witchcraft-101

Note: It is important to hold on to your own beliefs and religion whatever they may be, because it is an essential part of your growth. I will not and have no intentions of making any form of conversion. This conversation only objective is to guide, but you the reader will choose who you are and who you will be, and what you will believe.

Here is what I have learned on the physical world and the spiritual one through my guides and teachers and all the element beings and the journey that I made to be me. I ask that you only take what is needed for your growth and nothing else. I ask you not to take my word as truth or reality for in this life I am only human. To be human you are apt to make mistakes.

“Listen to me now: have you never thought how danger may surround power as shadow does light.” “This magic of witchcraft is not a game we play for pleasure or praise. Think of this that every word, our every act and action is said either for good or evil. Before you speak you must know the price that is to be paid. “

From this point you will have chosen to start on a journey to take upon the obligations of witchcraft. This practice will place into effects, a way of life that will bequeath upon you from the god and goddess, and so will the test that comes with it.

Anyone that is willingly to open themselves to the influence of higher energies, will be opening themselves to possibility of inner- initiation. Knowing that they are witches; the initiation is what seals the knowledge through the power of ritual and intent

Disciplines need to be developed and this we will work on now.

The centre of our being is called spirit, essence, soul, consciousness. It is the deep you that seeks to know and understand not only who you are, by why you are here.

It is the whole of you as opposed to the sum of your parts, it is the gateway to all knowledge, and it is why you are here why you were called here—like attracts like.

You are aware that you have 5 senses: touch, taste, smell hearing and sight. The aspect of you that is termed the center is the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth sense, or inner sight or sensation.

It can be accessed by considering the other five senses as perimeter of a circle and all things perceived there flow inwards to the center.

The center is the also the gateway through which influences not instigated by the conscious mind from other source can enter, be accessed, and assimilated into the understanding.

To activate you center consciously. Most are already aware of it, but this awareness may not be conscious. It is necessary to consider the center as a watcher.

It will use your 5 senses to asses not only how you react to others, but how others react to you. It is actively telepathic when you clear the undisciplined attitudes and Pavlov’s dog mentality react on command it will take note of what you are spending your time thinking about and will pass, consciously, just exactly what is valid in terms of what you say think and do. It will assess and reassess your reactions to circumstances.

Exercise

Be aware before commencing the following, that disciplines are ineffective unless routine is established because the unconscious is attuned to patterns and will respond easily once the pattern of a conscious routine is rhythmic.

There for until a technique is mastered you will continue with the routine; proficiency is achieved when pattern is integrated deeply and technique transforms itself from practice to second nature.

At which time the awareness will have become assimilated into who you are and will become an addition to the sixth sense.

Set aside one hour a day and consciously recognize everything you say think do say and feel. Imagine that you have a extra set of senses that act as a camera and recorder, and work at storing all input received during this hour.

Later in the day claim some quiet time for yourself recall all the things that you recorded during your designated time and write them down in an order as.

What I saw

What I heard

What I smelled

What I touched

What I tasted

What I thought about

How I was feeling

This none judgmental extended exercise is called the nemet and is a beastie that sits on your shoulder. When you have continued with this exercise for several days you will find it automatically doing it all or most of the time.

You will be triggering the power of awareness which will as a matter of progression. Actively trigger latent telepathic and intuitive faculties.

Remember that the center (and its ally the nemet) is totally none judgmental. It is an observer and conscious purveyor of how you react and respond within the manifest environment.

It will be your task, through your innate understanding of weather you can refine yourself, to act accordingly to whatever the watcher relayed.

You may the n eliminate or add as you see fit.

Take it slowly, as I have see too many idealists, perfectionists, and impatient people turn into tortured souls, downright bigots, or self righteous bores through lack of leeway and scope of ability.

Like the willow, to bend not only to circumstances, but to ideas and principles that may have been set for you but not by you.

Encompass everything that exists.

Be the circle encompassing everything that exists

Nothing exists that which is not within your self

Each individual travels a path that is unique.

No two paths are the same, for each are learning different things.

Our journey is as different as the stars that are always changing.

meditation

Exercise:

1) Do not do the following in bed till you become used to the technique. Otherwise it may make you fall asleep.

2) Have a soft dim light or candle or do it outside in the shade as over head light may be distracting.

3) Prepare yourself in a comfortable position either in a straight back chair or sit lotus style on the floor or ground.

4) Begin with eyes close take a deep breath filling the lungs and chest deeply and exhale completely and repeat for at least 12 times till you feel relaxed.

5) Allow your breathing again become natural.

6) Now slow breathing down more relaxed and slow.

7) Allow you mind think of nothing only darkness. The ego will attempt to fight by bringing to the surface everything. These are rabbits, distraction so gently push them aside.

8) Allow a few moments to start and slowly make it longer and longer as your body and mind accepts what is happening. Allow yourself to drift there as long as nothing disturbs you then take a few deep breaths and stretch.

These above will help to discipline the will

Just what is meditation?

Meditation is the doorway to the inner you. The real you, the you that is hidden away. It is altering your perceptions of yourself and the things around you, and allows you to understand the reality of magic and just what it is.

It is also the foundation of many pagan practices such as gathering power astral travel, dreamwalking, healing both self and others. So it would be fair to say the it is probably one of the most important if not the most important thing you will learn to do as a pagan.

There are many different techniques that you can use to meditate, and the following are just a few that i know of.

Before one can learn to meditate I believe it is important to learn to ground and center first. Grounding means to feel secure, to root your-self to mother earth, to bring nature into yourself and to bring yourself into nature.

Centering means to find the ultimate, peaceful calm at the center of your being, stretching out to the center of where you are standing, to the center of the planet, into the center of the universe. It is a good idea to ground and center before and after you perform and magical rituals and or meditation.

Grounding and centering:

Take three deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Close your eyes. Imagine your feet are like the roots of a tree and go deep into the earth, feel the energy of mother earth.

