circle with a cauldron/fire pit in the middle. Our favorite place to hold rituals is outdoors due to the silence of the night, except for the soundtrack of coyotes and cows and other things making noises galore. (Bats flying above our heads as well) During a Samhain ritual, when talking about death, we heard a pack of coyotes killing their prey in the distance. It was eerie, yet beautiful at the same time. To have all this nature at our fingertips is really a blessing, and makes our circles that much more powerful.

We are not all alike, but together, we walk our paths. Sometimes we disagree on political views or personal views, and sometimes there are hurt feelings or misunderstandings. That is what happens in any family, but when we practice in circle together, we truly see the Divine in all of us, and our circles are no less than mystical happenings. Our energy vibes well together and brings us together even closer, strengthening our bonds.

Being part of this coven has changed my life for the better. The love and the laughter, the tears and the pain we have all shared with one another is what makes our coven unique. We truly support one another, we call each other out on things, and we hold each other accountable. We try very hard to practice what we preach, and Greybeard and Maeve truly allow each of us to expand out into the Pagan Community and share our gifts with others. They teach their little bunnies to hop away from the coven and be free thinking and loving and sharing. I could not ask for anything more from a coven and I am honored and proud to be a bunny of The People of the Woods!!

To find out more about our coven, please visit our website at http://www.oldways.org/ or our FB page The People of the Woods.

Death and Sunflowers

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

That image of the sunflower mask in the glowing snow in the night has come to me over and over again since my grandmother passed last year.

Brenna is a 1st Degree Priestess in the WISE Tradition in the ATC, a senior at Woolsten-Steen Theological Seminary, and the Assistant Marketing Director for the ATC. She does a little bit of everything (being the Gemini that she is), but when she isn't living up to her workaholic reputation, she likes to go on walks, paint, and play video games.

Falling Into the Land of Myst

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

A message from Persephone, as channeled through Lady Belladonna LaVeau

Welcome to the land of shade and myst. Welcome to the dark side of the moon, the season of water, the astral, the 'tween place manifest. Here is where you shed your mortal coil, and release your spirit back into the waters from which it came. Allow your mind and thoughts to blend with the All, and return to the bosom of the Goddess.

This is the season of rest, of welcome relief, of memories and legacies, of letting go of that which once was, and giving back to that which gave to you. This is the time when Persephone is taken to the Underworld.

Let go of all your possessions, all your attachments, your wants and desires, and enter the arms of the Great Mother. Let yourself be embraced in the oneness of the universe, and learn the mystery of the sacred sciences, the subtleties of energy, the detailed imagination of creation. Sit within the Akashic Records and hold a channel for the wisdom of the ages.

My realm is a twisting turning road of mysts, mysteries, and mistakes. Learning here is learning by doing, and getting bitten is part of the process. You will feel me. You will know love and abundance, but you will also know loss, and regret. You will hear me. You will see the thought that I put forth as we create your universe together. Every hair on your head is accounted for, every thought and deed, I am with you. You are my blessed child, and I welcome you to my land.

It is now that you see your ability to create your reality with thoughts, and words. It is what you speak into existence that creates the path you walk. You find many twists and turns in the road, and yet you choose which door to take, and what will be lying behind it. You ask the questions that guide you, you determine the parameters within which your reality exists.

I am with you. I am Persephone Goddess of Spring, Mother of Witches, Queen of the Underworld. What is mine is your ultimate inheritance. Let me show you that which lays before you.

Welcome to my Realm.

Opening to Sacred Sexuality

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I’m a prude. Well, not entirely - though I do have quite a few hangups when it comes to sex and sexuality.

Working with Aphrodite for almost a year definitely helped bring healing to some of my issues, mostly around body acceptance, self-love, and appreciating my own beauty. For those things, I am immensely grateful!

I’m currently taking a class on Sacred Sexuality at Woolsten-Steen Theological Seminary . I’m learning so much about myself, and working more on becoming more comfortable with the idea of being a sexual creature.

I was raised with the idea that sex is sinful, bad, and dirty, as many Westerners, especially Christians, are. Eve was the source of original sin, and so women bear the curse of Eve, being cast out of the Garden of Eden.

Sex education in school was partly gender education – what happens to your body as you go through puberty – and partly sex discouragement – if you have sex, you will get a sexually transmitted disease or pregnant or both. Masturbation is also bad, or at the very least, not encouraged.

Sex before marriage was taboo. Teenage pregnancy was shameful. If you had sex in high school, you were a stud if you were male, but you were a slut if you were female. And heaven forbid you actually enjoy it as a woman! Sex is only for the purpose of producing children.

Wicca is a fertility religion. It, and really most branches of Paganism that I have encountered, are sex positive, meaning sex is something that is joyful, and pleasurable, and natural, and even healthy, between consenting adults. “The Goddess [God] is beautiful in ALL Her [His] forms,” celebrates body positivity and acceptance.

That doesn’t mean that there are tons of wild orgies, or that we have sex at all our rituals, or that Pagans are promiscuous. (As always, that may be true of some individuals, though not a generality of the whole group.) If that were the case, I probably would have run screaming and never come back. It would have been too big a step for me to take.

This idea that sex is beautiful and natural, joyful and pleasurable, though, while I yearn for this, I still have a hard time with it sometimes. I find myself feeling guilt or shame around wanting sex, or not wanting sex. I’m curious to learn more ways to share and make love with my husband, and yet, I have a hard time even talking about sex with him. Sex magic intrigues me and scares me at the same time.

I’m still a baby on my journey towards sex positivity. I’m lucky to have some pretty great role models in the Pagan community, people who are comfortable in their bodies, who take joy in their lovemaking and aren’t afraid to talk about it, and even joke about it.

I’m probably going to get a ton of spam with all this talk about sex. I’m ready for that. We need to make it more open and less shameful. And the more positive information there is, the better. What is your experience with sex and sexuality? Is it something you are comfortable with, or still have hangups about? I look forward to hearing your stories. Let’s get more positive conversations going!

Blessings,

Mary

This article was originally posted on Mary's website, Walks Within.

Looking in from the Outside: Current retrograde cycles of our outer planets

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

At this time, we have safely emerged from a Mercury retrograde, and a Venus retrograde and a Mars retrograde. These planets are all close to the Sun and therefore we tend to be a little more familiar with their comings and goings in the space of our universe.

The outer planets however tend to “walk softly and carry big sticks!” These guys go into retrograde for longer periods of time in the year because they are further away from the Sun and ourselves. This can at times, mean that their affect on us may take longer to realize though the learning curve is a little easier than the “younger” planets zipping through their orbits.

Slower orbit can make the lessons they bring a little easier on those of us who choose to listen for them. Their retrograde cycles are longer and full of space to reflect and make our choices.

Right now Saturn, Pluto and Neptune are all in a retrograde cycle. Uranus is about to start its retrograde cycle at the end of this month, and Saturn will be going direct around the second week of August.

Some of you may only know about our more vocal retrograde cycles from planets like Mercury. Perhaps you may not know about these other planets and this is a quick little guide to bring your awareness level up and hopefully shed some light on any challenges you may be facing.

Retrograde is when the planet appears to move backwards in its orbital progression. This manifests as the inverse of the typical characteristics and energy of the planet in question. This tends to be a good time to work on different aspects of the self and reach new conclusions about our realities that enable us to manifest our greatest good!

Saturn

Saturn is considered to be all about boundaries. Being focused. Saturn is about our expectations of ourselves, of family, of loved ones, of society and the global culture and where we fit into that.

Saturn helps give us that narrow focus to achieve our goals. Its energy allows us to stick with something difficult because when it comes through to completion it brings such a sense of reward and accomplishment! You know that feeling… deadlines.. Check…. Made that meeting… check… completed that project… check… organized your bills.. OH YES!

This is Saturn in it’s day to day forward momentum and some of the energy it brings to us. Now, we put it into Retrograde and all these aspects are suddenly running in counterpoint. Loss of focus, easily distracted, we begin to question everything and everyone in our path; especially ourselves.

What am I doing here? What am I accomplishing… Who do I want to be? Who am I now?

These questions are invaluable to growth, though they can be difficult to experience.

However, there is a fun point I’d like to make to Saturn in retrograde. Rules… GONE. It’s time to let your hair down metaphorically, and shake it out. Boundaries and expectations you have placed on yourself may suddenly be lessened… or gone. This is where we stretch our limits. We explore new aspects of ourselves and what we want.

What do you want?

Such an important question cannot be ignored for long.

Pluto

Pluto went into retrograde in April and will be coming out in September. Now Pluto, lovely little planet that has been through quite a lot of this nonsense about being a planet, then not being a planet. No wonder Pluto likes to really tear down all the walls we make.

When running normally Pluto’s energy helps us break down the things that no longer serve us. Pluto helps you see your illusional mask and rip it right off your face leaving nothing behind but your best possible self.

When Pluto is in retrograde, as it is now we have the opportunity to address our shadow-selves. Our shadow-self can be characterized as the darkness we feel inside, the things that we do not want others to see. The things that we work hard to control, to force into submission and to adhere to norms. Jealousy, greed, unproductive selfishness could all be considered shadow-traits.

When Pluto is no longer moving in an apparent forward motion, our awareness of our shadow-self intensifies. This is not a time to dread, it is a time to celebrate! We have an an opportunity to give ourselves permission to feel what we feel without judgement. One of the lessons of the Buddha is the acceptance of now…. ‘Good’ or ‘bad’. And it is through acceptance that enlightenment (our highest possible self) can be realized.

Pluto’s retrograde motion is its gift to us to help us learn acceptance. Once we accept, can we account for ourselves and make new decisions if we so choose.

Neptune

Neptune went into Retrograde in June, and will be there till November. Normally Neptune is all about dreams, fantasy, psychic awareness and all things we hope for as a society. What we dream about for ourselves. What we desire to come to pass. The key here is when Neptune is direct its energy is that of the collective consciousness dream.

This can sometimes be very confusing but it does help realize certain global desires such as an end to hate. When Neptune is direct sometimes we may feel overwhelmed by all the energy of Spirit.

When Neptune is in retrograde however, the energy inverses. It becomes easier to see, like a fog lifting from a meadow to reveal the fairy ring inside. You now have a choice of going into the ring. When Neptune is in retrograde you now have easier access to your metaphysical awareness. Dreams come more easily, and may be less complicated to understand.

This works very well with Saturn’s retrograde action of trying to discover what you want, because Neptune wants to show you how to get it.

Uranus

Uranus frankly has had enough of everyone’s excuses and would like to introduce radical and unconventional ways of accomplishing new ideas. Uranus is about innovation, new beginnings, revolution and challenge!

We all have that one friend that challenges us, that sometimes we don’t get along with because they ALWAYS see an opportunity for something to be better, more radical, more significant. Sometimes, we don’t answer that person’s call or text because we are feeling lazy.

Well it’s really hard to ignore a planet’s energy here. Uranus wants to remind you that you need that spark. This isn’t about the boundless energy of Mars… this is calculated meham. Sometimes that can be a bit much for us and we need a break.

Luckily Uranus will be going into retrograde at the end of July and give us all a break. This radical self reflection, awareness, and opportunity to address our challenges can be exhausting.

I know I’m tired, how about you all?

Did I say break? Well, depends on what you mean by break…..

During its retrograde cycle Uranus energy will tone down and become more focused inward. More self reflection I know, it’s good for you! However, now that the apparent motion is in reverse the energy is not as combustible as it is when it is in direct.

You may start to experience a slower, more reflective observations. Instead of the radical change and leap, you will have time to explore the why behind the change and address psychological and mental triggers. This is also a great time to work on overcoming addictions.

Just know, wherever you find yourself challenged in the retrogrades going on around you, that you retain total control. Knowledge of the energies at work in your reality give you the opportunity to embrace your joy, to find your dreams, to explore your limitations and see if they can be stretched.

A Page from Bella's Book of Shadows - Lammas

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Lammas

Lands on or about August 1

Sun is in 15° Leo
Waning Light, Height of Summer, Season of Fire
Recognizing and Honoring Sacrifices made to achieve goals
Colors – Red, Gold, Yellow, Orange

Magic of Lammas – Offering Thanks for the sacrifices made by others on our behalf, honoring our fathers, healing the wounds of childhood

Lammas is a celebration of the First Harvest. It is the time when we begin reaping the rewards of all the hard work we have done in our yearly incarnation. We desire to reconnect, and the first step in that is recognizing we did not achieve our goals alone. There were many helping us along the way. It is time to express gratitude to those who have nurtured, supported and encouraged us on our path. We offer thanks and share our bounty with those who shared our burden.

It is basically the Wiccan equivalent of Father's Day. We honor the God for his sacrifice, and recognize that the sacrifices made by the men in our lives are many. We do not recognize all the sacrifices that our fathers make for us. They leave early in the morning, and come home late, and we have no idea what goes on in their lives while they are gone. But, they leave behind their hearts, and they bring home what is necessary to keep us warm, safe, and happy.

Now is the time to harvest the plants you have been growing all year. Collect any seeds, appropriately label them and store them for the coming year. Hang bundles of fresh herbs up to dry.

Lammas ritual - Father's Day

This is a very simple ritual, but it brings forth a lot of memories, and a real sense of connectedness.

Preparation:
Build an effigy of the God out of sticks.
Make bundles out of hay that can be tied on to the effigy.
Harvest seeds from the plants that you have been growing, or purchase new ones to plant at Imbolc next year.

Cast circle, call quarters and invoke deity.

The effigy is dedicated to serve as a symbol of the God. Valerian Nightshade wrote the following invocation for this purpose.

Great Sun God, Lord of the grain, You who are known by many names;
Lugh, Tammuz, Adonis, Dionysus, Balder- it is time!
The summer has been very long.
Lay thy shadows on the sundials and on the meadows, let the winds go loose!
Command the last fruits that they shall be full,
Press them on to fulfillment and drive the last sweetness into the heavy wine.
We thank thee for thy sacrifice, for the bounty of the harvest
For the grain that sustains our body, for the divine spark that ignites our souls,
For the love that nourishes our hearts.
So Mote it Be.

The HPS states the purpose of the ritual is to express gratitude to the God. Three times a charm, so once to HP, once to God, and once to your own father.

Each covener picks up a hay bundle, approaches the effigy and expresses gratitude while affixing the hay bundle to the stick figure.

After everyone has said his or her piece the Priests light the effigy and all hold hands and watch it burn. It is nice to have a chant or music here.

Seed Blessing:

The chalice is placed on the pentagram plate that is covered in seeds that you have gathered from the plants that you grew, or new seeds can be purchased. If various types of seeds are used, they may be kept in separate envelopes so they may be easily identified at planting time.

HPS (to HP) – “Come unto me once again so that we may plant a seed that will emerge in the new year. (holding up the Chalice) As the Chalice is to the woman.”
HP – “The Athame is to the Man.” (Placing Athame in Chalice)
HP/S – “Joined together they bring blessedness.”
HPS – “I bless these seeds as they contain the power of rebirth within them. They will be kept in a sacred place, and wait for Imbolc when they can return to the soil to sprout and grow. We sow seeds of prosperity as we harvest the fruits of our labor.” Allow each participant to bless the seeds, pass out cakes and wine

Release Quarters, devoke Deity, and release Circle.

