




























                                   BOOK OF SHADOWS 


                                   BOOK THE SECOND

                                    PP. 453 - 906


                                           
                              RIDERS OF THE CRYSTAL WIND 



                                     TABLE OF CONTENTS 
          A Minster Speaks Out (J. gordon Melton) .........................975
          A Plea For Initiation Standards (Ellen Cannon Reed) .............908
          A Tale of Two Witches (Mike Nichols) ............................147
          All Hallows Eve (Mike Nichols) ..................................137
          Altar Dedication  (Durwydd) .....................................125
          Amazing (Pagan?) Grace ..........................................959
          Ancient Art, The ................................................551
          Answers (Grove of the Unicorn) ..................................479
          Asatru (Rathulvf Jamieson) ......................................952
          Astral Projection (Monroe Technique) ............................783
          Athame Dedication (Durwydd) .....................................125
          Autarchic Creed .................................................562
          Banes, Bindings, and Mirrors (Judy Harrow, Hugh Read) ...........628
          Bare Bones 3rd Degree (Humor) ...................................463
          Basic Beliefs of WICCA (C.O.G.) .................................947
          Basic Love Spell ................................................958
          Basic Spell Construction ........................................113
          Basic Principles (American Council of Witches)...................310
          Basic Ritual Outline (ED FITCH) ...................................6
          Beltaine Ritual (Firestar Coven, 1986) ...........................36
          Beltane Ritual (Seastrider) .....................................464
          Beltane, Its Origins (Rowan Moonstone) ..........................126
          Bible, Books not included .......................................652
          Bibliography (annotated) ........................................929
          Binding A Spell (Farrar & Farrar) ...............................157
          Blood Sacrifice (Althea Whitebirch) .............................547
          Burning Times, The (Marios) .....................................951
          C.O.G. Pledge ...................................................309
          Channeling (Jast) ...............................................969
          "Condensed" Definition of Wicca (Lady Phoenix) ..................948
          Candle Colors ...................................................982
          Candle Magic ....................................................417
          Candle Scents ...................................................988
          Candlemas (Gwydion) .............................................537
          Candlemas (Mike Nichols) ........................................168
          Catharsis Circle (Judy Harrow).....................................8
          Cauldrons (Elemental)............................................420
          CELTIC NUMEROLOGY (Mike Nichols) ................................454
          CELTIC BIBLIOGRAPHY (Rowan Moonstone) ...........................298
          Chants w/ASCII Notation (L.A.Hussey) ...........................1081
          Chaos Magic (Mark Chao) .........................................398
          Charge of the Phone Goddess (Magenta Griffith) ..................759
          Charge of the Goddess, The ......................................193
          Charge of The Horned God, The ...................................936
          Check List for A Well Working Group (Earthrite BBS) .............957
          Church of All Worlds ............................................353
          Christian "Cults" ..............................................1000
          Circle Closing ..................................................540
          Circle Casting (Avaloian)........................................541
          Circle Purification for Asthmatics ..............................780
          Circle Casting (after Valiente and Farrar) ......................130
          Circles, why use them? (Mel White) ...............................65
          Cleansing (Rowan Moonstone) .......................................2
          Comparison of Wicca and Christianity.............................622
          Computer Blessing (Zahai Stewart) ...............................757
          Coven Offices ...................................................762
          Coven Leadership ................................................543
          Covenant of the Goddess .........................................305
          Consciousness & Politics  (Carol Moore).........................

                                             i
          



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
          Craft Ethics (J. Crowley) .......................................751
          Creation Story ..................................................619
          Creed Of The People Of God (Catholic) ..........................1005
          Crone Energies (Grey Cat) .......................................559
          Crystals, their care and feeding (Matrika).......................413
          Cult Danger Evaluation Frame (P.E.I.Bonewits) ...................343
          CUUPS (C.O.G. Salt Lake City) ..................................1002
          "Dark Night of the Soul".........................................286
          DCW Landmarks ...................................................492
          Degrees within Covens ...........................................623
          Deity Engineering Worksheet .....................................607
          Denver Area Wiccan Network ......................................200
          Descent of The Goddess (Sewna Silvara) ..........................750
          Dianic Wicca (Inanna Seastar) ...................................614
          Divination (Bibliography) .......................................605
          Divination (RMPJ) ...............................................603
          Drawing Down the Moon ...........................................557
          Dream Problem Solving ...........................................573
          Dream Bibliography ..............................................576
          Dream Life ......................................................571
          Dream-News ......................................................567
          Dreams Precognition .............................................575
          Dying God (Ammond ShadowCraft)...................................685
          Eclectic Circle Ceremony (Durwydd) ...............................40
          EcoMagick .......................................................614
          Eight Paths to Altered States (Carrie McMasters).................222
          Elements, A Hermetic Summoning (Marios) .........................960
          Elemental Correspondences (from Starhawk) .......................979
          Elemental Correspondences .......................................560
          Ethics and Morals (RMPJ) ........................................315
          Ethics and Magick (Warren Stott) ................................415
          Ethics and Love Magick (Mike Nichols) ...........................554
          Ethics or Etiquette .............................................565
          Etymology of "Wicca" ............................................356
          Evolution of Wiccan Ritual (Paul Hume) ..........................946
          Exorcism ........................................................613
          Festivals .......................................................587
          Film Guide '89 (Mike Nichols)....................................528
          First Degree, What is it? .......................................351
          FISH (Creative use of Christian Symbology) ......................611
          Five Fold Kiss ..................................................744
          Fool ............................................................590
          Fortune, The (RMPJ) .............................................953
          Full Deck Tarot Spread ..........................................625
          Full Moon Ritual (Seastrider)....................................634
          Fundamentals of Human Ecology ...................................616
          Glossary (Rowan Moonstone & Durwydd MacTara) ....................206
          Gnosticism.......................................................694
          God/Goddess Balance (Adrienne)...................................223
          Golden Dawn (Calif.).............................................689
          Golden Dawn Training (outline)...................................691
          Goodwife (Story by L.A. Hussey) .................................644
          Great Rite, The (Symbolic) ......................................656
          Greek Fire Initiation............................................982
          Halloween, Origins of (Rowan Moonstone) ..........................26
          Handfasting ......................................................68
          Harvest Home (Mike Nichols) .....................................176
          Harvest Thoughts (Gary Dumbauld) ................................630
          Harvest Home - 1987 (Michael Fix) ................................13

                                            ii
          



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
          Heal The Earth (a meditation) ...................................661
          Healing (one method) ............................................655
          Healing Myth (Nihasa) ...........................................165
          Helpful Hints (Humor) ...........................................966
          Heretic's Corner (RMPJ) .........................................869
          Heyokah (RMPJ) ..................................................632
          Hidden Codes in the Torah .......................................733
          High Technology Meets The Ancient Wisdom ........................964
          History (Weyland Smith) .........................................786
          History of Witch Craft ..........................................791
          Homeblessing (Selena Fox) .......................................663
          Hypnosis 101 ....................................................667
          Imbolc (Solitary Ritual) ........................................664
          Initiation, Outdoor (adaptation) .................................72
          Initiation (Brad Hicks) ..........................................50
          Introductory Book List ..........................................926
          INVOCATIONS
               Freyja (unknown) ............................................56
               Frigg (Russ Anderson) .......................................55
               Brigit (Russ Anderson) ......................................57
               Baldur (unknown) ............................................55
               Freyr (unknown) .............................................56
               Herne (unknown) .............................................57
               Thorr (unknown) .............................................58
          Irish Myth Concordance (Mike Nichols) ...........................422
          Ishtar ..........................................................740
          Issian Circle (Matrika) ..........................................59
          K.A.M. ..........................................................735
          Kabballah (Colin Low)............................................236
          Kali and Modern Physics .........................................730
          Keltria (The Henge of) ..........................................739
          Lady Day (Mike Nichols) .........................................171
          Lammas (Mike Nichols) ...........................................174
          "Landmarks" (D.C.W.) ............................................990
          LBRP, an Essay (Tim Maroney) ....................................103
          Learning Process ................................................962
          Lilith (BBS Conversation) ......................................1083
          LLEW, Death of (Mike Nichols) ...................................179
          Lucid Dreaming (Omni Magazine) ..................................955
          MABON Outline (anonymous) ........................................43
          Magick, Physics, & Probability (Hurn) ...........................811
          Magick (A. Crowley) .............................................817
          Magick Vs. Prayer (Salgamma) ....................................684
          Magickal Book List ..............................................923
          Magick Course Outline (Amber K.).................................815
          Magickal Ethics (Judy Harrow) ...................................502
          Magickal History (Fra.: Apfelman) ...............................406
          Magickal Definitions (RMPJ) .....................................814
          Magickal Laws (after P.E.I. Bonewits) ...........................831
          Magickal Musical Selection Guide ...............................1079
          Magickal Pyramid, The (Durwydd MacTara).........................1096
          Magickal Stones & Gems ..........................................912
          Manhood Rituals (RMPJ) ..........................................760
          Mantra Web technique ............................................288
          Mayan Deities (777 Supplement) ..................................834
          Mayday Celebration (Mike Nichols) ...............................837
          MAYDAY Celebration (Mike Nichols) ................................79
          Media Management (Windfire Coven) ...............................851
          Maychants (4) (Tanscribed by SeaStrider).........................911

                                            iii
          



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
          Memory & Perception, a new Model (Paul Seymour).................1077
          Midsummer (Mike Nichols) .........................................45
          Mind Control Techniques (Dick Sutphen) ..........................512
          Models of Magick (incomplete)....................................216
          Modern Pagaism, Q&A .............................................920
          Modern Pagan Persecution (Jonathan Hutchins) ....................942
          Mothers Day Message ............................................1076
          Monotheism vs. Polytheism (Dan Holdgriewe) ......................941
          Mycenaen Mysteries (J. Teller)...................................365
          Mystical Pentagram ..............................................110
          Nature Spirit Magick (Larry Cornett) ............................357
          Necromancy (reprint) ............................................841
          Neo-Pagan Ritual (Brad Hicks) ....................................77
          Neo-Paganism (J. Brad Hicks) ....................................329
          NeoPagism (Eric S. Raymond) .....................................333
          NLP- Applied Magic (Brandy Williams).............................459
          NROOGD SAMHAIN - 1987 (l.a. Hussey) ..............................21
          Occult Resurgence, A theory .....................................224
          ODINISM, What is it? ............................................764
          Open Circle Ethics (Brandy Williams) ............................377
          Open Letter to A New Witch ......................................910
          Open Letter to Selena Fox (Isaac Bonewits) .....................1089
          Opening (ending) The Circle ......................................12
          Origins of the Mandan (Madoc) ...................................949
          Pantacle, The (Gary Dumbauld) ...................................392
          Personal effects of Ritual (Nihasa) .............................868
          Polarity and Single Sex Covens (Marios) .........................945
          Pornography & Pagan Ideals ......................................972
          Power Animals (RMPJ).............................................411
          Psychic Self-Defense ............................................594
          Psychic Attack ..................................................563
          "Quantum" Kaballah...............................................282
          Quantum Magick (Larry Cornett) ..................................857
          Quilting and "Craft" (J.M. Cortese) ............................1103
          Rainforest Ritual (Michael Harismedes, 1988) ....................212
          Ritual Bath (Sewna Silvara) .....................................745
          Runes, What are they? (Lokrien) .................................215
          Runic Thorn Ritual (Faunus) ....................................1097
          Sangreal Sodality, The (Alfgar Maharg) ..........................944
          Samhain Notes (Farrar)...........................................143
          Samhain Ritual (L. A. Hussey) ....................................19
          Samhain Ritual (O.T.O.) .........................................145
          Samhain (United Wiccan Church) ..................................141
          Satanism vs. Wicca (Diane Vera)..................................194
          Saxon Wicca (Matrika) ...........................................158
          Scorpio Dragon (Sewna Silvara) ..................................749
          Second Degree (Gary Dumbauld) .....................................3
          Sex and Magick (Fra. Apfelmann)..................................231
          Shamanic Binding (Gaffer Maccluiunn) ............................937
          Shamanic Lifeways Fellowship (Michelle Haas) ....................384
          Smudging (Michelle Haas) ........................................184
          Solitary Moon Rite, Issian (Ellen Cannon Reed) .................1100
          Sophia and Gnosticism (Terry J. McCombs) .......................1105
          Spitual Emergence or Emergency (Paul Seymour) ...................939
          Spring Equinox (Farrar and Farrar) ..............................182
          Standing Stones Book Of Shadows (Scott Cunninham) ..............1010
          Strings On The Winds (Bardic Fiction)............................778
          "Super-Dimensionality" ..........................................289
          Taleisin's thoughts .............................................676

                                            iv
          



                               TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
          Tea Ritual (Sewna Silvara, Triskelion)...........................747
          Technology and The Craft (Fun!) .................................132
          The Postures of Ecstasy .........................................617
          Tool List (Seastrider) ..........................................136
          Tool Blessing Ritual ............................................122
          Tool Consecration ................................................17
          Traditional Wicca (K.A.M.) ......................................186
          Trickster Energies ..............................................234
          Twelve Exercises Nobody Needs ...................................619
          Wartime (Michelle Haas, 1991) ...................................117
          Watch Towers, Rethinking The (Mike Nichols) .....................344
          What is WICCA? (Texas Pamphlet) .................................322
          What is Shamanism? (Michelle Haas) ..............................354
          What is Wicca? (Amber K.) .......................................340
          Wicca, from My Point of View (Lady Phoenix) .....................149
          Wiccan Information Network .....................................1087
          Wiccan Way, The .................................................192
          Wiccan Pentagram Ritual (Paul Hume) ..............................98
          Wiccan Traditions, A comparison (Hurn, RMPJ) ....................154
          Wiccan Path (Madoc)..............................................227
          Wiccan Shamanism (Selena Fox) ...................................162
          Wiccan Principles (American Council of Witches, 1974)............190
          Wiccan Rede, An Exegesis (Judy Harrow) ..........................317
          Witchcraft Q&A (Dr. Leo Martello) ...............................150
          Witches Creed (Doreen Valiente_ .................................320
          Women vs. Men (Michele Haas).....................................195
          YULE (Mike Nichols) ..............................................84
          Yule in Britain (Tana) ...........................................94
          Yule Ritual (Starhawk) ...........................................88































                                             v
          



                                                                             453

                 TOWARD A CELTIC NUMEROLOGY
                 ==========================
                       by Mike Nichols


          '...I have been a word among letters.'
                    --the Book of Taliesyn, VIII


                  What's in a word?  Or a name?  What special power resides in a
          word, connecting it  so intimately  to the very  thing it  symbolizes?
          Does  each  word or  name have  its own  'vibration', as  is generally
          believed by those of us who  follow the Western occult tradition?  And
          if so, how do we begin to unravel its meaning?  Just what,
          exactly, is in a word?  Well, LETTERS are in a word.  In fact, letters
          COMPRISE the word.  Which is why Taliesyn's remark had always puzzled
          me.  Why didn't he say he had  been a 'letter among words'?  That,  at
          least, would seem to make more logical sense than saying he had been a
          'word among letters', which seems backwards.  Unless...