TO GROUND:

Imagine that you energy is merging with that of the universe. Allow the sounds, and smells of the world around you to pass through you, like you were a ghost. Now concentrate on your solar plexus area.

See a glowing ball of energy, now let this energy expand; it has no limit on how far it can expand.

Now allow yourself to slowly become one with the universe. This is the still point.

TO Center:

Just these two techniques can take months to master. It always takes time and effort on the practitioner part, to bring these things into being. Daily practice is needed to master meditation, some find it easy, and others find it difficult, for one reason or another.

For some it is fear, fear of what they may discover about themselves, fear of the unknown others have a hard time because of health problems. But in the end of it all they discover that they are the only ones that can do it, through meditation they become the masters of themselves.

Basic meditation.

1. Find a nice quiet area that you will not be bothered for at least 1 half hour.

2. Have a candle or a light of some kind; make sure it is not too bright.

3. Have some kind of back ground noise. Natural sounds i find work best for me, but others it is music.

4. Now start the back ground noise and light the candle, make sure the candle is far enough away that you cannot knock it over.

5. You can either sit or lie down, I prefer sitting because if I lie down I usually fall asleep.

6. Start taking deep breaths, slowly, in through nose out through mouth.

7. Start to relax, starting at your toes. Move up your body until you reach the crown of your head, while breathing deeply.

8. Once you are relaxed start to blank you mind. Picture a blank sheet of paper in your mind’s eye, Random thoughts will pop into your mind. But gently push them to the side. This is natural as you mind and body hate to be ignored. You need to train your mind to ignore these things.

Once you have achieved the blank mind you will be able to do many different things. As I said earlier this is the foundation, for all forms of meditative work. Many of these things will be explained in later lessons. The Second part of the lessons for this evening is cleansing of self and tools.

What is cleansing?

Cleansing is cleaning something of all negative energy and positively charging it with positive energy.

How does something get negative energy?

Energy either positive or negative is around us at all times. If we are sick we have negative energy within us that affects us. in a negative way. Plants that are sick are the same way, as with animals and every other living thing.

Even none living things can have negative and positive energy in them. The energy i speak of is the universal energy. It is an energy that permeates everything in the multi-verse. Some call it magic, energy, but for now let us just call it energy.

If an object or person is around another object or person that has negative energy, in people it can be called a bad attitude, bad mood, negative personality etc, and object or person can absorb the negative energy from the negative person, for the negative energy radiates from them like a radiation so to speak. We can even affect ourselves because of negative attitudes, and such.

Some things in nature naturally radiate negative energy, some naturally radiate positive energy. Now how do i get rid of this negative energy do you ask?

Well remember the meditation i was talking about earlier, well that is the start of it. first you need to get into a meditative state. Now that you are in that state, picture a white light that starts at a spot just above your eyes and in line with your nose. This is your third eye.

Allow this white light to totally envelope you in a cocoon. Now picture all negative energy as a different color, usually black. Now as the cocoon envelopes you picture this black energy dissipating, until it is all gone. Now allow your-self to exit the cocoon and be born anew.

This is one way to cleanse your-self, without the aid of spells and such. I feel it is important to learn this method because one is not always able to perform the needed spells and rituals when needed. But one can always meditate.

elements

element beings

Gnomes:

are the spiritual beings who inhabit the spirit realm of the elements.

As spirits of energy they are commonly invisible to the average person, only those that possess second sight can see them clearly. However being on the first level of the spirit realm, they are close enough to the physical realm in order to easily inter-react with it.

By tradition Gnomes were the protectors of secret treasures hidden in caves beneath the earth.

Legends have it that they were reluctant to help and aid humans, but if you were to gain the trust of one, they could prove to be powerful friends.

On the other hand, if you were to lose their trust, deceive them or misuse their aid, then all hell could be let lose.

Goblins:

were wondering mischievous sprites that would attach themselves to households, particularly those containing children. When they moved in, they would help by doing the chores at night and by playing with and disciplining the children, giving them presents when they were good or punishing them when they were bad. When upset the Goblins general good nature could became unpredictable.

are the spiritual beings that inhabit the spirit realm of the element Air. Their activities are manifest in the gatherings of clouds, in the blowing of the wind, the downpour of rain and the formation of snow.

They are also responsible for the growth and maturity of all the plant life we see around us. Its been suggested that the Muses of Greek mythology were Sylphs who had assumed human form in order to guide humans on a spiritual path.

Sylphs:

Salamanders:

are the spiritual beings that inhabit and control the element Fire, and it is through their activities that fire exists.There are many family branches of salamanders each differing in size, appearance and dignity, and in folklore they were ruled over by a magnificent flaming king being called Djin. Salamanders are the strongest and most powerful of all the elementals having the ability to extend or diminish their size as needed.

Undines:

are the spiritual beings that inhabit the spirit realm of the element Water.They not only exist in the water itself, but also in substances of humidity and all other liquids. They appear to humans as beautiful water nymphs or the classic mermaids of myths and legends which tell of them being seen gracefully riding the waves of the ocean shimmering and shining with all the colors of the sea.They are also said to frequent marshlands, rocky pools, springs, streams and wells. They control the forces of nature in relation to plant and marine life as well as the tides and motions of water.

I know that things have not progressed as quickly as one may have liked but it is important to get some-things down first as they need more practice than other things. One will have heard of visualization. These are important and are first stage techniques when we have finished these we will beginning with the sabbats and then tools. All has purpose as you will see. From the previous two weeks I hope that people have tried to practice daily as practice makes perfect.

The adeptness of visualation is important for all who have delved into the occult to learn. The vessel of the imagination is an important part of creation. Changes through intent to inspiration, is manipulated by emotion desire empathy, and transformed into noticeable outcome according to the expertise of the process air, fire, water, earth and spirit.