Feast!

We have all of this information available for purchase at our store in a printable format!

Add this page from Bella's Book of Shadows to yours!

Clean Up Isn’t Always Easy

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

We all make mistakes. It’s part of learning and growth. Sometimes fixing those mistakes is difficult.

It’s especially challenging when the mistake is not your own. This weekend I was at the Market as usual. I did a 15 minute reading for a woman, which is $20, and she paid me with a $50 bill. Since it was the first full reading of the day, I made change from the bottom of my cash box, where I have a few larger bills. I remember handing her a $20 and two $5’s.

Later that afternoon, she came back insisting that I had not given her the change. She remembers the experience differently – that I got up and went to the front of the tent as she left, not collecting her change. She was quite upset, and very insistent, saying that she totaled up her purchases for the day, and she should have $30 more than what she had, so I clearly had not given her the change.

I absolutely remember handing her the change. She absolutely remembers not receiving it. I offered to split the difference with her, giving her back $15, and she was insistent. I ended up giving her $30 more, meaning I paid her $10 to read her cards.

I was really upset. First, that I was accused of not being honest, that I effectively stole from her. And second, that I had to pay for her mistake. What was her mistake? Did she bring less cash to the market than she recalled? Did she forget a purchase when she was doing her tally? I have no idea. Customer service dictates that I fix it.

A day later, it still bugs me, though I can understand the panic of not being able to account for your purchases. I’ve been there, and it feels awful. Clearly she needed that $30 more than I did. At least, that’s what I tell myself to make it easier to accept. Taking it personally certainly doesn’t serve me.

I’m working on doing my own financial clean up. I’ve made some choices in the past that I’m not proud of. I took some poor advice, hoping that things would work out differently. It’s not easy to admit. It’s not easy to ask for help. And yet, for my own integrity (and my financial health), I have to clean up my mistakes.

Progress means learning from your mistakes. Making a mistake doesn’t make me a bad person, any more than the woman at the market was a bad person. I’m more interested in growth than being right, so I’ll do the clean up that is needed, even if it is uncomfortable.

Blessings,

Mary

Originally posted on Mary's Website, Walks Within .

State of the Church - Litha 2016

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Litha Blessings this beautiful Summer. I hope you are enjoying the long lazy days of summer, and are spending time appreciating the light half of the year.

Dusty and I were able to enjoy the beautiful month of June at his family home in Ohio. I was surrounded with generations of the Dionne family in historical Kent (home of the infamous Kent State University shootings), discussing wedding plans, and making the most of the few days that I will get to enjoy my nieces’ pre-school years. In the Dionne family, traditions are important. They share stories with me about who was born in which historic house, and who fought in which wars, all the way back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the founding of New Amsterdam. Patriotism and good citizenship is a defining part of this family’s history, and it reminds me of our own rich history in the Aquarian Tabernacle Church.

The ATC has been a steward of the craft since 1979. We have defined Wicca with coming up on 40 years of keeping the old ways alive. We fight for and protect the legal rights of Pagans, making it safe to worship worldwide. We have staunchly fought to keep the old ways alive here in the US, and with our brothers and sisters around the world. That fight still happens each day, as people reach out to us for help in places where it is still not supported to legally worship. We are currently helping people worship in Italy, India, Romania and now in Kenya. The ATC is a worldwide organization that helps people worship the Lord and Lady, and nurture Her communities. It is important that we carry forward the mission of the church into the future. Together, in this way, we magically transform our world.

Two important traditions we carry forward within the ATC are Hekate’s Sickle and Spring Mysteries Festival. Spring Mysteries Festival went fabulously this year. Thank you for your kind letters and words of encouragements. There is scheduled to be an article released on the event in Witches & Pagans Magazine by the beautiful and beloved Natalie Zaman, look for it in the winter issue. Bella Balducci’s will be back with more options next year. The Most Reverend Don Lewis of the Correllian Tradition, Magick TV, and Witch School will be joining us this year, as well. You will not want to miss it. Homer and Ovid will be hosting. It will be exciting to see what observations and comments they have to add. We have registration open early, and have the ability to reserve the cabins this year for those who want them. http://SpringMysteries.com

Hekate’s Sickle Festival is this October 20th - 23rd, at Cornet Bay in Deception Pass. This year Cerridwen and Cernunnos take us into the Wildwood and share the mysteries of the Celtic Totems. Early Bird special ends July 14th. The Professors of WiccanSeminary.EDU are our special guests this year. We also have a musical guest, Mama Gina. Lu & Lou’s will be running a professional kitchen with home cooked, harvest meal options starting at $5 a plate (menu coming soon). http://Sickle.Me

Speaking of festivals, the Lammas Monologues are July 30th. Whether you are interested in participating in either of our lovely festivals as cast, or if you just want to see the parade of amazing presentations in honor of the Gods, this is an event you won’t want to miss. If you want to be considered for festival cast, please come and present your monologue. But, remember, you don’t have to be cast to present and you don’t have to present to attend. It is potluck. We invite you to come and support the Eleusinian Priesthood.

We had a lovely time at Pantheacon this year. It was good to reconnect with the larger Pagan community and see some old friends. We hosted a hospitality suite this year, and had some fun and well received events. We expect to go back next year and hope that we see more of you there.

We’ve had a couple of good fundraisers this year. The calendar and t-shirt “thank you” gifts have been pretty successful, and, yet, we still need donations. It’s important to change the way we, as a community, think about supporting our Wiccan churches as a whole. For our spiritual communities to thrive, each of us needs to help support the institutions that make it up - the churches, covens, local businesses, witchy book clubs, and everything in between. We have many talented, wonderful, people, trapped in the cycle of poverty. A few helping hands from a caring community can help lift that person into a new life. If each of us budgets even a $1, $5, or goddess bless us, a percentage of our income from our budget to give to the Pagan or Wiccan group of our choice each month, it will change our world drastically, almost overnight. The ATC of today is making huge strides with the small amount of finances we are able to raise. I imagine the wonderful priests and priestesses, who serve us worldwide, would make a much bigger difference with more financial ability. Please think about this when you send whatever financial support you can to the Mother Church each month, thank you.

The Church has several business that are getting off the ground to help support the work that we do. WiccanPress.Org, formally Pathfinder Press, is moving forward with publishing several books by the end of the year. We are working on a new release of ‘The Twelve Maidens’ by our spiritual grandfather Stewart Farrar. Dusty Dionne’s children’s book on Animal Totems, ‘My Name is Cernunnos’ was our first release. To be followed quickly by a 2nd Edition of ‘Awakening Spirit’, and two other books from me; Attuning to the Wheel’ and ‘Pagan America’. We also have several of Pete’s writings coming out soon, as well as some formal ATC Liturgy books and WiccanSeminary.EDU Textbooks. We are super excited about revitalizing the publishing house, and look forward to providing opportunities for the writers in the church to have their works be known.

Panegyria.Com is in transition to focus on supporting a wider audience, and returning to print. If you are interested in publishing articles to Panegyria, please contact the editor with a sample of your work.

WiccanCauldron.Com, formally The EarthFireWaterAir Store, offers you ATC, WiccanSeminary.EDU and Wiccan related products. The proceeds from which go to support the church. There are also several collegiate products and lots of fun ways to show your love for the Goddess.

The online circle, Sacred Cauldron, on Secondlife.com, is still offering online worship in a 3D virtual reality. It’s an amazing world of Witches and worship. If you haven’t seen it, you should take the time to make your avatar and attend a ritual or two. The students of WiccanSeminary.EDU put on an amazing array of daily rituals, events, activities, dances, and classes. Are you a priest or priestess of the craft? You might consider signing up as a student and entering formal magical training.

SpiralScouts.Org is doing wonderful work with our kids. If you have children that would like to be in a Pagan scouting program, get in touch with SpiralScouts, there are many ways to participate, and groups all over the US.

The Tab has become a Wiccan monastery, where Witches live in full time service to the Goddess. We have a dedicated staff working each day to make the Tab a beautiful, sacred, world-renowned, Mother Church. Witches are moving to Index, and the surrounding area to be closer to the Mother Church, and with all the new members, we need more room. Until we have it, houses are for sale and rent in Index, if you check the internet. There are also a variety of rooms and cabins close to the Mother Church that you can rent for short trips.

This summer we will be getting with the bank to finance the property loan and prepare to build the new house on the new property: Pathfinder Manor. On the back left corner of the new land, we will be building a new addition with: Meeting spaces large enough to comfortably accommodate you and the rest of the membership, three two-room apartments for caretakers, a large storage area, and 8 smaller bedrooms. These rooms will be rented out, or sponsored by members, who are interested in creating beautiful, sacred, overnight, spaces dedicated to the Gods. If you would like to sponsor a room and have your own overnight area at the Tab, please let me know at bella@aquatabch.org. There are only 5 out of the 8 left. They are going quickly, so act now. Our sponsors and renters are vital to the financial prosperity of the church, and will be pivotal in establishing our ability to purchase the land to build Eleusis.

One of the new social media upgrades, Facebook Live, has been a lot of fun. We have enjoyed sharing what’s happened on the road. Look forward to seeing more of the daily happenings at the Tab: daily devotionals, rituals, events, and classes.

If you haven’t been to Index in the summer to lay in the river, hike, hunt mushrooms, do some wild herb-crafting, rock hunting, rock climbing and in general reveling in the magical bosom of the Goddess, you should plan a trip. Dusty, Cassie, and I are looking forward to spending the Summer in the beautiful PNW Paradise we have come to know as home. We invite you to join us, there will be camping space at Lammas, and all of the Greenman events. We hope to see you there.

Until then, I bless you that the Goddess holds you in her safe and nurturing embrace, that you have all that you need, that you are loved, and cherished, that you know your value, and feel good about the person you are and are becoming.

Blessed be.

The Balance on the Path

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Acorns are the fruit of the Oak tree.
Mighty hardwood which is holy to many cultures.
As a seed it is unlimited in its potential, a symbol of wisdom and wealth.

Crown is for loyalty and service. Not only does royalty rule, they also serve the public and I found it a very apt association to ministry work.

The Laurel wreath (bay leaves) was often given to represent Wisdom and strength in ancient Greece and Rome.

The red rose is tied closely to the Goddess of Love

The antlers represent the God and his masculinity.

This piece really represents a lot of how I see my path as a student in the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary. Balance between the Goddess and God can be seen in the roses and antlers. Wisdom, potential and loyalty is represented by the other pieces. This is a piece to celebrate the new beginning I am finding myself participating in.

Take a moment and look for the symbols in your world, what design would you create

and why?

Witches in the News

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

While Paganism is typically a quiet, closed community that doesn't attract much media attention, occasionally something will happen that brings out the media in droves.

Let's be honest with ourselves here. Paganism does not get the best media coverage. It's easy to point a finger at journalists and say "Do your job better!" but there are things that Pagans can do to help this process along.

Having gotten a bachelor's degree in journalism from Western Washington University, I might be able to shed some light on how Pagans can start to see more accurate coverage that goes deeper than "What is Wicca? What is Paganism?"

There are two major types of coverage that you'll be dealing with - breaking news and human interest.

For breaking news coverage, often there isn't time for a journalist to have done their research before doing interviews. Be prepared for "obvious" questions (e.g. Do you worship Satan?). For these situations, it's best to answer briefly and redirect the conversation to the news at hand. (e.g. No, we do not. We're here at the courthouse today because...)

For human interest pieces, the journalist should have done their research before coming out for interviews. If they ask obvious questions like that, respectfully question them on how much research they've done on the topic before coming out to talk to you. Don't tolerate the interview about your upcoming event or Sabbat focusing on how Pagans don't worship Satan or eat babies. The contents of the interview will reflect the end piece. If they spend five minutes on the event and 30 on Wiccans not believing in Satan, expect a piece that doesn't focus on your event at all.

On the flip side, expect questions about spelling or even offer it up before they ask (e.g. We're celebrating the God Lugh - that's L-U-G-H.) Offer additional contacts and be available for followup questions and fact-checking. Also, make your title clear. Are you a Reverend, Lord/Lady, a High Priest(ess), etc?

After the interview, be prepared for follow-up questions via email or phone, or be prepared for the copy-desk to call you to confirm facts/quotes/spellings.

Once it's published, be sure to read it carefully and send it to other Pagans. If there is a mistake contact the outlet's corrections department as soon as possible about it. Ask that they update the online version and run a print correction if it ran in the physical paper. This is standard procedure when a mistake happens - and mistakes do happen. Let them know you're reading - and reading closely.

On a larger level, contact the Associated Press about their style guide. Ask them to clarify that Paganism should be capitalized if Christianity is and that Goddess should be if God is. Make it clear that you want equal representation.

Until these are implemented into the AP Style Guide, it's up to the reporters and editors and not much can be done regarding the discrepancies.

As always, be respectful, but it's time to start demanding more coverage than the basics.

A Message from a Unique Shaman

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I was at a festival in Missouri last week and a young man who was autistic kept coming up to me and asking the same question. Now at first glance this didn’t seem that important. However, here recently I have been looking into mental illness and how it has been misunderstood by modern western medicine. Since our Church, Southern Delta Church of Wicca – ATC, as part of our community service has applied and going to be accepted as the local Chapter in NE Arkansas for NAMI, (National Association of Mental Illness) we have been looking at Mental Illness from a spiritual point of view.

In the olden days in most tribal cultures a mentally ill person was considered gifted or a Shaman not yet fully born. In our society they are looked upon differently as “Not Normal” so to speak. So they are shunned and carted off to be medicated because they are a burden on society and more often than not treated as someone to be pitied. There is a great article by Doctor Madidoma Patrice Some’, a shaman of the Dagar people of Africa. He says that a person with mental illness signals “Good news from the other world” because a person with mental illness is a “Healer trying to be born” for the betterment of the community. For further reading here’s the link to the article: http://earthweareone.com/what-a-shaman-sees-in-a-mental-hospital/

I’ve always believed this and believe it even more now after having a special message given to me by one of these powerful individuals. During the festival he kept asking a question I did not know anything about. And he kept calling me, “Mr. Old Druid.” I was teaching at the Festival on how Wicca is moving into a new era and how our clergy needed to be trained not only in coven structure; but Church structure as well. I was also pointing out how we as Wiccans needed to be more proactive publicly, politically and promote the Faith as a religion of honor, integrity and dignity equal to other major faiths of the World. Now admittedly, I have caught flack over the years from some Wiccans who don’t see my point of view, probably even some who attended the festival. But I always end these talks with an analogy: “The religion of Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the United States, because it’s changing and growing. It’s like a Caravan that’s moving on. In the old days when caravans began to move there were always dogs running alongside the wagons barking. These dogs will continue to bark, not realizing they have a choice. They can jump on the caravan and ride it with us or stand there and bark, but the caravan is going to move on. What we have to explain to them is the fact that we are not leaving them behind. The fact is they’re choosing not to go with us.”

