
          
                          BOOK OF SHADOWS 
                                       


                         VOLUME The SEVENTH

                          pp. 2857 - 3277


                                       
           RIDERS OF THE CRYSTAL WIND  TABLE OF CONTENTS 
A Christian Speaks (J.C. Taylor) ...............................2460
A Minister Speaks Out (J. gordon Melton) ........................975
A Plea For Initiation Standards (Ellen Cannon Reed) .............908
A Tale of Two Witches (Mike Nichols) ............................147
A True History of Witchcraft (Allen Greenfield) ................1771
ADF Ritual #1 ..................................................3063
Aethyr, On the Nature of (Anthra Andromda) .....................1816
Against The Witch Hunters (R. Culain) ..........................1704
AIR - A Meditation (Charis) ....................................1559
All Hallows Eve (Mike Nichols) ..................................137
Altars, Misc Thoughts (Chris Olmstead) .........................2566
Altar Dedication  (Durwydd) .....................................125
Altered States and Ritual (Web of Wyrd #7) .....................3081
Amazing (Pagan?) Grace ..........................................959
Amerind Teaching Stories
     Rabbit (John Lone Wolf) ...................................1534
An Australian Aboriginal Myth (WoW #10) ........................2481
Ancient Art, The ................................................551
Answers (Grove of the Unicorn) ..................................479
Aridian (Strega) Information ...................................1947
Asatru (Rathulvf Jamieson) ......................................952
Asatru Resources ...............................................3061
Asatru Blot (Lewis Stead) ......................................2338
Astral Projection (Monroe Technique) ............................783
Athame Dedication (Durwydd) .....................................125
Autarchic Creed .................................................562
Autonomatrix Manifesto .........................................1813
Badgers ........................................................2554
Banes, Bindings, and Mirrors (Judy Harrow, Hugh Read) ...........628
"Bardic" Circle Rituals from DragonHart Cove
     Beltane (The White Bard) ..................................1111
     Candlemas (The White Bard) ................................1151
     Samhain (The White Bard) ..................................1116
Bardic Wedding (RowanHart Circle) ..............................1526
Bardic Mythos (The Whyte Bard)
     Creation ..................................................2206
        "      Part II .........................................2251
     Death .....................................................2204
     Maiden Story ..............................................2199
     Rebirth ...................................................2205
     The Sacred King ...........................................2201
     The Gifts of The Fool .....................................2202
     The Story of The Pit ......................................2439
     The Jesus Story ...........................................2440
     A Yule Mythos .............................................2533
Bare Bones 3rd Degree (Humor) ...................................463
Basic Beliefs of WICCA (C.O.G.) .................................947
Basic Love Spell ................................................958
Basic Spell Construction ........................................113
Basic Principles (American Council of Witches)...................310
Basic Ritual Outline (ED FITCH) ...................................6
Being A Witch in Brittain Today (James Pengelly, WOW #10) ......2658
Beltaine Ritual (Firestar Coven, 1986) ...........................36
Beltane Ritual 1987 (Coven of The Serpents Eye) ................1743
Beltane Ritual (Seastrider) .....................................464
Beltane Ritual (ADF) ...........................................2956
Beltane Ritual (Lynna Landstreet, W.C.C.) ......................1935
Beltane, Its Origins (Rowan Moonstone) ..........................126
Berserkir (Mike Howard, W o W #7) ..............................3084
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Betty Crocker Cult, The (M. Perrin) ............................3083
Beyond Reason (Aries, W.o.W.) ..................................2240
Bible, Books not included .......................................652
Bibliography (annotated) ........................................929
Bibliography of Magic in Sci-Df (M. Griffith) ..................1737
Binding A Spell (Farrar & Farrar) ...............................157
Bovinomicon (humor) ............................................1805
Blackout and Sigils (I.O.T.) ...................................1402
Blessing Payer (Traditional Gardnerian "Dryghten Prayer") ......1512
Blood Sacrifice (Althea Whitebirch) .............................547
Bridal Blessing (Julia Phillips) ...............................2572
Brigit of the Celts (Unknown) ..................................2960
Brigit, Two Prayers ............................................3263
Broken Heart Spell (Healing) ...................................1219
Bulb Planting Chant (Eileen) ...................................2853
Burning Times, The (Marios) .....................................951
"Calling Spell" (Rowan Moonstone) ..............................2577
Candle Blessing (Coven of New Gwynedd) .........................3266
Candle Colors ...................................................982
Candle Magic ....................................................417
Candle Scents ...................................................988
Candlemas Ritual 1987 (Coven of The Serpents Eye) ..............1750
Candlemas (Gwydion) .............................................537
Candlemas (Mike Nichols) ........................................168
Catharsis Circle (Judy Harrow).....................................8
Cauldrons (Elemental)............................................420
CAW (Church of All Worlds) Basic Info Pkg. (12/93)
     Bylaws.....................................................2484
     Communion Ceremony (Morning Glory Zell) ...................2495
     "Earthmom" ................................................2496
     Electronic CAW (Irv Koch) .................................2527
     History ...................................................2502
     Neo-Paganism (Otter G'Zell) ...............................2506
     Neo-Pagan Witchcraft vs. Satanism .........................2510
     "What is it?" (CAW, Australia) ............................2514
     Nest List (as of 12/93) ...................................2525
CELTIC NUMEROLOGY (Mike Nichols) ................................454
CELTIC BIBLIOGRAPHY (Rowan Moonstone) ...........................298
Celtic Bibliography (Annotated, by Eryn Darkstar) ..............1133
Celtic Centering Ritual ........................................3265
Celtic Deities/Origins (Lorax) .................................2351
Celtic Workshop (from Internet) ................................3101
Chakras, Greek .................................................2400
Chalice Ritual - Dragon Trad (C.J. Mandrake) ...................1468
Channeling (Jast) ...............................................969
Channeling for Fun and Prophet (F.J. McGovern) .................1736
Chants w/ASCII Notation (L.A.Hussey) ...........................1081
Chaos, Some Heretical remarks on Philosophy (K. Dykow)..........2264
Chaos Magic (Mark Chao) .........................................398
Chaos Magick vs. Thelema .......................................1240
Chaos-sphere ...................................................1393
Chaoism and Chaos Magick (Pete Carroll) ........................1404
Charge of the Phone Goddess (Magenta Griffith) ..................759
Charge of the God, The (Kyri Comyn) ............................1925
Charge of the Horned God [Rhyming] (V. West) ...................1927
Charge of the Goddess [Rhyming] (Kalioppe) .....................1928
Charge of the Goddess, The (D. Valiente) ........................193
Charge of the Goddess, The (Kyri Comyn) ........................1926
Charge of The Horned God, The ...................................936
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Charge of the God 1 (Siobhan) ..................................3272
Charge of the God 2 (Siobhan) ..................................3273
Charging Crystals (Ian Kesser) .................................1707
Check List for A Well Working Group (Earthrite BBS) .............957
Child Blessings ................................................2572
Church of All Worlds ............................................353
Christian "Cults" ..............................................1000
Christmas Customs (Rick Hayward) ...............................2481
Christmas Past (Eric Maple, via Julia Phillips) ................2530
Circle Closing ..................................................540
Circle Casting (Avaloian)........................................541
Circle Purification for Asthmatics ..............................780
Circle Casting (after Valiente and Farrar) ......................130
Circles, why use them? (Mel White) ...............................65
Cleansing (Rowan Moonstone) .......................................2
Cleansing Incense ..............................................2547
Comparison of Wicca and Christianity.............................622
Computer Blessing (Zahai Stewart) ...............................757
Coming of Age ritual (notes by Malakus) ........................2578
"Condensed" Definition of Wicca (Lady Phoenix) ..................948
Consciousness & Politics  (Carol Moore).........................
Coven, The (Julia Phillips) ....................................2998
Coven at Pooh Corner (D. Wadsworth) ............................1688
Coven Offices ...................................................762
Coven Leadership ................................................543
Covens and Witches (Julia Phillips) ............................3266
Covenant of the Goddess .........................................305
Covenant of the Goddess, History (Michael Thorn) ...............2459 
Covenant of the Goddess Pledge ..................................309
Craft Ethics (J. Crowley) .......................................751
Craft Ethics Response (M.K.H) ..................................1216
CRAFT LAW
     Craft Laws (by Lady Sheba).................................1163
     New Laws (Lady Galadriel, Grove of The Unicorn)............1174
     The New Book Of Law, A Commentary (J. Random Folksinger)...1185
     Aporrheton 5 (Judy Harrow?) ...............................1195
     The Abbreviated Laws (including Comment by J.R.F.) ........1202
     The Law (Humor) ...........................................1204
Commentary by a student ........................................1212
Commentary by L.A. Hussey.......................................1214
Compuserve Sabbats (Courtesy J. Quigley)
     Beltane. 90 ...............................................2090
     Imbolc.90 .................................................2094
     Imbolc.93 .................................................2110
     Lammas.90 .................................................2104
     Lammas.91 .................................................2099
     MoonAPR.93 ................................................2114
     MoonAUG.92 ................................................2121
     MoonFEB.93 ................................................2127
     MoonJul.92 ................................................2130
     MoonJUN.92 ................................................2134 

     MoonMAR.93 ................................................2140
     MoonMay.93 ................................................2148
     MoonOCT.92 ................................................2154
     MoonSEP.92 ................................................2161
     SAMHAIN.91 ................................................2171
     SAMHAIN.92 ................................................2177
     Spring Equinox.92 .........................................2188
     YULE.90 ...................................................2184
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Coven Leadership, some food for thought ........................1943
Creation Story ..................................................619
Creed Of The People Of God (Catholic) ..........................1005
Crone Energies (Grey Cat) .......................................559
Crossroads .....................................................1794
Crystals, their care and feeding (Matrika).......................413
Cult Danger Evaluation Frame (P.E.I.Bonewits) ...................343
CUUPS (C.O.G. Salt Lake City) ..................................1002
Dark Moon Ritual ...............................................3259
Dangers of "Magical Thinking" in Magick (Nihasa)................1716
"Dark Night of the Soul".........................................286
"Dark Night of the Soul"........................................1411
Dangers of Deity? (a Conversation) .............................1820
DCW Landmarks ...................................................492
Death & Rebirth, A Modern Myth (Kalioppe) ......................2411
Degrees within Covens ...........................................623
Dedication Ritual (Khaled Quicksilver) .........................1841
Dedication Pledge (Judy Harrow) ................................2549
Deity Engineering Worksheet .....................................607
Denver Area Wiccan Network ......................................200
Descent of The Goddess (Sewna Silvara) ..........................750
Descent of The Goddess (G.B.G.) ................................1769
Descent of The Goddess (D. Mac Tara) ...........................1923
Descent of The Goddess (Starhawk) ..............................1770
Descent Into Confusion (Robert Hughes, WOW) ....................2711
Dianic Wicca (Inanna Seastar) ...................................614
Dion Fortune & Gardnerian Wicca (C.S. Clifton in W.o.W.) .......2210
Divine Circle Scam .............................................1507
Divination (Bibliography) .......................................605
Divination (RMPJ) ...............................................603
Dragon, The Last (story by Gerald Decampo) .....................1226
Dragon Tradition (Phoenix Arizona)
     Circle Casting ............................................1228
     "Quarter Calls" ...........................................1486
Drawing Down the Moon ...........................................557
Dream Problem Solving ...........................................573
Dream Bibliography ..............................................576
Dream Life ......................................................571
Dream-News ......................................................567
Dreams Precognition .............................................575
Dying God (Ammond ShadowCraft)...................................685
Eclectic Circle Ceremony (Durwydd) ...............................40
EcoMagick .......................................................614
Editorial, Web of Wyrd #10 (Julia Phillips) ....................2993
EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD (Budge) ..............................2717
Egyptian Metaphysics (Michael Poe) .............................2032
Eight Paths to Altered States (Carrie McMasters).................222
Eight Magicks (Pete Carroll) ...................................1825
Elements, A Hermetic Summoning (Marios) .........................960
Elemental Correspondences (from Starhawk) .......................979
Elemental Correspondences .......................................560
Elven (Modern Mythic Prose by Par Garou) .......................1159
Essay on The Three-Fold Law (Paul Seymour) .....................1208
Ethics and Morals (RMPJ) ........................................315
Ethics and Magick (Warren Stott) ................................415
Ethics and Laws (Lifeway Shamanic Fellowship) ..................1220
Ethics and Love Magick (Mike Nichols) ...........................554
Ethics or Etiquette .............................................565
Etymology of "Wicca" ............................................356
                    TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Evolution of Wiccan Ritual (Paul Hume) ..........................946
Exegesis on The Wiccan Rede (Judy Harrow).......................1209
Exorcism ........................................................613
Eyes of a dyke [fiction] (vivienne West) .......................1931
Feminine Current in the G.D. (Peregrine, in WoW) ...............2228
Festivals .......................................................587
Film Guide '89 (Mike Nichols)....................................528
Finer Points of Ritual (Mike Nichols) ..........................2963
Firefawn (Masochistic Maiden) ..................................2356
First Degree, What is it? .......................................351
FISH (Creative use of Christian Symbology) ......................611
Five Fold Kiss ..................................................744
Food For Thought (Some notes for Coven Leaders) ................1943
Fool ............................................................590
For A Few Myths More (WofW #7) .................................3274
Fortune, The (RMPJ) .............................................953
Full Deck Tarot Spread ..........................................625
Full Moon Ritual (Seastrider)....................................634
Fundamentals of Human Ecology ...................................616
Fundies Visit Denver (Transcribed by Rowan Moonsone) ...........2366
Funeral Rites (Oz Caliburn) ....................................2363
Funeral Ritual, Generic Pagan (She-Wolf) .......................2524
GAEA Hypothesis (Green Egg) ....................................2398
Gardnerian Book of Shadows .....................................3000
Georgian Mythos (Zanoni Silverknife) ...........................2340
Glossary (Rowan Moonstone & Durwydd MacTara) ....................206
Gnosticism.......................................................694
God/Goddess Balance (Adrienne)...................................223
Golden Dawn (Calif.).............................................689
Golden Dawn Training (outline)...................................691
Goodwife (Story by L.A. Hussey) .................................644
Great Rite, The (Symbolic) ......................................656
Greek and Roman Deities (Thomas Palmer) ........................1698
Greek Fire Initiation............................................982
GREEK LBRP .....................................................2404
Group Ethics Essay (Raven) .....................................3267
Halloween, Origins of (Rowan Moonstone) ..........................26
Halloween, A Witches Thoughts (Cecylina Brightsword) ...........2575
Handfasting ......................................................68
Handfasting (Lady Ardane, Prodigy) .............................2197
Handfasting (CAW) ..............................................2948
Handfasting, Celtic ............................................3277
Handfasting Ritual Notes .......................................3276
Harvest Home (Mike Nichols) .....................................176
Harvest Thoughts (Gary Dumbauld) ................................630
Harvest Home - 1987 (Michael Fix) ................................13
Heal The Earth (a meditation) ...................................661
Healing (one method) ............................................655
Healing Myth (Nihasa) ...........................................165
Heirophant, The (Khaled Quicksilver) ...........................1946
Helpful Hints (Humor) ...........................................966
Herbal "Quick Reference" .......................................2541
Heretic's Corner (RMPJ) .........................................869
Heyokah (RMPJ) ..................................................632
Hidden Codes in the Torah .......................................733
High Technology Meets The Ancient Wisdom ........................964
History (Weyland Smith) .........................................786
History of Witch Craft ..........................................791
Homeblessing (Selena Fox) .......................................663
                    TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Homeblessing (She Wolf) ........................................2545
Homeblessing notes (Scott Cunningham) ..........................2546
House Cleansing Ritual (David Piper) ...........................3264
How to use Magick with a straight face .........................3228
Hymns To The Star Goddess (O.T.O.) .............................1431
Hypnosis 101 ....................................................667
I.O.T. History (The Beginnings).................................1398
Ideology (I.O.T.) ..............................................1252
In Defense of Excellence (Adrienne, Quicksilver, Ottawa) .......2553
Imbolc (Solitary Ritual) ........................................664
Imbolc at the Covenstead (Erin) ................................2556
Imbolc Myth ....................................................2535
Imbolc Ritual ..................................................2536
Imbolg Ritual (Kalioppe) .......................................2420
Imbolg '92 (Julia Phillips) ....................................1757
Initiation, Outdoor (adaptation) .................................72
Initiation (Brad Hicks) ..........................................50
Initiation (D. Valiente) .......................................3077
Initiation (Crowther) ..........................................3079
Introductory Book List ..........................................926
Ishtar, Inanna, & Ancient Astrology (Valkyrie) .................2466
INVOCATIONS
     Freyja (unknown) ............................................56
     Frigg (Russ Anderson) .......................................55
     Brigit (Russ Anderson) ......................................57
     Baldur (unknown) ............................................55
     Freyr (unknown) .............................................56
     Herne (unknown) .............................................57
     Thorr (unknown) .............................................58
INVOCATIONS -QUARTERS-
     EAST ......................................................1542
     SOUTH .....................................................1543
     WEST ......................................................1544
     NORTH .....................................................1545
Invocation of Lord and Lady (Ritual) ...........................2557
Irish Myth Concordance (Mike Nichols) ...........................422
Ishtar ..........................................................740
Issian Circle (Matrika) ..........................................59
Judeopagan Menopause Ritual (Randronoth) .......................2333
K.A.M. ..........................................................735
Kabballah (Colin Low)............................................236
Kali and Modern Physics .........................................730
Karma & Quantum Mechanics ......................................3085
Keeper of Wisdom, The (Kalioppe) ...............................2416
Keltria (The Henge of) ..........................................739
"Kids" (Kalioppe) ..............................................2250
"The Knots of Death" ...........................................3093
Labeling Wiccans (Lucie) .......................................2330
Lady Day (Mike Nichols) .........................................171
Lady's Prayer, The .............................................2398
Lammas (Mike Nichols) ...........................................174
Lammas Ritual , "The Corn Play" (Julia Phillips) ...............1941
Lammas Ritual (1991, Celtic Temple of the Wiccan Way ...........2194
"Landmarks" (D.C.W.) ............................................990
LBRP, an Essay (Tim Maroney) ....................................103
Learning Process ................................................962
Leave it Out, Leviticus (Aries, W.O.W. #8) .....................2260
"Legitimacy" in the Craft (Khaled Q.) ..........................1766
Liber OZMA (Tim Maroney) .......................................1414
                    TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Lilith (BBS Conversation) ......................................1083
Literary Roots of Wicca (Diane Vera) ...........................1535
LLEW, Death of (Mike Nichols) ...................................179
Lucid Dreaming (Omni Magazine) ..................................955
LUPERCALIA (She Wolf) ..........................................2580
MABON Outline (anonymous) ........................................43
Magick, Physics, & Probability (Hurn) ...........................811
Magick (A. Crowley) .............................................817
Magick Vs. Prayer (Salgamma) ....................................684
Magickal Book List ..............................................923
Magick Course Outline (Amber K.).................................815
Magickal Ethics (Judy Harrow) ...................................502
Magickal History (Fra.: Apfelman) ...............................406
Magickal Definitions (RMPJ) .....................................814
Magickal Laws (after P.E.I. Bonewits) ...........................831
Magickal Musical Selection Guide ...............................1079
Magickal Pyramid, The (Durwydd MacTara).........................1096
Magickal Stones & Gems ..........................................912
Magickal Training Course (Phil Hansford) .......................1373
Manhood Rituals (RMPJ) ..........................................760
Mantra Web technique ............................................288
Mayan Deities (777 Supplement) ..................................834
Mayday Celebration (Mike Nichols) ...............................837
MAYDAY Celebration (Mike Nichols) ................................79
Maychants (4) (Tanscribed by SeaStrider).........................911
Mazes in Myth (Valkyrie) .......................................2471
Mead, Brew of The Gods! (Lewis Stead) ..........................2550
Media Management (Windfire Coven) ...............................851
Meditation Techniques, Basic (Bill Witt) .......................1513
Memorial Day Ritual (HPF, She-Wolf) ............................3098
Memory & Perception, a new Model (Paul Seymour).................1077
Midsummer (Mike Nichols) .........................................45
Mind, A Treatise on The (The Tigress) ..........................1460
Mind Control Techniques (Dick Sutphen) ..........................512
Models of Magick (incomplete)....................................216
Modern Pagaism, Q&A .............................................920
Modern Pagan Persecution (Jonathan Hutchins) ....................942
Modified Assyrian Protection Spell (With Commentary) ...........1739 
Mothers Day Message ............................................1076
Money Tree Spell (Rowan Moonstone) .............................2576
MONISM (Durwydd Mac Tara) ......................................1523
Monotheism vs. Polytheism (Dan Holdgriewe) ......................941
Muhammad .......................................................2699
Pagan Musings (Tony Kelly, Selene Community, Wales,1970) .......2435
Mycenaen Mysteries (J. Teller)...................................365
Mystical Pentagram ..............................................110
Nature Spirit Magick (Larry Cornett) ............................357
Necromancy (reprint) ............................................841
Nemesis Conjuration (I.O.T.) ...................................1250
Neo-Pagan Ritual (Brad Hicks) ....................................77
Neo-Pagan Theology (Cyprian) ...................................2426
Neo-Paganism (J. Brad Hicks) ....................................329
NeoPaganism (Eric S. Raymond) ...................................333
NeoPlatonism (Deborah Kest) ....................................2473
"New Age" Ministry (Steve Kalinowski) ..........................2705
NLP- Applied Magic (Brandy Williams).............................459
Notes On The Historical Egregore in Magick (I.O.T.).............1245
Nine Noble Virtues (Norse) .....................................3254
NROOGD SAMHAIN - 1987 (l.a. Hussey) ..............................21
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)  
Occult Resurgence, A theory .....................................224
ODINISM, What is it? ............................................764
Open Circle Ethics (Brandy Williams) ............................377
Open Letter to A New Witch ......................................910
Open Letter to Selena Fox (Isaac Bonewits) .....................1089
Opening (ending) The Circle ......................................12
Ordo Argentum Astrum ...........................................1230
Origins of the Mandan (Madoc) ...................................949
Orphic Invocations of God & Goddess (Phaedra) ..................1541
Pagan Churches? (Julia Phillips) ...............................2252
Pagan Folksongs (The Whyte Bard
            -  THE GREENBOOK OF NEO-PAGAN SONGS - 
 All Thru The Night ............................................2303 
Bard's Song, The ..............................................2302  
 Bedlam Bells ..................................................2289
 Blessed Be Again! .............................................2297
 Burning Times/Chant ...........................................2290
 Cambrian Dream ................................................2308
 Celtic Circle Dance ...........................................2286
 Childish Edda, The ............................................2312
 Circles .......................................................2287
 Cup Of Wonder .................................................2309
 Cup Of Wonder II ..............................................2310
 Fairies Love Song .............................................2301
 False Knight Upon The Road, The (Child #3) ....................2306
 God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot ..................................2214
 Harp Song Of The Dane Women ...................................2298
 High Holiday Song, The ........................................2329
 John Barleycorn ...............................................2305
 King Henry (Child #32) ........................................2283
 Lord Of The Dance .............................................2284
 Nottamun Town .................................................2307
 Nude ..........................................................2300
 She Moved Thru The Faire ......................................2309
 Song Of Wandering Aengus, The .................................2311
 Spring Strathspey .............................................2288
 Stand Up, Stand Up For Odin ...................................2299
 Thong Of Thor, The ............................................2282
 Two Magicians .................................................2304
 Wiccan Rede, The ..............................................2280
 Witch's Ballad, The ...........................................2281
 Valkyrie Song, The ............................................2213
 Real Old Time Religion, That ..................................2315
 Yule Songs           
      Christmas Time Is Pagan! .................................2295
      Dancing In A Wiccan Wonderland ...........................2293
      Gloria ...................................................2291
      Glory To The New Born King ...............................2293
      God Rest Ye Merry, Paganfolk .............................2296
      Hark The Neo-Pagans Sing .................................2291
      Joy To The World .........................................2295
      Moon Of Silver ...........................................2294
      Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful! ...............................2292
      Share The Light ..........................................2294
      Silent Night .............................................2292
      Ye Children All Of Mother Earth ..........................2291
Pagan Manners (Grey Cat) .......................................3070
Pagan Unity Ritual (W.o.W. #5) .................................2246
Pantacle, The (Gary Dumbauld) ...................................392
                   Table Of Contents (Continued) 
Perscution, Ancient & Modern (Julia Phillips) ..................1627
Personal effects of Ritual (Nihasa) .............................868
Peyote & The Supreme Court (News Articles) .....................1725
Planetary Hours (Andrew Kettle) ................................3074
Polarity and Single Sex Covens (Marios) .........................945
Pornography & Pagan Ideals ......................................972
Power Animals (RMPJ).............................................411
Principia Discordia ............................................2893
Prosperity [Famtrad] (Rowan Moonstone) .........................1485
Psychic Self-Defense ............................................594
Psychic Attack ..................................................563
PR Flyer (Raven, Milwaukee CUUPS) ..............................2995
"Quantum" Kaballah...............................................282
Quantum Magick (Larry Cornett) ..................................857
Quilting and "Craft" (J.M. Cortese) ............................1103
Rainforest Ritual (Michael Harismedes, 1988) ....................212
Raven Kindred Ritual (Asatru) ..................................2815
Reclaiming The God (Women's Ritual) ............................2853
Rede, The (J. Taylor, S.O.T.E.G.) ..............................1488
"Restorationist" Christianity (Chris Anderson) .................2385
Risk Assessment for The Craft Community (Weyland Smith) ........1723
Rite of Passage, Modern Female (Lady Shyra) ....................2694
Ritual of the Blessed Motherboard (Discordian Humor) ...........1471
Ritual Abuse Scandal in Britain (Michael Howard) ...............2233
Ritual Bath (Sewna Silvara) .....................................745
Ritual Theory and Technique (Colin Low).........................2668
Rosicrucianism (J. Phillips) ...................................1741
Rune Poem, A linguistic Analysis by Steph Parker ...............2476
Runes, What are they? (Lokrien) .................................215
Runic Thorn Ritual (Faunus) ....................................1097
Salem Anniversary Ritual (Sandy & Diug Kopf)....................1156
Samhain Notes (Farrar)...........................................143
Samhain Ritual (L. A. Hussey) ....................................19
Samhain Ritual (Kalioppe) ......................................2423
Samhain Ritual (O.T.O.) .........................................145
Samhain (United Wiccan Church) ..................................141
Samhain Ritual 1986 (Coven of The Serpents Eye) ................1759
Sangreal Sodality, The (Alfgar Maharg) ..........................944
Santa (Tane Jackson) ...........................................2573
Satanic Ritual Abuse (1992 FBI Report) .........................1575
Satanism
     Satanism 101 (Diaane Vera) ................................1536
     Satanism Defined (Delohine) ...............................1539
     Satanism as Media Hype (News Article) .....................1717
     Satanism vs. Wicca (Diane Vera).............................194
     Setian Symbolism (T.O.S.) .................................1560
Saxon Wicca (Matrika) ...........................................158
Scorpio Dragon (Sewna Silvara) ..................................749
Searching (Carol Neist, W.O.W. #8) .............................2255
Second Degree (Gary Dumbauld) .....................................3
Second Ritual for Bast .........................................1933
Sex and Magick (Fra. Apfelmann)..................................231
SET ............................................................3059
Shamanic Binding (Gaffer Maccluiunn) ............................937
Shamanic Lifeways Fellowship (Michelle Haas) ....................384
Shamanism (Internet FAQ) .......................................2683
Sigil Magick (I.O.T.) ..........................................1416
Smudging (Michelle Haas) ........................................184
Snake Venom & Altered States (Loren Petrich) ...................1419
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Solitary Moon Rite, Issian (Ellen Cannon Reed) .................1100
Solitary Neophyte Ritual (C.M.) ................................2391
Sophia and Gnosticism (Terry J. McCombs) .......................1105
Spitual Emergence or Emergency (Paul Seymour) ...................939
Spring Equinox (Farrar and Farrar) ..............................182
Spring Equinox Ritual (Marian Starwatcher) .....................2687
Standing Stones Book Of Shadows (Scott Cunninham) ..............1010
Strings On The Winds (Bardic Fiction)............................778
"Super-Dimensionality" (I.O.T.)..................................289
Swastika, The (Paladin) ........................................2257
Sybillyne Tradition of Wicca ...................................2445
Taleisin's thoughts .............................................676
Tarot Divination (Tuppence) ....................................1710
Tea Ritual (Sewna Silvara, Triskelion)...........................747
Technology and The Craft (Fun!) .................................132
Temple Of Set (Lillith Aquino) .................................2709
Temples, Covens, & Groves - Oh My! (Khaled Q.) .................2221
Ten Ways to "Piss Off A Pagan (Humor) ..........................2247
The Goddess Movement (Denver Post) .............................2361
The Pact (IOT) .................................................1162
The Postures of Ecstasy .........................................617
The 12 Steps and Shamanism (Matrika, P.A.N.) ...................1504
The Last Dragon (Kalioppe) .....................................2360
Theological Discipline & Penance (Lisa Sergienko) ..............2258
Three-Fold Goddess, The (Eileen Turner) ........................2653
Thunder, Perfect Mind (Tony Ianotti) ...........................1254
Tools, etc. (Phoenix Whitebirch) ...............................2387
Tool List (Seastrider) ..........................................136
Tool Blessing Ritual ............................................122
Tool Consecration ................................................17
T.O.P.Y. Is ....................................................2857
TOS Symbology ..................................................3045
Traditional Wicca (K.A.M.) ......................................186
Traveling Chant (Julia Phillips)................................2571
Treatise On Mind (The Tigress) .................................1265
Travel Spell (Rowan Moonstone) .................................1487
Trickster Energies ..............................................234
Twelve Exercises Nobody Needs ...................................619
Twenty-Two Commandments for the New Age (A. Waldrum)............1721
Vernal Equinox Ritual from OZ (Julia Phillips) .................1742
Verse:
     A Birthday In The Light (T. Digby) ........................1920
     A Call To Lord And Lady (Jeff Bordeaux) ...................1853
     A Dreaming Desire (Jeff Bordeaux) .........................1865
     A Lady Called Truth (Geral Del Campo) .....................1921
     A Riddle (Saracen) ........................................1919
     A Victim of Ideologies (Jeff Bordeaux) ....................1876
     "AINT!" (Ellen Cannon Reed) ...............................1929
     ALOHA! Serge King (Hugh Read) .............................1848
     Amphitrite (Sourdough Jackson) ............................1866
     Amazing (Wiccan) Grace (Verna Knapp) ......................1909
     Another One For Jim Morrison (Sourdough Jackson) ..........1870
     Banishing The Circle (Devin Storm) ........................1892
     Battle Hymn of the Eristocracy (Filk) .....................1898
     Beneath The Full Moon (Sourdough Jackson) .................1870
     BLOOD (Similodon) .........................................1889
     Bowhunter's Prayer to Dianna (Kalioppe) ...................2249
     Burning Times (L.A. Hussey) ...............................1849
     Cauldron Chant (Ammond Shadowcraft)........................1899
                 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)     
     Love Is The Law (Unknown) .................................1884
     LYRA (Hugh Read) ..........................................1856
     Magic Man (Taarna Savet) ..................................1906
     Magical Reveries (Hugh M. Read) ...........................1878
     May Eve (Doreen Valiente) .................................1884
     Minerva (Unknown) .........................................1883
     Moose! (SCA Humor) ........................................2248
     New Words and Old (Kihe Blackeagle) .......................1890
     Night Wind (Shadow Hawk) ..................................1863
     Ocean (skybane) ...........................................1921
     Pagan Awakening (Jeff Bordeaux) ...........................1852
     Pan To Artemis (Hugh Read) ................................1847
     Pandemonium (Sonia Brock) .................................1890
     Pegasus (Durwydd Mac Tara) ................................1911
     Prelude to Discovery (Gerald Del Campo) ...................1913
     Prayer Drive (Sourdough Jackson) ..........................1869
     Quarter Chant (Damon) .....................................1871
     RAINBOWS (Jennifer Holding) ...............................1897
     RAP (Anony Mouse) .........................................2255
     Red and Gold (Joe Bethancourt) ............................1906
     Samhain Chant (Doreen Valiente) ...........................1845
     Scarabeus (unknown) .......................................1883
     Seeking The Sign To Dragonheim (Jeff Bordeax) .............1853
     Shadowhawk (Marcus) .......................................1877
     Simple (Gardenstone) ......................................1914
     SLEEPR (Lynn Hubert) ......................................1921
     Snow (Steve Earl) .........................................1873
     Song (Vivienne West) ......................................2255
     Spring/Summer Poem (Shadowhawk) ...........................1891
     Storm (Shadow Hawk) .......................................1875
     Storm (Stormy Gael) .......................................1893
     Tears For An Angel (Gerald Del Campo) .....................1913
     The Awakening (Andrew Daws) ...............................1922
     The Cloud Sculptors (Jeff Bordeaux) .......................1865
     The Coming of Lugh (Iarwin) ...............................1861
     The Goddess is Alive (Unknown) ............................1856
     The Lady's Brothel (filk) .................................1898
     The Man In The Moon (Gerald Del Campo) ....................1919
     The Moon Pool (unknown) ...................................1859
     The Night Before Samhain (Masochistic Maiden) .............1915
     The Pentagram (Similodon) .................................1889
     The Prettiest One (Filk) ..................................1898
     The Shaman's Call (Shadow Hawk) ...........................1873
     The Spell of the Cord (Doreen Valiente) ...................1886
     The River (Hugh Read) .....................................1872
     The Tree Song (Kipling) ...................................1864
     The Triple Goddess (Kalioppe) .............................2208
     The Witches Ballad ........................................1894
     To The Bonfires (Jeff Bordeaux) ...........................1866
     To The Dragons Reborn (Jeff Bordeaux) .....................1854
     To Greyshield, With Love ("Phoenix") ......................1851
     Today The Moon is There (Hugh Read) .......................1893
     Two Ritual Prayers (Anahita Gula) .........................1895
     What is Love (Ravenna Michelle) ...........................1917
     Why I Love The Dark (Gerald Del Campo) ....................1912
     Witches Creed (Doreen Valiente) ...........................1843
     Yule Carols (Green Egg, Yule '92) .........................1938
UEA '93 Main Ritual (Rowan Moonstone) ..........................2449
Walking With My Friends (Masochistic Maiden) ...................2355
                   TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 
Washington Post Article (1991) .................................1499
Warnke Expose (Cornerstone Magazine) ...........................2604
Wartime (Michelle Haas, 1991) ...................................117
Warriors .......................................................2548
Warriorship (Swein Runestaff W.o.W.) ...........................2236
Watch Towers, Rethinking The (Mike Nichols) .....................344
"Weasel Wicca" (Humor fm. Green Egg) ...........................1531
What is Myth? (Web of Wyrd, #10) ...............................2518
What is Paganism (Bay Area Pagan Alliance) .....................2891
What is Shamanism? (Michelle Haas) ..............................354
What is Shamanism (Eliade) .....................................2567
What is WICCA? (Texas Pamphlet) .................................322
What is Wicca? (Amber K.) .......................................340
What is Wicca (Durwydd Mac Tara) ...............................1551
Wheel of The Year (Julia Phillips/Matthew Sandow) ..............1671
Wheel Visualization (Julia Phillips and Rufus Harrington) ......1682
When Magic Doesn't Work (Magical Blend Magazine) ...............1520
Why I don't Believe the "Survivors" (R. Moonsone)...............1719
Wicca and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (D. Wadsworth) .....1694
Wicca vs. Paganism (David Piper) ...............................2716
Wicca, from My Point of View (Lady Phoenix) .....................149
Wiccan Ethics & The Wiccan Rede (David Piper) ..................3270
Wiccan History .................................................1656
Wiccan History (BTW, Julia Phillips) ...........................1566
Wiccan Information Network .....................................1087
Wiccan Way, The .................................................192
Wiccan Pentagram Ritual (Paul Hume) ..............................98
Wiccan Traditions, A comparison (Hurn, RMPJ) ....................154
Wiccan Path (Madoc)..............................................227
Wiccan Rede, An Exegesis (Judy Harrow) ..........................317
Wiccan Rede, The (J. Taylor, S.O.T.E.G.)........................1488
Wiccan Rede (Poetic) ...........................................1510
Wiccan Rede (Poetic, WCC) ......................................1540
Wiccan Shamanism (Selena Fox) ...................................162
wiccan Monism (Durwydd MacTara) ................................1556
Wiccan Principles (American Council of Witches, 1974)............190
"Wiccening" (article by Vivienne West) .........................2385
Wicanning Ritual (Earthworld Circle) ...........................1492
Wine Blessing, All Female (Lynna Landstreet, WCC) ..............2564
Wishing Well (I.O.T.) ..........................................1422
"WITCH" (Doreen Valiente, in WoW) ..............................2714
Witchcraft Q&A (Dr. Leo Martello) ...............................150
Witches Creed (Doreen Valiente_ .................................320
Witches Rede of Chivalry (Ed Fitch & Janine Renee) .............1803
Women vs. Men (Michele Haas).....................................195
YULE (Mike Nichols) ..............................................84
Yule in Britain (Tana) ...........................................94
Yule Ritual (Starhawk) ............................................8
Yule Ritual 1984 (Julia Phillips) ..............................1763
Yule Ritual (Georgian) .........................................2561
Yule Ritual (She Wolf) .........................................2562 
                          T.O.P.Y is..... 