Without the ability to visualize then projection into the astral world in nigh impossible. It is a important part of spell crafting. As meditation is the stilling of the mind while relaxing the body, so visualization employs that relaxed state for formation of altered states.

Increased awareness through controlled and conscious intent of manifestations and summoning.

What becomes a controlled 1 dimensional picture transforms into a 3 dimensional reflection, then the metamorphosis of the concept or idea into an image. The creation if situations transpire into the realm that we understand as material. From there you will seek through the aid of.

1) The centre

2) Meditation

3) Visualation to transcend the real of the physical.

You are to train thoroughly, starting with the firs t exercise and continue until you are skilled before proceeding to the next; you may also find the exercises extremely difficult. The initial harnessing of the controlled image is the important thing to keep in mind, so it is important not to hurry

Exercise 1.

1) Relax and go into your meditation.

2) Visualize blackness as far as your eyes can see.

3) Onto that black screen, visualize a white circle. Start at twelve o’clock on the circle and visualize eliminating the circle by circumnavigating, clockwise, to where you began, and then recreate the circle the same way.

4) Hold the image of the circle exactly as it is for the count of ten, then eliminate as before.

If you lose control of the image even for a moment, do some deep breathing and begin again. You may not achieve much in you first few attempts. But persevere and it will happen.

Exercise 2.

1) Begin with exercise one until you have blackness.

2) Visualize the circle.

3) Turn the circle into a sphere and move it around in an attempt to see all of it. Note its texture, size, and color. If it has no color, give it some, play with it for a moment. Increase its size its substance.

4) Hold your sphere for as long as you like, and then choose consciously to discontinue. Do not allow stray thoughts to interfere. If they do, begin again or come back to the exercise later.

Exercise 3.

1) Begin with exercise one until you have blackness.

2) Visualize the circle.

3) Turn the circle into a sphere.

4) Turn the sphere into a round piece of fruit.

5) See your own hands holding the fruit. Peel it. Taste it. Chew it. Swallow it, and watch it go all the way down into your stomach. Eat the entire fruit following the same procedure. Again, if you have stray thoughts enter your controlled visualation, stop and begin again or come back to the exercise later.

It is important to explore a assortment of these image creations when you have mastered the fruit. When you have control of your conscious visualation, it is time to proceed to the next stage: that is creating a movable image from an idea or a concept

Exercise 4.

1) Begin the meditation in the usual method.

2) Choose a concept. (Freedom, experimentation, questing).

3) Consider the word to evaluate its meaning for you, both personally and collective.(these concepts need not necessary be accepted.)

4) Visualize the concept by imagining, situation or events that justify your evaluation of the concept. Do not lose control of the exercise and wander into fantasy.

Exercise 5.

Create, by use of the technique of controlled visualation, an event, featuring people with who you are in fairly regular contact, in which a key phenomenon is brought to bear.

Keep it brief crisp, but make certain that what you summon into actuality is not common occurrence. Visualize in a way for example like meeting someone down the road greeting, it is to visualize what you wish to happen for like 1 week from now.

You may understand know that not only does the technique requires control and has endless possibilities. It also demands ethics. Be very aware even thou you can utilize within the realm of manifestation, you will ultimately bear the consequences. The law of congruity of cause and effect, should be contemplated…..

The law of congruity

The rede is there as a formal law that is ultimately replenished through different faiths. Would you not say the the law of “An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Wilt” is not also the laws laid down in the “Ten Commandments”? Or the “Law Of Karma”, does this not also reflect the truth of the wiccan rede or what is also known as the Law of Congruity? These inner spiritual understandings have long been uphelp within cultural religion for many a thousands of years…

1. At the basis of all of these laws is the moral and spiritual obligation, knowing, and understanding, in which we know deep within our minds is the only way to operate within this world without effecting others in an intentionally negative way, and therefore perpetuating this through our karmic cycle.

Blessed Be!

chapter four

It is here that I must start with trying to correct the misconception of many witches and many authors. The misconception of that the sabbats are only orientated to the northern hemisphere. It has been many times that I have heard many say that the sabbats fall only at certain times. The sabbats are celebrating the seasons.

One must learn both hemispheres because they are different and they do create balance. At any given time there are two things happening at the same time. as is with...

Light and dark.

Winter summer

Sabbats are an important part of witchcraft. Below is a list, which will be discussed further later.

Lammas: Lammas is the time when autumn is yet to peak.

SH. February the 2nd. NH. July 31st.

Autumn equinox:

SH. March the 21st. NH. September 21st.

Samhain: Samhain is to honor the dead.

SH. April the 30th. NH. October 31st.

Winter solstice (Yule): the shortest day of the year.

SH. June 21st. NH. December 22nd.

Imbolc: Candlemas

SH. July 31st. NH February the 2nd.

Spring equinox: the light and dark are perfect balance.

SH. September 21st. NH March the 21^st

Beltane: Beltane is fire festival celebrating spring.

SH. October 31st. NH April the 30th.

Summer solstice. When the dark is at its shortest.

SH.December 22nd. NH. June 21st.

(SH equals southern hemisphere.) (NH equals northern hemisphere.)

There is also a full moon ritual. And some also do new moon ritual.

February the 2nd.

THE SABBATS are the festivals of the God, celebrations of the turning points of the wheel of the year. We celebrate these every year to keep us in tune with what the Earth is doing and to become part of the cycle.

There are four Greater Sabbats and four Lesser Sabbats.

The Greater Sabbats are the cross-quarter days, and they are "Greater" because they marked critical times when they were celebrated in the past, like the time when the animals began to bear young or when the crops were ready to harvest. The Greater Sabbats are Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, and Samhain.