BREAKING: Pierre Claveloux ‘Pete Pathfinder’ Davis has passed away.

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Today at 6pm Pacific Time, Pierre Claveloux ‘Pete Pathfinder’ Davis was taken across the veil. He was surrounded by loved ones, and went peacefully in his bed. Today, on our most holy day, when the barrier between the Worlds was at its thinnest, and on the 35th anniversary of the founding of his life’s work, The Aquarian Tabernacle Church; our Grandmother Hekate, Patron Goddess of our Order came across and brought home with her one of her most devoted sons. Founder of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church, Panegyria Magazine, Spiral Scouts, The Pagan Information Network, and Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary, Petes contribution to Wicca, and Pagan rights can never be overstated. From prison ministries, to Veterans rights, and his ability to standardize our faith through the Government, Petes legacy, and the freedoms enjoyed from his actions will be felt throughout the duration of Wicca on Earth.

Pete Pathfinder: Born on Ostara, 1937. Crossed into the Summerlands on Samhain, 2014.

Please hold your phone calls until Nov. 2nd and give the family and church time to grieve. If you would like to post your condolences for the time being, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/ATCIntl

The ATC’s Journey to the Underworld

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

They say that when we start playing with all these myths, and writing rituals, and sharing mysteries, that we often don’t know where that path will lead. At Spring Mysteries Festival every year, the Aquarian Tabernacle Church puts on Paganism’s only annual passion play, the Eleusinian Mysteries. If you’ve never been, Spring Mysteries Festival is the ONE pagan pilgrimage that you really owe it to yourself to find the money to attend. If you were in Greece 3000 years ago, you would save up and make the pilgrimage to Eleusis. If those mysteries were still going on in Greece today, we would all be saving up for a plane ticket and accommodations to experience the story of Great Mother and Holy Daughter and learn the mysteries imparted at the ancient altars of Eleusis.

Those mysteries are still going on today. They are alive and well in Seattle, Washington. Well, off the coast of Washington, over on the sound, but you’d fly into Seattle. The festival is held every year on Easter Weekend. If you haven’t been, you absolutely owe it to your soul to come and experience when the Gods Walk the Earth. My first year was one where they kept saying, “These mysteries will change you.” I kept thinking, “Yeah, it will totally change all these other people. Not me. I mean, Persephone is my patron. I teach these mysteries and perform similar rituals at my own coven. So, I won’t be changed. But, yeah – all these other people are in for a ride.” Oh, the arrogance of a Leo child. Oh, was I ever wrong.

On Friday, at Parade to the Sea, when the Gods appeared as if from nowhere, Tears began leaking from my eyes and would not stop. I was looking at Athena. Not someone dressed as Athena, but ATHENA! There was ARES! There was HERMES! There was the Great Mother and the Holy Daughter! Tears stream down my face whenever I think of it. That amazing moment touched me forever. I cried the rest of the day. Not sobs, just a continuous stream of tears. I was home.

I joined the church as an affiliate leader. I adored Pete, and talked with him often. I worried about him being up at the Tab by himself. Dusty encouraged me to start calling Pete every Tuesday to stave off Pete’s loneliness. After asking him if I could help with anything every week for about 6 months, he decided to offer me the Seminary. I was thinking more along the lines of writing an article for Panegyria. But, we worked it out and it wasn’t soon before he presented me with the prospect of taking his place as Archpriest. Archpriest? Or Archpriestess? Uh…

I often think, how silly that there has been so much pain over a gender issue. But this one thing, me being a woman and not a nan, caused a rippling impact in our church that plummeted us into our own group journey into the Underworld. Oh, there were many other issues that rippled from this one. So many, that we could not contain them all, or even sort them out. Pain, hurt, anger, fear, and confusion brought gossip and tall tales which villainized our beloved leaders, or martyrd them depending on where your opinion landed. The church that we knew, loved, and built our spiritual family in was torn in two, like the Great Mother and Holy Daughter, only in your face – up close and personal.

The Mysteries seems so romantic when told in an afternoon, or over a period of a few days, when you can see the pattern clearly and all ends happily ever after. But, when it’s happening to you personally, it’s dark, hard, cold, and depressing, with no end in site. Why witches think the Underworld is a cool place to go see is beyond me, even though I too romanticize the journey. The reality of experiencing death, whether in the loss of a person, or in the loss of anything, it hurts. Oh yeah, it changes you, but it hurts like Hades too.

You’re this way because these are the choices you willingly made. To change, the Goddess sometimes has to make choices for you. Ones that you wouldn’t make. Lessons of the Dark Goddess suck! But, they are necessary, and they do often take you to your goals.

We ritualize and explain this over and over. The Lessons of the Dark Mother are upon you when you’re angry at the path, when you don’t understand, when you don’t know, but have judged, when you think someone or something is WRONG. We know it’s a time to reflect and look within. It’s a time to consider other choices. It’s a time to change within. It’s not a time to attack others, but more often than not, in our pain, that’s what we do. That’s what Demeter did. She couldn’t help it. She blighted the earth. Maybe because she was mad. But, probably because she was in so much pain she couldn’t help it. It takes happiness and love to make something fertile. It takes happiness and love to go to work everyday, to feed your family, to nurture your children. It takes happiness and love to keep getting up every morning and doing what you have to do.

We were all real complacent with the ATC and what it was doing. Things seemed Utopian from the outside, like Camelot, or maybe Avalon. When it came to our realization that Pete and Debbie were not going to go on forever, and change was upon us, it plunged all of us into Demeter’s state of losing our own personal Holy Daughter, the church we all loved, nurtured, and put a ton of our sacred energy into.

How has it changed us? How will we come through this? The fear, the anger, the pain – it has touched us all. All of us have sacrificed. All of us have lost something important to us. None of us got what we wanted – not Pete, not Debbie, not me, not you. But now that we haverecognized that we are walking the Eleusinian Mysteries as a church, what do we do with that?

Release judgement, for one thing. Release the fear. Forgive everyone that hurt you. Forgive yourself for being hurt. Forgive the path for being hard. Forgive the Goddess for giving us what we need to grow and transform. Forgive the church for being part of the cycle that it has taught to the world for 30 years.

Remember this story ends in love, and get back to it.

How do you do that? Well, you say it, you write it, you declare it to others. Then you fill that void with gratitude. You look at what good has come of it. You look at what you learned. You remember the good times, and those you loved, and you reconnect with them. You vow to continue to be ever loving, ever growing, ever changing, ever lasting.

Eleusis. It’ll change you.

Life is Like a Video Game: Civilization Medical Skill Tree Edition

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

A number of you have been to my workshop “Life is Like a Video Game: Dont Forget to Level Up.” If you haven’t, do not fret. The concept is simple, and we will delve a bit into it in this article. For those that HAVE been through my workshop please take notes, or print this page out for your records.

Sid Meiers Civilization is a dynamic turn based video game where you run the world, and attempt to fashion the future by controlling the past. You are able to control so many aspects of the game: The tech that is learned, the religion that is practiced, the intrigue that occurs between states, the medicine that is practiced, the food that is eaten, and myriad other specifics. One thing often leads to another as you level up, just like the real world. In video games this is often represented by a “Skill Tree,” a ladder of abilities to be unlocked in order. You have to make a spear before you can make an arrow. You need an arrow before you make a crossbow. Crossbow before firearm, and up, and up.

So as you apply points to a field of study, you unlock different abilities. As I unlock stone masonry, I evolve from being able to build a fence, to a house, to roadways, and eventually all the way to creating fine works of art that require fine, stone sculpture, detail. Never would David have been carved if we had not refined the tools of stone masonry to a fine point. Donatello never would have existed as an artist without man first creating the stone ax.

So now that we understand that different skills are unlocked as we gain more experience in an area of study, we can talk about the skill tree I want to talk about, today: Medicine. There are many different branches to the Skill tree that is ‘Medicine’. Some nations of people have decided to put their skill points into very different studies. Let’s say you are a nation that started their journey to medicine through the Herbal Skill Tree learning the plants of the forest, and their properties, you slowly but surely put points into Herbal knowledge. You began learning that the “spirit” of the plants you were using to heal people could be isolated through heat, or combining them with other plants, and that eventually brought rise to making true Medicine. Now that that you have unlocked the skill tree for Medicine through Herbalism, your options in medicine look unique to how you got there.

I’ll explain further. Now you are a part of a Nation that uses prayer to navigate your reality. You pray for everything, and through your prayer, and spiritual study, you begin finding correlations between people sicknesses and their experiences. You just stepped onto Medicine’s skill tree, again, only this time you got there through prayer. Now the options that are available for you down the Medicine path are much different than the ones that were down the path that arrived there through Herbalism. Where Herbalism’s path had unlockables like “Tincture,” “Salve,” and “Inoculation,” Prayers path has unlockables like “Diet,” “Massage,” “Acupuncture,” and “Therapy.”

In Western Culture we have unlocked many, many upgrades in our Medical skill tree. Western Medicine is good for many, many, things. We have learned to reset a bone. We have learned how to identify, remove, and rehabilitate cancer. We have learned about blood borne illnesses. We have regrown body parts on the backs of mice. We have taken someone’s face off, and put a new one on them. We have learned how to lengthen someones appendages. We have learned how to replace almost every part of a persons body, and are nearing a tech level the likes that they believe they could successfully transplant a head from one body to another.

Yes, we also have medicines, and therapy, and dieting knowledge. We have very much worked at rounding out or medical knowledge, world-wide, by adopting and learning from what everyone else has learned. But there is one school of Medicine that Western Culture chose to walk, that the others did not, in their pursuit of conquering death.

“I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!”

I know. Mind Blown, but it’s true. We are currently sitting very close to the top of the Necromancy Medical Skill Tree. The Western Medical system started 500 years ago through “scientists” digging up dead bodies and doing experiments on them. Even Leonardo DaVinci helped further the skill tree. His drawings of hands, feet, eyes, bones, and all manner of human parts were drawn off of cadavers that he himself dissected. Grave robbers were paid by clandestine scientific communities, “fallen monks,” and selfproclaimed geniuses to bring them the freshly dead from recent burials — some as fresh as having been buried that day. People were cut apart, labeled, placed in jars of chemicals, sewn together, pulled back apart, cataloged, and then disposed of so as to not get caught. We created Grey’s Anatomy. Only a culture that had an infallible knowledge of a cut up body could have created such a work. Only a medical community borne of these beginnings could know that there are cells in a discarded fetus that could lead to a literal panacea for disease and defects. It’s why Western Medicines main concern is “Staving off Death” and not “Curing Disease”. They were never trying to cure disease, they have forever been trying to conquer death.

Does this make Western Medicine evil? No more so than the Prayer Tree. People died, and die every day because of faith healing. Herbalism leads to the Poison Skill Tree, which is a whole different kind of nasty. No, todays lesson is about helping you learn how the world runs parallel to the way games have been set up. Or are games so well made that they mimic the way life evolves? The answer is Yes. The world is a giant video game. Life is a giant video game. You might as well be a Player Character riding an avatar on a single quarter. Some people know this and are playing the hell out of their edition of Real Life. Some of us think there is no rhyme or reason, and we’re just spinning around in circles, wasting our bullets.

I wanted to show you that life isn’t like one video game. It’s like all of them. This version shows you how it compares to the classic Civilization games, or Diablo, or Borderlands, or any number of games that have a progressive skill tree system. But there are plenty of times that life is a Platformer, or a Role Playing Game, Racing Game, Point and Click Adventure, Dating SIM, and every other type under the sun. We made them that way because it’s how we see life.

When I see these things, as a child of the 80’s, 90’s, and Millennium, I can’t help but notice how much our culture mirrors the games that I grew up with. It occurs to me that the people beginning to run the world are the very people who are the first generation to grow up on video games. Like me. It might seem like something out a superhero origin story, or a Max Headroom-esque future where the lines between media and reality are blurred. but it is this very reason that we need to learn how to juxtaposition the two within us, so that this new reality can become useful, instead of a hindrance. The more we relate concepts within our mind, the more neural pathways we create in our brain, and the more readily we can break down the universe around us.

I want to help with this transition.

I want to bring light to the new age of man that we are moving into: Homo Luminous.

And so I have given you one more piece to help fill out that neural net; that the Medical Skill Tree in Western Culture is Necromantic.

Life is a Video Game. Dont forget to level up.

Book Review: A Field Guide to Otherkin

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Otherkin are people who have memories of living lives as beings other than human. Being Otherkin can occur multiple ways, as discussed in the first chapter which is dedicated to their “sources” (reincarnation and walk-ins) the psychology of the phenomena, which sets up the book and gives a good working definition.

The middle chapters were the most interesting part of the book, in my opinion. These chapters contain explanations on the different types of Otherkin. Lupa–The author–includes chapters on Therianthropes which are animals that are on earth, Vampires, Elves and Fey, and Mythological Animals. There is also a chapter on more obscure types of Otherkin; such as Angels, Demons and Kitsune. Her chapter on Therianthropy is much more fleshed out than the other “types” chapters because she herself is a wolf Therianthrope.

There is a group of Otherkin that emerged that is not in the book; God Shards. A group of which I am a part.This group includes those that connect with a specific deity in such a way that while they were not the god in a past life, a large part of their soul is made up with that God’s energy. When I saw they were missing I was a little disappointed. However in the afterward Lupa stated that we may continue to send her filled out surveys and that she isn’t opposed to writing another book.

The book was written and published in 2007 . The content of the book is based on the 130 survey responses that she received. There is now a large congregation of Otherkin on Tumblr and I feel that if she were to rewrite the book today, she could receive many more surveys from which to work with. She includes the raw data that she received in the appendix of the book, I just wish that she included graphs, because my brain is not very numbers oriented and I had trouble visualizing the result.

I really enjoyed this book; however, she did lose me at the last two chapters. Her voice changed and it became less interesting. I felt she became wishy-washy and it was frustrating to read. For example the section headers change from: “Definition, Identity and Belief” and “Pop Culture Lycanthropy” to “It’s okay to have your head in the clouds as long as your feet are planted firmly on the ground.” I felt her book of facts devolved into personal opinion and lost its authoritative value.

Lupa felt very strongly that this book was simply an overview and was in no way shape or form a definitive work, and for that reason she has taken it off the market. On amazon.com the book can be purchased used and starts at $90. On amazon.uk the book used starts at £90. It’s a shame that the book is no longer on the market because I believe it could be very helpful to many ‘kin.

I give this book 4 out of 5 paws.

We were blessed to have Lupa weigh in on our interview.

Lupa’s Note: First of all, thank you for the kind review; I agree with the overall assessment, and I’m glad it’s still getting some traction even now.

It’s been almost eight years since this book was published; it’s been coming up on two years since I had it permanently taken out of print. I went into more detail as to why on my old blog at http://therioshamanism.com/2013/04/02/letting-go-of-therianthropy-for-good/ , but here’s the short version:

–I haven’t identified as a therian for a long time now. It took me a while to admit that because so many people looked to me as something of a role model—or at least the person who wrote the book on Otherkin. If I was going to let people down, I wanted to do so gently. Mind you, that doesn’t invalidate other people’s sense of self; it’s just not the paradigm that fits my own relationship with Wolf any more, and hasn’t fit for years.