              Unless he was trying to tell us that the word is NOT the important
          thing -- the critical thing is the LETTERS that make up a word!  The
          Welsh  bard  Taliesyn was,  after  all, a  pretty gifted  fellow.   He
          certainly  put all the other bards at  Maelgwyn's court to shame.  And
          over the years,  I've learned never to take  his statements lightly --
          even  his most enigmatic statements.  Perhaps he was really suggesting
          that, in order to  understand the true meaning of a  word or name, one
          must first analyze  the letters that comprise it.   Of course, this is
          certainly not a new theory.  Any student of arcane lore would at
          once recognize this concept as belonging in the opening remarks of
          any standard text on numerology.   But to read the same meaning behind
          a line  of poetry penned  by a  6th century  Welsh bard may  be a  bit
          surprising.  Is  it possible that  the Celts had  their own system  of
          numerology?

              Let us begin the quest by asking ourselves what we know about
          numerology in general.  Most of our modern knowledge of numerology has
          been gleaned from ancient Hebrew tradition, which states that the true
          essence of anything is enshrined  in its name.  But there are  so many
          names  and words in  any given language  that it  becomes necessary to
          reduce each word to one of a small number of 'types'  -- in this case,
          numerological types  from 1 to 9  (plus any master numbers  of 11, 22,
          etc.).  This  is easily accomplished by assigning a numerical value to
          each letter of the alphabet, i.e. A=1, B=2, C=3,  and so on.  Thus, to
          obtain the numerical value  of any word, one simply has  to add up the
          numerical values of  all the letters which comprise the  word.  If the
          sum is a two digit number, the two digits are then added to each other
          (except in  the case  of  11, 22,  etc.) to  obtain  the single  digit
          numerical value  of the  entire word,  which may  then be analyzed  by
          traditional Pythagorean standards.



                                                                             454

                  The problemhas always been howto be sure ofthe numerical value
          of each  letter.  Why SHOULD  A equal 1, or  B equal 2, or  Q equal 8?
          Where did these values  come from?   Who assigned them?   Fortunately,
          the  answer to  this is  quite  simple in  most cases.   Many  ancient
          languages used letters of the alphabet to stand for numbers (Roman
          numerals being the most familiar example).  Ancient Hebrew, for
          instance, had no purely numerical symbols -- like our 1, 2, 3, etc. --
          so their letters of the alphabet  had to do double duty as numbers  as
          well.   One  had to discern  from the  context whether  the symbol was
          meant as letter or number.  This was true of classical Latin, as well.
          Thus, in  languages such  as these,  it is  easy to  see how a  number
          became associated with a letter:  the letter WAS the number.

              It is a bit more difficult to see how the associations in 'modern'
          numerology came into being.   The modern numerological  table consists
          of the numbers 1  through 9, under which the alphabet from A through Z
          is written in standard order:


             1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9
             ---------------------------------
             A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I
             J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R
             S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z


          This arrangement seems somewhat arbitrary, at best.  At the very
          least, it is difficult to sense any 'intrinsically meaningful'
          relationship between a letter and its numerical value.  After all, our
          modern alphabetical symbols and  our modern numerical symbols (Arabic)
          come from  two completely different sources and cultures.

                  For this  reason, many  contemporary numerologists  prefer the
          ancient  Hebrew  system  because, at  least  here,  there  is a  known
          connection between letter  and number.   However, when  we attempt  to
          adapt this system to the English language, a whole new set of problems
          crops up.   For one,  the entire alphabet  is arranged in  a different
          order and some of our modern letters have NO Hebrew equivalents. 
          Thus, based on the Hebrew alphabet, the only letters for which we have
          numerical values are the following:


            1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8
            ------------------------------------
            A    B    G    D    H    V    Z    P
            Y    K    L    M    N    W
            Q    R    S    T


                  Obviously, a modernnumerologist wouldn't get veryfar with this
          table.   In order to compensate for  the missing letters in the Hebrew
          system,  most modern  textbooks  on numerology  'fill in'  the missing
          letters  by 'borrowing' numerical values from the Greek alphabet, thus
          mixing cultural symbols in  an eclectic approach that is  not entirely
          convincing.



                                                                             455

              Another problem is the exclusion of the number 9 from the table --
          which  modern textbooks often 'explain' by saying that the Hebrews did
          not  use the number 9, since it  was a 'sacred' and 'mystical' number.
          The  real truth,  however, is  far less  esoteric.   The fact  is, the
          Hebrew alphabet  DID have letters with the numerical value of 9 -- the
          letters  Teth and  Sade.    But,  since  Teth and  Sade  do  not  have
          equivalents in our modern English alphabet, the 9 value must be left
          out.

              And finally, it is once again difficult to see any INTRINSIC
          relationship  between a Hebrew  letter and  the number  it represents.
          Why  should one symbol stand for  1, or another for  2, or yet another
          for 3, and so on?  The whole superstructure seems somewhat shaky.

                  But letus now turn our attention to a Celtic alphabetic system
          called the  'Ogham'.  This alphabet  is written by making  a number of
          short  strokes (from 1  to 5) below,  above, or through  a 'base line'
          (which  in practice tended to be the edge of a standing stone).  Thus,
          A, O, U, E, and I would be written, respectively:


           ---/----//----///----////----/////---


          Of course,  in this system  it is  easy to  see how  a letter  becomes
          associated with  a number, since the numerical value of each letter is
          implicit. Thus,  A=1, O=2, U=3,  E=4, and I=5.   (It is true  there is
          much  disagreement and confusion among  modern scholars as  to how the
          Ogham alphabet should  be rendered.   Further, a  number of  different
          Oghams seem to have been employed at various times by different
          Celtic  cultures.  But this  confusion usually centers  on whether the
          strokes should be above, below, or through the base line -- NOT on the
          number of  strokes used.  On  that point, there is  general agreement.
          And  though  orientation to  the  base line  is important,  it  is not
          essential  to our discussion of numerology, since we need only concern
          ourselves with the NUMBER of strokes used.)

                  Thus, based on  the work  of such scholars  as P.C. Power,  S.
          Ferguson, D. Diringer,  I. Williams, L. Spence, and D.  Conway, I have
          synthesized the following table of Celtic numerology:


             1       2       3       4       5
             ---------------------------------
             A       D       T       C       I
             B       G       U       E       N
             H       L       V       F       P
             M       O       W       J       Q
                     X               K       R
                                     S       Y
                                             Z



                                                                             456

          Using this table, the student of Celtic numerology would then proceed
          to analyze  any word in the generally accepted manner.  One should not
          be  concerned that the numbers  6, 7, 8,  and 9 do not  appear in this
          system,  as the  Ogham alphabet had  NO letters with  these values (as
          opposed to the Hebrew alphabet which DID have letters with the missing
          9 value, as  mentioned earlier).   Another consideration  is that  the
          Ogham alphabet is just that -- an alphabet.  It never represented
          any particular language, and historically it has been employed by
          many different languages.  Again by contrast, the Hebrew alphabet was
          structured  for a particular language  -- Hebrew --  and many problems
          arise when we  attempt to adapt it to  a language for which it  is not
          suited.

                  Althoughthe Ogham alphabet onlyhas letter valuesfrom 1 through
          5, all of the numbers from 1 through 9 (plus any master numbers of 11,
          22, etc.) will be used in the final analysis (just as in the Hebrew
          system).   To understand  how this works,  let us try an  example.  We
          will use the name of the Welsh goddess Rhiannon:


             R + H + I + A + N + N + O + N     
             5 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 5 = 29
                                     2 + 9 = 11


              Most numerologists will agree that
          11 is a 'master number' or 'power number' and therefore it is not
          further reduced by adding the two  digits (although, if one does this,
          1 + 1 = 2, and 2 is  considered the first even and feminine number  in
          the numerical sequence, certainly appropriate for a Welsh Mother
          Goddess).  Viewed as an 11, the analysis is usually that of someone
          who is on a 'higher plane of existence' (certainly appropriate for
          a goddess), someone who brings 'mystical revelation'.  Often this is
          someone who feels slightly distant from the people surrounding him or
          her, and  who has trouble  feeling any  real empathy  for them  (which
          seems  to fit  a faery  queen  who has  come to  live in  the  land of
          mortals).  Also, this is sometimes the number of the martyr,
          or  of someone unjustly accused (which is certainly true of Rhiannon's
          story as  told in the 'Mabinogi',  in which she is  falsely accused of
          destroying her own son).

                  By way of contrast,the 'modern' system would haveRhiannon be a
          3, a  somewhat inappropriate masculine  number (not that  all feminine
          names should  always yield a feminine number -- but one would at least
          expect it to do so in the case of an archetypal mother goddess).   The
          Hebrew system would yield an even more inappropriate 4, that being the
          number  of the  material  world and  all  things physical  (and  since
          Rhiannon hails from faery, she is definitely not of this material
          plane.)



                                                                             457

              By now, some of my more thoughtful readers may think they see some
          inconsistency in my approach.  Why have I gone to so much trouble to
          point up the flaws in traditional systems of numerology (even going so
          far  as to  suggest an  entirely  new system),  only to  fall back  on
          interpretations of  the numbers  that are  strictly traditional?   The
          reason is this:   all of my  objections thus far have  been limited to
          METHODOLOGY.    When  it comes  to  interpreting  the  meaning of  the
          numbers, I have no  quarrel with the traditional approach,  since here
          we enter the field of universal symbolism.  All systems of
          numerology, be  they Hebrew,  modern, Oriental,  or whatever,  tend to
          attach the same  interpretive meaning to the numbers.   When Three Dog
          Night sings, 'One is  the loneliest number that you'll  ever know...',
          it  is a statement which is  immediately understood and agreed upon by
          people from  widely diverse cultures.  And the same holds true for all
          other numbers, for we are here dealing with archetypal symbols.

              It is worth repeating that, although I believe this system to have
          a firm theoretical basis, it is still in an embryonic state -- highly
          tentative, highly speculative.   To the  best of my  knowledge, it  is
          also  an original contribution to the field of numerology.  While some
          writers (notably Robert Graves in 'The White Goddess') have dealt with
          the numerical values  of Ogham letters, I believe this  article is the
          first instance of employing it specifically as a system of numerology.
          I have spent many long hours working with Celtic numerology -- putting
          abstract  theory  to use  in practical  application  -- but  much work
          remains to be  done.  For this  reason, I would be happy  to hear from
          readers who are interested in the subject and who would like to
          share their own experiences and thoughts.



                                                                             458

                                 NLP:  APPLIED MAGIC
                                                       by Brandy Williams       
          One:  Matching Representations                    
                                                           
               In  studying  magic I've been exposed to a  lot  of  related 
          fields--history,  mythology, music--which enrich my understanding 
          of  my vocation.   One of the most helpful series of  books  I've 
          encountered  is a set of five volumes starting with The Structure 
          of Magic I. and II. which focus on... psychology.     

               John  Grinder and Richard Bandler developed the  field  they 
          called  Neuro  Linguistic Programming,  or  NLP.   One  reason  I 
          suggest  everyone I know become familiar with it is that  they've 
          taught this stuff to salespeople, managers, Pentagon employees... 
          I  see their techniques on television commercials and read  about 
          them  in  seminar descriptions.  NLP is a people manipulator  par 
          excellence,  and I think it's important others are made aware  of 
          this. 

               Another  reason  is that it's so incredibly  useful.

               Consider  this:   "The  meaning of a  communication  is  the 
          response  you  get." In their terms,  an  elegant  phrase.   It's 
          changed  my  entire relationship with others.   If I  don't  make 
          myself  clear,  I don't blame the listener.   I restate my  case, 
          maybe  trying a different body language,  a different representa-
          tional system, a little pacing... 

               Representational  system?  Well,  what senses do we  use  to 
          explore the world?  Sight--hearing--touch, and taste and smell to 
          a much lesser extent.  So how do we think?  In images, sounds and 
          feelings--or,  in NLP terms,  in visual, auditory and kinesthetic 
          representational systems.  

               What's interesting is that we all make images and sounds and 
          feelings to store experience, but we're usually only conscious of 
          using  ONE  system.   The words we choose to describe our  experi 
          ences reflect that:   "I'm not very focused and I can't see what 
          you're  saying."  Or,  "I've got a handle on the  feeling  that's 
          been  bugging  me."  Or,  "I hear that,  it sounds like  it  will 
          work."