The Lesser Sabbats are the Solstices and Equinoxes, and they are "Lesser" because they simply mark the extremes (and therefore, turning points) our planet goes through every year. Because they're based on Solstices and Equinoxes, their dates vary slightly from year to year. The Lesser Sabbats are Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.

from here it will be a water down version and more info can be found in boo of shadow in sabbats press this link it will take you directly

sabbats

Lammas

The God begins to die, and the Goddess is sad but joyful because She is pregnant. On Yule She will give birth to Him again, but until then She must endure His gradual decline and then be separated from Him through the Samhain season. Both deities are still very powerful but the Sun's power is waning.

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The focus of this holiday is thanks for the blessings and remembrance, and reflection. Some of what came to fruition on Litha is now harvested (though this is only the first harvest; the second is Mabon).

On Lammas, we give thanks. Seeds from fruit are ceremoniously given back to the Earth to keep the cycle going. Some people like to make sand candles and bake bread. Another popular activity is using black thread and a needle to make necklaces out of Indian corn. Food is shared at the Lammas meal.

Also, some people like to visit natural places such as lakes and fields. Meditation and thanksgiving are popular activities for Lammas; the acceptance of what has been brought about through the effort of the year is the subject of the meditations.

Autumn Equinox

Now the God is preparing to leave His body. He knows He is dying and it is all right because soon enough He will be reunited with His bride once again. The Goddess prepares to grow weak as the Earth will freeze over when Winter arrives. This is the Witches' Thanksgiving.

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The harvest is completed by Mabon. This is a time for reflection over the past year and giving thanks for what has come of it. All year long, literal and figurative plantings have been going on and have finally been harvested; there is a lot of thought about how it went.

This holiday is for the preparation of the "season of sleep," and for introspection, and understanding our dark and wise side. We think of sacrifices others have made for us and what we can sacrifice for others. Mysteries and unknowns are pondered.

As Mabon is the time of the harvest and a time for meditation and thankfulness, it is a good time to make wine. Lots of people like making wine for Mabon because it uses harvested foods and is symbolic of the fruits of the year. Plus a lot of it is probably going to be packed away and fermented, much like we are packing ourselves away and thinking over what has happened.

Some like to call the spirits of their totem animals for help in inner searching. Meditation rituals are very common for Mabon. Some people use this time to visit their friends' and relatives' graves and give them flowers.

Samhain

The God "dies" on Samhain. He leaves this realm of existence and returns to the Summerland to be recycled and cleansed in the cauldron of the Goddess. The veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinner than usual at this time of year, being that the God is within the Goddess, who is still part of the world of the living. This is a reminder that the two realms are not as separate as they seem to be.

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This is a time for three things: Coming to terms with death, honoring/remembering of those who have passed to the Summerland, and wrapping up/finalizing projects from the year. This is a "dark" time where the darker and more wise parts of the self are brought out into the open and examined. It is a time for looking forward and backward, of seeing time as cyclical, of releasing the energy that has built up over the year. Samhain is the time to remember, to study, to meditate, and to release.

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: Many people use Samhain as a time of honoring dead relatives and friends, but it is also a good time for symbolic endings and coming to terms with those. On Samhain, we look back over the year and think about our own inevitable death and what it means to us. Much of the time the dead are allowed to take part in the celebrations.

Some hold memorials for their dead friends and relatives and think about times past (giving thanks for those who died, particularly in the Burning Times). Others prefer to treat the dead as though they are there: Rather than holding ceremonies FOR them they hold ceremonies WITH them. Sometimes people take part in scrying and other forms of divination of the future events.

Winter Solstice

Yule is when the God is born to the Goddess. It is the longest night of the year, and afterward the days get longer and longer until midsummmer (Litha). Most Pagans believe in reincarnation, so the God is not really "born" at this time; He is simply returning from being recycled. The Goddess sleeps at this time after Her birthing.

This is a time to celebrate the light as well as to revere the night (as it is the longest night of the year). We accept both sides of our nature. We honor the God, who has been reborn, and it is a reminder of rebirth and continuing recycling. Yule is a time to honor the Mother and all mothers and to call back the light of the Sun. The old year is banished and the new year is begun.

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Many people have a Yule tree, a Yule log, or both. The Yule Tree is often lit up with candles on Yule, and the log is decorated and later burned. It is customary to exchange Yule gifts and to make wreaths, and to hang mistletoe over doorways. The altar and other areas of the house can be decorated with holly, mistletoe, evergreen, pine cones, ivy, berries, and ribbons.

Also, holly and mistletoe represent different things: Holly is representative of the "holly king," the king of the waning or old year, and the mistletoe is representative of the "oak king," the king of the waxing or new year.

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Imbolc

The Goddess recovers from the birth and the God is young. Imbolc is a purification, and a festival of light and fertility. This is the opening of spring and the origin of the popular "Groundhog Day."

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This is a time to celebrate the light and to honor the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, as well as the child aspect of the God. It is a time to purify, of new beginnings and such. It is a very joyous time, with much in the future to look forward to and sort of a playful feeling in the air. This is a time for making plans for the future, which will be encouraged to develop in future Sabbats.

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Imbolc is celebrated with symbolic new beginnings and sweeping out of the old. Many like to have self-dedication rituals and reinitiations at this time. Traditional activities are making candles, lighting a candle in a window and burning it until morning, using candles in magic and divination, doing a "spring cleaning" of the house, blessing seeds that are hoped to produce good plants for food and other things, re-stocking the magickal cabinet, and going out looking for signs of spring, collecting pebbles and other natural trinkets. Some people like to put a wheel symbol on their altar at this time of the year.

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Spring Equinox

This is the day of the Spring Equinox, the first real day of Spring. The Goddess is now fertile and able to be a mother, while the God is reaching toward His prime. Renewal is everywhere and Nature is beginning to burst with life again as the Earth is fully reawakened from Winter's sleep.

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This is a time to celebrate the expansion that is taking place all around. It is a time to renew ourselves and cleanse ourselves further and keep ourselves pure, and to actually begin something. At Imbolc, plans were supposedly made for the future; this is the time to begin them, to put them into motion. It is a time for giving thanks for the return of Spring.