–The book is flawed. It has errors, the sample size is relatively tiny, it needed better editing, and there are people out there who could write a better book now. This sort of mini-community evolves quickly, and so the Field Guide has been out of date for some time. I am not the person to write a better resource; maybe someone else will step up.

–I’m tired of talking about Otherkin. For years it was all anyone ever wanted to interview me on or ask me about. I’ve long since moved on from the subject; truth be told, I was burned out before I even finished the manuscript. I’ve solo-written four books since then, and have signed a contract for a fifth. I want to talk about what I’m doing now, not the project I worked on the better part of a decade ago. I want to talk about my current work with totems and nature spirituality. I want to talk about my hide and bone artwork, and the cabinets-of-curiosity-themed arts festival I run. I want to talk about the Tarot of Bones, the natural history-themed divination set I’m designing.

If you want to see what I’m up to these days, check out http://www.thegreenwolf.com and http://www.thetarotofbones.com

A journey 9 years in the making by Elizabeth Davis, Priestess of Athena

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This journey began at my first SMF 9 years ago – at least I think it was nine!

I dedicated to Athena as I was beginning a journey back into the world of knowledge, because that was the aspect I knew her as the best.

Over the next many SMFs I rededicated to her most years. The times I thought I needed to dedicate to other Gods or Goddesses I was declined, most often being told their path was not the one for me. Two years ago I felt an overwhelming calling. Not one to move hastily, I meditated on the calling for the weekend, right up to the time of shrine visits.

I dedicated that evening to Athena for life, pledging to keep and follow her ways always.

I felt connected and wished I could one day find the courage to stand as the priestess of Athena in her shrine.

When the chance to be a part of SMF this year was offered to me, I jumped on it with a ‘hellz yeah!’, not knowing what I was in for.

When I learned it could be for my patron goddess I was elated, once I definitely knew I would be the priestess of Athena my heart swelled with honour.

I was certain I knew so much about her, but as I researched deeper into who and what she was I realized I had only seen the tip of the iceberg.

I knew one thing – I needed to figure out what what aspect of Athena I wanted to present. She had SO many that making a choice was causing anxiety. So I did what any good pagan would do: I meditated.

I did a series of water meditations and connected with Her.

The same word kept flashing like a neon sign, the same connection to each aspect: Civilization. She IS the Goddess of Civilization and I knew that was the aspect I was going to present. It embodies everything that she is and will connect with any and all petitioners to her shrine.

I am enjoying the journey, the knowledge, and the subtle changes her energy is infusing into my own life. I am excited, though still quite scared to be doing something so completely out of my comfort zone.

She has told me, though, this is the first step towards true courage. Hear me roar!

Mysteries Within the Mysteries by Mary Malinski, Priestess of Demeter

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This is my third year having the honor of being a Priestess of the Mysteries. Each year has brought its own challenges and blessings. Each year has helped me to grow as a priestess and as a person.

I have resonated with Demeter my whole life. She’s the Great Mother, and that archetype has been prominent for me for as long as I can remember. In the past I have always met her in her bright aspect – abundant and nurturing.

Doing this work involves meeting her dark aspects – depression, anger, rage and grief. I alternately want to be with people, to snuggle my children and be loved, or stay in bed, cry, and throw myself a pity party.

For the most part, I am able to segment my life. At work, I can be focused on the task before me, and Demeter is quiet, content to be alone with her mourning. She speaks up at odd times, often to make a point or to underscore her experience.

As I make my journey to rehearsals, though, She makes Her presence known. Her energy is strong, powerful, and it is more challenging to separate what is mine and what is Hers. She wants to be heard, and She knows the time is near. Her daughter is returning, and then She can truly come alive once again.

Working with Demeter has pushed me to a deeper understanding of Her Mysteries. I’ve attended the Mysteries for many years, and I know the myth. I’ve had some insights over the years. I thought I understood. She laughs at me now. “You will understand.”

A Moment of Dissociation by Mary Malinski, Priestess of Demeter

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The other evening my husband grabbed some Pom juice out of the refrigerator, and with a huge grin asked, “Care to join me in a toast to your daughter?”

I looked at him confused for a moment. We have three sons. I don’t have any daughters.

Then Demeter spoke up in my mind, directing her comment to my husband. “F@$% you. That’s not funny.”

Demeter has no sense of humor when Kore is away.

My husband laughed, and Demeter sulked.

I, on the other hand, found my own confusion most humorous.

Earth Moves into Galactic Spring

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

2012….

We lived through a year that was to be the end of the world….

We have since lived in three years of time that many thought would not exist. We live in a time that was foretold in antiquity, though we did not all agree on what this change was, or was supposed to look like. Many would be scholars shouting anonymously from the pages of the internet, and established minds with doctorates and degrees have theories on what the end of the Mayan Calendar would mean.

All they really had to do was ask the Mayans.

Mayan descendants; those charged with keeping the knowledge of their past and charged with guiding their people into the future, knew. They even told us. We kept holding on to an “end of times” prophecy, but the truth was much more magical:

“It will be the start of a new era resulting from and signified by the solar meridian crossing the galactic equator and the Earth aligning itself with the center of the galaxy.”

o_O

But what does it mean?!

Now that we are here, at this point in the story, we can start to really tell it. Let’s start with this part: “[…] signified by the solar meridian(Our Sun) crossing the galactic equator” That’s exciting! even though I knew that the whole Galaxy rotated around a perceived super massive black hole, I never really grokedthe magnitude of it until 2012, and the revelations of the Mayan Elders. Our Sun was, is and has always been moving around the center of the Galaxy in the same manner that Earth rotated around it. This might not seem like a big deal, but let’s talk about the possible ripples of this statement. “Hear what isn’t said”, and all that.

So what I heard that wasn’t said was this: We are moving into Galactic Spring. Many people understand that we, as a planet, move through ‘Ages.’ The most modernly notable reference is probably “The Dawning of Aquarius” song from the 70’s. We are just now moving into said age. They also move backwards from our planetary movements. So the movement is opposite from Pisces moving to Aries to herald spring, and is instead Pisces moving into Aquarius to herald spring. Each age lasts around 2000 years. We are moving out of Pisces, and before that we were in the Age of Aries. So: The entire 2000 years that people have been worshiping Jesus, the planet has been in the age of Pisces, hence all of the Jesus Fish! Before that we were in the age of Aries, which is why Moses is our hero, and the sacrificial lamb was important. Before that it was Taurus, and their veneration of the Golden Calf. I see a pattern. Those 3 ages equal around 6000 years. That means that the written history of man, which is supposedly sometime around 3000 BCE, only takes up 3 ages and those 3 ages have been comprised entirely out of Galactic Winter. Our current age of Aquarius is symbolized by two lines zigzagging in harmony. Many of us in my community believe this means Science and Metaphysics moving parallel, and working to prove each other.

This is where I started to think about spring. The nature of spring is a wonderful time of rebirth, growth, babies, and the reemergence of the sleeping creatures of the Earth. In some places the world goes so deep into sleep that nothing moves, grows, or does anything close to flourishing. Someone who was not experienced with the full gamut of seasons on Earth might be confused by their emergence.

Let’s imagine that you crash land on an alien planet. When you exit your craft, there is nothing but cold and barren wastes of snow. There isn’t anything alive anywhere. You have shown up on a planet in the heart of it’s winter, but you have no idea that it is indeed, winter. You live on said planet for a long time. You mine, you harvest soil, and you plod along finding the minimal resources that this planet seems to have to help you survive. One day you wake up, and it is different outside. Maybe its warmer, maybe it’s raining, maybe it’s any number of things to show you that something is different with the environment than the rest of the time that you have been planet side. After a day or two, you find something you have never seen before. a beautiful delicate plant that is growing with a beautiful shock of blue, purple, and orange. You almost lose yourself in the beauty and sheer mind boggling wonder of this new thing that has just appeared out of nowhere. First the environment started changing, now this flower is growing, and…wait! Was that movement?!?! Did something just move? You wait and look for whatever may have moved. Nothing has moved the entire time you’ve been here. Just as you have this thought, a flock of flying somethings fly over your head. As you look up, the thing you have been waiting to see move, scampers off away from you before you can scan for it. You had no way to conceptualize that this planet might have a hibernation season, or ANY seasons at all for that matter. You are now left with this revelation, in this place that you thought you knew so well, as it wakes up into spring.

What would that be like? An alien coming here during winter and thinking it’s a barren cold wasteland, and then one day everything melts and it becomes green, and they see a bear. I think that would be disconcerting at worst, and mind-blowingly rapturous at best. You would suddenly know that everything you could see was only a fraction of that which was. It would be an instant acknowledgment of somethingbigger than the world you knew to exist.

We may get a chance to find out.

In Wicca we have a saying “As Above, So Below”. We know that everything that exists on a microcosmic level, also exists on a macrocosmic level as well. So anything and everything we can observe on a cellular level can be found on a terrestrial level and onwards to being found on a cosmic level in some way.

Now that you have read all of that, here is the question I pose: What is going to happen to our Galaxy now that we are entering spring? This author’s opinion is we have already started to see it. We as humans have a deep-seeded memory of a fantastic existence. Each of us have similar feelings: we should be able to fly, jump really high, be really strong, run fast, commune with animals, breathe underwater, and any number of fantastic things that we just know we should be able to do. Maybe you even fought with your parents because they told you you couldn’t fly, and to get off the roof? Maybe you jumped into a pool at a young age because you KNEW you could breathe in there, and were certain your feelings were right, and everyone telling you otherwise was wrong? It’s my opinion that we most likely have, had and will again have these abilities. Magical people have been awakening in droves, and within them magics of a very real and tangible nature have been growing like the tendrils of young plants.

The first things that come back in the spring are the early flowers and spring grasses, here on Earth. Each of these plants knows that it is time to awaken, and they get there first, paving the way for others. They don’t know why. They just feel the pull, and they push up through the harshest of the climates because they have to. This is us. This is the magical community that has been existing for the past 500 years. (growing in earnest for the last 50) We are the young shoots that are feeling the pull of the galactic spring that is upon us. The magical community gets stronger every day. We notice our magic being stronger, our numbers getting bigger. Children from all walks of life are finding the energies of the universe that we call “Gods” and are refusing to lose the spark they are given at birth, just because the hold overs from the Piscean Age say they don’t have it. That magic isn’t real.

With that being said, wouldn’t it be fantastic to find out that Earth is in the middle of a galactic dragon migration route? Or that we will discover that life does grow, like a vine, or moss, or carpet of grass, in the infinity of open space? Will we find out that our hearts long for a time of fantastic adventures, hidden cities, and great magics because in a time before the written word, we had exactly that? Will we find that our belief in great Gods and powerful forces comes from the times immortal when they are awake, and are interacting with the little blue planet that exists in their great awakened garden of the Gods? That man kind thinks it is alone in the cosmos, simply because we have been asleep so long, that we have forgotten our place in the universe?

I hope so.

More than Persephone’s Mom by Mary Malinski Priestess of Demeter

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Demeter and Persephone. Demeter and Kore. You can’t have one without the other, can you?

The two are forever entwined in the Mysteries and mythology. Their identities are so thoroughly intertwined that Demeter loses her mind with grief when Kore is abducted. She is no longer herself when she blights the Earth – her identity vanished along with the Holy Daughter.

And yet she wasn’t always Persephone’s mom. She had a life and identity before (and after) she was a mother.

Second born of Rhea and second swallowed by Kronus, Demeter played a role in the overthrowing of the Titans, and again in the uprising of the Gigantes, she was called khrysaoros, Lady of the Golden Sword.

She was known as a Giver of Law – Ovid tells us in Metamorphoses,

"…she first gave corn and crops to bless the land; she first gave laws; all things are Ceres’ [Demeter’s] gift."
~Ovid, Metamorphoses 5. 341 ff (trans. Melville)

Demeter of the Golden Tresses is a woman beautiful and desirable in her own right. She had a lover, the hero Iaison. Hesiod tells us,

"Demeter, bright goddess, was joined in sweet love with the hero Iasion in a thrice-ploughed fallow in the rich land of Krete, and bare Ploutos (Wealth), a kindly god who goes everywhere over land and the sea’s wide back, and him who finds him and into whose hands he comes he makes rich, bestowing great wealth upon him."
~Hesiod, Theogony 969 ff (trans. Evelyn-White)

As a mother, I can relate to Demeter identifying herself by her child. When I think about how to describe myself, “mother” is one of the first words that comes to mind. After giving birth to three (amazing) boys, nursing them and changing their diapers and helping them to grow, it is hard to see myself as “desirable”, or even as separate.

So much of my life and my choices involve what I need to do to support them. They are constantly in my thoughts and plans for the future. I often sacrifice my own needs and desires to accommodate theirs.

And yet I wouldn’t want to live without them. I can’t imagine – I don’t even want to think about – the heart-wrenching grief of losing one (or all) of my children. Knowing mothers who have lost their children, it is a pain that never truly goes away.

Demeter is lucky, her child returns. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have had signs of spring since Imbolc. The Great Mother is ecstatic that her baby is coming home soon.

For Her, the cycle plays out year after year. For us living here on this Earth plane, we move through the cycles in more of a spiral, going deeper into our experience with each turn of the Wheel. We grow and change and learn.

I am a mother, and more than a mother. I get to experience the Great Mother’s loss of her child and her sense of self through Her Mysteries, so that I may learn and grow and build a stronger, more diverse sense of my own identity. I learn to make time to care for myself, and allow others to care for me, so that no one ending becomes catastrophic.

Thank you, Demeter, for sharing your lessons with me.

Just Die.

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Facing the abyss.

Nothingness.

All of your life’s works become … merely a memory; and now that active memory is dead.

You are now GONE.

The books which extolled your greatness rotted, the monuments eroded, the statues buried in sand. The very language used to describe your greatness now forgotten by whole societies.

The mist at the end of space and time embraces them all.

Now at last you are ready to meet me.

Charon. Ferryman of the dead. Ev’ry thing dead.

People, animals, plants, worlds, stars, galaxies, the known universe.

I do not care who or what you were.

I do not recognize any of that.

Passage will be paid.

Sex in the Craft

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The topic of this article and its contents are very important and sacred to me. Sex in the craft is a hot button, and I have some strong opinions on the matter. I am often asked about them. Some of you won’t agree with me, and that is okay. Some of you will agree with me, perhaps already having the same views as me. But by the end of this article, I hope you will at least have something to think about. I hope to let you see my true opinions on the subject, unabashed.