No matter how often  we stress that  thee Temple seeks  to create a  
sense ov fierce  individuality, that it  is for  each Individual to  
redefine and redesign TOPY within themselves to meet their own needs, 
thee questions still  arise: What  is TOPY?  What is  thee Psychick  
Cross? What is thee significance ov 23? It seems that there is still 
a need, or at least a belief that such things should be cast in black 
and white, for  a clear,  concise description  ov exactly  how TOPY  
should be viewed, ov how its signs and symbols should be interpreted. 
Not that such questions can be answered, certainly not in a way that 
would remain specific enough  to satisfy thee  enquiring, yet broad  
enough to remain true to thee  multitude ov Individuals who make up  
thee Temple. As we have  said before, and no  doubt will say again,  
TOPY exists to promote a system ov
functional, demystified  magick,  utilising both  pagan  and modern  
techniques. 

It is a  process ov  individual and  collective experimentation and  
research with no finite answers, dogmas or unchallengeable truths. It 
is for  each  to discover  his  or  her own  understanding  ov thee  
questions that  suggest  themselves,  and  through  that  voyage ov  
discovery to find their personal and true identity, thee True Will.  
To set down on  paper pre-packaged responses would  be to deny thee  
opportunity for self-expression, to defeat thee purpose for which we 
are all striving. Worse than this, it would take away thee fun, thee 
simple joy ov finding things out for ourselves.

Thee following texts are  drawn from a variety  ov sources, but all  
deal with thee most common questions that are asked. Some are written 
by
Individuals with considerable experience ov TOPY methods, others by  
those who  are new  to  thee Temple.  Some are  taken  from letters  
clarifying ideas  or  criticising TOPY,  others  from  more general  
places. We have taken much from thee  many responses we have had to  
thee Skills Access form all Temple Individuals are asked to complete. 
Thee views expressed are entirely those ov thee individual authors.  
They have been edited to fit into thee structure ov this booklet, but 
in all cases we have taken care not to distort what has been said, or 
to interpret what we as individuals  may find unclear. This is thee  
Temple talking to  thee Temple -  a communion  and communication ov  
Individuals to Individuals.

Before we  go  further, it  should  be remembered  that  people are  
attracted to TOPY for many different reasons, that there is nothing  
consistent, nothing to categorise. There are those who claim to know 
nothing, and those who presume to know it all. This changes in time, 
as thee Temple draws out strengths and eliminates weaknesses.

Everyone, without exception, who gets in  touch with thee Temple is  
urged to demonstrate their interest by setting out their own thoughts 
and ideas, a first step in showing a commitment to what thee Temple  
stands for. We are pleased that those who think they know little are 
at least as able to respond as those with greater experience. There 
is no "right response", and no shame in honesty. We thank all those  
who have contributed to thee publication  ov this booklet, and urge  
everyone who reads it to follow their lead. As information flows in, 
so we  will ensure  that  it flows  out.  That is  thee  meaning ov  
Feedback, a  continuity  ov  expression flowing  both  in  and out,  
creating a new understanding, a new sound, a new dimension.

T.O.P.Y. is  action against  dissatisfaction in  a society  that is  
passive not peaceful (aiming for the throat)


From the Institute Of Positive Pagan Nihilism
to the passionate process that enfolds
(but does not control)
there is hope through energy.


Energies directed and multiplied,
energies conformed then deformed
energies facilitating psychick enemas.
To purge and purify,
to pain and putrefy.


To communicate is to cure.


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

Thee Temple ov Psychick Youth is  a collective body ov Individuals,  
all
working together towards a common goal. It is about thinking deeply  
about oneself, questioning one's role in a so-called free society.

Man is essentially  a robot: he  has set programmes  imposed on his  
life, even before he is  born. Whatever Man does  he should do with  
passion. He should  rise above  thee imposed  trappings ov society.  
Involvement with thee  Temple is  purely active  and positive, thee  
bottom line being:  "I don't  want to  lead a  pointless existence,  
following and accepting thee indoctrination ov a worthless society.

With Man's  progress,  our self-destructive  nature  drives  us all  
further from our true selves. In thee Temple we are a group ov people 
trying to halt this  process by turning  into ourselves and helping  
others to accomplish thee same. From birth, a person is conditioned  
to conform to thee accepted laws and morals ov thee society in which 
they find themselves - each institution and aspect ov our culture is 
intertwined with guilt  and fears  in order to  push us  on to thee  
acceptable path. Society is thus so  easily capable ov moulding one  
into a flat,  one-dimensional person (thee  socially acceptable yet  
controlled person).  TOPY  goes  to  thee  root  ov  thee  problem,  
challenging us to honestly reveal our innermost needs, expectations  
and desires,  ov  bringing them  to  consciousness in  the  hope ov  
breaking society's Chain ov Control.

Involvement with TOPY can stem from an interest in investigating thee
potentialities ov  thee brain:  knowledge  that has  been massively  
suppressed by those in Power. It includes making known information on 
both  a  political/conspiracy  level,  and  on  thee  level  ov  an   
Individual's control over their own life. We have been taught to view 
thee State  as  a  crutch  to  lean  on,  to  fill  our  heads with  
pre-packaged ideologies that  avoid thee need  for us  to think for  
ourselves and  which create  a  society ov  dead,  bored, apathetic  
people. TOPY counters this by fighting conditioning and by allowing  
thee individual's true selves  to come through -  at thee same time  
there is  action/research  to demonstrate  how  all  pervasive thee  
"spectacular" society is. By working together we can pool research,  
theories and actions: this way  forward avoids needless duplication  
and, where necessary, provides allies and support for action. Much ov 
thee control mechanism ov society is based on guilt about/around sex, 
it being easier to control a sexually repressed
person who thus always has a weak spot for thee Servants ov Power to
press. For  this  reason,  thee  Temple  strives  to  destroy  thee  
conditioning ov guilt that lies deep in thee mind and which chains it 
to a mundane  existence. Through thee  process ov  freed (and free)  
love/sexuality thee mind can be focused and channelled against all ov 
Power's conditioning mechanisms.

Thee tools ov thee Temple are first and foremost those which lay us  
open to thee reality ov life in permanent flux. Many techniques can 
be used: trance inducing  music, chanting, dancing  - these can all  
help strip down our outer mundane shell, exposing our inner core to 
thee free play ov creative forces. Thee method most favoured by thee 
Temple (because it is surrounded by thee most imposed guilt, fear and 
limitation) is thee unashamed exploration ov sexuality. Fundamental  
to thee workings ov  thee Temple is thee  belief that great psychic  
force/energy is released at thee point  ov orgasm and that this, if  
channelled, can effectively  "make those things  happen" which will  
bring you closer to your ideal self.

This technique, and  many more, can  be found within  thee many and  
varied
spiritual/magickal traditions ov thee world. It is thee aim ov thee  
Temple, through practical experimentation, to  extract thee core ov  
truth running through all, and thus demystified to present a working 
formula for any  Individual courageous and  compassionate enough to  
strike against dogma, habit, guilt, fear and all that weighs on thee 
spirit; to strike against flat monotony under all its titles, and to 
step into a magickal perception ov thee world.

TOPY is a lifeline ov magickal  people aiming to change society for  
thee better through thee magickal transformation ov Individuals, and 
by helping people  to understand  thee power  and potency  ov their  
sexuality. A common mistake people make is that they think that TOPY 
is just another fanatical religious organisation. They hear thee name 
"Thee Temple  Ov  Psyckick  Youth"  and  automatically  assume  its  
philosophy will be an unquestioning dogma for thee masses. (Proving  
ov course that thee society-controlled mass mind simply projects its 
crippled reality on to those who seek to challenge thee orthodoxy ov 
thee moment.) However, thee difference between TOPY and other groups 
is that we create an environment in which Individuals have no choice 
but to find their own answers  in order to improve themselves. Thee  
emphasis is very much on  individual exploration. TOPY gives people  
hints and pointers, and whereas other organisations may make it easy 
for people seeking to find
"answers", TOPY stresses that it is up to thee Individual's personal 
efforts for anything to be gained. And  it is a two-way process: as  
thee Individual learns things from involvement with thee Temple, so  
thee Temple as a wider body learns from thee Individual.

There are elements ov truth in all  schools ov thought, but not one  
single school can be thee "most correct" (no monopoly on knowledge!). 
What is needed is to take thee  parts from all - those aspects that  
seem thee most logical and honest - and to discard that which perhaps 
reeks ov theatricals; understanding thee use ov rituals, as did thee 
so-called "ignorant" Indians ov America  before thee evil Christian  
soiled their pure  mind (pure in  that they  understood thee deeper  
reality that is thee essence ov magick). Many races and cultures ov 
thee world have stumbled across truths in their religions. We should 
make use ov these and develop our own minds in all possible ways.

Ov every organisation, TOPY comes closer  than any to thee ideal ov  
freedom. All areas ov life, especially those most taken for granted  
as being correct and right, are called into question. Questions open 
up possibilities ov  thought and action,  all in thee  pursuit ov a  
sublime happiness. Not only does this intense questioning stimulate  
life, but it helps us affirm or reaffirm ideas and behaviours. TOPY 
allows people more confidence and comfort - hence more pleasure with 
themselves - in their own environment. Comfort is not laziness. TOPY 
further  guarantees  freedom   (something  that   no  other  social   
arrangement can do,  except that  which evolves  between very close  
friends) by not only tolerating differences in thoughts and actions, 
but by encouraging  natural, intrinsic  differences; that  is, TOPY  
recognises thee inate potential godliness ov being; and its methods, 
its Psychick Cross, its 23, its Ov, can all help foster thee beauty  
ov each Being.

Thee Temple is a creative organisation, a place to share and learn. 
Creativity needs to be freed. Time waits for no-one. We live once, so 
we take the opportunity: Participation.
Is thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth a cult?

Yes, a non-existent one in that it  exists as a cult only for those  
who are uninformed and uninvolved. Thee Temple gives those involved  
positive
ammunition in thee war to relcaim ourselves, our world, our time, our 
love, thee truth. To disconnect thee cables ov control.

Thee Temple  az  a  non-organisation  recognises  thee  reality  ov  
Individ-uals. Thee power ov  Individuals focused by  choice to some  
common points. We,  as multi-dimensional  peoples live  yes and no;  
colours, not black and
white/either-or. There are more than two choices! Religion, history,
psychology, magick: integrated for  individual use. Sucksessors? To  
thee
Surrealists and  thee Hippies?  Radical  interest in  political and  
spiritual.

Sexuality as  focus. Ov  Power. Subconscious  guns. Thee  orgazm as  
divine
messenger. No denial ov sense-based vision. We are free! Let us stand 
up to see it through thee veil ov control.

Many people ov small  mind and spirit  try to deny  thee Temple its  
right ov existence. They are so completely disillusioned and hopeless 
that they demand we all  be as miserable as they  are. They call us  
crazy,   power   hungry,   ego-maniacs,   perverse,   money-hungry,    
non-sensical freaks.

O.K. Crazy? To change thee world we live in, yes. Power hungry? For  
power over our own lives and destiny. Ego-maniacs? Yes, if as usual 
their definition ov an ego-maniac is  someone who wants to achieve,  
grow, change and progress.  Yes - WE DO  THINGS! Perverse? Yes, and  
proud. Thee rational ov  thee world is  no rationale. Sense? Right?  
Normal?
Whose sense? Whose right? Whose normal? No sense makes sense. Our
sexuality is our own. If you don't like it, leave it.
Money hungry? Sure. Money is but a way to get things done. Not thee 
only
way, but a way. Freaks? Oh yes! No, we  do not fit in, we never fit 
in, and we choose it that way, thank you. Fashion, morals, duty: they 
are yours not ours. YOU keep them. A freak is someone with individual 
motivation, separate from thee dictates ov past, present and future.

Thee Temple is not for all. In this time/space or ever.

WE WERE. WE ARE. WE WILL BE. WE ARE AZ WE ARE. AZ WE ARE. WE ARE
AZ WE AZ ARE WE. WE AZ ARE. WE AZ WE. WE AZ WE ARE. WE ARE AZ WE
ARE. AN ETERNAL L-OV-E IN

TOPY is  a  collaboration ov  Individuals.  We fight  all  forms ov  
restriction to realise thee potential ov thee human brain through a  
system ov pagan Magick. It exists devoid ov dogma, be it political or 
religious. Information is shared amongst those involved, not in order 
to be  treated as  instruction  but rather  as a  means  to promote  
participation, discipline and contribution to an ideal as opposed to 
self-ambition. Thee  recognition  that only  truth  counts. Rituals  
(sigils) are employed as a means  ov discovering one's true psyche,  
desires (and  their  realisation), integrating  thee  conscious and  
subconscious as  a way  to produce  a  spiritually whole  person as  
opposed to a fragmented shell.

TOPY attempts  to  wake  people  up  to  thee  fact  that  they are  
controlled,
socially programmed to suit those with  an interest in control, and  
that guilt  and  fear  are  weapons  employed  to  suppress natural  
advancement.
Preconceptions must be swept aside and a de-programming occur until
fearless and guiltless sexuality is  mastered. Thee Temple embraces  
suitable forms  ov technology  to support  its aims  for collective  
advancement. Methods ov information  access include PTV recordings,  
booklists, video deprogramming transmissions. These are all designed 
to surprise, even shock, but with a view to expansion, thee removal 
ov limitation.

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

It is difficult  to understand  the infinite  and the inexpressible  
contained, albeit hidden controlled  and repressed, in  much ov the  
grey parade that is called life, even within one's own mind; but to  
communicate an idea that is  beyond your own ego  to another ego is  
almost impossible. The closest things to transmitting such ideas are 
Zen Parables,  or Koans,  such as  what  is the  sound of  one hand  
clapping, or what is enlightened Buddha being answered by being hit  
over the head with a brick. The Temple represents colour, but colour 
has to be seen, not intellectually analysed.

I justify my  involvement with  the Temple  by saying, just  as the  
present
world needs the Temple (love being such a rare bird) I feel the need 
to help and  be part ov  something that represents  evolution and a  
better future. I  personally have  lost "friends"  because ov their  
inability to perceive what the  Temple means (people conditioned by  
shit... who see in their little egos  the wearing ov a PTV badge as  
evidence ov a brainwashed moonie-type cult. How  can I be in a cult  
when I know  only one individual  even slightly  connected with the  
Temple?; yet people whose only knowledge  ov the Temple - love, the  
future, colour, magick as sublime poetry - is gleaned from those who 
wish to climb up the intestines ov the machine ov Babylon by slagging 
the Temple off, presume to know better). Magick defends itself, but  
at times the gentleness I see in the Temple makes it a sitting duck 
for  the  projection  ov  complexes  ov  the  cynical,  bitter  and   
controlled. The Temple's crusade to free the individual from control 
so s/he can grow  focuses on sexuality because  it's the only thing  
everybody is involved with at some
point in their passage from birth to death, in whatever form. This is 
what scares  the  repressed,  the puritanical  who  seem  intent on  
punishing a new generation for the brief but vital progress that took 
place in the  60s. There is  no Temple sexuality:  its sexuality is  
mine, yours, or that ov any other individual involved. There is fuck 
all wrong with sex despite the macho-men and unbelievable creations  
ov the  media and  the  flags ov  restriction  put up  by  both the  
political left and the  right (all nasty  oppressive illusions, not  
only are all cliches true, but all paradox).

The methods ov the Temple are  vital because ov the appreciation ov  
the
functional uses ov technology, the Magick  ov the 1980s is filed on  
computer, photographed and taped, rather like the tools ov control.  
As Peter the Great ov Russia said: "our enemies will teach us how to 
beat them."  The  Cross is  a  symbol.  Like all  symbols  it helps  
communicate an idea quickly and focuses  the will. It is potent and  
harmless and very powerful. The nuber 23 is a bit ov a situationist  
prank as nothing freaks out the flat people as this mystic number.

The Temple = psychedelic + discipline

Individuals controlling their own minds themselves, by opening up.

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

TOPY WITHOUT TEARS

Most people, when they come into contact  with TOPY, will do so via  
Psychic TV. Whilst being a useful expression of and filter for TOPY, 
this has been the cause of  misunderstanding of what TOPY is about,  
why it has to be here.

Firstly, it's important to say that  TOPY is emphatically not a fan  
club for PTV

- not a spin-off. While  PTV are there for  everyone to see, access  
without thought, as it were, TOPY is something else - it "gives" to  
the amount you "push". It lies behind, but is not contained by, PTV.

This much should be obvious. It is easier to say what TOPY isn't than 
to say what it is.

Basically, TOPY as  a "system"  is an  expression of the  ideas and  
methods of all  the individuals involved.  But TOPY  "in itself" is  
harder to define - it is the idealised Hidden Instrument of Evolution 
- the  "organum occultus".  The  hidden instrument  is  magickal- a  
synergetic interaction of  certain powers of  the brain.  It has no  
"direction". Its centre is everywhere. Thus it cannot be "possessed". 
The hidden  instrument  is  the  means  by  which  inner  potential  
"happens".

TOPY is about setting change into motion NOW. It's about questioning
authority  NOW.  It's  about  releasing   the  social  function  of   
subjectivity from the doghouse. Letting the dog roam free.

All this is now. TOPY has arrived as an urgent force to overcome the 
endless deferral of all this - the realisation of our dreams.

Our resource - our sincerity.

It is a  synchronistic vector -  the "dis-ease" being  the dream of  
social and individual transformatin - of which we continually remind 
ourselves, and struggle to realise, in our rituals, our work.

TOPY is an  expanding system of  caring and  action - communication  
without
limit - MUTUALITY. We are aware that language alone does not suffice. 
Too many systems expand in direct proportion to their insistence on  
the dogma of their WORD. TOPY's method is to cut up the word, cut up 
behaviour - to  find meaning beyond  the parameters  of Control. To  
re-connect at the source - our "spirit".

Therefore, it is not a religion, not a cult. We have no use for gods, 
devils, "instruction". We have nothing to fall back on but that which 
is in us. Everything we see is ourselves. TOPY is, in the best sense 
of the word, a movement. The movement, the process, being continual  
and at  various  levels  simultaneously -  spotting  the  lies, the  
disjunction between socialised  "givens" and  our dreams,  our real  
potential - deciding to commit  oneself to re-connecting with one's  
potential - and doing. We have many "people" within each one of us - 
we want them all.

This is expressed  in our  ritual and  all our  manifestations. Our  
network - our mutual experience and searching of TOPY.

The maturity of man/woman - that means to have reacquired the
seriousness that one had as a child at play. (Nietzsche)

Vide infra (SSOTBME)

As explained at some length in  the Grey Book, the Temple's initial  
and root  method is  the recognition  and  utilisation of  our true  
sexuality - the invocation of primal  sexual energies latent in the  
subconscious. The concept  of "sexual  energy" is,  for the Temple,  
interchangeable with "psychic energy". Sex is the medium for magick  
- the frequency of truth. The sigil is its practice, the keystone.
...the significance of sexuality must be extended to embrace Reality, 
or that which endures after all else fades... (Kenneth Grant)

In a very real way our sexuality is interactive with our behaviour as 
a whole.  With  the  Temple Method  we  cut  up  traditional sexual  
behaviour in order to release the New Sexuality - new because it is  
everchanging, ever regenerating. Thus liberating our real sexuality  
(everybody - every man and  woman is a man  and woman), we liberate  
our behaviour away from  Control. We seek  to deprogramme ourselves  
from harmful internalised  alienating stereotypes.  "Control begins  
with sexuality" (TOPY).  We seek  to reacquire  the seriousness and  
curiosity that  we  had as  children,  to observe  and  act without  
guilt/fear. If there is one simple  description of TOPY, it is that  
every involved Individual recognises the need to overcome GUILT and  
FEAR of DARING TO BE. We "see below" in order to "rise up".

New sexuality - ever youthful.

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

Jung saw  symbols as  "libido  analogues", capable  of transforming  
energy. A representation channels libido (psychic/sexual energy) into 
new form  -invokes ever  renewed  potential. Symbols  in themselves  
represent NO
SEPARATION. That is, the Psychic cross is a total synthesis of all we 
think of and mean by the  Temple. For express purposes, and certain  
time-zones, some of its components  can be isolated, but ultimately  
there is no separation. It exists  of itself: the characteristic of  
all living symbols.

Because the Psychick Cross has many "personalities", a multiplicity  
of
explanations, it is an ideal symbol for TOPY. Various significances  
have been pointed our: the single  vertical line as the Individual,  
bottom horizontal  as Past,  middle horizontal  as Present,  top as  
Future. The Cross of Jesus and the inverted Cross of Satan combined. 
A television aerial. The alchemical symbol "very poisonous".

"We didn't choose it so much as the symbol chose us." A symbol of
disenchantment, uncertainty and challenge/change.

The point of all this is that, like a true Individual, it cannot be 
pinned down.

Neither - Neither.

The Psychick Cross also incorporates the 23 mythology. The number 23 
is
total neither-neither  territory  (Austin  Osman  Spare's  mindfuck  
technique - comparing opposites separate, together, then absent).

(But of course  it isn't. It  is just a  number like  any other, 22  
before it, 24 after, surely?) Except that 23, for us, seems to behave 
very strangely. It has become a snake  in the grass of reason. Thus  
the exception; for the Temple always the exception. The Individual.  
Every man and woman is a 23.

"A presence, neither good luck or bad  luck, it seemed to have some  
sort of control over its appearance." Like the Psychick Cross, 23 has 
been isolated to symbolise certain concepts, random chance, Crowley's 
GET OUT,  Burroughs'  total  cut-up,  Robert  Anton  Wilson's total  
paranoia   symbol.   Its   "common"   (!)   significance   is   its    
provocativeness, its individuality, however one wishes to depict it. 
So, OK, you have your cynicism, you may remain unconvinced, may not 
recognise TOPY, you see everywhere human weakness and self-interest - 
but the next step is to realise that cynicism is not a total answer, 
that the facade/shell of ego/"cool"/style can, and must be, discarded 
before we grow once more and enter  a new "time zone" of evolution.  
Drop your shield,  be vulnerable, thee  wound is  the reminder, you  
cannot remain untouched, so
touch yourself.

Enter the Combat Zone. The Temple has declared war. It does not do so
lightly.

T.O.P.Y. is  an energy,  fuelled  with fiery  Individuals  who want  
change.
Change. People are too hung up with sex, with getting things done, so 
they mess up. No-one cares anymore.  To become rewarded is to give.  
And to give is contagious, to create synergism.

The Self is who I am after, yet I  cannot find her until I give her 
away, and watch her  without from within;  then I can  go. Egos are  
selfish and jealous - to reverse the Ego is to open the mind; to be  
curious; to recognise, to understand, to commit. Without altering the 
Ego one cannot undergo the process. E to 3.

I am curious. Curious and willing to learn. Tell me what I could do 
for the group that would help me. Not really help, but INlighten. For 
we are all out for INlightenment, for each one of us, ourselves, and 
for the whole. First know  to be yourself, then  to help the group,  
then to know you ARE your self.

For me I cannot "When in doubt - BE EXTREME"
Right now it's "When in doubt - Do Nothing"
I am curious Right Now.

CROSS!
Life is mediated by symbols.  Symbols that steal. Numerical symbols  
that
steal  our  intelligence.  Word  symbols   that  steal  our  voice.   
Pornographic
symbols that steal  our sexuality.  Magical symbols  that steal our  
will. A death on your symbols. Let each kill themselves.

The Psychick Cross is a symbol that represents the idea of "without
Symbols". It  is the  first  entry in  a dictionary  of  the future  
Meta-symbolical language, a language of no-thought.

T.O.P.Y. is  directed  anger  (which in  itself  is  only  Love). A  
foundation set up to  compile this "dictionary"  which all WEs will  
need in order to survive. A clearing house of symbols.

When ever you dis-cover stamp on  a Psychick Cross. This release it  
for our use.

