



                              A PLEA FOR INITIATION STANDARDS 

          I'm full of radical ideas.  I think the terms  "Priest, Priestess, 
          High Priest and High Priestess" are more than titles.  I think
          being a member of the Priesthood means more than status.  I think
          a coven is more than a study group, or a social gathering.  I think
          being a Witch is more than a protest against the patriarchy.
            
          I think receiving a First Degree should mean you have worked and 
          studied and grown and dedicated yourself to your path and your 
          Gods.  I think an initiation should mean something.
            
          I know of a young man who received a third degree after having 
          proved he could lead a ritual.  That's all he had to do, lead a 
          ritual.
             
          I know of a woman who claims third degrees in both the English and 
          American traditions of a well-known tradition.  She shows 
          absolutely none of the qualities by which one usually recognizes a 
          High Priest or High Priestess.
             
          I know of a woman who refused to accept the standards set by her 
          High Priestess, who threw a fit when she didn't get her First on 
          demand.  She went to another teacher, secretly received her First, 
          and a year later, her Second.  Considering her attitude toward her 
          first teacher, I have absolutely no faith that she did any work to 
          earn her second.  Yet she calls herself a High Priestess.
              
          When two members of Sothistar received their first degrees last 
          year, they had:  studied and worked with the five magical 
          elements, worked at developing personal relationships with the 
          Gods, studied astrology, symbology, qabala, Tarot (both as a 
          divinational and meditational tool), several forms of divination, 
          writing rituals, leading rituals, drawing down the Moon, basic 
          spell-casting and various methods,ethics, the Egyptian deities and 
          mythology, ritual etiquette, the laws of the coven, the use of 
          stones and crystals, meditation, conducting rituals, the meaning 
          and duties of the priesthood, and the use of chants and songs.  
          Both had chosen (or been chosen by) deities to whom they wished to 
          make a special dedication.  Both had proven their loyalty to the 
          coven and the Craft.  Both had served as vessels for both the God 
          and the Goddess, and both had led rituals.  After all of this, 
          they received First Degree.
               
          Am I saying that mine is the only way--that if your coven does not 
          study these subjects your initiations aren't valid?  Certainly 
          not!  I am saying that our tradition has standards for initiation.  
          Many other covens have standards--some more stringent and some 
          less demanding than mine.  What I am saying is that I wish 
          everyone had standards.
              
          Why?  Because when you have standards, the initiations you give 
          mean something.  







                                            908
          



          When we took the two mentioned above around to the four quarters and 
          pronounced them Priest/ess, they could not have been prouder of their
          achievement.  Nor could we.  We had no doubt they could serve as 
          competent dedicated Priest and Priestess in a ritual.  In the time 
          since, they've proved it over and over.  When they make Second 
          Degree, and Third, and eventually have a coven of their own, they'll 
          continue to make us proud.  When they represent the coven other 
          places, they do so in a manner that reflects well on the coven.  
          I've met many First Degrees of other covens who did not reflect well 
          on their teachers.  (I've also met many who have.)
            
          You ask again, Why?  I'll give you a personal reason--because it 
          irritates the hell out of me that the people mentioned at the 
          beginning of this article can put their noses in the air and claim 
          a higher status in the Craft than my two dedicated, hard-working, 
          sincere students.

          Once upon a time, a high school diploma meant something.  You 
          couldn't get a decent job without one.  These days, it means 
          nothing.  These days, a Bachelor's Degree doesn't mean much.  I 
          don't want that to happen to initiations!

          Perhaps I should discuss what I think initiation is.  A true 
          initiation is not a ritual, it is not entrance into a club, 
          it is not just a dedication.  An initiation is a spiritual step to 
          a higher stage in spiritual growth.  There are many such steps.  
          Such "initiations" are not given by High Priest/esses.  They are 
          given by the Gods.  An initiation ritual is an acknowledgment by a 
          coven leader that the Initiate has, in that leader's opinion, 
          reached a certain stage in spiritual growth.  
             
          Coven leaders are not omniscient.  Although I'm sure such leaders 
          strive to serve as worth representatives of the God and Goddess, 
          they (the coven leaders) are not the God and Goddess.  All of them 
          must find their own ways of determining whether their students 
          have achieved this growth.  They must also give what guidance they 
          can to those attempting to achieve it.  Our study program includes 
          many things not mentioned above, exercises and spiritual work 
          that, we hope will help our students reach that goal.  If our 
          students apply themselves to all they are given to do, it is 
          possible for them to reach that stage.  When we give a first 
          degree initiation, we are saying that the Initiate is *already* a 
          Priest/ess of the Goddess.
            
          I do not ask that all covens adopt our particular standards.  I do 
          plead with you to *have* standards beyond simple attendance at 
          ritual for a year and a day.  Insist that they work hard, that 
          they learn and grow, that they struggle, that they strive, that 
          they become, in your opinion, worthy servants of the Gods.

          Some months ago, I mentioned this to two leaders of a newly-formed 
          group north of here.  Their eyes lit up and they said "You can 
          help us.  We were just talking about setting standards!"  No true 
          standards had been set for their initiations, and they felt the 
          lack.  Oh, they had third degrees from their teacher, but they 
          wanted more meaning for those they gave than was given to their 
          own.  Bravo!  There's hope for the Craft yet!
                                                            Ellen Cannon Reed
            
                                 AN OPEN LETTER TO A WITCH

                                            909
          



               I do not know what  Tradition you follow.  That does  not matter.
          Indeed, for all I know, you may not follow any of the traditions.  You
          may be  one of those many  lonely ones who, for  whatever reason, must
          worship by 'feel'  rather than  through any formal  coven training  or
          participation.  But whoever you are, and however you worship, all that
          matters to me is that you hold 
          true to the God and the Goddess.  My purpose in writing this letter is
          to  enjoin your  aid  in destroying  that  which cripples  our  Craft.
          Dissension is the disease.  It is not a cancer, 
          for  it  can be  cured;  and,  as with  most  herbal  cures, the  best
          treatment is that administered internally. 

                    Friend,help spread theBrotherhood andSisterhood ofthe Craft.
          do not seek to establish a scale of Wicca purism,  (for no two Witches
          will ever agree  on the relative positions on the  scale of even their
          own tradition.)  There is no one religion for all people, and THERE IS
          NO  ONE TRADITION  FOR  ALL  WITCHES!   Let  this be  understood,  and
          accepted.  Choose your own path and 
          leave your neighbor to choose  his.  Remember the primary tenet:   "AN
          IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT THOU WILT." 

                    Yetnever forget:"An it harmnone..." If your pathleads to sex
          rites, to homosexuality, to phallic-initiation...do not pt it foreward
          as "THE WICCAN  WAY".  It is only  A Wiccan way, one of MANY.   And by
          the same token, if a path  so presented is not your way, do  not decry
          it simply because it is  not your way.  Who are you to  say another is
          wrong, so long as it harms none. 

                    Strive for honesty, friend.  Do not make false Craft claims,
          whether of  position, heredity, lineage, or  whatever.  If you  have a
          quarrel with someone, seek out the one you  disagree with, rather than
          utilize  perhaps unreliable  intermediaries.   do  not spread  unfound
          rumors  and question  those who  do  so.   News of  battle makes  more
          exciting reading than news of peace.   Why, then, provide battle  news
          for publication  when the serenity of  the Craft is what  we should be
          showing? 

                      We have come along way, myfriend, in a fewshort years. Let
          us  move on  along our  chosen paths  till we  emerge -  as we  will -
          accepted and respected by ALL as a religion in our own right. 

                    Help usbring anend to washingour dirty linenin public. There
          will  always be disagreements, there  will always be  those who cannot
          tolerate others,  but they  are in  the  minority and  so they  should
          remain, if  you  wish.   But do  not deny  them their  right to  those
          differences. 

                    Friend, weare Children ofthe Universe, andChildren ofthe God
          and the Goddess.  Let us try to remember that, and live in Peace. 
                                      Blessed Be, and Merry Part! 











                                            910
          



                                    MAY DAY CHANT  ONE 
           
               Here we come apiping, 
               In Springtime and in May; 
               Green fruit aripening, 
               And Winter fled away. 
               The Queen she sits upon the strand, 
               Fair as lily, white as wand; 
               Seven billows on the sea, 
               Horses riding fast and free, 
               And bells beyond the sand. 
           
          Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985 
           
           
                                    MAY DAY CHANT  Two 
           
          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".   
           
               "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, 
               A conjuring summer in! 
               And we bring you news by word of mouth 
               For women, cattle and corn 
               Now is the dun come up from the South 
               With Oak, and Ash and Thorn!" 
           
           
          Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert   Hale
          1983 
           
           
                              STAG CALL also MAYCHANT THREE 
           
          The  men gather around the fire, next  to their partners, and they 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." 
           
          Graves, Robert; "The White Goddess"; Farrar 1970 
           
           
          Transcribed to computer files by Seastrider 
           








                                            911
          



                                         CRYSTALS & STONES



                        Gemstoneshave beenusedforcenturiesas meditationalaidsand
          magical magical foci.   Each  individual type of  stone has  different
          properties.  Here  are some  healing and spiritual  properties from  a
          list I have.  These descriptions are based on ancient legend and lore:



               AGATE: Moss Agates considered to be most powerful.  Aid in
          restoration of energy, used  in healing, and believed to  bring wearer
          happiness, wealth, health, and long life.  Increases
          ability  to   ward  off  self-induced  anger   and  inner  bitterness.
          Carnelian-gives protection and energy.   Moss green-balances emotional
          energy.     Moss  red-balances  physical  energy.     Blue  lace-gives
          tranquility.

               Amber:  Powerful  healing  stone  with large  amount  of  organic
          energy.  In ancient times, ground to  a powder and mixed with honey or
          oil  of  roses  for various  physical  problems.    Filters germs  and
          infections and  has the power to  disinfect.  Worn around  the neck to
          help fight infection and respiratory diseases.  Lifts the spirits.

               Apatite: Promotes communication and mental clarity.

               Amethyst:  Increases  spiritual  awareness,  has  a  calming  and
          soothing influence, has the ability to transmute negative into
          positive, and is very effective as a healing stone.  Warmed and placed
          on  the  forehead and  temples, it  is good  for  headaches.   Has the
          ability to draw through it forces directed towards the body and repels
          vibrations which the body doesn't need, thus releasing only the energy
          patterns beneficial  to the body.  Best worn in healing near the heart
          center.    Opens  up  spiritual  and psychic  centers.  Helps  prevent
          drunkeness.

               Aquamarine:  Calms nervous tension.   Calming effects of the sea.
          Used to help banish fears and phobias.  Means seawater.
          Soothing and cleansing.

               Adventurine:   Increases   perception   and   creative   insight.
          Stimulates opportunity and motivation.

               Azurite:  Powerful  healing  stone, invokes  spiritual  guidance,
          opens psychic eye.  Good for dreams and improving psychic ability.

               Bloodstone:  Stimulates   flow  of  energy   for  healing   blood
          circulation, stops hemorrhaging.  Removes emotional blockages.


               Citrine: Stimulates openness and accelerates the awakening of the
          mind.  An aid to the digestive system.  Helps eliminate
          toxins.   Encourages tremendous healing  on the  emotional and  mental
          levels,  helps unblock  subconscious fears,  and  serves as  a natural
          relaxant.

               Coral: Balances  physical energy  and relaxes tensions.   Carries
          the creative vibrations of the sea.


                                            912
          



               Emerald: Promotes creativity, stimulates perception  and insight,
          and strengthen memory.  Beneficial effect on the eyes.

                    Garnet:Balances hormones, goodfor mentaldepression, enhances
          self-esteem,  alleviates   bad  dreams,  and  encourages   success  in
          business.  Thought to assist in seeing into past incarnations.

                    Hematite: Calmingto the emotions. Worn as an amuletto confer
          strength and procur  favorable legal  judgements.  In  Egypt, used  to
          reduce  inflammation and treat hysteria.  Considered to be a grounding
          stone.  Helps maintain balance between body, mind, and spirit.

              Ivory: Spiritual protection.

                    Jade:Stimulates practicality,wisdom,and universalattunement.
          Thought to provide a link between the spiritual and the mundane.  Most
          revered by the Chinese.

               Jasper: For energy balancing of emotions and stress.

                    Flourite: Opens andsoftens the wayfor the useof otherstones.
          Excellent used in aquariums-provides needed minerals.

                    Lapis  Lazuli: Stimulates  wisdom,  truthfulness, &  psychic
          experiences, healing  and strengthening  when worn  next to  the skin.
          Strengthens mind and body to spiritual awareness.

                    Malachite: often used asa child's talisman to sleepsoundly &
          protect  from  bad dreams.    Stimulates  clear  vision  and  insight,
          represents  hope and  inner peace,  believed to  protect from  danger.
          Increases abundance in all areas of life.

                    Moonstone: Bringsgood fortune. Reflects the wearersbeing and
          feelings.   Promotes unselfishness.   Opens the heart  to humanitarian
          love and hope.  Good for protection while travelling on  water.  Gives
          clarity to  spiritual understanding.  Good  for pre-menstrual symptoms
          and balancing to the reproductive system.  Used to ease childbirth.

                    Pearl:Stimulates feminine qualities,used to focus attention,
          helps  pull  together  mental  and spiritual  forces,  peace  of mind.
          Represents purity, modesty, & gentleness.

                    Peridot:  Dispels fears,  guilt,  and depression.   Used  to
          counteract negative emotions and  healing of the spirit.   Affects top
          three chakras.   Once worn as a means of  gaining foresight and divine
          inspiration.

                    QUARTZ: Amplifiesthe healing energyof the one usingit.  Used
          to help draw out pain.  Able to tap into the energies of the
          universe.   A good stone for meditating  on.  Works primarily with the
          Third Eye center, also relates well with the heart center.  To be able
          to  tune into the quartz  promotes clarity while  concentrating on it.
          Also affects the crown chakra.  Very potent and often  worn to protect
          from  negative  vibrations.    Cleanse  regularly.    Rudilated-rutile
          needles  help  focus attention.    Smoky-good  for  calming the  mind.
          Rose-vibrations of universal love & inner serenity.

               Ruby: Increases  vigor, renews  vitality and cleanses  the blood.
          The stone of courage.


                                            913
          



               Topaz: Calms  emotions, protects  against external stresors.   To
          restore physical energy & quiet emotional nature.

               Tiger Eye: Very powerful protection, clarity of thought.

                    Tourmaline:  Causes the  wearer  to be  more flexible,  more
          understanding  and more  objective in  purpose and  reason.   Calming.
          Each person has a different response to this stone.  Causes a
          reaction  in   the  intestinal  tract.     Black  and  Crystal-removes
          negativity and cleanses.  Some  say it should not be worn  as jewelry.
          Electric and magnetic properties.

                    Turquoise: Vibratescalmingradiations, protective,andrestores
          healthy  mental  attitude.    Stone  of  friendsship.    Balancing and
          healing.   Great strength and  vitality.  Takes  on characteristics of
          the wearer.

           
                                                                            










































                                            914
          



                                     CRYSTALS & STONES

                   NAME         COLOR      CHAKRA       USES

                      AMETHYST      Violet    Crown      Calming,grounding, a   
                                                  cleanser and spiritual 
          stimulator, yin/yang 
          balance, strengthens 
          heart, cleanses liver of 
          toxins, excellent for                                            lung
          problems.

                      ADVENTURINE   Green     Heart      Soothes emotions,      
                                                       used  for  the heart  and
          heartache, for acceptance                                        o   f
          self and others, for                                             inner
          peace.

                      AGATE         Varied     Solar-     Compelstruth, promotes
          Plexus,   good manners, happiness,                                    
                   intelligence, prosperity.
                                                                            Heart
                                                                                
                                                       longevity, fertility,
                                                                                                    and
                                                                                                    good
                                                                                                     health,
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                   
                                                                                               
                                                                                            
                                                                                         
                                                                                      
                                                                                   
                                                                                
                                                  affects stomach,
                                                       throat, heart.

                      AZURITE-     Blue-green Heart,     Allpurpose healing     
                                                  stone, affects
                      MALACHITE               Crown      ethericbody,parathyroid
                                                       glands,   nerve,  spleen,
          pancreas, used to release 
          repressed emotions and                                           f o r
          physical detoxing.
           
                BLOODSTONE     Green-red   Root        Offers courage, 
          endurance, harmony, used                                         t   o
          stop bleeding, helps                                             i   n
          making decisions, used                                           f o r
          iron deficiency, in                                              t h e
          blood, for moving                                           kundalini
          energy, and to                                              invoke
          peace in all who                                            are  drawn
          to it.

                CITRINE        Golden      Solar-      Generates radiant, happy
                                           Plexus      vibrations, helps 
          thoughts to be clear and 
          emotions controlled,                                                  
          raises thinking to 
          intuitive levels, on a 
          physical level it can be                                         used
          to help eliminate 
          toxins from the colon,                                           gall
          bladder and kidneys                                              a n d
          entire eliminative 
          system.




                                            915
          



                CHRYSOPRASE    Green       Solar-      Has a quality of 
          compassion and a 
                                                                            Plexus,
                                                                                  
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                              
                                                                             capacity
                                                                                    for
                                                                                      fine
                                                                                         
                                                                                       
                                                                                      
                                                                                     
                                                                                    
                                                                                   
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                       attunement works
                                                                            Heart
                                                                               
                                                                             
                                                                            
                                                                          
                                                                        
                                                                      
                                                                    on
                                                                     the
                                                                      solar
                                                                         plexus
                                                                             and
          heart areas to sooth 
          emotions, will help 
          tranquilize many forms of                                        a n d
          neurosis, also used                                              t   o
          absorb or deflect                                           unwanted
          energies.

                      FLOURITE       Clear,    Crown,    Multi-dimensional      
                                                      stone, balances
                                                      Blue,
                                                          3rd
                                                            Eyeandintegrateslower
                                                                                
                                                       (human) self
                                                    Purple withhigher(spiritual)
          self, good for meditation                                        over
          3rd eye chakra,                                             works well
          with virulent                                          diseases.

                      GARNET        Red        Root        Stimulates happiness,
          peace, balance, patience, 
          inspiration, persistence,                                        good
          for rebirthing, 
          menstruation and life 
          passages, disorders, 
          fertility, eases                                            arthritis
          pain.

                      HEMATITE      Grey-black Root       A verygrounding stone,
          very cooling to the 
          physical body, use for 
          fevers, alleviates worry                                         a n d
          anxiety as it allows                                             f o r
          mental clarity, often                                            known
          as the "worry                                          stone".

                      HERKIMER      Clear      Crown      Very balancing special
          variety of quartz crystal
                "DIAMOND"                              works with yin/yang
                                                                                                    energies,
                                                                                               often
                                                                                       known
                                                                              as
                                                       the "Dream Crystal", aids
                                                       in bringing teachings  of
                                                       the   dream  state   into
          conscious awareness, very 
          highly attuned 
          spiritually.

                      KYANITE       Blue,     Crown,     Aligns all chakras,    
                                                  if so directed
                                                    Black
                                                        
                                                       3rdEye
                                                            can
                                                              openchakras(energy
                                                       centers  in  the   body),
          dispells frustration and 
          anger, excellent                                            attunement
          stone, good                                            for meditating,
          aids in                                           p a s t      l i f e
          regression.

                      LAPIS        Blue       Throat,    Used over 3rdeye       

                                            916
          



                                                  (brow) chakra,
                      LAZULI                 3rd Eye    assists in opening      
                                                  and clarifying
                                                                            (Brow)
                                                                               
                                                                            
                                                                          
                                                                       
                                                                    
                                                                 inner
                                                                    vision,
                                                                        provides
          strength, vitality and 
          self-assurance, used for 
          disorders of the throat, 
          heart,spleen, blood, skin                                        a n d
          to counter effects of 
          stroke and epilepsy, also                                        good
          for dream work.


                      LITHIUM       Lavender   Crown,     Helps to reduce stress
          and ease depression,
                               with Pink   Solar-      relates to cycles of
                                                    Tourmaline
                                                             
                                                            Plexus
                                                                 
                                                                
                                                               
                                                              birth
                                                                  and
                                                                    deathand
                                                                           eases
                                                       transition, good 
          preparatory stone inner 
          spiritual work, on                                          physical
          helps with                                             digestion.

                      MOONSTONE    White      Crown     Has avery calming effect
                                                       on the emotions,
                                                    Pastel  stimulatesthe pineal
          gland, assists in 
          stimulating the feeling 
          (intuitive) nature, eases  
          menstrual pain,                                             alleviates
          many                                              degenerative
          conditions                                             in   the  skin,
          hair, eyes,                                            and body fluids
          (tears,                                           digestive juices).

                      OBSIDIAN      Black-               Used tosharpen both the
                                                       internal and external
                                                    Snowflakevision,oneofthemost
                                                       important  "teachers"  of
          the New Age stones, 
          teaches one the truth of 
          oneself in relation to                                           ones
          ego, depicts the                                            contrasts
          of life-day and                                             night,
          darkness and                                           light,    truth
          and error.

                      PERIDOT       Green     Heart,     Promotes digestion,    
                                                      eases ailments 
                                                    Yellow/ Brow inthedigestive 
                                                  system, used for
                                                    Green      forprotection,   
                                                  prosperity, emotional         
                                             calming, purifies,                 
                                        balances.


                      PHANTOM      Clear      All       Very powerful tool      
                                                  for the New Age,
                                                    Redor     used togroundand  
                                                  center while

                                            917
          



                               Yellow                  attuning to higher 
          spiritual energies, in 
          healing work used to 
          disperse congested                                          energies.

                      PYRITE        Gold       Solar-      Hasa very protecting,
          shielding aspect which
                                                                            Plexus
                                                                                
                                                                              
                                                                           
                                                                         
                                                                       
                                                                    works
                                                                       on
                                                                       the
                                                                       physical,
          mental, emotional levels.  
          Shields from many forms                                          o   f
          negative energy,                                            strengths
          circulatory                                            system,  clears
          oxygen in                                              the blood.

                      QUARTZ        Clear     Trans-     All-purpose, all       
                                                  healing, amplifies
                                                                            personal
                                                                                   
                                                                                  
                                                                                 
                                                                               thought-forms,
                                                                                            
                                                                                           
                                                                                          
                                                                                         
                                                                                       
                                                                                      
                                                                                     
                                                                                    
                                                                                   
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                                  transmutes energy
                                                                            point
                                                                              
                                                                            
                                                                          
                                                                        
                                                                      
                                                                    
                                                                  and
                                                                   forms
                                                                      protective
          shield around auric 
          field, excellent for 
          meditation stone, color                                          work,
          aura work, very 
          energizing.

                      IRRADIATED    Very                Absorbs all formsof     
                                                      negative
                      QUARTZ        Black                energy,placed on or    
                                                                                                  near
                                                                                 electrical
                                                                       equipment
                                                       (T.V., microwave, 
          computer) to absorb 
          harmful energies.

                      ROSE QUARTZ   Pink       Heart      Comfortsheart from all
          wounds, helps heal                                          emotional
          pain, enhances                                              l o v e ,
          self-love, positive  
          outlook, joy and oneness, 
          helpful for heart,                                          throat,
          ears, nose,                                            hypertension.





















                                            918
          



                SMOKEY         Black       Root,       Eases depression,        
                                                  fear and panic,
                QUARTZ         Grey        Solar-      clears aura, very        
                                                  grounding,
                                           Plexus      enhances positive 
          attitudes, tranquilizes,                                         works
          well with root                                              chakra  to
          release                                           negative      blocks
          emotional                                              and   physical,
          used for                                          menstrual 
          cramps,intestines,                                          stomach
          and digestion.