I am a Consort. I have grown on the path through the sacredness of having a teacher that was also my lover. It has been difficult. It has also been continually fulfilling since day one. Great priests who I know very well have been consorts. It is my belief that it is a sacred path, and that the training I have had is divine. So important is this part of the path, and so lost, that I have been invited to events strictly to speak on why my training has been so powerful, and what it has been like training under a powerful priestess, while also walking the Son/Lover/Consort mysteries. I have had the benefit of ten years of hands on training with a live-in priestess. Ten years of laying in bed and dissecting the universes of magick and possibility. I can’t help but know how wonderful my training has been. But don’t worry – I know everything isn’t love and light, everywhere. You will also hear my opinions on what I think is NOT okay. So strap in, and let’s take a ride through this one, and I hope to see you at the end.

Today we will be talking about sex, the craft, student-teacher relationships, and what does and doesn’t constitute using sex for nefarious purposes vs having consensual, adult sex.

Let’s jump right in. Sex is one of the best things ever. It can stand toe-to-toe with any single experience in the world, and it still has a fighting chance of being the better activity. It’s hard-wired into our systems to be one of our favorite things in the whole world. In fact, the act of having an orgasms is so important that studies have shown that the same centers that light up during orgasms, light up while we sleep. The pyramid of human needs even categorizes sex as a basic human need pertinent to survival. And in Wicca , it is one of the Eight Paths of Power – nestled right between the use of incense and dancing.

Sex is an integral part of a fertility religion.

Wicca is a fertility religion.

Ipso facto: Sex is an integral part of Wicca.

In modern magick we have tried to tell ourselves that the Great Rite just isn’t that important. Symbolize it, throw it into ritual to appease the Hard-Gard, move on.

The concept of sex within the craft itself has lost a large amount of favor due to the unsavory antics of leaders who abused their station. Like all things, a concept can be manipulated, twisted, tainted from its original purpose, and branded unsafe. We have people with “triggers,” rape victims, abuse victims, family of those who have been hurt from sexual encounters, and the well meaning but completely off-base pseudo-scholars who attempt to be the loudest voice on the subject. It is obviously a noble and powerful feeling to stand up for others, and against concepts that you may feel need a champion. Many of us, this author included, have people in their lives who have undergone abuse and want to help protect them. It takes a lot of courage to stand up and say that you think something is unfair.

Likewise, it is very, Very, VERY difficult to allow someone the freedom to live their life and to simply be there for them when it breaks down. It’s a learned skill to be able to understand that just because something has the power to be misused doesn’t mean it is bad. That even though something may be difficult for some people, that is their issue.

Wicca is a “teacher-to-student” spirituality. It is also a spirituality that puts the power of becoming a priest/ess into the hands of the people who worship. Wiccan Initiations have sometimes been referred to as a “Sexually Transmitted Degree.” This is because even when the sex is taken out of traditional degree elevation rituals, IT IS STILL SYMBOLIZED. Sex is so important to the understanding of projective and receptive energies coming together in the act of creation, that as much as some have tried to remove it from our worship, it is fundamentally entrenched. I would be willing to argue that it is more difficult to find someone that does not want a sexual partner in magic with whom they can delve into those mysteries than otherwise. Pagans come to the path because of their love of nature, longing to understand the human condition, belief in naturalistic energetics controlling the universes ebb and flow, and the desire to live outside the dogma of the Abrahamic religions. All of these things are what make Wicca a “Nature Based Fertility Religion.”

It’s a faerie tale of disillusionment, though. The hard working devoted seeker finally finds the teacher that suits them. The teacher works to empower the student, and peel away the programming that is based on shame, and victimization. The student evolves their perspective on life, finds their personal power, and becomes the God/dess that they are aspiring to become. Along the way the student has also sought to free themselves from sexual programming as well, and has come into contact with empowered, sexy, sacred, amazing, potential partners, only to have those partners be socially taboo ONLY BECAUSE they are also training to be magical. What kind of twisted discrimination is this?!? You want a magical partner, but everyone that you work magic with is off limits as a sexual AND/OR romantic partner SOLELY because you work magic with them. There is something mindlessly out of balance with this predicament.

It’s born from abuse. Many of the abused have the mind set that abuse can be situational, and if we remove the situation from the equation, then the abuse is far less likely to strike. That if we remove sex from the craft, if we make it taboo and against the rules, rules made up by some ambiguous group of witches that didn’t agree with the BOS, that the abusers wont be able to find a hold. That sounds like a beautiful idea. One that trades your freedom for security and your love for fear. You can lock down your world, but you will not stop the Universe from presenting you with the lessons you are destined to face – even if it means being confronted with an abuser.

It is a trap to make a blanket rule and restrict the world around you. It is far less abusive to deal with each instance individually. It takes more work. It takes more time. But when every instance is considered singularly on it’s own merits and flaws, then everyone gets a fair shake, and no one’s rights are stepped on in the name of universal “safety.” Universal Safety: A concept of which I believe to be a white knuckled response to fear, at best; or a dystopian horror dressed as a saving grace, at worst. When you remove the rights of one individual for the possible safety of another, especially when there is no actual law of the land in place, then you are acting in accordance with fascism. Literally an aggressive form of nationalism-like lockdowns placed atop an already accepted order of law. We have the Wiccan Laws. They are totally up to interpretation, the same as U.S. law – but they are there, and nowhere does it say not to have sex in the craft.

I was once sitting in a camper with a prominent Pagan leader. We shall call this person PL1. We were having a really great conversation. This person has been around for a long time, and has a great number of stories about other prominent Pagan leaders. One story in particular comes to mind. I was being regaled with a story of another prominent Pagan leader, and their beliefs on sex within a group. We shall call this person PL2. It should also be noted that neither of these leaders has ever been in any kind of embroilment over sexual discrepancies. Short and sweet it goes as follows:

PL2: “It’s very simple PL1, magick is an extremely intimate practice. The only way that you can create the bonds that are needed to truly work magick, is for you and every one of your coven mates to have sex with every one of your coven mates, every day.”
PL1: “PL2, I won’t tell anyone you’re crazy. But you’re f@%^#ng crazy! Not that I have any problem with sex, but I don’t have enough time in my day to have sex with everyone in my group.”

Case in point, sex has a long and sacred tradition within the Craft. Have people misused it? Yes, but people misuse “An Harm None” to harm MANY, and to control people. So the concept of “is it safe?” isn’t entirely appropriate in this author’s opinion, either. Anything can be used to hurt someone. The printing press, television, candy, lead, the atom, sex. There have been people who have taken sex and tainted its sacredness, even our own leaders.

It’s entirely understandable that some people don’t feel safe around the idea of sex being an active part of the craft. Those people have places to go and groups to join that share their same beliefs. Just like a recovering alcoholic has the option to join an Amethyst Group (quasi traditional name for Pagan Recovery Groups) so as to be sure of alcohol free worship. But the alcoholic doesn’t expect the world to stop drinking. They know that their addiction and their issues with it are their own. Most AA members know they can’t expect the world to spin on a different tilt just because they have had bad experiences on this one. It is just another form of abuse. One that looks on the outside like it is filled on the inside with good intentions.

But we know what they say about good intentions.

With all the fear and judgement surrounding sex in the craft, we subjugate and demoralize an entire path of power. We also shame and judge an entire group of people. Wicca teaches us that we should seek out a working partner/s. A partner/s whom we connect with on a level so deep, we can do magick with them. The bonds that the initiate makes with their teachers and coven-mates can be so strong that a theoretical coven-mates spouse, who is not in training, can sometimes feel threatened. This is without any talk of sexual intercourse.

Wicca, as with many of the non-Abrahamic faiths, teaches personal responsibility. That means that my experience is not dependent on your experience. It means that I am solely responsible for how the universe interacts with me.

Yes, I said that sentence correctly. I am responsible for how I interact with the universe, but I am solely responsible for how the universe interacts with me. Everything I do to others, and everything others have done to me is of my own creation. Yes, even the really, truly, horrific parts that seemed to happen TO me. It’s called Relative Truth. It means you get out of your experience what you need to. And your truth is not my truth, your truth is not hers, theirs hers, theirs, zir, xyr, eir, vis, nir, or his. Everyone experiences the world differently. The pain of those who have experienced sex as a weapon is very real.

The problem with blinding pain is that you stop being able to see how your pain is removing the rights of others. Why WOULDN’T someone want to remove all possibilities of sexual abuse out of Wiccan society? That sentence can also be read as, “You may not engage in activities that might bring you love, because these activities might also bring you pain,” or “You may not decide to learn from someone traditionally, because it makes people outside of your personal situation uncomfortable,” or even better, “I don’t want others to have what I can’t have, so I will say that no one can have it.”

I don’t get cookies so neither do you.

I am allergic to cookies, so you cant have any.

I’m scared of cookies, so it’s your responsibility to make me feel safe by getting rid of all cookies.

Well duckies, no one ever said the path is safe. Hard? Challenging? Takes faith? Makes us face our darkness? Isn’t for everyone? Is a fertility religion? Has sexual initiations? Has sexual rites? Doesn’t have hangups on the human body, or the expression of desire? Yes. It says the path is all of those things. It is a sacred thing when you find someone that you can share sex, magick, and learning with. Not everyone can do that.

It is a sacred thing to be a part of a society that isn’t ruled by the Middle Eastern Dogmas surrounding sex, faith, and shame. Am I telling you to have sex with your students? If your student is an adult, and they want to have sex with you, and you want to have sex with them, then it is the opinion of this author, based on reams of Pagan writings and history, that it is nobody else’s business. We aspire to be able to practice magick as it was meant to be, without shame, without hang ups, and without pressure.

Another comment that comes up is that a student and a teacher can’t have a fair relationship outside of circle. That the teacher already has an unfair hold over the student/lover. I can understand that trepidation. I would say in response that I am blessed with being a pirate. On a pirate ship, everyone was equal outside of a conflict. Additionally everyone had a job. And when it was time to work, everyone did their job. One of those jobs was captain. So, for me personally, there has always been a clear delineation between my girlfriend and my priestess. In the bedroom, at the store, at my mother’s house, at her mother’s house, at a lawn party, at the bar, in the car, and everywhere not associated with my training we are lovers and equals. When it is time for ritual, or I have overstepped myself in the realm of spiritual training, then I am the student and she is the teacher. But everyone is different. What works for me, might not work for you, and vice versa.

It may seem easier to make a rule for everyone to follow, but people deserve to be treated individually with each issue as it arises. In Australia they call it “Getting a fair rub.” Giving everyone a “fair rub” stops people making blanket statements that lock down the rights of the people in our communities. One guy gets in a drunken fight at festival. Ban alcohol for everyone?

Um…no.

Deal with the drunk. Don’t punish the whole for the few. Really, don’t punish anyone at all. It’s not our jobs to punish people. It’s our job as Wiccans to help elevate our brothers and sisters into the realm of personal responsibility. Make the few responsible for their actions, individually.

I DO have a strong opinion for why someone should not have sex with a student, or within the craft. It goes as follows and I will format it in such a way as to simulate the intensity of my feelings over this situation:

It is COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE/ABUSIVE to hold someone’s training as a carrot in front of themFORCING them to sleep with you IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR DEGREES and/or CONTINUED ACCEPTANCE in the circle. If you make someone feel like they can’t train unless they sleep with you, then you are ABUSING YOUR POSITION, AND THE PERSON.

That being said, people break up. Things become unworkable between people. Getting in a sexual relationship with anyone is risky business. You start dating a guy in your social circle, you break up, and then you all of the sudden don’t feel comfortable around that social circle, precipitating you finding a new group of friends. The same thing can happen in a circle.

Too often we associate “pain” with “abuse,” but they are worlds apart. Pain and Change take up the same part of the brain. This makes change hurt, sometimes. Hurt makes us think of abuse. And so we associate change with abuse. People break up. Things change. Abuse is introduced when you start trying to control other people with pain. Abuse is introduced when you act without considering others feelings, or the impact your actions will have on them.

Like making blanket rules that all love and pleasure between members of a fertility religion, is wrong.

And so in summary, I would first like to say “Thank you.” You made it to the end of this article! I appreciate your diligence. If you didn’t read the whole thing, and you just want the TL:DR version (That means ‘too long: didn’t read’ for those not in the know), then I will summarize my opinion. Consensual sex amongst consenting adults in a fertility religion that was born of teaching its mysteries through sexual rites is not only appropriate, but desirable. Will everyone find it? No. It is closer to something to strive for, rather than an energy to be feared. Abuse stems from intent. If your intent is to subjugate wide eyed seekers into sexual conquests, or find short cuts to your degree by sexually manipulating your teacher, you will soon find out why that is a bad idea. If you have been abused by someone like that, my heart goes out to you and I wish you healing.

If you have found someone to share the most sacred mysteries of the waters, and the secret of the wine of life, and the cauldron of Cerridwen which is the holy grail of immortality, then blessings be upon you as well, and let naught stop you or turn you aside. For behold: all acts of love and pleasure are Her rituals.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church Outlines Wiccas New Rights under the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

It has come to the attention of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) that a new law known as The Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act has been passed by the Senate with an overwhelming majority, and is on its way to the House with hopes to pass just as easily. It is the firm belief of the ATC as one of the largest Wiccan bodies in the world, and the only Wiccan church with an Umbrella 501(c)3 legal status to create affiliate churches, that to help with the states transition to a more church-valued existence we should make it clear and easy to recognize the new rights of all Wiccans within your state.

We thank the state of Georgia for its forward thinking and dedication to religious freedom. It has been a reality long-held by Wiccans that the laws did not extend far enough toward our own exercise of religion [50-15A-2. line 71] to be truly encompassing of our freedom to worship. The original Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as passed by our illustrious president Bill Clinton, was a landmark move that opened the door for minority religions, and small local churches to have more safety to worship within their communities than ever before. This new bill will create sweeping changes that will open the doors for the Wiccans within Georgian communities to worship, work, and LIVE their religion to its fullest.

The first course of action will be to itemize line by line, with bill precedents, the new rights of the Wiccans in state.[15-23]

Multi-Partner Wiccan relationships in Georgia (known communally as Polyamorous relationships) will now have legal right to marry. [43-49] Marriage is a religious institution. A uniting of souls before the almighty. It is also a way to legitimize heirs. Many Wiccans live in multi-partner households, and until now have been unable to realize their religious right to marry the partners they are in love with. Many of these partnerships have children from multiple partners all living under the same roof. SB 129 has now opened the way for those children to all be under family insurance/health plans, as outlined in lines [22-23]. And if lines [34-35] hold true to their intent, then the least restrictive means of enforcing this change, is a simple revision to existing policy.