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Ostara is celebrated by doing prosperity rituals, and by putting the plans made at Imbolc into motion. Many people like to collect wild flowers and ponder what they mean. We take notice of the world's new gifts blooming everywhere. Some like to wear very bright clothes on this day, with lots of flowers in their hair and around their houses, and lots of accessories and decorations. Many take this time to actually plant seeds in their gardens, while others only plant figurative seeds that will come to bloom later. Some like to decorate and eat eggs.

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Beltane

The God is now a fully grown young man and He and the Goddess make love for the first time. She is impregnated at this time. Love and union are embraced.

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Fertility rites are the main objective of this holiday. We ask for fertility for ourselves and for our animals or crops if we have any, and also for our plans conceived at Imbolc and put into motion at Ostara to grow and become what they were expected to be. This is a time of extreme vitality and consummation of many aspects of life. It is also a time to help others; to aid others in making their plans and aspirations work out. Some people believe elves and fairies and other "little people" begin to come out at this time and might leave offerings for them. Beltane is a good time also to commune with the deities of choice and to celebrate the blessings of love and fertility They have bestowed.

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Since the spring flowers have been growing, this is a good time to collect spring flowers and exchange them with people whose favor you desire. People also like to put the flowers in and around their cauldrons (since the cauldron is a symbol of the Goddess). Fertility rites are very popular, such as the maypole. The pole itself is a phallic symbol, and the celebrators skip around the pole holding ribbons that wind into a lovely pattern. Couples who want to conceive children might jump over a small cauldron while holding hands. This is a time when people have large gatherings and get-togethers where they all talk about life and have a great time.

Summer Solstice

The God and the Goddess are in Their prime, at Their highest power. This is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. The Goddess is pregnant. After this day, the light begins to wane until the Winter Solstice.

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The focus of this holiday is again on fertility but also on strength and focus. Plans made at Imbolc, put into motion at Ostara, and encouraged at Beltane should now be in fruition. It is a time to give thanks for the gifts and for our health. After this day things will change somewhat, waning again, and this must be prepared for. This is a celebration of work AND of pleasurable activities. It is also a good time for a dedication rite or a re-affirmation spell.

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On Litha, we celebrate the power of the Sun and play outside as much as possible, taking pleasure in Nature as a child would. Summertime flowers can be collected and used to adorn the altar, the home, and the body. Many people like to make love charms at this time and also cast love-related spells and any other kinds of magick, since this is the highest power of the God and Goddess and therefore there is quite a bit of energy to harness. Some people believe the elves and fairies are afoot and leave out food for them. Some like to cook potpourri made of flowers. One custom is to make one yellow feather wreath and one red feather wreath and tie them together with ivy.

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creating a ritual

First of all, you'll want to research your holiday before you create a ritual for it. Read as much lore as you can get your hands on. You'll want to understand what the myth is regarding what the God and Goddess are doing at that point in the year, because that will help you understand that particular spoke on the wheel of the year. The God and the Goddess's life together is very symbolic of what the Earth is doing at the time so it is important to know the symbolism there.

You should find a nice place to do your ritual. You may actually want to do it outside. You also want to find out the traditional time to do the ritual. Most will be after sundown but some of them might be better performed at or around noon or at least when the sun is up, or you can do the rituals at the time of day corresponding to the life stage of the God. Decide if you can do it without being interrupted in the spot you want to do it.

Find out what foods are traditional. Find out some of the decorations and the traditions and the superstitions. If these appeal to you and you believe in them, engage in these! Not just during the ritual but before and after; remember that Sabbats commemorate a time of year, not just a few hours.

When you do your ritual for a Sabbat, have a LOT of fun. These are JOYOUS occasions and you should not feel like you are doing a duty; you are celebrating life, not just honoring the deities (however you see Them), so you should be having fun. If a formal ritual is TOO formal for you, try just going outside somewhere safe and lying down and contemplating the sky while you give your thanks, or run joyfully in a field or swim at midnight outside. I am writing about ritual here on the assumption that if you want a looser ritual that is more personal then I have no way of telling you how to go about it.

After the ritual is over, but possibly before you break the circle, you will probably want to have some sort of meal, which is referred to as the Wine and Cakes Ceremony or the Cakes and Ale Ceremony. You can eat something small or a whole smorgasbord of traditional foods. I lean towards the smorgasbord myself; I always bring lots of food into my circle in tupperware containers and eat it after I'm done with the main parts of the ritual. Part of it is giving a "libation" to the present deities, too; you put part of your meal into a libation bowl and later pour or bury the contents outside, as a way to give back to the Earth what it has given you.

Purification of space and creating of sacred space are covered in the circles section. Shortly, your space can be purified by using the besom (broom) to sweep out negative energies, and you should cast your circle in any way that you like (refer to the circles page for more information on circle casting). Remember that you will need to have all your items for your ritual inside the circle before you cast it! This will require research and preparation, which I will mention in the "ritual observance" discussion.

Energy raising is mentioned here because sometimes you will want to include a spellcasting in your ritual, after the actual ritual's purpose has been observed (except in the case of the ritual's being held primarily to cast a spell or send energy for another purpose, like a magickal healing--then of course it is done as part of the ritual rather than after the purpose is over). Often this is a spell cast in the spirit of the event.

Make sure that it is the correct moon phase to cast your spell. I must say that most times I would rather wait to cast my spells since my magickal time is better spent for the purpose of the actual ritual, but I have done it before . . . and supposedly, the three-day window around Sabbats and Esbats are very powerful times for magick, so you might do well to take advantage of them.

Earthing the power, thanking the deities, and breaking the circle. Scott Cunningham suggests that this "earthing" happens to calm yourself down from spellworking and get rid of the extra "residual" energy that is bouncing around in the circle and in you. Eating actually helps to earth yourself and to settle your energy. As for thanking, I always express my thanks right before I shut down the circle for the night.