               Spend  one hour listening to people and you can verify this.  
          Now,  if  I  say,  "I just can't feel good about that,"  and  the 
          person I'm talking to says "I don't see what's wrong with it," my 
          communication hasn't received the response I want.   If I  switch 
          to  my  partner's most favored representational system  and  say, 
          "Let  me  make  that clear to you.   It looks like a  really  bad 
          situation,"  that's  one  way  to  match,  or  pace  my  partner.

               See  what I mean?   Or maybe that gives you a feel  for  the
          power of this particular "psychology".

          What  does  any of this have to do with paganism  or  magic?  
          For starters,  I wonder how many circle conflicts could be solved 
          by  something as simple as accommodating each other's most favored 
          rep. system.

               In a working circle, is someone having trouble visualizing a 
          goal?   Is someone else very good at constructing mental temples, 



                                                                             459

          but totally unable to feel when to release the energy?   Put them 
          together,  get  them to trade notes and teach  each  other;  both 
          skills are part of the same experience.

               When you direct rituals,  do you always include something to 
          see or imagine, hear or sing, feel--in the body or tactually?  Do 
          your  rituals  work for some people and not  others?   You  might 
          check  to be sure you're satisfying everyone's most favored  rep. 
          system.    

               The   function   of   magic  is  the   response   you   get.

          BIBLIOGRAPHY 
               Works by John Grindler and  Richard Bandler:
               The Structure of Magic I.
               The Structure of Magic II.
               Frogs into Princes
               Reframing
               Trance-formations



                                                                             460

                                 NLP:  APPLIED MAGIC
                                 by Brandy Williams
          TWO-  Inside/Outside

               Remember  representational  systems?   The idea that  humans 
          think in images, sounds, and feelings?

               While we're calling up images (a process called  accessing), 
          we're not able to look at what's going on in front of us.   While 
          we're listening to music, we're not able to remember our favorite 
          song.   While we're feeling our shoulders for tension,  we're not 
          aware  of the touch of cloth against our skin.   Seeing with  the 
          mind's eye and the physical eye are mutually exclusive processes.

               In Neuro Linguistic Programming, accessing -- thinking -- is 
          called  downtime,  and  observing  with the  senses  is  labelled 
          uptime.

               I run uptime as a meditation.   Try this: for three minutes, 
          look  at  the colors in front of you,  the textures of  surfaces, 
          shapes...  listen  to the volume and pitch of all sounds in  your 
          vicinity...  feel  the  surface  you're  sitting  on,  your  hand 
          touching something in front of you...

               The  next  time  you generate an  internal  image,  talk  to 
          yourself,  feel your stomach tightening -- notice the difference.  
          It's the difference between accessing and observing, downtime and 
          uptime, external and internal reality.

               One thing that I notice about uptime is that it links to the 
          concept 'sacred'.   When I take a walk by the river,  I watch the 
          water  rippling  over rocks,  listen to the white  noise  of  the 
          current, feel the moist air touching my skin.  I bring myself out 
          of  my  own  internal creations and allow myself to live  in  the 
          world.

               Another  thing  I notice about uptime is  that  some  people 
          don't  do  it very much.   Most of us drop into internal  reality 
          when  our  environment is unpleasant,  and that's a  very  useful 
          thing to be able to do.   But then a lot of people forget to come 
          back out-- come to their senses,  literally -- and experience the 
          world again.

               Such  people are very difficult to talk to.   When I have  a 
          conversation,  I  like my partner to be listening to what I  say, 
          and watching my body language.   More often, my partner is access
          sing some internal meaning for,  or response to, what I'm saying.  
          That  internal  meaning may or may not have anything to  do  with 
          what I'm communicating.

               It isn't possible to observe someone (with all senses)  when 
          we're  accessing.   It  isn't possible to achieve rapport with  a 
          person  we're not observing.   One of the bases of magical  group 
          workings is rapport between the participants.



                                                                             461

               Try this: the next time you have a conversation about magic, 
          observe  your partner.   Watch for:  body position and  gestures.  
          Often  people I talk to demonstrate what they feel when  they  do 
          magic.  [A woman describing her circle method moved her hand from 
          her forehead down toward her feet, from shoulder to shoulder, and 
          from  her  heart straight in front of her -- gesturing the  three 
          energy poles a circle creates.]

               Listen for: sensory descriptions --"I saw, I heard, I felt."

               Learning  to go into uptime at will,  and differentiate  our 
          representations of reality from our observations,  is perhaps the 
          most useful magical skill we can possess.   It provides the  basis 
          for a reality check; it helps us communicate our experiences more 
          effectively to others, and to help them duplicate what we do; and 
          it is one of the most profound alterations of consciousness.

                                 - Brandy Williams

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~
                                    BIBLIOGRAPHY
                      Works by Richard Bandler & John Grinder:
                              The Structure of Magic I.
                             The Structure of Magic II.
                                  Frogs to Princes
                                      Reframing
                                  Trance-formations



                                                                             462

                                             Bare Bones

                                   Third Degree Elevation (spoof)

                        (Emphasis on action with minimal vocal requirements.)

                                              by Orion

          1. Ritual Bath - Both play in water for an inappropriately long time.

          2. Casting of Circle - Cast in the usual manner with items at hand.

          3. Reason and  Challenge - "You're here for Thirds.  Are you ready for
          the test?

          4. Response - "Ready, willing and able!"

          5. The Mystery - Perform Great Rite multiple times until sated or worn
          out.

          6. Cakes and Wine - Required in order to continue.

          7. Reprise - Repeat step 5 if desired.

          8. Closing of Circle - Must be done before falling asleep.



                                                                             463

                         BELTANE

                This a Pagan Ritual file, of interest to Neo-Pagans,specifically
          Wiccan based religions.




               Equipment- see standard list

               Set up  a candle in each of the four cardinal directions. Lay the
          rest of the tools on  the altar cloth or near it. The altar  can be on
          the ground, a  table, a rock  or a stump. The  altar should be  in the
          center or  just north of center  of the Circle. Light  the six candles
          and the incense, start the music and begin the ritual.
               The  Beltane ritual should start before sunrise or in the evening
          of April 30th. This is to welcome the sun in and to make effective use
          of the bonfire. The party or the ritual should finish  some time after
          sunrise.


                               THE RITUAL

          Facing North,  the High Priest  and Priestess  kneel in  front of  the
          altar with him  to her right. She puts the bowl of water on the altar,
          places the point of her athame in it and says:

               "I exorcise  thee, O Creature of  Water, that thou cast  out from
          thee all impurities and uncleanliness of the world of phantasm; in the
          names of Cernunnos and Aradia"

          She then puts down her athame and  holds up the bowl of water in  both
          hands. The  High Priest puts the bowl  of salt on the  altar, puts his
          athame in the salt and says:

               "Blessings be upon this  Creature of Salt; let all  malignity and
          hindrance  be cast  forth hencefrom,  and let  all good  enter herein;
          wherefore so I bless thee,that thou     mayest aid me, in the names of
          Cernunnos and Aradia."

          He then puts down his athame and pours the salt into the bowl of water
          the  High Priestess is holding.  The High Priest  then stands with the
          rest of the  Coven outside the Circle.  The High Priestess  then draws
          the Circle  with the sword,  leaving a  gap in the  Northeast section.
          While  drawing the Circle, she should visualize the power flowing into
          the Circle from  off the end of the  sword. She draws the Circle  in a
          East to North or deosil or clockwise direction. She says:

               "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a meeting
               place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness
               and  evil; a boundary  between men and  the realms  of the Mighty
          Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain   t h e
          power     that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless  thee
          and  consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia."



                                                                             464

          The High Priestess lays down the sword and admits the High Priest with
          a kiss while spinning him deosil and whispers:

               "Blessed Be" 

          He then admits a women the  same way. Alternate-male-female-male. Then
          the High Priestess  finishes closing  the Circle with  the sword.  She
          then  names three  witches to  help strengthen  the Circle.  The first
          witch  carries the bowl of  consecrated water from  East to East going
          deosil, sprinkling  the perimeter as  she/he goes. They  then sprinkle
          each  member in  turn. If  the witch  is male,  he sprinkles  the High
          Priestess last who  then sprinkles  him. If female  she sprinkles  the
          High Priest last, who then sprinkles  her. The bowl is replaced on the
          altar.  The second witch takes the incense burner around the perimeter
          and  the third takes one of the  altar candles. While going around the
          perimeter, each person says:

               "Black spirits and white,
               Red spirits and grey,
               Harken to the rune I say.
               Four points of the Circle, weave the spell,
               East, South, West, North, your tale tell.
               East is for break of day,
               South is white for the noontide hour,
               In the West is twilight grey,
               And North is black, for the place of power.
               Three times round the Circle's cast.
               Great ones, spirits from the past,
               Witness it and guard it fast."

          All the  Coven pickup their  athames and face  the East with  the High
          Priest and Priestess  in front, him on  her right. The  High Priestess
          says:

               "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air;  I  do
          summon, stir, and call  you up to witness our  rites and to guard  the
          Circle."

          As she speaks  she draws the  Invoking Pentagram of  Earth in the  air
          with her athame:

                                   1,6

                                4       3
                     
                               
                                  2 7 5

          The High  Priest and  the rest  of the Coven  copy her  movements with
          their  athames. The  High  Priestess turns  and  faces the  South  and
          repeats the summoning:

               "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire; I do
               summon,  stir and call you up, to  witness our rites and to guard
          the Circle."



                                                                             465

          She does the same pentagram and then faces West and says:

               "Ye  Lords of the Watchtowers of the  West, ye Lords of Water, ye
          Lords of Death and Initiation; I do summon, stir, and call you   u p ,
          to witness our rites and to guard the Circle."

          She faces North with rest of the Coven and says:

               "Ye Lords  of the Watchtowers  of the North,  ye Lords of  Earth;
          Boreas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern Portals; thou  powerful
          God and gentle Goddess; we do summon, stir and call you     up,     to
          witness our rites and to guard the Circle."

          The Circle is completed and  sealed. If anyone needs to leave,  a gate
          must be  made. Using  the sword, draw  out part  of the Circle  with a
          widdershins or  counter-clockwise  stroke. Immediately  reseal it  and
          then repeat the opening and closing when the person returns.

          In this part  of the ritual the Goddess becomes  incarnate in the High
          Priestess.  The High Priestess stands  in front of  the altar with her
          back to it. She holds  the wand in her right hand and  the scrounge in
          her left.  She crosses her  wrists and  crosses the wand  and scrounge
          above them  while holding them close  to her breast.   The High Priest
          stands in front of her and says:

               "Diana, queen of night
               In all your beauty bright,
               Shine on us here,
               And with your silver beam
               Unlock the gates of dream;
               Rise bright and clear.

               On Earth and sky and sea,
               Your magic mystery
               Its spell shall cast,
               Wherever leaf may grow,
               Wherever tide may flow,
               Till all be past.
               O secret queen of power,
               At this enchanted hour
               We ask your boon.

               May fortune's favor fall
               Upon true witches all,
               O Lady Moon!

          The  High Priest kneels  before the High  Priestess and gives  her the
          Five Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet, both knees, womb,
          both breasts, and  the lips, starting with the right  of each pair. He
          says, as he does this:

               Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways.
               Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar.
               Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be.
               Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty.
               Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names."



                                                                             466

          For the kiss  on the lips, they embrace, length  to length, with their
          feet  touching each others. When he  reaches the womb, she spreads her
          arms wide, and the  same after the kiss  on the lips. The High  Priest
          kneels again and invokes:

                          "I invokethee andcall uponthee, MightyMother ofus all,
          bringer of  all fruitfulness; by  seed and root,  by bud and  stem, by
          leaf  and flower  and fruit,  by life  and love  do  I invoke  thee to
          descend upon the body of this thy  servant and priestess."

          During this invocation he touches her with his right forefinger on her
          right breast, left breast,  and womb, repeats the set and  finally the
          right  breast. Still kneeling, he spreads  his arms out and down, with
          the palms forward and says:


                  "Hail Aradia! From the Amalthean Horn
                   Pour forth thy store of love;
                   I lowly bend Before thee, I adore thee to the end,
                   With loving sacrifice thy shrine adore.
                   Thy foot is to my lip (he kisses her right foot)
                   my prayer up borne Upon the rising incense smoke;
                   then spend  Thine ancient love, O Mighty One, descend
                   To aid me, who without thee
                   am forlorn."

          The  High Priest  stands up  and steps  backwards. The  High Priestess
          draws the  Invoking Pentagram of  Earth in the  air with the  wand and
          says:

                  "Of the Mother darksome and divine
                   Mine the scrounge, and mine the kiss;
                   The five point star of love and bliss
                   Here I charge you in this sign."

          The High Priest says:

               "Listen to the words of the Great Mother; she who of old was also
                          calledamong manArtemis,Astarte, Athene,Dione,Melusine,
          Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianhod, Isis and by many other names."