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

The Temple Ov Psychick Youth is an organisation that has been created 
to further the ideas and feelings of  those who feel that they have  
something to  contribute  to  the running  of  society.  The Temple  
involves a large scope of feelings and images that are connected to 
each other by the potency of their own desires.

Firstly, the Temple as an organisation is created for those who feel 
and
believe that they can increase their own potential in body and mind 
by
pushing themselves to the  limit of their durability,  and do so in  
such a way that they can find  the limitations of their own body as  
well as finding how far  they can really go  in producing a perfect  
understanding of themselves. Unlike other creations, the Temple does 
not try to coerce of push an  Individual into doing what "it" wants  
them to  do  - the  contrary  is  true, the  Temple  encourages the  
individual to think and act for themselves, perhaps offering gentle  
instruction as an aid to success. The Temple remains as a haven for  
help where friends are guaranteed. A  spiritual as well as physical  
father. By  involving oneself  with the  Temple  you find  that the  
trappings of  an autocratic  society are  handcuffs to  the spirit,  
holding you in place, disabling a mind, disallowing it to think and 
act for itself - laying down rigid rules that must be adhered to. The 
Temple, conversely, encourages us that
we need no regimented rules to survive,  all we need is to expend a  
minimal amount of  consideration for  our fellow  people, to accept  
differences in colour,  ideas, sexuality,  etc. Falling  (sic), the  
rules of our wonderful and enlightened society has led to nothing but 
war, man killing man; religion playing  a large part in the reasons  
for war. Religion is another point  that the Temple puts across. It  
shows us the trivialities in religion be it Christian or Hindu. The 
idea of believing in a spiritual god - how abhorrent. It insults the 
intelligence to have god and jesus  rammed down our throats - Crass  
put my feelings very well when they said Jesus died for his own sins, 
no mine. Religion is an
easy way for a frightened people  to hide behind the eventuality of  
their own death - it's okay, we will be going to a better life - what 
a joke. The only temple/god we should worship is our own bodies - any 
sacrament to be given should be exercise of the mind and body. Prayer 
should be an introspective look into your own feelings.

The Psychick Cross  is a symbol  that is easily  recognisable - and  
therefore a medium through which publicity can be shown. Unlike the  
"cross" the psychick  cross is a  very strong image  of ideals, and  
shows a firm belief in  what we feel the Temple  stands for; I know  
that when people see the cross on my clothes - be it badges, t-shirts 
- and they ask what it stands for, they will always associate it with 
the Temple as well as Psychic TV. The strength of its images remains 
in the subconscious, therefore leading to easy recognition.

The Temple roots  its beliefs in  magic where  sexuality and mental  
strength have  always  played  an  important  role.  This  world is  
inhibited by its narrow-mindedness of sexuality. The Temple shows us 
that we should not be embarrassed by  it, nor inhibited by it. This  
does not necessarily mean infidelity, or polygamous behaviour. Free  
Love can be practised  between two individuals  involved in a close  
relationship because  the restraints  of  society are  prevalent in  
marriage etc. It encourages us to be  free - the most important aim  
for all humans - to  be rid of a repressive  society and to develop  
together with no feelings of materialism.

Although society is against us, too many people are unable to stand 
up for themselves, they allow themselves to be carried along without 
stating how they wish things should be done. If we work hard enough  
though, perhaps one day we will have a world where at least the ideas 
of the Temple are practised, even if they are disconnected from the 
actual force and developer of those ideas.

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

The Temple is a group of people who together, and individually, work 
to
combat any form of personal restriction. Quite simply we want to make 
our dreams, and those of everyone else, come true.

We work on three levels, or ratios. On the first level we examine our 
real selves, discovering our dreams, our potential, our REAL selves. 
We then try to live our lives,  realising our dreams and making the  
most of what  we have  to offer  (skills, abilities,  etc...), thus  
following (to  use  a rather  archaic  term) our  destiny.  Once an  
initiate begins to work on this ratio,  he/she has a chance to take  
joint control of the helm. The  Temple is constantly evolving: each  
initiate has  the  chance to  help  dictate the  direction  of that  
evolution. In the 3rd ratio we work to try and improve the world in 
which we live. At this level we try to act as an evolutionary goad, 
pushing mankind back on course.

We realise that the only  way of achieving anything  is to help one  
another. So whenever we can we donate time, money, ideas and skills 
to T.O.P.Y. We receive no reward for  this: no medals, no "I raised  
$100" selling t-shirts.  The reward is  the knowledge  that we have  
helped someone else to realise their dreams.

We are  an  international group,  with  bases in  the  UK, Holland,  
Germany,
Sweden, Canada and America.

As is obvious ("Temple" & "Psychick") we are metaphysically minded.  
Many
of our methods  could be  considered magickal.  Magick is  merely a  
technique for  helping us  negate  the effects  of  restriction and  
control; and live  (again that  rather naff  word) destiny.  We are  
constantly developing and refining our own magick. We do not believe 
in any great powerhouse in the sky, any gods, angels, demons, etc. We 
have realised that the human brain is capable of much more than it is 
used for. Our magick operates within the human nervous system - and 
works!

Our magickal techniques are  a little too "technical"  to go in to.  
Suffice it to say that one of our main sources of energy is sexuality 
and orgasms. Sex plays a very important role in our philosophy as the 
energy obtained from it is tremendous. As was said earlier, we try to 
"touch our real  selves". Our first  stepping stone to  this is the  
removal of restriction placed  on our sexuality  by society. Once a  
month, or more, an initiate performs a simple magickal exercise which 
is designed to bring him/her closer to his or her real sexuality - as 
experienced in sexual fantasies. There should be no holds on sex, one 
should be  able  to  enjoy  sex  in  whatever  way  one,  and one's  
partner(s), want to.

Our symbol, logo, emblem or whatever - the Psychick Cross - contains 
a great deal of symbolism. The most obvious facets are: 1, it is the 
reverse of the Papal Cross, thus making it an anti-papal cross; 2, it 
is an "E" for Ego, backed with a reversed "E", thus representing the 
negation of the Ego's role over the human mind.

In many systems of magick numbers are said to have meanings. 23 has
many meanings all of which are applicable to the Temple: Initiation; 
Union of  Fire  and  Water  (symbols of  male  and  female)  - sex;  
Integration of all levels of consciousness.

I first heard of T.O.P.Y. through the drunken ramblings of someone I 
now
find it impossible to describe. At the time "Godstar" boomed from his 
room almost constantly. After  this, a friend  lent me "Dreams Less  
Sweet". I bought a few records, sent off for some literature.

Previously, I had dabbled with THELEMA, which seemed to ask the right
questions, but gave the wrong answers. T.O.P.Y. seemed to ask equally
pertinent questions (and sometimes more so), and answered them with
nothing but Hagbard Celine's "Think  for yourself Schmuck". As time  
went on I became increasingly interested in, and in agreement with,  
the Temple's ideas.

At last a decent magickal system. No more silly Kabbalistic rituals. 
Simple, straightforward, and functional. A  chance to help, however  
little, however much. Perhaps even to meet people who've got better  
things on their mind than taking the piss.

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

The Temple is an international group  of people who want to improve  
the
quality of  not only  their own  lives, but  of everybody.  We have  
realised that the  life of the  average person  lacks direction and  
meaning. Human beings are persuaded, by various methods, to do what  
they are told, however  subtly, rather than  what they really want.  
Some realise this and "drop out", hiding the world behind a beer can 
or a line of  coke; others try to  change the world.  We are in the  
latter group. We try to do nothing unless we really want to. We try 
to differentiate between  "pretend" desires  programmed into  us by  
society, and our true wishes. We then try to live these true desires. 
That is what real  freedom is. Our  method is, I  believe, the most  
powerful. We use  magick; not card  tricks or  turning princes into  
frogs; but real magick (that's what  the "k" on the end signifies),  
which is a method of programming your own mind to do what you want it 
to do. We use sex as  a tool for elevating the  mind in much of our  
magick. Sex is one of our basic needs. It is also the most powerful 
force we have access to.

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

What attracted you to T.O.P.Y.?

The systematic use ov will power to make dreams become real. The
undogmatic appreciation ov the inherent potentials ov thee Individual 
who wants to see and is not afraid to invest energy in finding their 
true self, their true desires, and to act accordingly. Furthermore,  
the new  approach  to  Magick: a  demystified  system  ov practical  
techniques to extend the perception and skill ov acting consciously  
according to one's own nature without guilt.

In what ways has T.O.P.Y. failed to live up to your expectations so  
far?

I see T.O.P.Y. as an active forum/expression/output ov thee assembled
energy ov its members. I consider myself taking part in thee process 
and
don't feel that thee organ has failed to live up to my expectations  
as they are identical  with thee expectations I  have for myself in  
life. I apply T.O.P.Y. in my life according to my own interpretation 
and accept no  dogmaa, and  as long  as I  feel that  my intentions  
coincide with T.O.P.Y.  and that its  structure is  based on mutual  
appreciation/trust/respect/challenge/communication  then  I  invest   
energy in this forum.  I am curious/open-minded  by nature. In thee  
course ov time and involvement much is explained. I have no fear.

Explain T.O.P.Y.

Through education,  school, inherited  dogmatic value  systems, TV,  
radio,
written/spoken propaganda people are  continously deprived ov their  
self
respect as unique manifold human Individuals. We are systematically
discouraged by thee keepers ov addicts to Control from exploring our 
real physical and  mental needs and  potentials. We  are exposed to  
constant programming, its main aim being streamlining ov thought into 
unquestioned  acceptance  ov  illusory   satisfaction,  leaving  an   
unlocated feeling  ov  frustration  behind.  Fear  is  the  Key  to  
Control/Manipulation.  Thee   fear   ov   change/thee  unknown/thee   
unsecure/thee unfamiliar - all these  block thee Individual longing  
for development/experience and make him/her accept thee vast offer ov 
surrogates and substitutes in today's world system. Those who are not 
contented with  this  pseudo-reality  seek  other  ways  for deeper  
knowledge/realisation ov dreams, and  create their own forum/access  
point for mutual encouragement/support/challenge ov individuality and 
will.

We are history,  thee sum  ov our ancestors.  If we  ignore our own  
history and its impact on our lives, we are inclined to repeat thee  
pitfalls and disasters ov previous generations. We dig our own graves 
as culture.

Christianity has monopolised thee European  thought system and thee  
use ov ancient methods/rituals as a means ov recollecting force, and 
has deformed its intentions to thee point where they lose every form 
ov potence and  sense while  being refunctioned  to "evil/dangerous  
mysticism/occultism".

Ritual as Access Point to thee inner regions ov thee mind and focus  
ov will into conscious action. . .thee threat to status quo in thee  
present socio-political and cultural world-system. A society deprived 
ov its history/past is a society deprived ov its future and identity.

Sex is thee primal key to thee mental system ov a person. It is thee 
nucleus ov their own  past, present, and future.  In thee moment ov  
orgasm thee  brain  is  for  a  short  period  ov  time  thrown out  
ov/disconnected   from   its    subconsciously   socialised/adapted    
thought-system. In this moment ov
disconnection thee brain is highly  susceptible to new information.  
Orgasm is thee Access Point ov de- and re-programming ov thee mind. 
Storage ov subconscious information - thee seed to conscious action. 
Attack on subconsciousness determines thee overflow to consciousness 
latently transformed into concrete action.

Education/indoctrination has trimmed our minds  in thee course ov a  
life-
time to fit thee demands/needs ov thee control units in society. We 
see
continuous re-education as a necessity in order to develop. Ritual
strengthens our determination to find and do our true selves and to 
cross new  borders ov  knowledge and  understanding, to  avoid thee  
obstacles to thee realisation ov our dreams. Through self-decided
"indoctrination/dedoctrination" ov thee subconscious  mind we avoid  
daily
pitfalls in mental laziness and cowardice/compromise. Free sexuality 
without guilt liberates our mind  from inherent blocking mechanisms  
between consciousness. Free flow ov  information between thee brain  
hemispheres brightens our eyes, makes us clear, strong and real.

23: Number ov "Coincidence" - thee genes in thee human being consist 
ov 23 chromosomes, blood needs 23 seconds to cross thee human body. A 
sign ov life and death, its correlation and its unknown dimensions.  
Death/mortality - thee ultimate reference point for each human being. 
To live fully without regrets or not. We are mortal. Here and Now.

Christians have their Cross - fetish  ov guilt and shame. Christ on  
thee Cross - symbol  ov martyrdom/sacrifice for  thee sinfulness ov  
thee human race.  Unworthy, godless slaves.

We  repudiate  -  have  our  own  fetish/symbol  for  thee  immense   
possibilities
and dimensions ov thee human mind and vessel in life. Thee Psychick 
Cross  -   an   alchemical   symbol   for   (magickally)  dangerous   
material/knowledge. Thee Temple  Ov Psychick  Youth is  "danger" to  
dogmatic/streamlined thought, that is to thee stability/status quo in 
present society/culture: thee seed to a new science/way ov living.

Magick: a system ov Will Made Flesh. We focus our will in collective 
ritual  across  thee  world  on  thee   23rd  ov  each  month,  and   
programme/tune-in our  mutual  wavelengths/sexual  desires  in thee  
moment ov  orgasm.  Our  will-power programmed  in  thee  genes and  
assembled in thee liquids ov semen/lubricant/blood/spit, and hair.

Thee features  ov thee  embryo  is decided/determined  through thee  
thoughts
ov sexual partners during coitus. Thought made Flesh. Will made Real.
T.O.P.Y. Made Real.

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

In answer to a cynical journalist:

Most people can't stomach the "missionary zeal", so to speak, so any 
mention of a "Great Crusade to save  The World" is right out of the  
window. The Temple is there for those who want it - it isn't another 
banal  ideology,  but  a  network  of  Individual  interests  where   
information is relayed  to one  another on  the basis  of practical  
experience. You've heard of synergy: the working together of two or  
more elements  to create  an  effect greater  that the  sum  of the  
individual elements' output. Well that's us! We support one another  
by our own efforts - like a latter-day tribe.

What impels a person  to work within  the Temple? A dissatisfaction  
with
current societal  values,  perhaps. An  awareness  of possibilities  
within
ourselves that most recognised institutions of society, religious or 
otherwise, either flatly deny or appear reluctant to expand upon. (As 
social beings we  have an inner  need to  express ourselves amongst  
friends - interpreting "friends" as those  people who can relate to  
you!) All such answers seem  a bit "rhetorical" to  me, so we might  
gain a better understanding of the "attraction" of T.O.P.Y. by taking 
a brief look at the ideas and methods it collectively presents.

We take a very  broad view - limitlessly  so - of  the means at our  
disposal towards  self-development. Jung  called  it individuation.  
Aleister Crowley called it the realisation of the True Will. You may 
call it simply "Maturity". From the lore of Magic (a much scoffed at 
notion, superficially, in our high-tech rationalistic era; but isn't 
our science the  highest magic to  a so-called  primitive? And what  
arrogance you have to deny the function of something you know nothing 
about, despite its overwhelming history of practice?!), to music, to 
martial art; if the perceptive individual thinks there is something  
worth picking up on, we will attempt to pluck it out of the mire and 
use it!
That is why T.O.P.Y. is  often seen in the  "public eye" to "wallow  
morbidly" in social taboos; or however  else they choose to put it.  
Life's too short and wonderful  to run away from  and/or wrap up in  
unnecessary prohibitions/superstitions. So,  cut out  the crap! The  
Temple brings together people who aren't afraid to try a little. The 
luxuries of Western "civilisation" (loud laughter) also bring greater 
excuses for us to get very lazy.

(The notion of forced commitment, street-corner proselytizing, I find
repulsive. We emphasise, more than anything else, the power and
cretiveness of the individual will; how  that feeling can be shared  
through communication and care. To force  others to "join in" would  
defeat the  purpose of  the  network. How  can  I force  you  to be  
yourself? [eg. forcing another to emulate my thoughts & feelings is  
no freedom for the other person.] What  the fucks the point? We can  
only provide inspiration - no greedy Gurus infest this House.)

Why do I think T.O.P.Y. is  important? Could answer that in several  
ways I suppose.  The workings  of the Temple  are not  always to my  
liking,  but   then,   as   a   network   with   some   degree   of   
structuring/organisation, what else do you expect? Humanity has yet  
to invent a  machine that is  100% efficient.  And involvement with  
T.O.P.Y. does NOT mean you go along with every suggestion that's put 
forward. In terms of energy, feedback and  so on, you reap what you  
sow; just as with any human  relationship (I use that analogy quite  
intentionally). Anyway, I feel it is important because - in an age of 
much insincerity - T.O.P.Y. is rooted in what I ultimately recognise 
as COMMON SENSE.  We seek to  embrace the  earthly human condition,  
warts and all. We look at ourselves and recognise the need to strive 
for personal goals; expand our often blinkered definition of "self"  
by trying to utilise the new and the strange; experiment, instead of 
wallowing in the "fear of the unknown"; reject dogma, reject guilt,  
reject anything that leads to unnecessary  anxiety - not by pushing  
things to the side, but by confrontation. (The quickest route
between two  points  is  a  straight  line.)  Such  ideas, although  
expressed a little dogmatically here for the sake of brevity, outline 
a healthy, strong approach to living. And it feels very refreshing to 
be amongst friends who won't try to fob you off with more alienating 
politics or mystical pap.

No, my  involvement with  T.O.P.Y. has  not  equipped me  with easy  
panaceas
for the problem of Government, etc. We live in a complex environment 
- I am  the first  to admit  it. T.O.P.Y.  has no  manifesto up its  
collective sleeve.  Rather,  we  consider  the  situation  from the  
perspective of "To change the World you must first change yourself." 
It is no use  disbanding the police-force tomorrow  if they are all  
going to continue acting in the same way to the people they picked on 
before!

(To amuse myself, I  might describe involvement in  the Temple as a  
course in  psychic self-defense  for the  outsider! But  then you'd  
probably take that the wrong way. The Temple is NOT a cheap sort of 
psychotherapy; no  psychic  prescriptions  from  Doc  P-Orridge, or  
anybody ridiculous like that. Nobody involved in the network wishes  
to suffer fools gladly, and the only people "assessed" are ourselves 
- BY OURSELVES. A little eccentricity leads to a progression of ideas 
- stupidity does  not! And you  must ultimately deal  with your own  
problems, if you wish to reclaim personal responsibility at all - a 
belief that is central to T.O.P.Y. philosophy.)

Why the big profile on Sex in  T.O.P.Y.? The fact that you feel our  
"high
profile" needs to be mentioned may provide part of the answer! As I  
have
already tried to indicate, the Temple strives to eliminate our (often
culturally inherited) feelings of guilt. We consider sexual energy to 
be of great importance - its free expression is our very birthright, 
in whatever way our nature inclines. The neuroses and psychosomatic  
ailments resulting from high levels  of sexual repression have been  
catalogued well enough by now, without  me having to re-iterate the  
point. And guilt about one's personal sexual activities can be used  
as a potent weapon in the hands  of your adversaries - just look at  
the gutter press. Sexuality is just that - whether it be expressed in 
"fetishism", "homosexual" activity (a horrible, clinical expression  
if ever I heard one), and so on. It's nobody's business but your own.

Having said that, it is obvious that many people - particularly the 
younger - pursue  an active  sex life  without recourse  to massive  
guilt! So why all the hypocrisy about its public expression? Why the 
hassle? Evidently, the  mass media does  not reflect  an accurate -  
honest - picture of our feelings. The Sunday Sport continues to make 
sex and sexuality an  absurdity - something to  sneer at. We wonder  
why.

T.O.P.Y. wishes to take sexuality a step further by investigating the 
powers we consider to be generated by sexual activity, so that they 
can be used  for the benifit  of the  individual. Every Individual.  
Orgasm has a powerful  effect on one's  perception, body chemistry,  
bio-electric field, etc., if only for a few moments. And we feel that 
the state of being created  can be put to  use, in combination with  
intense desire. Again,  we are entering  the arena  of "magick" and  
ritual (all sex is  ritual); we are  considering the so-called dark  
side of nature, and to a TV generation brought up on Dennis Wheatley 
films, such  ideas seem  very taboo.  We wish  to break  down those  
superstitions - we  have little room  for fear  in such speculative  
areas - but we have no vested  interest in people agreeing with our  
aims and methods. (We are not out to harm anybody, so please remain  
sensible and leave us be if you are sceptical/unimpressed.)

Of course you can't discuss sex without mentioning AIDS nowadays. To
counter popular misconceptions let  it be stressed  that the Temple  
does NOT  encourage  orgiastic or  promiscuous  behaviour  - forced  
promiscuity to prove one's "liberation" is just a stupid and damaging 
as exaggerated pruder; if it goes against your natural inclinations. 
I suggest you use your common-sense and exercise responsibility. But, 
to give an  example: should someone  attracted to their  own sex no  
longer feel attracted because circumstances dictate a certain degree 
of caution with the choice of partners? We think not. Circumstances  
and the means of your natural indulgence  may vary quite a bit, but  
the right to "be and feel" whatever  you are does not. This must be  
kept in mind, as the puritans cry out for "conformity" yet again. . .

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

Thee Temple  Ov  Psychick  Youth,  we  are  united,  united in  the  
differences that  constitute  our individuality.  At  one  stage or  
another all ov  us had reached  the same crossroad.  The roads were  
clearly marked - conformity, control, suburbia, soap and no hope. The 
general flat planes that lead to a hollow, wasted death. Instead, we 
deliberately leave the roads to travel cross-country - to aim for the 
high mountains  on  the  horizon.  There  are  no  clearly  visible  
signposts, no neatly  maintained roads  and no  resting points. The  
undergrowth can be extremely dense, the inhabitants hostile and the  
speed of travel tiresomely slow. But etched on the horizon, amongst  
the loftiest of mountains is a  Psychick Cross. We move onwards and  
upwards. This is the way of T.O.P.Y.
To travel with T.O.P.Y. is to map out your own route, to cross virgin
territory, often alone. You discover you pace, your own dreams of the 
goal. Discovering  your  own  philosophy of  life,  but  instead of  
preaching it you live  it, and live  it to the  full. We may travel  
alone, but we obtain strength that elsewhere in the wilderness others 
are planning and travelling their own routes to the same goal. We may 
rendezvous, by chance or  by desire. We can  then share, relate our  
travels and exchange maps for  we know that to  fulfill our life we  
must help fulfill  others: open their  eyes, let them  help us open  
ours. Share our results and tactics and  help to change the maps of  
old. To lay new paths and  roads and satisfy the discontentments of  
society and its expectations and
limitations of an individual.

It is every person's basic right and task to be as they will, as they 
truly will. The  study is  long and hard  to find  this will. Total  
self-honesty is  needed. The  ability  to touch  oneself,  no less.  
T.O.P.Y. will encourage, suggest ways of touching at all levels and  
of all  aspects, by  using rituals  and intuitive  magickal methods  
specifically aimed at getting closer to oneself. To integrate all the 
different levels and aspects to develop a total, free individual.

T.O.P.Y. realises that every man and woman has their own potential to
achieve and live by.  This can vary  greatly within individuals but  
this is the key because each individual's achievements are relative  
to only  that  one  person's  potential.  There  is  no competitive  
hierarchy as  that would  serve  only to  stifle  development. Each  
individual must ultimately  justify their every  motive, action and  
belief to themselves. If  they achieve this  then they are allowing  
T.O.P.Y. to achieve  itself. It cannot  work in reverse.  It can be  
hard. To start to truly look at yourself can hurt. Strength, honesty 
and commitment are needed to move towards T.O.P.Y. Sexuality is a key 
as within sexuality the restrictions and constrictions of society and 
its controls can bite the hardest. To liberate and understand one's  
own sexuality is to liberate  and understand T.O.P.Y. An individual  
who has  learnt to  express themselves  sexually  can then  use the  
lessons learnt here to inspire freedom
and development  in other  aspects of  their  person. Your  sex and  
sexuality
belong to yourself. The energies it  generates all come from within  
your
psyche. At the peak of sex the doors open, the barriers collapse and 
there is  no  separation.  The  interchange  between  conscious and  
"sub"-conscious is  complete.  Using  controlled  focusing  at this  
magickal time, T.O.P.Y. individuals can  make a conscious desire to  
move to the higher  levels of their own  consciousness where it can  
take effect and help the dreams become real. By truly understanding  
this  process  and   tailoring  it  to   an  individual's  methods,   
breakthrough can be  reached and  you have  given yourself  back to  
yourself.

These methods  of sexual  focusing  provide the  basis  of T.O.P.Y.  
workings. The results achieved  here by the  individual filter down  
through all levels, all actions, all motives. All comes from within  
the individual.

T.O.P.Y. has a psychick symbol and a psychick number. Both of these 
are
woven deeply  into the  sub-structure. Both  act as  a focus,  as a  
synthesis of beliefs and actions; as  a trigger. The Psychick Cross  
with its horizontal arms in the ratio of 2 to 3 can be interpreted on 
many levels:  to signify  the individual  (the vertical  line) with  
his/her past (bottom  line), present  (middle) and  future (top); a  
symbol of integration between opposing functions within an individual 
of T.O.P.Y. (3 E). The arms flow outwards from the Cross to symbolise 
growth and discovery whilst at the same time they all draw inwards to 
focus and synthesize this growth within  the individual. A cross to  
sacrifice the self upon; a uniform symbol to identify with, but like 
T.O.P.Y. itself to  be interpreted  in different  ways by different  
individuals.

The magickal number 23 is interwoven  throughout T.O.P.Y. It is the  
point of focus, to integrate, to dissolve. A time, a time for work, a 
date to complete a task 23 times is  to see it move deep within the  
consciousness. A number that's history is proven and potent, one that 
occurs internationally,irrationally and totally naturally. Like the  
Psychick Cross,  indeed  like  T.O.P.Y.,  23  is  the  gateway, the  
crossover point  to  internal focus  and  development  and external  
flowering.

When there is no other way.

T.O.P.Y.

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

~ Thoughts on The Temple ~

The Temple Ov Psychick Youth is a body of like-minded, ageless souls 
all
striving in  an  individual  manner towards  a  collective  goal: a  
guiltless state of self-awareness.

The exploration of our innermost desires by the release of the sexual 
spirit, and thus the freeing of  our emotions of dogma and external  
control, is fundamental to the process by which the Temple achieves  
its collective identity. The process is a deeply personal voyage of  
discovery (the very fact of the emphasis of the individual testifies 
to this),  one in  which  the Temple  acts  as a  guiding  light, a  
processor of information and its re-direction.  

"No Man is an Island", and for this reason the Temple is both needed 
for
support in our battle, and as a  focus for the support we ourselves  
can offer. Its sum being greater  than the parts, the Temple serves  
as a sounding  board for ideas,  provoking thought  which may under  
other circumstances never  have been  given the  right "culture" in  
which to form and grow. Thus the Temple is a growing, living organism 
whose form is a result of the collection of "cells" within it, as in 
any biological organism. The  analogy with the  natural world is of  
direct significance. All life operates  within a set environment or  
eco-system, but its very presence is an integral part of that system. 
If any one species grows  it is at the cost  of another, and if any  
"external force" is introduced  the balance can  be forever altered  
with the possibility of  collapse (eg: Rainforests).  The Temple is  
such a force, one which could ultimately over-turn the preconceived  
ideas of our Western society. This may seem to many to be a fanciful 
argument, but to those who mock I would say, "how small is a virus or 
cancer cell that can cause the collapse of an organism."

We may be small,  but we are  growing to attack  like a cancer from  
within!

We must stand together, we must fight!

~ On criticism of the Temple ~

How can you criticize an organisation which makes statements such as 
". . .
we support your individuality",  "we offer no  dogma", and talks of  
"de-
programming". These are some of the most important statements mady by
T.O.P.Y., and show the principal aims of the Temple: the realisation 
of
YOURSELF, which results in SELFLESSNESS in the most positive way - no
greed, no sex barriers, no age barriers, no race barriers. . . .etc.

The ultimate goal of LOVE and escape from the prison of 20th Century
(especially western) ideas and values. DON'T  WE ALL FEEL THE SAME?  
Thee
Temple gives no orders,  it gives a  method through books, records,  
states of mind to a form of enlightenment. "You must understand 'til 
it hurts. The mind must be  stretched to include emotions, thoughts  
and points of  view entirely  foreign to  the narrow limits  of our  
present life." (quote from "Zen" by Christmas Humphreys) To me, the  
Temple is about THINKING and trying to spread this FREEDOM.

SEXUALITY: This I am only myself realising at the moment - NO GUILT. 
We
see it on T.V. every day: twisted sex values - TURN IT OFF! I can't  
find the right words to  use about my sigil  experiences but I feel  
re-charged, focused, powerful, aware.

THEE PSYCHICK CROSS:  This to me  forms a kind  of focus  (not in a  
fearful,
religious sense) and is a common  ground and understandable sign to  
those
involved within T.O.P.Y.

23: This to me is Kammerer's Law of Seriality. The natural rhythms, 
patterns, harmonies in all the universe. It is an expression of this 
belief of the unexplored forces that act upon us.

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

I can relate to what  the Temple Ov Psychick Youth  is trying to do  
because we are all living in a world where chaos reigns. The Western 
World has been under the dogma of religion, Catholic and Protestant, 
for the last five hundred years. And its teachings, far removed from 
the original message,  have beenused to  control the  masses and to  
shape humanity's moral codes.

So today we have people wanting to have spiritual freedom, but who
because of the age-old brain washing of God and the Devil, and good  
and evil, find it hard. Even worse, most people in our society have  
to unlearn and begin at thee beginning about their relationship with 
life, the universe and  everything in it;  and they generally start  
looking within themselves for their answers. I personally think that 
Christianity is  on its  last  legs, as  its churches  are  full of  
middle-aged and old people, but not young people. So there are many 
who are searching for  spiritual freedom, and  a truer relationship  
with life. The Temple Ov Psychick Youth  provides a means and a way  
for people to break free and rise above the lie of society. Because  
magick, witchcraft are keys that unlock many of life's closed doors, 
and enable  individuals to  explore and  develop themselves  on all  
planes of life, from spiritual to
physical.

Nothing in life is easy,  and magick is not an  escape. As with all  
life you have to give of yourself to receive, and giving of yourself 
means a sacrifice of time and effort which is a hard lesson for many 
an aspiring  occultist. So  through contact  with open  groups like  
T.O.P.Y., individuals can meet other  people with similar ideals in  
life.

Obviously people will have to face  moral principles such as sexual  
Magick (tantric yoga)  and other methods  used in  ritual magick to  
raise the power, but this is something they learn naturally and not 
unnaturally as the rest of society  still thinks and believes. They  
have to  learn that  they themselves  create  or destroy  what life  
presents before them, not God or the Devil, and thus having learnt go 
forth into  a new  world of  gods. After  all, evil  is essentially  
misplaced energy (unnatural). So things like sex, and all pleasurable 
activity so long as it be done with free will, are healthy for us in 
life.