                      TOPAZ        Yellow     Solar-    Draws negativity from   
                                                      chakras,
                                                                            Plexus
                                                                               
                                                                            
                                                                         
                                                                     
                                                                  
                                                               protects
                                                                    against
                                                                        insomnia
                                                       and    depression,   mood
          elevator, revitalizes,                                           very
          stimulating to the   
          creative thinking                                           processes,
          eases death.

                      TOURMALINE     Varied     Root,      Works as a protective
          shield, consumes negative 
          energy without releasing                                         i   t
          into the atmosphere,                                             h a s
          to do with visions                                          a   n   d
          "seeing" with                                          compassion,
          good  for the                                          eyes,   teaches
          to expand                                              l i m i t e d
          concepts of
                                                       thinking,    relates   to
          aspirations for higher                                           love,
          very complete                                          stone.

                      TURQUOISE    Aqua       Heart,     Known as"The Sky       
                                                       Stone", is
                                           Throat      excellent for both 
          Spiritual attunement and 
          healing of the energy 
          centers and the physical                                         body,
          valuable for                                           grounding    as
          well as for                                            vision   quests
          and astral                                             t r a v e l ,
          purifies all                                           levels       of
          being and is                                           capable      of
          handling                                          strong   negativity,
          also                                              used for  wounds and
          for                                          damage to bones.












                                            919
          



                                                                             920
          

                              M O D E R N   P A G A N I S M : 
                                  QUESTIONS    &    ANSWERS

                 To promote community harmony and freedom of religious practice.
          Distributed  by : The Committee for Religious Freedom, Salt Lake City,
          Utah.

                        Thanks to LesleyPhillips andLinda Pinti ofThe Covenantof
          Unitarian Universalist Pagans for original material.


                        Contemporarysociety isexperiencingaresurgence ofinterest
          in earth-  and nature-centered spirituality. Modern Paganism is a rich
          and  diverse  religious movement  drawing the attention  of the media,
          law-makers, and  spiritual  seekers. This pamphlet attempts  to answer
          some of the questions  frequently asked about modern Pagan beliefs and
          practices.

          What is Paganism?
                        Theterm"Pagan" comesfrom aLatinword for"country dweller"
          first  used  in  early  Christian  times to  refer  to  those  not yet
          converted to Christianity. "Pagan" was an epithet that cast aspersions
          on those  not seen as  "true believers." Today, it refers more general
          to the  faith of those whose  spiritual  center is drawn to native and
          natural religions,  usually pantheistic   or polytheistic,  and almost
          always earth-centered.

          What then is "Modern Paganism"?
                        ModernPaganism,orNeo-Paganism, isamodern, Earth-centered
          religious   perspective  which borrows  and adapts  from pre-Christian
          paganism  as  well  as   from  contemporary  religious  thought. While
          reconnecting with ancient wisdom,   it speaks eloquently to  the needs
          and concerns of the present.

          What is meant by "The Old Religion"?
                        The term describes the pre-Christian religion of much of
          western  and northern  Europe,  which was  based  on the  agricultural
          cycles  and  other natural  rhythms of  the  Earth. It  coexisted with
          Christianity for centuries,  from the so-called  "Dark Ages" up  until
          the  Inquisition and  the "Burning  Times" (witch  hunts) of  the late
          Middle Ages. It also can refer more generally to other 
          native and tribal religions of the world.

          What is the difference between Paganism and Witchcraft?
                        SomecontemporaryPagans callthemselvesWitches.The termhas
          many   meanings,  some   carrying   rather  heavy   negative  baggage.
          "Witchcraft"  or "The Craft" is  most properly applied  to three broad
          categories: Descendants of  the European witches  of the Middle  Ages,
          practitioners of  the "reconstructed" Witchcraft of  the 20th century,
          and  "feminist Witches"  whose  religion and  politics  center in  the
          contemporary womens'  spirituality movement. It can  generally be said
          that  all modern  Witches are Pagans,  but not  all modern  Pagans are
          Witches. At least one writer,  Aidan Kelly, has begun to use  the term
          "Neo-Pagan  Witchcraft"  to  describe   the  largest  portion  of  the
          contemporary Pagan community.



                                                                             921
          

          What is meant by the term "Wicca"?
                        Oftenused asa synonymfor Witchcraft,"Wicca" isthought to
          derive from an Anglo-Saxon root meaning to bend or to turn. It is more
          properly applied only to  those Witchcraft traditions which originated
          in or derive from  practices in the British Isles.

          What about Shamanism?
                        Shamanismisnot areligion, butaset ofspiritual techniques
          used for  healing and the acquisition of knowledge through forays into
          non-ordinary  states     of  consciousness.  Now   gaining  increasing
          attention  in the counseling   profession, this  journeying is usually
          aided by sonic driving  (such as repetitive drumming or  chanting) and
          often involves interactions with totemic and archetypal figures. These
          techniques are used in  virtually every tribal society and  are widely
          used by contemporary Pagans.

          What do modern Pagans believe?
                        The centralbeliefs ofmodern Pagansdiffer in specificsyet
          share  many   fundamentals.  Deity is  seen  as immanent  rather  than
          transcendent.   Experience  is preferred over doctrine. It is believed
          that there are and should be   multiple paths to the Divine. There  is
          no prescribed creed, but there are a  number of beliefs shared by most
          contemporary Pagans, summarized at the end of  this pamphlet.

          Isn't this just Humanism by another name?
                        Noand Yes.Likereligious Humanists,modernPagans havealove
          and reverence for  this world  and the physical  plane generally.  The
          rational is  seen as important. Great  emphasis is also placed  on the
          intuitive, however, and the belief that the  physical and non-physical
          worlds  are equally  real, and   are  interconnected, interpenetrating
          manifestations  of nature.  This means  that  spiritual  work, whether
          called  meditation, prayer,  or  magic, and  whether  done as  ritual,
          worship, or celebration, is  efficacious and can result in  changes in
          the  physical  world.  The majority  of  Pagans  also  believe in  the
          survival of the consciousness or soul after physical death.

          How do modern Pagans worship? 
                        Some groups have formalworship services or similar group
          meetings.  Others  conduct rituals  that have varying  degrees of  set
          forms. Some Pagans worship  by themselves without formal ritual.  Most
          contemporary Pagans hold  rituals corresponding to the  turning of the
          seasons  and the phases of the moon.  Rituals are often performed in a
          sacred space defined by the demarcation  of a circle, within which the
          celebration  and worship take place. Celebrations  include eight major
          seasonal holidays,  sometimes collectively referred to  as  "Sabbats".
          These  Sabbats, as  most  frequently observed  by  North American  and
          European  Pagans,  follow  the  agricultural cycles  of  the  northern
          temperate zone,   and include the  solstices and equinoxes  as well as
          four intermediate festivals   which fall in between, sometimes  called
          "cross-quarters," on or near the first  days of February, 
          May, August, and November. Regular public  Sabbat rituals,  reflecting
          a variety of contemporary Pagan styles, are held in many  communities.
          Rituals  may   include  meditation,  chanting,   drumming,  myth-  and
          story-telling, ritual drama, dance,  and so on. Deeper ritual  work is
          most  often practiced at private gatherings, which for many traditions
          coincide  with   the phases  of the  moon. The  work may  include more
          intense  raising  of energy,    healing work,  and  personal spiritual
          development. 
           



                                                                             922
          

          What about Satanism? 
                        Contrary   to  the  claims   of  ill-informed  Christian
          fundamentalists,  the practices of modern Pagans are in no way related
          to Satanism.  Most Pagans  do  not even  believe  Satan exists.  As  a
          profanation  of  Christian symbolism,  Satan  worship  is a  Christian
          heresy, not a Pagan religion. 
           
          Do Pagans proselytize? 
                        No,Pagansdo notproselytize.Most modernPagantraditions do
          welcome newcomers.  Most modern  Pagans also  do not  discourage other
          Pagans from  integrating other  religious and spiritual practices  and
          beliefs into their practice. 
                             WHAT CONTEMPORARY PAGANS BELIEVE 
          while there  is no set  of beliefs  shared by all  Pagans, most  would
          agree that similarities far  outweigh differences. There are  a number
          of beliefs held  by the vast majority of modern  Pagans. Some of these
          are: 
           
          1. Divinity is seen as immanent. 
           
          2. Divinity  is as likely to  manifest itself in female  as male form,
          the God or  the Goddess, in the interconnectedness of all life. 
           
          3. Multiple paths to the divine exist, as symbolized by many goddesses
          and gods.  These  are often  seen  as archetypes  or  gateways to  the
          unconscious. 
           
          4. We respect and love Mother Earth as a living being, Gaia,  of which
          we are a part. 
           
          5. The physical world,  as an emanation of the divine, is  good and to
          be enjoyed by all living beings in love and harmony. 
           
          6. Ethics and morality are based on avoidance of harm to other beings,
          including Earth as a whole, which mandates environmental activism as a
          spiritual responsibility. 
           
          7. Human interdependence implies the need for community cooperation. 
           
          8.  The  solar and  lunar  cycles  and the  cycles  of  our lives  are
          celebrated.  This  leads to the maintenance and revival of old customs
          and the creation of new  ones. 
           
          9.  A strong commitment  to personal and  planetary growth, evolution,
          and balance are vital. 
           
          10.  One's  lifestyle  must  be  consistent  with one's  beliefs.  The
          personal is political. 
           
          11. A minimum  of dogma and a maximum of  individual responsibility in
          all things are goals to strive for. Thus a healthy skepticism is to be
          fostered,   and  ideas  are  not  to   be  accepted  without  personal
          investigation of their validity. 
           
          12. Messiahs  and gurus are  to be  avoided. The mediation  of another
          being  is  unnecessary  for  an  individual  to  commune  with  Deity.
          Power-from-within is preferred to power-over. 
           
          13.  All  beings  are personal  emanations  of  the  Divine. Thou  art
          Goddess, thou art God. 



                                                                             923
          

                                A Booklist of Pagan/Magickal Titles

               I. Tarot:
                    A. The Tarot - Paul Foster Case  (f)
                    B. The Qabalistic Tarot - Robert Wang (a,f)
                    C. The Book of Tokens - Paul Case (f)
                              D. TheBook  ofThoth - Crowley(a,f)                
             
                                                        
               II. The Qabalah:
                    A. The Mystical Qabalah - Dion Fortune (f)
                    B. The Kabbalah Unveiled - MacGregor Mathers (f)
                    C. The Sepher Yetzirah - W. Wynn Westcott (f)
                              D.APracticalGuideto
                                                QabalisticSymbolism-GarethKnight
                       (a,f)
                    E. The Ladder of Lights - William Grey (f?)

               III. Magick in general:
                    A. The Tree of Life - Israel Regardie (a,f)
                    B. Magick in Theory and Practice - Aleister Crowley (a,f,b)
                              C.TheGolden Dawn;TheComplete Golden DawnSystem of 
          Magic- Israel Regardie (c)
                    D. Magick without Tears - Crowley (c)

               IV. Meditation
                    A. The Training of the Mind - Alan Bennett (a)
                    B. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism - Chogyam          
          Trungpa(d)
                    C. Book 4 - Crowley (a)
                    D. The Experience of Insight - Goldstein (d)

               V. Crowley
                    A. The Holy Books of Thelema (a)
                    B. The Vision and the Voice (a)
                    C. The Eye in the Triangle - Israel Regardie (c)
                    D. The Equinox, esp The Temple of Solomon the King (a)
                    E. The Book of Lies (a)

               VI. Paganism, historical
                    A. The Golden Bough - Frazer
                    B. The Mystery Religions - S. Angus (b)
                    C. Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism - F. Cumont (b)
                    D. The God of the Witches - Margaret Murray
                    E. The Golden Ass - Apuleius, transl. Robert Graves

               VII. Paganism, modern
                    A. Drawing Down the Moon - Margot Adler
                    B. The Meaning of Witchcraft - Gerald Gardner (g)

               VIII. Eastern Mysticism
                    A. Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines - Evans-Wentz
                    B. Shakti and Shakta - Arthur Avalon (a)
                    C. The Serpent Power - Arthur Avalon (a)
                    D. The Tibetan Book of the Dead - Evans-Wentz

               IX. Egyptian religion (all b)
                    A. The Gods of the Egyptians - E.A. Budge
                    B. The Egyptian Book of the Dead - Budge
                    C. Egyptian Magic - Budge
                    D. The Leyden Papyrus - Budge



                                                                             924
          

               X. Miscellaneous
                    A. The Chaldean Oracles - Westcott (f,e)
                    B. The Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Philostratus
                    C. Prometheus Rising - Robert Anton Wilson (c)
                    D. Cosmic Trigger - Robert Anton Wilson (c)

                                              Sources

               (a) Samuel Weiser, Inc
                   Box 612
                   York Beach, Maine 03910

                    -EXCELLENT source  for books of all sorts, all high quality.
          Especially  good source for   books   by  Crowley   &   on  ceremonial
          magick. Highly recommended.

               (b) Dover Publications
                   31 East 2nd St.
                   Mineola, NY 11501

                    -reprints manyold books,most notably Budge'sclassic egyptian
          series

               (c) Falcon Press
                   3660 N. 3rd St
                   Phoenix, AZ 85012

                    -small press specializing in Crowley, Israel  Regardie,& the
          Golden Dawn.  Also  carries  Robert   Anton  Wilson's  latest   works,
          such as PROMETHEUS  RISING,  THE  NEW  INQUISITION,  and the reprinted
          classic COSMIC TRIGGER.

               (d) Shambalah Publications
                   314 Dartmouth St.
                   Boston, MA 02116

                    -mainly Eastern  religion & Buddhist, but  also some western
          magick, and recently lots   of high-quality  New Age   works. Recently
          reprinted the classic series HERMETICA by Sir Walter Scott.

               (e) Heptangle Books
                   Box 283
                   Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922

                    -small  specialty  printing house   issuing one   volume per
          year,  beautifully    typeset.     Issued    the   classic    ENOCHIAN
          INVOKATION  by Geoffrey James, which was still in print in April.


               (f) The Best of Cards Catalog
                   Division of US Games Systems
                   38 East 32nd St
                   NY, NY 10016

                    -sells every Tarot  pack   in  existence,  &   also  has   a
          surprisingly extensive booklist   of occult   books. Good  source  for
          Eliphas Levi & tarot material &  carries  many  of  the  books  issued
          by  the  above publisher. Catalog is $2. Delivery  is the fastest I've
          ever seen.



                                                                             925
          


               (g) Magickal Childe
                   35 West 19th St.
                   NY,NY 10011

                    -excellent  listing;   carries   Gardner's books &  assorted
          paraphanalia  such as Abramelin  oil. Carries many   more  books  than
          listed  in  their catalog; reportedly   if you call them they  can get
          ANY  occult book, if it's  available anywhere. No,  I don't have their
          phone #.

               (h) Llewellyn Publications
                   P.O. Box 64383-873
                   St. Paul, MN 55164-0383

                    -not so good a  source these  days,but  carries reprints  of
          many of Israel  Regardie's  classics.  Their  catalog  resembles   the
          National Enquirer;   caveat   emptor.   Interesting   to  read     for
          entertainment purposes, occasionally one will find a good book there.
                 
               (i) Circle
                   P.O. Box 219
                   Mt. Horeb, WI 53572

                    -apagan organizationpublishinga newsletter& sellssome books,
          most notably Circle Guide to Pagan & Wiccan Resources, for contacts.

               (j) Dharma Publishing
                   2425 Hillside Ave
                   Berkeley CA 94704

                    -sellsbooks onBuddhism, posters of Tibetan Thanka paintings;
          much more hardcore Buddhist than Shambalah.


                    These opinions  are my own, & where I recall purchasingthese
          books in the past. They may no longer be available.



                                                                             926
          

                              TALESPINNER'S NEOPAGAN READING LIST 
                                by J. Brad ("Talespinner") Hicks 
           
          THE BEST FIVE: 
           
                  (Read these five first,they are by themselves thebest possible
          introduction  to Neopagan  Witchcraft  and practical  magic that  I've
          found anywhere.)  
           
          Starhawk, _The_Spiral_Dance_.  (San Francisco: Harper & Rowe, 1979).  
             Paperback, $10.95 
           
                        This isthe essential firstbook fora newwitch, Neopaganor
          otherwise.   In fact, many new  covens have been formed  with no other
          sources  than this  book.   Starhawk details  the myths,  legends, and
          magic of the Craft  in a beautifully elegant, easy-to-read way.  Often
          found  in bookstores on the "Women's Studies" shelf, Starhawk's vision
          of the Craft emphasizes the Goddess as the source of inspiration, with
          secondary emphasis on the Horned God.  Perhaps a bit too Feminist, but
          still the best introduction yet.  
           
          Margot Adler, _Drawing_Down_the_Moon_.  (Boston: Beacon Press, 1979). 
            Paperback, $9.50 
           
                        Althoughit isnow 7yearsout-of-date, thisis stillthe best
          history of the  modern, Neopagan  Craft that has  been published  yet.
          Includes many valuable  interviews with  some of the  people who  gave
          shape  to the Craft as we  know it.  While the  book does include some
          instruction  in magic, its  primary thrust is  philosophy and history.
          Keep an  eye out--there's an updated second  edition due out some time
          in late 1986.  
           
          Marion   Weinstein,  _Positive_Magic_.      (Surrey,   B.C.:   Phoenix
          Publishing, revised 1981).  Paperback, $8.95 
           
                        I see-saw betweenthis book andthe next onefor 3rd and4th
          place. Both are good, detailed  texts on magic and spell-casting.   At
          the moment,  I  recommend _Positive  Magic_  first for  the  following
          reasons:  
                  1)  it is  more practical,  teaching actual  techniques before
          tackling  theoretical justifications,  and 2)  the language  is a  bit
          easier to follow for  non-scientists.  The topics covered  include the
          karmic effects  of magic, astrology,  divination with tarot  cards and
          the  I'Ching, and general spell-casting.   Its strongest  point is the
          section on tarot, which is the best  I've seen yet.  Its weakest point
          (in my opinion) is that it under-emphasizes poetry and ritual.  
           
          P.E.I. Bonewits, _Real_Magic_.  (Berkeley: Creative Arts Publishing, 
              revised 1979).  Paperback, $8.95 
           
                        Thisis theother"best" bookon magic. Itcovers amuch wider
          variety of topics, including ritual, psychic self-defense, and many  
          other psychic phenomena.  Isaac's approach is scientific and rational,
          not "religious," and his language is often more that of a scholar than
          a witch, but this is nevertheless an essential book for any student of
          magic.  WARNING: Make sure that you get the second edition (1979) or  
          later,  as the 1971 edition includes much material that is misleading,
          extraneous, and sometimes  just plain  false--the 1979 edition  was   
          heavily edited. 
           



                                                                             927
          

          Scott Cunningham, _Earth_Power_.   (St. Paul: Llewellyn  Publications,
          1983). 
              Paperback, $6.95 
           
                        Agood, reliablevolumeof spellsandcharms, compiledfromthe
          Family Traditions and  other witchcraft  sources.  The  magic in  this
          book consists entirely of what scholars call "Low Magic"--the magic of
          village  herballists, midwives, and  healers--and as such,  it is very
          practical, simple, and unpretentious.  Missing is much of the ceremony
          of Neopagan Witchcraft;  in its place, a huge vocabulary of magic that
          can be used easily and  quickly, regardless of where you are  and what
          you have for tools.  
           
          THE BEST OF THE REST: 
           
                  (Onceyou have a good background, from the previous five books,
          you  will  find the  following all  make  good reference  books, worth
          having on your shelf.) 
           
          Stewart Farrar, _What_Witches_Do_.  (Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing,  
            revised 1983).  Paperback, $8.95 
           
                        Thisbook isso goodthat it ALMOSTmade itinto thetop five,
          displacing _Earth Magic_.  When its first edition came out in 1971, it
          was the only book on modern Witchcraft that was written for outsiders.
          It  is surprisingly well-written, and very thorough.  Its only serious
          problem is that  it is very specifically Alexandrian Witchcraft (named
          after Alex Sanders, its first High Priest), and some of it doesn't  
          generalize well.  Nevertheless, it has the best-written chapter on  
          initiation, among other things, that I've seen yet.  
           
          Herman  Slater (ed.),  _A_Book_of_Pagan_Rituals_.   (York  Beach,  ME:
          Samuel Weiser, 1978).  Paperback, $8.95 
           
                        This is thecomplete Bookof Shadows ofa Neopagantradition
          called The Pagan Way.  It includes complete, very well-written rituals
          for all eight of the High  Holidays (both solo and group ritual), plus
          a  mixed  bag  of rituals  for  healing,  trance work,  and  so forth.
          Requires some basic  knowledge of the Craft and its  symbolism, so its
          not  for  beginners, but  it is  definitely  useful to  any worthwhile
          fully-initiated witch.  
           
          Ellen Cannon Reed, _The_Witches'_Qabala_.  (St. Paul:  Llewellyn  
              Publications, 1985).  Paperback, $7.95 
           
                        So far, only Book 1, "The Goddess and the Tree" has been
          published, but it's already the best book on the Qabala that I've  een
          yet, and the only one I would recommend to a new  Neopagan Witch.  The
          Qabala and its commentary  to date contain a  lot of sexist  material,
          reflecting their Judeao-Christian  origins.  Ellen Reed  strips all of
          that away,  but in a  way that  is truer to  the Qabala's origins  and
          meaning  than was  the  offensive material.    Where she  changes  the
          traditional  attributions,   she  documents  it,   and  includes   the
          traditional ones as well.   
              This book is almost a "must-read."  



                                                                             928
          

          Jack Schwarz, _Voluntary_Controls_.  (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978).   
            Paperback, $7.95 
           
                        Jack Schwarzis NOTa witch,but don't letthat stopyou from
          profiting from the single clearest,  most practical book on kundalini-
          style meditation that has been published in the West.  If you are  
          having trouble meditating, or wish to do serious  trance work, turn to
          this book first. 
           
          Camden  Benares, _ZEN_Without_Zen_Masters_.   (Phoenix:  Falcon Press,
          1977).     Paperback, $6.95 
           
                        Outof printfor almost 7years, Iam VERYhappy to beable to
          recommend it  again.   This book is,  among other  things, proof  that
          there  is more  to  the Discordian  branch  of Neopaganism  than  just
          practical jokes.  It  is also the best  practical book on Zen for  the
          western world  that  I have  seen yet.   All  of the  best zen  koans,
          including these,  are also  humorous (and  therefore memorable).   The
          book  also includes MANY valuable  exercises.  As  Robert Anton Wilson
          (see below)  says in the  Commentary at the  beginning, "If you  don't
          laugh  at all,  you've missed the  point.   If you  only laugh, you've
          missed your chance for Illumination."  
           
          Robert Anton Wilson,
          _Cosmic_Trigger:_The_Final_Secret_of_the_Illuminati_. 
              (New York: Pocket Books, 1977).  Paperback, $3.95 
           
                        Inthisautobiographical work,Wilson detailshis initiation
          into and experience with almost every form of  shamanic magick that is
          still  practiced today,  and draws  some very  surprising conclusions.
          Strongest point:  this is a fantastic synthesis of magick, psychology,
          and physics.   Weakest point: its central theme--that all of the great
          mystical  societies and movements in history have been in contact with
          aliens from Sirius--is not taken seriously by Wilson (no matter how  
          serious he seems in this book), and should not be taken seriously by  
          the reader. 