And by the way, when I put out my candles, I always pinch them instead of blowing them out; if you blow them out, you are using the element of Air to quench the element of Fire, and . . . well, that's supposedly not so good. Usually, when I am getting rid of the energy that made up my circle, I go around three times: Once to pull in energy for myself, once to pull in energy to be stored in the handle of my athame, and once to return the rest to the Earth.

Remember that you don't necessarily have to follow these steps or do everything in a set order. Make it fun and make it your own.

chapter five

witches tools

In a time before time, there was a time the god and goddess, and some may call the Great Spirit gave to man the energies of creations

Where witches were able to use magick by drawing and send just by using their own body. They learnt to use. There were some that became of this and so they created a war where they tried to use and if they could not then they destroyed.

The Atlantians saw the danger and (my views only) shifted to another dimension. Many witches were destroyed and much off the knowledge was also lost, there were those that saw and so started to rebuild. Many were not so perceptive and so need tools to help focus and so began the ritual tools of a witch to help teach.

The rituals tools will always be need in ritual ceremonies but man do not need that is another story…..

There is one important thing a Witch must remember..... tools do not make a Witch; A Witch makes the tools. A Witch’s tools are an extension of Her intent and a means for Her intent to continue when life demands Her attention.. Desire, visualization and belief are a Witch’s tools of the soul and empower Her Earthly tools.

The novice should obtain the athame as soon as possible. The athame is dagger shape may or may not be sharpen. It is only for ritual purpose and so kept for this reason. Used for directing energy. The athame the handle is black and can be decorated in any manner of your choosing. The athame is used for casting a ritual circle, to invoke summon, consecrate, bind, banish, awaken, and charge all that is power. The athame is never used to draw blood and is never used by anyone else except its owner.

Athame:

The boline is either single or double edge straight or curved and usually the handle is white and is used for carving (EG. wands or staff), cutting flowers or herbs, may also be used in ritual where an item requires cutting EG. String. And dressing candles.

Boline:

the chalice is traditional silver or silver in shape, it has also been in the shape of horns as use in the gardnerian practicing covens or solitarian. It can be filled with what ever you choose (wine, juice, water) what ever you feel comfortable with.

Chalice:

The wand is always handcrafted, and made from many woods and the length should be from you elbow to the fingertips. The wand is an extension to a witch and is used to focus the mind and magic.

Wand:

Pentacle:

The pentacle is an earth symbol and is made from brass, copper, wood, or clay. Bury it in the earth at the time of the new moon until the full moon. Then consecrate it.

Incense:

There are many blends that can be made. The most primary one is an equal mixture of Frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh, and benzoin.

is for placing of charcoal and burning incense and in time may make your own blends. The censer should be of any material that can with hold heat.

Censer:

Candle should be placed at the east for the element air, at the north for the element fire, at the west for the element water, and the south for the element earth. The altar I use two one for the goddess and one for the god.

Candles:

Robe:

Most witches usually perform skyclad but for those who feel uncomfortable, and some coven require robes, also there are times when you may be some place where naked is frowned on

To put out candles. It is ouch on the fingers, and may offend the elements of fire.

Candle snuff:

use rock salt for consecration

Container of salt:

Container or bowl of water:

An amulet or talisman to give to give others a way for others to recognizing you: Don¢t forget to say hello when meeting.

The book of shadows or some times called the book of secrets. It is a place where rituals are kept and it is the witches prized possession it is not for public display and not for lending, a person may copy from the book with express permission only.

BOS:

it will keep a record of your dreams. It will teach you over time to distinguish your dreams and to interpret them according to their type.

Dream diary:

the Grimore will be filled with notes, sentiments, recipes, techniques, and spells specific to you. And also must be handwritten.

Grimore:

Consecration of the Chalice, Athame or Other Ritual Tool

"Before these assembled spirits I bring (name type of tool) to be dedicated to the service of the Lady and Lord."

(Pass tool three times through smoke of the incense.) "By the power of air, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of thought and to harmlessness that all intentions for which thou art used may harm none and be for the good of all.

Spirits of the east, in sweet air born. In swirling winds polish these tools, and sweep from them all phantasm and illusion."

(Pass tool three times through or over the flame of the fire candle.)"By the power of fire, be thou purified.

Be thou dedicated to purity of desire, and to harmlessness that all goals which thou do help achieve may harm none and be for the good of all. Spirits of the south, in fire born. In shining flames purify these tools, and burn from them all impurities."

(Take a few drops of water and sprinkle or dab on instrument.) "By the power of water, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of emotion, and to harmlessness that all that thou shalt be used in a spirit of harmony, harming none and for the good of all.

Spirits of the west, in water born. In cool waters cleanse these tools, and wash from them all hurt and harm."

(Touch instrument to the pentacle or salt) "By the power of earth, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to steadfastness and purity of purpose, that my will be achieved without wavering, with harm to none and for the good of all.

Spirits of the north, in cool earth born. In mother earth ground these tools, and take from them all spirits dark."

If this is a chalice, present it first to the Lady, then to the Lord, if athame, reverse the order. All other instruments use personal preference, but it is courtesy to present them to Her first.

chapter six

there will be two parts to this

Reiving is clearing, cleaning, and preparing your place of work. The place where you are to caste your circle must be cleared of all unnecessary bits and pieces; the less you have around, you the less there is to consider. This may be difficult if you others living with you who are not kind or if you don’t have the room that you can set aside.

You will, however, find a way to have a clear space, be it in door or out door, (or if you have the providence to have both), to ascertain one privacy. You will sweep, dust and wash and all thing s in you proximity. If you are outside then to ensure that things are pruned weed and tidy, in the immediacy of your circle.

You will be in a state of contemplation and focus, intent on brilliance, as though you was creating a most special gift for the person that you love in your life—that’s Reiving. You will prepare the things that you will have with you for ritual (make incense, trim the wicks of the candles, have a bottle of good red wine or fruit juice, ready for the rite) being ascertain to omit nothing—that’s Reiving.