This last point is another reason why I agree with T.O.P.Y.'s ideals: 
because they encourage people to be  free within themselves, and to  
discover their own true wills.

As A/C puts it: Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law.
Love Is The Law, Love Under Will.

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

My interpretation of T.O.P.Y. is that of the propagation of unlimited
expression and  potential.  Also,  that  of  the  freeing  of world  
technology and  communication  from  the  restraints  of  generally  
restrictive, authoritarian value-systems. The Temple, to me, has the 
potential to both examine and free the latency of both physical and 
psychical potential.

I would  like  to  take part  in  a  world-deprogramming  task, and  
experience the  worthiness  of my  own  full powers,  in  all their  
comparitive spheres.

These thoughts encompass my attitudes towards sexuality (in both its 
drive and  visionary  factors)  and  also  my  movement  towards  a  
cooperative
methodology.

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

What is Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth?

To me, ultimately  a special  state ov mind  - the  place where all  
dreams meet. The place you know exists but are afraid to admit it. A 
secret place, timeless, sexual, a magick place open to all. Have you 
never felt so alive, happy, sexual that you want to live forever? Or 
are you lost, scared or  just too pissed off  to care. T.O.P.Y. can  
help you  find your  real self  and  you can  help T.O.P.Y.  in the  
process. By helping and caring and coummitment to T.O.P.Y. the same  
energy is given back. Love is not a dirty word, helping people is not 
wrong. For society to  change, people must  change. People must see  
what is happening all around them. People must be given information  
about sigils, dreamachines, magick. People must be pro-sexual, have  
respect and caring for everybody.
What is wrong with being happy, alive, caring? So reject money - I'm 
on 16K a year, smart mate but who's interested. I'm a Man City fan - 
You're dead. (Fighting for  a football team,  strange.) This jumper  
cost $60.  (Very smart,  but does  it make  you really  feel better  
inside.)

In these times ov one-upmanship why  not join the ultimate game and  
play
for your life and make history as well.

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

Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth acts as a focal point, a sigil to thee 
Will. It can provide thee FORM about which thee FUNCTION ov Thee SELF 
can be wrapped. Thee act ov focusing releases tremendous energy which 
Thee Temple, as  a concourse,  forms into  a flow  ov energy.  As a  
concept it sparks off Individual activity and through thee Image ov  
Thee SIGIL it channels that energy into a creative outburst.

As a free form with a continuous flow ov unrestricted and unlimited 
ideas it allows any Individual to develop a language to express what 
can not be  explained. Magick  in its  modern context is  largely a  
question ov interpreting  a subjective  reality in  purely personal  
terms. This requires a personal subjective language. Yet if society  
is to continue - have any meaning  - then it is precisely this that  
must be communicated. A subjective reality  can not be expressed in  
terms ov common language,  but only as  a personal experience. Thus  
thee only  channel ov  communication  open to  us is  to  place our  
personal view within a common framework. This in essence is what all 
communication is about. But most ov  our present belief is based on  
distortion. Our culture simply has not  got thee necessary tools to  
cope with thee  present situation.  Our cultural  language is still  
based on thee rational universal world ov thee past aeon. This will 
have to be swept aside before people can talk to each other again.

The magickal number 23 is interwoven  throughout T.O.P.Y. It is the  
point of focus, to integrate, to dissolve. A time, a time for work, a 
date to complete a task 23 times is  to see it move deep within the  
consciousness. A number that's history is proven and potent, one that 
occurs internationally, irrationally and totally naturally. Like the 
Psychick Cross,  indeed  like  T.O.P.Y.,  23  is  the  gateway, the  
crossover point  to  internal focus  and  development  and external  
flowering.

When there is no other way.

T.O.P.Y.

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

~ Thoughts on The Temple ~

The Temple Ov Psychick Youth is a body of like-minded, ageless souls 
all
striving in  an  individual  manner towards  a  collective  goal: a  
guiltless state of self-awareness.

The exploration of our innermost desires by the release of the sexual 
spirit, and thus the freeing of  our emotions of dogma and external  
control, is fundamental to the process by which the Temple achieves  
its collective identity. The process is a deeply personal voyage of  
discovery (the very fact of the emphasis of the individual testifies 
to this),  one in  which  the Temple  acts  as a  guiding  light, a  
processor of information and its re-direction.

"No Man is an Island", and for this reason the Temple is both needed 
for
support in our battle, and as a  focus for the support we ourselves  
can offer. Its sum being greater  than the parts, the Temple serves  
as a sounding  board for ideas,  provoking thought  which may under  
other circumstances never  have been  given the  right "culture" in  
which to form and grow. Thus the Temple is a growing, living organism 
whose form is a result of the collection of "cells" within it, as in 
any biological organism. The  analogy with the  natural world is of  
direct significance. All life operates  within a set environment or  
eco-system, but its very presence is an integral part of that system. 
If any one species grows  it is at the cost  of another, and if any  
"external force" is introduced  the balance can  be forever altered  
with the possibility of  collapse (eg: Rainforests).  The Temple is  
such a force, one which could ultimately over-turn the preconceived  
ideas of our Western society. This may seem to many to be a fanciful 
argument, but to those who mock I would say, "how small is a virus or 
cancer cell that can cause the collapse of
an organism."

We may be small,  but we are  growing to attack  like a cancer from  
within!

We must stand together, we must fight!

~ On criticism of the Temple ~

How can you criticize an organisation which makes statements such as 
". . . we support your individuality", "we offer no dogma", and talks 
of "de-programming". These are some of the most important statements 
mady by T.O.P.Y.,  and show the  principal aims of  the Temple: the  
realisation of YOURSELF, which results  in SELFLESSNESS in the most  
positive way - no greed, no sex  barriers, no age barriers, no race  
barriers. . . .etc.

The ultimate goal of LOVE and escape from the prison of 20th Century
(especially western) ideas and values. DON'T  WE ALL FEEL THE SAME?  
Thee
Temple gives no orders,  it gives a  method through books, records,  
states of mind to a form of enlightenment. "You must understand 'til 
it hurts. The mind must be  stretched to include emotions, thoughts  
and points of  view entirely  foreign to  the narrow limits  of our  
present life." (quote from "Zen" by Christmas Humphreys) To me, the  
Temple is about THINKING and trying to spread this FREEDOM.

SEXUALITY: This I am only myself realising at the moment - NO GUILT. 
We
see it on T.V. every day: twisted sex values - TURN IT OFF! I can't  
find the right words to  use about my sigil  experiences but I feel  
re-charged, focused, powerful, aware.

THEE PSYCHICK CROSS:  This to me  forms a kind  of focus  (not in a  
fearful,
religious sense) and is a common  ground and understandable sign to  
those
involved within T.O.P.Y.

23: This to me is Kammerer's Law of Seriality. The natural rhythms, 
patterns, harmonies in all the universe. It is an expression of this 
belief of the unexplored forces that act upon us.

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

I can relate to what  the Temple Ov Psychick Youth  is trying to do  
because we are all living in a world where chaos reigns. The Western 
World has been under the dogma of religion, Catholic and Protestant, 
for the last five hundred years. And its teachings, far removed from 
the original message,  have beenused to  control the  masses and to  
shape humanity's moral codes.

So today we have people wanting to have spiritual freedom, but who
because of the age-old brain washing of God and the Devil, and good  
and evil, find it hard. Even worse, most people in our society have  
to unlearn and begin at thee beginning about their relationship with 
life, the universe and  everything in it;  and they generally start  
looking within themselves for their answers. I personally think that 
Christianity is  on its  last  legs, as  its churches  are  full of  
middle-aged and old people, but not young people. So there are many 
who are searching for  spiritual freedom, and  a truer relationship  
with life. The Temple Ov Psychick Youth  provides a means and a way  
for people to break free and rise above the lie of society. Because  
magick, witchcraft are keys that unlock many of life's closed doors, 
and enable  individuals to  explore and  develop themselves  on all  
planes of life, from spiritual to
physical.

Nothing in life is easy,  and magick is not an  escape. As with all  
life you have to give of yourself to receive, and giving of yourself 
means a sacrifice of time and effort which is a hard lesson for many 
an aspiring  occultist. So  through contact  with open  groups like  
T.O.P.Y., individuals can meet other  people with similar ideals in  
life.

Obviously people will have to face  moral principles such as sexual  
Magick (tantric yoga)  and other methods  used in  ritual magick to  
raise the power, but this is something they learn naturally and not 
unnaturally as the rest of society  still thinks and believes. They  
have to  learn that  they themselves  create  or destroy  what life  
presents before them, not God or the Devil, and thus having learnt go 
forth into  a new  world of  gods. After  all, evil  is essentially  
misplaced energy (unnatural). So things like sex, and all pleasurable 
activity so long as it be done with free will, are healthy for us in 
life.

This last point is another reason why I agree with T.O.P.Y.'s ideals: 
because they encourage people to be  free within themselves, and to  
discover their own true wills.

As A/C puts it: Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law.
Love Is The Law, Love Under Will.

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

My interpretation of T.O.P.Y. is that of the propagation of unlimited
expression and  potential.  Also,  that  of  the  freeing  of world  
technology and  communication  from  the  restraints  of  generally  
restrictive, authoritarian value-systems. The Temple, to me, has the 
potential to both examine and free the latency of both physical and 
psychical potential.

I would  like  to  take part  in  a  world-deprogramming  task, and  
experience the  worthiness  of my  own  full powers,  in  all their  
comparitive spheres.

These thoughts encompass my attitudes towards sexuality (in both its 
drive and  visionary  factors)  and  also  my  movement  towards  a  
cooperative
methodology.

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

What is Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth?

To me, ultimately  a special  state ov mind  - the  place where all  
dreams meet.
The place you know exists but are afraid to admit it. A secret place, 
timeless, sexual, a magick place open to all. Have you never felt so 
alive, happy, sexual that you want to live forever? Or are you lost, 
scared or just too pissed  off to care. T.O.P.Y.  can help you find  
your real self and you can help T.O.P.Y. in the process. By helping  
and caring and coummitment to T.O.P.Y. the same energy is given back. 
Love is not a dirty word, helping people is not wrong. For society to 
change, people must change.  People must see  what is happening all  
around  them.  People  must  be  given  information  about  sigils,   
dreamachines, magick. People  must be pro-sexual,  have respect and  
caring for everybody.
What is wrong with being happy, alive, caring? So reject money - I'm 
on 16K a year, smart mate but who's interested. I'm a Man City fan - 
You're dead. (Fighting for  a football team,  strange.) This jumper  
cost $60.  (Very smart,  but does  it make  you really  feel better  
inside.)

In these times ov one-upmanship why  not join the ultimate game and  
play
for your life and make history as well.

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

Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth acts as a focal point, a sigil to thee 
Will. It can provide thee FORM about which thee FUNCTION ov Thee SELF 
can be wrapped. Thee act ov focusing releases tremendous energy which 
Thee Temple, as  a concourse,  forms into  a flow  ov energy.  As a  
concept it sparks off Individual activity and through thee Image ov  
Thee SIGIL it channels that energy into a creative outburst.

As a free form with a continuous flow ov unrestricted and unlimited 
ideas it allows any Individual to develop a language to express what 
can not be  explained. Magick  in its  modern context is  largely a  
question ov interpreting  a subjective  reality in  purely personal  
terms. This requires a personal subjective language. Yet if society  
is to continue - have any meaning  - then it is precisely this that  
must be communicated. A subjective reality  can not be expressed in  
terms ov common language,  but only as  a personal experience. Thus  
thee only  channel ov  communication  open to  us is  to  place our  
personal view within a common framework. This in essence is what all 
communication is about. But most ov  our present belief is based on  
distortion. Our culture simply has not  got thee necessary tools to  
cope with thee  present situation.  Our cultural  language is still  
based on thee rational universal world ov thee past aeon. This will 
have to be swept aside before people can talk to each other again.

Thee Temple as a focal point without a fixed system ov values begins 
Thee Process. It provides a channel through which thee Individual can 
view his/her circumstances from their own perspective. It sweeps past 
thee outmoded views ov mass philosophy. Most importantly, by mutual
encouragement, Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth gives me thee courage to
accept and trust my own view.

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

Its aims on human freedom and independence
To inspiration individuality
Freedom in any dreams, in any wisches

Sexuality with no limitations so long as it is yours
sexuality to make you free of any restrictions
sexuality & Love the most successful drivepower for any dream & wisch
Love the power of all powers.

Methods of magic and philosophy from many individuals Psycho-levels  
of the brain to help you in higher atomosphere's Methods from magic 
to create your perfect atmosphere and to get closer to that one self
Methods look sometimes bizzare but are the ones who understand there 
are
no limitations, when you  wanne reach exstacy-freedom  OV 23 - That  
moment, that day, that  dream, that wisch, that  freedom It all can  
come true,  OV 23  is one  of  those methods  Lots of  thoughts are  
feelings which  are not  easy  to explain  May  be when  I  have to  
represent a year later it might be totally different, I learn every 
day more and more, it will take lives.

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

Thee Temple Ov Psychick Youth is important because it is ACTIVE and
CARING. It  intends  to  nudge  people  into  an  understanding  of  
themselves,
into RESPECT for themselves. To Love themselves and their lives. It  
intends to spur people into doing coumthing with their lives, being  
ACTIVE. It gives people back to themselves along with the realisation 
that they  CAN get  what they  really deeply  want and  need. Their  
desires can be made real. All it takes is effort and discipline.

For a few years now I have felt a deep hunger and frustration. There 
has
been a large gap in my life. It took me awhile to realise what this  
gap was. A deep spiritual lack. There has never been any talk ov or 
involvment with anything remotely spiritual  during the whole of my  
twenty years of existence. During Primary School it was required of  
the whole class  to stand  up in thee  mornings and  say thee Lords  
Prayer. I never ever believed in it. It seemed totally absurd to me  
even then, I don't really know why,  but I never believed in "God".  
For seven years I stood  up and mouthed thee  words of thee prayer.  
When I left at the age of 12, if anyone asked me to recite thee words 
ov thee Lords Prayer I couldn't do it! Seriously. I had never learned 
it and had wilfully blocked it out. I objected out loud of course, oh 
no, that would result in the belt.  Little boys who don't say their  
prayers get pain as a reward. It wasn't until I was about 19 that I  
found what I thought/think might be thee answers. I have always been 
interested in thee unusual. In everything. People. Books. Music. Art. 
Thee "Chaos ov  thee Normal",  thee "Moronic  Inferno". Fashion has  
never interested me. During childhood I read mostly science fiction. 
Then came a period ov flux, ov
wandering, where I no longer was deeply "into" Sci-fi as before, but 
couldn't find  anything else.  That was  when I  decided to  buy "A  
William Burroughs Reader"  having heard  him mentioned  in numerous  
articles in thee  muzak press.  Pages of  wonderous images, surreal  
images, new ideas, new  methods. This replenished  my lust for thee  
innovative.

I used to go to an "Adult Training Centre" at night to help out at a 
kind of social gathering  of handicapped people.  There was a small  
record player, and  a box  of records.  Sidney Devine,  Elvis, Nana  
Mouscouri, country and western, thee muzak ov my nightmares! Tucked  
neatly in between two  of these wreckords  was an unimposing little  
single. It was Just  Drifting and was  by Psychic TV.  I asked if I  
could have it as I wondered what they were like, having read reviews 
in thee press. As one of our records had disappeared they said "Yes". 
That was how  I discovered PTV.  It was a  few years  before I made  
enquiries into thee Temple.  This was made  at thee same  time as I  
found a  possible solution  to  my problem.  I read  a  book called  
"Mysteries" by Colin Wilson. It was thee most amazing book I had ever 
read. A  whole new  universe ov  possibilities opened  up to  me. I  
immediately developed  a deep  hunger  for knowledge.  Not everyday  
knowledge. Knowledge  ov this  strange new  world.  I went  to thee  
library and read every occult book I could find. A Whole new worlds  
of meaning opened up.

Thee Temple seemed like an  honest organisation. Not a brainwashing  
cult.
An "anti-cult".  I  didn't know  (and  still don't)  just  how much  
knowledge it possessed. To  make "the occult"  a part of everyone's  
everyday lives, now that was an interesting idea. A very good idea. 
An essential idea. Ideas into action. Kick start evolution again.

To destroy tyranny and oppression. To bring joy back to living once 
more.  Love.  Responsibility   for  actions.   Interaction  between   
Individuals again, instead ov this total isolation that is becoming a 
hallmark ov thee twentieth century.

Sex. To  free sex  from all  fetters.  To throw  off guilt  and all  
restrictions to  pleasure.  To  make sex  pure  again.  Between two  
Individuals. Not thee ignorant sexist, totally damaging view of a man 
fucking a woman. Sex involves two people. Two active people (who may 
be active in their
passivity). To reclaim sexuality as our own. To be shared with who we
choose, however we choose. Thee magick ov sex. Thee new sexuality. To
choose ourSelves.

Thee Psychick Cross. Thee  cross is thee  union of opposites (0=2).  
Thee top half has  thee Christian Cross, thee  bottom half has thee  
anti-Christian or  Satanic  Cross.  Thee  middle  branch  ties them  
together. Thee top half mirrors thee bottom. As above so below. It is 
thee anti-Papal Cross since thee middle branch is shorter than thee  
outer two, thee opposite of thee Papal. It is a television aerial. It 
receives and transmits information from and  to every area ov life.  
Thee centre of thee Information War. It is a focus for knowledge and 
understanding. It is also thee face of thee Temple. Thee central line 
ov thee face along which is arranged thee line of thee eyes at top, 
nose middle, and mouth bottom. Thee  three branches are mind, body,  
and spirit. There are three crosses in thee Psychick Cross, not two.

23, in Crowley's system, is Water.  Thee essential element ov life.  
Thee great sea ov thee subconscious. Thee element that is always in 
flux, forever changing. Change is stability. Water has three states  
(branches on thee cross?). Water is the  body and the mind. Just as  
the moon affects the sea so does it affect mind and body. The brain 
is something like 80% water after all. 23 is a mystery. It's just a 
number. It's just the number ov rays from Sirius, The Sun behind the 
Sun. Thee star of thee Dogon, those marvellous people. Thee symbol of 
Sirius is pretty close to thee cross.

23 is synchronicity and recognition:

2+3=5      2x3 = 6      2/3 = .666
---------------------------------------------

Trying to explain my reason for my involvement with T.O.P.Y. is hard, 
but to say I am searching for my inner strengths and weaknesses is as 
good a one as  any. To me  T.O.P.Y. is doing  more for thee couming  
together ov people than any thing I know. They encourage thee sharing 
ov ideas which to me is an important factor in knocking down life's  
walls.

To ask me thee meaning behind their aims, ideas, sexuality, methods, 
thee meaning ov thee Psychick Cross, ov 23 would be an injustice to  
T.O.P.Y. Their aim I believe to be more wakefulness in society, for 
people to open  up their eyes  and see for  themselves. Their ideas  
revolve around Pagan philosophy and thee  arts ov Magick which in a  
way takes on all aspects ov Life.  Methods are thee same in all new  
conceptions and must be used to get thee message across. Sexuality is 
a beautiful thing and should be treated in thee same way, free love  
must be forever in  our souls. Thee  Psychick Cross is  a symbol to  
symbolise all  aspects  ov T.O.P.Y.  ideals,  they must  be  put up  
everywhere. Ov 23  I am  stuck with no  true conclusion  as to thee  
proper idea/ideas behind it, but to me it stands out and crops up in 
thee weirdest ov situations and it is a JOY to see it anywhere.

T.O.P.Y. is an inner door, a device for breaking down mental walls. 
T.O.P.Y. can be pleasure with thee pain, thee garden ov eden and you 
are Adam or Eve. Open thee eye to T.O.P.Y. and experience everything 
before it is too late.

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

I feel no  need to  justify my interest  or my  sympathy. Those who  
reject
T.O.P.Y. reject themselves -  and few want to  face the truth. Each  
individual must decide their own course, and as no-one is the same, 
so no course is the same.  Everyone responds and rejects or accepts  
according to their own thoughts and feelings.

T.O.P.Y. offers an alternative to mass control, depersonalisation and 
guilt. Those  who  choose  this  path will  never  find  it  easy -  
prejudice and jealousy will see to that, as very few people have the 
courage to be themselves and those that  do are often hated for it.  
For not conforming. For not being "one of us".

T.O.P.Y. aims to make each individual free of the mental shackles and
spiritual  bonds  placed  on  us   since  birth.  To  question  the   
unquestioning mind and to heal the  wound of separation withing us.  
For no-one is whole when psyche, mind and body work in discord. The  
Psychick Cross is a symbol of this unity - a tangible representation 
of 23 - two threes  back to back, joined,  whole, a perfect harmony  
visually and psychically, to be used as a focal point for energy, a  
comforter emotionally and a reminder of  the potential within us. A  
potential T.O.P.Y. can help us to achieve.

The thing I can give most readily is my love. My love of Life and its 
unifying energy and of all living things. My love of humanity and all 
that these destructive creatures have produced that is creative. My  
love of my ideal that  I have cherished and nurtured  all my life -  
that finally humankind will see  and feel all that  is within me is  
within all life and therefore that all life is within me.

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

The nation, the world is in a trap. The poor are getting poorer, and 
the rich, richer. Our  environment is collapsing  in upon ourselves  
because of what we are doing. An example: it is legal to corrode the 
ozone layer (by use of aerosols, etc.) and thereby harm everyone, yet 
illegal to  smoke  marijuana,  and  harm  no-one.  We  need change,  
revolution - and T.O.P.Y. is that. The  ideas of it being an insane  
death cult are a misconception. We  are help, perhaps the only help  
and friend, not an enemy. So open your eyes.
Once upon a time. . . .

. . . . I first spurred  interest in T.O.P.Y. with the listening of  
Dreams Less Sweet. After I  proceeded to lose that  tape to a young  
lady, I decided  to find  out more about  the sound  and reasons of  
T.O.P.Y. I purchased the live records series, which has proven to be 
a source of  great enjoyment.  And I  try to  forward the  ideas of  
T.O.P.Y. with messages on  the dorm door,  and I try  to play a few  
songs when I dj at the campus radio station.

What I rather liked about T.O.P.Y. was that there was no forcing of  
ideals on myself the listener. There are, I will not hold back, a few 
ideals I do not in self practice, because they do not appeal to me, 
but I will not condescend because someone else may. For the book, I  
do not  experiment  with  drugs,  have  sex,  or  denounce strongly  
non-pagan religions. Persons may say that I have not lived, but that 
is someone  else's  idea of  living.  If  and when  I  wish  to try  
something, I shall, but until then I am content with myself. I guess 
the point is that it is a choice, and one must not necessarily make 
certain choices to be involved with T.O.P.Y.

The problem, well wait. Let us  stay with that prior thought, about  
choices, just  for a  minute. You  may have  noticed I  don't spell  
certain words the way  T.O.P.Y. does; again  I do not  feel that is  
important for me to reflect that  thought to be considered involved  
with T.O.P.Y. Anyway, as I was writing,  the problem is I am afraid  
that I may not be able to be as active as I wish in T.O.P.Y. with my 
schooling, because education  is very important  to me.  So, what I  
guess I am getting at, is that I will do my best to do what I can. I 
can only hope that does not sound too "wishy-washy". So, I am, will, 
try to do my most.

How would I explain T.O.P.Y. to a stranger? Simply, a group, tribe of 
persons who are looking  ahead, with little  recourse to beliefs or  
principles that  have  been embedded,  sometimes  unwillingly, into  
society. An  aim of  reversal, getting  people  to quit  taking for  
granted what  surrounds them,  and  having them  realize  they have  
control of their life, and to use themselves to their potential.

Why do I feel T.O.P.Y. is important? Because it serves as a meeting  
center for those  persons who  already know  what they feel  to get  
stronger
centralisation and organisation, and make themselves and their ideas 
more available to others. It's got a  lot to do with the concept of  
awareness.

I guess aims and ideas have been taken care of. Sexuality, again, is 
an
awareness, realizing how present it is, and how it can be made into
something more wonderful than expected or known.

The Psychick Cross has so much behind  it that it is rather hard to  
sum up  its meaning,  besides representing  a receptor  for thought  
processes. Also, I just rather thought that it could also be seen as 
a christian cross overlapped by a satanic (inverted christian) cross, 
and a bar in the middle to cancel the two out, which would go along  
with the theory of bowing to no god.

23 is something I cannot comment too intelligently on, since I have 
not the amount of information necessary. I have heard, however, that 
it is the number of confusion, and actually, I myself have not much  
more of a view on it. . .yet.

Other resources of  my self-determination,  defining ideas clearly,  
patience, art  skills  (with both  pen  and words),  and  desire to  
communicate.

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

Explanation of T.O.P.Y. to a Stranger:

I found this question difficult  to answer as I  do not know enough  
about
T.O.P.Y. People have asked me what it is, so I told them that it is  
an
information network and to contact T.O.P.Y. if interested. However,  
when
pressured I inform them of as much as I can, expanding on the ideas 
that I know, and state that thee network runs all over thee country  
and that
depending on an individuals involvement information is available to  
them; that it  is up  to thee individual,  if they  want, to becoum  
involved and that one is not pressured into it.

To justify my involvement I would say that T.O.P.Y. has thee same or 
similar beliefs to those I  have always held, but  from which I had  
switched off as it was not "right" in thee conditioned world.

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

On T.O.P.Y.

I have played PTV &/or T.O.P.Y. material  for many friends, so I am  
often
asked about T.O.P.Y.

I tailor the answer to the questioner, telling no more than I think  
they can follow at  the time. Sometimes  I describe PTV  as a loose  
aggregate of people working with music and video. I may explain that 
they are part of a larger organisation which seeks to support people 
whose aims and interests are outside the mainstream.

To people I  trust I  explain more. That  T.O.P.Y. is  a network of  
people with some similarities and some differences, held together by 
a desire to understand and short-circuit control. To explore ways to 
make what  they want  to happen,  happen. That  T.O.P.Y. encourages  
people to find out  their true natures, not  a shallow and generic,  
dictated and advertised "identity".

One method is to exploit the cut-up, both on other material and
behaviourally as well. We constantly run on habit, and it is good to 
break this up. Do you  see friend X because you  really want to? Or  
because it's what  you always  do on  Thursday night? A  simple but  
pertinent example.

Burroughs has been quoted as saying there was nothing special about  
23,
just that it was something he noticed and then kept noticing. I see  
it partly as a symbol of focus. That there is so much around that we 
screen out daily, if we pick something not to screen out it will seem 
omnipresent. I also like  the idea of  it as a  sort of mischievous  
number, popping up with a will of its own where it has no statistical 
right. And each time it pops up  itself it reminds me of my psychic  
heritage that I am reclaiming for myself.

I see no particular sexual style that is representative of T.O.P.Y.  
It is more an aspect of sex itself,  that of the power (indeed - OV  
Power) it contains. A power  that can be frustrated  by a denial of  
desire; dissipated by investing it  in removed, marketed images; or  
directed by self-understanding and  a ritual method.  Since the sex  
drive is so basic, and since social repression functions here as much 
or more than  anywhere else, sexual  magick is a  most powerful and  
empowering technique.

The particular interpretations of 23 and the Psychick Cross are not  
as
interesting or important to me as the fact that there are many
interpretations.

If a cynic - journalist or otherwise - is asking me about T.O.P.Y., I 
believe it is important not to try too  much to defend or to try to  
convince the person that  there's nothing horrid  about us. I will,  
however, try to dispel any basic misconceptions. I have found that so 
much of what I take for granted is alien to many people that I cannot 
explain parts of it. As I've noted, it took me a while to understand 
so many  foreign thoughts  at  once. If  pressed by  anyone  who is  
obviously hostile to and/or threatened by the ideas, I say "Well, I'm 
convinced of it, it works  for me, and I'm happy."  I do not try to  
"convert"
them. If they are unaccepting of it, I give them some things to read, 
and T.O.P.Y.'s address.

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

T.O.P.Y. is an international network system, a kind of organisation  
that brings in  touch people  who share ideas  and feel  free to do  
whatever they like, as strange as it  may be. That's the reason why  
T.O.P.Y. is important.  In times  of loneliness,  T.O.P.Y. tries to  
bring people in touch, tries to  bring back the lost innocence, the  
correspondence among people. T.O.P.Y. hates everything and everyone  
who tries to limit its freedom. T.O.P.Y. offers a method of living to 
better survive as a True Being, and as an Individual, and not as part 
of the maze. Individuality  is expressed as  Spirit and Will. "Love  
Under Will" is  the meaning.  To manage  it, T.O.P.Y.  edits books,  
records, video tapes. T.O.P.Y. requires belief in Magick and modern  
Paganism, and recognises the power of the human brain.

The Psychick Cross  means to me:  Brain (upper  bar); Heart (middle  
bar); Prick  - as  the  home of  souls  (lower bar).  It  means the  
Individual itself, with its  three psychic powers:  Brain = dreams,  
fantasy, cleverness; Heart = L.OV.E.; Prick = soul = the power that 
motivates all the above.

The meaning of 23 is a mystic one, and people can only understand it 
after long thought about T.O.P.Y.

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

T.O.P.Y. is  very important  to  thee continued  growth  of psychic  
awareness in thee world. We have progressed physically as far as we 
can. Thee next stage is mental.

T.O.P.Y. offers a  series of  mental training  exercises: awareness  
(especially ov yourself) is thee goal.

There is  no  obligation, as  thee  Temple  is you.  Thee  aims are  
immense. Education,  realisation, principally.  Thee Temple  can be  
anything you  need  from it.  23  is thee  pure  number, completely  
random, a prime  number. Thee  Cross: a  reflection of thee  ego, a  
place to focus energy and a simple, comfortable symbol representing a 
new strength in thee world.

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

Thee Justification ov T.O.P.Y.

Last night me  and some  members ov  T.O.P.Y.S.T.E.E.L engaged thee  
"JESUS
ARMY" in verbal confrontation. It was in some ways an awakening
experience. It  was  also  an  experience  which  demonstrates thee  
necessity for T.O.P.Y., PaganLink, O.T.O., etc.

To be confronted with thee organised inculcation of GUILT, FEAR and
LOATHING in militaristic form demonstrated the need for L.O.V.E.
organisations to provide the keys to self-(de)-programming.

To be confronted with INTOLERANCE and PSYCHIC VAMPIRISM showed the
horrible fate awaiting us if our society/thee earth is taken over by 
thee forces of PERSONAL LIMITATION.

T.O.P.Y. provides a decentralised set of forums for individuals who  
wish to escape our conditioned guilt and fear responses. It provides 
outline methods for individuals who wish to acquire self expression, 
self love, self discipline.