          The High Priestess, who should be in a trance, says as the Goddess:

               "Whenever you have need of anything,  once in a month, and better
          it be  when the Moon  is full, then shall  ye assemble in  some secret
          place  and adore the spirit of me, who  am Queen of all witches. There
          shall ye assemble,  ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not
          won its deepest  secrets; to these  will I teach  things that are  yet
          unknown.  And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that  ye be
          really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; dance, sing, feast, make
          music and  love, all in  my praise.  For mine  is the  ecstasy of  the
          spirit,  and mine also is  joy on earth;  for my law is  love unto all
          beings.  Keep pure  your highest  ideal; strive  ever towards  it; let
          naught stop you or turn you aside. For mine  is the cup of the wine of
          life,  and the  Cauldron  of Cerridwen,  which is  the  Holy Grail  of
          Immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto
          the  heart of man.   Upon  Earth, I give  the knowledge  of the spirit
          eternal; and beyond death, I give peace and freedom, and reunion  with
          those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold I am
          the Mother of  all living things, and  my love is poured out  upon the



                                                                             467

          earth. I who am the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the
          waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise,
          and come unto me. For  I am the soul of nature, who gives  life to the
          universe. From  me all  things proceed,  and unto me  all things  must
          return;  and  before  my face,  beloved  of  Gods and  men,  let thine
          innermost divine self be enfolded in  the rapture of the infinite. Let
          my  worship  be within the heart that rejoiceth;  for behold, all acts
          of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty
          and  strength, power  and compassion,  honor and  humility,  mirth and
          reverence within you.
                          And thouwho seekest to seekfor me, know thyseeking and
          yearning shall avail thee not unless thou  knowest the mystery; and if
          that which thou seekest thou  findest not within thee,thou will  never
          find  it without  thee. For  behold, I  have been  with thee  from the
          beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."

          This declamation can be said by the High Priestess, the High Priest or
          the Coven as a whole.

                  "Hear now the words of the witches,
                   The secrets we hid in the night,
                   When dark was our destiny's pathway,
                   That now we bring forth into the light.
                   Mysterious Water and Fire,
                   The Earth and the wide ranging Air,
                   By hidden quintessence we know them,
                   And will keep silent and dare.
                   The birth and rebirth of all nature,
                   The passing of winter and spring,
                   We share with the life universal,
                   Rejoice in the magical ring.
                   Four times in the year the Great Sabbat Returns,
                   and the witches are seen
                   At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
                   On May Eve and old Hallowe'en.
                   When day time and night time are equal,
                   When sun is at greatest and least,
                   The four lesser Sabbats are summoned,
                   Again witches gather in feast.
                   Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
                   Thirteen is the Coven's array.
                   Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
                   For each golden year and a day.
                   The power was passed down the ages,
                   Each time between woman and man,
                   Each century unto the other,
                   Ere time and ages began.
                   When drawn is the magical circle,
                   By sword or athame of power,
                   It's compass between the two worlds lies,
                   In the land of shades that hour.
                   This world has no right to know it,
                   And the world beyond will tell naught.
                   The oldest of gods are invoked there,
                   The Great Work of Magic is wrought.
                   For two are the mystical pillars,
                  That stand at the gate of the shrine,
                  And two are the powers of nature,
                  The forms and the forces of the divine.
                  The dark and the light in succession,



                                                                             468

                  The opposites each unto each,
                  Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
                  This did our ancestors teach.
                  By night he's the wild wind's rider,
                  The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades.
                  By day he's the King of the Woodland,
                  The dweller in green forest glades.
                  She is youthful or old as she pleases,
                  She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
                  The bright silver lady of midnight,
                  The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
                  The master and mistress of magic,
                  They dwell in the deeps of the main,
                  Immortal and ever renewing,
                  With power to free or to bind.
                  So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
                  And dance and make love in their praise,
                  Till Elphames's fair land shall receive us
                  In peace at the end of our days.
                  And Do What Thou Wilt
                  shall be the challenge,
                  So be it in love that harms none,
                  For this is the only commandment,
                  By magic of old, be it done!
                  Eight words the Witches Creed fulfill:
                  If It Harms None, Do What Thou Will!




          The High Priest faces the Coven, raises his arms wide and says:
                  "Bagabi lacha bachabe Lamac cahi achababe
                   Karellyos
                   Lamac lamac
                   bachalyas
                   Cabahag sabalyos
                   Baryolos
                   Lagaz atha cabyolas
                   Samahac atha
                   famolas
                Hurrahya!"

          The High Priestess and the Coven repeat:

               "Hurrahya!" 



                                                                             469

          The High Priest  and High Priestess  face the  altar. The High  Priest
          continues:

                  "Great God Cernunnos, return to Earth again!
                   Come to my call and show thy self to men.

                  Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill's way,
                  Lead thy lost flocks from darkness unto day.

                  Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night 
                  Men seek for them, whose eyes have lost the light.

                  Open the door of dreams, whereby man come to thee.
                  Shepherd of Goats, O answer unto me!"



          The High Priest and the rest of the Coven then say:

                  "Akhera goittiakhera beitti!"

          And lower their hands on the second phrase.

          This is a ring dance as usual. This can be replaced or others added as
          desired.   Everyone  should  take  part.  Use   what  music  you  feel
          comfortable with.

                  Walpurgis Night, the time is right,
               The ancient powers awake.

               So dance and sing, around the ring,
               And Beltane magic make.

               Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
               Upon the eve of May,

               We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
               Forever and a day.

               New life we see, in flower and in tree,
               And summer comes again.

               Be free and fair, like earth and air,
               The sunshine and the rain.

               Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
               Upon the eve of May,
          
               We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
               Forever and a day.

               As magic fire be our desire
               To tread the pagan way,

               And our true will find and fulfill,
               As dawns a brighter day.


               Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
               Upon the eve of May,



                                                                             470

               We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
               Forever and a day.

               The pagan powers this night be ours,
               Let all the world be free,
           
               And sorrow cast into the past,
               And future blessed be!

               Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
               Upon the eve of May,

               We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
               Forever and a day.

          The  Coven spread themselves out around the  Circle. They start a soft
          rhythmic clapping. The High Priestess says:

               "Now  it is  time for  the Oak  King to  impregnate Our  Lady. No
          longer will  she be the Virgin Huntress  and Maiden. She is  now to be
          Hecate, the Queen of Elphame. But first she must catch him."

          This song is from Robert Graves "White Goddess". It is an old Scottish
          Craft song. In it, the High Priest turns into a variety of animals and
          the  High  Priestess chases  him. Starting  with  the High  Priest and
          Priestess, then  followed by the other  couples in the  Coven, the men
          are  chased by  the women.   The  ladies use  a scarf  to signify  the
          capture at the end of the song. The dancers should try to  imitate the
          animals they are playing. The dance and the tune should be slow. After
          all the couples have done so, the High Priestess and Priest repeat it.

          High Priest:    

                   "O, I shall go into a hare
                With sorrow and sighing and mickle care,
                And I shall go in the Devil's name
                Aye, till I be fetched hame."


          High Priestess: 

                   "Hare, take heed of a bitch greyhound
                Will harry thee all these fells around,
                For here come I in Our Lady's name
                All but to fetch thee hame."

          Coven:

                   "Cunning and art he did not lack
                But aye her whistle would fetch him back."



                                                                             471

          High Priest:

                   "Yet I shall go into a trout
                With sorrow and sighing and mickle doubt,
                And show thee many a merry game
                Ere that I be fetched hame."

          High Priestess: 

                  "Trout take heed of an otter lank
                Will harry thee close from bank to bank,
                For here come I in Our Lady's name
                All but for to fetch thee hame."

          Coven:

                  "Cunning and art he did not lack
                But aye her whistle would fetch him back."

          High Priest:   

                  "Yet I shall go into a bee
                With mickle horror and dread of thee,
                And flit to hive in the Devil's name
                Ere that I be fetched hame."

          High Priestess: 

                  "Bee, take heed of a swallow hen
                Will harry thee close, both butt and ben,
                For here come I in Our Lady's name
                All but to fetch thee hame."

          Coven:          

                  "Cunning and art he did not lack
                But aye her whistle would fetch him back."

          High Priest:    
           
                  "Yet I shall go into a mouse
                And haste me unto the miller's house,
                There in his corn to have good game
                Ere that I be fetched hame."

          High Priestess: 

                  "Mouse take heed of a white tib-cat
                That never was balked of a mouse or a rat,
                For I'll crack thy bones in Our Lady's name:
                Thus shall thee be fetched hame."

          Coven:          

                  "Cunning and art he did not lack
                But aye her whistle would fetch him back."



                                                                             472

          The  High  Priestess  finally catches  the  High  Priest  at the  last
          refrain. She drapes a scarf over his neck to signify her catching him.
          The Maiden and the Coven say:

                          "TheQueen of Elphame has caught herSon who is also her
          Consort. They must  mate so that  the Earth may  bear it's fruits  and
          that man and animal may live. "

          The High Priest and High Priestess, and the rest of the couples in the
          Coven, kiss with vigour. The men should wilt and fade back to the edge
          of  the Circle.   The  women gather  around the  unlit bonfire  or the
          cauldron with the candle in it. The High Priestess says:


               "The Oak King is dead. He has died of his love for the      Lady
          that the  Earth may live. So  has it been  for year after  year, since
          time began.   But the Oak King, the God of  the Waxing year, must live
          so the crops in the Earth can come forth. "

          The Coven shouts:

                          "Kindlethe Beltanefire.Maythe OakKingliveagain. Maythe
          Earth bring forth her fruits, may the animals bear their young and the
          land be fruitful again."

          The High Priestess lights the bonfire using a taper lit from the altar
          candle.  She then says:

                  "Come back to us, Oak King, that the land may be fruitful."

          The men gather around the fire, next to their partners, and the say in
          unison:

               "I am the stag of seven tines;
               I am a wide flood on the plain;
               I am a wind on the deep waters;
               I am a shining tear of the sun;
               I am a hawk on a cliff;
               I am fair among flowers;
               I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke."

          The  High Priestess  and  High Priest  lead  a ring  dance  around the
          bonfire. Start out with "A Tree Song" from Rudyard Kipling's "Weland's
          Sword" story in "Puck of Pook's Hill". The dance should be joyful.

          "Oh, do not tell the Priest of our Art,
                Or he would call it sin;
                But we shall be out in the woods all night,
                Aconjuring summer in!
          
                And we bring you news by word of mouth
                For women, cattle and corn
                Now is the sun come up from the South
           
                With Oak, and Ash and Thorn!"



          Continue  the  dance  with this  song  and/or  any  others that  sound
          appropriate. 



                                                                             473

          This chant  goes to the tune  of the old folksong,   "The Lincolnshire
          Poacher":

               Come join the dance, that doth entrance,
               And tread the circle round.
               Be of good cheer, that gather here,
               Upon this merry ground.

               Good luck to we that faithful be,
               And hold our craft so dear,
               For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year.

               Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year.

               While stars do shine, we pledge the wine
               Unto the Gods of old,
               Nor shall there fail the witch wassail,
               Nor shall their fire grow cold.
               Good luck to we that faithful be,
               And hold our craft so dear,

               For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year.

               Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year.

               Throughout, about and round about,
               By flame that burneth bright,
               We'll dance and sing, around the ring,
               At witching hour of night.
               Good luck to we that faithful be,
               And hold our craft so dear,

               For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year.

               Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
               In the season of the year. 



          Near the end of the dance, the High Priestess should call out the name
          of either  a person or a couple.  They should then jump  over the fire
          while making  a wish.  They should then  rejoin the  ring and  another
          couple or person do it.  When ready, stop the dance and sit down about
          the fire. After a break, perform the Great Rite.



                                                                             474

               The Coven, except for the  High Priestess and High Priest,arrange
          themselves around the perimeter of the circle, man and woman
          alternately as far as possible, facing the center.  The High Priestess
          and High Priest  stand facing each other in the  center of the circle,
          she with her back to the altar, he with his  back to the South.
            The High Priest  kneels before the High Priestess and  gives her the
          Five Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet, both knees, womb,
          both breasts, and the lips,  starting with the right of each  pair. he
          says, as he does this:

               "Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways.
               Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar.
               Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be.
               Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty.
               Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names.

          For the kiss on the  lips, they embrace, length to length,  with their
          feet touching each others. When  he reaches the womb, she spreads  her
          arms wide, and the same after the kiss on the lips. The High Priestess
          then  lays  herself  down,  face  upwards,  with  her  arms  and  legs
          outstretched to form the Pentagram.

          The  High  Priest  fetches the  veil  and  spreads  it  over the  High
          Priestess's body, covering her  from breasts to knees. He  then kneels
          facing her, with his knees between her feet.

               The High Priest calls a woman witch by name, to  bring his athame
          from the altar. The woman does so and stands with the athame in her
          hands,  about a  yard to  the West  of the  High Priestess's  hips and
          facing her.

          The High Priest  calls a male witch  by name, to bring  the chalice of
          wine from the  altar. He does  so and stands  with the chalice in  his
          hands,  about a  yard to  the East  of the  High Priestess's  hips and
          facing her.  The High Priest  delivers the invocation:

               "Assist me to erect the ancient altar, at which in days past all
                  worshipped;  The altar of all things.
           For in old time, Woman was the altar.  Thus  was  the altar  made and
          placed,  And the  sacred place was the point within  the center of the
          Circle.   As we  have of old  been taught  that the  point within  the
          center is the origin of all things,

               Therefore should we adore it;
               Therefore whom we adore we also invoke.

               O Circle of Stars, Whereof our father is but the younger
               brother, Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space, 
                    Before  whom time isashamed, the mind bewildered, and the   
          understanding dark,

               Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love.
               Therefore by seed and stem, root and bud, And leaf and flower and
              fruit do we invoke thee, O Queen of Space, O Jewel of Light,
               Continuous on of the heavens;  Let it be ever thus



                                                                             475

            That men speak not  of thee as One, but  as None;  And let  them not
          speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous.
            For thou art the point within the Circle, which we adore;  The point
          of life, without which we would not be.

            And in this way truly are erected  the holy twin pillars;  In beauty
          and strength were they erected  To the wonder and glory of all men."



          The High Priest  removes the veil from the High  Priestess's body, and
          hands it to the woman witch, from  whom he takes his athame.  The High
          Priestess  rises  and kneels  facing the  High  Priest, and  takes the
          chalice from the man witch. (Note that both of these handings over are
          done  without the customary ritual kiss. The High Priest continues the
          invocation:

                  "Altar of mysteries manifold,
                  The sacred Circle's secret point
                  Thus do I sign thee as of old,
                  With kisses of my lips anoint."