When the time is approaching, you will bath or shower, still in the space of contemplation, with the intention of neutralizing any energies that are not your own(it’s got nothing to do with soap) and being clear of all things that could be irrelevant to the working—that’s Reiving.

The final step to Reiving is to ascertain and to ensure that are undisturbed for as long as you desire.

Ritual circle:

The following part is for those who have not as yet consecrated their implement of their craft

1) What it is called in witchcraft, a circle, is in fact not a circle at all. You will seem to caste your circle in a circular manner, but is actually a spherical field, and you are in its web. When a circle is caste, it is caste along the equator, with which it will expand out from the point of one’s athame, directing the magnetized field or energy to surround you in every direction, into a interwoven system, or grid pattern of fine, luminous blue strands expanding outwards to link above below and the immediate area of the polar points.

2) Water is used in a sprinkle trend prior to casting the circle to wet down any static related with the field, just like wetting down one’s body in the reiving process. The water that is used is consecrated prior to its use, and salt is used for its conductivity quality( like electricity through salt water)

3) Once the circle is caste. It is upheld throughout the rite by one’s own awareness of in your mind’s eye.

4) Gateways are then summoned into existence by using the seal of invoking pentagram at the four compass points of south, east, north, and west. Guardians of an elemental nature are summoned for the duration of the ritual. The purpose of this dual: (1) to allow the flow of your working to reach the substratum of the powers of life through their participation in the intent of the ritual, and (2) once summoned they will serve as both sentinels and protectors to the sacred space that you have created.

In the northern hemisphere it will be different as 1) the fire elements are opposite and travel in a clockwise motion so it will be north, east, south and west.

Invoking the seals I will explain and also place on web page.

5) Within your sacred space you will have your altar your altar is placed at the midnight point (similar to midday) the midnight phase of life is unseen or unknown, the hidden phase of life, and is considered as outside of time and space. Where anything is possibly.

6) On the altar will be whatever you require for the specific rite.

Exercise.

1) Choose a night

2) Reread the tools off a witch bare essentials will be for this simple ritual. Candle one for each point one for the altar. Water and salt in their individual containers; incense white cord long enough to encompass the entire circle and the witches tools as we have mentioned before. Dagger to be transformed to athame goblet for transformation to chalice disc for pentacle branch for wand and censer have them on altar but don’t use them yet.

3) Reive the place where you are working

4) Bath with intent of purification

5) Secure you privacy

6) Lay the cord around the perimeter of your altar or circle light the candles first the one on altar then walking deosil sunwise

7) Seat yourself before the altar and prepare yourself as a vessel (meditate)

8) When you are centered take the container of water and inscribe the seal of earth and infuse the water with it replace the water and infuse with some salt

9) Walk the boundary from south to south or north to north depending where you live

10) Summon the guardian of earth air fire and water Using the seals

11) Now take the time to sit and contemplate your place and what you have achieved

12) This are will not be the same once you have worked it

13) When you have given yourself adequate time in this manner go to the gate of earth and silently honor the powers of the element before you describe the relevant banishing pentagram, do also with the other elements

14) Extinguish your altar candles and break the seal by opening the cord

15) To ground and centre yourself after ritual you can do one of two things. (1) Stand with your legs apart and breathe your energy into the floor or earth, or (2) eat.

Consecration and empowering your athame:

Once you have completed this section, you’ll be ready, if you choose, to take the steps of self-initiation. (Should you fail to find a coven to take you through or that you have chosen to be a solitary).

The time you will have a proper censer and specially prepared incense. You will also have prepared your pentacle and wand, and you will most certainly have procured your chalice. Ascertain that you have a magnet to charge you blade of your dagger.

Please read this ritual through several times and commit it to memory, if possible (have it hand written, anyway, and with you your circle).

Requirements:

1) The above

2) Your dagger (already wiped both sides of the blade with the magnet).

3) Wine in your chalice, consecrated water, your vial of oil, and five candles and their holders.

Note; your oil will not be acceptable for use until in fused with a minute quantity of you essence (saliva, a blood drop, tears or any other essence which I will leave to your own imagination). No one is permitted to use your personal oil for any reason thereafter. Do not allow the vial to completely up at any time, top it up before it happens.

Do not eat a heavy meal for quite a while before this rite.

Reive and prepare as you did in the last exercise (but this is a rite of power and considered and exercise), and have your athame, chalice, pentacle, and wand on the altar along with your censer and incense, the vial of prepared oil, and the altar flame.

The Rite:

Light the candles and the incense, and seat yourself before the altar to centre yourself. When you are focused, caste your circle as you have been taught. Then go to the gate of earth, raise your arms and summon the powers…

Come ye, of the southern winds,

Place the storms and deepest night

Place of silence most profound,

Guard this circle set outside of time.

Acknowledge the purpose of this rite!

Open for me the gate of earth!

You will then describe the seal of the invoking pentagram of earth. Note: in the northern hemisphere, you will call upon the northern winds at the gate of earth.

Walk deosil to the gat e of air, raise your arms, and summon the powers…

Come ye, of the east winds,

Place of first sun and rise of moon,

Place of inspiration,

Guard this circle set outside of time.

Acknowledge the purpose of this rite!

Open for me the gate of air!

Caste the invoking pentagram of air: Walk deosil to the gate of fire, raise your arms and summon the powers…

Come ye, of the northern winds,

Place of the highest sun, place of creation manifest,

Guard this circle set outside of time.

Acknowledge the purpose of this rite!

Open for me the gate of fire!

Cast the invoking pentagram of fire. (These are the powers of the southern winds in the northern hemisphere).

Go deosil to the western gate, raise your arms and summon..

Come ye, of the western winds,

Place of setting sun,

Place of wisdom;

Guard this circle set outside of time.