T.O.P.Y. is  a will/energy  focus.  It's LOVE  transmitting  on all  
frequencies. True sexuality is a timeless moment of orgone mutation, 
thee event where  thee subconscious  becomes all  thee planes, thee  
times, where  it becomes  an identity  with thee  conscious worlds.  
Liberation is only a heartbeat away.

Thee Psychick Cross  = pagan  Cross. Sexual  unions. Tree  of Life,  
qabballahs. Thee planes, all in one. Thee sigil of Temple workings,  
immanent in this cross,  every working ever done  before or in thee  
future, happening now. Thee sigil ov  no name, thee blank sheet for  
our experiences and desires to write upon.

23: No-one has  ever satisfactorily  explained to  me how or  why a  
computer
works. But I use one almost every day, and computers always touch my 
life. Similarly, 23 has  not been totally explained  to me, even in  
numerological terms. Not  fully anyway.  Thee fact  remains that 23  
seems to have some kind ov recurrent activity, in my experience. That 
does not mean it will necessarilty be a feature of your experienced 
universe...

23 attaches itself in its various guises (32, 223, 123, 0-23, etc.) 
to things I j- and many other YOUTH - are involved with. 23 seems to 
be a sign of recurrent activity in thee universe, ov unifying themes.

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

Justification of T.O.P.Y. to a cynical interviewer:

As rationality has failed  to create a new  mankind there are other  
methods to  be found  of changing  minds. The  will must  come from  
individuals, who, to reach their aims, gather in a group.

Through the moral conditioning in childhood, school, military and the 
general influence  of language,  media and  moral systems,  men are  
totally controlled. They  control each  other, oftenj  without even  
knowing it. The wishes, dreams of the body and subconsciousness are  
ignored and the subject, so long as there is one, is conditioned to  
ignore it too. Only functionality is important.

Life is shortened to operational functions  to serve society. It is  
degraded to a  servant. As  I feel unsatisfied  by this,  I need to  
escape from this control and want to destroy it. I like to experiment 
with other aspects of life. In this case, sexuality is an important 
factor because it gives the individual a total conscience of its own 
existence.  It  may  help   to  find  the   inner  self  and  break   
pre-formations. I like sexuality. In orgasm, you cross the border. In 
orgasm you die. Your coming back from another cone of reality after 
it. The coming to climax is a way to ego-destruction.

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

People are suppressed and conditioned by the socialisation processes 
of our "society" - education, media, and the family - to believe in  
certain attitudes and to behave in certain ways.

What has happened to individuality and the personality?

People should be taught to develop their own-selves and their own
personalities - To learn about  instinct, nature, consciousness and  
further heights of awareness, WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN PUSHED FROM OUR  
MINDS.

The human  mind is  suppressed not  to generate  its "unacceptable"  
powers.

Meditation, creative visualisation, and  MAGICK are important tools  
which
may be used to help bring out our true selves.

Sexuality is condemned from an early age. Society as a whole condemns
sexuality.

It is a beautiful experience - and  can prove to be a very powerful  
and
magickal act - generating immense emotion and feeling.

The idea of PLEASURE AND PAIN is fundamental to the understanding and
experiences of people. Sex can exist within both concepts.

People should  learn  not to  be  ashamed of  their  sexuality, and  
sexually, to share experiences with other individuals.

UNDERSTANDING, DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNICATION.

OUR AIM IS WAKEFULNESS.
OUR ENEMY IS DREAMLESS SLEEP

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

Involvement with T.O.P.Y.  means that I  have broken  away from the  
social
graces forced upon me  by society. I  am finding out  what I really  
enjoy to do, with  my mental/physical attributes.  I am learning to  
reach further than before, to grasp the things that were previously  
beyond my reach.

T.O.P.Y. is a collective of individuals who, in a way, do not want to 
be part of any group/social type. This is not as hypocritical as it  
sounds, because each individual within T.O.P.Y. is going his/her own 
way, each with differing goals, concepts of life.

T.O.P.Y. is  important because  it gives  the individuals  within a  
confidence that  others  are trying  to  struggle  against society.  
T.O.P.Y. members feel as though  they are not the  only ones with a  
different point of view. It gives the individual strength to succeed.

T.O.P.Y.'s aim is to help  individuals attain their highest dreams,  
and to help them accomplish their works and wishes in life.

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

T.O.P.Y. allows thee individual a chance to know him/her self. I am 
not sure if  I would  be able  to explain  T.O.P.Y. to  a stranger.  
Recently I was talking to a friend who told me she no longer wanted 
to be my friend because I was involving myself with T.O.P.Y. She does 
not believe in anything. Her point is  that I would no longer be me  
and that I didn't need T.O.P.Y.'s ideas to help me with my problems, 
that in time everything works out in itself.

I disagreed with her argument, trying to explain that T.O.P.Y. would 
help me with the goals that I want to obtain in my life, and that in 
the past not all my problems have worked out by themself.

T.O.P.Y. asks for the individual to be clear in admitting their real 
desires by discarding all irrelevancies and by asking yourself what  
do you really want out ov life. The argument with my friend allowed  
me to see that we were no longer friends and perhaps we never really 
were. How could we have been friends when she would not allow me to 
be anymore than I already was nor anything else that I could be.

T.O.P.Y. is not there to be occult. But a lot ov people have that
misunderstanding. People will always condemn the thoughts and actions 
ov another.

There is someone who I am deeply interested in, who spoke ov tribal  
living and the ideas ov T.O.P.Y. At that time I had no idea what he  
was talking about and the shyness that we both have makes it almost  
impossible to talk to each other. We are barely able to smile and say 
hello, and I believe thru  the Psychick process we  will be able to  
speak again. I will overcome the shyness that keeps me within myself 
and keeps me from having what I really want from life.

T.O.P.Y.'s ideas  are for  everyone who  wants  to wake  up fromthe  
dreamless
world that  we are  living  in. It's  for the  individual  who asks  
themself what they want from life, and the rituals are there to make 
those thoughts happen.

"Awareness ov your own energy is the awareness that flesh and spirit 
are
one, that thou art goddess, eternally linked, connected, at one with 
the
moving spirit ov all" (Starhawk 138)

T.O.P.Y. is there for  thee individual who  makes the coumitment to  
become
aware ov thee energy that is inside us all. . .

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

Magic has interested me from  an early age - but  I didn't have the  
best
informed beginning. I  used to  try telekinesis,  telepathy, astral  
projection,even levitation,  all  with varying  degree  of complete  
failure. I had no concentration or confidence, and a very impatient  
streak. The things I tried to do were very nice "tricks" but many of 
them are no longer  goals of mine.  I see no  reason now to attempt  
things for which I had little aptitude, solely to impress others and 
build up my own social standing. People are so cynical now, and maybe 
some of it has rubbed off on me.

The Temple has shown me a practical side to magick which makes no
pretensions, I don't expect to be able  to force the hand of chance  
with
minimum effort and  concentration and  nothing to  inform me  but a  
half-read Aquarian Press book. In my future sigil work I shall aim to 
overcome some of  my less  attractive tendencies,  and build  on my  
natural talents and abilities. My ideal target will be a perfect self 
and not a material manipulator. Maybe people should expect miracles  
because I think  if you  believe in  something enough then  you are  
halfway to having it, just  as long as it's  within and not without  
yourself.
I don't feel that I need to justify my involvement with anything, to 
anyone. People have an instant dislike and fear of things they don't 
understand, but worse than  this, an aversion  to information which  
could disrupt their secure, boring, featureless lives. To me, many of 
these people are lost causes, I would prefer that they knew nothing 
of what I choose to do with my life - which is too precious to spend 
arguing with people who will never  see sense for the simple reason  
that they don't want to. This may  seem a selfish attitude, but the  
example of  Susan  Bishop  is  enough  to  put  me  off  talking to  
journalists, and Christians, for life. Let them remain ignorant and  
happy, they will never change.

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

People like to  control you. They  want power and  they achieve it.  
These
thieves are smart and they  work off people's insecurities. CONTROL  
means
dictating how others should live and how to think. If you are afraid 
of
making these decisions for yourself (because of fear of failure, lack 
of self-confidence, fear of death, and definitely laziness) then it  
is easy to associate yourself with, and follow someone strong enough 
to make  decisions  for  you. You  are  no  longer  responsible for  
yourself and no longer have the burden or that responsibility. It is 
easier to identify  oneself with  an already  developed personality  
(hero/heroine)  than  go  through  the  never  ending  struggle  of   
self-discovery. The insecure robbers who feed off our weaknesses are 
the ones  most people  tend to  trust: our  rabbis and  priests who  
control through  strict  regulations  and  traditions,  our  school  
teachers who take advantage of
the innocence and naivety of young children by presenting themselves 
and
their ideas as manifestations of god, and our media which depicts THE
acceptable lifestyle through slanted manipulations. These thieves are 
aware of  your  trust  and innocence,  and  intend  on  using those  
weaknesses to control you.

The Temple Ov Psychick Youth is an organisation aimed at DE-control. 
They do not wish to control  you; they wish to liberate themselves.  
They offer suggestions on how you  COULD liberate yourself, not how  
you SHOULD
liberate yourself. The process of liberation consists of many types  
of
research, such as the  music group PTV. Members  of the Temple feel  
that
there is no reason  why life should  not be "lived  to the fullest"  
where all one's NEEDS and DESIRES are fulfilled. Because there are so 
many distractions to divert one's attention from one's goals, symbols 
are invented to be worn, to be drawn, etc., to constantly remind, if 
not the conscious, then  the unconscious, of  these goals. Ideally,  
through this process laziness is combatted  and the goals will more  
likely be achieved since those goals are constantly on the person's  
mind. Because there are so many distractions and limitations posed by 
the "controllers", sometimes our deepest  wants do not seem earthly  
possible, and we repress  them in our  subconscious (a step towards  
neurosis) trying to  dismiss them. The  Temple does  not believe in  
repressing our needs and desires (submitting to those "controllers"), 
because our personal needs are what make us human and individual.

The Psychick Cross is the symbol  of the "whole" person, uncovering  
one's
unconsciously hidden  desires and  obtaining them.  The unconscious  
speaks
most loudly in our dreams and our fantasies. When we fantasize, our 
desires usually take place in Utopian settings, and represent these  
goals by creating collages including parts  of our physical body to  
personalise the symbol of our goal even more. This symbol reminds us 
over and over again that this is thee want, this is thee self. Temple 
members using  this process  end up  understanding their  needs and  
desires better, are more able to  satisfy themselves and succeed in  
life.

I personally enjoy making decisions and discoveries on my own. I will 
not allow  anyone  to  take  that joy  away  from  me.  I  enjoy my  
intelligence, my talents, and discovering myself using the symbolic  
rituals suggested by the  Temple Ov Psychick  Youth. T.O.P.Y. is an  
important organisation because: 1) it shows people they are not alone 
in the struggle, and 2) it  allows people to exchange views, ideas,  
and solutions to better these processes to liberate and satiate the  
individual self.
                         "What is Paganism" 

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

The following is the text from a brochure that BAPA puts out called
"What is Paganism" (author unknown)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--

"WHAT IS PAGANISM?

"History of Paganism
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The term Pagan has numerous common definitions.  Many dictionaries
define  a  Pagan  as  anyone  not  of  the  Judeo-Islamic-Christian   
religions.
Some people consider anyone who does not share their religion to be a
Pagan.  Still others believe that a Pagan is a person who is
anti-religion. None of  these "definitions"  manage to  capture the  
true
meaning of the term.

"To discover the core meaning of Pagan, we look back to ancient times
when the  word Pagan  referred to  a  person of  the country,  or a  
peasant.

{deletia... in summary, several paragraphs  relating the history of  
the
Catholic Church and the poor peasants' inability to relate.  Brief
description of the  "glory of  the Goddess  and God in  each starry  
night"
and note of the inconsistancies of  the original Pagan beliefs with  
the
Catholic church. Also, several paragraphs detailing the development  
of
of the Church's campaign to expunge Paganism, some of the methods
employed and the subsequent Witch Hunts. Finally, an overall summary 
of
the persecution.  If interested, let me know and I'll post it
separately.}

"Paganism in Modern Times
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Today, little is known  about the Pagans who  survived what is now  
often
called "The Burning Times."  Paganism, as it exists today, is best
described as  the  practice  of any  of  a  number  of nature-based  
religions,
traditions that find their roots all over the world.  {Liana- sound
familiar?} Many modern Pagans call themselves "Neo-Pagans" to declare
their religion as a revival of the old beliefs.

{more deletia... in summary, two paragraphs comparing contemporary
Pagans to the peasants of old, extolling our intelligence and
involvement in technology.  Also a paragraph defusing the Satanism
comparison.  Again, if interested, let me know and I'll post it.}

"What do Modern Pagans Believe?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Paganism is actually a large umbrella containing a number of
nature-based religions beneath it, from the European-originated Wicca
and Druidism, to African Yoruba traditions and Hawaiian Huna.  As a
result of this diversity, it is impossible to make statements about  
the
beliefs of  Pagans  that  will  apply  to  *all*  {italics} Pagans.  
However,
some statements can be made that will, in general, apply to a vast
number of Pagans.


"Many Pagans tend to:

"* Be polytheists, believing in more than one deity or more than
   one aspect of a single deity.

"* Be  pantheists,  seeing  the  God/Goddess  force  represented in  
everything
   around them.

"* Recognize the divinity of the feminine as well as the masculine, 
not
   seeing masculinity as a superior force.

"* Believe that the life force is sacred, and that nature, as a vital
   representation of that force, is divine.

"* Believe that all life forms are equal, sharing an equal claim to  
the
   earth as a home.

"* Believe that each individual is solely responsible for his or her
   actions.

"* Believe that the forces of nature can be shaped in ways commonly
   called "magical."

"* Believe that magical acts designed to bend one to another's will 
are
   manipulative, and not encouraged.

"* Believe that whatever actions a person takes, magical or mundane,
   good or bad, come back to him/her, sometimes threefold.

"* Believe that there is no single path to spiritual fulfillment, and
   that the individual must determine the spiritual expression most
   appropriate to him or her.

"* Believe in reincarnation, or some form of life after death.

"How do Pagans Practice Their Religion?
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Many Pagans  find  spiritual expression  through  the  practice of  
ritual,
or religious  ceremony. These  rituals,  often held  at significant  
points
in lunar or solar cycles, offer an opportunity for Pagans to commune
with the godeesses and Gods, to celebrate the passages of life, and 
to
work magic.

{deletia... in  summary, paragraphs  relating techniques  to "raise  
power"
explaining that  we don't  espouse  "power over"  (my  words). Also  
outlines
goals that many pagans have in mine when raising of power. Outlines 
the
sabbats, and relates the pattern of the seasons.  Briefly describes
Beltane and Samhain. Once again,  let me know if  you would like to  
see
this text.}

"Each Pagan religion  has its  own special  way of  recognizing the  
passing
of the seasons and  personal life passages. Ritual  offers a way to  
imbue
these moments with magic and reverence.

{deletia... last paragraph giving information on how the reader can
learn more about Paganism, specifically in the Bay Area, and relating
the goal that BAPA has in mind.}

        PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA
       *  or  *
        How I Found Goddess
       And What I Did To Her
          When I Found Her

   THE MAGNUM OPIATE OF MALACLYPSE THE YOUNGER

        Wherein Is Explained
       Absolutely Everything Worth Knowing
     About Absolutely Anything


                                 Published By:
                             LOOMPANICS UNLIMITED
                                 PO BOX 1197
                           Port Townsend, WA 98368
                                 $5.00(cheap)
                                Catalogs:$2.00

Transcribed to 1's  and 0's  by Druel  the Chaotic,  WPI Discordian  
Society
                            Cabal                             of                             the                             
Unemployed

                              mpython@gnu.ai.mit.edu

{calendar entered by /AHM/THX }

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                INTRODUCTION

 You  hold  in  your  hands  one  the  Great  Books  of  our  century  
fnord.
        
 Some  Great  Books  are  recognized  at  once  with  a  fusilade  of  
critical huzzahs and gonfolons, like Joyce's ULYSSES. Others appear  
almost furtively and are only discovered  50 years later, like MOBY  
DICK or Mendel's great  essay on genetics.  The PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA  
entered our  space-time  continuum  almost  as  unobtrusively  as a  
cat-burglar creeping over a windowsill.

 In  1968,  virtually  nobody  had  heard  of  this  wonderful  book.  
In
1970,hundreds of people  coast to coast  were talking  about it and  
asking the identity of the mysterious author, Malaclypse the Younger. 
Rumors swept across the continent, from New York to Los Angeles, from 
Seattle to St. Joe. Malaclypse was  actually Alan Watts, one heard.  
No,said another legend -- the PRINCIPIA was actually the work of the 
Sufi Order. A third, very intriguing myth held that Malaclypse was a 
pen-name for  Richard  M.  Nixon, who  had  allegedly  composed the  
PRINCIPIA during a few moments of lucidity. I enjoyed each of these 
yarns and did my part to help spread them. I was also careful never 
to contradict the occasional rumors that I had actually written the  
whole thing myself during an acid trip.

  The  legendry,   the  mystery,   the  cult   grew  slowly.  By   the  
mid-1970's, thousands of people,  some as far off  as Hong Kong and  
Australia, were talking about the PRINCIPIA, and since the original  
was out of print by then,  xerox copies were beginning to circulate  
here and there.

     When the ILLUMINATUS trilogy appeared in 1975, my co-author, Bob
Shea, and I both received hundreds of letters from people intrigued  
by the quotes  from the PRINCIPIA  with which we  had decorated the  
heads of  several  chapters. Many,  who  had already  heard  of the  
PRINCIPIA or seen copies, asked if Shea and I had written it, or if 
we had copies available. Others wrote to ask if it were real, or just 
something we  had  invented  the way  H.P.  Lovecraft  invented the  
NECRONOMICON. We answered according to our moods, sometimes telling  
the truth, sometimes spreading the most  Godawful lies and myths we  
could devise fnord.

        Why not? We felt that this book was a true Classic (literatus
immortalis) and, since the alleged intelligentsia had not yet
discovered it, the best way to keep its legend alive was to encourage
the mythology and  the controversy  about it.  Increasingly, people  
wrote
to ask  me if Timothy Leary had written it, and I almost always told
them he had, except on  Fridays whem I am  more whimsical, in which  
case
I told them it had been transmitted by a canine intellgence --
vast,cool,and unsympathic -- from the Dog Star, Sirius.

        Now, at last, the truth can be told.

     Actually, the PRINCIPIA is the work of a time-travelling
anthropologist from the 23rd Century. He is currently passing among  
us
as a computer specialist, bon vivant and philosopher named Gregory
Hill. He has also translated several volumes of Etruscan erotic
poetry, under another pen-name, and in the 18th Century was the
mysterious Man in Black who gave Jefferson the design for the Great
Seal of the United States.

     I have it on good authority that he is one of the most
accomplished time-travelers in the galaxy and has visited Earth many
times in the past,using such cover-identities as Zeno of Elias,
Emperor Norton, Count Cagliostro, Guilliame of Aquaitaine, etc.
Whenever I  question  him about  this,  he grows  very  evasive and  
attempts
to persuade me that he is actually just another 20th Century Earthman
and that all my ideas about his extraterrrestrial and extratemporal
origin and delusions. Hah! I am not that easily deceived. After all, 
a
time-travelling anthropologist would say just that, so that he could
observe us without his presense causing cultureshock.
 I understand  that he has  consented to write  an Afterward to  this 
edition. He'll probably  contradict everything  I've told  you, but  
don't believe a word he  says fnord. He is a  master of the deadpan  
put-on, the plausible satire, the philosophical leg-pull and all the 
branches of guerilla ontology.

 For  full  benefit  to  the  Head,  this  book  should  be  read  in  
conjunction  with  THE  ILLUMINOIDS  by  Neal  Wilgus  (Sun  Press,   
Albuquerque, NM)  and ZEN  WITHOUT  ZEN MASTERS  by  Camden Benares  
(And/Or Press,  Berkeley, California).  "We  are operating  on many  
levels here", as Ken Kesey used to say.

 In  conclusion,  there  is  no  conclusion.  Things  go on  as  they  
always have, getting weirder all the time.

        Hail Eris. All hail Discordia. Fnord?

        -Robert Anton Wilson
        International Arms and Hashish Inc.
        Darra Bazar, Kohat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A jug of wine,
A leg of lamb
And thou!
Beside me,
Whistling in 
the darkness.


Be Ye Not Lost Among Precepts of Order...
  - The Book of Uterus 1;5


Some excerpts from an interview with Malaclypse the Younger by THE
GREATER            METROPOLITAN             YORBA             LINDA             
HERALD-NEWS-SUN-TRIBUNE-JOURNAL-DISPATCH-POST  AND   SAN  FRANCISCO   
DISCORDIAN SOCIETY CABAL  BULLETIN AND INTERGALACTIC  REPORT & POPE  
POOP.

GREATER POOP:Are you really serious or what?
MAL-2: Sometimes I take humor seriously. Sometimes I take seriousness
humorously. Either way it is irrelevant.

GP: Maybe you are just crazy.
M2: Indeed! But do not reject these  teaching as false because I am  
crazy. The reason that I am crazy is because they are true.

GP: Is Eris true?
M2: Everything is true.
GP: Even false things?
M2: Even false things are true.
GP: How can that be?
M2: I don't know man, I didn't do it.

GP: Why do you deal with so many negatives?
M2: To dissolve them.
GP: Will you develop that point?
M2: No.

GP: Is there an essential meaning behind POEE?
M2: There is  a Zen  Story about  a student  who asked  a Master to  
explain the
meaning of Buddhism. The Master's reply was "Three pounds of flax."
GP: Is that the answer to my question?
M2: No, of course not. That is just illustrative. The answer to your 
question
is FIVE TONS OF FLAX!



                            SUSPENDED ANNIHILATION


 ODD# 
II/2,xii;68Chs3136

                         Principia Discordia
                                  or
               How I Found Goddess & What I Did To Her
                           When I found Her
                                   
                  being a Beginning Introduction to
                        The Erisian Mysterees
                                   
                      Which is Most Interesting
                                   
                                 -><-
                                   
                       as Divinely Revealed to
            My High Reverence MALACLYPSE THE YOUNGER, KSC
            Omnibenevolent Polyfather of Virginity in Gold
                          and HIGH PRIEST of
        THE PARATHEO-ANAMETAMYSTIKHOOD OF ERIS ESOTERIC (POEE)
                                   
                                   
          HAIL ERIS! -><- KALLISTI -><-  ALL HAIL DISCORDIA!
                                   
                    Dedicated to The Prettiest One
                                   
                   The Upstart of one hand clapping

                       - JOSHUA NORTON CABAL -
   Surrealists, Harlequinists, Absurdists and Zonked Artists Melee

POEE
is one manifestation of
THE DISCORDIAN SOCIETY
about which
you will learn more
and understand
less

We
are a tribe
of philosophers, theologians,
magicians, scientists,
artists, clowns,
and similar maniacs
who are intrigued
with
ERIS
GODDESS OF CONFUSION
and with
Her
Doings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
I Tell You: One must 
still have chaos in one
 to give birth to a
 dancing star! 
-Nietzsche

                THE FIVE COMMANDMENTS (THE PENTABARF)

The PENTABARF was discovered by the  hermit Apostle Zarathud in the  
Fifth Year of The Caterpillar. He found them carved in gilded stone, 
while building a sun deck for his cave, but their import was lost for 
they were written in a mysterious cypher. However, after 10 weeks & 
11 hours of intensive scrutiny he discerned that the message could be 
read by standing on his head and viewing it upside down.

                         KNOW YE THIS O MAN OF FAITH!

I - There is no Goddess but Goddess and She is Your Goddess. There is 
no Erisian Movement but The Erisian  Movement and it is The Erisian  
Movement. And every  Golden Apple  Corps is  the beloved home  of a  
Golden Worm.

II - A Discordian Shall Always use the Official Discordian Document  
Numbering System.

III - A Discordian is Required  during his early Illumination to Go  
Off Alone & Partake Joyously of a Hot Dog on a Friday; this Devotive 
Ceremony to Remonstrate against the popular Paganisms of the Day: of 
Catholic Christendom (no  meat on Friday),  of Judaism  (no meat of  
Pork), of Hindic Peoples (no meat of Beef), of Buddhists (no meat of 
animal), and of Discordians (no Hot Dog Buns).

IV - A Discordian shall Partake of No Hot Dog Buns, for Such was the 
Solace of Our Goddess when She was Confronted with The Original Snub.

V - A Discordian is Prohibited of Believing What he reads.

IT IS SO WRITTEN! SO BE IT. HAIL DISCORDIA! PROSECUTORS WILL BE
TRANSGRESSICUTED. 

Test Question  from Topanga  Cabal The  Twelve Famous  Buddha Minds  
School: If they are our brothers, how come we can't eat them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

A ZEN STORY

by Camden Benares, The Count of Five
Headmaster, Camp Meeker Cabal

A serious young man found the conflicts of mid 20th Century America 
confusing. He went to many people seeking a way of resolving within 
himself the discords that  troubled him, but  he remained troubled.  
One night in a coffee house, a self-ordained Zen Master said to him, 
"go to the dilapidated mansion you will find at this address which I 
have written down for you. Do not speak to those who live there; you 
must remain silent until  the moon rises tomorrow  night. Go to the  
large room  on the  right of  the  main hallway,  sit in  the lotus  
position on top  of the  rubble in  the northeast corner,  face the  
corner, and meditate."

 He  did  just  as the  Zen  Master  instructed.  His meditation  was  
frequently interrupted by worries. He worried whether or not the rest 
of the plumbing fixtures would fall from the second floor bathroom to 
join the pipes and  other trash he  was sitting on.  He worried how  
would he know when the moon rose on the next night. He worried about 
what the people who walked through the room said about him.

 His worrying  and meditation were  disturbed when, as  if in a  test 
of his faith, ordure fell  from the second floor  onto him. At that  
time two people walked into the room. The first asked the second who 
the man
was sitting there was. The second replied "Some say he is a holy man. 
Others say he is a shithead."

     Hearing this, the man was enlightened.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

Western Union Telegram

To: Jehova Yahweh
Care: Celestial Hotel (Suite #666)
Presidential Tier, Paradise

Dear God;
This is to inform you that your current position as diety is herewith
terminated due to gross incompetence STOP Your check will be mailed  
STOP 
Please do not use me for a reference
        Respectfully,
                Malaclypse the Younger/Omnibenevolent Polyfather
                POEE High Priest

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~

10. The Earth quakes  and the heavens rattle;  the beasts of nature  
flock
together and the nations of men flock apart; volcanoes usher up heat 
while
elsewhere water becomes ice and melts; and then on other days it just 
rains.
11. Indeed do many things come to pass.
        HBT; The Book of Predictions, Chap. 19

                   -  THE BIRTH OF THE ERISIAN MOVEMENT -
THE REVELATION

  Just   prior   to  the   decade   of   the  nineteen-sixties,   when   
Sputnik was alone and new, and about the time that Ken Kesey took his 
first  acid  trip  as  a   medical  volunteer;  before  underground   
newspapers, Viet Nam, and talk of  a second American Revolution; in  
the comparative quiet of the late nineteen-fifties, just before the  
idea of RENAISSANCE became relevant....

     Two young Californians, known later as Omar Ravenhurst and
Malaclypse the Younger,  were indulging  in their  habit of sipping  
coffee at an allnight bowling alley and generally solving the world's 
problems. This particular evening the main subject of discussion was 
discord and they  were complaining  to each  other of  the personal  
confusion they felt in their respective lives. "Solve the problem of 
discord," said one, "and all other problems will vanish." "Indeed,"  
said the other, "chaos and strife are the roots of all confusion."


                         FIRST I MUST SPRINKLE YOU
                              WITH FAIRY DUST

Suddenly the place  became devoid of  light. Then  an utter silence  
enveloped them, and a great stillness was felt. Then came a blinding 
flash of intense light, as though their very psyches had gone nova. 
Then vision returned.

 The  two  were  dazed  and  neither  moved  nor  spoke  for  several  
minutes. They looked  around and saw  that the  bowlers were frozen  
like statues in a variety of comic positions, and that a bowling ball 
was steadfastly anchored to the floor only inches from the pins that 
it had been sent to scatter. The  two looked at each other, totally  
unable to  account for  the phenomenon.  The  condition was  one of  
suspension, and one noticed that the clock had stopped.


There walked into the room a  chimpanzee, shaggy and grey about the  
muzzle, yet upright to his full  five feet, and poised with natural  
majesty. He carried a scroll and walked to the young men.

"Gentlemen," he said, "why does Pickering's Moon go about in reverse 
orbit? Gentlemen, there  are nipples  on your  chests; do  you give  
milk?  And  what,  pray  tell,  Gentlemen,  is  to  be  done  about   
Heisenberg's Law?"  He paused.  "SOMEBODY HAD  TO  PUT ALL  OF THIS  
CONFUSION HERE!"

And with that  he revealed  his scroll.  It was  a diagram,  like a  
yin-yang with a pentagon on one side and an apple on the other. And 
then he exploded and the two lost consciousness.

ERIS - GODDESS OF CHAOS, DISCORD & CONFUSION

  They  awoke  to  the  sound  of  pins  clattering,  and  found   the  
bowlers engaged in  their game  and the  waitress busy  with making  
coffee. It was apparant that their experience had been private.
        
 They  discussed  their  strange  encounter  and  reconstructed  from  
memory the  chimpanzee's  diagram.  Over the  next  five  days they  
searched libraries  to  find  the  significance  of  it,  but  were  
disappointed to uncover only references to Taoism, the Korean flag,  
and Technocracy. It was not until  they traced the Greek writing on  
the apple that  they discovered  the ancient  Goddess known  to the  
Greeks as ERIS and to the Romans as DISCORDIA. This was on the fifth 
night, and when they slept  that night each had a  vivid dream of a  
splendid woman whose eyes  were as soft  as feather and  as deep as  
eternity itself, and whose body was  the spectacular dance of atoms  
and universes. Pyrotechnics of pure energy formed her flowing hair,  
and rainbows manifested  and dissolved as  she spoke in  a warm and  
gentle voice:

I have  come to  tell  you that  you are  free.  Many ages  ago, My  
consciousness left man, that he might  develop himself. I return to  
find this development approaching completion,  but hindered by fear  
and by misunderstanding. You have built for yourselves psychic suits 
of armor, and clad in them, your vision is restricted, your movements 
are clumsy and  painful, your skin  is bruised, and  your spirit is  
broiled in the sun. I am chaos.  I am the substance from which your  
artists and scientists build rhythms. I am the spirit with which your 
children and clowns laugh in happy anarchy. I am chaos. I am alive,  
and I tell you that you are free.