(1a) The government (as defined within lines [77-83] of SB 129) will of course make the small changes needed to the tax code to allow for multi-spouse filing. As stated in lines [34-35] “Courts have consistently held that government has a fundamental, overriding interest in eradicating discrimination” and Government as defined above includes “[79-80] every department, agency, board, bureau, office, commission, authority, or similar body thereof.” Ipso facto, with SB 129 in place, it would be the burden of the tax bureaus to create a tax code that no longer infringes upon the rights of Wiccan Multi-Spousal Families. It will also allow for the abolition, or a general exemption of all cohabitation laws that may still be present, and effecting unmarried couples with children from separate marriages.
Wiccans have been, and will always be, a nature based community. Our followers feel an intrinsic connection to the Earth, and the plants and animals that dwell upon it. Historically our followers have been ‘Wortcrafters’ (Using plants in our practice and healing), ‘Wise Women’, ‘Sage Men’, and ‘Witch Doctors’. We have always been ones to learn about the sacred mysteries of plants and animals. Their healing properties, and the use of their parts as ‘fetishes,’ totems, and components is well documented through literature and academic works too numerous to list here. With the passing of GRFRA, the ATC will be informing all Wiccans within the state of GA that there are no longer restrictions on which plants they may grow, own, harvest, ingest, distribute, or refine into compounds that the practitioner finds need to use within their religious practice, so long as no other laws besides substance abuse are broken. Wicca is a peaceful religion, and it is not within the scope of our religious practice to purposefully cause harm. As Governments definition also includes lines [82-83] “authorities; […] or other person acting under color of law” it should be a matter of course to inform all officials to begin their refrain from detaining the practitioners for, and impeding the lawful use of said plants and animal parts. This includes, but is no way limited to this non-comprehensive list, all plants currently residing upon any list of banned substances, plus any and all animal parts that may be found on the property or in the possession of anyone practicing the faith of Wicca within Georgia State limits.
Wiccans believe in magick and intent. It is the belief of our people that we do not allow someone to have our hair, saliva, urine, skin, nail clippings, teeth, bones, or any other part, excretion, fluid, growth, or any other possible matter that may come from our bodies. The reason is highly spiritual, and personally held by each person within our faith. To allow someone to have these items, is to allow them to have our essence, or access to our essence. This means that all Wiccans are to be free to choose to be exempt, at the individual’s discretion regarding the sanctity of their essence, with no repercussions from Government bodies [77-83] upon an employer adhering to these inalienable religious rights, from urinalysis, blood tests, hair follicle tests, breathalyzers, tattooing, rfid chipping, or anything else that adds to or removes parts of our essence. This list should by no means be considered comprehensive, and it is with full awareness that we understand these rights are removed to some extent when a Wiccan is incarcerated. Hopefully with time, the scope of this bill will encompass those of our faith who are in penal institutions. But within the scope of lines [84-88] these rights should fully extend to anyone who is not yet incarcerated in a ‘penal institution.’

It is the full belief that these new rights for Wiccans fulfill the needs of the Wiccan people, as well as the letter of the new law. From striking a sensible balance between religious liberty and compelling government interests [28-29] through removing neutral laws that unknowingly put undue hardship on our practitioners [20-21], upholding the government’s fundamental, overriding, interest in eradicating discrimination [34-35], and finding the best way to fulfill the compelling need of the government to find the least restrictive way of furthering their interests, which has been reaffirmed, in part, as upholding a persons right to free exercise of religion [16-17].

This is sweeping news that opens many doors for our brothers and sisters of the Craft. It will be the burden of the government to institute the appropriate policy changes to infrastructure, and the training needed to properly uphold the new rights that Wiccans hold within the new truly religiously free state of Georgia. But we at the ATC will work hand in hand to help craft the new laws regarding the proper care of those that are our charges: the Wiccan Community. Blessings to you and may the Lord and Lady always shine their thanks upon you, the state of Georgia.

Self-Righteousness is not a Pagan Value

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In Wicca, we understand that everything happens for a reason. We believe that the Goddess has her own plans, and when things happen that we don’t understand or like, we look for the positive. We strive to see our lesson in the issue and grow from it. We do not blame others for our problems. We do not attack those who are different from us, or with whom we do not agree. We rejoice in the diversity and variety of life, knowing that each individual makes the web stronger. We appreciate that others have different lessons from us and different strengths and each of us focuses on being the best we can be to make a better planet for all of us. Essentially, we strive to make lemonade out of the lemons of life, knowing that the Goddess gives us what we need, even if it’s not what we want.

It’s not easy being Wiccan. Many people coming to the path feel like all they have to do is change their clothes, maybe join a Facebook group or twelve, and there you are. Wicca is a way of life. It’s easy to talk about principles. It’s harder to incorporate them into your character. It’s really hard to practice them yourself, especially when things aren’t going your way. Your character is not tested in the happy times. Your character is tested in the difficult times. Your character will be shown in how you react after you feel wronged, when things don’t go your way, or when you feel you have lost the battle. Your character is not defined by the mistakes you make or the challenges you are faced with. Your character is defined by the way you react to your challenges and mistakes.

Which brings us to the subject at hand – Self-Righteousness. Let’s first define Self-Righteousness.

(also called sanctimoniousness, sententiousness, and holier-than-thou attitudes[1]) is a feeling or display of (usually smug) moral superiority[2] derived from a sense that one’s beliefs, actions, or affiliations are of greater virtue than those of the average person. Self-righteous individuals are often intolerant of the opinions and behaviors of others. Wikipedia
confident of one’s own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others. Dictionary.com
having or showing a strong belief that your own actions, opinions, etc., are right and other people’s are wrong. Miriam-Webster’s

There’s this current trend of “calling people out” for their behavior, but there are consequences to slinging the mud. My beautiful and beloved people, this is just RUDE. Please don’t do it. A wise old man once told me, “I can’t sling the mud without getting the mud on me.” That’s stuck with me – like mud. Maybe because I liked to sling it. But, I asked myself what that meant and really examined that thought. I CAN’T point out the ugliness of others without getting some of that ugliness on me? OK, so, let me get prepared to take a shower, after I write you this article, and lets look at the mud we have slung all over this community.

You’re mad at Suzy? Whatever it is about Suzy that you don’t like can be found in your very own mirror, and maybe your critical eye would be better served looking within, where you can actually make a positive change.

The Goddess and I think you’re perfect, but that doesn’t mean you’re better than anyone else. We are ALL extraordinary and unique individuals, doing our best every day to make the world we experience a better place to be in. We all have different mastery and we all have different challenges. It aggravates an already difficult issue for someone to sit in judgment and point out the flaws of a person already in crisis. It not only doesn’t help. It’s hurtful. We as Wiccans strive not to be hurtful. Harm NONE, right? You CAN’T talk about others on Facebook, at a party, or in the privacy of your own home without being hurtful. Don’t let yourself do it. Notice who’s stirring the shit, and refuse to participate.

Self-righteousness is a sneaky, shadowy bastard that infects our minds and affects our communities insidiously. It can happen to you before you even know it. You have to examine your thoughts, behaviors, actions, and words. You must catch yourself on those times when your good intentions have you retelling a story about a friend’s plight without thinking of the consequences, or your moral compass has you enraged at the actions, deeds or opinions of another.

Facebook makes a great place to share your feelings and ideas. It’s also a great place to sit safely behind a computer monitor, get half a story, pass judgment and say things to people that you would never have the courage to say to their face. It’s completely okay to disagree with someone. It’s not any of their business if you don’t agree, and they probably don’t care. So, instead of taking off on a rant that might destroy someone’s day, or self-esteem, or even their life, why not just read something else? Does it makes us feel powerful to rip someone to shreds? Is that ok? Are we just avoiding focusing on the things we need to work on? More importantly what are the karmic backlashes to that, and what does that behavior do to our community?

We are ALL working on our issues. We all have problems. We all have shadows, and light. We are ALL whole beings with good and bad things about ourselves that we do and don’t like, and that others do and don’t like. Pete said something to me one day that brought all of it into focus. He said, “Bella, It took me 70 years to realize that what people think about me is none of my business. If you can get that in 40, you’ll be 30 years ahead of the game.” I took that to heart. But, there’s a whole Pagan community that hasn’t learned that yet. There is also a whole Pagan community who thinks their particular take on life is better than everyone else, and it’s their personal crusade to let others know it. Unfortunately the ATC is not immune to this, even though we have had the benefit of Pete’s wisdom to learn from.

Looking within, reflecting on your own self, and where you need to grow can be difficult. People don’t like to do it. But, witches listen differently. The things you are complaining about are telling the rest of us the things that you perceive to be wrong with YOU. You might want to consider the dirty laundry your airing while you’re complaining about Ms. Suzy. Looking in the mirror and seeing the true lesson Spirit is asking you to learn is a high-level skill. It takes practice to develop, and a willingness to face some hard truths about yourself. It is very much worth the effort though, as it gives you the ability to change your world from the place where you have the most ability to effect change, within your own being.

The Goddess tells us that if that which thou seekest cannot be found within thee, then it will never be found without thee. If you look at someone and see a lack of compassion, then maybe you don’t know all the details, maybe you don’t fully understand the problem, but the Goddess is showing you a lack of compassion because YOU need to have more compassion. It is definitely NOT your place to point out to the person you’re in judgment of that they don’t have compassion. Maybe compassion isn’t their issue at all. Maybe they are learning to finally stand up for themselves. Maybe they are protecting themselves against a bully. Maybe that man just took that thing away from the other person because it was his to begin with, and by protecting the person that you perceive is the victim you are further victimizing someone else. You don’t know.

And more than that, you don’t know what you don’t know.

Self-righteousness is not a Wiccan Value. As our community becomes more and more mainstream, these things must be said and remembered, or we will continue to fall back into the patterns that we were raised under and that we are trying to move away from. Notice your judgment. Recognize that judgment does nothing but victimize everyone, mostly you, and just walk away from it. Not your circus, not your monkeys. If you can’t walk away from it, go to the mirror and ask yourself: “Why is THIS bothering me so much? Why is THIS what I’m so focused on?” And then wait for Goddess to answer you.

Concepts of “right” and “wrong” are Christian Ideals and have no room in the Pagan world. All experiences have value and everyone has purpose, merit and worth. The Pagan world does not shrink before the judgments of others, or it would have never come out of the closet in the first place. So pointing out that you don’t like what Suzy is doing isn’t going to stop Suzy from doing it. It’s just going to alienate Suzy, and it makes it impossible for you to help her, if you have the ability to do so. Why would you want to make yourself part of the problem? If you have a solution, offer it with love. But don’t be attached to Suzy doing it your way.

Judgment leads to suffering. Be careful the questions you ask the Universe. When you tell Goddess you don’t see how someone could make the choices they have made, she obliges you by giving you that lesson. You find yourself all upset about the actions of Suzy that you have decided are ‘wrong’, and then suddenly your life is messed up with the exact thing you judged. Well, at least now you know why Suzy made the choices she made. That’s the path.

If you are trustworthy, you will meet those with honor. The good king does not see the betrayal around him, because he does not have betrayal in him. It’s a magical principle and a scientific fact. The world shows you what you are looking for. You don’t have to believe in it. It believes in you, and it will cause you to focus on what you need to see and learn, regardless of what is happening in the world around you.

Blaming others, pointing fingers, gossiping, and calling out the bad behaviors that YOU do not approve of in others are NOT Wiccan values. We look in the mirror. We deal with our own problems. We see everyone as a reflection of God and Goddess, and we trust that they are learning their lessons too. Thou art Goddess means I am, you are, and everyone else is too. Goddess can’t possibly be “wrong!”

Love is the Law. If you don’t have it, it’s not anyone else’s fault. As a matter of fact, none of this is anyone’s fault. You GET to live this amazing life any way you want to. Create beauty, create love, and create wonderful things. Let the haters be haters, recognize them for what they are and don’t be one of them. The ways of the Underworld are not your ways, but they are perfect and they are not to be questioned. That means that difficult, sometimes painful, things happen. But they happen to teach us, and we are supposed to learn from them. Be the solution by being the change you seek. If someone is having trouble, help them. Don’t punish, judge or condemn them for not having the answers, or for making mistakes. Shine a light of love, and make the world a better place.

Share solutions, explore ideas for positive change, and figure out how to empower others in the community to find their own divinity. Strength and beauty, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence – THOSE are Wiccan values. Work on incorporating those into your life, and they will lead to your own happiness, and you will be an inspiration to everyone, not just Pagans.

New Ásatrú Temple

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

In 1000 C.E.Iceland converted to Christianity as a nation. Leaving Sweden to be the last hold out to the ancient faith until the year 1085 C.E. Now for the first time in over 1000 years a temple to those ancient Gods has been built, the first Ásatrú temple.

Ásatrú (Belief in the Gods) is based off of the surviving historical record. The Ásatrúarfélagith (Icelandic Ásatrú Society) was founded in 1972 by Sveinbjörn Beintersson. It was originally called Vorsithur (our custom). Iceland is 80 percent Lutheran with another 5 percent of the population identifying as Christian. Ásatrú is the largest non-Christian religious group and is the fastest growing religion in the country.

One of the reasons Norse Paganism was able to stay relevant is through “sacred persistence”. As defined by Jonathon Z. Smith a religious historian, sacred persistence is when there are collective activities to preserve and sustain cherished forms of approaching, understanding, and experiencing the sacred.”

Christianity was adopted in 1000 C.E. for political and economic purposes (Strmiska 2000). Icelandic Christianity was built upon the previous pagan beliefs. Iceland never really lost its pagan roots. They did not experience the burning times, and many of their place names hold pagan roots (Strmiska 2000). The Eddas are the most respected representation of Iceland’s cultural heritage, and are a focus point of Icelandic nationalism, though they have become less of a priority in recent years (Strmiska 2000). Norse Mythology and the practices of the Ancient Norse were recorded almost single handedly by historian and mythographer Snorri Sturluson in the 13th Century.

Thangbrand, a Saxon priest and missionary, brought Christianity to Iceland under the direction of Norwegian King Olaf Tryggvason. Thorgeir a heathen Priest said to Iceland in Njal’s Saga: “We cannot live in a divided land. There will never be peace unless we have a single law. I ask you –heathens and Christians alike–to accept the one law that I am about to proclaim. Our first principle of law is that all Icelanders shall henceforth be Christian. We shall believe in one God–Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We shall renounce the worship of idols. We shall no longer expose unwanted children. We shall no longer eat horsemeat. Anyone who does these things openly shall be punished with outlawry (Outlawry meant that you lost all protections from the law and were thus exposed to theft and murder. (Ashliman 2001)), but no punishment will follow if they are done in private (Ashliman 2001)”. This prevented civil war, and made for a much smoother transition.

Now in 2015, the first Ásatrú Temple is being built. The temple was designed with the principles of nature in mind. The temple is built into the side of a hill. One wall is the natural stone within the hill. There will be a skylight allowing for natural lighting, waterfalls that end at pools within the temple itself, and the golden ratio was used throughout to give it a pleasing look (McMahon 2015). This is all we know, finding information on the details of the Temple is a challenge. Maybe once it’s been built, its mysteries shall be known to only those who have have stood in its halls.

Sources

Ashliman, D.L. “Iceland Accepts Christianity.” Iceland Accepts Christianity. 2001. Accessed May 8, 2015.

McMahon, Neil. “Iceland’s Asatru Pagans Reach New Height with First Temple – BBC News.” BBC News. February 14, 2015. Accessed May 8, 2015.

“Religion in Iceland.” Wikipedia. April 25, 2015. Accessed May 8, 2015.