                                                                             929
          


                                         W I T C H C R A F T
          
                             the Magic of Ancient Celtic Beliefs
                                     in a Contemporary Society
          
                             ===================================


                    The purpose  of this listingis to helpthe novice sortout the
          reliable from the  sensational in the wealth   of  material  that   is
          now    available  on Witchcraft.    I  have  left  out old  historical
          treatises   (records of the Inquisition  and such) which are of little
          value to  the   modern  student,  and have   concentrated  instead  on
          contemporary  sources.    This  also  yeilds  a  much  more  objective
          perspective.
                                                              - Michael Nichols


               THE TEXTS:

            'Drawing Down  the Moon:  Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers,  and
          Other Pagans in America  Today' - 2nd ed. -  by Margot Adler.   Beacon
          Press trade paperback.
                    You  may have  already  heard Margot's voice, as shewas once
          hostess  of   National  Public  Radio's  news   program,  'All  Things
          Considered'.  This  book  is the  end result of five years of research
          and interviews.   (The 2nd edition is an update  published eight years
          after  the   original.)   This  landmark  study focuses   on  the rise
          of  the  Neo-Pagan movement  (which  includes  Witchcraft, of  course)
          especially  as  it  relates  to  the  values  and  beliefs   of   the
          counterculture   of  the  mid-60's, hippies, flower  children, et. al.
          It  is  the  single  most  comprehensive   study  of  modern  American
          Witchcraft in existence.

            'What Witches Do: The ModernCoven Revealed' - 2nd ed. -  by  Stewart
          Farrar. Phoenix trade paperback.
                    If Adler's  book gives  a comprehensive  overview of  modern
          American Witchcraft,   Farrar's   is  a   complimentary   look    at  
          traditional      British  Witchcraft.       Concentrating    on    the
          Alexandrian   tradition   (which   is  only marginally  different from
          Gardnerian,   easily  the  largest  Craft  tradition extant),   Farrar
          lays  stress  on  the  actual  working  of  Covens and the integration
          of novice Witches  into  them.   Also  included  is  much  of  the
          Gardnerian  (via  Alexandrian)  Book  of Shadows.  So there  is plenty
          here for someone who wants to begin practice.

            'The Spiral  Dance: A Rebirth of  the Ancient Religion  of the Great
          Goddess'  by  Starhawk (pseud. for Miriam Simos).   Harper & Row trade
          paperback.  This  book  shifts back to America again, this time with a
          slight emphasis on feminist Witchcraft, arguably  the fastest  growing
          branch  of  the  Craft.  Starhawk   is  herself  High Priestess of two
          California Covens and her book is insightful, genuine, and beautifully
          poetic.   This   overview  also  contains specific   instructions  for
          Circles,   chants,   spells,   invocations,  creating rituals  and, in
          short, everything you need  to  get  started.   And  it  is  a
           delight to read.



                                                                             930
          


            'Buckland's  Complete  Book  of  Witchcraft'  by  Raymond  Buckland.
          Llewellyn trade paperback.
                    British-born  Ray  Buckland can,  with  some  validity,   be
          considered   Gerald  Gardner's American  successor.   Not only  did he
          introduce  Gardnerian  Witchcraft to  the United  States, but  he also
          founded his   own  tradition   of  the   Craft, called   Seax  (Saxon)
          Wicca, which  has grown to worldwide practice.   His early books, like
          'Witchcraft  from  the  Inside',  did  much  to  dispel  negative
            stereotypes  of  Wicca  in  the 60's.   And 'The Tree: Complete Book
          of  Saxon Witchcraft'  remains  one of  the  best published  Books  of
          Shadows to   date.    The present volume has  a practical orientation,
          with chapters set up as 'lessons', covering every imaginable aspect of
          modern Wicca.   The book is  Traditionalist in approach, making a nice
          counterpoint to works by Adler and Starhawk.


               OTHER SOURCES:

            'A  Witches' Bible, Compleat' by  Janet & Stewart  Farrar.  Magickal
          Childe trade paperback tandum edition of 'Eight Sabbats  for  Witches'
          and  'The  Witches' Way', respectively, also called 'A Witches' Bible,
          Vol 1 & 2'.
                    The  first book  is  an examination  of thefestival Holidays
          of   the  Old  Religion  -   the  Solstices  and   Equinoxes  and  the
          cross-quarter days   -  together with the rich folk customs associated
          with  them.  The second book contains  the long-awaited  remainder  of
          the  previously  unpublished  portions   of   the Gardnerian  Book  of
          Shadows.    In   both  of these books,  the Farrars had the invaluable
          help of Doreen Valiente, who actually wrote parts of the Gardnerian
          liturgy.     The  three Farrar  books  taken together  form  the  most
          complete  system  of Witchcraft  currently available.     Their   more
          recent  book   'The   Witches' Goddess'   focuses  on   the   feminine
          archetype,    and     contains  a  gazetteer  of  Goddesses   that  is
          mind-boggling in its thoroughness.

            'Dreaming the  Dark: Magic, Sex, & Politics' and   'Truth  or  Dare:
          Encounters with  Power,  Authority,  and  Mystery'   both by Starhawk.
          Beacon Press trade paperback and Harper & Row hardback, respectively.
                    If  we have  gained  new religious  insights from  Pagan and
          feminist philosophy,  how  are  we  to incorporate those insights into
          our daily lives?  Starhawk, the author of one of our principal  texts,
          pulls   together  a  wide range   of materials to answer this question
          in two books as beautifully poetic as her first.  Some of these things
          have waited a  long time to be  said  -   and they couldn't have  been
          said better!

            'The  White   Goddess'  by   Robert  Graves.    Farrar,   Straus,  &
          Giroux trade paperback.
                    A rather weighty and  yet poetic  book,  tracing the  female
          deity  of Witchcraft  -  Goddess  of  Birth,  Love,  and Death; of the
          New,  Full, and  Old Moon,   worshipped   under   countless   titles. 
          Fascinating   for   the   advanced  student.     Know   your    Celtic
          mythology (particularly Welsh) before you start, though!  (If you need
          a quick intro to this book, check out the feature in the Reviews SIG.)



                                                                             931
           

            'Witchcraft  Today'  and  'The  Meaning  of  Witchcraft' byGerald B.
          Gardner. Magickal Childe trade paperbacks.
                    GeraldGardner hasthe distinction ofbeing thefirst practicing
          Witch  to  write  a  book   about  Witchcraft.  He  was initiated into
          one of the surviving traditional British Covens, and onto the tattered
          remnants  of magic  and  ritual  inherited   from    them, he  grafted
          elements of ceremonial magic.   The synthesis that emerged came to  be
          called  'Gardnerian'  Witchcraft,   and  it  became   the major  cause
          of  the   Witchcraft   revival   of  the twentieth  century.   Because
          Gardner was the  first to deal with this material  in written form, it
          sometimes seems  very disorganized,  but its historical  importance is
          immense 'An ABC of Witchcraft', 'Natural Magick', and 'Witchcraft  for
          Tomorrow' all by Doreen Valiente.  Phoenix trade paperbacks.
                    British Witch Doreen Valiente isperhaps best  known  for her
          work   with Gerald    Gardner   in creating  the  Gardnerian canon  of
          liturgy.  However,  in her own books, she really  shines as an amateur
          folklorist, managing  to   convey  a sense  of   Witchcraft  as a folk
          religion,  tied very much  to the locality,  the land,  and the oldest
          strains  of  folk wisdom  and  nature.   Her  sense  of   history  and
          tradition  is  rich  and  deep,  and  she often  presents  fascinating
          historical tidbits about the Craft.  From no other author can one gain
          such a rich  sense of heritage.

            'A  History  of  Witchcraft:   Sorcerers,  Heretics,  &  Pagans'  by
          Jeffrey B. Russell.  Thames and Hudson trade paperback.
                    This bookrepresents theapproach of agifted Cornellhistorian.
          Although  Russell  doesn't  always adequately cover modern sources, he
          has become famous for his ability  to integrate a sensible approach to
          the  evidence  of   medieval Witchcraft  with an  acceptance of modern
          Neo-Pagan Witchcraft.

            'Magical    Rites    from   the   Crystal  Well'   by   Ed   Fitch. 
          Llewellyn trade paperback.
                    A book ofrites, simple celebrations of land and water,  wind
          and   fire.    Rites    of  passage,  seasonal  celebrations,  magical
          workings,  healings, and many more.  Ed  Fitch (one of the founders of
          Pagan  Way) is  truly  in   his  element here.    And it is one of the
          most beautiful  books on the Craft ever published.  The art work alone
          is worth the price of the book!

           'A Book of Pagan Rituals' by Herman Slater.  Weiser trade paperback.
                    Originally published  in two volumes   as  the   'Pagan  Way
          Rituals',  this extremely  beautiful book is just  what it says it is:
          a book  of rituals.  Not authentic Wiccan rituals, but very nearly so,
          these  rituals  are often  used    by Covens    in   the  training  of
          neophytes.   Like a good  Catholic missal,  the words  are printed  in
          'sense lines' using BOLD PRINT (easier to read by candlelight).
          Anyone  who   is  at least part  animist or nature-lover  is going  to
          cherish this beautiful book.

            'Celtic Heritage'  by   Alwyn   and  Brinley   Rees.    Thames   and
          Hudson  trade paperback.
                    A good deal ofmodern Witchcraftcan be tracedto ancientCeltic
          sources.   This book,  based in  comparative religion, mythology,  and
          anthropology,  gives  one  a  clear picture  of the Celtic world-view.
          Drawn  mainly from  Ireland  and  Wales,  the  study  focuses  on  the
          interplay  of   Light  and   Darkness,   Day  and  Night,  Summer  and
          Winter, and all the seasonal myths  and rituals that make up the great
          Celtic yearly cycle.



                                                                             932
          

               OTHER USEFUL BOOKS:


            'The  Politics of Women's  Spirituality: Essays   on  the   Rise  of
          Spiritualist  Power   Within   the   Feminist   Movement'  by Charlene
          Spretnak.  Doubleday trade paperback.
                    Ahuge (and, oneis tempted tosay, thedefinitive) anthology of
          feminist and  Pagan  theology.  Many familiar authors here:  Starhawk,
          Weinstein, Daly, et. al.  Subjects range from Amazons to the ethics of
          magic.  A real bargain!

           'Sex in History' by Reay Tannahill.  Stein & Day trade paperback.
                    It has oftenbeen said that Witchcraft grew outof an  earlier
          'fertility  religion'  and,   although   'fertility'  is  probably the
          wrong word here, it is  undeniable that the history of  Witichcraft is
          irrevocably  bound   up   with  the  history   of   sexuality.    Like
          Tantrists and many others in  the East, Witches tend  to view sex   as
          sacramental.    Since  this  is   quite  contrary  to   the prevailing
          attitudes  of our own culture, it may be helpful to understand how
            our culture  acquired such negative  ideas about sex  in the   first
          place.    Ms. Tannahill's  unique  landmark study will not only answer
          this  question  but  also indicate  the  many  options  other cultures
          throughout history have chosen.

            'When  God  Was A  Woman'  by  Merlin  Stone.   Harcourt,  Brace,  &
          Jovanovich  trade paperback.
                    At   the  foundations  of  the religion of Witchcraft is the
          religion  of  the  Goddess.   Ms.  Stone's  book  is an  archeological
          tour-de-force of  that religion, which  is  found at the beginnings of
          virtually every known culture (yes, even the Judeo-Christian culture).
          In  this book,  one learns  about the    worship   of Astarte,   Isis,
          Ishtar,  and  many  others.  Also recommended is her 'Ancient
          Mirrors of Womanhood'.  Both are splendid books!

            'A Different Heaven  and Earth' by   Sheila  D.   Collins.    Judson
          Press  trade paperback.
                    Byone ofthe leading feministtheologians of ourday, this book
          asks  what  are  the  psychological   and  social  implications     of
          worshipping  a  male  deity exclusively,  while  ignoring the feminine
          principle in religion.  This is one of the most influencial books I've
          read in the last ten years.  It  changed  my way of thinking (for  the
          better) and I dare say it will change yours.

           'The Way of Wyrd' by Brian Bates.  Harper & Row hardback.
                    What Carlos Castaneda didfor Native American tradition, this
          author does for  ancient Pagan Anglo-Saxon tradition.   Subtitled 'The
          Book of a   Sorcerer's Apprentice' and based on  authentic manuscripts
          found in the British Museum, it is the chronicle of  a young Christian
          monk sent into the wilds  beyond  Mercia in 674 to record the heresies
          (beliefs)  of the  Pagans.   He  is  lucky to  have as  his  guide the
          Anglo-Saxon shaman Wulf.  Throughout this documentary novel, the
            Christian and Pagan beliefs are juxtaposed for abetter understanding
          of both.  Not since 'The Mists of Avalon' has a book accomplished this
          task so neatly.



                                                                             933
           

            'Positive  Magic'  - revised  edition  -  by   Marion   Weinstein.  
          Phoenix Publications trade paperback.
                    Although  a book about  how to  use magic to changeyour life
          could be extremely tedious, this one is far from it.  While it is true
          that Marion uses a  simple and  direct style of writing, it is used on
          such  difficult and  subtle questions  as the  ethics of  magic.   She
          draws   upon   her  own   experiences   to create   a  book   that  is
          truely positive.   If I had to recommend one book on magic, this would
          be it!

           'Earth Power' by Scott Cunningham.  Llewellyn trade paperback.
                    Scott is arguablythe strongest of the young  writers in  the
          immensely popular  'Llewellyn's  Practical  Magick Series'.   This is,
          in  fact,  a  book  of  spells.    Practical,  down-to-earth,  useful,
          everyday,  garden-variety  spells.   It  is the only such book in this
          bibliography.   Although I do  not recommend a  'cookbook' approach to
          magic, this book will be extremely helpful when used as a  guide   for
          creating  your own spells.   Also, Scott concentrates  on 'natural' or
          'folk' magic, as opposed to 'ritual' or 'ceremonial' magic.   This  is
          the type    of   magic  (involving  Sun, Moon,  stars,  trees,  rocks,
          springs,  etc.)  that  is the  natural  heritage  of  Witchcraft.   An
          excellent   starting-place  for   the novice    spell-wright.     His 
          many   other  books,   especially   'The  Magical  Household', are all
          highly recommended.

            'The  Medium, the  Mystic, and   the   Physicist'   and   'Alternate
          Realities'  by Lawrence LeShan.  Ballantine paperbacks.
                    Dr.  LeShandoes not deal with magic orWitchcraft per se, but
          what  he has to say  about  the  nature   of  the  cosmos  is  magical
          indeed.   He  is  an experimental  psychologist,  an  Esalen  veteran,
          director   of  ESP  research, psychic healing,  and other   projects. 
          His    is   a    synthesis    of   philosophy,  parapsychology,    and
          Einsteinian physics.   His other books,  especially 'How To  Meditate'
          (Bantam paperback), are also of great value.

            'Seth  Speaks'  and 'The  Seth Material'  by  Jane Roberts.   Bantam
          paperbacks.
                    Yet  another startlingly  clear  (albeit  less  scientific) 
          look   at metaphysics.  This is probably  the cream of the crop of all
          modern mediumistic data:  Seth  is the communicant, and the late  Jane
          Roberts is the medium.   The other 'Seth' books are also of value.

            'Psychic  Exploration:  A  Challenge for Science' by Edgar Mitchell,
          edited by John White.  Putnam trade paperback.
                    This anthology  serves as  an excellent introduction  to the
          scientific field of   parapsychology.   Each chapter  is an  extensive
          review article on  laboratory work carried   out  in  one   particular
          sub-genre   of  the   field:  telepathy,  clairvoyance,  precognition,
          psychokinesis,    OOBE's,  apparitions  &  hauntings,  etc.      These
          excellent  articles  will  bring  you  up-to-date  on  virtually
            everything  that   is   currently   known   about   the   topic   in
          question.   Other chapters deal with the history  of  the  discipline,
          social   &  psychological implications,  military  applications,  etc.
          This  book could open  the mind of  the severest skeptic.   But at the
          same time,  it could  serve   as   a  necessary  check    on    those 
          too-credulous  souls  who  have  a  tendency  to 'believe everything'.



                                                                             934
          

               BOOKS ON RELATED SUBJECTS:

            ASTROLOGY:  For the  absolute beginner, 'Chart Your Own   Horoscope'
          by  Ursula Lewis.    Pinnacle paperback.  The  find-at-a-glance tables
          and charts are  worth their weight  in gold.   For the more   advanced
          students,   Michael   Meyer's   'A  Handbook    for   the   Humanistic
          Astrologer'  is  highly  recommended  for its 'humanistic'  (a la Dane
          Rudyar) approach.  If you  want to really learn  to  do astrology, try
          'The Only Way To Learn Astrology, Vol I-IV' by March & McEvers.  Books
          by Linda  Goodman, Grant Lewi,  Ronald Davison, and  Liz  Greene   are
          also recommended.

            TAROT:   'Secrets  of  the  Tarot' by Barbara Walker is the best  of
          the newest books on Tarot.  You may know Barbara as the author of  the
          amazing  'Woman's Encyclopedia  of  Myths and Secrets'.  Bill Butler's
          'Dictionary  of  the  Tarot'  is  a  wonderful  reference  book  which
          encompasses works  by such  authors as Case,  Crowley, Douglas,  Gray,
          Huson, Kaplan, Mathers, Papus, Waite, et. al.

            ESP:    Any and  all  books  by J.  B.  and  Louisa Rhine,  Gertrude
          Schmeidler, Thelma Moss,  Charles Tart,  D. Scott Rogo,  J. G.  Pratt,
          Raynor  Johnson  and  Lawrence LeShan would be highly recommended.

            PALMISTRY:    'The Palmistry  Workbook' by N. Altman  is clearly the
          leader  here.  The  book  actually  has  hand-prints,  not  just  line
          drawings!

            GHOSTS:    Firstly,  I'd  recommend  'An   Experience  of  Phantoms'
          and   'The  Poltergeist  Experience'   both by D. Scott Rogo  (Penguin
          paperbacks), who is a kind of historian of psychical research.   Also,
          'The  Poltergeist'  by   William Roll,   director  of   the  Psychical
          Research  Foundation,  and this country's leading authority on ghosts.
          And  most importantly, 'Conjuring Up Phillip'  by  Iris  M.  Owen, the
          account  of a  group of  Canadian researchers  who 'created'  a ghost!
          This last title is now out of print, but if you can find one in a used
           book store, it's well worth it.

            SURVIVAL:   'At  the  Hour  of Death' by Karlis Osis is exceptional.
          Books by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross are adequate, but not as good.  And, if
          you  can find it, the    out-of-print   'Life  Is   Forever'  by  Susy
          Smith  is  perhaps the best introduction.

            OUT-OF-THE-BODY EXPERIENCES:   'Journeys Out of the Body'  and  'Far
          Journeys' both by Robert A. Monroe.  The narative of a much-researched
          psychic, he only
            one of its  kind.  Also, 'Astral Projection' by  Oliver Fox, and any
          early works
           by Sylvan Muldoon and Hereward Carrington, if you can find them.

            MEDIUMSHIP: Firstly, the 'Seth' books by Jane Roberts, listed above.
          Any  and all books by Eileen Garrett.   Plus, 'Here, Mr. Splitfoot' by
          Robert Sommerlot, 'Singer  in the Shadows' by Irving Litvag,  and 'She
          Spoke to the Dead' by Susy Smith.

            CABALISM:  Introductory  works include 'The Magician:  His  Training
          and  Work' and  'Magick:  Its  Ritual,  Power, and Purpose' both by W.
          E.  Butler.   Later,  works  by  Dion  Fortune  and  Aleister  Crowley
          (definately not for the novice).



                                                                             935
          

               BOOKS OF LORE & MYTHOLOGY:

            'The  Mists of Avalon' by  Marion Zimmer Bradley.   Ballantine trade
          paperback.
                    This Arthurian fantasy novel,which reached  the  N.Y.  Times
          best-seller list, is  truly superlative.  It is narrated  by Morgan le
          Fay  and so we finally  understand that strange  antipathy that exists
          between   her   and    Arthur.    The  religious   and   philosophical
          conflict between the Old Religion and the newer one of Christianity is
          beautifully portrayed.  An excellent choice.

            The Prydain  Chronicles of Lloyd Alexander,  a  pentology   on  Dell
          paperbacks:  'The  Book   of  Three',   'The  Black   Cauldron',  'The
          Castle of Llyr', 'Taran Wanderer', and 'The High King'.
                    These award-winning  children's   fantasies  are  based   on
          ancient   Welsh mythology.  Alexander admits  that the two authors who
          most influenced him were J. R. R. Tolkien and T. H. White.   The books
          are  also the basis  of the   recent animation   feature   from Disney
          studios.  I'm often asked about pagan books to recommend for children.
          These are them.

            The Deryni  Chronicles of Katherine Kurtz:  'Deryni Rising', 'Deryni
          Checkmate',  'High   Deryni',   'Camber    of Culdi',  'Saint Camber',
          Camber the Heretic',  'The Bishop's  Heir', 'The  King's Justice'  and
          'The Quest  for  Saint  Camber',  all Ballantine paperbacks.
                    Set in the landscape of ancient Wales, the Deryni are a race
          with  magical powers  which must  fight  for its    life   against   a
          medieval  Church  Militant.  Kahterine is someone who knows what magic
          is all about.

            'The  Once  and  Future  King'  and  'The Book of Merlyn' both by T.
          H. White. Berkely paperbacks.
                    Sparkling books, and my  own personal favorites.   The final
          crystalization  of centuries of Arhturian romance.  The books on which
          'Camelot' was based.

            'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen', 'TheMoon of Gomrath', 'Elidor', and
          'The Owl Service' by Alan Garner.  All Ballantine paperbacks.
                    Garner isone of thebest Britishfantasy authors, witha superb
          sense  of local  'color' and folklore.  The first two (related) titles
          are in the heroic quest mold, the third is  a  story  about  the  four
          'hallows'   of  Arthurian legends,  and the fourth is  an eerie modern
          re-creation of the fourth branch of the 'Mabinogi'.

            'A Wizard of Earhtsea',  'The Tombs of Atuan',  and   'The  Farthest
          Shore'  by Ursula K. LeGuin.  A trilogy on Bantam paperbacks.
                    This isthe chronicle of ayoung boy who isan apprentice mage.
          LeGuin,  a  leading  science  fiction  and  fantasy  author,  has some
          fascinating things to say about the light side and dark side of magic,
          and how they're related.  And she says it very well, indeed.

           'Lammas Night' by Katherine Kurtz.  Ballantine paperback.
                    In this case, theauthor of  the  important Deryni  fantasies
          turns   her attention  to  a  historical  setting:   England  in World
          War II.   There is  a long-standing tradition  that Hitler's  thwarted
          plans for  invading England owed  a   certain  something  to the  many
          Covens throughout  Britain who  combined  their efforts  to stop  him.
          There  is even a  hint that the Royal   Family   itself  was involved.
          Ms. Kurtz's historical research is, of course, impeccable.