Acknowledge the purpose of this rite!

Open for me the gate of water!

Describe the invoking pentagram of water.

You are then to take the consecrated water; hold it tightly to you body; fully will your will into it! You will then kiss your athame on both sides of the blade and hilt.

To bring the athame to life:

To cause the athame to awaken to the powers of earth, you will place the athame on the pentacle, raise it up, and say slowly.

By the dance

And in the darkness

By the door and by the drum

By enchantment

The eye of midnight,

The inner shield

I bid the come!

Wait until you sense the field, then say:

The elements of earth infuse my blade!

To cause it to awaken to the powers of air, refuel the censer, hold your athame in the smoke, and slowly say.

By the bridge that spans the river;

By the book—the shadow tome;

By the breath, the sword of wisdom,

By Tuatha’n bow

I bid thee come!

Wait until you can sense them, and then say;

Element of air infuse my blade!

To cause your athame to awaken to the powers of fire, you will hold with the blade passing in and out of the flame of the altar candle and slowly say:

By the seed beneath the snow;

By the finger of the flame;

By the forge, the power of shaping;

By stellar fire

I bid the come!

Wait until you can sense them, and then say:

The element of fire infuse me blade!

To awaken the athame to the powers of water, place the tip of your athame into the consecrated water and slowly say;

By the queen of ancient magic!

By the rainbow in the storm!

By the lake, the isle remembered!

By the sea of space

I bid thee come!

Wait until you feel them infused your dagger, and say lastly;

The element of water infuse my blade!

For the consecration to be complete, you are to do two more things:

1) With much passion and focus, place the tip of your athame into the cup of wine and charge it with the concept of conjunction (symbolic sacred sexual union). Place your athame on your lap while you drink from the cup.

2) Gently oil the blade with your specially prepared oil.

Take your athame, go around the circle honoring each element in their turn, and using your will, extending through the blade, and describe each banishing pentagram. Extinguish the candles.

Open the circle by drawing the energy of the force field into the blade of the athame. Then place the point into the earth and discharge it into the earth.

Put all ritual things away before you do anything else—then have something to eat to ground yourself.

Well done!

This ends part two. Part 3 is about self initiation.

Realms of accessibility

By “realms of accessibility” I mean realms or places that are other than physical. They are not perceived by the five senses at the perimeter of your circle, but are accessed only (through the tool of imagery)by the door way of your center. None of the techniques require and mind altering substances, and will be accessible if you have utilized true inner control.

The first technique requires sound practical meditative background and strong ability to work deep visualization.

This exercise is practice in various representations by almost all mystery schools of the occult. You may find it useful to actual tape the voyages after reading them, and prior to your experiences of them, but they are best consigned to memory.

There are ten realms that you will travel: the first realm has four initial phases through which you will pass before proceeding to the other realms. The last three realms are not to be accesses with out travel all other in succession, due to the intensity of their intent.

Exercise:

Take the position you have become accustomed to for the meditation and visualization exercises. Employ either active or passive silence. Beginning with meditation, taking yourself as deeply as possibly without losing conscious control. Take your time.

Begin you visualization by seeing outside of your circle.

First realm: the four parts of the self.

Visualize within that circle a vast expanse of black, empty space. In that space countless millions of miles/kilometers of sheer velvety blackness, but way past that is a speck of light. Travel towards the light. On your way, you will pass many floating objects created to delude you into thinking you are not going anywhere you will yourself. Destination: speck of light.

These objects will consist of anything chairs, tables, houses, and people to scientific equations, mathematical formulae, and quotations from books. They may be anything that you five outer senses could perceive.

What are you doing is passing through the dimension of your conscious mind.

You need to be aware of this in the back ground. You need to be aware of this in the background of your voyage because at this stage you are still within the first part of the realm. Continue the voyage until you reach the point in the distance. See it, as you approach, as a vast illuminated portal that you are to pass through.

What are you doing is passing through the dimension of your conscious mind. You need to be aware of this in the back ground. You need to be aware of this in the background of your voyage because at this stage you are still within the first part of the realm. Continue the voyage until you reach the point in the distance. See it, as you approach, as a vast illuminated portal that you are to pass through.

Be observant at all times; however, don’t allow anything you see deter you from your journey. After travelling thus for a while, observe a portal in the distance. Travel towards the portal. When you reach it go through it.

When you have passed through the portal, you will find yourself bathing in brilliant light. There are massive pillars that form a corridor:; the pillars on your left are black and the pillars on your right are white. They shine in brilliant marble. You can see nothing but the path beneath your feet due to the brilliance of the light around you. Follow the path.

You will hear a loud, continuous, roaring sound (like a grindstone turning slowly at the bottom of a deep well). The path you will walk on leads you towards the sound. After traveled thus for a time, you see ahead of you the source of the sound; you see a huge vortex or whirlpool.

As you enter the vortex, your initial sensation is of falling and spinning down a vast chasm. The roaring sound is all around you and you can do nothing but let the falling take you deeper and deeper down into the vortex. Experience the sensation of falling.

You need have no fear as you are now travelling through the door way of your own center; through the doorway of existence. You will eventually land in a small chamber that has only one door; engraved into it is a circle with equal arm cross. You are to open the door and pass through it.

Second realm: Astral

You are in deep night. The landscape is desolate and barren, but beautiful on moonlight, misty austerity. You can see, by the strong light of the moon’s glow, a path beneath your feet that winds off into the distance leading toward a mountain of rock.

You knock on the door and wait. It is opened from the other side that is the entrance to most inner-plane encounters.

She says nothing to you until you have passed into the mountain of rock. You go on your way for a while, observing everything.

When you have wandered through the mountain and found whatever information or knowledge that is significant to you there, the little dark-haired woman appears again and guides you to the next door.

The door is the color of the rising sun and has the symbol of mercury carved into it. It shimmers with liquid mercury. You knock on the door and wait until it is opened from the other side.