          The High Priest kisses the High Priestess on the lips, and continues:

               "Open for me the secret way,
                The pathway of intelligence,
                Beyond the gates of night and day,
               Beyond the bounds of time and sense.
               Behold the mystery aright The five true points of fellowship...."

          The  High Priestess holds up  the chalice, and  the High Priest lowers
          the point of  his athame into the  wine. Both use both  of their hands
          for this. The High Priest continues:

               "All life is your own,
               All fruits of the Earth
               Are fruits of your womb,
               Your union, your dance.
               Lady and Lord, We thank you for
               blessings and abundance.
               Join with us, Feast with us, Enjoy with us!
               Blessed Be.

          Then, draw the Invoking Pentacle  of Earth in the air above  the plate
          with the athame.

               "Here where Lance and Grail unite,
               And feet, and knees, and breast, and lip." 

          The High  Priest hands his athame  to the woman witch  and then places
          both  his hands  round those of  the High  Priestess as  she holds the
          chalice. He  kisses her, and she sips the wine; she kisses him, and he
          sips the wine. Both of  them keep their hands round the  chalice while
          they do this.



                                                                             476

               The High Priest then  takes the chalice from the  High Priestess,
          and they both rise to their feet.

               The High Priest  hands the chalice to a woman  witch with a kiss,
          and she sips. She gives it to a man with a kiss. The chalice is passed
          around  the Coven,  man to  woman, with  a kiss  each time,  until the
          entire Coven has sipped the wine.  The chalice can be refilled and any
          one can drink  from it without  repeating the ritual once  the chalice
          has gone around once.

          The woman lays  down her athame and passes the cakes to the man with a
          kiss,he passes  them back with a  kiss and they are  passed around the
          Coven the same way the wine was. Be sure to save some of the  wine and
          some cake for an offering to the  Earth and the Little Folk. After the
          meeting,leave the offering outside of the house if working indoors, or
          behind  in the  woods or  field,  when you  leave if  you are  working
          outdoors.


               The  High Priestess faces East,with  her athame in  her hand. The
          High  Priest stands  to her right  with the  rest of  the Coven behind
          them. If any  tools have been consecrated, they should  be held by the
          person furthest  to the back. The  Maiden stands near to  the front to
          blow out each candle in turn. The Priestess says

               "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air;  we do
          thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart   t o     y o u r
          pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and   farewell....Hail and
          farewell."

          As she speaks,  she draws the Banishing Pentagram of  Earth in the air
          in front of her thus, each time:

                     
                                    2 7

                     
                                 4        5

                      
                                 6 1    3               

          The rest of the Coven copy  the Pentagram and chorus in on  the second
          hail and farewell. The Maiden blows out the candle and the Coven faces
          the south and the High Priestess says:

                  "Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of   Fire;
          we do thank  you for attending  our rites; and ere  ye depart to  your
          pleasant  and lovely  realms, we bid you hail and farewell....Hail and
          farewell."

          She turns to the West and says:

                          "Ye Lordsof theWatchtowers ofthe West,yeLords ofWater;
          ye Lords  of Death and Initiation;  we do thank you  for attending our
          rites; and  ere ye depart to  your pleasant and lovely  realms, we bid
          you hail and farewell ....Hail and farewell."



                                                                             477

          She turns to the North and says:   

               "Ye  Lords of the  Watchtowers of the  North, ye Lords  of Earth;
          Boreas, thou  gentle guardian of  the Northern Portals;  thou powerful
          God, Thou gentle Goddess; we do thank you for attending our rites; and
          ere ye depart for your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and
          farewell ....Hail and farewell." 



          This ends the Circle. The party following this should be a loving one.
          If there is a May Pole available, circle the May Pole. Beltane is also
          a time  for forfeits.   The  High Priestess picks  out the  people and
          their forfeit, except the High  Priest picks out the last one  to play
          on  the  High  Priestess.  Beltane is  also  a  time  for "green  wood
          marriages" and other unbridled sexuality and such.

                    (Distributed in the public domain via Seastrider)



                                                                             478


                             WITCHCRAFT: Some Answers for the Curious
                                       prepared and released
                                            by Ka'l El
                                              of the
                                       Grove of the Unicorn
                                             07/07/88

          What is a Witch?

          Contrary to many widely-held myths, witches are  quite normal, engaged
          in the sorts of activities that are common to people in any culture or
          civilization.   We work in  a variety of  professions, we live  in all
          climates, we drive cars, raise families, tell jokes, and in most  ways
          come across as perfectly normal people.  This, however, doesn't answer
          the question, so let's approach it from a different angle:

          Technically, witches  are initiated  members of a  Celtic-style nature
          religion.   In  this sense  (which is,  strictly speaking,  the proper
          one), a witch is a person who has demonstrated a firm understanding of
          the principles  of the  Craft, has  been trained  in  the meaning  and
          purpose of ritual and the performance of ritual, and in all ways seeks
          to live a life that  is in harmony with  Nature and the cycles of  the
          universe.

          What are Warlocks, then?

          The term  'warlock' specifically means  'oath-breaker'; it is  used to
          describe one whose word cannot  be safely trusted.  To call  someone a
          warlock is a serious matter in Pagan circles, as we hold integrity and
          trustworthiness in very high regard.  Warlocks are generally outcasts,
          and  may be  either male  or female.   Just  so, the  term 'witch'  is
          correctly applied to both male and female.

          You've  mentioned  Paganism  twice;  I  thought  Pagans  were  godless
          heathens!

          'Pagan' comes  from the  Latin pagani, which  means 'country-dweller'.
          During the Middle Ages, when the Roman church began to consolidate its
          influence in  northern Europe (and specifically in the British Isles),
          they concentrated  their efforts around  the noble courts,  which were
          generally centers  of population.   As members of  the court began  to
          accept the new Way of Christianity,  others began to see advantage  in
          being on  the new  team, and followed  those with money and power into
          the fold. 

          The new  religion was not so popular among the common people, who were
          more inclined to tend their flocks and crops than to  curry favor with
          the  nobility in  town.   The  courtiers,  educated by  Latin-speaking
          clergymen,  referred  to  these  un-Converted  masses  as  pagans,  or
          'hicks', as might be said today.

          'Heathen',  that  all-purpose  accusation,  is just  the  old  English
          translation of 'pagan';  both terms simply  mean that the  fashionable
          people of  the Dark Ages didn't  think much of the  arrogant rubes who
          wanted  to  hang on  to  their  own ways  rather  than  disbelieve the
          evidence of their lives and experiences.

          As  far as 'godlessness' is concerned, only repetition has given these
          words that connotation.



                                                                             479

          That doesn't tell me much about Paganism.

          Paganism  is a  broad group  of traditions  that share  a more-or-less
          common  world-view, and in that  way is similar  to Christianity. This
          world-view is marked by several elements:
             -  Creation as an on-going process (as distinct from an event);
             -  Time as an ever-repeating cycle or spiral (no start or
             finish);
             -  Universe as an organism becoming conscious (as distinct from a
             machine produced by a celestial engineer);
             -  Love as the essential nature of the Universal organism;
             -  Experience as the means by which the Universe becomes
             conscious;
             -  Incarnation as the means by which experience is forged into
             wisdom;
             -  'God' as a description (as distinct from a name or title).

          Although  there  are  differences  between  them,  Wicca,   Shintoism,
          Hinduism,  Polynesian Kahuna,  Taoism and  American Indians  are among
          those groups who substantially  share this world-view.  Many  of these
          concepts are espoused  as well by some  'New Age' groups.  In essence,
          Pagans  hold that  spirituality  and  divinity  are  inherent  in  the
          Universe, that we live  to experience, and through that  experience we
          gain wisdom and increased awareness.

          Do witches Believe in Jesus?

          Some witches believe in a historical Jesus while others believe in the
          symbolic or mythic Jesus; others believe in neither, and for many, the
          question of Jesus is irrelevant.  I have heard many of my brothers and
          sisters  voice the opinion that  Jesus was a  genuine Divine Being who
          taught a path of love and service,  and who in his role as the  Sacred
          King gave his life that the lives of the people would be renewed.  For
          these things we  honor him, yet we  do not believe in messiahs,  and I
          know of no Witch who worships him as the 'only son of god'.

          Then how do Witches propose to Escape Hell and Attain Salvation?

          This dual  question has  no real  meaning for  us;  we see  life as  a
          school, not a lottery.  In this  school, we learn from the mistakes we
          make as we thread our ways through the world, and the lessons we learn
          are of love, tolerance,  humility, understanding and joy.   We believe
          that  we learn  these lessons,  in common  with all  life every-where,
          through face-to-face  interaction with  the 'way things  are'; and  we
          believe  that, though these lessons  are often accompanied by feelings
          of sorrow  or loss,  they are  worth the learning.  On the  subject of
          salvation, we believe that Hell (so-called) is the result of
          becoming  attached  to things  and people  (being  'of the  world', as
          Christians  might say),  taking  the lessons  of  life personally  and
          perceiving them as troubles  and blaming ourselves and others  for the
          problems  in our lives.   On the same  note, the closest  we get to an
          idea  of Heaven  is through  accepting the  pains and  frustrations of
          day-to-day  life as lessons, and learning how we have caused ourselves
          and  others pain through our errors, thereby  freeing us to go on with
          our lives stronger, wiser, and more balanced.

          Where do you think you go when you die, then?

          We tell stories of a place we call Summerland, which we think of  as a
          place of welcome rest after the rigors of life on Earth.  We expect to



                                                                             480

          be rejoined with friends and loved  ones who went before us, to digest
          and   understand  the  lessons   we  have  learned   during  our  time
          'incarnate'.   From  there, we will  return to  life on  Earth after a
          time,  to learn  and  teach until  we  achieve perfect  knowledge  and
          understanding of this  cycle of  existence.  Honestly,  we don't  much
          occupy ourselves with thoughts about afterlife, as we believe there
          is nothing to fear.

          I guess you don't believe the Bible is the 'word of god'...

          No we don't; the ways it   teaches  are  not  our  ways,   although we
          respect them as we respect all the many ways that people use to 'touch
          the heart of God'.

          What do you use, then, for a Bible?

          The world is our 'bible' (Latin for 'book'), and all that is on it, in
          it, and around it.  For us,  the Earth is our mother, our teacher  and
          our provider.  From  her, we learn to survive, to  sing, to create, to
          rest and to believe.  The Sun for  us is a symbol of the father,  from
          whom we learn  to dare, to question,  to heal, to dance and  to dream.
          The seasons teach  about birth, death and rebirth, and  about the need
          to live in harmony and balance with the rest of creation. For us,  the
          Divine is all about us, befriending us, teaching and guiding us.

          Are Witches Pantheistic or Polytheistic?

          Both.  Yet the  truth is not reached by  so simple an answer.   We are
          pantheist in  the sense that, for us, the gods are everywhere. This is
          essentially what Judeo-Christianity  refers to in  speaking of God  as
          omnipresent.  The gods are also  within us (the Kingdom of God within,
          as Christians would say),  because we contain the Divine  Spark ('Holy
          Spirit') in  common with all  that exists.   Because we  perceive this
          ever-present  spiritual   manifestation  around   us,   we  are   also
          polytheistic, meaning that the attributes or characteristics of
          perfection and divinity  take on  many forms; therefore,  they can  be
          understood in  many different senses  and deepen our  comprehension of
          the Truth that is behind and beyond all Ways and all religions. To put
          it another way, we are Polytheist because (for us) the Absolute (which
          roughly equates to the  Christian concept of 'God') manifests  as male
          and female, and so we worship both God and Goddess.  We  are Pantheist
          because  this  primary  dual  manifestation  is  reflected  throughout
          creation and so, everything that is  tells us about some aspect of the
          Absolute (and is therefore holy). Tell me something about the Gods you
          worship.



                                                                             481

          Please bear with me on this, as the question requires some groundwork.
          In common with the monotheistic religions, we believe that  there is a
          single Source of all things, beyond our observation and comprehension.
          In our  conception, the  Source is  neither a thing  nor a  Being, but
          instead  transcends such limited human  concepts.  It  serves the same
          role, conceptually,  as that of a  'Supreme Being'. We do  not worship
          the Source (also  referred to as 'the All' and  as 'the Absolute'), as
          such, because  in our view,  one can  only approach a   relationship  
          with  the   Source  by  becoming  mindful  of  its characteristics and
          qualities as they manifest themselves in  the world in which we  live.
          These  characteristics  and qualities,  over  the  years, have  become
          personified as 'gods'.  In such forms, they appear in the myths and
          teachings  of many  cultures, including  the antique world  of Greece,
          Rome, Egypt, etc.

          The names of these  gods are not of particular importance, because the
          gods  themselves are only important  as symbols of  various aspects of
          existence.   Through them, we are able to see ourselves as part of the
          universe,  as manifestations  of  the Source  in  our own  rights.  We
          believe  it  is the  destiny of  all things  to  return to  the Source
          through true understanding.  Having said all this, let me now show you
          how it all comes about for us.

          We  believe that  the  Source is  made manifest  in the  Creation that
          surrounds  us;   and we  see this  manifestation as  being made  up of
          dualities, which  are linked in a meaningful way.  The most obvious of
          these polar pairs  are male/female, heat/cold,  light/dark, sky/earth,
          and  sun/moon;  there  are,  literally, thousands  of  such  pairs  of
          complementary  opposites, and  each plays  its own  role, but  for our
          purposes here, these are enough.