                                                                             936
          

                                   The Charge of the God 
                      
                 Listen to  the words  of the Horned God, the Guardian of all
                  things wild  and free,  and Keeper  of the  Gates of  Death,
                   whose Call all must answer:

                                   I am the fire within your heart...
                                       The yearning of your Soul.
                                      I am the Hunter of Knowledge
                                    and the Seeker of the Holy Quest
                                 I - who stand in the darkness of light
                                   am He whom you have called Death.
                               I - the Consort and Mate of Her we adore,
                                          call forth to thee.
                                       Heed my call beloved ones,
                         come unto me and learn the secrets of death and peace.
                                        I am the corn at harvest
                                      and the fruit on the trees.
                                      I am He who leads you home.
                                           Scourge and Flame,
                                           Blade and Blood -
                                   these are mine and gifts to thee.

                                    Call unto me in the forest wild
                                          and on hilltop bare
                                  and seek me in the Darkness Bright.
                                       I - who have been called;
                                                  Pan,
                                                 Herne,
                                                Osiris ,
                                               and Hades,
                                      speak to thee in thy search.
                                          Come dance and sing;
                                          come live and smile,
                                              for behold:
                                          this is my worship.
                                You are my children and I am thy Father.
                                          On swift night wings
                                it is I who lay you at the Mother's feet
                                   to be reborn and to return again.
                                      Thou who thinks to seek me,
                                    know that I am the untamed wind,
                              the fury of storm and passion in your Soul.
                                    Seek me with pride and humility,
                                but seek me best with love and strength.
                                          For this is my path,
                                  and I love not the weak and fearful.
                                   Hear my call on long Winter nights
                             and we shall stand together guarding Her Earth
                                             as She sleeps.



                                                                             937
          

                                     Shamanic Binding 
                                   By: Gaffer Maccluiunn

          There are many "heaven"s, as I see it...
            
          One of these,  which I go to  for information, is the  Realm of Spirit
          Animals. I do the usual preparations for a journey, then halfway up (I
          use a  ricketywooden ladder:  my teacher suggested a ladder when I was
          very young,  and I  haven't rebuil  it  yet...It's had  many years  of
          almost constant use, and I think  that it's time to repair this mental
          tool...), and  though  the ladder  continues (both  up, down,  several
          other ways...) I swing through a little hole and come up underneath an
          enormous tree.  The place is filled with animals (of course) and I can
          find  out from  them, generally,  whatever  I need  to know.   There's
          usually something I do in return; I was taught (and  believe, since it
          works for me) that there are essentially five (5) KNOWN ways to relate
          to a spirit.  The first rule, as I believe it, is that no matter what,
          in any dealing  between entity  and entity, the  relationship MUST  be
          made clear for there to be useful communication.  It doesn't matter as
          much WHAT the relatioship is (although I have preferences), so long as
          it is clear.  The five ways I am aware of are:
            
          1.  Binding by Gift.
          2.  Binding by Love.
          3.  Binding by Trade.
          4.  Binding by Spirit.
          5.  Binding by Weapon.
            
          Since the  last one is, in MY way of thinking, least desireable, we'll
          start there:  Binding by weapon, for me, is only used when a spirit or
          entity comes to me with something  nasty planned, and only if there is
          no other way.  It is kind of like putting the genie in the bottle (the
          old Arabian  Nights Genies were  very tricky,  and would just  as soon
          devour someone who  lets them free as  grant them wishes...):   first,
          you  must have  superior  force, and  superior  will.   And Plenty  of
          Reasons...
            
          Binding by Spirit is MUCH more preferable:  This is  the link you have
          with your spirit  animals:  A  link from like  to like, regardless  of
          form.   It  usually HAPPENS  to  you, rather  than you  CAUSING it  to
          happen.
            
          Binding by Trade is offering something in return for what you wish to
          receive.   Not as wonderful  an experience  as Binding by  Spirit, but
          still worthwhile.   It is  necessary to  find some  entity willing  to
          trade, however,  and for this the Realm  of Animals is where  I use it
          most.  After a while, you can get into a routine, whereupon in becomes
          Binding By Gift:
            



                                                                             938
          


          Binding by Gift is when the shaman leaves a gift or gives a gift, in
          expectation of needing a favor later.  This can be considered the case
          when a spirit comes to you for help, but  generally I classify that as
          Trade,  since it  is the  same as  trade, just  the other  way around.
          Binding by Gift, you do the thing first:  If I need information that I
          think the Squirrels, for instance, in the Animal Realm can offer, I'll
          leave  out a selection  of nuts underneath  the pine tree  in the fron
          yard, for  I know that there  are squirrels which frequent  it.  Then,
          later,  I'll go  up to  the Animals  and ask  for what  I need.   This
          originally  started  as Binding  by Trade,  where  they'd tell  me the
          information  I needed to know, and then  say, "In Trade, you can leave
          nuts for the Little Brothers."  Now, I do it aforehand, knowing.  This
          is  a much  more  comfortable relationship  than  Trade, as  Trade  is
          generally a one-or-two-time thing,  while Gift is something  much more
          meaningful and long-lasting.
            
          Binding by Love  is actually  entering into a  friendship (or  deeper)
          with a spirit.  Most of the shamans to whom I speak agree with me that
          the  relationship they have with their Spirit Helpers/Guides is a love
          or lover relationship.  Some explain that they are soul-mated to their
          guides.  This makes sense to me, and  is the last form of relationship
          of which I am aware in this context.  
            
          Hope this was interesting.  Let me know.
            
          Tapadh Leibh.
          Gaffer. 



                                                                             939
          

                                       SPIRITUALITY 

               In order to facilitate clearer communication in an area that very
          often  becomes   very  "fuzzy"  because  of   specialized  or  unclear
          definitions, let us now  define the term Spirituality and the sense of
          its use here.  The term "spirituality" (as used here)  is reserved for
          situations that  involve personal experiences of  unique dimensions of
          reality that give one's life and general existence a numinous quality.
          Jung  used the term "numinous" for the description of experiences that
          feel sacred, holy,  or out of the ordinary (in the  sense of a special
          feeling  of ultimate  meaning  or reality).   Therefore,  spirituality
          characterizes  individual relationship  to the  universe and  does not
          necessarily  require  a   formal  structure,  collective   ritual,  or
          mediation by a priest or other external authority figure.

                    Religionis a form of organized groupactivity that may or may
          not be  conducive  to  (or  even  supportive  of)  true  spirituality,
          depending  on the degree  to which it provides  a context for personal
          discovery and experience of the numinous dimensions of reality.  While
          at  the  root  of  most  great  religions  are  the  direct  visionary
          revelations of their  founders, prophets, seers,  and saints, in  many
          instances religions  have lost their  connection with this  vital core
          over time. 

                    Experiencesand mentalstatesinvolving personalencounters with
          the numinous dimensions  of consciousness are of two  different types.
          Included in the  first are  experiences of the  "immanent divine",  or
          perceptions of divine  intelligence expressing itself in  the world of
          everyday  reality.   All of  creation -  people, animals,  plants, and
          inanimate objects  - seems to be permeated  by the same cosmic essence
          and divine  light.    A  person  in  this  state  suddenly  sees  that
          everything  in the universe is  a manifestation and  expression of the
          same cosmic energy  and that separation  and boundaries are  illusory.
          In theology, this is called Monism.   This is also the core experience
          of the "all is illusion" claim in some belief systems.

               Experiences in the second category do not represent a different
          perception of  what is  already known  but reveal  a rich spectrum  of
          dimensions of reality that are ordinarily hidden from human  awareness
          and  are not available  in the everyday  consciousness.   These can be
          referred  to as experiences of  the "transcendent divine".   A typical
          example  would be  a vision  of God  as a  radiant source of  light of
          supernatural  beauty or a sense  of personal fusion  and identity with
          God perceived in this way.  Visions of various archetypal beings, such
          as  deities, demons, legendary heroes,  and spirit guides, also belong
          in  this category.  Other experiences do not involve merely individual
          suprahuman entities  but entire mythological realms,  such as heavens,
          hells,  and purgatories,  or various  sceneries and  landscapes unlike
          anything known on earth.  This seems to be the nature of many  reports
          of Native American "Shamanic Journeyings".



                                                                             940
          


               What interests those studying practical magic are the practical
          consequences of personal encounters with spiritual realities.  For the
          people   who  have  had  them,  the  existence  of  the  immanent  and
          transcendent divine is  not a  matter of unfounded  belief but a  fact
          based on direct experience - much  as our attitude toward the material
          reality  of  our  everyday   life  is  based  on  fist   hand  sensory
          perceptions.   In contrast, a belief is an opinion about the nature of
          reality  based on  a specific  form of  indoctrination, or  reading of
          religious literature;   It lacks direct experiential  validation.  Yet
          once again we are brought up against the very
          difficult problems of integrating personal realities with consensual
          reality, or at least in integrating them closely enough  that they can
          be discussed in a meaningful manner.

                    Oneof thepractical consequencesof thesespiritual experiences
          is permanent physiological change in the one experiencing them.  There
          are usually  also a set of  perceptual changes, as well  as (often) an
          ability to experience more of these episodes and not always  with full
          control  over  when  they will  occur.    In  other words,  the  whole
          mind-body-spirit linkage takes  on new dimensions  and depth, and  can
          become very  difficult to understand and  manage!  To be  sure, no one
          has an experience of this  type and remains the same person  they were
          before.

               A common physiological change that results from these types of
          experiences is a change in the individuals general state of health. 
          Allergies and allergic type reactions are a typical area of change. 
          Someone  who had  few  allergies may  find  that they  suddenly  react
          strongly   to  a  number  of  substances  that  did  not  bother  them
          previously, and (more  often) the  reverse also happens.   There  have
          also been cases of  "spontaneous remission" of long-term ills  such as
          arthritis  and rheumatism as well as even  one case of cancer known to
          the author.  

                    Theperceptual changes that happencan also be very confusing.
          People seem to experience a whole new "tone" and new levels of meaning
          to their  everyday perceptions.   There  is often  an increase in  the
          sensitivity in their sight, hearing, smell, taste, and tactile senses,
          as  well  as  what one  person  described  as  a  new "depth"  to  the
          sensations, i.e. they  felt as if  all of their senses  previously had
          been muffled or distorted, and now those distortions were removed.

                    Anothercommon phenomenonthat resultsfrom directexperience of
          the  numinous  is that  further  experiences become  more  likely, and
          "shifts"  in consciousness become facilitated.  Some people who do not
          have a good  background in self analysis and  "taking charge" of their
          lives, find  that it is very  easy to lose control  and quickly become
          unable to deal with the every day world.  Even those who are  actively
          seeking and  working hard to achieve  personal growth and are  used to
          dealing  with their innermost  thoughts and psychological functionings
          find these experiences causing a lot of hard work!



                                                                             941
          

                                 Monotheism vs. pantheism 
                                   By: Dan Holdgreiwe  

           
          The primary meaning of "pantheism" is "the belief that the Divine is 
          identifiable with the forces  of nature and with  natural substances,"
          and it is this meaning of pantheism which  is properly contrasted with
          "panentheism"  (the belief that the Divine is within the natural world
          but  not  limited  to it).    This  pantheism  *denies* all  Gods  and
          Goddesses, at least to the extent that They are understood as anything
          more  than natural forces.   Thus if  you believe that  the Goddess is
          something  more  than  the  physical  planet  Earth,  you  are  NOT  a
          pantheist; you are a panentheist. 
           
          A  secondary  meaning  of  "pantheism"  is  "worship  that  admits  or
          tolerates all gods."  As this meaning directly contradicts the primary
          meaning, persons using  the term  should be careful  to specify  which
          meaning  they intend.  (Under this meaning,  if there is any god whose
          existance you do not acknowledge --  Satan, for example -- you are NOT
          a pantheist.) 
           
          Within  the  pagan community,  the term  pantheism  is used  even more
          sloppily as a  synonym for polytheism  and/or animism.   This had  led
          many  people who  don't  meet  either  of  the  above  definitions  to
          mistakenly call themselves pantheists. 
            
           P> By that, I mean that I believe the Christian God exists, but  
           P> don't necessarily worship that particular deity.  If all gods 
           P> and goddesses exist, you can worship one of them (Monotheism), 
           P> without excluding the existance of the rest of them 
           
          That's not  monotheism, that's henotheism.   Monotheism is  the belief
          that only one  "God" exists.  Note, however, that  monotheism does not
          deny the existance of  lesser beings (saints, angels, etc.)  who might
          also  be called  "gods"  in a  polytheistic  system.   Note also  that
          Christianity is not truely monotheistic, as it has the top job  shared
          three ways. 
           



                                                                             942
          

                                 Modern Pagan Persecutions 
                                   By: Jonathan Hutchins

          I  wonder  about this  whole big  deal  of how  unrealisticly paranoid
          people  can get about Paganism.   I live here in  the real Bible Belt.
          People  get  pretty extreme  here about  religion, although  there are
          places  where it's worse.  They even refused to  install the statue of
          Ceres  that was  commissioned for  the  Kansas State  Capitol building
          because  she was  a Pagan  Goddess.  (There  followed the  three worst
          grain harvests since the dust bowl.)

          Still, we  have a thriving Pagan  community, and not a  small share of
          misguided fundamentalist teenagers rebelling into holywood satanism.

          We have had a lot of trouble with cases of religious persecution - but
          not  the kind  you might  think.   What has  happened has been  that a
          borderline Pagan has imagined  or misunderstood something, and started
          telling  all their friends that _somebody_ was being hassled for being
          a Witch.

          We  have a  Rennisance Festival  here,  and the  rumor  mill there  is
          boringly  predictable.  Every year, two stories are guaranteed to make
          the rounds:

          One goes  that a knife  was stolen from  a participant, and used  by a
          parton to  stab someone.  Therefore you can't carry live steel.  Funny
          thing, no one ever  seems to actually know either the participant, the
          patron,  or  the victim.   And  responsible  people still  carry their
          knives.

          The other story varries a little; either the adminstration is hassling
          participants  for wearing pagan jewlry (ridiculous - 1/3 of the jewlry
          sold out  there is "pagan"), or  someone was planning a  circle on the
          grounds and got hassled  about it, or someone actually _had_  a circle
          and was raided.  (How do you do a circle of 100 or so people, and  get
          raided, within  200 yards of all  the people camping on  site, and not
          make a single noise?)

          We've had problems  with the Heartland Pagan Festival too.   One year,
          someone started a rumor that there was an objection to our beliefs and
          practices on the part of the people who owned the camp we'd used.  One
          of  the people who was  peripherally involved with  the planning group
          took it upon himself  to do something.  Unfortunately,  that something
          didn't involve  checking out the rumor first - he just called the Camp
          offices and gave everybody  who would listen to him holy  hell <sorry>
          for being religious bigots.

          Fortunately we were able to explain that he was not an official of the
          organisation, and we  were able  to mend things  sufficiently that  we
          were  allowed  to  use  the  camp   untill  it  was  sold  last  year.
          Unfortunately, we were never quite as well trusted as we had been, and
          the camp  staff lost their new found belief that we weren't all just a
          bunch of nuts.



                                                                             943
          


          Why does this happen with so often with Pagans?

          Those of us who've studied the  history of the Christian Church may be
          aware of the power the church found in being persecuted.  It gave them
          a binding common enemy.  It gave them a reason for extremism.  It gave
          their  persecutions of heretics legitimacy.  It made people willing to
          sacrifice everything for the church.

          When  true persecution ended, they  found goals for  the Crusades that
          carried  on  the tradition  of holy  war.   Even  today, if  you watch
          Fun-D-TV, you will find that they use the false story  that the church
          is a persecuted minority to drum up support an  dcontributions, and to
          justify their actions.

          Is  this what  we're  after?   Do  those  of us  who  come from  these
          traditions find it so hard  to leave the old habits behind,  even when
          we've dressed them in new forms?  Do some  of us even see this kind of
          activity as legitimate?

          Gods save us from Jehova in drag.

          We  do ourselves  more  damage with  false,  imagined, and  exagerated
          claims  of persecution  than  is done  against us  by all  the fundies
          combined.

          If  we are  to be credible,  if we  are to  be taken seriously  by the
          mundane world,  if we  are ever to  be able  to mount  a real  defense
          against those who would persecute  us because of our beliefs, we  must
          refrain from crying wolf.

          We  must be vigilant  to apply our  critical minds to  the accounts we
          hear,  to track them down, and to explain  to the people who start and
          spread them that  we are held to a higher standard of truth because we
          are in the minority.

          Jonathan.



                                                                             944
          

                                     Magick Christians 
                                    By: Alfgar Maharg 

              Greetings   from   BaphoNet.   Apparently,   I   fall   into   the
          "Non-Traditional  Christian"  box.  I  shall now  proceed  to  confuse
          everybody by refusing to fit into any pigeonhole. 

            I have been for some ten years a member of the New Church 
          ("Swedenborgian").  

          The 18th  century  revelations found  in  the voluminous  writings  of
          Emmanuel  Swedenborg, renowned  scientist, theologiand  and visionary,
          overwhelmed by MAKING SENSE.  However, we have yet a  considerable way
          to go in conveying the news to the public at large. On announcing that
          one is a  Swedenborgian, approximately 62%  of the population  respond
          with "What church is that?" 29% ask  "Is that the Swedish Church?" The
          rest simply stand there with mouths open. 

                When asked what he was teaching, Swedenborg replied "Two things:
          that God is one, and that faith is inseparable from charity." 

                Point 1 means that the Lord Jesus Christis the SAME God who made
          Heaven and Earth and no nonsense about it. Worship is always addressed
          to Christ, not to any "trinity". 

                Point 2 represents arepudiation of salvation "by faithalone". We
          hold most emphatically  the truth  of James: "Faith  without works  is
          dead". 

             Naturally, things could not be left so simple. I look forward to 
          discussing the immoderately abstruse issues involved. 

                Just in case you are not confused enough already, I found myself
          drawn  into the  pursuit  of the  so-called  "high" occult.  This  led
          directly to  the formation of  the Third Order  of St.  Michael, which
          coalesced  from  the  set  of  esoteric  Christians  collected  around
          Katheriine Kurtz,  and who  found the  "Deryni Christian"  archetype a
          valid spiritual  expression.  The principal  result  so far  has  been
          liturgical expression pursued wherever enough of us can be found. 

                  Locally I amaffiliated with atemple of the SangrealSodality, a
          non-sectarian, decentralized, and frighteningly  eclectic organization
          following the  broad tradition of  the Golden Dawnand  its successors,
          and  drawing inspiration  and initation  from the  work of  William G.
          Gray. 



                                                                             945
          

                               Polarity and Single Sex Covens
                                        By: Marios

           M>      Here's my latest question for theological debate:  
           M> Given the emphasis on male/female polarity within the 
           M> structure of Craft mythology, can a group that is entire 
           M> same sex gay or lesbian legitimately claim to be 
           M> practicing Wicca?  Or is it something else pagan, that 
           M> is not Wicca? Please give reasons for your answer... 
           M> I've found this to be a really sticky one.

                  In a word, "YES". Try this on for size:

          1.  Craft as  an immenentalist  religion, recognizes  the "fact"  that
          individuals  contain both  "male"  and "female"  parts. Polarity  work
          takes advantage of this situation. After all, we  recognize solitaires
          as  practicing Wicca, so we  have already accepted  that polarity work
          may involve only one person. As a logical extension of this:

          2. Given  that  polarity work  includes immanent  "male" and  "female"
          components,  we must assume that a group situation will take advantage
          of this  fact in  their workings.  But, since  polarity work  may take
          place  within an  individual,  the actual  genders  of the  group  are
          unimportant. However:

          3. While  it can be  argued that  polarity work is  possible, and  off
          necessity, takes place in same sex groups, can we state  that they are
          practicing  Wicca?   That  must  depend  on  how  one  defines  Wicca.
          Personaly,  I would say "Yes",  however, the central  mysteries of the
          Craft can be interpreted as demanding a heterosexual couple.

          4. I suspect that certain rituals (e.g. the Great Rite) can easily be
          reworked  from   their  current,   heterosexist,  form.   However,  if
          "practicing Wicca" is defined by a strict  adherance to the LITURGY of
          Gardnerian  derivation, then a same sex coven cannot be practicing the
          TOTALITY  of Wicca (or certain of its  main rituals). They may, on the
          other paw, be defined as practicing PART of Wicca.



                                                                             946
          

                     Some Thoughts on the Evolution of Wiccan Ritual  
                                       By: Paul Hume


          Undoubtedly (insofar as anything in this mish-mash of magick can be 
          undoubted (g)) the "convergent evolution" thing has a place in the 
          development of the various trads. 
            
          ie. hitting on similar manifestations of one True Thing.  An algorithm
          stays the same, no matter how you code it. 
            
          Some of the interesting divergences, f'rinstance... 
            
          The  Quarters:  Always  a lively discussion  (g).  Air's  in the East.
          No, it's in the North, etc.  The traditional post-GD attributions stem
          fgrom  a  system  attributed to  Egypt,  and  Egyptian  climate.   The
          traditional  Wiccan ones make sense in the context of Northern Europe,
          esp. Britain. (At least the Brit-Trad ones do). 
            
          The ceremonial (solar variety)  magician concentrates on the Equinoxes
          and  Solstices as  his major  milestones  in the  wheel  of the  year,
          whereas  Wicca sticks  with the  Cross-Quarters as their  main events.
          Again,  the solar  calendar is  an Egypto-Sumerian  bugaboo, and  more
          important  to agricultural peoples (or so it is suggested) whereas the
          Cross-Quarters fit the rhythm of birth and growth in herd animals, and
          thus suggest a tradition that  evolved in the herding cultures  of the
          early  Celts and  Britons (who did  not succumb  to the  siren song of
          agro-economy until much later). 
            
          How rigorous these arguments are is open to dispute - they may just be
          attempts to  correlate anthropology and  tradition.  But  they suggest
          areas of emphasis that separate the two paths, and suggest further the
          different aspects of Reality that drive them. 
            
          Paul 
           



                                                                             947
          

                            BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS OF WICCA 
          Not every Wiccan will subscribe to all of these points, but  
          generally they are representative. 
           
          1.  The divine Spirit is present in all creatures and things:   
          people, animals, plants, stones... 
           
          2.  The ultimate creative force manifests in both feminine and  
          masculine modes;  therefore it is often symbolized as the Goddess  
          and The God. 
           
          3.  In some covens, both are celebrated equally.  In others, The  
          Goddess is given precedence or even celebrated without reference  
          to the God. 
           
          4.  All Goddesses and Gods are aspects of The Goddess and The God. 
            The aspects most popular in Wicca are the Triple Goddess of the  
          Moon (Maiden, Mother and Crone) and the Horned God of death and  
          rebirth. 
           
          5.  Reincarnation and karma are valid concepts.  Upon death one  
          goes to a state of rest and reflection, and eventually chooses  
          where and when s/he will be reborn. 
           
          6.  Magick is practiced for positive (helping) purposes:   
          spiritual development, healing, guidance, safety, etc. 
           
          7.  Rituals are generally performed outdoors when possible, at the 
          New and Full Moons, and at eight Sabbat festivals which mark the  
          progression of the seasons. 
           
          8.  Magick and celebration are performed in small groups, usually  
          3 to 13, called covens.  These are basically autonomous -- there  
          is no central church authority or hierarchy. 
           
          9.  There is no holy book, or prophet, no equivalent of the Bible  
          or Jesus or Mohammed.  Individuals have access to the divine, and  
          do not require an intermediary.  Every initiate is regarded as a  
          priest/ess. 
           