 During the  next months  they studied  philosophies and  theologies, 
and learned  that ERIS  or DISCORDIA  was  primarily feared  by the  
ancients as being disruptive. Indeed, the very concept of chaos was  
still considered equivalent to strife and treated as a negative. "No 
wonder things are all screwed up," they concluded, "they have got it 
all backwards." They found that the principle of disorder was every  
much as significant as the principle of order.

 With  this  in  mind,  they  studied  the  strange yin-yang.  During  
a
meditation one afternoon, a voice came to them:

It is called THE SACRED CHAO. I  appoint you Keepers of It. Therein  
you will find anything  you like. Speak  of Me as  DISCORD, to show  
contrast to the pentagon. Tell constricted mankind that there are no 
rules, unless they choose to invent  rules. Keep close the words of  
Syadasti: 'TIS AN ILL  WIND THAT BLOWS NO  MINDS. And remember that  
there is  no  tyranny  in  the  State  of  Confusion.  For  further  
information, consult your pineal gland.

 "What  is  this?"  mumbled  one  to  the  other, "A  religion  based  
on The Goddess of Confusion? It is utter madness!"

 And with  those words,  each looked  at the other  in absolute  awe. 
Omar began to giggle. Mal began to laugh. Omar began to jump up and 
down. Mal  was hooting  and hollering  to beat  all hell.  And amid  
squeals of mirth and with tears on their cheeks, each appointed the 
other to  be high  priest  of his  own madness,  and  together they  
declared themselves to be a society of Discordia, for what ever that 
may turn out to be.


"There are trivial truths & there are great truths. The opposite of a
trivial truth is plainly false. The opposite of a great truth is also 
true."
                                        -Neils Bohr

"Did you know that there is a million bucks hidden in the house next 
door?"
"But there is no house next door."
"No? Then let's go build one!"
                                        -MARX

Fnord Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, 
Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, Fnord, 
Fnord, Fnord

Momomoto, Famous Japanese, can swallow his nose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                            St. Trinian's
                      SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE
                            Sewing Circle




                  THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE ERISTOCRACY
                                     by Lord Omar

VERSE
Mine brain has meditated on the spinning of The Chao;
It is hovering o'er the table where the Chiefs of Staff are now
Gathered in discussion of the dropping of The Bomb;
Her Apple Corps is strong!

CHORUS
Grand (and gory) Old Discordja!
Grand (and gory) Old Discordja!
Grand (and gory) Old Discordja!
Her Apple Corps is strong!

VERSE
She was not invited to the party that they held on Limbo Peak;*
So She threw a Golden Apple, 'sted of turn'd t'other cheek!
O it cracked the Holy Punchbowl and it made the nectar leak;
Her Apple Corps is strong!


* "Limbo Peak"  refers to  Old Limbo  Peak, commonly called  by the  
Greeks
"Ol' Limb' Peak."


If a quixotic socrates studied zen under Zorba...?

"The tide is turning... the enemy is suffering terrible losses"
                                        -Gen. Geo. A. Custer



            People            in            a            Position             to            
Know, Inc.

ON PRAYER

Mal-2 was once asked by one of  his Disciples if he often prayed to  
Eris. He replied with these words:

No, we Erisians seldom pray, it is much too dangerous. Charles Fort 
has
listed many factual incidences of  ignorant people confronted with,  
say, a drought, and then praying  fervently -- and then getting the  
entire village wiped out in a torrential flood.


"Of course I'm crazy, but that doesn't  mean I'm wrong. I'm mad but  
not ill"
                        (Werewolf Bridge, Robert Anton Wison)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~

14. Wipe thine ass with what is written and grin like a ninny at what 
is Spoken. Take thine refuge with  thine wine in the Nothing behind  
Everything, as you hurry along the Path.
        THE PURPLE SAGE
        HBT; The Book of Predictions, Chap. 19


Heaven is down. Hell is up.
This is proven by the fact 
that the planets and stars 
are orderly in their
movements,                                      IGNOTUM PER IGNOTIUS
while    down    on    earth    The     meaning    of    this    is     
unknown
we come close to the 
primal chaos.
There are four other
proofs,
but I forget them.

        -Josh the Dill
         King Kong Kabal

      IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT IT IS A MISTAKE TO HOLD FIRM BELIEFS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
The Classical Greeks were not influenced by the Classical Greeks.  
   
                       DO NOT CIRCULATE!


                     What We Know About ERIS  (not much)

The Romans left a likeness of Her for posterity-- She was shown as a 
grotesque woman with a  pale and ghastly look,  Her eyes afire, Her  
garment ripped  and  torn, and  women  look pale  and  ghastly when  
concealing a chilly dagger in their bosoms.

Her geneology is from the Greeks and is utterly confused. Either She 
was the twin of Ares and the daughter  of Zeus and Hera; or She was  
the daughter of Nyx, goddess of night (who was either the daughter or 
wife of  Chaos,  or both),  and  Nyx's brother,  Erebus,  and whose  
brothers and sisters include Death,  Doom, Mockery, and Friendship.  
And that She begat  Forgetfullness, Quarrels, Lies,  and a bunch of  
gods and goddesses like that.

One day Mal-2  consulted his  Pineal Gland*  and asked Eris  if She  
really created all of those terrible  things. She told him that She  
had always liked the Old Greeks, but that they cannot be trusted with 
historic matters. "They were," She  added, "victims of indigestion,  
you know."

Suffice it to say that Eris is not hateful or malicious. But She is
mischievous, and does get a little bitchy at times.

*THE PINEAL GLAND is where each and every one of us can talk to Eris. 
If youhave trouble  activating your  Pineal, then  try the appendix  
which does almost as well. Reference: DOGMA I, METAPHYSICS #3, "The  
Indoctrine of the Pineal Gland" 


             DIRUIT             AEDIFICAT             MUTAT              QUADRATA             
ROTUNDUS 
                                                        -Horace
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                              THE INSIDE STORY!

       The Law of Fives

 the  Law  of  Fives  is one  of  the  oldest  Erisian Mysterees.  It  
was first  revealed to  Good  Lord Omar  and  is one  of  the great  
contributions to come from The Hidden Temple of The Happy Jesus.

 POEE  subscribes  to the  Law  of  Fives of  Omar's  sect. And  POEE  
also
recognizes the holy 23 (2+3=5) that is incorporated by Episkopos Dr. 
Mordecai Malignatus,  KNS, into  his  Discordian sect,  The Ancient  
Illuminated Seers of Bavaria. 

 The Law  of Fives states  simply that: ALL  THINGS HAPPEN IN  FIVES, 
OR ARE DIVISIBLE BY OR ARE MULTIPLES OF FIVE, OR ARE SOMEHOW DIRECTLY 
OR INDIRECTLY APPROPRIATE TO 5.

        The Law of Fives is never wrong.

 In  the Erisian  Archives is  an  old memo  from Omar  to Mal-2:  "I  
find the Law  of Fives to  be more and  more manifest  the harder I  
look."


    Please do not use this document as toilet tissue

        The Nagas of Upper Burma say that the sun
        shines by day because, being a woman, it
        is afraid to venture out at night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
"You will find  that the State  is the kind  of ORGANIZATION which,  
though it does big things badly, does small things badly too."
                                        - John Kenneth Galbraith

                      THE MYTH OF THE APPLE OF DISCORD
 It  seems  that Zeus  was  preparing a  wedding  banquet for  Peleus  
and Thetis and did not want to invite Eris because of Her reputation 
as a trouble maker.*

 This  made  Eris  angry,  and so  She  fashioned  an  apple of  pure  
gold**
and inscribed upon it KALLISTI ("To  The Prettiest One") and on the  
day of the fete She rolled it into the banquet hall and then left to 
be alone and joyously partake of a hot dog.

  Now,  three   of  the  invited   goddesses,***  Athena,  Hera,   and  
Aphrodite, each immediately claimed it to belong to herself because  
of the  inscription. And  they started  fighting, and  they started  
throwing punch all over the place and everything.

 Finally  Zeus calmed  things down  and declared  that an  arbitrator  
must be selected, which was a reasonable suggestion, and all agreed. 
He sent them to a shepherd of Troy, whose name was Paris because his 
mother had had a lot of gaul and had married a Frenchman; but each of 
the sneaky goddesses tried to outwit  the others by going early and  
offering a bribe to Paris.
  Athena  offered   him  Heroic  War   Victories,  Hera  offered   him  
Great
Wealth, and Aphrodite offered him the Most Beautiful Woman on Earth. 
Being a healthy young Trojan lad, Paris promptly accepted Aphrodite's 
bribe and she got the apple and he got screwed.

 As  she had  promised,  she maneuvered  earthly  happenings so  that  
Pariscould have  Helen (The  Helen)  then living  with  her husband  
Menelaus,King of Sparta. Anyway, everyone knows that the Trojan War  
followed when Sparta demanded their Queen  back and that the Trojan  
War is said to be The First War among men.

  And  so  we  suffer  because   of  the  Original  Snub.  And  so   a  
Discordian
is to partake of No Hot Dog Buns.   Do you believe that?
-------------------------------------
* This is called THE DOCTRINE OF THE ORIGINAL SNUB
** There is historic disagreement concerning whether this apple was  
of
metalic gold or acapulco.
*** Actually there were five goddesses, but the Greeks did not know 
the Law of Fives.



                                 REMEMBER:
                                 KING
                                 KONG
                                 DIED FOR
                                 YOUR SINS


                                                        Ho Chi Zen
                                                           is
                                                        King Cong

5. An Age of Confusion, or an Ancient Age, is one in which History As 
We Know It begins to unfold, in which Whatever Is Coming emerges in  
Corporal Form, more  or less, and  such times are  Ages of Balanced  
Unbalance, or Unbalanced Balance.

6. An Age of Bureaucracy is an Imperial Age in which Things Mature,  
in which  Confusion becomes  entrenched  and during  which Balanced  
Balance,or
Stagnation, is attained.

7. An Age of Disorder  or an Aftermath is  an Apocalyptic Period of  
Transition back to Chaos through the  Screen of Oblivion into which  
the Age passeth, finally. These are Ages of Unbalanced Unbalance.
                HBT; The Book of Uterus, Chap. 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Do You Remember?
1. Polite children will always remember that a church is the ______ 
of _____.

An Erisian Hymn
        by Rev. Dr. Mungojerry Grindlebone, KOB
             Episkopos, THE RAYVILLE APPLE PANTHERS

Onwards Christian Soldiers,
Onwards Buddhist Priests.
Onward, Fruits of Islam,
Fight till you're deceased.
Fight your little battles.
Join in thickest fray;
For the Greater Glory,
of Dis-cord-i-a.
Yah, yah, yah,
Yah, yah, yah, yah.
Blfffffffffffft!
 

Mr. Momomoto, famous Japanese who can swallow his nose,has been
exposed. It was recently revealed that it was Mr. Momomoto's brother 
who has been doing all this nose swallowing.

                                
                                        Heute Die Welt
                                        Morgens das Sonnensystem!

                        Abbey of the Barbarous Relic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Official Proclamation -- ODD# III(b)/4,i;18Aft3135
--------------------------------------------------

                        POEE DISORGANIZATIONAL MATRIX

V) The House of Apostle of ERIS
   For the Eristocracy and the Cabalablia

   A. The Five Apostles of ERIS
   B. The Golden Apple Corps (KSC)
   C. Episkoposes of The Discordian Society
   D. POEE Cabal Priests
   E. Saints, Erisian Avatars, and Like Personages

IV) The House of the Rising Podge
    for the Disciples of Discordia

   A. Office of My High Reverence, The Polyfather
   B. Council of POEE Priests
   C. The LEGION OF DYNAMIC DISCORD
   D. Eristic Avatars
   E. Aneristic Avatars

III) The House of the Rising Hodge
     For the Bureaucracy

   A. the Bureau of Erisian Archives
   B. the Bureau of The POEE Epistolary, and The Division of Dogmas
   C. The Bureau of Symbols,Emblems, Certificates and Such
 D.  The  Bureau  of Eristic  Affairs,  and  The  Administry for  The  
Unenlightened  Eristic Horde
 E.  The Bureau  of Aneristic  Affairs,  and the  Administry for  the  
Orders of Discordia

II) The House of the Rising Collapse
  For  the  Encouragement  of   Liberation  of  Freedom,  and/or   the  
Discouragement of the Immanentizing of the Eschaton

   A. The Breeze of Wisdom      and/or  The Wind of Insanity
   B. The Breeze of Integrity   and/or  The Wind of Arrogance
   C. The Breeze of Beauty      and/or  The Wind of Outrages
   D. The Breeze of Love        and/or  The Wind of Bombast
   E. The Breeze of Laughter    and/or  The Wind of Bullshit

I) The Out House
   For what is left over

   A. Miscellaneous Avatars
   B. The Fifth Column
   C. POEE =POPES= everywhere
   D. Drawer "O" for OUT OF FILE
   E. Lost Documents and Forgotten Truths

                        -><-  OFFICIAL - POEE
                              Head Temple, San Francisco
                              HOUSE OF THE RISING PODGE
                              Bureau of The POEE Epistolary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                     = THE FIVE FINGERED HAND OF ERIS =

The official symbol of POEE is here illustrated. It may be this, or  
any
similar device to represent  TWO OPPOSING ARROWS  CONVERGING INTO A  
COMMON
POINT. It may be vertical, horizontal, or  else such, and it may be  
elaborated or simplified as desired.

The esoteric name for this symbol is THE FIVE FINGERED HAND OF ERIS, 
commonly shortened to THE HAND.
                            \  /
                        -----><-----
                            /  \

NOTE: In the lore  of western magic,  the \/ is  taken to symbolize  
horns,
especially the horns of  Satan or of  diabolical beasties. The Five  
Fingered Hand  of Eris,  however, is  not intended  to be  taken as  
satanic, for the "horns" are supported  by another set, of inverted  
"horns". Or maybe it is  walrus tusks. I don't know  what it is, to  
tell the truth.


        "Surrealism aims at the total transformation of the mind
        and all that resembles it"
                                                -Breton
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
                               -><- POEE -><-

POEE    (pronounced    "POEE")    is    an    acronym    for    The     
PARATHEO-ANAMETAMYSTIKHOOD OF ERIS ESOTERIC. The  first part can be  
taken to mean "equivalent
deity,reversity beyond-mystique." We are  not really esoteric, it's  
just that nobody pays much attention to us.

MY HIGH REVERENCE MALACLYPSE THE YOUNGER,  AB, DD, KSC, is the High  
Priest of POEE, and POEE is grounded in his episkopotic revelations  
of The  Goddess. He  is  called [The  Omnibenevolent  Polyfather of  
Virginity in Gold].

The POEE HEAD TEMPLE  is the Joshua Norton  Cabal of The Discordian  
Society, which is located in Mal-2's pineal gland and can be found by 
temporally and spacially locating the rest of Mal-2.

POEE has no treasury, no by-laws, no articles, no guides save Mal-2's 
pineal gland, and has only one scruple-- which Mal-2 keeps on his key 
chain.

POEE has not registered,incorporated, or otherwise chartered with the 
State, and so the State does not recognize POEE or POEE Ordinations, 
which is only fair, because POEE does not recognize the State.

POEE has 5 DEGREES:
        There is the neophyte, or LEGIONNAIRE DISCIPLE.
        The LEGIONNAIRE DEACON, who is catching on.
        An Ordained POEE PRIEST/PRIESTESS or a CHAPLIN.
        The HIGH PRIEST, the Polyfather.
        And POEE =POPE=.

POEE LEGIONNAIRE  DISCIPLES are  authorized  to initiate  others as  
Discordian Society Legionnaires. PRIESTS appoint their own DEACONS.  
The POLYFATHER ordains priests. I don't know about the =POPES=.

" This book is a  mirror. When a monkey looks  in, no apostle looks  
out."
                                        -Lichtenberg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

                      Application For Membership
           In the Erisian movement of the DISCORDIA SOCIETY

1. Today's date                         Yesterday's Date

2. Purpose  of this  application: --membership  in  : a.  Legion of  
Dynamic Discord
 b.  POEE c.  Bavarian Illuminati  d.  All of  the Above  e. None  of  
the Above
   f. Other-- BE SPECIFIC!

3.                Name_________________________                Holy                 
Name_____________ 
   
   
Address_____________________________________________________________
 (If  temporary,  also  give  an  address  from  which  mail  can  be  
forwarded)

4. Description: Born: []Yes []No   Eyes:[]2 []other     Height:

   ..... fl. oz.   Last time you had a haircut:         Reason:

  Race:   []horse   []human  I.Q.:   150-200   200-250  250-300   over   
300

5. History: Education - highest grade completed 1 2 3 4 5 6 over 6th
 Professional: On  another ream of  paper list  every job since  1937 
from which  you  have  been fired.  Medical:  On  a  separate sheet  
labeled "confidential"  list all  major psychic  psychotic episodes  
experienced within the last 24   hours   


6. Sneaky Questions to establish personality traits 
 I would rather  a. live in an  outhouse b. play  in a rock group  c. 
eat
   caterpillars.  I wear obscene tattoos because ..........
  I  have  ceased  raping   little  children  []yes  []no  --   reason  
.......... 

7. Self Portrait





Rev. Mungo
For Office Use Only -- acc. rej. burned

                                                LICK HERE!!!
                                        
                                                    *

                                                (You may be one
                                                 of the lucky 25)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

-><-

POEE & It's Priests

If you like Erisianism as it  is presented according to Mal-2, then  
you may wish to form your own POEE CABAL as a POEE PRIEST and you can 
go do a bunch of POEE Priestly Things. A "POEE Cabal" is exactly what 
you think it is.

The High Priest  makes no  demands on  his Priests, though  he does  
rather expect good  will of them.  The Office of  The Polyfather is  
point, not to teach. Once in a while, he even listens.

Should you find  that your  own revelations  of The  Goddess become  
substantially different that the revelations of Mal-2, then perhaps  
the Goddess has plans for you as an Episkopos, and you might consider 
creating your own sect from scratch, unhindered. Episkoposes are not 
competing with each other, and they are all POEE priests anyway (as 
soon as I locate them). The point is that Episkoposes are developing 
separate paths  to  the  Erisian  mountain  top.  See  the  section  
"Discordian Society"

ORDINATION AS A POEE PRIEST

There are no particular qualifications for Ordination because if you 
want to be a POEE Priest then you must undoubtedly qualify. Who could 
possibly know better than you whether or not you should be Ordained?

An ORDAINED POEE PRIEST or PRIESTESS is defined as "one who holds an
Ordination Certificate from the Office of the Polyfather."


        Seek into the Chao if thou wouldst be wise
        And find ye delight in Her Great Surprise!
        Look into the Chao if thou wantest to know
        What's in a Chao and why it ain't so!
          (HBT; The Book of Advise, 1:1)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                      World Council of Churches Boutique

Note to POEE Priests:

The Polyfather wishes to remind all Erisians the POEE was conceived  
not as a commercial enterprise, and  that you are requested to keep  
your cool when seeking funds for  POEE Cabals or when spreading the  
POEE Word via the market place.


The Hidden stone ripens fast,
then laid bare like a turnip
can easily be cut out at last
but even then the danger isn't past.
That man lives best who's fain
to live half mad, half sane.
        -Flemish Poet Jan Van 
         Stijevoort, 1524.


                           The Erisian Affirmation

BEFORE THE GODDESS ERIS, I (name  or holyname), do herewith declare  
myself a POEE BROTHER of THE LEGION OF DYNAMIC DISCORD.
HAIL HAIL HAIL HAIL HAIL ERIS ERIS ERIS ERIS ERIS ALL HAIL DISCORDIA!

the presiding POEE Official (if any) responds:

 ALL HAIL DISCORDIA!


find the goddess Eris                           To Diverse Gods 
Within your Pineal Gland                        Do Mortals bow;
      POEE                                      Holy Cow, and
                                                Wholly Chao
                                                -Rev. Dr. Grindlebone
                                                 Monroe Cabal

"common sense is what tells you that the world is flat."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
This is St. Gulik. He is the  Messenger of the Goddess. A different  
age from ours  called him  Hermes. Many  people called him  by many  
names. He is a Roach.

______________________________________________________________________
__
                          Legion of Dynamic Discord

                                     HARK

  RECOGNIZE   that  the   --   DISCORDIAN  SOCIETY   --  doth   hereby   
certify


                               As a Legionnaire


                                        
                Glory                 to                 We                 Children                 
of ERIS
                                        
                         Presented                         under                          the                         
auspices
                  of                   our                   Lady                   of                   
Discord, ERIS
             by             the             House             of              the             
Apostles
                                                  of ERIS.

                                                        -><-
______________________________________________________________________
__
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                          HOW TO START A POEE CABAL
                  WITHOUT MESSING AROUND WITH THE POLYFATHER

If you can't find  the Polyfather, or having  found him, don't want  
anything to do with him, you are  still authorized to form your own  
POEE CABAL and do Priestly Things, using the Principia Discordia as a 
guide. Your Official  Rank will be  POEE CHAPLIN for  the LEGION OF  
DYNAMIC DISCORD, which is exactly the  same as a POEE PRIEST except  
that you don't have an Ordination Certificate. The words you are now 
reading are your ordination.

HOW TO BECOME A POEE CHAPLIN

1. Write the ERISIAN AFFIRMATION in five copies.
2. Sign and nose-print each copy.
3. Send one to the President of the United States.
4. Send one to
        The California State Bureau of Furniture and Bedding
        1021 'D' Street, Sacramento CA 94814
5. Nail one to a telephone pole. Hide one. And burn the other.
Then consult your pineal gland.


General License was Sgt. Pepper's Commander


                            ~~ OLD POEE SLOGAN ~~
                           When in Doubt, Fuck it.
                      When not in Doubt... get in Doubt!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Trip 5!

                         = The POEE Baptismal Rite =
 This Mysteree Rite is not required for initiation, but it is offered 
by many POEE Priests to proselytes who desire a formal ceremony.

1) The Priests and four Brothers are arranged in a pentagon with the 
Initiate in the center facing the Priests. If possible, the Brothers 
on the immediate right and left of the Priest should be Deacons. The 
Initiate must be totally  naked, to demonstrate that  he is truly a  
human being and  not something else  in disguise like  a cabbage or  
something.

2) All  persons in  the audience  and  the pentagon,  excepting the  
Priest, assume  a  squatting  position  and  return  to  a standing  
position. This is repeated four more times. This dance is symbolic of 
the humility of we Erisians.

3) The Priest begins:
  I,  (complete  Holy  Name,   with  Mystical  Titles,  and   degrees,  
designations,   offices,    &tc.),   Ordained    Priest    of   the    
Paratheo-anametamystikhood of  Eris  Esoteric,  with  the Authority  
invested at me by the High Priest  of It, Office of the Polyfather,  
The House of the Rising Podge, POEE Head Temple; Do herewith Require 
of Ye:

 1)  ARE  YE A  HUMAN  BEING  AND NOT  A  CABBAGE  OR SOMETHING?  The  
Initiate answers YES.
 2)  THAT'S TOO  BAD.  DO YE  WISH TO  BETTER  THYSELF? The  Initiate  
answers YES.
  3)   HOW  STUPID.   ARE   YE  WILLING   TO  BECOME   PHILOSOPHICALLY   
ILLUMINIZED? He answers YES.
 4)  VERY  FUNNY.  WILL  YE  DEDICATE  YESELF  TO THE  HOLEY  ERISIAN  
MOVEMENT? The Initiate answers PROBABLY.
        5) THEN SWEAR YE THE FOLLOWING AFTER ME:
(The Priest here  leads the  Initiate in  a recital of  THE ERISIAN  
AFFIRMATION.)
The Priest  continues: THEN  I DO  HERE  PROCLAIM YE  POEE DISCIPLE  
(name),
LEGIONNAIRE OF THE LEGION OF DYNAMIC DISCORD. HAIL ERIS! HAIL HAIL!  
HAIL YES!

4) All present rejoice grandly. The new Brother opens a large jug of 
wine and offers it to all who are present.

5) The Ceremony generally degenerates.


Mord says that Omar says that we are all unicorns anyway.

                                            DO NOT PULL ON YELLOW TIP

3. And though Omar did bid of the Collector of Garbage, in words that 
were both  sweet  and  bitter,  to  surrender  back  the cigar  box  
containing the cards designated by the  Angel as The Honest Book of  
Truth, the Collector was to  him as one who  might be smitten deaf,  
saying only: 'Gainst the rules, y' know.
        HBT; The Book of Explanations, Chap 2



                                                     Answers:
                                                1. Harry Houdini
                                                2. Swing Music
                                                3. Pretzels
                                                4. 8 months
                                                5. Testy Culbert
                                                6. It protrudes.
                                                7. No vocal cords

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                            THE POEE MYSTEREE OATH        G3400
                                                            50
The Initiate swears the following:                         DMTS
                                                            19
        FLYING BABY SHIT!!!!!

(Brothers of the Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria sect may wish  
to
substitute the German:
        FLIEGENDE KINDERSCHEISSE!
or perhaps
        WIECZNY KWIAT WTADZA!!!!!
which is Ewige Blumenkraft in Polish.)


THE RECENT EXPOSE THAT MR. MOMOMOTO, FAMOUS JAPANESE WHO CAN SWALLOW 
HIS NOSE, CANNOT  SWALLOW HIS  NOSE BUT  HIS BROTHER CAN,  HAS BEEN  
EXPOSED! IT IS MR. MOMOMOTO WHO  CAN SWALLOW HIS NOSE. HE SWALLOWED  
HIS BROTHER IN THE SUMMER OF '44. 

Corrections  to  last  week's  copy:  Johnny  Sample  is  offensive   
cornerback for the  New York  Jets, not  fullback as  stated. Bobby  
Tolan's name is not Randy, but mud. All power to the people, and ban 
the fucking bomb.


                                          "This statement is false"
                                                   (courtesy of POEE)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                         NO TWO EQUALS ARE THE SAME!

                            THE DISCORDIAN SOCIETY

The Discordian Society has no definition.

I sometimes think of it as a disorganization of Eris Freaks. It has  
been
called a guerrilla mind theatre. Episkopos Randomfactor, Director of 
Purges of Our People's Underworld Movement sect in Larchmont, prefers 
"The World's Greatest  Association of What-ever-it-is-that-we-are."  
Lady Mal thinks of it as a RENAISSANCE THINK TANK. Fang the Unwashed, 
WKC, won't say. You can think of it any way you like.

AN EPISKOPOS OF THE DISCORDIAN SOCIETY
is one who prefers  total autonomy, and  creates his own Discordian  
sect as The Goddess directs him. He speaks for himself and for those 
that say that they like what he says.


THE LEGION OF DYNAMIC DISCORD:
A Discordian Society Legionnaire is one who prefers not to create his 
own sect. 

If you want in on the Discordian Society then declare yourself what 
you wish do  what you like  and tell us  about it or  if you prefer  
don't.

There are no rules anywhere.            Some Episkoposes
The Goddess Prevails.                   have a one-man cabal.
                                        Some work together.
                                        Some never do explain.


When I get to the bottom I go back to the top
of the slide where I stop and I turn and I go
for a ride, then I get to the bottom and I see
you again! Helter Skelter!
                        -John Lennon

"Everybody I know who is right always agrees with ME" -Rev Lady Mal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
THE GOLDEN APPLE CORPS

The Golden Apple Corps* is an  honorary position for the Keepers of  
The Sacred Chao, so that they can put "KSC" after their names.

It says little,
does less,
means
nothing.

* Not to be confused with The Apple Corps Ltd. of those four singers. 
We thought of it first.


                            - The Numeral V sign -
Used by Old Roman Discordians,  Illuminatus Churchill, and innocent  
Hippies everywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
PERPETUAL DATE CONVERTER FROM GREGORIAN TO POEE CALENDAR

Seasons
   1) Chaos - Patron Apostle Hung Mung
   2) Discord - Patron Apostle Dr. Van Van Mojo
   3) Confusion - Patron Apostle Sri Syadasti
   4) Bureaucracy - Patron Apostle Zarathud
   5) The Aftermath - Patron Apostle The Elder Malaclypse

Days of the Week*                 * The DAYS OF THE WEEK
    1)     Sweetmorn     are    named     from     the    five     Basic     
Elements:
    2)     Boomtime    SWEET,     BOOM,     PUNGENT,    PRICKLE,     and     
ORANGE
   3) Pungenday
   4) Prickle-Prickle
   5) Setting Orange

HOLYDAYS

A) APOSTLE HOLYDAYS                             B) SEASON HOLYDAYS
   1) Mungday                                      1) Chaoflux
   2) Mojoday                                      2) Discoflux
   3) Syaday                                       3) Confuflux
   4) Zaraday                                      4) Bureflux
   5) Maladay                                      5) Afflux
Each    occurs    on     the    5th    Each     occurs    on    the     
50th
day of the Season                               day of each Season

C) ST. TIB'S DAY - occurs once every 4 years (1+4=5) and is inserted
between the 59th and 60th days of the Season of Chaos


                    SM BT PD PP SO                          SM BT PD 
PP SO
                    -- -- -- -- --                          -- -- -- 
-- --
Jan 1  2  3  4  5  1  2  3 4  5  Chs  Jul  5  6  7  8  9 40  41  42  
43 44 Cfn
     6  7  8  9 10   6  7  8  9 10          10 11 12 13 14  45 46 47 
48 49    
    11 12 13 14 15  11 12 13 14 15          15 16 17 18 19  50 51 52 
53 54    
    16 17 18 19 20  16 17 18 19 20          20 21 22 23 24  55 56 57 
58 59    
    21 22 23 24 25  21 22 23 24 25          25 26 27 28 29  60 61 62 
63 64    
    26 27 28 29 30  26 27 28 29 30          30 31  1  2  3  65 66 67 
68 69    
  31  1  2  3  4  31  32  33  34   35  Aug  4  5  6  7  8  70  71   72  
73  1 Bcy
Feb  5  6  7  8  9  36 37 38 39 40           9 10 11 12 13   2  3  4  
5  6    
    10 11 12 13 14  41 42 43 44 45          14 15 16 17 18   7  8  9 
10 11    
    15 16 17 18 19  46 47 48 49 50          19 20 21 22 23  12 13 14 
15 16    
    20 21 22 23 24  51 52 53 54 55          24 25 26 27 28  17 18 19 
20 21    
    25 26 27 28* 1  56 57 58 59 60          29 30 31  1  2  22 23 24 
25 26    
Mar  2  3  4  5  6  61 62 63 64 65      Sep  3  4  5  6  7  27 28 29 
30 31    
     7  8  9 10 11  66 67 68 69 70           8  9 10 11 12  32 33 34 
35 36    
    12 13 14 15 16  71 72 73  1  2 Dsc      13 14 15 16 17  37 38 39 
40 41    
    17 18 19 20 21   3  4  5  6  7          18 19 20 21 22  42 43 44 
45 46    
    22 23 24 25 26   8  9 10 11 12          23 24 25 26 27  47 48 49 
50 51    
 27  28  29  30  31  13  14  15  16  17  28  29  30  1  2  52  53  54  
55 56  Apr  1  2  3  4  5  18 19  20  21  22  Oct  3  4  5  6 7  57  
58 59 60 61    
     6  7  8  9 10  23 24 25 26 27           8  9 10 11 12  62 63 64 
65 66    
    11 12 13 14 15  28 29 30 31 32          13 14 15 16 17  67 68 69 
70 71    
 16  17  18  19  20  33  34  35  36  37  18  19  20  21 22  72  73  1  
2  3 Afm
    21 22 23 24 25  38 39 40 41 42          23 24 25 26 27   4  5  6  
7  8    
    26 27 28 29 30  43 44 45 46 47          28 29 30 31  1   9 10 11 
12 13    
May  1  2  3  4  5  48 49 50 51 52      Nov  2  3  4  5  6  14 15 16 
17 18    
     6  7  8  9 10  53 54 55 56 57           7  8  9 10 11  19 20 21 
22 23    
    11 12 13 14 15  58 59 60 61 62          12 13 14 15 16  24 25 26 
27 28    
    16 17 18 19 20  63 64 65 66 67          17 18 19 20 21  29 30 31 
32 33    
    21 22 23 24 25  68 69 70 71 72          22 23 24 25 26  34 35 36 
37 38    
    26 27 28 29 30  73  1  2  3  4 Cfn      27 28 29 30  1  39 40 41 
42 43    
    31  1  2  3  4   5  6  7  8  9      Dec  2  3  4  5  6  44 45 46 
47 48    
Jun  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12 13 14           7  8  9 10 11  49 50 51 
52 53    
    10 11 12 13 14  15 16 17 18 19          12 13 14 15 16  54 55 56 
57 58    
    15 16 17 18 19  20 21 22 23 24          17 18 19 20 21  59 60 61 
62 63    
    20 21 22 23 24  25 26 27 28 29          22 23 24 25 26  64 65 66 
67 68    
    25 26 27 28 29  30 31 32 33 34          27 28 29 30 31  69 70 71 
72 73    
  30  1  2  3  4  35  36  37  38  39  [1991  =  3157][Next  St.   Tibs  
Day in 3158]



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
                              HOLY NAMES

Discordians have a tradition of assuming HOLY NAMES. This is not
unique to Erisianism, of course. I suppose that Pope Paul is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. VI?