          This profusion of  paired opposites suggests to us that duality is the
          essential character of creation,  and to humans, the  most significant
          of these pairings is that of  male and female.  From this primal  pair
          emerges the concept of god  and goddess.  In this light,  the pairs we
          listed just now are categorized by their apparent natures:
                   God - male, light, heat, sky, sun;
                            Goddess -female,dark, cold,earth, moon;and fromthese
          categories, it is derived that the overall character of god is active,
          and that  of goddess is  passive.  At  the risk of  oversimplifying, I
          will  leave  this part  of  the discussion,  with  a  word that  these
          qualities  of  god and  goddess  are archetypal,  rather  than literal
          absolutes.

          We refer to god and goddess, generally,  as the Lord and the Lady. The
          Lord is  the Father of  all, and his  qualities of light,  warmth, and
          energy are  most often symbolized by the sun, and whose nature is most
          often represented by the  sky.  The Lady  is the Mother of  all, whose
          patience  and receptivity  is  symbolized  by  the  earth,  and  whose
          adaptability and steadfastness is represented by the moon.  Our bodies
          are the sign of her love and creativity.



                                                                             482

          We see this endless  chain of dualities reflected in  our interactions
          with the  world in which we  live, and with our  fellow creatures, who
          are also the children of the Lord and Lady.   We see this chain in the
          eternal cycles  which move  the universe  around  its unknown  center.
          There is more to male and female than mother and father: the Lord also
          represents  our Brother, our Friend;  and likewise is  the Lady Sister
          and Friend to  us.   Like each   of us,   they have  many names,  many
          faces, many roles, yet they remain themselves. Our gods have grown, in
          a  sense, as our understanding of ourselves and the creation around us
          has grown; and yet they are just as they have always been.  "As it was
          in  the beginning,  it is now,  and ever shall  be" is true  to us, as
          well.

          As we learn more about the divine creation around us, we learn to move
          in harmony with it and with the creatures that share it with  us, just
          as sailors  learn to work in  accord with the winds,  the currents and
          the tides  in order to  reach their  destination.  As  we learn  about
          ourselves,  we learn to  rise above the fear  and frustration that can
          accompany life, and learn to accept ourselves and others as we are, to
          experience joy and love in our lives.  As we learn  about the gods, we
          draw closer to  them and learn  under-standing, tolerance, humor,  and
          thankfulness.  And,  for us, doing  any one of these  is doing all  of
          these.

          Do Witches worship the Devil?

          NO!  In  fact, for many  centuries, Wicca (as  we call the  indigenous
          paganism of northern  Europe) and Christianity co-existed  peacefully:
          the Christians  did not claim to  be the sole  access to God,  and the
          Wicca offered sincere reverence to Jesus as a great Sacred  King whose
          sacrifice  touched everyone.   However,  as the  Roman church  grew in
          power and  influence, it  became jealous of  the very large  number of
          Wiccans  who -  though  acknowledging the  divine  role of  Jesus  and
          respectful of the Path walked by those devoted exclusively to his
          message  - still steadfastly  refused to render  obedience, wealth and
          land  to Rome  (and its  emissaries); for  northern Europe  was almost
          entirely  inhabited  by those  who held  to  the 'Old  Religion'. This
          jealousy was the beginning of  the Roman church's deliberate  attempts
          to discredit the old ways.  These attempts included the  creation of a
          'devil' that was deliberately  designed as a caricature of  the Horned
          God  worshipped (though  not  exclusively) by  the  Old Religion;  the
          attribution of any and all natural calamities, and any source of
          distress,  to the  practices  of the  Wicca,  which, it  was  claimed,
          invoked this 'Power  of Evil' the church had created;  and by accusing
          women  (who lacked sufficient maleness to have been created in 'God's'
          image) of being inherently demonic  temptations, drawing men away from
          the church and into the natural world of life and death.



                                                                             483

          In this light, it is hardly accidental that the whole-sale persecution
          of the Old  Religion began during the time  of the Black Death.   This
          plague  did much  of the  church's work  for it:   by killing  off one
          fourth to one third of  the population, the black death  eliminated an
          enormous number  of adherents to the Old Religion.  That done, and the
          Wiccan  civilization  still disorganized  from  the   imperial   Roman
          extermination of the Druids  years before (the Druids were  masters of
          history,  ritual,  poetry  and law),  it  became  a  simple matter  to
          convince  the survivors  that  the natural world  was their enemy, and
          women the wanton agents of the 'Enemy'. The stage had been set for the
          Inquisitions, whose  victims were overwhelmingly women  and persons of
          wealth and influence in the lives of the decimated pagan community.

          Since those times,  the Roman church and it's  successors (such as the
          'PTL' and '700' clubs) have used this manufactured association with an
          artificial  Arch-BadGuy  as  a   means  of  justifying  the  CONTINUED
          persecution and murder of those who still follow the Wiccan Way.

          In "The Satanic Bible", it says that Witches ARE devil-worshippers but
          are ignorant of the fact.

          The Satanic  Bible was written by  a man who worships  'Satan', who is
          supposed to  be the 'father  of lies'.   This suggests to  me that his
          commitment  to  the truth  may not  be  trustworthy.   Essentially, by
          declaring his belief in the church's own image of their created Enemy,
          he  has declared his acceptance of the medieval Christian character of
          the game they play;  he has chosen the 'Party Line',  and his place of
          the side  of the  imagined Adversary.  We do not  define the  world in
          Christian  terms, for we have essentially nothing to do with Christian
          beliefs and practices. (This is not to say that these is no common
          ground between Christianity and  the Craft, for there is  much that we
          share.)   Not  so the  Satanists,  whose every  practice  is either  a
          perversion or a  violation of  some Christian form  (e.g., the  'Black
          Mass', which  Witches would still  consider a  foolish and  irreverent
          waste of  time and energy, even if it were otherwise harmless), or the
          more-or-less self-conscious pursuit of evil, which cannot be seriously
          defended.

          Though we  are not believers in 'Satan', we do have a concept of evil,
          which I will attempt to delineate:  most of the problems we experience
          in  life  can be  thought of  as arising  from  the four  qualities of
          attachment, greed, fear,  and ignorance.   These "qualities" cause  us
          all great pain  in life as they warp our  under-standing of events and
          cause us  to  respond in ways that hurt and confuse.  This is 'sin' in
          it's original meaning   of error  and mistake, and  often it is  quite
          innocent  of any desire or intent to hurt,  mislead or abuse.  Evil is
          the result of adding a fifth quality to the others, that of self-
          centeredness.  When  self-centeredness enters  the  picture, then  the
          seeds of evil truly exist.  Self-centeredness allows the self-centered
          one to  discount, or even ignore,  the feelings, the rights,  and even
          the humanity of  anyone outside that  narrow focus.   It is just  such
          'object'-ifcation that allows truly horrendous crimes to be committed,
          that creates characters  such as  Jim Jones, Idi  Amin, Josef  Stalin,
          Torquemada, Cromwell,  and Hitler.  The  same self-centeredness, moved
          from  the  individual self  to the  group  self, allows  war, slavery,
          torture, terrorism, profiteering, persecution and genocide.  I
          ask  you to remember that this is my formulation of a Pagan concept of
          evil, and  may not  be agreed  to by others.  Regarding the  idea that
          Witches are  ignorant of the focus  of their spirituality,  I can only
          say that this  is both false and flatly insulting, much as it would be



                                                                             484

          to state that  Christians do not  worship Jesus,  but a shoe  salesman
          from New Jersey who they think is Jesus.

          What   about  these   reports  of   Ritual  murder,   Sacrifices,  and
          Cannibalism?

          These things have  nothing to do  with us, and  we have nothing to  do
          with such practices.   We find  the reports of such  things disgusting
          and  horrifying, for we have and maintain a deep respect and reverence
          for all  life; the  suggestion that  we are  involved  in such  things
          causes  us great  pain, for  to be  so involved  would run  counter to
          everything we hold sacred.  It would be, quite literally, "against our
          religion".

          Episodes of such anti-human, anti-life behavior are attributable to
          derangement and insanity,  or to  Satanists, who make  no pretense  of
          their worship of Christianity's manufactured 'prince of darkness'.

          So  much  the worse  for  us:   because  of  the  original program  of
          opposition against Wiccan (and by  that extension, all) Paganism,  all
          Satanists are assumed to be Witches by definition.

          It is interesting to note that, in the days when Christianity was new,
          the  Romans  accused them  of many  of  the same  vileness: blasphemy,
          killing  and eating  of  children, trafficking  with demonic  spirits,
          ritual sacrifice.  It is  also interesting that in the hey-day  of the
          Roman church, Jews  were subjected to  these appalling charges,  which
          fuelled anti-Semitism  right up to  the Nazi exterminations.   Indeed,
          such  accusations  seem  almost  to   be  a  'traditional'  means   of
          discrediting and destroying political/economic enemies (witness the
          naming of  the USSR as  "an evil empire").  Perhaps the day  will come
          when peoples of different ways can live together without accusing each
          other of abominations.

          Why do you call Wicca a Religion, rather than a Cult?

          Religions arise from principles  and understanding and teach a  way of
          life; cults are based upon charisma and fascination, and are motivated
          by profit  and ascendancy.  Religions thrive  on independent conscious
          participation; cults thrive on manipulation and obedience.

          Wicca   teaches  a  way  of   life  based  upon   the  perfection  and
          perfectibility of the spirit, closeness to the gods, right action, the
          gaining  of  wisdom, and  the  Oneness  of all  life.    In token  and
          celebration  of this,  we  come together  at  our appointed  times  to
          worship and  to share the  love, joy and 'fellowship'  that life holds
          for us, and to take note of the lessons that the events of the
          seasons, and of our lives, have to teach us.



                                                                             485

          Our religion is  the wellspring of our  joy; it is the  sharing of the
          knowledge that we are endlessly in the radiant presence of all that is
          holy, all that  is sweet and uplifting.  It warms  us and fills us and
          makes us  whole, strengthens our minds  and clears our  spirits. It is
          the knowledge of the love of our Mother the Earth, who provides for us
          even in our thoughtless  and destructive ecological folly, and  who is
          more  beautiful and more  patient than praise  can express.  It is the
          knowledge of  the guidance of our Father  the Hunter, who quickens us,
          who teaches us love and laughter, wisdom and prudence.  It is the
          awareness that we share  this world, this life with  countless others;
          that each of us both deserves the respect of, and owes respect to, the
          other children of the Lord and the Lady.

          Why does this Religion seem so strange to us?

          It has been suggested that there  are two kinds of religion: Type One,
          which has been called 'primitive', believes in a cyclic, ever-renewing
          concept of time,  and a belief in reincarnation frequently accompanies
          this  view. This type encourages  a sense of  appreciation and oneness
          with  Nature,  and  of  personal  responsibility  both  practical  and
          spiritual.  Typically, a Type One  religion will have  a dualistic and
          complementary  images   of  Godhead,  representing  polar  aspects  of
          Creation as male and female. The Pagan religions are Type One.

          Type  Two, which  has been  called 'revealed',  believes in  a literal
          beginning and  ending of Creation- a linear concept of time, with life
          considered  as  a one-shot  ordeal.   Type  two religions  encourage a
          detachment  from the  world  of Nature  and  a reliance  on  authority
          (beyond the initial choice of  whether or not to follow orders);  they
          will have a dualistic and antagonistic images of Godhead, representing
          polar  aspects of Creation as  good and evil.   Monotheistic religions
          such as Christianity are Type Two religions. Type One and Type Two are
          so  called because they are  the first and  second types, respectively
          and sequentially, to show themselves in human affairs.

          The typical  American is  raised Christian,  has virtually no  contact
          with members of Type One religions, and little meaningful inter-action
          with   members    of   the   other   monotheisms    (Judaism,   Islam,
          Zoroastrianism).   As a  result,  most opinions are  formed  based  on
          the images that are provided by  the culture, and today this means the
          images provided by movies  and television.  From the  beginning, these
          images have been selected to amuse and shock, rather than to enlighten
          or  inform.   Truly,  after nearly  2,000  years of  exceptionally bad
          press,  Pagans of  any  sort from  the  'superstitious' Hindu  to  the
          'savage'  native American to the  'wicked' Witch, are notoriously easy
          targets  for  caricature.   One can  only  say, 'Please  don't believe
          everything you see and hear!'
           
          Why do Witches go off into the woods at night to worship?

          First, we prefer to worship out-of-doors; as we are a nature religion,
          we believe that no building  can give us the sense of contact  we feel
          when our  bare  feet rest  upon  the Mother  Earth,  or the  sense  of
          blessing we feel  when a breeze caresses our  skin.  To worship  is to
          enter  the  presence of  God  or  the Gods  or  Universe;  so for  us,
          worshipping  inside  a  building  is  more  like  leaving  the  Divine
          Presence.

          Given that, the best  place to do this would  be in a quiet  spot, not
          frequented by picnickers, traffic,  or smog; a place remote  enough to



                                                                             486

          minimize  the distractions of the  man-made world.   These days, there
          are few areas that offer  much along these lines, but there  are still
          woods to be  found, and when we can, we worship  there.  The fact that
          trees  are important  symbols for us  only enhances the  appeal of the
          woods.

          So, why  at night?  There  are several reasons: after  dark, people go
          indoors  & get  quiet  - this  enhances  the peacefulness  (as  almost
          everyone  knows) and the serenity  of our outdoor  communion, which is
          important to us; also, the moon for us is a symbol of the Goddess, and
          our  rituals are  synchronized  with the  lunar  phases -  this  makes
          nighttime  appropriate  to us,  for  night is  when the  moon  is most
          prominent.

          There is one more reason we hold Circle (our worship) in the  woods at
          night - in practice,  the more isolated we  are, the safer we are.  In
          our Circle site in Lithonia, we were too close  to go unheard, and too
          far to be understood; the sad result of that incident was that we were
          driven away by wild rumors and fears of the unknown.

          If Witches are all the good things you say, what are you afraid of?