          10. The central ethic is "And ye harm none, do as ye will."   
          Whatever energy you send out returns threefold, so it is wise to  
          be kind to others. 
           
          11. We should live in harmony with the Earth and Nature, and not  
          exploit them. 
           
          12. Though Wicca is a valid spiritual path, it is not the only  
          one.  There is no recruiting, and people should be free to choose  
          the path that best fits their needs. 
           
          13. The concepts of original sin, sacrifice, redemption,  
          confession, the divinity of Jesus, sinfulness of sex, Judgment,  
          Heaven and Hell, denigration of women, bodily resurrection, and  
          the Bible as divine revelation are not part of Wicca.  Neither are 
          Satanism, the Black Mass, desecration of cemeteries, the sacrifice 
          of animals, etc. 

          Copyright (c) 1983 Amber K., Our Lady of the Woods. Used by 
          Permission 



                                                                             948
          

                                     The Wiccan Faith 
                   
                          I cangive youa briefoverview ofWicca. (Idon't speakfor
          all Wiccans, only myself.  There are some differences in the different
          Traditions.)   
                   
                  We believe that the ultimate godhead is unknowable.  This 
          doesn't make for a good working relationship with the diety, however. 
          So, we break it down into a Goddess and a God.  Different Wiccans 
          worship different Gods/Goddesses.  We can utilize *any* pantheon.  
          Some worship Pan/Diana, some Cernnunos/Aradia, Isis/Osiris, and many 
          others. 
           
                 We see our Goddess as being Triple Aspected -- Maiden, Mother,
          and Crone, and she is reflected in the phases of the Moon -- Waxing, 
          Full and Waning.  We see the God as the Lord of Nature, and he is 
          reflected in the seasonal changes.  Like Jesus Christ, he dies for the
          land and the people, and is reborn. 
                   
                  In general, we believe in reincarnation and karma.  What you 
          call Heaven, we call the Summerlands.  We don't believe that Hell 
          exists (or Satan either.)  We  believe that there should be balance in
          all things - when the balance is disturbed, that's when 'evil' occurs.

          Fire, for example is not 'evil'.  It could be  considered such when it
          becomes out of balance, as in a forest fire, or house fire.  
          Controlled fire is a useful tool.  Anger is not 'evil', but when 
          unbridled can't help but lead to negative things.  When properly 
          expressed and balanced with constructive working to correct that 
          which invoked the anger - it, too, can be a useful tool. 
                   
                  We regard the Earth as our Mother, and try to have respect for
          Her by not polluting her and try to live in harmony with Her and Her 
          ways. 
                   
                  Women reflect the Goddess, Men reflect the God, so the Wicca 
          have a Priestess and Priest to  'run' the religious services.  We call
          our services circles. 
                   
          This was sort of an "Reader's Digest Condensed Version" of Wicca.  
                   
                  Blessed be  >>Phoenix<< 
           
           



                                                                             949
          


                                   Origins of The Mandan 
                                        By: Madoc 
                As a direct lineal descendantof Madoc ab Gwynedd, Princeof Wales
          and alleged  founder of the  Mandan tribe,  I'd like to  shove my  two
          cent's worth in... 
           
          Madoc (or Madog) was born  about 1150, one of four sons of the King of
          Wales. He and his brothers did not get along at all, and after the 
          King died, Wales was divided 4 ways among his children. Madoc chose 
          not  to rule his domain directly, having developed the wanderlust that
          consumes so many Celts. He was a well-regarded sailor, such that his 
          sea-faring exploits were recorded less than 100 years later by a 
          French historian, and again by Dr. John Dee in the 1500's. 
           
          Madoc is said to have left Wales with 5  ships, and to have arrived in
          the New World about 1172 or '73. He landed twice, once in Central 
          America, where he is alleged to have been the "God" that the locals 
          later mistook Cortez for. He then backtracked through the Gulf of 
          Mexico  and landed around New Orleans. He packed his men and equipment
          up the Mississippi, finally stopping due to sickness in his men. He 
          and his able-bodied crew floated back downriver and returned to Wales.
           
          Madoc left Wales again around 1176, and returned to the Mississippi 
          river. He supposedly found that his surviving original crew had 
          intermarried with the local Native American populations, and most 
          chose not to return to Wales. Madoc himself may have  stayed, as there
          is no record of his returning to Wales again. 
           
          Years  later, Lewis and Clark heard fantastic tales of "white Indians"
          who supposedly built forts, spoke Welsh, and fished from "coracles," 
          which are leather boats totally unlike canoes. They were unable to 
          substantiate those claims, although they found many "light-skinned" 
          Native Americans, some of whom had blue eyes and blond or blondish 
          hair and spoke a mish-mash of Souix and something that resembled Welsh
          in some aspects.  These people claimed, unlike their compatriots, that
          they were descended of a "race of giants" who built their tipis of 
          logs and came from "across the sea" (a sea which  they had never seen,
          by the way) and whose leader (Madoc?) had promised to  return for them
          one day. The local Native Americans whom they lived with supported 
          their claims. 
           
          The Mandan as a tribe still exist. They speak Souix and live mostly on
          reservation land in Wisconsin and up into Canada. They traditionally 
          build log cabins and fish from leather coracles. 
           
          The Mandan claim that they were seperated as an independant tribe 
          because of disease and wars with settlers. They have largely become 
          Souix, and the US government lists the Mandan as Souix. 
           
          My family traces its roots directly to Madoc through Ireland, where 
          his offspring settled after being evicted from Wales by the British. 
          As the King of England said at the time, "They can go to Hell or go to
          Connaught." My father is the direct lineal descendant of the Crown, 
          and I am his first-born (and only) son. My father is the legitimate 
          Prince of Wales, and Charles is a Pretender. 
           



                                                                             950
          

          Documentation: 
           
          AUTHOR(s):       Deacon, Richard,  1911- 
          TITLE(s):        Madoc and the discovery of America;  some new light  
                        on an old controversy  [by] Richard Deacon. 
                           [1st American ed.] 
                           New York,  G. Braziller,  1967 [1966] 
           
          AUTHOR(s):       Armstrong, Zella. 
          TITLE(s):        Who discovered America?  The amazing story of Madoc.
                           Chattanooga,  Lookout Pub. Co.,  1950. 
           
          AUTHOR(s):       Burder, George,  1752-1832. 
          TITLE(s):        The Welch Indians;  or, A collection of papers       
                                          respecting
                                                   a
                                                   peoplewhose
                                                             ancestorsemigrated
                                                                              from
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                        WalestoAmerica
                                                     inthe
                                                         year1170,with
                                                                     PrinceMadoc,
                                                                                
                                        (threehundredyearsbeforethefirstvoyageof
                                      Columbus),and whoaresaid nowtoinhabit a   
                                    beautifulcountry onthe westsideof the       
                                  Mississipi[!]DedicatetotheMissionarysocietyby 
                                GeorgeBurder. London, PrintedforT. Chapman      
                 [1797] 35 p.  21 cm. 
                                            Consists
                                                   chiefly
                                                         ofextrats
                                                                 fromthe
                                                                       Gentleman's
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                                          magazine,
                                                  1789-1792,
                                                          the
                                                            Monthly
                                                                  magazine,
                                                                          December,
                                                                                 
                                                                                
                         1796, and letters from missionaries and traders. 
           
          AUTHOR(s):       Pugh, Ellen,  1920- 
          TITLE(s):        Brave his soul;  the story of Prince Madog of Wales  
                                          and
                                            hisdiscoveryof
                                                         Americain
                                                                 1170,
                                                                     byEllen
                                                                           Pugh,
                          with the assistance of David B. Pugh. 
                           New York,  Dodd, Mead  [1970] 
          Summary:          Discusses the validity of the claims that an obscure
                           Welsh prince landed in Mobile Bay in 1170 and 
          established a settlement that resulted in a tribe of 
          Welsh-speaking Indians. 
          --- 



                                                                             951
          

                              The Burning Times, Some "Facts" 
                                        By: Marios
           
                Okay, let's try "another subject". "Facts", a term which derives
          from the latin factum meaning to make or to do, are constructs. If you
          "change" history, you automatically change the  "facts". Let's take an
          example: during the so-called Burning Times, aprrox. 200,000 - 500,000
          people where executed  by either  mob action and/or  legal action.  We
          will  neven know how many people were arrested, sentanced and executed
          for  crimes of  witchcraft (and  please note  that there  were several
          different "crimes of witchcraft" at this time).
           
                In  the late 1940' and early 1950's, several British Witches and
          occultists  started  talking about  9,000,000  "witches"  killed. This
          number appears  to have derived not from any research, but rather from
          an attempt to "one-up" the number of Jews exterminated by the Nazis in
          WW II.  In order  to support  this contention,  the definition  of the
          Burning Times was changed. First, the period of the major whitch hunts
          was extended from its peak, 1550  - 1675, backwards to the founding of
          the Inquisition (early 13th century). Second, the figures for judicial
          executions of heretics, notably the Cathari and the Waldensians, were 
          included  in the  total. Finally,  all judicial executions  which took
          place  during  the Catholic  "civil  war"  (the Avignon  Papacy)  were
          included.  In effect, the definition of "witch" was changed to include
          "heretic". 

                This definitional change is most interesting, since it parallels
          the  definitional change  that  took place  in  the Catholic  churches
          construction  of demonic  witchcraft  (see,  for  example,  Ginzburg's
          "Ecstacies"). The "facts"  of the situation  where "changed" when  the
          definition of the  term "witch"  was changed. "Witch"  was defined  as
          "not-orthodox" and, as such, included all heretics and non-Christians.
          To me, the  interesting point is that this definition  was created not
          by the Catholic  church, but by Gerald Gardner in  an attempt to prove
          that "witches" had suffered more than Jews. 

              What does this say about the idea of "facts"? First, it means that
          what is  a "fact"  changes with  the definition  of terms... in  other
          words,  a fact is a human, and therefore inherantly biased, construct.
          Second, while  agreement between  opposing biases  may  be reached  on
          certain  "facts",  such as  the  date of  a  battle,  I doubt  whether
          agreement can be reached  on the motivations or causes  of the battle.
          Finally,  history is  basically mythology  that is  constructed around
          certain quasi-religious disciplines, e.g. Marxism, positivist science,
          etc. It is a  story that is told and,  in the telling, it  changes the
          "facts". 
           
          Bright Blessings M 
           



                                                                             952
          

                                          ASATRU 
                                     Rathulvf Jamieson
          +-
          |     Asatru is a term virtually unknown outside pagan circles.  It's
          | the pagans who have no idea  what Asatru is that believe that it has
          | any connection with the Nazis.  Maybe you need to  explain in more |
          detail what Asatru is??  I'd be interested in that myself.
          +-

             Greetings, Adrienne.  I know that Grendel will answer this, however
          maybe  a  literal translation  won't hurt  either.  Simply put  from a
          historical view, Asatru is a combination of two words:

                  Ase, pl. Ases [pron. `ace']: The gods and goddesses of
                          consciousnessintheTeutonicpantheon, governingthepowers
                  of sovereignty and physical force (ON Ass; AEsir).

                  troth: Religion, being loyal to the gods, goddesses and       
                  cultural values of the ancestors (ON tru, OE treowth).

                          true: Adjectiveform of"troth," canmean "loyal."A "true
                  man" is a man loyal to the gods and goddesses of his          
                  ancestors.

                The word is a compound of asa-, "of the gods (aesir)," and -tru,
          usually  translated as  "faith." But this  can be misleading.   Tru is
          derived from the same root (deru-) that gave rise to "troth," "truth,"
          "trust," and "true"  in English.  The root word  "deru-" really has to
          do with  something firm, solid, and steadfast.  The fact that the word
          "tree" also comes from this word is significant as well.  Therefore it
          is clear that  originally the term had more of  the connotatins of our
          "true" (loyal), "trusting," and "troth"  than with the connotations of
          "faith" or "belief."

             Belief is the acceptance through an external authority that a given
          thing is true, and perhaps that some form of "salvation" is  dependent
          on  this belief.  Troth  is based on experience.   One trusts that the
          sun will come up  tomorrow because this recurring phenomenon  has been
          experienced in the past.  The things that one is  commanded to believe
          in Christianity,
          Judaism, Islam, Marxism, etc., are precisely those things one cannont
          experience,  or  those things  known only  to pastors,  popes, rabbis,
          imams,
          commissars, etc. "To  trust" therefore is to gain  personal experience
          of the
          truth of  a thing.   The term  asatru therefore  most literally  means
          "gaining experience of the ancestral sovereign gods."

          Thorsson, Edred. "A Book of Troth." St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn, 1989

                This  is what I  based my  belief on,  even before  I discovered
          Thorsson's books.  I just didn't know the "historical" meaning  of the
          word.   I did, however,  know the  beauty of Asatru  (the Troth)  even
          though it was  twisted by others.   I hung in there, and  enjoy one of
          the greater "freedoms of religion" today because of it.

                                    Urdhr, Verdhandi, Skuld!
                              So is was, so it is, so it shall be!

                                          - Rathulvf -



                                                                             953
          

          This  article is excerpted from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal. Each
          issue of the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal is published  by High Plains
          Arts and Sciences; P.O.  Box 620604, Littleton Co., 80123,  a Colorado
          Non-Profit  Corporation,  under  a  Public  Domain  Copyright,   which
          entitles any  person or  group of  persons to  reproduce, in any  form
          whatsoever, any  material contained  therein  without restriction,  so
          long as articles are not condensed or abbreviated  in any fashion, and
          credit is given the original author.! 
           
                                        THE FORTUNE 
                                     by Richard Myers 
           
          I've   seen  them  before  at  carnivals  and  flea  markets  --  dark
          complexion, colorful  scarves around their heads,  crow's marks around
          the eyes, often a babe balanced on the hip.   They're harmless enough,
          and  I'd  never before  paid them  any  mind.   Oh  sure, storekeepers
          complain about petty  thievery, and  a farmer may  lose an  occasional
          chicken.  But  I'm no easy mark for Gypsy women.  They leave me alone.
          So  it was  strange when  I saw  two of  them near  the pawn  shops on
          Larimer  Street;  and  the older  woman  said,  "There's  a man  on  a
          dangerous journey."   
           
          I pointed to a newly purchased camp stove under my arm.  "Good guess,"
          I said.  "Into the wilderness.  So what else?" She stretched forth her
          hand.  "For three coins in the palm I shall tell what else." 
           
          I dug out three quarters and, wishing they'd been dimes, dropped 
          them into her hand. 
           
          "I see a difficult journey to a remote place where few travel."  
          "Wilderness," I repeated with an edge to my voice.  "What else?"  
          "A high place.  Very cold." 
          "Winter in Colorado.  Another guess.  Tell me what I don't know." 
           
          She dropped the coins into a pocket in  her ragged old coat and turned
          away.  As she rounded  the corner she paused.  "I see death", she said
          quietly.  She was gone. 
           
          An  empty feeling  in  my belly  turned suddenly  to  laughter when  I
          realized that me and Chester were counting on a little death this very
          weekend.  We were after high-country Wapiti, the majestic Colorado elk
          that  roam the flat-tops.  With any luck we'd put death to a couple of
          'em before sundown....... 
           
          I saved the  question til we'd packed  the gear to a  high meadow just
          below Retribution  Peak.   I didn't  want to seem  too anxious  for an
          answer.  "Chester, you believe in fortune tellin'?" 
           
          Chester kept right on settin' up the tent as he chuckled, "That what's
          got you so quiet?   You ain't said a word all the way up the mountain.
          Someone musta told you a bad one." 



                                                                             954
          

           
          "Gypsy woman said something about dying in the wilderness." 
           
          Chester fell silent for the briefest moment before he answered, "Hell,
          you ain't dead  yet, so  start drivin' stakes!"   "Chester, you  don't
          believe in  nothin'" I  laughed, "In  any case,  I'm sleepin'  with my
          rifle to-night." 
           
          By Saturday afternoon we'd scouted Three-Elk meadow without seeing any
          sign, so we climbed the high ridges above the beaver ponds to scan the
          area.   It was almost dusk when we headed back through Medicine Spring
          a ceremonial ground where the Cheyenne once danced the ceremony of the
          sacred arrow.  The Cheyenne  were long gone, but in our sights  were a
          pair  of the biggest,  proudest Wapiti we'd  ever seen.   The bull had
          already picked up the swish of our snow shoes when we topped the rise,
          but Chester brought down  the cow with a single shot.  Grandpa Elk got
          away, but we had all day tomorrow to track him down. 
           
          You might not  think a Gypsy woman  can see the future;  and you might
          not expect an elk to seek revenge for a lost mate; and I admit that in
          the  dark  of the  tent  I  never really  saw  the  instrument of  our
          destruction.  But we awakened to a bellowing like a steam train and we
          fired our rifles in every direction before the tent finally collapsed.
          I didn't dare move until the morning light showed  Chester's skull was
          cracked, and a  Gypsy woman's words were ringing in  my ears.  ...from
          RMPJ 12/86 



                                                                             955
          

                                         THE OMNI EXPERIENCE

                                POWER TRIPS: CONTROLLING YOUR DREAMS

                                Release Date: Thursday, 19 March 1987

          A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming.  One of the simplest
          is asking yourself many times during the day whether you are dreaming.
          Each time you ask  the question, you should look  for evidence proving
          you are not  dreaming.  The most reliable test:   Read something, look
          away for a moment, and then read it  again.  If it reads the same  way
          twice, it is unlikely that you are dreaming.  After you have proved to
          yourself that you are not presently dreaming, visualize yourself doing
          what it is you'd like.  Also, tell yourself that you want to recognize
          a nighttime dream the next time it occurs.  The mechanism at work here
          is simple; it's much  the same as picking up milk at the grocery store
          after reminding yourself to do so an hour before. 

          At night people usually realize they are dreaming when they experience
          unusual  or bizarre occurrences.   For instance, if  you find yourself
          flying  without visible means of support, you should realize that this
          happens only in dreams and that you must therefore be dreaming.

          If you  awaken from a  dream in the  middle of the  night, it  is very
          helpful to return to the dream immediately, in your imagination.   Now
          envision yourself recognizing the  dream as such.  Tell  yoursel, "The
          next time  I am dreaming,  I want to remember  to recognize that  I am
          dreaming."  If your intention is strong and clear enough, you may find
          yourself in a lucid dream when you return to sleep.

          Even if you're a  frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be  able to stop
          yourself from  waking up in  mid-dream.   And even if  your dreams  do
          reach  a satisfying end, you may not be  able to focus them exactly as
          you please.  

          During our years  of research,  however, we have  found that  spinning
          your dream body  can sustain the period of sleep  and give you greater
          dream control.   In fact,  many subjects at  Stanford University  have
          used the  spinning technique  as an  effective means  of staying  in a
          lucid dream.  The task outlined below  will help you use spinning as a
          means of staying asleep and, more exciting, as a means of traveling to
          whatever dream world you desire.  



                                                                             956
          


          Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and place you would like to
          visit in your lucid  dream.  The target person and place can be either
          real or  imaginary, past, present, or future.  Write down and memorize
          your target  person and place,  then visualize yourself  visiting your
          target and firmly resolve to do so in a dream that night. 

          To gain lucidity,  repeat the  phrase describing your  target in  your
          dream, and spin your whole dream body in a standing position with your
          arms outstretched.   You can pirouette or spin like a  top, as long as
          you vividly feel your body in motion. 

          The same spinning  technique will help when, in the  middle of a lucid
          dream, you  feel the dream imagery beginning to fade.  To avoid waking
          up,  spin as  you repeat  your target  phrase again  and again.   With
          practice, you'll return to your target person, time, and place.

          When spinning, try to notice  whether you're moving in a clockwise  or
          counter-clockwise direction.



                               - Stephen LaBerge and Jayne Gackenbach



          Stephen  LaBerge, Ph.D.,  of  the Stanford  University Sleep  Research
          Center,  is also the author  of LUCID DREAMING,  Ballantine Books, New
          York,  (C) 1985.  LUCID DREAMING is  a 305 page book which costs $3.95
          and  is available in the  "Psychiatry" or "Self-Help"  section of most
          major bookstores.



                                                                             957
          

                            CHECKLIST FOR A WELL-WORKING GROUP 

          1.  We are clear about our goals and how  we  intend  to  achieve
          them.

          2.  We  know  and  respect  each  other  well enough to feel very
          comfortable and attuned working together.

          3.   Our  magickal  is  ethical,  designed  for  our  growth  and
          fulfillment  and  the  benefit of those who request help,  and it
          never used to harm others.

          4.  We share the responsibilities of making the group work; every
          individual's contribution is important.

          5.  We see each other socially outside  the  group,  and  support
          each other through difficulties.

          6.  We enjoy. there is fun and laughter at our meetings.


          7.  We  work at learning magick.  We dig deep,  compare different
          sources, try new techniques,  ask pointed questions,  do it until
          we get it right.

          8.  We  keep  ourselves  healthy and fit in order to more readily
          channel power and receive insight.

          9.  We keep our ritual area and tools orderly and clean.

          10.  We constantly seek knowledge from many  sources  --  people,
          books, workshops, other paths...

          11. We do not make a virtue of authority and obedience, but treat
          each   other  as  respected  equals  (regardless  of  the  formal
          structure of the coven).

          12.  We raise genuine power and channel it;  our rituals are  not
          tame readings or rote gestures, but filled with energy, vitality,
          will and purpose.



                                                                             958
          

                    A basic love spell.. (be careful how you use these) 

            Take three cords or strings of various, pleasing pastel colors-
           perhaps pink, red, and green- and braid them tightly together.
           Firmly tie a knot near one end of the braid, thinking of your need
           for love.

            Next, tie another knot, and another, until you have tied seven
           knots.  Wear or carry the cord with you until you find your love.

            After that, keep the cord in a safe place, or give to one of the
           elements- burn and scatter the ashes in the ocean or in a stream.



                                                                             959
          

          The song is sung to the tune of Amazing Grace. Enjoy! 
             
          Verna Knapp  
             
             
                  Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth  
                  that bore a witch like me!  
                  I once was burned, now I survive,  
                  was hung and now I sing.  
             
                  T'was grace that drew down the moon  
                  and grace that raised the seas.  
                  The magic in the people's will  
                  will set our Mother free.  
             
                  We face the East and breathe the winds  
                  that move across this earth.  
                  From gentle breeze to hurricane  
                  our breath will bring forth the change.  
             
                  Turn towards the South and feel the fire  
                  that burns in you and me.  
                  The spirit's flame will rise again  
                  and burn eternally. 
             
                  We greet the West, our souls awash  
                  in tides of primal birth.  
                  Our tears and blood, our pain and love  
                  will cleanse and heal the earth.  
             
                  Reach into the North and know your roots  
                  down deep ancestral caves.  
                  We find the wisdom of the Crone,  
                  Of circles we are made.  
             
                  Amazing earth, enduring life,  
                  from death into rebirth.  
                  T'is earth I am and earth I love  
                  and earth I'll always be.  
             
                  Amazing grace, how sweet the Earth  
                  that bore witches like we.  
                  We once were burned, now we survive,  
                  were hung and now we sing.  
             
                  Goddess bless, so mote it be,  
                  Our magic spirals on. 
                  Merry meet and merry part 
                  and merry meet again. 



                                                                             960
          

                          The Hermetic Summoning of The Elements  
                                        By: Marios

          OK, here  it is. This  was originally developed  by an old  friend and
          working partner of mine.
          .
          (Cirlce  area should be completely  dark. All people  should be inside
          the circle.  A central altar is used with five candles on it: a source
          candle of gray or pearlescent white or emerald green; a form candle of
          black; a force candle  of white; a fire quarter  candle of red; and  a
          lighting taper.)