Will whoever stole Brother Reverend Magoun's pornography please 
return
it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~

                       THE BEARER OF THIS CARD
                     IS A GENUINE AND AUTHORIZED
                               ~ POPE ~
                      So please Treat Him Right
                             GOOD FOREVER

       Genuine and authorized by The House of Apostles of ERIS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
Every man, woman and child on this Earth is a genuine and authorized 
Pope Reproduce and distribute these cards freely- POEE Head Temple,  
San Francisco


A =POPE=  is  someone  who  is  not  under  the  authority  of  the  
authorities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
For Your Enlightenment

                         THE PARABLE OF THE BITTER TEA
                                      by
                       Rev. Dr. Hypocrates Magoun, P.P.
                          POEE PRIEST, Okinawa Cabal

  When  Hypoc  was  through   meditating  with  St.  Gulik,  he   went  
there into the kitchen  where he busied  himself with preparing the  
feast and in his endeavor, he found that there was some old tea in a 
pan left standing from the night before, when he had in his weakness 
forgot about its making and had let it sit steeping for 24 hours. It 
was dark and murky and it was Hypoc's intention to use this old tea 
by diluting it with water. And again in his weakness, chose without 
further consideration and  plunged into  the physical  labor of the  
preparations. It was then  when deeply immersed  in the pleasure of  
that trip, he had a sudden loud clear voice in his head saying "it is 
bitter tea that  involves you so."  Hypoc heard the  voice, but the  
struggle inside intensified, and the pattern, previously established 
with the physical laboring and  the muscle messages coordinated and  
unified or perhaps  coded, continued  to exert  their influence and  
Hypoc succummed to the pressure and he denied the voice. 
 And  again  he plunged  into  the physical  orgy  and completed  the  
task, and Lo as the voice had predicted, the tea was bitter.

         "The         Five         Laws         have         root          in         
awareness."
          --Che           Fung           (Ezra          Pound,           Canto           
85)

The Hell Law says  that Hell is reserved  exclusively for them that  
believe in it. Further, the lowest Rung in Hell is reserved for them 
that believe in it on the supposition that they'll go there if they  
don't.
     HBT; The Gospel According to Fred, 3:1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
A SERMON ON ETHICS AND LOVE

  One  day   Mal-2  asked   the  messenger   spirit  Saint  Gulik   to  
approach the Goddess  and request  Her presence  for some desperate  
advice. Shortly  afterwards the  radio came  on  by itself,  and an  
ethereal female Voice said YES?

 "O!  Eris!  Blessed  Mother of  Man!  Queen  of  Chaos! Daughter  of  
Discord! Concubine of Confusion! O! Exquisite Lady, I beseech You to 
lift a heavy burden from my heart!"

        WHAT BOTHERS YOU, MAL? YOU DON'T SOUND WELL.

 "I  am  filled with  fear  and tormented  with  terrible visions  of  
pain. Everywhere  people are  hurting  one another,  the  planet is  
rampant with injustices, whole societies plunder groups of their own 
people, mothers imprison sons, children perish while brothers war. O, 
woe."

        WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH THAT, IF IT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?

        "But nobody Wants it! Everybody hates it."

        OH. WELL, THEN STOP.

 At  which  moment  She turned  herself  into  an aspirin  commercial  
and left The Polyfather stranded alone with his species.


SINISTER DEXTER HAS A BROKEN SPIROMETER.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                            CHAPTER 5: THE PIONEERS
                  =THE FIVE APOSTLES OF ERIS & WHO THEY BE =

1. HUNG MUNG
A Sage of Ancient  China and Official  Discordian Missionary to the  
Heathen Chinee. He who originally devised THE SACRED CHAO. Patron of 
the Season of Chaos. Holyday: Jan 5.

2. DR. VAN VAN MOJO
A Head Doctor of Deep Africa and Maker of Fine Dolls. D.H.V., Doctor 
of Hoodoo and Vexes, from The Greater Metropolitan Yorba Linda Jesus 
Will Save Your Bod Home Study Bible School; and F.I.H.G.W.P., Fellow 
of the Intergalactic Haitian Guerrillas  for World Peace. Patron of  
The Season of Discord. Holyday: Mar 19.
[NOTE: Erisians  of  The  Laughing Christ  sect  are  of  the silly  
contention that Dr. Mojo is an imposter and that PATAMUNZO LINGANANDA 
is the True  Second Apostle. Lord  Omar claims that  Dr. Mojo heaps  
hatred upon Patamunzo, who sends only Love Vibrations in return. But 
we of the POEE sect  know that Patamunzo is  the Real Imposter, and  
that those vibrations of his are actually an attempt to subvert Dr. 
Mojo's rightful apostilic authority by shaking him out of his wits.

3.  SRI   SYADASTI   SYADAVAKTAVYA   SYADASTI   SYANNASTI  SYADASTI   
CAVAKTAVYASCA
SYADASTI    SYANNASTI     SYADAVATAVYASCA     SYADASTI    SYANNASTI     
SYADAVAKTAVYASCA commonly called just SRI SYADASTI
His name is Sanskrit, and means:  All affirmations are true in some  
sense, false in some sense, meaningless in some sense, true and false 

in some  sense,  true  and meaningless  in  some  sense,  false and  
meaningless in some sense, and true and false and meaningless in some 
sense.
He is an Indian Pundit and Prince, born of the Peyotl Tribe, son of 
Gentle Chief Sun  Flower Seed and  the squaw Merry  Jane. Patron to  
psychedelic type Discordians.  Patron of  the Season  of Confusion.  
Holyday: May 31.  NOTE: Sri  Syadasti should  not be  confused with  
BLESSED ST. GULIK THE STONED, who is not the same person but is the 
same Apostle.

4. ZARATHUD THE INCORRIGIBLE, sometimes called ZARATHUD THE STAUNCH
A hard nosed Hermit  of Medieval Europe  and Chaosphe Bible Banger.  
Dubbed
"Offender of The Faith." Discovered the Five Commandments. Patron of 
the Season of Bureaucracy. Holyday: Aug. 12

5. THE ELDER MALACLYPSE
A wandering Wiseman of Ancient  Mediterrania ("Med-Terra" or middle  
earth), who followed a  5-pointed Star through  the alleys of Rome,  
Damascus, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Mecca and  Cairo, bearing a sign that  
seemed to read "DOOM". (This is a misunderstanding. The sign actually 
read "DUMB". Mal-1 is a Non-Prophet.) Patron and namesake of Mal-2.  
Patron on The Season of The Aftermath. Holyday: Oct 24.

All statements  are  true  in  some  sense,  false  in some  sense,  
meaningless in some sense,  true and false in  some sense, true and  
meaningless in some sense, false and meaningless in some sense, and  
true and  false and  meaningless in  some  sense. A  public service  
clarification by  the  Sri  Syadasti  School  of  Spiritual Wisdom,  
Wilmette. 

The teachings of  the Sri  Syadasti School  of Spiritual  School of  
Spiritual Wisdom  are  true in  some  sense, false  in  some sense,  
meaningless in some sense,  true and false in  some sense, true and  
meaningless in some sense, false and meaningless in some sense, and  
true and false and meaningless in some sense.
Patamunzo Lingananda School of Higher Spiritual Wisdom, Skokie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Hey Man...Great! I feel goofy,  the way my old  man looks when he's  
drunk. 


                          THE HONEST BOOK OF TRUTH
                   being a BIBLE of The Erisian Movement

                         and How it was Revealed to
          Episkopos LORD OMAR KHAYYAM RAVENHURST, KSC; Bull Goose
        of Limbo; and Master Pastor of the Church Invisible of
        the Laughing Christ, Hidden Temple of The Happy Jesus,
                  Laughing Buddha Jesus [LBJ] Ranch


                    From the Honest Book of Truth
                 THE BOOK OF EXPLANATIONS, Chapter 1

1. There came one day to Lord Omar, Bull Goose of Limbo, a Messenger
of Our Lady who told him of a Sacred Mound wherein was buried an
Honest Book.

2. And the Angel of Eris bade of the Lord: Go ye hence and dig the
Truth, that ye may come to know it and, knowing it, spread it and,
spreading it, wallow in it and, wallowing in it, lie in it and ,lying
in the Truth, become a Poet of the Word and a Sayer of Sayings -- an
Inspiration to all men and a Scribe to the Gods.

3. So Omar went forth to the Sacred Mound, which was to the East of
Mullah, and thereupon he worked digging in the sand for five days and
five nights, but found no book.

4. At the end of  five days and five nights  of digging, it came to  
pass
that Omar was exhausted. So he put his shovel to one side and bedded
himself down on the sand, using as a pillow a Golden Chest he had
uncovered on the first day of his labors.

5. Omar slept.

6. On the fifth day of his  sleeping, Lord Omar fell into a Trance,  
and
there came to him in the Trance a Dream, and there came to him in the
Dream a Messenger of Our Lady who told him of a Sacred Grove wherein
was hidden a Golden Chest.

7. And the Angel of Eris bade of the Lord: Go ye hence and lift the
Stash, that ye may come to own it and, owning it, share it and,
sharing it, love in it and, loving in it, dwell in it and, dwelling 
in
the Stash, become a Poet of the Word and a Sayer of Sayings - an
Inspiration to all men and a Scribe to the Gods.

8. But Omar lamented, saying unto the Angel: What is this shit,man?
What care I for the Word and Sayings? What care I for the Inspiration
of all men? Wherein does it profit a man to be a Scribe to the Gods
when the Scribes of the Governments do nothing, yet are paid better
wages?

9. And, lo, the Angel  waxed in anger and Omar  was stricken to the  
Ground 
by an Invisible Hand and did not arise for five days and five nights.

10. And it came to pass that on  the fifth night he dreampt, and in  
his
Dream he had a Vision, and in this Vision there came unto him a
Messenger of Our Lady who entrusted to him a Rigoletto cigar box
containing many filing cards, some of them in packs with rubber bands
around, and upon these  cards were sometimes  written verses, while  
upon
others nothing was written.

11. Thereupon the Angel Commanded to Lord: Take ye this Honest Book 
of
Truth to thine bosom and cherish it. Carry it forth into The Land and
Lay it before Kings of Nations and Collectors of Garbage. Preach from
it unto the Righteous, that they may renounce their ways and repent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
                          CONVENTIONAL CHAOS

GREYFACE

In the year 1166 B.C., a malcontented hunchbrain by the name of
Greyface, got it into his head that the universe was as humorless as
he, and  he  began  to  teach  that  play  was  sinful  because  it  
contradicted
the ways of Serious Order. "Look at all the order around you," he
said. And from that, he deluded  honest men to believe that reality  
was
a straightjacket affair and not the  happy romance as men had known  
it.

It is not presently understood why men were so gullible at that
particular time, for absolutely no one thought to observe all the
disorder around them and conclude just the opposite. But anyway,
Greyface and his followers took the game of playing at life more
seriously than they took life itself and were known even to destroy
other living beings whose ways of life differed from their own.

The unfortunate result of this is that mankind has since been
suffering from a  psychological and  spiritual imbalance. Imbalance  
causes
frustration, and frustration causes fear. And  fear makes for a bad  
trip. Man has been on a bad trip for a long time now.

It is called THE CURSE OF GREYFACE.




                                          Bullshit makes the flowers
                            grow                            &                             that's                            
beautiful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Climb into the Chao with a friend or two
And follow the Way it carries you,
Adrift like a Lunatic Lifeboat Crew
Over the Waves in whatever you do.
        (HBT; The Book of Advise, 1:3)


[graphic deleted... if you wanna see it, READ THE BOOK]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Meanwhile, at the Chinese laundromat...

                DOGMA I - METAPHYSICS #2, "COSMOLOGY"*

                          THE BOOK OF UTERUS
                    from the Honest Book of Truth
                        revealed to Lord Omar

1. Before  the  beginning  was the  Nonexistent  Chao,  balanced in  
Oblivion by the Perfect Counterpushpull of the Hodge and the Podge.

2. Whereupon, by an Act of Happenstance, the Hodge began gradually to
overpower the Podge -- and the Primal Chaos thereby came to be.

3. So in the beginning was the Primal Chaos, balanced on the Edge of 
Oblivion by the Perfect Counterpullpush of the Podge and the Hodge.

4. Whereupon, by the Law of Negative Reversal,** the Podge swiftly
underpowered the Hodge and Everything broke loose.

5. And  therein emerged  the Active  Force  of Discord,  the Subtle  
Manifestation of the Nonexistent Chao, to guide Everything along the 
Path back to Oblivion - that it might not become lost among Precepts 
of Order in the Region of Thud.

6. Forasmuch as it was Active, the Force of Discord entered the State 
of Confusion, wherein It copulated with the Queen and begat ERIS, Our 
Lady of Discord and Gross Manifestation of the Nonexistent Chao.

7. And under Eris Confusion became established, and was hence called
Bureaucracy; while over Bureaucracy Eris became established, and was 
hence called Discordia.

8. By the by it came to  pass that the Establishment of Bureaucracy  
perished in a paper shortage.

9. Thus it was, in accord with the Law of Laws.

10. During and after the Fall of the Establishment of Bureaucracy was 
the Aftermath, an Age of Disorder in which calculation, computations, 
and reckonings were put away by  the Children of Eris in Acceptance  
and
Preparation for the Return to Oblivion to be followed by a Repetition 
of the  Universal  Absurdity.  Moreover, of  Itself  the  Coming of  
Aftermath waseth a Resurrection of  the Freedom-flowing Chaos. HAIL  
ERIS!

11. Herein was  set into  motion the  Eristic Pattern,  which would  
Repeat Itself  Five  Times Over  Seventy-three  Times,  after which  
nothing would happen.
____________________________
* This doctrine should not be confused with DOGMA III - HISTORY #6,  
"HISTORIC CYCLES," which states that social progress occurs in five  
cycles, the  first  three  ("The Tricycle")  of  which  are THESIS,  
ANTITHESIS and PARENTHESIS; and the last two ("the Bicycle") of which 
are CONSTERNATION and MORAL WARPTITUDE.

** The LAW OF  NEGATIVE REVERSAL states that  if something does not  
happen then the  exact opposite  will happen,  only in  exactly the  
opposite manner from that in which it did not happen.


Dull but Sincere Filler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
"And, behold, thusly was the Law  formulated: Imposition of Order =  
escalation of Disorder!"
 [H.B.T. ; The Gospel According to Fred, 1:6]

THE FIVE ORDERS OF DISCORDIA ("THEM")
Gen. Pandaemonium, Commanding

The seeds of the ORDERS OF  DISCORDIA were planted by Greyface into  
his early  disciples.  They  form  the  skeleton  of  the Aneristic  
Movement, which  over  emphasizes  the Principle  of  Order  and is  
antagonistic to the necessary compliment, the Principle of Disorder. 
The Orders are composed of persons all hung up on authority, security 
and control; i.e., they are blinded by the Aneristic Illusion. They  
do not know that they belong to Orders of Discordia.  But we know.

1. The Military Order of THE KNIGHTS OF THE FIVE SIDED TEMPLE. This  
is for all the soldiers and bureaucrats of the world.

2. The Political Order of THE PARTY FOR WAR ON EVIL. This is reserved 
for lawmakers, censors, and like ilk.

3. The  Academic Order  of  THE HEMLOCK  FELLOWSHIP.  They commonly  
inhabit schools and universities, and dominate many of them.

4. The Social Order of THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR CONCERNED CITIZENS. 
This is  mostly  a  grass-roots version  of  the  more professional  
military, political, academic and sacred Orders.

5. The Sacred Order of THE DEFAMATION LEAGUE. Not much is known about 
the D.L., but they are very ancient and quite possibly were founded 
by Greyface  himself.  It  is known  that  they  now  have absolute  
domination over all  organized churches  in the  world. It  is also  
believed that they have been costuming cabbages and passing them off 
as human beings.

A person belonging to one or more Order is just as likely to carry a 
flag of the counter-establishment as the flag of the establishment-- 
just as long as it is a flag.


Don't let THEM immanentize the Eschaton.

HIP-2-3-4, HIP-2-3-4
Go To Your Left-Right....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
THE FOLLOWING IS QUOTED FROM BERGAN EVANS
ON NORBERT WEINER, NUCLEAR PHYSICIST

  The   second  concept   Wiener   has  to   establish   is  that   of   
entropy.
Probability is  a  mathematical  concept,  coming  from statistics.  
Entropy comes  from  physics.  It  is  the  assertion-- established  
logically and experimentally-- that the universe, by its nature, is  
"running down", moving toward a state of inert uniformity devoid of  
form, matter, hierarchy or differentiation.

  That  is,   in  any   given  situation,   less  organization,   more  
chaos, is overwhelmingly more probable than tighter organization or  
more order.

 The  tendency  for  entropy  to  increase  in  isolated  systems  is  
expressed in the  second law  of thermodynamics--  perhaps the most  
pessimistic and amoral formulation in all human thought.

 It  applies  however,  to a  closed  system,  to  something that  is  
an
isolated whole, not just  a part. Within such  systems there may be  
parts, which draw their  energy from the whole,  that are moving at  
least temporarily,  in the  opposite  direction; in  them  order is  
increasing and chaos is diminishing.

 The  whirlpools  that  swirl in  a  direction  opposed  to the  main  
current are called "enclaves". And one  of them is life, especially  
human life, which in a universe moving inexorably towards chaos moves 
towards increased order.


IF THE TELEPHONE RINGS TODAY..... WATER IT!
        -Rev. Thomas, Gnostic
         N.Y.C. Cabal


                                   Personal
PLANETARY Pi,  which  I  discovered,  is  61.  It's  a  Time-Energy  
relationship
existing between sun and inner  plants and I use  it in arriving at  
many facts unknown to  science. For example,  multiply nude earth's  
circumference 24,902.20656 by 61 and you get the distance of moon's  
orbit around  the  earth. This  is  slightly less  than  the actual  
distance because we have not yet considered earth's atmosphere. So be 
it. Christopher Garth, Evanston


"I should have been a plumber."
        --Albert Einstein
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Grasshopper always wrong in argument with chicken"
                -Book of Chan compiled by O.P.U. sect


                         = ZARATHUD'S ENLIGHTENMENT =

 Before  he  became  a  hermit,  Zarathud  was  a young  Priest,  and  
took great delight in making fools of his opponents in front of his  
followers.

 One  day  Zarathud  took his  students  to  a  pleasant pasture  and  
there he  confronted  The  Sacred Chao  while  She  was contentedly  
grazing.

  "Tell   me,  you   dumb   beast."  demanded   the   Priest  in   his   
commanding voice, "why don't  you do something  worthwhile. What is  
your Purpose in Life, anyway?"

        Munching the tasty grass, The Sacred Chao replied "MU".*

   Upon   hearing    this,   absolutely    nobody   was    enlightened.   
Primarily because nobody could understand Chinese.

* "MU" is the Chinese ideogram for NO-THING


TAO FA TSU-DAN                                      FIND PEACE WITH A 
                                                    CONTENTED CHAO

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                           THE SACRED CHAO

THE SACRED CHAO is the key  to illumination. Devised by the Apostle  
Hung Mung in ancient China, it  was modified and popularized by the  
Taoists and is sometimes called the YIN-YANG. The Sacred Chao is not 
the Yin-Yang of the Taoists. It is the HODGE-PODGE of the Erisians. 
And, instead of a Podge  spot on the Hodge side,  it has a PENTAGON  
which symbolizes the ANERISTIC PRINCIPLE, and instead of a Hodge spot 
on the  Podge side,  it depicts  the GOLDEN  APPLE OF  DISCORDIA to  
symbolize the ERISTIC PRINCIPLE.

The Sacred Chao  symbolizes absolutely everything  anyone need ever  
know about  absolutely  anything,  and  more!  It  even  symbolizes  
everything not worth knowing, depicted by the empty space surrounding 
the Hodge-Podge.

HERE FOLLOWS SOME PSYCHO-METAPHYSICS.
If you are not hot for philosophy, best just to skip it.

  The   Aneristic   Principle  is   that   of   APPARENT  ORDER;   the   
Eristic
Principle is that of APPARENT DISORDER. Both order and disorder are  
man made concepts and are artificial divisions of PURE CHAOS, which  
is a level deeper that is the level of distinction making.

  With  our  concept  making  apparatus  called  "mind"  we  look   at  
reality through the ideas-about-reality which our cultures give us.  
The
ideas-about-reality   are   mistakenly    labeled   "reality"   and    
unenlightened
people are  forever  perplexed  by  the  fact  that  other  people,  
especially other cultures, see "reality" differently. It is only the 
ideas-about-reality which differ. Real (capital-T True) reality is a 
level deeper that is the level of concept.

 We  look at  the  world through  windows on  which  have been  drawn  
grids (concepts).  Different  philosophies use  different  grids. A  
culture is a group  of people with rather  similar grids. Through a  
window we view chaos, and relate it  to the points on our grid, and  
thereby understand  it.  The ORDER  is  in  the GRID.  That  is the  
Aneristic Principle.

    Western     philosophy    is     traditionally    concerned     with     
contrasting one grid with another grid, and amending grids in hopes  
of finding a perfect one that will account for all reality and will, 
hence, (say unenlightened westerners) be True. This is illusory; it  
is what we Erisians call the  ANERISTIC ILLUSION. Some grids can be  
more useful than others, some more beautiful than others, some more  
pleasant than others, etc., but none can be more True than any other.

        DISORDER is simply unrelated information viewed through some
particular grid. But,  like "relation",  no-relation is  a concept.  
Male, like female, is an  idea about sex. To  say that male-ness is  
"absence of
female-ness",  or  vice  versa,  is  a  matter  of  definition  and   
metaphysically arbitrary. The artificial  concept of no-relation is  
the ERISTIC PRINCIPLE.

  The  belief  that  "order  is   true"  and  disorder  is  false   or  
somehow
wrong, is the Aneristic Illusion. To say the same of disorder, is the
ERISTIC ILLUSION.

        The point is that (little-t) truth is a matter of definition
relative to the grid one is using at the moment, and that (capital-T)
Truth, metaphysical reality, is irrelevant to grids entirely. Pick a 
grid, and through  it some chaos  appears ordered  and some appears  
disordered. Pick  another  grid,  and the  same  chaos  will appear  
differently ordered and disordered. 
 
 Reality is the original Rorschach.

Verily! So much for all that.

The words of the Foolish and those of the Wise
Are not far apart in Discordian Eyes.
(HBT; The Book of Advise, 2:1)

The PODGE of the Sacred  Chao is symbolized as  The Golden Apple of  
Discordia, which represents the Eristic  Principle of Disorder. The  
writing on it, "KALLISTI"  is Greek for "TO  THE PRETTIEST ONE" and  
refers to an old myth about The  Goddess. But the Greeks had only a  
limited understanding of Disorder, and thought  it to be a negative  
principle.

The Pentagon  represents  the  Aneristic  Principle  of  Order  and  
symbolizes the HODGE. The Pentagon has several references; for one,, 
it can be taken to represent geometry, one of the earliest studies of 
formal order  to  reach  elaborate  development;*  for  another, it  
specifically accords with THE LAW OF FIVES. 

THE TRUTH IS FIVE BUT MEN HAVE ONLY ONE NAME FOR IT.
                                -Patamunzo Lingananda

It is also the shape of the United States Military Headquarters, the 
Pentagon Building, a most  pregnant manifestation of straightjacket  
order resting on a firm foundation of chaos and constantly erupting  
into dazzling  disorder;  and  this building  is  one  of  our more  
cherished Erisian  Shrines. Also  it so  happens  that in  times of  
medieval magic, the pentagon was the generic symbol for werewolves,  
but this reference  is not particularly  intended and  it should be  
noted that  the  Erisian  Movement  does  not  discriminate against  
werewolves-- our membership roster is open to persons of all races,  
national origins and
hobbies.

____________________________________
* The  Greek geometrician  PYTHAGORAS, however,  was not  a typical  
aneristic personality. He was what we call an EXPLODED ANERISTIC and 
an AVATAR. We call him Archangle Pythagoras.

[diagram of HODGE/PODGE TRANSFORMER deleted... DtC]

5. Hung Mung slapped his buttocks, hopped about, and shook his head, 
saying "I do not know! I do not know!"
        HBT; The Book of Gooks, Chap. 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                               BRUNSWICK SHRINE

In the Los Angeles suburb of  Whittier there lives a bowling alley,  
and within this very place, in the Year of Our Lady of Discord 3125 
(1959*), Eris revealed  Herself to The  Golden Apple  Corps for the  
first time.

In honor of this Incredible Event, this  Holy Place is revered as a  
Shrine by all Erisians. Once every five years, the Golden Apple Corps 
plans a Pilgrimage to  Brunswick Shrine as an  act of Devotion, and  
therein to partake of No Hot Dog  Buns, and ruminate a bit about It  
All.

It is written that when The Corps returns to The Shrine for the fifth 
time five times over, than shall the world come to an end:

                                IMPENDING DOOM
                                  HAS ARRIVED
        And Five Days Prior to This Occasion The Apostle The Elder
        Malaclypse Shall Walk the Streets of Whittier Bearing a Sign
        for All Literates to Read thereof: "DOOM", as a Warning of
        Forthcoming Doom to All Men Impending. And He Shall Signal 
  This  Event   by  Seeking   the  Poor   and  Distributing  to   Them  
Precious
        MAO BUTTONS and Whittier Shall be Known as The Region of Thud
        for These Five Days.

As a public service to all mankind and civilization in general, and 
to us  in particular,  the Golden  Apple  Corps has  concluded that  
planning such a Pilgrimage is sufficient  and that it is prudent to  
never get around to actually going.
___________________________________
* Or maybe it was 1958, I forget.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
 STARBUCK'S PEBBLES                                     Which
                                                          Is
                                                        Real?


                                *

                        *               *

                             *      *

Do these 5 pebbles [note: they were pebbles,originally..try doing
ASCII pebbles -DtC] REALLY form a pentagon?
Those biased by the Aneristic Illusion would say yes.
Those biased by the Eristic Illusion would say no. Criss-cross them  
and it is a star.

An Illuminated Mind can see all of these, yet he does not insist that 
any one is  really true, or  that none at  all is  true. Stars, and  
pentagons, and disorder are all his creations and he may do with them 
as he wishes. Indeed, even so the concept of number 5.

The real reality is there, but everything you KNOW about "it" is in  
your mind and yours to do with as you like. Conceptualization is art, 
and YOU ARE THE ARTIST.

Convictions cause convicts.

                                        
                                     Can you chart the COURSE
                       to                        Captain                        Valentine's                        
SWEETHEART?

Hemlock? I never touch the stuff!


     When      I      was     8      or      9      years     old,      I      
acquired
        a        split        beaver        magazine.        You         can        
imagine
                     my                     disappointment                      when,upon                     
examination
      of       the      photos       with       a      microscope,       I       
found
                                that all I could see was dots.


7. Never write in pencil unless you are on a train or sick in bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
ERIS CONTEMPLATES FOR 3125 YEARS
------------------------------------Pun-jab    is    Sikh,    Sikh,     
Sikh!--------

THE PARATHEO-ANAMETAMYSTIKHOOD OF ERIS ESOTERIC (POEE)
A Non-prophet Irreligious Disorganization

                         MALACLYPSE THE YOUNGER, KSC
                Omnibenevolent Polyfather of Virginity in Gold
                                 HIGH PRIEST

THE          ERISIAN           MOVEMENT           HOUSE          OF           
APOSTLES OF ERIS
(X)  Official   Business   (   )Surreptitious   Business   page   1   
of 1 pages
Official Discordian Document Number (if applicable): n/a
( ) the Golden Apple Corps  (X)House of Disciples of Discordia
                                The Bureaucracy, Bureau of:  DOGMAS
( ) Council of Episkoposes: Office  of High Priesthood, Sect of the  
POEE 
( ) Drawer o
______________________________________________________________________
__
Today's  DATE:   day   of   the   Carrot   yesterday's   DATE:  Yes   
-><-
Originating Cabal: Joshua Norton Cabal - San Francisco
TO: REV. RAMPANT PANCREAS, tRRoCR(a)pttM; Colorado Encrustation

Brother Ram,

Your acute observation that ERIS spelled backwards is SIRE, and your 
inference to the effect  that there is  sexual symbolism here, have  
brought me to some observations of my own,

ERIS spelled fore-part-aft-wards is RISE. And spelled inside out is  
REIS, which is a  unit of money,  albeit Portugese-Brazilian and no  
longer in use. >From this it may be concluded that Eris has usurped  
Eros (god of erotic love) in the  eyes of those who read backwards;  
which obviously made Eros sorE.  Then She apparently embezzeled the  
Olympian Treasury and went to Brazil; whereupon She opened a chain of 
whorehouses (which  certainly  would  get  a  rise  from  the  male  
population). I figure it to be this in particular because MADAM reads 
the same forwards and backwards. And further, it is a term of great  
respect, similar to SIRE.