          We  are  afraid  of ignorance  and  of  the  violence  that too  often
          accompanies  it.  To draw an example from history, the church-inspired
          inquisitions  caused the murder of 9,000,000  people. These people met
          their ends through torture, starvation, burning, drowning and hanging;
          their  property  was seized  by the  church,  and their  families were
          scattered.    Many  of  them  were forced  to watch loved  ones suffer
          agonies  while they awaited their turns. The only accused who survived
          were those who 'confessed' to the most loathsome crimes and outrageous
          - even nonsensical - acts, and recanted their 'heresies'.  All
          who protested their innocence died.

          Today in the  20th Century, members of the Craft  have been fired from
          their jobs, have  been beaten, harassed, and sometimes  murdered. Some
          have lost their children in ugly legal battles, homes have been looted
          and  burned,  and  perfectly   wholesome  people  have  been  declared
          anti-social and a menace to  the community.  Yes, all these  things do
          go on  now, today, often perpetrated  by "well-intentioned" Christians
          in a state of great fear and utter ignorance.

          This  is the reason for this pamphlet:  to bear a lamp in the darkness
          so that this holocaust may finally come to an end, and innocent people
          may go about their lives unafraid.

          As an example of why we're afraid, the next question is pretty good:
           
          The Bible  says, "Thou shalt not  suffer a witch to  live"; Why should
          we?

          The  'King James  Version',  on which  virtually all  English-language
          translations are  based, was begun  and completed  during the  Burning
          Times  (our term  for the  anti-Pagan holocaust  in Europe).   Several
          terms  were rendered  as "witch"  in the  final version.   These terms
          were,  roughly,  "evil-doer",  "poisoner",  "one  who  works  harm  in
          secret".  We shall probably never know whether this substitution was a
          matter of  political calculation or  honest error.  I  think it likely
          that there was a healthy portion of each at work. Further, the context
          of this passage is significant.  At the time, the Israelites were
          preparing to invade and conquer the land of Canaan.  In this light, it



                                                                             487

          is highly  possible that  the original  warning was  against Canaanite
          saboteurs  and/or infiltrators, partisans  working against the Israeli
          occupation.   It  would take  a  deliberate decision  to apply  such a
          stricture  against a different people of another time in another land.
          It  may be  interesting to  note, in  this context,  that  the warning
          (often quoted) against  soothsayers, magicians, etc.  was specifically
          aimed at  foreign practitioners.   Jewish soothsayers,  etc. were  not
          mentioned.

          Are there any  guidelines a Witch might be expected  to live by? There
          are  many precepts that help  us learn how to  live in harmony. One of
          the most important of these is personal  responsibility.  We hold that
          each  of us  is  responsible for  choosing any  and all  words, deeds,
          opinions,  thoughts,   feelings  and  responses.     Another is called
          the Law  of Three-fold  Return.   This  teaches  us that  we  directly
          experience  the results of our  choices, deeds and  behavior. It works
          much like the 'golden rule'.

          From these two,  arises one that  almost might be called  'the Witch's
          Motto': An  it harm none, do what  ye will.  This  one carries much of
          the weight that the Ten Commandments carries for Christians.  It means
          that we are free to  act as we see fit, providing that no other person
          suffers injury, pain, anguish, loss, or corruption, as a result of our
          actions.

          Also, there  are the 13  Wiccan Virtues,  which also guide  us in  our
          growth  and  spiritual  development.   These  virtues  are  Tolerance,
          Charity,  Humility,  Devotion,   Patience,  Kindliness,   Forbearance,
          Sincerity, Courage, Precision, Efficiency, Discrimination, and Wisdom.
          These are taken to a rather highly developed point in application, but
          not changed from the qualities one would assume. I would like to point
          out  that 'discrimination' refers to the skill of recognizing the fine
          points  that make  one  person/place/situation/  moment different  and
          unique from any other.  It has nothing to do with segregation, or with
          injustice.

          What does the number 13 mean to Witches?

          Simply, it represents the 13 lunar months in a year;  we celebrate the
          passage of these months, or 'moons' in our rituals.

          What are Wiccan rituals like?

          In  substance,  they  are  no  different  from  any  other  religion's
          observances, though they do look different.



                                                                             488

          We  begin by preparing ourselves  with prayer and  meditation; we then
          'cast the  circle'.   The Circle is  our temple,  and it is  built and
          purified for each  ritual; it usually has no  overt form or structure,
          not even  a chalk  boundary, but  is always circular  in shape.  Every
          participant  must declare  themselves  free of  malice,  and ready  to
          celebrate in  a spirit  of harmony  and good-will  before they  can be
          allowed  to enter the Circle.  Once all  have gathered, we use a group
          prayer (chanted by all, usually) to further unite us and elevate
          our hearts, and to turn our minds toward the gods.

          The priest  and priestess (our clergy) then call upon the Lord and the
          Lady, asking them to be with us  - to receive our love and  blessings,
          and to share their love  and blessings with us.  We share  lessons and
          moral exercises at this  time, which serve to emphasize  the spiritual
          focus  and the  significance of the  occasion.  Through  chanting  and
          exaltation,   we  internalize  these  lessons and this significance so
          that we may be in harmony with the unfoldment of the Divine Purpose.

          We then share bread and wine as  a sign that, as children of the Gods,
          we  share in  the bounty  of nature and  receive our  nourishment from
          them.  Thanksgiving is then offered  to the Lord and Lady, and to  the
          Creation in which we take part,  and we receive their bene-diction.  A
          ritual  is frequently  followed by  food and  fellowship. Most  of our
          rituals are for worship,  for spiritual focus and development,  and to
          harmonize with the Divine Purpose ("the Path").  We also perform rites
          of   passage   and   sanctification:  namings   (christening/baptism),
          handfastings (marriage), and memorials (funeral rites), among others.

          What about Magic?

          We do use magick  for a variety of purposes (we spell  'magick' with a
          'k' to distinguish  what we do from stage magic, with its connotations
          of  illusion  and trickery):  healing, behavior  change (a  witch only
          works  on his  or  her own  behavior),  and general  self-improvement.
          These are  the primary aims  of magick,  as practiced by  a witch  who
          knows  what she's doing!  It is  sometimes true that someone will say,
          "I  am a witch",  and then do things  that no witch  would do, just as
          some have  claimed to follow Jesus,  yet have done things  in his name
          that would never have gained his approval.

          In this context, let me  share something with you: no true  witch will
          employ magick to harm  another; or to manipulate or  influence another
          without the knowledge and  permission of the person to  be affected.It
          is standard to  get a  person's permission even  before attempting  to
          heal that person.   This means  that love  spells, hexes, curses,  and
          "the evil eye", whatever that is, are specifically out of line and out
          of the question for a true witch.

          Other  uses of  magick include  seeking guidance,  protection, finding
          lost persons  or articles,  to harmonize  with the  gods and  with the
          natural life and cycles of the planet Earth.

          Magick is a way of approaching situations that allows one to bring all
          one's abilities and  internal resources into play.   It is  similar to
          Positive  Thinking,   combined  with   self-awareness   and  a   clear
          understanding of  exactly what one hopes to achieve.  All this is done
          from within a focussed,  prayerful attitude to ensure that  the effort
          is in harmony with the Divine Purpose.
          Magick, done  properly, does work; and harmlessness is a major part of
          doing  it properly.  It  can be powerful,  which is why  no true witch



                                                                             489

          will attempt to  teach magick to a person who  is unstable or immature
          (remember,  we  consider  ourselves   responsible  for  our  acts  and
          choices!); nor will  any true witch use magick  to impress others, nor
          to enrich herself or himself at another's expense.

          How can I recognize a true Witch?

          Witches  are human, like anyone else; therefore, they are not perfect.
          A true witch, however, will be actively involved in becoming the best,
          most complete and well-balanced person that  she or he can become.  As
          a result,  you should  be able  to see  all 13  of the Wiccan  Virtues
          active in  the person, though  you may not  see them all at  once, and
          perhaps not  in their perfect  expression.  A  true witch tends  to be
          active, good-humored,  perceptive of her  own faults, and  tolerant of
          faults in others.  There  may in fact be no clear way of recognizing a
          witch as a witch; but if you know a witch, or someone who claims to be
          a witch, my advice would be  "By their fruits shall ye know  them; for
          an evil  tree cannot bring forth  good fruit, neither can  a good tree
          bear evil fruit."

          On the off chance that I wanted to know more, where could I look?

          Larger  cities sometime  have a  group or  two that  are more  or less
          "public".  This may give you a starting  point if you actually want to
          talk  to  someone. Try  meeting with  current  and former  members, if
          possible.   For those with a more academic interest, there are several
          books one can read:

          Drawing Down the Moon            by Margot Adler
                This book is available  at B.Dalton Booksellers, Waldenbooks and
          others.  A national journalist, Ms Adler has done a commendable job of
          sampling the diversity of Wiccan/Pagan activity in the U.S. today.

          Witches                          by T.C. Lethbridge
                An older book, it provides some good historical data, along with
          some fascinating speculations.

          Witchcraft from the Inside       by Raymond Buckland
                This was thefirst book I read, and I still think it gives a good
          picture of the roots and history of Wicca as a religion.

          The ABCs of Witchcraft           by Doreen Valiente
             This book comes highly recommended by my friend and priestess, Lady
          Galadriel, who suggests that I read it. For a general understanding of
          non-monotheistic religions:

          The Masks of God, in 4 volumes   by Joseph Campbell
                When  Mr.  Campbell died  earlier this  year,  he left  behind a
          treasure-house of researches and reflections on the nature and essence
          of religion on planet Earth.  This massive work is well worth the time
          taken to read it, as there is brilliance on nearly  every page.  While
          he does  not deal with the  Craft as such, he  provides superb insight
          into the  world-view  we  share  with  other  pagan  and  monotheistic
          religions.



                                                                             490

                                             AFTERWORD

          I have tried in this article to give respect to religious faiths other
          than my  own.  Some of the historical facts regarding the relationship
          between the Craft  and Christianity  are not pleasant  to relate,  and
          they may  not be flattering to  hear; yet these things  are matters of
          record, and they are crucial to an understanding of a Wiccan position,
          so I  have included them.  I have also,  at times, used a 'voice' that
          is basic  and direct,  at the  expense  of formal  correctness, in  an
          effort to give as clear and unambiguous a picture of the Wiccan 'side'
          as  possible.  I have  done so without malice,  and I intend only real
          communication; if you find some of this offensive, therefore, I ask
          you to consider the 'gentleness' with which we have  been treated over
          the centuries, and find it in your heart to forgive me.

                                            disclaimer 
          I speak  for no-one but myself;  however many witches might agree with
          me, I assume no right to speak for any others;

          I  am  the sole  author  of  this work,  relying  on  my training  and
          experience and the  reading and research of a lifetime in writing this
          work; 

          I  am under  no influence,  nor working  at the  request of  any other
          person;  therefore I am responsible for the contents;

          I  am indebted  to the  Grove  of the  Unicorn  for my  long and  rich
          association  with  the  Craft,  and for  the  training  and  practical
          experience I  have  received; they  share what  virtue is  here -  any
          mistakes are my own.

          If  you  feel moved  to respond  to this  effort  in some  way, please
          contact me in
          writing at:   PO Box 13384,  Atlanta, GA      30324.



                                                                             491

                                LANDMARKS OF THE CRAFT

     A  landmark is  a prominent  feature used  to mark  the boundaries  of real
     estate.  Therefore, these landmarks  of the Craft ar prominent  features of
     the  American Rite, or Druidic  Craft of the Wise.   Just as departing from
     the landmarks  in real  estate signifies  that one  has departed  from that
     piece of  land, so does departure  from the landmarks of  our Craft signify
     such a  person or organization has departed from the correct defines of the
     Craft.  Other branches of the Craft sometimes call this their "Law".

                                    THE LANDMARKS 

     The landmarks were given to man by The Great God, Pan,
          In the dim, dark ages of the past
               For the rule and regulation of the wise,
                    To advise and help them in their troubles
                         And relations, one with the other,
                              That all might work and love together.

     They are the Bill of Rights of each member,
          And the code of operation of the Coven.
               And are to be honored by all
                    Or else they become meaningless and of little use,
                         And departure therefrom by any person or Coven
                              Shall be a departure from the rest of the Covens
                                   Which constitute the American Rite.

     And they shall be disfellowshipped, they from the rest of us,
          And no further communication shall be established
               Concerning things of the Craft
                    With either He or They until
                         They shall return to the fold of the Craft
                              In love and cooperation.

     For the Gods love the Wise, the Brethren of the Way,
          And so should we return that love.
               But this can only be done and made manifest by love expressed
                    In deeds for the Brethren of the Craft,
                         Not in pride, but in cooperation and sincerity.

                              THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT 

     Any person, be male or female, who is of good mind
          And free to decide for himself in good faith,
               Who shall learn of the Craft and its Tenets,
                    And shall desire to follow the Way,
                         Shall be permitted to do so, 
                              And none may say him "Nay".

     And the Gods will love him and look after him,
          And they shall bless him on all things,
               And his needs shall always be satisfied,
                    As he shall show forth love and affection
                         For all the brethren and sisters of the Craft,
                              And he shall obey the Admonishments
                                 Of the Craft as to secrecy and correct living.



                                                                             492

                         THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)

     And when he shall desire to join the Craft,
          And to follow the Way to Perfection,
               He shall make his desires known to any member
                    Of the Priesthood.
                         And they shall observe his readiness and sincerity,
                              And shall then administer the rites of
                                   Secrecy, which is sacredness and brotherhood.

     But a Priest shall accept the Sister,
          And a Priestess the Brother,
               As an eternal reminder of
                    The duality of the Universe.
                         And a new name and secret mark
                              Shall be given each new fellow.