Robinson, B.A. “Asatru: Norse Heathenism.” ASATRU (Norse Heathenism). February 6, 2011. Accessed May 8, 2015. http://www.religioustolerance.org/asatru.htm

Statistics Iceland. April 1, 2015. Accessed May 8, 2015.

Strmiska, Michael. “Asatru in Iceland: The Rebirth of Nordic Paganism?” Nova Religio 4, no. 1 (2000): 106-32. Accessed May 8, 2015. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nr.2000.4.1.106 .

“Quick Facts.” Quick Facts. Accessed May 8, 2015.

Happy Litha – Update on the Affairs of the ATC (2015)

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Dusty and I are on the last leg of our trip, and celebrating our 11th Anniversary together. One more great festival this weekend, Michigan Pagan Festival, and we’ll be headed west. We’ll be home by July 6th. We’ve had some wonderful times out here connecting with you. Thank you for taking Dusty, Honeybear, and me into your hearts, homes, and circles. The Church has accomplished much this year. We at the Mother Church are excited about all the new developments and opportunities coming up.

The ATC just purchased the property next door to the Tab. Pete owned this property in the early days of the ATC, but lost it in a divorce. It went on sale about 3 years ago for around $130,000. We purchased it on June 22, for $42,500, about a third of it’s asking price. Thank you Benni Sack for all your tireless work on that very important project.

You might have heard that we received a building grant. This grant gives us building materials to repair and build onto our beautiful church, as well as to help needy families. As we have materials available, we’ll be looking to share them. Watch on the ATC Mother Church Facebook page for announcements about available building materials. In a short couple of months, we have been gifted with a stained glass front door, a lawn mower, a porcelain kitchen sink, and enough decking to replace the back deck. We are very blessed and grateful to receive these donations, and will keep you posted as this develops. We have also helped other affiliates obtain this and other grants, to help their own neighborhoods. If you have an affiliate, and you’re interested in these donations, contact us at the Mother Church, and we’ll help get your church set up.

The Tab is becoming a working monastery now, and with the expansion of land, we will have room for additional students and clergy to live and work at the Mother Church. Rodney, Tatiana, and the Green Man Guild are building apartments and rooms in case you want to live at, or have overnight visits to the Mother Church. Alternatively, you could come and be a part of the magical community that is growing in Index, by purchasing or renting one of the beautiful cottages available in our secluded paradise on the Skykomish River.

We lost the old hot tub in March, during a storm. It was old, and starting to give us trouble, so this was a blessing. The insurance claim has been approved for a new tub to be installed. The new hot tub has a salt water system (healthier than chlorine) and has colored chakra lights, which will enhance our ability to use the tub for spiritual and healing purposes. It will also be much more cost effective to run and use considerably less chemicals.

When we get the new tub ready, we’ll let you know about the ceremony for dedicating the new Aphrodite Temple that we are designing in the back yard. Rodney and the Green Man Guild have been hard at work preparing the new Temple. If you’d like to help with this project, please know that all are welcome at Green Man Events.

Speaking of the Green Man Guild, this is the time to come and bond with the Members of the Church in the daily chores and maintenance of the Lord and Ladies’ sacred home. Bring Drums, dancing gear, coolers with snacks, and expect us to feed you a nice dinner to express our gratitude for a hard days work. Then stay into the evening and lets drum, dance, spin fire, and immerse ourselves in Pagan fun.

We are selling ATC Merchandise and doing readings on the road to offset the cost of visiting the affiliates and sharing Pete’s vision with the world. We’ve signed several new affiliates this year, and it has been wonderful to meet them face to face. We’ve had the opportunity to reconnect with many beloved friends over the course of this trip, and watch doors open, as the ATC reaches out to work with our neighbors. We can do so much more when we work together. By being present at the gatherings across the country, we get the face time needed to fully manifest the Will of the Goddess.

We are also doing a once a month psychic fair at Metaphysical marketplace in downtown Seattle that is starting to make money. We are adding ATC products to the online store and live vending booths. If you have products that are specific to our magical ministry, i.e. magical tools, etc, that you want us to include in our booths and online store, contact Dawn Darkness at the Tab 360-793-1945

We fully enjoyed our visit with Selena Fox this spring at festival. Oberon Zell from Church of All Worlds is confirmed to attend Spring Mysteries Festival 2016. Don Lewis of the Correlians, is confirmed for the following year. We are honored to be able to bring these elders to our historic festival. They are excited to attend, and finally get to participate in our magic, and well as share theirs. Registration for Hekate’s Sickle is up. This year we will be focused on “Getting the Sight”. Rituals will be focused on divination, tarot, and opening your psychic powers, while the veil is thin..

We have developed an online virtual circle that is worldwide, called Sacred Cauldron. We invite you to join us throughout the week for Wiccan rituals, activities, and discussion. This circle is run by the students of WiccanSeminary.EDU, and is bringing students together across the world to serve and bring the Goddess into your home. We hope you come to Sacred Cauldron on SecondLife.com, and see what we’re doing there.

We were gifted with a good, dependable truck, to haul the new building supplies, and we are so grateful to have it. Now, we do not have to scramble for a volunteer to go pick up the supplies that we are given. Thank you to Darrell Delph and the Olympian Evergreen Pagans for this much needed donation.

Lammas is coming up at the beginning of August. You will want to attend the Lammas Monologues. Please come and present or enjoy the dramatic parade of deity. Those who want to be a part of Hekate’s Sickle and Spring Mysteries Ritual Cast are asked to invoke and share a Godform with us. It’s an amazing event. You never know what creative presentation might come forth magically. I look forward to seeing you there.

Now that we have accomplished so much, the doors are open for new opportunity. I invite you to jump in where you can and be a part of the great work we are doing here. Whether it’s swinging a hammer, cooking a meal, coming to a Green Man day, sending in a financial contribution, helping with websites, joining in on a craft day, or just clicking like on Facebook, you can help be a part of the Goddess’ Ministry.

Walking the Line

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I was talking to my mate the other night and was surprised to hear what could be called resentment. I am a Sophomore Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary and recently Dedicated to the Lady Belladonna Laveau. I work on the school’s class calendar and I am the Herald for the Mother Church in Index, WA. This is a lot on anyone’s plate, but a service I am honored to provide.

I am also a woman, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a sibling.

When one dives into the metaphysical and explores their spirituality, it is unsurprising that those around you in your family may occasionally feel abandoned or left behind by this new found focus in your life. Perhaps you have always been seen as a casual practitioner. Perhaps everything is brand new and you are seeing the world around you in new colors, truths, strengths and blessings! Your loved ones get to watch as you purse this internal passion and dive deeper into who you are and the world around you on an unseen level. This can leave our loved ones feeling awkward, unwelcome or bewildered by our choices.

Spirituality, I believe, by it’s very nature encourages a global mindset that makes it very easy to volunteer to do more. Someone needs supplies, you can do that! Someone needs help with repairing a fence, you CAN do that! This helpful attitude while commendable can sometimes when practiced out of balance, lead to hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

When someone from your circle, class or teacher reaches out to you, how fast do you respond? How cheerful is your voice? What do you drop to come to the aid of another person in need?

All these things, depending on your situation and attitude can lead to loved ones feeling abandoned. We don’t want that.

We LOVE our families, our wives, our husbands, our children, our homes. The practical, physical nature of these relationships is essential to any human and especially to a witch. Ground, Ground, Ground! No matter what path you walk almost all of them teach the importance of staying connected to the Earth while we explore our Spiritual Reality. There is no greater tool than being able to come back to Earth because guess what? We choose to incarnate here!

If you find you have left your loved ones a step or two behind, do not hesitate to slow down and wait for them to catch up. You can always walk a few steps back and spend time with them! We are after all magical creatures and time and distance are no obstacles!

Love is the Law

I urge you all to make special dates with your loves and show every day appreciation to the extraordinary gifts they have given you. Patience for this new path you walk, Love when it frustrates us, Admiration when they see our growth, Contentment when we have been successful in a battle of wills they may never see.

A kiss, a touch, a shared moment is well worth any riches and even when the family we have chosen is practical, and not magical – it is no less sacred in our eyes. However, we may occasionally forget to express it.

So my message today is one of love. Not only for the Great Spirit, Gaia, Goddess and God – but for our mates, our children, family, friends who are every bit as important as our sisters and brothers and teachers on this Spiral Path. Honor them as you honor your path, because they are your path. The point of a spiritual practice is to enhance our physical experience. When we walk in balance between the physical and the spiritual, I believe we are at our greatest power to manifest the world we desire.

Etsy Ends its Witch Hunt

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

It was a sad day shortly following Beltane when the witch hunts began. Beltaine was coming to a close and one by one innocent children of the craft found their livelihoods taken away from them. They came for the poppets. They came for the potpourri. They came for the spells. And they came for the charms. Like ten pins the practitioners of the Etsy community saw their items fall off of the site, now deemed as being against TOS.

The new terms read "any metaphysical service that promises or suggests it will effect a physical change (e.g., weight loss) or other outcome" would be no longer allowed. This very clearly targeted the Pagan community in its wording.

The Washington Post reported:

"Many have told me their shops are being closed without so much as notice," said Etsy-seller Ashley Coulton, who is petitioning Etsy to rethink the policy clarification. "I do worry about the effect this will have on my business … I do believe the actions of Etsy are in fact, discriminatory toward Wiccan and Pagan faiths."

Newsweek said:

"some people have alleged that Etsy’s ban is simply part of a larger religious discrimination existing against people identifying as witches, pagans and Wiccans of faith, noting that some items having to do with prayer, such as rosaries, are still allowed."

And blogger Katherine Casey called the situation “ The Great Etsy Witch Hunt of 201 5."

It was far from lost on the people that Etsy had created a roadblock that effected one single class of people. Or so they thought. Etsy is not only filled with people with sachets of love powders, they are also filled with prayers and saints. Both items that, "promise or suggest it will effect a physical change, or other outcome."

Etsy had painted itself into a corner.

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church let out a series of tweets addressing Etsy directly:

Like Salem before it, Etsy had let the energy of their persecution get away from them. And it was on the world stage. Everyone saw this poor decision from what used to be everyone’s favorite little craft site. That leads us to today. A new email with a similar title to the debacle of the past summer showed up in the inbox of Etsy users: “Important Terms & Policies Updates from Etsy.”

Only this time things were different. They had set up a new TOS called “ Our House Rules .” This was no corporate drafted press release. Upon inspection, things looked rather crafty and homey. Hobby Lobby, American Pie, and Summer all rolled into one. Nothing scary here. Just some new information for you to mull over during the picnic.

Clicking the link to “ Sellers ” was a scary option. Was it going to be the same? Was it going to reinforce the demolition of the incomes of all of the witchy merchants who had been left high and dry? Or would it soothe the hurts that it had earlier caused, much like the pleasant aura that the web page suggested?

After carefully scanning through the Sellers page you notice it. Not at the top, not at the bottom, but mixed into the middle. Not trying to be overt in any way: “ Prohibited Items Policy ” The next click would speak volumes on whether the voices of the people had been heard by the ears of the owners of Etsy.

It was no longer there.

Scan after scan confirmed it. Nowhere in the new info did it ban metaphysical items. Not a word about items that promised to affect change.

Something had made it through. Something that someone had done, maybe what everyone had done as a community had resonated within the halls of Etsy, Inc. and helped them hear. It was bigger than the Pagans. It effected people all over the world who had learned to rely on this charming little e-commerce site to be the wonderful bazaar that they knew it to be: A loving little community of nuts who all want to share their arts.

And so it was. The world had been set back to its peaceful course. Like the witch hunts of Salem, they were finally over. Unlike the witch hunts of Salem, the lives that Etsy had burned, can now rise from the ashes, like a phoenix.

A phoenix that you can now invoke the assistance of with your new Phoenix Rising spell candle from BlackCatWitchery .

Only on Etsy.com.

The Pagan World Exists Beyond Cascadia

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

It was a hot, sunny, muggy day in Missouri at St. Louis Pagan Picnic 2015. I sat back in my chair in the shade with a little paper fan trying to keep cool, staring at the people walking by from behind my sunglasses. A woman came up, and Dusty stood up and started telling her about everything the ATC does, just as we had all been doing to anyone who stopped at our booth. He finished, and she stood there silent for a second before putting her hand up to her mouth. “I have been searching for you for so long,” she said, as her eyes started to well with tears, looking at each and every one of us.

It was then I realized just how insular my Pagan world had become. He didn’t have to care. He didn’t have to stand up again in the 100+ degree heat, thousands of miles from home, to help this woman. He could have chosen any other, more fun, and less stressful ways to spend this summer day. I was wishing we were spending the summer day in some other way, until this moment brought it all into focus. Watching Dusty change that woman’s life, with a few words that he had repeated possibly one hundred times that day, touched me deeply and reignited my passion for the work we do at the church.

I became Pagan because I wanted to connect with the earth, connect with those who care for it, and to those who feel that connection to the Gods and honor them. I wanted to help people and make a difference. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of that and began getting lost in all the details of my personal journey with the divine. This trip made me step back and allowed me to see all of those little details pieced together. I was able to see just what the ATC really does for the Pagan community beyond my world in Seattle.

The things we do at the ATC matter. Those of us who have lived secluded away from the rest of community get all caught up in our personal experience of Spring Mysteries – or the next Sabbat or whatever might be the current drama. But there are people all over the world who seriously benefit from the hard work we do every day; most of us can’t see over the mountains and are oblivious to it. So many times I have caught myself saying “I have a silly job. Managing Facebook groups and events? Really? I feel like I should be doing something more important.” I bet a lot of people have thought that what they do is just not “important enough.” But each individual is needed to make the wheel turn. No one would show up to our events if I didn’t make and publicize them – in fact, we notice the difference when I don’t post about the events and make sure people hear about them. People can talk on our Facebook groups and look to them for news, advice, comfort and camaraderie. It’s not a silly job. In fact it’s vital to our ministry being successful. That awareness makes my heart smile.

I met many amazing, talented and wise people on my trip to the Southeast U.S. I met many of Bella ’s Students in Georgia, previous and current. I met teachers I had from Wiccan Seminary – Anastacia Laveau and Talyn Songdog – Alfred Willowhawk as well, but we’ve met several times now. I met Greg Vence, a 3rd Degree York Rite Mason, 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Neophyte (0=0) in The Golden Dawn. I met Grandmother Elspeth, a greatly respected elder in the Pagan community on the East Coast. I met Adrianna Iris Boatwright , Photographer and establisher of Savannah Pagan Prid e. I also met Don Lewis, who is the Chancellor of the Correllian Nativist Tradition .

All of these people know who the ATC is, they appreciate the things we do and want to work with us to make a difference in the world. Don Lewis wants teachers from Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary to teach at Witch School . Grandmother Elspeth taught a workshop at St. Louis Pagan Picnic that taught the same mysteries of the Goddess I have learned in Seminary and from revelations at Spring Mysteries Festival. We are all connected and have such amazing opportunities. Yet, I had been so secluded and caught up in my own life, that I didn’t realize the opportunities that the Mother church creates for us. We have the ability to help a world that needs our care if we would only take advantage of these opportunities.