          (The HP and HPS should face each other over the central altar)
          HP: First  there was nothing,  and the  Womb of the  Void begat  Light
          (light Source candle)

          HPS:  And that Light  gave form  to the  Void, the  form that  we call
          darkness,  and that was the first Goddess. (Light Form candle) 

          HP: And  the darkness gave to  the light potency, power,  and that was
          the first god. (light force candle).

          Both:  From  the union  of these  came Fire,  least tangible  and most
          active of all the elements. (light fire candle, hand to  3rd person in
          the south. they then circumambulate a full 360 degrees and place  fire
          candle in the south, picking up air candle there.)

          HPS: Fire calmed and made more tangible became air. (light Air candle,
          circumambulate 270 degrees to the east.)

          HP: Air flowing with solid form, became water. (light water candle (in
          east) (circumambulate 180 degrees to the west)

          HPS: And still,  solid water, is earth.  (3rd person goes directly  to
          the north side of the altar)

          All: Thus does all come from the Void, and  so shall all return to the
          Void when creation's day is done.

          (HP faces east, then  south, then zenith. while facing  shouts "Fiat".
          at the same times, HPS faces west, north and nadir and shouts "Fiat". 
          HPS raises both  hands from nadir  to the centre  above the altar,  HP
          lowers arms from zenith to the centre above the altar)

          Both: Fiat, voluntas mea. (hands should be touching in the centre.



                                                                             961
          


          Notes: 
               1.  The third person who carries the quarter candles  acts as the
          channel for the energy of the HP and HPS during their invocation. S/he
          should visualize constructing a ribbon  roadway that has landing stops
          at each elemental area.
               2.   The "Fiat"s  at the  end should  include a  visualization of
          either  an invoking pentagram, or a door opening, or something similar
          (I have modified the  invoking pentagrams to follow the  descent lines
          -- e.g. invoking air would be from fire point to air point).

                The effort of  building the road and  the landings is form  with
          minimal force.   It is the "Fiat"s at the end which generate the force
          flows to balance the system.

                The road itself can be useful for visiting the various elemental
          kingdoms,  but you  might find  them different  from what  you expect.
          Following the road from nadir up to and beyond zenith  in an ascending
          arc is quite good for either deep meditation or projection work.
             Anyhow, 'nuff stuff for now. I hope you find this useful.
          Bright Blessings M.



                                                                             962
          

                                             LEARNING 

                                       (K) 1987 by Jehana.  
                            Disseminate freely if copied in entirity


                    The learning process can be examined as a three-tiered model
          (remembering 
          that, as always,  the map is  almost always not  the territory).   The
          three tiers 
          I shall examine are:

               * Absorption

               * Integration

               * Expression

                    Forany reasonableapproximation offull andcomplete learningto
          have occurred, all three  stages are necessary.  One  might argue that
          there are different  types of learning, and  that each of  these types
          have  their   own  requirements;  or  that  science  must  be  learned
          differently  than  philosophy,  but  I  think  there  are  fundamental
          similarities  governing the  learning of  all types  of things  -- the
          emphasis  and mechanisms  may  change, but  the underlying  principles
          apparently remain.  

                    Absorption isthe actof takingthe externaland bringingit into
          the  internal.  Absorption may involve the cramming of information for
          final exams; it may involve the day-to-day experiences of life; it may
          involve  the shattering  emotional impact  of traumas.   However, this
          emotional impact  is not  reacted to  at this  stage  of the  learning
          process.  Absorption is  the coming aware of information,  whether for
          short  or long  term,  from the  whole  body of  constant  information
          bombarding the  physical  senses  at  all times.    Not  all  that  is
          witnessed or studied becomes absorbed -- the human mind needs a 
          filtering agent.  

                    Integrationis aninternal process,where theknowledge recently
          gained is integrated with  what is already in the mind.   No mind ever
          starts out  as a vacuum, despite the  efforts of generic television to
          assume this.   Not all that  is absorbed is  integrated -- that  which
          falls into short-term memory is not;  nor is material that is  studied
          simply to  know for the knowing's sake.  A deep and thourough internal
          integration  of  material is  not necessary  in  all fields  of study,
          although to some extent this takes place in all devotees of a subject,
          whether it  be  mathematics, engineering,  art, or  philosophy.   This
          integration  leaves its  touches  upon  the  person, and  will  affect
          his/her filtering for material  to absorb in the  future.  Be  advised
          that  some  integration  is  voluntary;  while  other  integration  is
          involuntary.  The actual  process of integration bears no  relation to
          what Other People Are  Doing (although one may integrate  a dependency
          upon others, for instance.)   A conscious awareness of  integration is
          fostered in the study of certain  religious paths (such as the  Craft)
          and in many of the philosophies, as well as in many of the arts.   The
          necessity for the stage of integration is  one reason why the learning
          of anything  of internal value  generally takes time  -- there  are no
          Instant Philosophies which work.  



                                                                             963
               

                    Expression is  essential for  communication.   It is  a step
          shallowly  expressed   in  the  regurgitation  of   information  on  a
          quickly-studied  exam,  but  when  dealing  with  philosopy,  art,  or
          livelihood, it  should be of more  durable quality --  in other words,
          expression  should   be  tempered  with  the   fires  of  Integration.
          Expression  may be involuntary (the fright reaction from a phobia), or
          it may be voluntary -- but the most fervent Expression is rooted 
          within the  internal regions of the being, and is not the shallow sort
          of expression  related to acting  the way other  people expect you  to
          act;  for simply the purpose  of scratching that  itch of satisfaction
          (gaining or giving satisfaction).  The most useful forms of Expression
          occur  in  taking that  information which  one  has both  Absorbed and
          Integrated,  and then Expressing it.   However, needless  to say, some
          forms of Expression (ie, phobias) may be well-integrated and absorbed,
          but are counterproductive  to happiness.   The true conscious  learner
          must therefore take  a hand  in what he/she  decides to  learn/unlearn
          (the steps involved in the process of Unlearning are the same as those
          in the process of Learning.)  

                    *Absorption and Expressionwithout Integration ismindless and
          empty reading/living.   One may as  well be a parrot.   Absorption and
          Integration without Expression is hypocritical and/or schitzophrenic.

                    *Integration  and Expression  without Absorption  permits no
          external influences to have any bearing  on thought -- one may as well
          be autistic.  

                    *Expression without Absorptionencourages fallacies,untruths,
          and easy answers.  

               All portions of the Absorption, Integration, and Expression cycle
          are necessary  for true learning  to take  place.  While  much of  the
          current  school system  as set  up in  today's society  emphasizes the
          Absorption and the Expression  stages, leaving the Integration process
          to  be assumed,  children  still do  grow up  learning to  emulate and
          integrate the values that  impinge upon them.   (Not all these  values
          are necessarily  beneficial --  the learning  process does  not always
          rely  on those values externally professed, but  does pick up on those
          implied on a  deeper level.)  Therefore, say, a  geography lesson need
          not be Integrated within the student, as a study of values or personal
          transformation should most definitely be.  A student has, through life
          experiences, already  Integrated a  system of functioning;  of viewing
          the world.  (Indeed, the student  may have Integrated a varying set of
          systems -- this often leads to internal conflicts, which really should
          be resolved.  Within  certain alternative Philosophies, Integration of
          other  ways of  viewing the world  and the  person is  done in  a more
          purposeful manner.  The  student learns that  true learning is not  in
          rote memorization  but in the acceptance  and the working  with of all
          three stages of learning.   Also, the student  learns to realize  that
          Integration  is a  personal  stage, wherein  the information  absorbed
          interacts  with  that he/she  has  already Integrated  during  life --
          therefore this Integration may definitely not resemble the Integration
          process of another student  in the same class.   Nor should Expression
          be forced (at least when dealing with the momentous events of a 
          life-philosophy -- it should come from the heart -- in other words, it
          should  come from the Expression of the Absorption and the Integration
          the  student has  undergone, rather  than from  what someone  else has
          decreed to be Proper).  



                                                                             964
              

                  THE HEART &WINGS JOURNAL,P.O. Box 574Lebanon Springs,NY,12114,
          6/issues yr. $12.00 - a publication of the Sufi Order of the West. 
           
           
                         HIGH TECHNOLOGY MEETS THE ANCIENT WISDOM 
                                          By Kenneth Reese 
           
                    Ifyou're like me, you've probably succumbed to some level of
          consumer electronics mania. Maybe it started innocently with a digital
          watch or calculator and then worked its way up to a VCR and then  to a
          personal computer. You might even have  felt some twinge of guilt when
          you suddenly realized these gadgets had become indispensable (when one
          of them  breaks!). Perhaps you've  felt all this runs  counter to your
          commitment to humanistic values. However, as I see it, new age  values
          and technology are inextricably bound together. 
           
                    Thefact thatmany peoplefirst involvedwith thehuman potential
          movement were later drawn into the world of high-tech (and vice versa)
          is a  measure of  the affinity  the two worlds  have for  one another.
          Futurist  John  Naisbitt  identifies  it  as  a high  tech/high  touch
          polarity. For the majority of people who have feet planted in both the
          worlds  of advanced  technology and  human potential the  affinity has
          long been obvious, but perhaps not well articulated. 
           
                    Exactlyhow the interests of thetechnology enthusiast and the
          person  on  the path  merge is  not in  any  way readily  obvious. The
          relationship between the two can be better revealed by considering the
          various tools of  high technology as artificial  devices which magnify
          the  human senses and human experience. With such a comparison several
          observations easily follow. 
           
                    Aclassic example of thismagnification of thehuman senses can
          be  seen  in the  home  video revolution.    Technology is  used  in a
          straightforward fashion as an  extension of the human senses  of sight
          and  hearing.  This   results  in  a  thousand-fold  increase   in  an
          individual's power to receive impressions. This has been made possible
          by   television  combined   with   more  recent   inventions  --   the
          communication  satellite,  back-yard   dishes,  cable,   videocassette
          recorders,  laser discs,  and other breakthroughs  in video  and audio
          technology. In short, for the person in front of the enormous increase
          in   video  and  audio  choices,   there  has,  in   effect,  been  an
          amplification  of  that individual's  capacity  to  experience reality
          through the medium of sight and sound. And, of course, all this choice
          is  delivered by  the exploding  global network  created by  the news,
          communications, and entertainment industries. 
           
                    Similarly, withthe personalcomputer revolution therehas been
          an  amplification of the mind. An individual using a personal computer
          has a level  of technological  power that rivals  that once  available
          only to  large corporations  and governments.   This  magnification of
          power may be used to accomplish a variety of directed tasks or in more
          playful and  creative ways. The net result  is that the individual may
          greatly increase personal productivity  and expand mental and creative
          powers by using an electronic tool. 



                                                                             965
          

           
                    All  this potential amplification  of the power  of a single
          individual by use of these human-made artifacts greatly increases  the
          need for a center or focus around which unprocessed information can be
          organized  in a  meaningful fashion.  In other  words, the  individual
          requires more than ever a sense of purpose simply because the  
          personal capacity for experience and action has been  greatly enhanced
          by these  new technologies. At this  point, the tie-in to  the new age
          becomes more  obvious.  There  is no  more  exact a  science  for  the
          processing  of  impressions and  the  discovery  of purpose  than  the
          ancient  spiritual   traditions  and  their   modern  expressions   in
          transpersonal psychology and the human potential movement. 
           
                    It  is no accident that new age people often find themselves
          thickly involved  with new technologies. There  is a real  void in the
          midst of the silicon  chip revolution for knowledge which  can balance
          one of the effects of the information age -- a communications 
          explosion which  threatens individual  and cultural stability  with an
          overload of raw, unprocessed  information. This overload confuses both
          individuals  and, more  dangerously, nations  and their  political and
          military institutions.  Spiritual traditions have long taught ways for
          maintaining a center in the face of chaos and offered time-tested  
          techniques  for controlling  the  senses, disciplining  the mind,  and
          discovering purpose and right action. 
           
                    Thisknowledge isnow applicableat bothan individualand global
          level.  Ancient wisdom has never been more relevant than  it is today,
          to  help guide  and  focus  the  tremendous  power  unleashed  by  the
          electronic awakening of the planet. Esoteric knowledge has been sought
          throughout the ages by a select few as a  response to an inner call to
          discover personal meaning in life. Today, the growth of a planet- 
          wide communications network both   enerates the need and  provides the
          means for the spiritual quest to become of vital global importance. 
           
                    The enthusiasm ofsome futurists(such as JohnNaisbitt whoends
          his international best-seller 'Megatrends' with the line 'My God, what
          a fantastic  time to  be alive!')  is a reflection  of the  tremendous
          Power for Good inherent in technological advances. But high technology
          is without a mind or a soul unless it is guided by an intelligence  
          more powerful and compassionate  than simple human cleverness. Ancient
          wisdom provides the vehicle for such an Intelligence. 
           
                    Three decades after the threat of planetary annihilation was
          delivered to humanity  on a silver platter of  scientific achievement,
          it is gratifying that at least the instruments for planetary salvation
          and evolution have  been delivered  by the same  means. However,  this
          possible salvation is a process which can only be achieved by each one
          of  us using the power of our lives  and all the tools at our disposal
          in positive, creative, and purposeful ways. The myth of technology 
          saving  us from  ourselves was  long ago  proven false.  Salvation for
          humanity  is not  a scientific  formula but  a very  human one  -- the
          individual heart in  its search for  God multiplied by  the number  of
          people on this planet. 



                                                                             966
          

                     Helpful Hints for a Nearly Extinct Species
                          Submitted satirically by Haragano

          Let's get down  to basics.  Being the  leader of a group is  more than
          just  the hard work of raising dust devils in the back yard or zapping
          a  friend's TV antenna so they can get  HBO.  Leading a group offers a
          lot of perks.  You get  a lot  of ego strokes,  you get  to divide  up
          babies just like Solomon and  you even get to keep the  leftovers from
          the potlucks at moon feasts.  After all you have put in a lot of long,
          hard hours and cashed in a lot of empties to win the coveted  title of
          "High Poop-di  Ha of the Infinite Invisibility".  And you want to keep
          it!  The bottom line, the final  word in keeping your position on  top
          of the  heap is spelled  P-O-W-E-R.   These hints  are concerned  with
          helping you keep it.

                In the busy modern craft of  today there are many ways that your
          power base can be  erroded.  The two most  likely ways you can  end up
          preaching to an empty circle are through the insiduous inroads made by
          INFORMATION  and DISCUSSION.  These  twin curses have  upset more High
          Poop-di-Has than Carter has little liver pills.

              Information is the worst threat. The more a follower is acquainted
          with history, anthropology, psychology, socio-dynamics ... really, any
          area that requires an individual to exert himself mentally, you are in
          for questions  you don't really want  to answer. The very  best way to
          deal with  this sticky situation is to avoid it.  Recruit the immature
          and the fanatic.  They don't bring really tasty goodies to feasts, but
          they are  good ego boosters.   They are expendable and  feircely loyal
          for no particular reason.

              If  you find you are being pestered by an "intellect" (they should
          have never gotten through your screening) you have to quickly learn to
          manage  information   more  effectively.    Don't   worry.    Managing
          information is easier than  it seems.  Newscasters do it  every night.
          First, Adopt  an attitude of  "ask me  anything", then  make sure  you
          don't have  any answers and  don't know where  to get them.   Create a
          vacuum!  Yes,  nature abhors a vacuum but it  is your strongest weapon
          in the war for ignorance.  Second is the wild  goose chase, atried and
          true method of dealing  with anyone who persists in  asking questions.
          Send a troublesome individual  on a few of these.   Tire them out, and
          they will go away sooner or later.  When they leave,  the stage is set
          for you to shake your head solemnly and expound at length on how they
          were not  ready to  learn what you  had to  offer.   This act is  very
          impressive to newcomers.

            Reassure your followers that they don't have to keep up on current
          thoughts in  and  about the  craft.   After  all,  books and  magazine
          subscriptions are expensive.  Imply that they will learn all that they
          need from you by hinting at the "secrets of the craft" that yet  await
          them.  If they are adamant about reading, call their attention only to
          those items that reinforce your point of view (you need all the backup
          you can get).  The Xian  (as in Xmas)  fundamentalists have  developed
          this  sort of information management  into an art  form.  "Information
          Management  is next  to  Godilness". I'm  sure  Mr. Falwell  has  that
          embroidered on a  pillow slip somewhere.  You might  want to write him
          for a needlepoint kit.
           



                                                                             967
          


          ON TO DISCUSSION...
              Discussion  with other groups must be limited. If they don't share
          your point of view, all contact with them should be eliminated.  After
          all,  your immature followers do mature and  fanatics mellow out.  The
          free exchange of  differing ideas has  a justifiablely bad  reputation
          for expanding an individuals craft  viewpoint.  And THAT is deadly  to
          the sacred position of High Poop-di Ha.

            There is an effective means of terminating troublesome contacts with
          other groups, while  at the same time confirming your  position as the
          center  of attention.    It  is  the  practice of  the  "Fine  Art  of
          Self-Righteous Indignation"!   The  premier example  of  this was  the
          medieval  Church.   When it  met with  a conflicting  view, such  as a
          scholar pointing out that the Church was rewriting history or physics,
          the Church  would denounce him  as a "minion  of Satan".   Usually the
          scholar was hauled off and put to the
          Question.   What's  the truth,  more  or less,  compared to  the  self
          Righeous
          Indignation of God's Chosen....right?
              Remember, you haveto slam the door tightly on any new ideas!  This
          takes  dramatic  measures.   You  don't  want conflicting  information
          coming  in, and  you certainly  don't want  your s/h/e/e/p/  followers
          wandering off.

              Pick a public occasion and  invade a circle or burst into  a study
          group.   Most importantly, make sure your  group is around you.  After
          all, the  coming performance  is really  for them.   Rant,  pound your
          breast, whatever you need to  do, to get across the idea of YOU as the
          poor, persecuted victim.   Make this  crystal clear to your  group and
          they will stick to you like you were dipped in crazy glue.   If anyone
          in your group  has ever had a course in group dynamics, send them on a
          wild  goose chase that evening.  They might  tumble to what you are up
          to, and besides they are probably asking too many questions anyway.

              When  facing the  m/i/n/i/o/n/s/o/f/S/a/t/a/n/ opposing  group, be
          personally  offensive  if  you  can.    Call  them  picky,  heretical,
          egotistical, perverse, etc.   Anything you can get away  with (wailing
          in  the background is a nice touch).   To keep your group successfully
          insulated  from  differing  ideas,  you  have  to  clearly  label  the
          opposition  in the  minds of  your followers.  People just  LOVE tags!
          Now, this next point is important, so listen up!  You must make it 
          clear that you  want no further contact with the  opposing group.  Try
          to  affect a tone  in your voice  that conveys "this  is a regrettable
          decision but it just  has to be", like the tone  Billy Graham takes on
          when he talks about sinners.  This gives you a twofold  bonus.  First,
          it gets the  word to "them" in no uncertain terms and, second, it gets
          the word to your people that it would not be wise for anyone who wants
          to remain a part  of your group to have  any contact with "those"  you
          have just judged unacceptable.  This sort of frontal assault generally
          alienates both groups as well as every individual  in them. There will
          be no information exchange, no open discussion and very little growth.
          But what do you care, you're safe.



                                                                             968
          



            One warning though; If for any reason you think the other group will
          simply  laugh   at  your  overacting,  don't   chance  a  face-to-face
          confrontation.  Keep the  performance within your own  group.  If  you
          have been a good information manager that should be effective enough.

            Although you are one of the last "High Poop-di-Ha's of the Infinite 
          Invisibility"  in the craft, you belong to an ancient society that can
          be traced through  most of the world's major religions.  You exemplify
          rigidity, closed-mindedness  and religious  manipulation.  You  have a
          lot to  be self-righteous about!   In order to pervent  your kind from
          dying out completely, you have to remember to stringently restrict the
          information flow to your group and terminate all open discussions with
          outsiders  holding differing  views.  If  you take to  heart these few
          pointers  you won't  go the  way of  the Great  Auk and  the Passenger
          Pigeon.


                                                                                                                                                        
              



                                                                             969
          

                                        Channeling 
                                          By Jast
           

            Channeling has become a popular phenomena in the last several years.
          We  see it  featured  in News-Magazines  and on  talk  shows. We  read
          articles  about it,  and  bookshelves everywhere  now hold  volumes of
          books  written by channeled entities, with more appearing every month.
          Some  channeled sources have gained a great deal of notoriety, drawing
          large crowds for seminars and workshops, often at a steep price.
           .
           How can we better understand this sudden outpouring of information?
          Webster defines "channel" as: " a means of access, a route". In the
          context of New Age work, channeling provides an access-way through
          which communication can be achieved between planes of existence.
          Channeling is a route through which those who are NOT focused in
          physical  reality can  give information  to those  who ARE  focused in
          physical reality.
           .
            Though  it may seem to  be a fairly  recent phenomena, channeling in
          various forms has existed as long  as humankind. The most common  form
          of channeling,  in fact, is one  we all have experienced:  That sudden
          helpful insight that occasionally comes to us  from "out of the blue".
          This  form of channeling has created many  works of art and has helped
          us find solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. Unlike other forms
          of  channeling, this inspiration is always available to us and whether
          we receive it rarely or often may simply depend on our receptivity and
          openness.
           .
            Dreams are  another avenue  through which channeled  information can
          reach  us. In  the dream  state we are  open and  spiritually attuned,
          creating an  un-obstructed gateway through  which Universal  knowledge
          can  flow.  While the  dream channel  and  inspiration are  both valid
          routes  of  channeling,  dreams,  for  many  people,  are more  easily
          ignored. We  tend to respond  to and use those  insights which inspire
          us.
           .
           The most spectacular form of channeling is, of course, "Trance
          Channeling". In this technique, the channel gives up the use of his or
          her  body by entering  a trance state, allowing  the "source" to speak
          directly to a third party.
           .
            Although most trance channels work with only one source, sources can
          be a number of things or beings. Many believe that channeled "sources"
          reflect the channel's subconscious mind or a "collective unconscious".
           .
            Channeled  material   may  also  flow  from   one's  "Higher  Self".
          Information communicated to us through this Source definitely "counts"
          as  channeled material,  for our  "Higher Selves"  are not  focused in
          physical reality.  Others may channel material from the Cosmic Mind or
          from the God -Goddess-All-That-Is.
           .
           Most channeled material, however, comes to us from spirit guides or
          Masters  and,  ultimately, it  is  the  material  which  is  important
          regardless of who or what we believe our source to be.
           