     By this name, and under this mark,
          Shall they be known among the members
               Of the Craft, in love and harmony,
                    And their old name and identity shall not be known
                         Even among the members of their own Coven,
                              And none shall inquire for his name or his house
                                   And he shall inquire these of none.

     But the Gods have decreed, that in joining the Rite,
          Free Will and independence shall not be in jeopardy.
               And he shall have the right to follow the Way.
                    Walking alone if he will it that way,
                         Or with a Coven of living brethren
                              If he so shall choose;

     And he shall have the right
          To withdraw from any coven at any time
               Without the need to say why,
                    If he shall so choose.

     And this either for the purpose of joining another
          Or to become solitary for his own reasons,
               And there will be none to censure;

     And he shall have the right to remain
          In a certain Coven, and none shall say him "Nay",
               Or to attempt to force him to leave and depart;
                    Except that should he lose harmony with them
                         Then they may so decide
                              And he shall depart.

     But no man shall have the right
          To speak for the Craft,
               And leaving one Coven does not mean
                    Leaving the Craft, or
                         Leaving the Way
                              And each is free, then, or at any time later,
                                   To remain solitary
                                        Or to seek admission to another Coven.



                                                                             493

                         THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)

     But let him and each other fellow of the Craft
          Keep a book, and this shall be of the colors of the Craft,
               That it may be readily recognized,
                    And here he shall keep all the Laws and Landmarks,
                         And the tenets of the Craft,
                              That he might not forget,
                                   And  if he do forget,  that his mind might be
     Renewed.

     And in this book, all things shall be the mark
          Of his own hand, and in ink,
               That it shall be long lived.

     Let each of the brothers and sisters
          Copy what they will from the book,
               Providing that they are of sufficient worthiness,
                    To receive it, and are of sufficient rank,
                         Or that the writings are of sufficient nature 
                              As pertain to their own rank.

     Never suffer this book out of hand or possession,
          And never borrow the writings of another
               To keep, but merely to copy.
                    And each shall guard and keep these writings,
                         As his most sacred possession
                              And destroy them when danger threatens.

     However, should one be of sufficient power,
          To remember his past as a wise man,
               This book and other Craft artifacts,
                    May be buried in a stone box
                         Prepared for them from time to time,
                              And this in view of immediate death,
                                 And the desire to save them for a future life.

     Otherwise, on notice of impending death,
          This book should be destroyed by fire, 
               As well as other things of the Craft,
                    Which one may posses.

     But the wise man will have nothing around
          Which has only a Craft use or meaning,
               But only things which can be used in daily affairs.

     If there is no reason to own a sword,
          Then do not own one;
               The white wand is just as powerful,
                    And less distinctive in the minds of the infidels.

     If a white wand is too distinctive,
          Then any old wand will do for the purpose
               Of the ceremonies.



                                                                             494

                         THE FELLOWS OF THE CRAFT (continued)

     Have no names written and signs drawn
          On anything permanently,
               When necessary these can be written
                    In charcoal or chalk
                         And erased immediately without the telling of tales.

     Let the knife have the shape of,
          And be stored with the kitchen knives;
               Let the cord be seen around the house,
                    And be used for a vulgar purpose,
                         In order to fool the infidels.

     Never boast, never threaten, never brag
          Of your powers; not even to the Craft,
               Above all, never harbor ill thoughts toward another
                    For the power may make it happen for harm;
                         And never wish ill to anyone.
                              As it will Occur.

     If anyone speaks of the Craft, to down it,
          Remember:  the Craft needs no defense,
               For it has the Father and
                    All things will be as He wishes
                         In the end.

                                      THE COVEN 

     And it shall be that any Fellow of the Craft,
          Finding himself in a place where he knows of no Coven,
               Or other Fellow of the Craft
                    Shall have the right, nay, even the duty,
                         To seek out such a Coven,
                              Or other Fellow of the Craft
                                   Without censure.

     Provided that he shall not reveal secrets to jeopardize
          His former Coven or the members of it,
               Or the Craft itself.

     And two or three Fellows shall have the right
          To meet and discuss subjects of Craft interest,
               And to help each other along
                    On the Way to Perfection,
                         Except that Craft ceremonies
                              Must be done by the Priesthood.
     Any five fellows who shall desire
          To form a Coven may do so,
               And they shall apply for a charter
                    To any High Priest or Priestess,
                         And they shall then select and choose
                              A man and a woman to lead them.

     And their elected leaders shall be ordained by their High Priest,
          And they shall choose two more,
               A woman to be the deputy; to learn to be a priestess,
                    And a Scribe for their Coven.

                                 THE COVEN (continued)



                                                                             495

     But these shall not be ordained to the Priesthood,
          Unless also qualified for another reason.

     And this Coven shall belong to the High Priest,
          And shall be answerable to him in all their doings,
               Because they did owe their Priesthood to him,
                    And he shall act at all times in their interest
                         As their Spiritual Father in the Craft
                              So that he may lead them as they walk
                                   The way to perfection.

     But the newly appointed Priesthood,
          Should it be lacking in the knowledge and wisdom needed,
               For the positions to which they have been set apart
                    Then it shall be his responsibility as their High Priest,
                         To lead and instruct them,
                              Or cause it to be done by another.

     But should the new Coven refuse to follow
          The teachings and instructions of their Spiritual Father,
               Then he may, at his discretion and Judgement,
                    Recall their charter, and their right to work as a Coven.
                         For that which one can give he may also retrieve,
                              And they shall not again meet,
                                   Unless they can find another High Priest,
                                      Who will assume responsibility over them.

     It is the bounden duty of the High Priest to preside,
          For all things must be presided over by the High Priesthood;

     And should any Coven desire to change,
          Their allegiance from one High Priest to another,
               For any reason, even the loss of harmony,
                    Or if, in their considered opinion, their Spiritual Father
                         Is no longer spiritual, or serving the Father
                              Then they shall be reordained in the Priesthood
                                   By the New High Priest, and this shall then
                                      Have superceded the original ordinations,
                                          And there shall be for them
                                             A new Spiritual Father.

     And if any Priest or Priestess, or other member of the Priesthood,
          Find themselves in a place wherein there is no Coven for them to lead,
               Then it is their bounden duly to try to the extent of their Power
                    To find Fellows of the Craft
                         And organize them into a Coven.

     And should they find that there are no other Fellows of the Craft,
          In that place, but there are some of the same good bend of mind,
               It is then their duty to teach them by word and deed,
                    Until there be sufficient to form a Coven,
                         And this shall be done under the supervision,
                              And with the knowledge of their High Priest,
                                   Through which they received their ordination
                                        And their Powers.

                                 THE COVEN (continued)

     And they shall obligate, teach and initiate all the members of their Coven,
          And they shall be theirs and they shall be to them



                                                                             496

               As elder brothers and sisters,
                    And shall care for them in all their affairs, 
                         And not just at meetings,
                              For it is in this that the Craft differs
                                   From all man-made institutions.

     Should any member be absent, and love of the Priestess is such
          That she shall continue to contact them in any manner
               And by any method possible,
                    To tender them her loving care
                         At all times of sickness or stress.

     And should any member move to a far city
          The Priestess will continue to care for them
               In love, by whatever method is available,
                    Until such time as they shall,
                         Of their own free will,
                              Obligate themselves to another Priestess.

     And the Priestess shall at all times remember
          That she is the direct representative of the Goddess to her Coven,
               And the Priest is the direct representative of
                    The unknown God, the Father,
                         And both must act as such at all times.

     Yet the Priestess shall have whomever she shall choose
          As her Priest, be he of that rank, or qualified to be,
               Or else another Fellow, who shall be called
                    her Magister.

     And she must remember at all times that the man provides the power,
          For the woman to direct, and so it is,
               That the Priest resigns all his power over to her,
                    Yet it is not his power, nor hers to keep,
                         It is the power of God to use in the performance
                              Of the Work.
                                   The Power of God is only lent to be used,
                                        Wisely and Justly.

     Both the members of the Priesthood shall remember their Spiritual Father,
        At all times with gratitude, love, veneration and cooperation,
           keeping constantly in contact, and acting with him in utmost harmony,
             For they must always remember that the power
               And wisdom which they use,
                 Comes to them through him.

     In the days of old, ere the coming of Christendom,
          The Craft was free and open in its ceremonies,
               And entire states and nations worshipped the Gods
                    Freely and without restraint;



                                                                             497


                                 THE COVEN (continued)

     But in these unhappy days, we must remain secret,
          And hold our rites and ceremonies in secret,
               And there are those who will talk, even without torture,
                    Which loosens any tongue.

     Then let it be ordained, heeded and supported by all
          That no Coven shall know wherein
               The next Coven shall abide, or who its members be,
                    Except only the Priestess, Magister and Deputy,
                         And even they shall not remember
                              Except for good and sufficient reason.

     But, and if only, it should be safe, may the covens meet
          In some safe place for festivals, and while there,
             None may say whence they came, nor give their true names,
                Or tell of where or when their meetings are, and
                   No secret things shall be spoken of
                      At these festivals for fear of Cowans and Eavesdroppers.

     Let each Priestess govern her own Coven in justice and love,
          Ever heeding the advice and instructions of her High Priest.
               She will ever heed the complaints of the brethren
                    And strive to settle all differences between them with love.

     But there are those who, in pride, will ever strive
          To force their will upon others
               But these are not necessarily evil
                    And will think that they do rightly.
                         Oft they have good ideas and such ideas
                            Should be discussed in council with their brethren.

     But if they will not agree with their brethren,
          Or if they say "I will not work under this Priestess",
               Then they shall have the right to withdraw from that Coven,
                    And work Solitary.
                         Or if five or more of them shall withdraw,
                              They shall have the right
                                   To   form   another   Coven   under   another
     Priestess.

     Even as it shall be the right of any five or more persons of a Coven
          To withdraw, and form a new Coven, for any reason whatever,
             But they shall then utterly avoid the old Coven
                In all things, as it shall then have ceased to exist for them.



                                                                             498

                                 THE BOOK OF SHADOWS 

     Let every Coven of whatever rank
          Keep a record in a book of black and silver,
               And it shall contain, first, the Landmarks and Tenets,
                    Then a collection of Wisdom of the Craft,
                         The Rites and Ceremonies of the Coven
                              As well as the History of the Coven,
                                   And its charter empowering it to work.

     And a record of every meeting shall be written therein,
          Together with a record of the doings of any member thereof
               With the other side, or the Father, or
                    Any other thing which is for the teaching of all,
                         Even unto the listing of herbs and medicines
                              Spells and incantations and Rites
                                   Which contain power for the use of man.

     This book shall be kept by the Scribe,
          And it shall be kept and approved by the Priesthood
               And also the High Priesthood, when it shall come,
                    But no names or Craft secrets shall be written therein
                         That he Craft should not be betrayed
                              Should the book be taken by force,
                                   Or slyness, by the infidels.

     And when the coven shall disband,
          It shall be the duty of the High Priesthood
               To secure this book and make suitable disposition
                    That it might not endanger the Craft
                         Or any brother within it
                              As if the Coven were a person or Fellow
                                   And the book were his book,
                                        So let it be burned.



                                                                             499

                                    THE PRIESTHOOD 

     The Mother, The seven Elder Children, and all the worlds,
          Draw their power from the Father.

     But the children of the Father are like the sands of the sea,
          And He has ordained and set apart certain of his older children,
               To help and assist Him in caring for the younger children,
                    And has given them the Power and the Wisdom to do so,
                         And these children constitute the Priesthood.

     The Father will bestow  this power upon whom he will, and  none may say him
     "Nay"
          Yet also may the Priesthood choose workers and helpers
               And shall share their power with them,
                    And this is called ordination.

     The Power of the Priesthood is that of the Father
          And it is love unfeigned and sincere,
               Compassion and gentleness and meekness,
                    Persuasion and long-suffering and kindness,
                         And there is no authority over the free will of men
                              Inherent in the Priesthood,
                                   Nor to be assumed by the members of it.

     And the Power of the Priesthood is the Power of God,
       And the Power of God can never be wielded by an ungodly man,
         Nor an evil man; nor the love of God by an unloving man;
          And when the man becomes evil, the Power of God is withdrawn from him.

     Nor can a member of the Priesthood be inactive,
          For inactivity without cause is lack of love for the Father,
               And this man's priesthood shall depart from him
                    At the end of a year and a day,
                         For it is truth eternal,
                              That the thing which is unused will be taken away.

     So if any Fellow of the Craft shall desire the Priesthood,
          First let him learn to be a leader of men,
               For a Priest with no following is no Priest,
                    And his Priesthood is in vain.

     So therefore let the Fellow who would be a Priest
       First learn the knowledge and wisdom he will need in the new appointment,
         Then let him learn to lead men, and
           When he shall either have been selected
             As leader for his Coven,
               Or when he shall have gathered up a Coven of his own,
                 Then let him apply for ordination.

     And he shall apply to a High Priest, for it is written
          That only the higher can ordain the lesser,
               That there shall be an unbroken line
                    Of power and authority extending
                         Back through the line of ordination,
                              To the Father Himself.



                                                                             500

     And no man can ordain his peers,
          For the Lord's House is not a house of confusion,
               So let not the line be broken
                    For it is the cable tow by which
                         Men are drawn from the lower
                              Up to the greater;--
                                   An impossibility without it.

     And each must work within their line of ordination
          In perfect love and perfect trust,
               With perfect harmony in all things,
                    But should they find that they fall out of harmony
                         With their line of ordination,
                              Then let him seek another, to be ordained of him
                                   To be their new spiritual Father.

     Let the Priesthood be a leadership of fact; not of fancy,
          For those who have no following to lead,
               Why are they in the Priesthood?