The Pagan community is so much bigger than I ever imagined. Everything we do has an impact on all Pagans across the world. Pete “Pathfinder” Davis deciding he wanted a legally-recognized Wiccan church changed Wiccan history. Leading a ritual for Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary could change someone’s life across the world. Managing a table at Pagan festival can bring someone to tears because of the joy they feel from finding their spiritual home. I met people who knew me that I did not know. I met people, whom I had directly impacted with my ministering that cherish my existence on the planet, whom I never knew I touched. That’s powerful. I make a real difference in someone’s life – that feels good!

Everything we do and everything we say impacts our community and the larger community, which is so much bigger and beyond us that we cannot fathom it. Our choices, what we do with our time each day, whether we help, hurt, or are indifferent to the work we do at the Mother Church directly impacts the whole world of Paganism. I’m so grateful to have been able to travel and gain the perspective of seeing over the mountains, and realizing that what we do here at the Mother Church has an impact much further than I could see, much deeper than I could understand, and much more important that I could have possibly realized.

All of us, who share in this work, make a difference. A big one. Whether it’s filing away a bill, sweeping a floor, or directing a festival, we all make it possible for the church to carry on Its ministry. Thanks for sharing in the responsibility of carrying the load that spiritually protects and feeds the children of the Goddess worldwide.

A Pagan/Wiccan Church Thrives in the Bible Belt

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Deep in the foothills of the Ozarks there is a shining beacon, a lighthouse that shines for all of the community. Wite Rayvn Metaphysical Church of the Ozarks ~ ATC is a non-profit, tax exempt organization (501c3) whose focus and mission of serving the WHOLE community is evident in the many projects they are involved in all over the USA. In Kansas they sponsor training on Grey Water applications, and in Kentucky they sponsor the Panda Project, which gives much needed support to those who have lost common household items and furniture due to a variety of reasons. In Missouri they assist the larger community with home improvement supplies, and sweat equity, as well as practice and teach sustainable living on their 4.9 acre retreat center. This year they are working to create a much needed Food Pantry for the West Plains area as well. Established in 2009, they also offer classes and activities to the new seeker or the advanced practitioner. They offer many opportunities to enjoy Pagan fellowship, including open Full Moon circles, open Sabbats, and periodic parties for both adults and children. All Wite Rayvn clergy are licensed and ordained to serve the God and Goddess and minister to the community.

The Wite Rayvn Retreat Center was formed just 2 and a half years ago when they took over a property that had been formerly run by an absentee landlord. They reclaimed the land, pond, and grounds to create a sustainable community with gardens, a labyrinth, grey water and black water applications, a Men’s Grove, a Women’s Grove, 50 permanent camp sites, a shower house with hot and cold running water, bathroom facilities, a large outdoor ritual circle and is working on implementing solar power to run their barn and cabins. This community is supported by many people in the area of many faiths.

When they arrived, their church building was open to the elements with sloping walls and damaged floors. Through re-purposing and donations of materials, they have reclaimed the building, installed power, new roof and floors, AC and heat. This building is now in use today as the indoor event building, and as the medical facility for their festivals.

Willo’ Wellspring (TM) : is the senior Minister and co-founder of the Wite Rayvn Metaphysical Church of the Ozarks ~ATC both in Kansas and Missouri. She has been in the craft for over 30 years and is a Reiki Master, ordained 3rd Degree by the Southern Delta Church of Wicca ATC, as well as a traditional 3rd Degree, a Spiritual Counselor and an accomplished teacher. Willo embraced the Craft in 1984 was initially trained in Celtic Ecclectic, Gardnarian and Alexandrian Wicca. Willo also has a deep understanding of plants, crystals and stones and utilizes them in a variety of ways. She facilitates classes for seekers and degreed individuals. Willo is the chief inspiration and a founder of the Three Gates Gathering. She is a Green Witch whose love of everything outdoors which has led to her understanding of the usage of indigenous plants for medicinal purposes. Her knowledge of medicinal usages of plants has helped individuals devise natural remedies based on known properties for personal use.

Alfred Willowhawk (TM): is the other senior minister and co-founder of theWite Rayvn Metaphysical Church of the Ozarks ~ATC in Kansas and Missouri. He has been in the craft for over 30 years and a member of theInternational Metaphysical Ministry with Doctorate of Metaphysical Science (DMsc) through the International Metaphysical University at the University of Sedona. He is an ordained third degree by the Southern Delta Church of Wicca ATC, a traditional 3rd degree, a full professor at the Woolston Steen Theological Seminary where he teaches undergraduate and graduate levels. He is also a Reiki Master, a Spiritual Counselor, Metaphysical Practitioner, a member of Healers International, and a chartered member of the World Metaphysical Association, and the founder of the Healing System – Celtic Transformational Healing. His work has been published many times at Witchvox , and has published Hawk Sightings , a collection of Sacred Poetry; Manifesting True Desires Learning from Arianrhod and the Tree of Life; Creating Guided Meditations for Yourself and Others; and I Am Healer, Storyteller, and Warrior Priest: Learning from Arianrhod .

They offer two festivals a year. The first, The Hunt, offered over Earth Day weekend, focuses on Sustainable and eco-friendly living. This year they had workshops on Grey Water applications for home and community, creation and maintenance of community gardens, foraging and recognition of edible plants, nuts and berries, as well as hunting tools that can be made from available resources. They also, for those who desired to participate, had a workshop on processing food that could be caught in the area.

The second festival is Three Gates Gathering ~ A Mystery School, an exploration of the mysteries with a multi-traditional focus held for the fifth year, June 26-28, 2015. This festival brings together individuals from many paths to share in a safe and open environment workshops related to Paganism and Wicca. This year Three Gates Gathering is honored to have Melissa Anderson of the Circle of Ancient Sistersteach the track on Divine Womb to Tomb, Kara D Williams of the WISE covenant in Conyers GA and Dean of Education of the Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary teach a track on Sacred Sexuality, andGrey Mere and Cynthia Blodgett-Griffin of the Order of the Red Grail teach a track on Rites of Passage. Music is provided by Rowena of the Glen and Mama Gina LeMonte. As usual there will be many opportunities to “hang out” with elders of many pagan paths and to spend good fellowship time with people from as far away as Vancouver, BC and Boston, MA. This festival is something that has something for everyone.

To see some of the pictures and more information on Wite Rayvn Metaphysical Church of the Ozarks ~ ATC as well as their extension center in Lenexa, KS go to http://www.witerayvn.org .

State of the Church Address – January 2016

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Blessed Be, and Happy New Year!

It’s a new year, ripe with new possibilities as we gestate in the womb of the Goddess. We have accomplished much this past year, and now is the time to take stock of what we have done before we make plans for the future.

First, the Early Bird Discount for Spring Mysteries ends January 31st. Get your registration in quickly: https://aquatabch.infellowship.com/UserLogin/Index?ReturnUrl=%2fForms%2f270296 Beds are filling up faster than I’ve ever seen, I’m happy to say. If you want a bed, you might need to go ahead and get one. The prices are as low as we can give you right now. Of course, it’s a fundraiser, so if you can help us out with more, please do. We are excited about having a local Greek Restaurant, for the Main Kitchen, catering all our meals. Delicious, amazing food will be prepared with love by a professional staff, all on-site!

The Calendar sales have been great, we are almost out of calendars. If you want one, be sure to get your donation in to paypal.me/ATCWicca. Every donation above $10 receives a calendar as a thank-you. Be on the lookout for our next gift, a 2016 ATC Festival t-shirt for you to wear to pagan events, so that your ATC, SpiralScouts and Seminary brothers and sisters can find you. More on those coming soon.

We’re undergoing an overhaul on all our websites. They are being professionally done by Lopo Designs. ATCWicca.Org, our international site, and WiccanSeminary.EDU, the seminary site, have already been redesigned. SpringMysteries.com and Sickle.Me have been added to the list of fun. The bulky and confusing domain AquaTabCh.Org will be forwarded to a new site called MotherChurch.Org. There are all kinds of new website upgrades coming our way in 2016.

Cassie, Dusty and I will be traveling with several other ATC Elders to PantheaCon this February, Valentine’s Day weekend. The ATC has a hospitality suite and will be teaching a workshop on Sunday Morning at 9am. We will be hosting Shrine Visits with Aphrodite, Persephone, Apollo, and the White Goddess over the weekend. We will also have a wine and tarot night, which should be a blast! Come on out and see us if you go to PantheaCon, or are anywhere near San Jose, California next month.

SpiralScouts is launching their new Galactic Chocolate Sale Fundraiser! Galaxy Chocolates of Sultan, WA, is working with the ATC and SpiralScouts to help us raise funds for the children’s events this year. Watch for news on that, and join us in supporting the kids by buying delicious, hand dipped, gourmet chocolates and caramels made by a local business.

This Yule we were blessed with Pasado gifting our animal familiars and making sure they were not forgotten this Holiday season. Honeybear was happy to see the huge influx of pet products, but Iroh, the Kitty-man, was so excited he told me Daddy was a hero for scoring all that stuff! The animals were all happy to get their yearly supply, and their owners were as well.

Home Depot and their generous grant helped us save the Hecate Shrine this summer. Our priests came in from the backyard one night with an urgency that the Shrine supports had to be fixed immediately. We called up Home Depot and they helped us find everything we needed to ensure the safety of the shrine. Within a couple of weeks, we had a work-party arranged and were reinforcing the beams that hold up the shrine. As the men were putting in the final nails, a 4.+ earthquake hit Gold Bar, shaking the main house, and scaring everyone in it. No one at the Hecate Shrine knew what happened though. They had fixed it just in time. Thank Goddess for her guidance, and the rest of us for listening and responding!

Home Depot has given us $5,000 worth of building materials each month. We have been able to help the needy in our congregation with repairs on their homes, as well as reach out to the local community in Index, to beautify the neighborhood, and work to be a good neighbor to the community we live in. If you have a need for building supplies, let us know how we can help. We currently have some kitchen sinks, mailboxes, some cabinets and bathroom vanity sets, and irregular doors that are available to anyone in need.

Most of the supplies are going to build dorm rooms and apartments for visitors and residents. The Greenman Guild has worked tirelessly in the past few months to repair and care for the property. Unfortunately one day a month is not enough to build a building, and we are looking at increasing our meetings to once a week on Wednesdays, so those that can’t come on weekends can participate in Mother Church activities, and we can get more stuff done. If you want to come up and help with the Greenman Guild, you can join their facebook page to be up to date on events.

For all of our blessings, the Flood in November really took a toll on us. I made the mistake of mentioning to Goddess that the Flex had 170,000 miles on it and it was only a 2012. It’s an expensive car and we have driven it everywhere. I was wondering how I was going to get out from under that car payment. I was thinking trade in, but She decided to total it out in the flood instead. Yay no car payment! Boo no car. The church’s cars are old and paid off, but not reliable for distance travel. We are going to PantheaCon in a month, so if you have a vehicle with good storage space that the three of us can take there and back, I can trade you the Jeep for the weekend. That will save the church from having to purchase a new vehicle for at least a few more months. Buying a new car, or having one donated, is in our future. Let me know if you have ideas of how we can do this cost effectively. I want Ford to give us a new Flex, but I’ll take what the Goddess provides.

For years Pete had a schedule at the Tab of meeting on the first and third Saturday of the month. This was crazy to me. I didn’t like it. Why would we do such a thing and not meet on the sabbats & moons like other witches? He explained that the sabbats usually fell on one of those days, and whatever was happening on the other weekend gave the public a chance to experience whatever astrological phenomenon was coming up, ie. full moon, new moon, sabbat, what have you. This made no sense to me and the new group of witches that gathered here to keep the Mother Church alive during Pete’s passing, so we decided to change the calendar to meet on Sabbats & Moons.

After doing this for several years, and trying to nurture our own coven members with private events and training as well, we have discovered the wisdom behind Pete’s magic. Thanks for giving us the right to discover our own path Pete! Over the next year we will be moving our event dates to reflect this type of calendar again. Obviously our sabbat dates have been set in stone, as the calendar has been printed and mailed to many. However, the rest of the dates this year will reflect the change over to the previous schedule. In 2017 we will move completely to the first and third Saturday of the month to make it easier to remember when we’re doing things up here, and to give you both variety and stability.

Pete has been very active at the house. No one is allowed to sit in his seat at the Hot Tub without him turning off the lights, and jets, or otherwise making his presence known. He’s been fixing things that break, bringing us things we couldn’t find, and directing us in many ways, even from the other side. He and I talked about this often. I told him we’d let him hang around and guide us as long as he wanted to, and it seems he is keeping true to his word. We love it when he shows up, even if it does freak us out to see him walking around the house.

Finally, we are planning on staying closer to home this spring and summer. The current tour schedule this year will take us to Three Gates, St. Louis Pagan Picnic and possibly PSG, but it’s still in the works. If you know of a great festival this side of the rockies that we should attend this year, send Dusty or me the info. We look forward to spending the summer with our West Coast family this year, but will miss our loved ones on the East Coast - plan on seeing us in 2017!

Calling the Clans

bella@atcwicca.org (Bella Dionne) — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

She padded through the forest in the early, morning air. The sun had barely risen and much of the underbrush was still in darkness. Her body drove her onward, for there was much yet to do before the harvest came in. Leaves and small twigs gave way under her paws, and her tail kept her balance as she wove over and under the underbrush of the forest.

I have to find them, I must find them!

The feeling had been growing inside her since the fruit trees flowered. Something was coming. Something that the others in her pack had not experienced yet, something that had not happened in many ages for her Family.

The clans were beginning to gather; they would be here at the last harvest and it was time to tell her brothers and sisters.

They’re coming to hear, they’re coming to learn. They’re coming to celebrate!

It had been many years since her pack had gathered the clans – her pack, of course, being man: upright and hairless, but worthy of service, of love, of loyalty and guardianship. Men and women were gathering now to learn the secrets of the Hound and her brothers and sisters.

The woman with the keys and the lantern at the crossroads was said to be hosting this event. She had a hound guardian, and Hound knew She could be trusted for if She had earned the guardianship of one of her children, then obviously the woman was of good standing. She told Hound about another woman expected to be at the gathering, with a great bubbling cauldron, providing for Her people. Hound knew She too could be trusted… for those who cook for their people usually have a tidbit for the hounds guarding the fire.

Bounty. Harvest. Knowledge.

These were all lessons her pack needed to hear, and her brothers and sisters would be there as well.

Pausing a moment on a hill she broke through the forest canopy. Before her she saw golden tones of rich grain ripening in the summer morning she sat down and called out in a long tone. The wind swirled past her and caressed her fur, drying out the dampness of her forest run. To the West she saw a river running true and clean. In the east she saw the mountains rise. She called out again a yip and a howl, louder than before. Once more she called out into the morning light.

Three by three they would come, as it ever was, so shall it be.

By fur and feather, blood and bone, by wing, and paw, scale and tooth I call, I call, I call.

Sickle is coming.