                                                                             970
          

           Another way of communicating with ones "source" is through "Automatic
          Writing". In this form of channeling, the channel first meditates then
          sits with a pen and paper or a typewriter and allows the source to
          write.  Meditation  should be  practiced  each  time before  automatic
          writing since meditation puts  us at peace and makes us more receptive
          to true spiritual sources.
           .
            The  technique  for  automatic   writing  is  fairly  simple:  After
          meditating, sit in a comfortable position holding a pad of paper and a
          pen, resting the point of the pen on the paper. Keep the body  relaxed
          and ask if there is a "source" present. Stay relaxed and just wait for
          writing to begin.
           .
            At first the writing  may be unreadable, just fine  little scribbles
          that mean nothing.  After some practice,  however, the scribbles  will
          become readable words and  phrases which allow the source  to identify
          themselves  and discuss whatever subject  we wish. Success  may not be
          achieved in  the  first few  sessions.  It  may take  time  and  daily
          practice to  develop a  strong  connection but  it is  well worth  the
          effort.
           .
            No matter  what technique we use  to channel our information,  it is
          very important that we not follow blindly. Until we are satisfied with
          their believability, each  of our  sources should be  regarded with  a
          certain amount of healthy skepticism. We should examine  all channeled
          material with a detached and questioning mind.
           .
            Although  the  material  may  vary in  content,  there  are  certain
          qualities  which  will  always  be  present  in information  which  is
          "channeled"  by  a true  spiritual  source. Such  information  will be
          positive in outlook  and will  always direct us  toward the  spiritual
          path. Since our sources will always try to help us as much as they can
          by giving us sound and usable advice, sources who attempt to dazzle us
          with  incomprehensible garbage  should be  regarded with  suspicion. A
          true source will not  lie nor will they  gossip.  Our guides  will not
          tell  us to do things, and they  cannot predict the future because the
          future is always changing.
           .
           When we attempt to channel our spirit guides, it is important to keep
          these points  in mind. Non physical entities have "personalities" just
          as  physical  ones  do.  Someone whose  attitudes  were  negative,  or
          depressed,  in  LIFE, might  carry  remnants of  these  qualities into
          spirit  life. Edgar  Cayce  was  once  quoted  as  saying:  "The  only
          difference between a  LIVE Episcopalian  and a DEAD  Episcopalian   is
          that one is DEAD and one is ALIVE."
           .
            In reality, there is no such thing as communication with the "dead".
          We tend to see life in physical terms  but LIFE is a SPIRITUAL reality
          which, for us, is presently housed in a physical form.
           .
            Though  misguided  entities  can  not  harm  you  physically,  their
          influence could  produce negative side  effects which could  make your
          experience  of channeling less  fulfilling or pleasant,  just as being
          around ANY negative personality might tend  to do. For this reason  it
          is  important to establish a secure system of protection and awareness
          when attempting  to channel. Observing and  following these giudelines
          can  protect us  from  the  inevitable  confusion which  results  from
          contact with these misguided "sources".
           



                                                                             971
          

           A certain amount of preparation is also necessary if we hope to be a
          clear  and responsible channel. With this  as our goal, it is probably
          not  advisable that we  attempt any form  of channeling until  we have
          attained some degree of proficiency at meditation.
           .
            Meditation makes  us more  centered and  loving. It  also acts  as a
          shield against contact with negative  spirit personalities. Meditation
          should be  practiced daily,  for besides facilitating  our ability  to
          channel clearly,  it is the most  important thing we can  do to expand
          our spiritual lives.
           .
            Your spirit guides can become life-long friends and advisors as they
          have a wonderful  outside view of our lives and  life in general. They
          have  access to information that  we could not  otherwise obtain. They
          help to  deepen our understanding of ourselves and help us through our
          times of  crisis. Contacting these  spirit friends  is not  difficult.
          There is no loss ofcontrol  of our bodies and  nothing to fear for  we
          can quit any time we choose.
           .
            Spirit  friends, just like our friends in the physical world, should
          always  be  treated  with respect.  They  should  not  be expected  to
          entertain our friends or answer a  lot of trivial questions. (If it is
          important to us,  then it is not  trivial.) Probably the most  serious
          mistake we can make, however, is to become too dependent on our guides
          as this  is the one  thing that will cause  us to lose  them. Like any
          true friend, our guides do not want us to count on them too heavily.
           .
            The  process  of  channeling our  spirit  guides  is  truly a  great
          adventure. It may take weeks or months to develop but it is an amazing
          process and will bring invaluable results to those who persevere. Good
          luck and happy channeling.
           



                                                                             972
          

                              Research on porn, Pagan ideals 
                                   By: Russell Williams 

          Because several people in  this discussion have cited unnamed  studies
          to support  their views,  I'll just  throw in  a few research  results
          here. I've been  researching the  topic of  societal attitudes  toward
          sexuality,  with an emphasis on the  religious origins of sex-negative
          attitudes.  Apropos  the current  discussion,  here's  some info  from
          *Pornography and Sexual Aggression*,  Ed: Malamuth & Donnerstein. Like
          virtually all such research, it  is focussed on hard-core pornography,
          violent  pornography, and violent  films (e.g. Friday  the 13th, Straw
          Dogs, etc.) 
           
          Donnerstein is a leading researcher in the field, and his fndings were
          loudly misrepresented by the Meese commission. He found that the key 
          variable in increasing violence toward women *in a laboratory setting*
          was  violence, not sex. The  findings on violence  are consistent with
          other  findings   on  behavioral  modeling  Q   behavior  depicted  as
          acceptable becomes  more acceptable to  the viewer. Some  studies have
          not controlled for the  content of portnographic material used  in the
          research: was it somewhat violent? Did  it have a plot or was it  just
          scenes of sex? One  study found that after viewing  non-violent portn,
          men exhibited a  slight increase  in aggressiveness toward  men and  a
          slight decrease in aggressiveness toward women 
           
          Several studies have demonstrated that individuals with a negative 
          sexual-socialization  history  rate  their  affective  and  evaluative
          responses to erotica as  negative while those with a  positive history
          of sexual experiences express positive  affective-evaluative responses
          to sexual stimulation. Individuals found to rate high on the  trait of
          sex guilt  react to  erotica with  more  negative emotions,  including
          disgust,   than  those   rating   low  on   sex   guilt.     Likewise,
          authoritarianism is  positively related  to negative  emotions, higher
          judgements of  the pornographic character  of sexual stimuli,  and the
          placing  of  legal  restrictions  on their  availability.  Erotophobes
          (those reacting negatively  to explicit sexual  imagery of coitus  and
          oral  sex) have more  negative sexual-socialization  experiences, more
          limited sexual experience, and more conservative sex-related attitudes
          than erotophiles. 
           
          Interestingly, only the erotophobes reported an increase in sexual 
          activity from the pre- to post-exposure periods (it is unclear whether
          the  activity   or  the  reporting   increased).    In   the  standard
          experimental  setup for  media /  aggression research  (subjects watch
          film,  are then placed in artificial situation designed to anger them,
          then  given an opportunity to express  agression at the focus of their
          anger), people who enjoyed and saw porn films less were more likely to
          increased aggression after viewing porn. (This is one of those studies
          that didn't specify what films they were using). 
           
          Note that A=>B does not mean that B=>A, and we are talking about 
          correlation coefficients significantly less  than 1.0. In other words,
          do not  interpret these  studies to mean  that individuals  expressing
          negative  attitudes toward  Playboy, here  or elsewhere,  are  high on
          sex-guilt scales. 
           



                                                                             973
          


          Donnerstein  notes that instead  of using  research on  the behavioral
          effects of  sex and violence in  media to inform public  policy, it is
          usually  just  grist  for a  propaganda  mill.  It's  twisted to  suit
          someone's purpose  when convenient,  and ignored otherwise.  Some have
          also  argued that "if it's shown to  cause harm, it should be banned,"
          or  even "if  some women  feel  it harms  them, then  it shouldn't  be
          viewed". Several caveats should be kept in mind: 
           
          1. Virtually all research on pornography is based on "laboratory 
          experiments", but some of these have been several months long and have
          includeed reporting of non-laboratory behavior. There is good evidence
          that some of these results *can* be applied to real-world behavior. 
           
          2. Very few of the research results cited on "pornography" apply to 
          Playboy, whether you personally  would classify Playboy as pornography
          or not. 
           
          3.  Demonstrating  the  harmful  nature  of  violent  pornography  and
          deciding to  ban it are  two separate issues.  No society bans  things
          strictly  based on a cutoff level of "amount of scienti^cally provable
          harm" done.  In the  U.S., we  tend to be  biased toward  allowing any
          speech  or writing except for that proved directly harmful to someone.
          Major restrictions on speech  fall in the areas of  national security,
          fraud,  and slander or  libel. The major  exception to this  is sexual
          speech, which  has been  suppressed without regard  to its  measurably
          harmful effects or lack thereof.  There has been much more call to ban
          "Lady Chatterley's Lover", "Devil in Miss Jones," or even Playboy than
          "Mein Kampf" or material that demeans women in a non-sexual way. 
           
          As for my  own biases, I completed a college  major in Women's Studies
          and am a  former member of Women  Against Violence in  Pornography and
          Media. I am a Witch, a worshipper of the Goddess,  and consider myself
          a feminist. I became disillusioned with WAVPAM after  discovering that
          they  seriously misrepresented  the character  of most  pornography. I
          also met many women who felt that WAVPAM and women like Andrea Dworkin
          were just another  group of  authoritarians trying to  tell them  what
          they should  think  and what  "acceptable" sexual  feelings were.  The
          denouncements  of S/M  women by  feminists in  the 1980s  sound almost
          identical to the denouncements  of gay women by straight  feminists in
          the 1960s. Fifteen years ago, I tried to read everything  Robin Morgan
          wrote. Today  I try  to read  everything  Susie Bright  writes. I  now
          believe  that attempted enforcement of "correct  " sexual feelings and
          attitudes  is a much greater threat to the freedom of women (and men )
          than  is sexually  explicit material.  I feel  no obligation  to cease
          practicing my religion because some people believe it is harmful, 
          and I feel no obligation to refrain from viewing sexually explicit 
          material because some people think it is harmful. 
           



                                                                             974
          

          The Wiccan Rede says "an  it harm none, do as you will," but of course
          there  is a  huge  gray area  in  trading off  perceived harm  against
          personal  freedom. Since becoming a Pagan my requirements have gone up
          for demonstrating concrete and signi^cant harm before removing someone
          else is freedom. Cult hunters who rail against Satanism and Witchcraft
          but  say  "of course  they're protected  by  the first  amendment" are
          really  trying  to  restrict  our  religious  freedom.  They  increase
          intolerance  toward non-traditional  religions  and try  to pass  laws
          restricting them. So too  do many who crusade against  pornography but
          say  "we donUt favor censorship"  try to restrict  our sexual freedom.
          They  increase intolerance  toward  alternative sexual  lifestyles and
          often  try  to  pass  laws  restricting  sexuality.  Is  Jesse  HelmsU
          well-being or freedom in danger from  Pagans, or are we in danger from
          him? He  thinks heUs  defending himself  and other  God-fearing people
          from the evils of Witchcraft.  Is Andrea Dworkin in danger  from Susie
          Bright, readers of porn, and S/M practitioners, or is their freedom in
          danger  from her? She thinks sheUs protecting herself from the rapists
          generated by pornography. To put it more colorfully, my right to swing
          my  arm  stops  at your  nose,  but  I  reject convoluted  theoretical
          definitions of your nose. 
           



                                                                             975
          

               A Minister Speaks Out on the Psychic and the Devil 
           
                              by J. Gordon Melton 
                                         
           
                    In the late 1960's, the psychic truly came of age as a major
          competitor  of some forms  of Christian faith.  No longer  could it be
          dismissed as  foolishness  and because  of  this new  realization  the
          1960's  also  saw the  birth of  a new  type of  literature in   which
          fundamentalist Christians attack the psychic as being "of the Devil." 
           
                    Asa  minister of theGospel I often amcalled upon to evaluate
          this   "antipsychic" literature.  My interest in psychic and spiritual
          healing, as well  as church history, is well  known and laymen, having
          added a new depth to their faith through experiencing psychic  reality
          are  concerned that their fellow  Christians  should  speak so harshly
          of  them.  At the  same time,  my  non-Christian acquaintances  in the
          psychic  community  consider the  literature  a  20th-Century form  of
          witch-hunting and ridicule it as an expression of "Christian love." 
           
                    Theliterature of which Ispeak  consistsof numerous pamphlets
          and a few  books, some claiming  to be written by  former mediums   or
          psychics now  converted to conservative evangelical  Protestantism.  A
          few of these booklets are from Reformed or Baptist writers  but by far
          the greatest number represent the Protestant Pentecostal  perspective.
          (Pentecostals  are those  Protestants distinguished  by a  belief that
          speaking-in-tongues, or  glossolalia, is  prima facie evidence  of the
          baptism of the Holy Spirit.) 
           
                    Their major argument is that the Bible condemns all  psychic
          activity and they cite a number of both Old and New Testament passages
          (Deuteronomy 18:9-12;I Samual 28;Acts 8; I Timothy 4:1) to make  their
          point.  The material is accompanied  by the warning that these devices
          of Satan shall increase in the latter days and are signs of the end of
          time.Satan  is a  major figure  in the  literature, especially  in the
          writings  of Hal Lindsey, author of several popular books on prophecy,
          who seems determined to  prove Satan's existence. The Church  of Satan
          of Anton LaVey, although  a minor force even in occult circles, always
          is  given  a large  coverage and  the  remaining psychic  community is
          wrongly associated with him and his antiChristianity. 
           
                    One  is tempted to dismiss this literature as the ravings of
          people  who  know  little or  nothing  about  their  topics. Even  the
          converted   mediums seem  to be  the ones  who flunked  their training
          courses in basic psychic development. In fact  on a  theological level
          the material is all but worthless. 
           
                    Whenthe Pentecostal says that something is "of the Devil" he
          really is  saying in the strongest possible way that he does not  like
          it  and disagrees with it.   But for someone  who does not accept this
          world view, there is no common standard to judge the Devil's tastes. I
          personally think that cooked carrots are the Devil's favorite food 
          (with boiled okra running a  close second). Who is to prove  me wrong?
          Certainly not those Devil-worshipping carrot eaters. Satan's deceit is
          manifested by  his inclusion of vitamin  A in carrots so  people  will
          think they are "good" food! 
           



                                                                             976
          


                    There is noappeal then frompersonal taste,just as thereis no
          appeal from divine revelation.  One can only  hope that a new  dislike
          will arise to replace the psychic as the "Devil's" main manifestation.
                    On apastoral level, however, theantipsychic literature takes
          on some  importance. Almost weekly  I hear  from laymen who  have been
          victimized by  well meaning  if fanatical acquaintances  who challenge
          them  with their devil  theology. It's one  thing to read  a book. Its
          quite another to  have  a  friend or relative  say that something  you
          are doing is satanic and draw a line that places you outside the 
          church. 
           
                    Such wellmeaning but misguided concern is reminiscent of the
          Inquisition that tortured people out of loving concern for their souls
          and then killed them quickly lest they turn again to their sin.  It is
          for  these victims  that  I write.  Hopefully, by  discovering answers
          which  will blunt the major points of the  attack on the psychic, they
          will find a shield from the barrage of their Christian brethren. 
           
                                      * * * * * 
           
                    If any  central charge  can be  leveled  at the  Pentecostal
          devil-psychic theory, it  is shallow Biblicism.   As  one of my  Bible
          teachers   warned me, "A text  out of context becomes  a pretext." The
          antipsychic literature is rife with texts out of context.  Typical  is
          the  constant repetitions  of  the  Deuteronomic prohibitions  against
          certain kinds of psychic activity. 
           
                    "When thouart come into theland which the Lordthy God giveth
          thee, thou  shalt not  learn  to do  after the  abominations of  those
          nations.  There shall  not be found among you any one  that maketh his
          son  or  his  daughter  to  pass  through  the  fire,  or  that  useth
          divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or  a wizard, or
          a necromancer. For  all that do these  things are an abomination  unto
          the Lord thy God doth drive tham out from before thee." 
           
               (Deuteronomy 18:9-12.) 
           
                    Two problems immediately arisein any modern use ofthis text.
          First it  contains several  Hebrew words which appear nowhere else  in
          Hebrew literature and are  untranslatable. They were translated during
          the  rule of England's James 1 when witchcraft trials were popular and
          terms useful  in those  trials were inserted  into the text.  While we
          know the prohibitions are against certain  forms of divination, we  do
          not know specifically which ones. These prohibitions must, however, be
          set within  the context of  "accepted" means   of divination:   dreams
          (Genesis  41),  the Urim  and the Thummin,  a Quija board-like  device
          (Exodus 28:30), precognition (Judges 4:4), casting lots (Acts 1:26) 
          and the psychic experience (I Samual 9, particularly verse 9). 
           
                    Incertaincontexts, suchas theconflict withCanaanite religion
          (particularly   the  blood-sacrifice   cult   of  Moloch),   practices
          associated with divination are prohibited.  But in a differing context
          (Israel's   own religion  and in the  early church) divination  was an
          accepted practice (Numbers 27:21, Acts 1:26). 
           



                                                                             977
          


                    The secondproblem with theuse ofthis textconcerns itspresent
          binding force   on the church.  While it may  be a matter  of argument
          whether or  not the text is  binding, it seems for  anyone who accepts
          the "whole  Bible" the  commands surrounding  the prohibitions  are as
          relevant as the divination prohibition. 
           
                    Thus anyone whowishes to usethis text asliteral commandtoday
          should  also  be  prepared  to stone  stubborn  children  (Deuteronomy
          21:18),  keep  the feast  of  booths  (Deuteronomy 16:13)  and  accept
          polygamy (Deuteronomy 21:15). 
           
                    Asthese versesshow, thiswhole section ofDeuteronomy consists
          of  legalisms which have  little or no  relevance today and  were only
          valid in the context of Israel's struggle with the Canaanites. 
           
                                      * * * * * 
           
                    A major complaint of conservative Christians is that liberal
          Christians  see  them  as  being  all  alike,   failing  to  recognize
          significant  differences  of  doctrine  and   lifestyle  exist  amoung
          Holiness people and Pentecostals,  Billy Graham and the Reverend  Ike,
          Baptists and Plymouth Brethren, Wesleyans and Reformed.  Conservatives
          strongly deny any association  with the weird and radical  fringe that
          is part of their movement, such as those fundamentalists who espouse 
          bigoted racial  theories of the donning of ascension robes or free sex
          practices. 
           
                    Likewise the psychic communityresents the naive and ignorant
          lumping   of  psychic  research   and  parapsychology   with  healing,
          meditative practices  with witchcraft, yoga with  hypnotism, astrology
          with the tarot, or Spiritualism with satanism and black magic. Such an
          approach to the psychic is the lowest form of the polemic. 
           
                  While  interests in the psychic often lead to exploration of a
          number  of areas,  most people in  the field  have one  or two central
          concerns. (My   own interests   are   psychic  and  spiritual healing,
          prayer and  meditation.)  While one  learns  about many  things  one's
          involvement usually is  in the  specific area that  is most  rewarding
          personally. 
           
                    Pentecostal claims that involvement  in the psychic leads to
          possession  are plainly  false.  Such involvement  by  people who  are
          emotionally   unstable  or  who  have  immoral  motives  can  lead  to
          possession-like  phenomena, especially  when such  people dabble  with
          automatic writing, Quija boards or seance activity. But such phenomena
          are no more prevalent than  those caused by speaking-in-tongues  which
          also  affects the  deep levels  of the  psychic.  Any kind  of psychic
          activity -glossolalia included- can and does lead  to  possession 
          phenomena  in   the  unprepared   and unstable  (see  "The Dangers  of
          Psychic  Development" by  Harmon H. Bro, October-November 1970 Fate.) 
           



                                                                             978
               

                    Finally, thecentral problem ofthe antipsychic materialis its
          orientation towards  the  negative, toward evil and the devil.  Such a
          book as  Hal Lindsey's "Satan Is  Alive and  Well"  and Derek Prince's
          works on the demonic  are psychologically dangerous  literature.  They
          are major causes of  the phenomena they seem most to abhor.   A simple
          psychological  principle   is  at  work.  As Aldous Huxley explains in
          "The  Devils of Loudon",  "No man can concentrate  his attention  upon
          evil  or even  upon the idea of evil and remain unaffected. To be more
          against  the  devil than  for  God  is  exceedingly  dangerous.  Every
          crusader is apt to  go mad. He is haunted  by the wickedness which  he
          attributes to his enemies; it becomes some sort a part of him. 
           
                    Prince, Lindsey  and cohorts  are pouring  their energy into
          fighting Satan.  They are creating an  atmosphere in which it   is the
          "in thing"   to be freed  from a possession. Lonely,  bored and highly
          suggestible people  are  only too happy to respond with the called-for
          symptoms.  At a mass meeting if you produce  a paper bag, someone will
          be happy to regurgitate a "demon" for you. 
           
                    Theologically, Isympathize withthePentecostals. Theirleaders
          and  writers certainly  recognize the  theological attack  the psychic
          represents  for  them.    For  years  they  have  been  telling  their
          followers  that  tongues and  healing  "miracles"  represent a  direct
          supernatural activity and are a self-authenticating sign of the Holy 
          Spirit.  Considering tongues  an outward  sign of  the baptism  of the
          Holy Spirit within is crucial to the Pentecostal position. And psychic
          research applied to the  "supernatural" activities often results   in 
          a  denial  of  their  supernaturalism. If  non-Pentecostals  and  even
          non-Christians can do these things,  their value as a sign of  baptism
          is ended. 
           
                    Pentecostalistsdenouncenon-Christianphenomenonas"counterfeit
          miracles."  Discussing healing,  one Pentecostal writer says,  "We can
          see  that this gift, like  all the other  gifts of the  spirit, can be
          either  from God or from Satan.  The counterfeit must be in appearance
          as good  as the real thing,  otherwise it would not  fulfill its aim."
          When  Jesus was accused of working satanic miracles (see Mark 3:20-26)
          his reply  was that  a house  divided cannot  stand, a rejoinder  that
          still is valid. 
           
                    The ideaof "counterfeit miracles" is asmuch a problem to the
          Pentecostals  as  it  is  to  the psychic,  moreover.  If  counterfeit
          miracles  exist,  than  no  instance  of  speaking-in-tongues  can  be
          considered a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit until it has  been
          tested.  Like  all  Christian experience the baptism is signified only
          if the fruits of the spirit follow. Anyone can speak in  tongues or be
          a channel for miraculous healings.  Only those persons filled with the
          Spirit can  bring forth love, patience and  kindness (Galatians 5:22).
          Pentecostals have no corner on the fruits-of-the-spirit market. 
           
                    In conclusion, involvement inthe psychic clearly isvalid for
          the   Christian,    provided  that  involvement  is  done  in  a  sane
          self-conscious context.  I bid my Christian brethren cease their harsh
          words and   uninformed  polemics.   Let us  unite  against our  mutual
          psychic enemy, the perverted phenomena that can wreck a life as surely
          as   can  alcohol  or   narcotics.    Allegiance   at  any  particular
          theological principle should not keep us from that fellowship we all 
          desire. 
           
                Reprinted   with    permission   of    FATE   Magazine.



                                                                             979
          

                                            THE ELEMENTS


                        TheElements havebeen apart ofman'sancient andarcane lore
          since  its  inception in  pre-historic  times.   Different  traditions
          associate  them  with   various  things.     The  following  list   of
          correspondences comes from Starhawk's  "The Spiral Dance."


               AIR:  Direction:  East.
                                Rules:Themind,allmental,intuitiveandpsychicwork,
            knowledge, abstract learning,theory, windswept                      
          hills, plains, windy beaches, high mountain peaks,                    
          high towers, wind and breath.
                     Time:   Dawn.
                     Season: Spring.
                     Colors: White, bright yellow, crimson, blue-white.
                     Signs of the Zodiac:  Gemini, Libra, Aquarius.
                     Tools:  Athame, sword, censer.
                     Spirits:  Sylphs, ruled by King Paralda.
                     Angel:  Michael.
                     Name of the East Wind:  Eurus.
                     Sense:  Smell.
                     Jewel:  Topaz.
                     Incense:  Galbanum.
                                Plants:Frankencense,myrrh,pansy,
                                                               primrose,vervain,
          violet, yarrow.
                     Tree:   Aspen.
                     Animals:  Birds.
                     Goddesses:  Aradia, Arianrhod, Cardea, Nuit, Urania.
                     Gods:  Enlil, Khephera, Mercury, Shu, Thoth.



              FIRE:  Direction:  South.
                                Rules:Energy, spirit,heat,flame,blood, sap,life,
          will, healing and destroying, purification,                 bonfires,
          hearth fires, candle flames, sun,                 deserts,  volcanoes,
          eruptions, explosions.
                     Time:  Noon.
                     Season:  Summer.
                                Colors:Red,gold,crimson,orange,
                                                              white(thesun'snoon
                              light).
                     Signs of the Zodiac:  Aries, Leo, Saggitarius.
                     Tools:  Censer, wand.
                     Spirits:  Salamanders, ruled by King Djin.
                     Angel:  Ariel.
                     Name of the South Wind:  Notus.
                     Sense:  Sight.
                     Jewel:  Fire Opal.
                     Incense:  Olibanum.
                                Plants:Garlic,hibiscus, mustard,nettle,onion,red
          peppers, red poppies.
                     Tree:  Almond, in flower.
                                Animals:
                                       Fire-breathingdragons,
                                                            lions,
                                                                 horses(when
                                                                           their
                              hooves strike sparks).
                     Goddesses:  Brigit, Hestia, Pele, Vesta.
                     Gods:  Agni, Hephaestus, Horus, Vulcan.



                                                                             980
          

             WATER:  Direction:  West.
                                Rules:
                                     Emotions,feelings,
                                                      love,courage,
                                                                  daring,sorrow,
                              the ocean,  the tides, lakes, pools,  streams, and
          rivers, springs and wells, intuition, the 
          unconscious mind, the womb, generation, fertility.
                     Time:  Twilight.
                     Season:  Autumn.
                     Colors:  Blue, blue-green, green, gray, indigo, black.
                     Signs of the Zodiac:  Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces.
                     Tools:  Cup.
                     Spirits:  Undines, ruled by King Niksa.
                     Angel:  Raphael.
                     Name of the West Wind:  Zephyrus.
                     Sense:  Taste.
                     Jewel:  Aquamarine.
                     Incense:  Myrrh.
                                Plants: Ferns,lotus,mosses,rushes, seaweed,water
          lillies, and all water plants.
                     Tree:  Willow.
                                Animals:
                                       Dragons(asserpents),dolphinsandporpoises,
          fish, seals and sea mammals, water-dwelling                 snakes,
          all water creatures and sea birds.
                     Goddesses:  Aphrodite, Isis, Mariamne, Mari, Tiamat.
                     Gods:  Dylan, Ea, Llyr, Manannan, Osiris, Neptune, 
          Poseidon.



             EARTH:  Direction:  North.
                                Rules:Thebody,growth,nature, sustenance,material
          gain, money, creativity, birth, death, silence, 
          chasms, caves, caverns, groves, fields, rocks, 
          standing stones, mountains, crystal,
                             jewels, metal.
                     Time:  Midnight.
                     Season:  Winter.
                     Colors:  Black, brown, green, white.
                     Signs of the Zodiac:  Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn.
                     Tools:  Pentacle.
                     Spirits:  Gnomes, ruled by King Ghob.
                     Angel:  Gabriel.
                     Name of the North Wind:  Boreas, Ophion.
                     Sense:  Touch.
                     Jewel:  Rock crystal, salt.
                     Incense:  Storax.
                                Plants:Comfrey,ivy,grains:barley,oats,corn,rice,
          rye, wheat.
                     Tree:  Oak.
                                Animals:Coworbull, bison,snakes(earth-dwelling),
          stag.
                     Goddesses:  Ceres, Demeter, Geae, Mah, Nephthys, 
          Persephone, Prithivi, Rhea, Rhiannon.
                                Gods:
                                    Adonis,Athos,Arawn,
                                                      Cernunnos,Dionysus,Marduk,
          Pan, Tammuz.



                                                                             981
          



            SPIRIT
            /ETHER:  Direction:  Center and circumference, throughout and about.
                                Rules:
                                     
                                    Transcendence,tranformation,
                                                               change,everywhere
          and nowhere, within and without, the void,                  immanence.
                     Time:  Beyond time, all time is one.
                     Season:  The turning wheel.
                     Colors:  Clear, white, black.
                     Tools:  Cauldron.
                     Sense:  Hearing.
                     Plant:  Mistletoe.
                     Tree:  The flowering almond.
                     Animal: Sphinx.
                     Goddesses:  Isis, the Secret Name of the Goddess, Shekinah.
                     Gods:  Akasha, IAO, JHVH.



                                                                             982
          


                                                 CANDLES


                                Candleshavebeenusedfor
                                                     morenaturallightinginritual
          work as well  as focal  points and concentration  aids for  centuries.
          Each different color  has a  different meaning for  both internal  and
          external  uses.   Here  are a  list of  uses  put together  by Charles
          Butler.



                                  Outer Works               Inner Works
                                    RED:ENERGY                RED:COURAGE
                                 ORANGE:GENEROSITY         ORANGE:PLENTY
                                 YELLOW:THE UNKNOWN        YELLOW:CENTERING
                                  GREEN:PROSPERITY          GREEN:HEALING
                                   BLUE:LOVE                 BLUE:EMOTIONS
                                 PURPLE:INSPIRATION        PURPLE:SPIRIT
                                   PINK:REVELATION           PINK:JOY
                               BURGUNDY:PASSION          BURGUNDY:REKINDLING
                                  BLACK:COMFORT             BLACK:AUTHORITY
                                  WHITE:VISION              WHITE:PROTECTION



                                                                             983 

                                                                                                                                                        
                  
                                          GREEK FIRE INITIATION 
           
           
                                           Cast of Characters 
           
                                          Tiresias:____________ 
           
                                        Hephaestus:____________ 
           
                                           Artemis:____________ 
           
                                            Apollo:____________ 
           
                                            Hestia:____________ 
           
                                        Prometheus:____________ 
           
                                            Seeker:____________ 
           
           
           
                                Incastingthecircle,whencalling theQuartersyouare
          free to use your own words but  we ask that you use Greek styling  and
          personify with the names of the four Greek winds: 
           
                                             North:  Boreus 
                                              East:  Eurus 
                                             South:  Notus 
                                              West:  Zephyrus 
           
                                Tiresiasseatednorthofaltarrises,goesaroundtoface
          altar, and  invokes God and Goddess  in a Greek style  using these two
          triumverates: 
           
                                                   GOD 
                                             Zeus:  Strength 
                                            Hades:  Knowledge 
                                           Poseidon:  Emotion 
           
                                                 GODDESS 
                                              Hera:  Power 
                                             Athena:  Wisdom 
                                            Aphrodite:  Love 
           
           
                      He then stepback andsays: "We havebeen calledforth fromthe
          edges  of  Time and  Space by  one  who seeks  entry to  the  Halls of
          Olympus.  I  am Tiresias, Prophet of Thebes, who,  though blind, shall
          be his guide.  Seeker, come forth!" 
           



                                                                             984
          


                Seeker approaches circle at north-east point of Circle. 
           
                Tiresias:  "Who seeks entry to Olympus?" 
                Seeker:  "I, __________. 
                      Tiresias: "Beforeyou enter,gaze uponone whosought whatwas 
                         not rightfully his.  Do you still desire entry?" 
                Seeker replies. 
                      Tiresias:  (If no,he leaves and circleis closed.  Ifyes): 
          "Then enter and ask passage of the Guardians of the Gods." 
                Seeker enters and they travel 1 1/8 to North. 
           
                      Tiresias:  "Hail, MightyHephaestus, Craftsman of the Gods.
          With me is one who seeks entry to Olympus." 
                Hephaestus:  "How are you known, Seeker?" 
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
                      Hephaestus:"By whatright seekyoupassage throughthe North?"
                      Seeker: "I haveendured ayear of thepath ofEarth andlearned
                        of my own mortality." 
                Hephaestus:  "Pass with the Blessings of the Earth." 
                They travel around 1 1/4 to East. 
           
                      Tiresias: "Hail,Vigilant Artemis,Virgin Goddess. Withme is
                              one who seeks entry to Olympus." 
                Artemis:  "How are you known, Seeker?" 
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
                Artemis:  "By what right seek you passage through the East?" 
                      Seeker:  "I have endured a year of the path of Airand have
          learned the need for focus of will." 
                Artemis:  "Pass with the Blessings of the Air." 
                They travel around 1 1/4 to South. 
           
                      Tiresias: "Hail, Bright Apollo, Lordof the Sun. With me is
          one who seeks entry to Olympus." 
                Apollo:  "How are you known, Seeker?" 
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
                Apollo:  "By what right seek you passage through the South?" 
                Seeker has no answer. 
                      Apollo: "Youhave not yetearned theright topass through the
                         South.  To win this  right, you must seek Fire from  he
          who first gave it to Mankind, Prometheus.  Tiresias,             guard
          him upon his path of Fire that he learn what he             needs   to
          face the Titan." 
                They travel around 1 1/2 to North. 
           
                      Tiresias:  "Icome with __________, whonow seeks Prometheus
          that he may gain the right to Fire.  What can you                teach
          him that will ease his path?" 



                                                                             985
          


                      Hephaestus: "Knowthat Iam Hephaestus,Craftsman andSmith of
                              the Gods.  In my labors, I use Fire as a purifying
                              agent, seperating  the metal from  the stone,  and
          for the actual forging of my Art.  But remember                  that
          creativity requires forethought.  Daedalus                  w a s    a
          Master of my Craft, yet rarely considered                   t   h   e
          implications of his creations.  He created the 
          Labyrinth of Minos, who then imprisoned him within               i t s
          intricacies.  He crafted wing that he and his                    s o n
          might escape, yet in their flight Icarus died.  
          Always consider the consequences of the which you 
          create." 
                They travel 1 1/4 around to East. 
           
                      Tiresias: "I come with __________,who now seeks Prometheus
          that he may gain the right to Fire.  What can you                teach
          him that will ease his path?" 
                      Artemis: "Knowthat I amArtemis, VirginHuntress. Through my
                              will,  no man has ever known me.  Yet will must be
                              tempered  by  intellegence.    Remember  Otus  and
          Ephialtes, twin giants who were arrogant enough to               think
          themselves better than the Gods. They                  continued their
          ill-wrought plans, even after                     Poseidon      warned
          them.  Through supposed desire,                   they chose to pursue
          me.  They seperated in                  pursuit of what they saw  as a
          white hind, and,                   with simultaneous throws, slew each
          other.  Thus                  blind will caused the death  of all they
          truly                    loved." 
                They travel 1 1/4 around to the South 
           
                      Tiresias:  "Icome with __________, whonow seeks Prometheus
          that he may gain the right to Fire.  What can you                teach
          him that will ease his path?" 
                      Apollo:  "Know thatI am Apollo, Godof the Sun andKeeper of
          Knowledge.  Knowledge of Fire has allowed Man to                 forge
          a civilization.  But seeking to advance                     without
          can lead to catastrophe.  Witness                 Phaethon,        who
          attempted to drive the Sun Chariot                     without  proper
          knowledge, nearly causing the                     incineration  of the
          Earth.  Action without                  knowledge  will often  lead to
          ruin." 
                They travel around 1 1/4 to the West. 
           
                      Tiresias: "I come with__________, who now seeks Prometheus
          that he may gain the right to Fire.  What can you                teach
          him that will ease his path?" 
                      Hestia: "Know that I amHestia, Goddess of Hearthand Home. 
          The warm glow of emotion in balance is vital for 
          proper growth and life.  But when emotions are 
          allowed to rule above all else, tragedy is soon to 
          follow.  Consider Paris, who upon seeing Helen,                  bowed
          to an all-consuming desire for her,                    kidnapping  her
          without thought of the                  consequences.   Thus began the
          Trojan War.  Do not                     bury   your    emotions,   but
          neither should you elevate                   them  to   the  level  of
          Ruler. 



                                                                             986
          


                      Theytravel 1 3/4around to theSouth.  Tiresiasalone goes to
          altar and faces Seeker. 
           
                      Tiresias: "Seeker,are youprepared toface Prometheushimself
                              with your request?" 
                Seeker:  "I am." 
                Tiresias:  "Then come forward and call him forth." 
                Seeker goes to altar facing North. 
           
                      Seeker: "From the depths of Time, I call you forth.  Arise
          Prometheus, Lightbringer." 
                      Fromwithinthe membersin theCircle,Prometheus risesand goes
          to north side of altar. 
           
                Prometheus:  "I am Prometheus.  Who summons me here?" 
                Seeker:  "I am __________." 
                      Prometheus: "Why haveyou brought me herefrom the depths of
          Time?" 
                Seeker:  "I seek the Gift of Fire." 
                Prometheus:  "And by what right do you ask it? 
                Seeker:  "By the right of perfect love and perfect trust." 
                      Prometheus: "Thenknow thatyou are wellmet. I willgrant you
                              Fire and  its path for  a year and a  day that you
          might learn its lessons.  The most important 
          lesson it can teach you is the need for thought 
          before action of any kind.  You must always                 consider
          the consequences of all that you do or                 say.    At  the
          end of your time on this path, you                     will  be judged
          on your fitness to continue your                  search." 
                Prometheus gives Seeker a token of Fire. 
                Prometheus:  "With my service done, I bid you farewell." 
                Prometheus leaves, blending into Circle. 
                      Tiresias: "Welldone, mostnoble Seeker.Pleasejoin usfor the
                              remainder of our revels." 
                      Seekeris given seatin Circle. Tiresias faces frontof altar
          and dismisses Deities using Greek styling and the following names: 
           
                                                   GOD 
                                        Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon 
           
                                                 GODDESS 
                                       Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite 
           
                      Each Quarter dismisses  its element in  a Greek style  and
          dismisses the appropriate Wind: 
           
                                             NORTH:  Boreas 
                                              EAST:  Eurus 
                                             SOUTH:  Notus 
                                              WEST:  Zephyrus 
           
                      Tiresias: "Our workis completed fornow.  Letus rejoice and
          enjoy this company,  remembering that  though we may  go our  seperate
          ways,  we are alway united as one.   Merry meet, merry part, and merry
          meet again!" 
           
           
           
                                          GREEK FIRE INITIATION 



                                                                             987
          

           
           
                                              Seeker's Copy 
           
           
           
                      Seeker approachescircle atnorth-east pointof Circle when  
                summoned. 
           
                Seeker:  "I, __________. 
           
                Seeker replies to question. 
           
                Seeker enters and they travel 1 1/8 to North. 
           
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
           
                      Seeker: "I haveendured ayear of thepath ofEarth andlearned
                         of my own mortality." 
           
                They travel around 1 1/4 to East. 
           
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
           
                      Seeker:  "I have endured a year of the pathof Air and have
          learned the need for focus of will." 
           
                They travel around 1 1/4 to South. 
           
                Seeker:  "I am called __________." 
           
                Seeker has no answer. 
           
                They travel around 1 1/2 to North. 
           
                They travel 1 1/4 around to East. 
           
                They travel 1 1/4 around to the South 
           
                They travel around 1 1/4 to the West. 
           
                      They travel 13/4 aroundto theSouth.  Tiresiasalone goesto 
               altar and faces Seeker. 
           
                Seeker:  "I am." 
           
                Seeker goes to altar facing North. 
           
                      Seeker:  "From the depths ofTime, I call you forth.  Arise
          Prometheus, Lightbringer." 
           
                Seeker:  "I am __________." 
           
                Seeker:  "I seek the Gift of Fire." 
           
                Seeker:  "By the right of perfect love and perfect trust." 
           
                Seeker is given seat in Circle. 
           



                                                                             988
          

                                              SCENTS AND OILS 
           
           
               It has long been one of man's beliefs that different scents
          effect us on many levels including the spiritual One of the main
          reasons for perfumes and colognes is this belief.  Here is a brief
          list of properties distributed by Connections Candles, a company the
          makes candles and sells them at metaphysical gatherings. 
           
           APPLE:  Peace of mind, relaxation, love, wisdom. 
           
           BAYBERRY:  Luck to the home, money to the pocket. 
           
           BURGAMOT:  Protection from harm. 
           
           CEDAR:  Instills confidence, protection from misery and 
                   misfortune. 
           
           CINNAMON:  raise and enhance spiritual vibrations, stimulate 
                      clairvoyance, aids focus and concentration, good for 
                      personal protection. 
           
           CITRONELLA:  Attracts friends and customers, protection from 
                        insects. 
           
           CLOVE:  Strengthens memory, protects from hostile negative forces. 
           
           EUCALYPTUS:  Promotes healing of any hurt, depression or illness.    
                     Especially good for colds or flu. 
           
           FRANKENCENSE:  Frees one of obsessions and destructive habits, brings
                         spiritual blessings, protects, exorcises, purifies. 
           
          HELIOTROPE:  Increases clairvoyance, assists meditation, 
                        protects from physical harm. 
           
          HONEYSUCKLE:  Aids in understanding non-physical realities, sharpens  
                      intuition, brings prosperity. 

          JASMINE:  Psychic protection, cleanses the aura, stimulates   - 
                    creativity and originality, attracts spiritual love. 
           
          LAVENDER:  Frees from emotional stress, brings inner calm and peace,  
                     gives increased awareness, brings stability and permanance,
                     good for headaches. 
           
          LEMON:  Evokes protective spirits. 
           
          LILAC:  Helps recall past lives, draws good spirits, helps 
                  decision making, improves memory. 



                                                                             989
          

           
          MUSK:  Instills self assurance, confidence and strength, 
                 heightens passions. 
           
          MYRRH:  Guards against evil, brings peace, assists in understanding   
                  personal sorrow. 
           
          ORANGE:  Brings harmony, raises power. 
           
          PINE:  Cleanses, ends useless recriminations. 
           
          ROSE:  Unconditional love, peace, harmony, tranquility. 
           
          SAGE:  Powerful clearing and cleansing, removes negative 
                 energy. 
           
          SANDALWOOD:  Stimulates clairvoyance, aids in seeing past lives,
                       healing, clearing, protection, calms the mind. 
           
          SWEETGRASS:  Invokes spiritual blessings, aids transformation. 
           
          VANILLA:  Vitalizes energy, brings happy occasions to the premises,   
                    draws good fortune. 



                                                                             990

                                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.



                                                                             991

                         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.



                                                                             992

                         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.



                                                                             993

                         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.



                                                                             994


                                 THE COVEN (continued)

     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.



                                                                             995


                                 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
               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;



                                                                             996


                                 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.



                                                                             997


                                 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.

                                    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.



                                                                             998

                              THE PRIESTHOOD (continued)

     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.

     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?



                                                                             999


                              THE PRIESTHOOD (continued)

     And so it is that they who lose or give away their following,
       Or they who through inactivity have lost their power,
          Or they who are not in harmony and love with their Spiritual Father;
               Shall be retired from a rank to which entitled
                    Other than by leadership of men.

     But this can only be done by he who ordained them,
          For only those who give can take away,
               Yet each High Priest is responsible that this is done.

     Should any Fellow fain the Priesthood, and use it wisely and well,
          The Gods have decreed that those who serve them
               Shall prosper and grow in this life,
                    And shall gain eternal perfection
                         To be freed from the Wheel of Life,
                              And to become like unto the angels
                                   In that they should be perfect.

     For perfection is to be gained by love,
          And there is no greater love than to
               Lay down one's life for his brethren
                    In their service and for their sake,
                         And the Father will reward them for
                              Their labor of love, because
                                   He is not unjust.


                                        FINIS 



                                                                            1000

                      A CULT-HUNTER LOOKS AT CHRISTIANITY 
      
      1- When you enter some Catholic churches, you are confronted by a graphic 
           representation ofJesus, nailed to a cross, bleeding, suffering, and  
     then you are told that He went to this death of His own free will!  
        You read about Saints that whipped themselves; that wore hair shirts to 
        abuse their bodies. You even see, in this modern age, the Penitentes 
           ofMexico and New Mexicowho continue this practice, evengoing so far  
     as  to crucify themselves,  men and women!  People who  walk to a  "holy"  
     shrine on  their knees,  doing possible permanent  damage to themselves,   
     are lauded  for having  performed a  "holy" act!   Children  are beaten,   
     starved, tortured and otherwise seriously harmed by members of this  cult  
     following the Biblical  admonition "Speare the rod and spoil  the child."  
     There  are also innumerable  cases of the  denial of blood  transfusions,  
     denial of  public  education, and  denial  of *  any  * modern  medical    
     treatment, all  in the  name of  this cult's beliefs.  Does Christianity   
     preach  a form  of sado-masochism?  If it does,  it is  a dangerous  cult  
     indeed! 
      
       2-  This ritual  of "Holy Communion"  or the  "Lord's Supper" has  some  
     overtones  that bother  any right-thinking  person. After  all, the        
     worshippers are told  that they  are eating the  "Body and Blood  of our   
     Saviour, Jesus Christ!"  Can it be very  far from * ritual * cannibalism   
     to * real * cannibalism? This cult seems more and more dangerous! 
      
      3- The pre-occupation of some sects of Christianity with "demons" and
           "devils" and "evil spirits"that, in their minds, seem toinhabit the  
     whole  Universe, ready  at the  slightest opportunity  to "possess"  the   
     bodies and minds of  humans, reeks of Diabolism!  The more extreme sects   
     even seem to believe that this "Devil" is some  sort of anti-God that has  
     * all * power over the world.  Can it be  a very great step from being so  
     preoccupied with devils to  the actual worship of them? One  should worry  
     about this! 
      
      4- One sect of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church, actually LOCKS UP 
        young girls (and older women) and forbids them contact with the world, 
        forbids them marriage, and tells them it is a "sin" to think of men in 
           a sexual manner, and that they will "burnin 'hell' " if they do so.  
     Such  single-sex,  enforced  groupings of  people  (similar  to  secular   
     prisons) are always hotbeds of deviant behaviour.   The same sect forbids  
     marriage to  its priests, and thereby  perhaps encourages the many,  many  
     DOCUMENTED cases of its priests  molesting young boys.  One of its  major  
     past leaders (called  "Apostles"), Saul of Tarsus, aka "Saint  Paul," was  
     known for his hatred  of women, and he seems to be the major theoretician  
     of many of  the "Fundamentalist"  sects of  the cult.   Can  it be  that   
     Christianity actually * encourages  * homosexuality, while preaching the   
     opposite? 
      
       5- One sect,  the "Jehovah's  Witnesses," refuses allegiance  to their   
     country!  They  will not  salute the flag,  nor will  they serve in  the   
     Armed  Forces!   The  "Social Gospel,"  a  take-from-the-rich propaganda   
     pitch,  is  preached all  over  Third World  nations,  subverting  their   
     governments! Can  it be  that Christianity  encourages  the "One  World"   
     viewpoint of certain radical political groups? 
      
      6- The sexual behaviour of its leaders has been well documented, from
           "Popes" (the leader  of the Roman  Catholic sect) to  Aimee Semple   
     Macpherson,  to Jimmy  Swaggert. One  wonders  about such  leaders being   
     placed  in positions  of  command  over  our young  people.    How many    
     innocents have been defiled by such persons? One wonders! 