And so thank you for  your insight, it may well  be the clue to the  
mystery of just where Eris has been fucking around for 3125.

                                FIVE TONS OF FLAX!
                                -><-    Mal-2

Not for Circulation!




          KALLISTI        HAIL ERIS             ALL HAIL DISCORDIA

safeguard this letter, it may be an important document 

                          Form                           No.:                           O.D.D.                           
IIb/ii.1-37D.VVM:3134
______________________________________________________________________
_
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                     DOGMA III - HISTORY #2, "COSMOGONY"
which is not the same as DOGMA I - METAPHYSICS #2, "COSMOLOGY" (Book 
of Uterus)

 In  the  beginning  there  was  VOID,  who  had two  daughters;  one  
(the
smaller) was that of BEING, named ERIS, and one (the larger) was of  
NON-BEING, named ANERIS. (To  this day, the  fundamental truth that  
Aneris is the larger is apparent to all who compare the great number 
of things that do not exist  with the comparatively small number of  
things that do exist.)

  Eris  had  been  born  pregnant,  and  after  55  years   (Goddesses  
have  an  unusually  long  gestation   period--  longer  even  than   
elephants), Her  pregnancy bore  the fruits  of many  things. These  
things were  composed  of  the Five  Basic  Elements,  SWEET, BOOM,  
PUNGENT, PRICKLE,  and ORANGE.  Aneris,  however, had  been created  
sterile. When she saw Eris enjoying  Herself so greatly with all of  
the existent things She had borne, Aneris became jealous and finally 
one day  she  stole  some existent  things  and  changed  them into  
non-existent things and claimed them as her own children. This deeply 
hurt Eris, who felt that Her sister was unjust (being so much larger 
anyway) to deny Her  her small joy.  And so She  made herself swell  
again to bear more things. And She swore that no matter how many of 
her begotten that Aneris would steal, She would beget more.
And, in return, Aneris swore that no matter how many existent things 
Eris brought forth, she would eventually find them and turn them into 
non-existent things for her own. (And to this day, things appear and 
disappear in this very manner.) 

 At  first, the  things brought  forth  by Eris  were in  a state  of  
chaos and went in every which way,  but by the by She began playing  
with them andordered some of them just to see what would happen. Some 
pretty things arosefrom this play and for the next five zillion years 
She amused Herself bycreating order. And so She grouped some things  
with others and some groups with others, and big groups with little 
groups, and all combinations until She had many grand schemes which  
delighted Her.

 Engrossed  in  establishing  order,  She  finally  one  day  noticed  
disorder (previously  not apparent  because everything  was chaos).  
There were many ways  in which chaos  was ordered and  many ways in  
which it was not.

        "Hah," She thought, "Here shall be a new game."

 And  She  taught order  and  disorder  to play  with  each other  in  
contest games, and to take turns  amusing each other. She named the  
side of disorder after Herself, "ERISTIC" because Being is anarchic. 
And then, in a mood of sympathy for Her lonely sister, She named the 
other side  "ANERISTIC"  which flattered  Aneris  and  smoothed the  
friction a little that was between them. 

 Now  all  of  this  time,  Void  was  somewhat  disturbed.  He  felt  
unsatisfied for he had created only physical existence and physical  
non-existence, and had neglected the  spiritual. As he contemplated  
this, a great Quiet was caused and he went into a state of Deep Sleep 
which lasted for  5 eras.  At the  end of  this ordeal,  he begat a  
brother to Eris and Aneris, that of SPIRITUALITY, who had no name at 
all.

  When  the  sisters  heard  this,  they  both  confronted  Void   and  
pleaded that he not forget them, his First Born. And so Void decreed 
thus:

 That  this  brother,  having no  form,  was  to  reside with  Aneris  
in
Non-Being and then to leave her and, so that he might play with order 
and disorder, reside with Eris in Being. But Eris became filled with 
sorrow when She heard this and then began to weep.

  "Why  are  you  despondent?"   demanded  Void,  "Your  new   brother  
will have his share with you." "But  Father, Aneris and I have been  
arguing, and she will take him from  me when she discovers him, and  
cause him to  return to Non-Being."  "I see,"replied  Void, "Then I  
decree the following:

  "When  your  brother  leaves  the  residence  of  Being,  he   shall  
not reside again in  Non-Being, but shall return  to Me, Void, from  
whence he came. You girls may bicker as you wish, but My son is your 
Brother and We are all of Myself." 

And so it is that we, as men, do not exist until we do; and then it 
is that we play  with our world  of existent things,  and order and  
disorder them, and so it shall  be that non-existence shall take us  
back from existence and that  nameless spirituality shall return to  
Void, like a tired child home from a very wild circus.

    "Everything    is    true    -    Everything    is     permissible!"    
-><-
                                                -Hassan i Sabbah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
There is serenity in Chaos.
Seek ye the Eye of the Hurricane.

               A POEE MYSTEREE RITE - THE SRI SYADASTIAN CHANT
                       Written, in some sense, by Mal-2

Unlike a song, chants are not sung but chanted. This particular one 
is much enhanced by the use of a Leader to chant the Sanskrit alone, 
with all participants chanting the English. it also behooves one to  
be in a quiet frame of mind and  to be sitting in a still position,  
perhaps The Buttercup Position. It also  helps if one is absolutely  
zonked out of his gourd.

RUB-A-DUB-DUB
O! Hail Eris. Blessed St. Hung Mung.
SYA-DASTI
O! Hail Eris. Blessed St. Mo-jo.
SYA-DAVAK-TAVYA
O! Hail Eris. Blessed St. Zara-thud.
SYA-DASTI SYA-NASTI
O! Hail Eris. Blessed St. Elder Mal.
SYA-DASTI KAVAK-TAV-YASKA
O! Hail Eris. Blessed St. Gu-lik.
SYA-DASTI, SYA-NASTI, SYA-DAVAK-TAV-YASKA
O! Hail Eris. All Hail Dis-cord-ia.
RUB-A-DUB-DUB

It is then  repeated indefinitely,  or for  the first  two thousand  
miles, which ever comes first.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
The Classification of Saints

1. SAINT SECOND CLASS

To be reserved for all human beings deserving of Sainthood. Example: 
St.Norton the First, Emperor of the  United States and Protector of  
Mexico (his grave near San Francisco is an official POEE shrine.)

THE FOLLOWING FOUR CATAGORIES ARE RESERVED FOR FICTIONAL BEINGS WHO, 
NOT BEING ACTUAL, ARE MORE CAPABLE OF PERFECTION.

2. LANCE SAINT

Good Saint material and definitely inspiring.
Example: St. Yossarian (Catch 22, Heller)

3. LIEUTENANT SAINT

Excellent Goddess-Saturated Saint.
Example: St. Quixote (Don Quixote, Cervantes)

4. BRIGADIER SAINT

Comparable to Lt/Saint but has an established following (fictional or
factual). Example: St. Bokonon (Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut)

5. FIVE STAR SAINT

The Five Apostles of Eris.

Note: It is an Old Erisian Tradition to never agree with each other  
about Saints.


Everybody understands Mickey Mouse. Few understand Herman Hesse. Only 
a hand full understood Albert Einstein. And nobody understood Emperor 
Norton.
                        -Slogan of NORTON CABAL - S.F.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
TESTS BY DOCTORS PROVE IT POSSIBLE TO SHRINK

    =ON OCCULTISM=

Magicians, especially since the Gnostic and the Quabala influences,  
have
sought higher  consciousness  through assimilation  and  control of  
universal opposites-- good/evil, positive/negative, male/female, etc. 
But due to the steadfast pomposity  of ritualism inherited from the  
ancient methods of the shaman, occultists have been blinded to what  
is perhaps the two most important  pairs of apparent or earth-plane  
opposites: ORDER/DISORDER and SERIOUS/HUMOROUS.

Magicians, and progeny the scientists, have always taken themselves  
and  their  subject  in  an   orderly  and  sober  manner,  thereby   
disregarding an essential metaphysical balance. when magicians learn 
to approach philosophy as  a malleable art  instead of an immutable  
Truth, and learn to  appreciate the absurdity  of man's endeavours,  
then they will be able to pursue their art with a lighter heart, and 
perhaps gain a clearer understanding of it, and therefore gain more  
effective magic. CHAOS IS ENERGY.
This is an essential challenge to the basic concepts of all western 
occult thought,  and  POEE is  humbly  pleased to  offer  the first  
breakthrough in occultism since Solomon.


"Study Demonology with an Enemy This Sunday"
                        sez Thom,Gnos

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
POEE ASTROLOGICAL SYSTEM

1) Om your next birthday, return to the place of your birth and, at 
precisely midnight, noting your birth time and date of observation,  
count all visible stars.

2) When you have done this, write to me and I'll tell you what to do 
next.


The Eminent 16th Century Mathemetician Cardan so detested Luther that 
he altered Luther's birthdate to give him an unfavorable horoscope.



The theorem to be proved is that  if any even number of people take  
seats at random  around a circular  table bearing  place cards with  
their names, it is always possible to rotate the table until at least 
two people are opposite their cards.  Assume the contrary. Let N be  
the even number of persons, and let  their names be replaced by the  
integers 0 to N-1 "in such a way that the place cards are numbered in 
sequence around the table. If a delegate D originally sits down to a 
place card P, then the  table must be rotated R  steps before he is  
correctly seated, where R=P-D, unless this is negative, in which case 
R=P-D+N. The collection of values of D (and of P) for all delegates  
is clearly the integers 0 to N-1,each taken once, but so also is the 
collection of values of R, or else two delegates would be correctly 
seated at the same time. Summing  the above equations, one for each  
delegate, gives S-S+NK, where K is an integer and S=N(N-1)/2, the sum 
of the  integers from  0 to  N-1.  It follows  that N=2K+1,  an odd  
number." This contradicts the original assumption.
  "I  actually   solved  this   problem  some   years  ago,"   Rybicki  
writes, "for  a  different  but  completely  equivalent  problem, a  
generalization of  the nonattacking  'eight  queens' problem  for a  
cylindrical chessboard  where  diagonal  attack  is  restricted  to  
diagonals slanting in one direction only.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                        THE CURSE OF GREYFACE AND THE
                          INTRODUCTION OF NEGATIVISM

 To  choose  order  over disorder,  or  disorder  over  order, is  to  
accept a trip composed of both the creative and the destructive. But 
to choose the creative over the destructive is an all-creative trip  
composed of both order  and disorder. To  accomplish this, one need  
only accept creative  disorder along  with, and  equal to, creative  
order, and also willing to reject destructive order as an undesirable 
equal to destructive disorder.

        The Curse of Greyface included the division of life into
order/disorder as the essential positive/negative polarity, instead  
of
building a game foundation with creative/destructive as the essential
positive/negative.  He  has  thereby  caused   man  to  endure  the   
destructive aspects of order and has prevented man from effectively  
participating in the creative uses of disorder. Civilization reflects 
this unfortunate division.

 POEE  proclaims  that  the  other  division  is  preferable, and  we  
work toward the  proposition that creative  disorder, like creative  
order, is possible and desirable;  and that destructive order, like  
destructive
disorder, is unnecessary and undesirable.

 Seek  the  Sacred  Chao -  therein  you  will  find the  foolishness  
of all ORDER/DISORDER. They are the same!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                   ERISIAN MAGIC RITUAL - THE TURKEY CURSE

Revealed by the Apostle Dr. Van Van Mojo as a specific counter to the 
evil Curse  of Greyface,  THE  TURKEY CURSE  is here  passed  on to  
Erisians everywhere for their just protection.

The Turkey  Curse works.  It is  firmly grounded  on the  fact that  
Greyface and his followers absolutely require an aneristic setting to 
function and that a timely  introduction of eristic vibrations will  
neutralize their foundation. The Turkey Curse is designed solely to  
counteract negative aneristic vibes and if introduced into a neutral 
or positive aneristic setting (like a poet working out word rhythms) 
it will prove  harmless, or  at worst,  simply annoying. It  is not  
designed for use against negative eristic vibes, although it can be  
used as  an  eristic vehicle  to  introduce positive  vibes  into a  
misguided eristic  setting.  In  this  instance,  it  would  be the  
responsibility of the Erisian Magician  to manufacture the positive  
vibrations if results  are to  be achieved.  CAUTION- all  magic is  
powerful and  requires courage  and integrity  on  the part  of the  
magician. This ritual, if misused, can backfire. Positive motivation 
is essential for self-protection.

TO PERFORM THE TURKEY CURSE:

Take a foot stance  as if you  were John L.  Sullivan preparing for  
fisticuffs. Face the particular greyfaced you wish to short-circuit, 
or towards the direction of the negative aneristic vibration that you 
wish to neutralize. Begin waving your  arms in any elaborate manner  
and make motions with your hands as though you were Mandrake feeling 
up a sexy giantess. Chant, loudly and clearly:
                   GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!
The results will be instantly apparent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~

                A PRIMER FOR ERISIAN EVANGELISTS by Lord Omar

        The SOCRATIC APPROACH is most successful when confronting the
ignorant. The  "socratic approach"  is  what you  call  starting an  
argument by asking questions. You  approach the innocent and simply  
ask "Did you know that God's name is ERIS, and that He is a girl?" If 
he should answer "Yes." then he probably is a fellow Erisian and so  
you can forget it. If he says "No." then quickly proceed to:
 THE  BLIND ASSERTION  and say  "Well,  He Is  a girl,  and His  name  
is ERIS!" Shrewedly observe if the  subject is convinced. If he is,  
swear him into the Legion of  Dynamic Discord before he changes his  
mind. If he does not appear convinced, then proceed to:
 THE  FAITH  BIT: "But  you  must  have Faith!  All  is lost  without  
Faith! I sure feel sorry for you if you don't have Faith." And then 
add:
 THE  ARGUMENT BY  FEAR and  in  an ominous  voice ask  "Do you  know  
what happens to those who deny Goddess?" If he hesitates, don't tell 
him that he will surely be reincarnated as a precious Mao Button and 
distributed to the poor in the Region of Thud (which would be a mean 
thing to say), just shake your head  sadly and, while wiping a tear  
from your eye, go to:
 THE  FIRST CLAUSE  PLOY  wherein you  point to  all  of the  discord  
and confusion in the  world and exclaim  "Well who the  hell do you  
think did  all  of  this,  wise guy?"  If  he  says,  "Nobody, just  
impersonal forces." then quickly respond with:
  THE  ARGUMENT  BY   SEMANTICAL  GYMNASTICS  and   say  that  he   is  
absolutely right, and that  those impersonal forces  are female and  
that Her  name is  ERIS. If  he, wonder  of wonders,  still remains  
obstinate, then finally resort to:
 THE  FIGURATIVE  SYMBOLISM  DODGE  and  confide  that  sophisticated  
people like himself recognize that Eris is a Figurative Symbol for an 
Ineffable Metaphysical  Reality and  that  The Erisian  Movement is  
really more like a poem than like a science and that he is liable to 
be turned into a Precious Mao Button and Distributed to The Poor in  
The Region of  Thud if he  does not get  hip. Then put  him on your  
mailing list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SINK

A GAME

by Ala Hera, E.L., N.S.; RAYVILLE APPLE PANTHERS

SINK is played by Discordians and people of much ilk.

PURPOSE: To sink object or an object or a thing...
in water or mud or anything you; can sink something in.

RULES: Sinking is allowd in any manner. To date, ten pound chunks of 
mud were used to sink a tobacco can. It is preferable to have a pit  
of water or a hole to drop things in. But rivers - bays - gulfs - I 
dare say even oceans can be used. 

TURNS are taken thusly: who somever gets the junk up and in the air 
first.

DUTY: It shall be the duty of all persons playing "SINK" to help find 
more objects to sink, once; one object is sunk.

UPON SINKING: The sinked shall yell "I sank it!" or something equally 
as thoughtful.

NAMING OF OBJECTS is some times desirable. The object is named by the 
finder of such object and whoever sinks it can say for instance, "I  
sunk Columbus, Ohio!"



        "In a way, we're a kind of Peace Corps."
        - Maj. A. Lincoln German, Training Director of the
          Green Beret Special Warfare School, Ft. Bragg, N.C.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
A Joint Effort of the Discordian Society

POST OFFICE LIBERATION FRONT

                                        Export License Not Required
THIS IS A CHAIN LETTER.

WITHIN THE  NEXT  FIFTY-FIVE DAYS  YOU  WILL  RECEIVE THIRTY-ELEVEN  
HUNDRED POUNDS OF CHAINS!
In the meantime - plant your seeds.

If a lot of people who receive this  letter plant a few seeds and a  
lot of people  receive this  letter, then a  lot of  seeds will get  
planted.
Plant your seeds.

In parks. On  lots. Public flower  beds. In remote  places. At City  
Hall.
Wherever. Whenever. Or start a plantation in your closet (but read up 
on it first for that). For casual planting, its best to soak them in 
water for a day and plant in a bunch of about 5, about half an inch 
deep. Don't worry much about the weather, they know when the weather 
is wrong and will  try to wait  for nature. Don't  soak them if its  
wintertime. Seeds are a very hearty life form and strongly desire to 
grow and  flourish. But  some  of them  need people's  help  to get  
started. Plant your seeds.

Make a few copies of this letter (5 would be nice) and send them to  
friends of yours. Try to mail  to different cities and states, even  
different countries. If you would rather not, then please pass this  
copy on to someone and perhaps they would like to.

THERE IS NO TRUTH to the legend that if you throw away a chain letter 
then all sorts of catastrophic, abominable, and outrageous disasters 
will happen. Except, of course, from your seed's point of view.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Q. "How come a woodpecker doesn't bash its brains out?" A. Nobody has 
ever explained that.

Mary Jane says "Plant Your Seeds. Keep Prices Down."

"And God said,  behold, I have  given you every  herb bearing seed,  
which is upon the face of the earth... to you it shall be for meat."
                                -Genesis 1:29


[graphical stuff deleted -DtC]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Questions
Have a friendly class talk. Permit each child to tell any part of the 
unit on  "Courtesy in  the  Corridors and  on the  Stairs"  that he  
enjoyed. Name some causes of disturbance in your school.



Chapter 1, THE EPISTLE TO THE PARANOIDS
--Lord Omar

1. Ye have locked yerselves up in cages of fear--and, behold, do ye  
now
complain that ye lack FREEDOM!

2. Ye have cast  out yer brothers  for devils and  now complain ye,  
lamenting, that ye've been left to fight alone.

3. All Chaos was once yer kingdom; verily, held ye dominion over the 
entire Pentaverse, but  today ye was  sore afraid  in dark corners,  
nooks, and sink holes.

4. O how the darknesses  do crowd up, one against  the other, in ye  
hearts! What fear ye more that what ye have wroughten?
 
5. Verily, verily I say unto you, not all the Sinister Ministers of  
the
Bavarian Illuminati, working together in multitudes, could so entwine 
the land with tribulation as have yer baseless warnings.


DESPITE strong evidence to the contrary, persistant rumor has it that 
it was Mr.  Momomoto's brother  who swallowed  Mr. Momomoto  in the  
summer of '44.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
Advertisement
______________________________________________________________________
__

       
                      BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI

         Founded by Hassan i Sabbah, 1090 A.D. (5090 A.L., 4850 A.M.)
         Reformed by Adam Weishaupt, 1776 A.D. (5776 A.L., 5536 A.M.)

                   THE ANCIENT ILLUMINATED SEERS OF BAVARIA
                              invite YOU to join

              The World's Oldest and Most Successful Conspiracy


Have  you  ever  SECRETLY   WONDERED  WHY  IS   there  an  ESOTERIC   
ALLEGORY con-
The  GREAT  PYRAMID  has  FIVE   sides  cealed  in  the  apparently   
innocent
(counting   the    bottom)?    legend    of    Snow    White    and    
The Seven
                                          Dwarfs?


WHAT   IS   the    TRUE   secret   SINISTER    WHY   do   scholarly    
anthropologists
REALITY lying behind the ANCIENT             TURN PALE with terror at 
the 
Aztec Legend of QUETZLCOATL?                 very MENTION of the 
FORBIDDEN
                                             name YOG-SOTHOTH?

WHO IS the MAN in ZURICH                     WHAT REALLY DID HAPPEN 
that some SWEAR is LEE                       TO AMBROSE BIERCE?
HARVEY OSWALD?


If your I.Q. is over 150, and you have $3,125.00 (plus handling), you 
might be eligible  for a  trial membership  in the A.I.S.B.  If you  
think you qualify, put the money in a cigar box and bury it in your  
backyard. One of our Underground Agents will contact you shortly.
                                 I DARE YOU!

TELL NO ONE! ACCIDENTS HAVE A STRANGE WAY OF HAPPENING TO PEOPLE WHO 
TALK TOO
        MUCH ABOUT THE BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI

May we warn you against imitations! Ours is the original and genuine


"Nothing is true. Everything is Permissible"
   - Hassan i Sabbah

         NIL
     CARBORUNDUM
      ILLEGITIMO

______________________________________________________________________
___
      "Illuminate the Opposition!"
         -- Adam Weishaupt,
        Grand Primus Illuminatus

Official
Bavarian Illuminati
"Ewige Blumenkraft!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
                                                    INTER-OFFICE WIRE 
SENT

THE ANCIENT ILLUMINATED SEERS OF BAVARIA - VIGILANCE LODGE
Mad Malik, Hauptscheissmeister; Resident for Norton Cabal

          DISCORDIAN SOCIETY SUPER SECRET CRYPTOGRAPHIC CYPHER CODE

Of possible interest to all Discordians, this information is herewith 
released
from the vaults of A.I.S.B., under the auspices of Episkopos Dr. 
Mordecai
Malignatius, KNS.

SAMPLE MESSAGE: ("HAIL ERIS")

CONVERSATION:
A B C D E F G H I J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

STEP 1. Write out the message (HAIL ERIS) and put all the vowels at 
the end
        (HLRSAIEI) 
STEP 2. Reverse order (IEIASRLH)
STEP 3. Convert to numbers (9-5-9-1-19-18-12-8)
STEP 4. Put into numerical order (1-5-8-9-9-12-18-19)
STEP 5. Convert back to letters (AEHIILRS)

This cryptographic cypher code is GUARANTEED TO BE 100% UNBREAKABLE.

                   BEWARE! THE PARANOIDS ARE WATCHING YOU!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Here is  a letter from A.I.S.B. to POEE:
______________________________________________________________________
__
              The World's Oldest And Most Successful Conspiracy

                             BAVARIAN ILLUMINATI

         Founded by Hassan i Sabbah, 1090 A.D. (5090 A.L., 4850 A.M.)
         Reformed by Adam Weishaupt, 1776 A.D. (5776 A.L., 5536 A.M.)

                        ( )Official Business  (X) Surreptitious 
Business

From: MAD MALIK Hauptscheissmeister

        Dear Brother Mal-2,

 In  response  to  your  request  for  unclassified  agitprop  to  be  
inserted
in the new edition of PRINCIPIA, hope the following will be of use.  
And please
stop bothering us with your incessant letters!

  Episkopos  Mordecai,  Keeper  of   the  Notary  Sojac,  informs   me  
that you
are welcome to reveal that our oldest extant records show us to have 
been
fully established in Atlantis,  circa 18,000 B.C.,  under Kull, the  
galley slave who ascended to the Throne of Valusia. Revived by Pelias 
of Koth,  circa  10,000 B.C.  Possibly  it  was he  who  taught the  
inner-teachings to  Conan of  Cimmeria after  Conan became  King of  
Aquilonia. First  brought to  the western  hemisphere by  Conan and  
taught to Mayan priesthood (Conan is Quetzlcoatl). That was 4 Ahua, 8 
Cumhu, Mayan date. Revived by Abdul Alhazred in his infamous Al Azif, 
circa 800 A.D. (Al Azif translated into Latin by Olaus Wormius, 1132 
A.D., as The  Necronomicon.) In 1090  A.D. was the  founding of The  
Ismaelian Sect (Hashishim) by Hassan i Sabbah, with secret teachings 
based on Alhazred, Pelias and Kull. Founding of the Illuminated Ones 
of Bavaria, by Adam Weishaupt,  on May 1, 1776. He  based it on the  
others. Weishaupt brought it to the United States during the period  
that he was impersonating George Washington;  and it was he who was  
the Man in Black who gave the design for The Great Seal to Jefferson 
in the  garden that  night. The  Illuminated  tradition is  now, of  
course, in the  hands of The  Ancient Illuminated  Seers of Bavaria  
(A.I.S.B.), headquartered here in the United States.

  Our  teachings   are  not,   need  I   remind  you,  available   for  
publication.
No harm, though, in admitting that some of them can be found 
disguised in
Joyce's Finnegan's  Wake, Burroughs  Nova  Express, the  King James  
translation of the Holy Bible (though not the Latin or Hebrew), and 
The Blue Book. Not to speak of Ben Franklin's private papers (!), but 
we are still suppressing
those.

        Considering current developments--you know the ones I speak 
of--it
has been decided to reveal a few more of our front organizations. 
Your
publication is timely, so mention that in addition to the old fronts 
like the
Masons, the Rothchild Banks, and the Federal Reserve System, we now 
have
significant control of  the Federal Bureau  of Investigation (since  
Hoover died
last year, but that is still secret), the Students for a Democratic 
Society,
the Communist Party USA,  the American Anarchist  Assn., the Junior  
Chamber of
Commerce, the Black Lotus  Society, the Republican  Party, the John  
Dillinger
Die For You Society, and the Camp Fire Girls. It is still useful to 
continue
the sham of the Birchers that we are seeking world domination; so do 
not
reveal that political and economic control was generally complete 
several
generations ago and that we  are just playing with  the world for a  
while until
civilization advances sufficiently for phase five.

        In fact you might still push Vennard's The Federal Reserve 
Hoax:
"Since the Babylonian Captivity there has existed a determined,
behind-the-scenes under-the-table, atheistic, satanic, anti-Christian
force--worshipers of Mamon--whose undying  purpose is world control  
through the control of Money. July 1, 1776 (correct that to May 1st, 
Vennard can't get anything right) the Serpent raised its head in the 
under-ground secret society known as the Illuminati, founded by Adam 
Weishaupt. There is considerable documentary  evidence to prove all  
revolutions, wars, depressions,  strikes and  chaos stem  from this  
source." Etc., etc., you know the stuff.

        The general location of our US HQ, incidentally, has been 
nearly
exposed; and so we will be moving for the first time this century 
(what a
drag!). If you want, you can reveal  that it is located deep in the  
labyrinth
of sewers beneath Dealy Plaza in Dallas, and is presided over by The 
Dealy
Lama. Inclosed are some plans for several new potential locations. 
Please
review and add any comments you feel pertinent, especially regarding 
the
Eristic propensity of the Pentagon site.

        Oh, and we have some good news for you, Brother Mal! You know 
that
Zambian cybernetics  genius who  joined us?  Well, he  has secretly  
co-ordinated
the FBI computers with the Zurich System and our theoriticians are in 
ecstasy
over the new information coming out.  Look, if you people out there  
can keep
from blowing yourselves up  for only two  more generations, then we  
will finally
have it. After 20,000 years, Kull's dream will be realized! We can 
hardly
believe it. But the outcome is certain, given the time. Our 
grandchildren,
Mal! If civilization makes it through this crises, our grandchildren 
will live in a world of authentic freedom and authentic harmony and 
authentic
satisfaction. I hope I'm  alive to see  it, Mal, success  is in our  
grasp. Twenty thousand years....!

 Ah,  I  get  spaced  just  thinking  about  it.  Good  luck  on  the  
Principia.
Ewige Blumenkraft! HAIL ERIS.

                                        Love,
                                             MAD MALIK





PS: PRIVATE - Not for publication in The Principia.
We are returning to the two Zwack Cyphers for classified 
communications.
Herewith your copy. DO NOT DIVULGE THIS INFORMATION - SECURITY E-5.

[note: Graphic Cypher deleted  DtC]

______________________________________________________________________
__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Part Five     The Golden Secret


NONSENSE AS SALVATION

The human race will begin solving it's problems on the day that it 
ceases
taking itself so seriously.

To that end, POEE proposes the countergame of NONSENSE AS SALVATION. 
Salvation from an ugly and barbarous existence that is the result of 
taking order so seriously and  so seriously fearing contrary orders  
and disorder, that  GAMES are  taken as  more important  than LIFE;  
rather than taking LIFE AS THE ART OF PLAYING GAMES.

To this end, we propose that man develop his innate love for 
disorder, and
play with The Goddess Eris. And know that it is a joyful play, and 
that
thereby CAN BE REVOKED THE CURSE OF GREYFACE.

If you can master nonsense as well as you have already learned to 
master
sense, then each will  expose the other for  what it is: absurdity.  
From that
moment of illumination, a man begins to be free regardless of his
surroundings. He becomes free to play order games and change them at 
will. He becomes free to play disorder games just for the hell of it. 
He becomes free to play neither or both. And as the master of his own 
games, he plays without fear, and therefore without frustration, and 
therefore with good will in his soul and love in his being.

And when men become free then mankind will be free.
May you be free of The Curse of Greyface.
May the Goddess put twinkles in your eyes.
May you have the knowledge of a sage,
    and the wisdom of a child.
Hail Eris.                                              T'AI
                                                      ___   ___ 
                                                      ___   ___
                                                      ___   ___
                                                      _________
                                                      _________
                                                      _________

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
THUS ENDS PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA
  This  being  the   4th  Edition,  March   1970,  San  Francisco;   a  
revision of
the 3rd Edition of 500 copies, whomped together in Tampa 1969; which 
revised
the 2nd Edition of  100 copies from  Los Angeles 1969;  which was a  
revision of
"PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA or HOW THE WEST WAS LOST" published in New 
Orleans in
1965 in five copies, which were mostly lost.


If you think the PRINCIPIA is just a ha-ha, then go read it again.

               (K) ALL RIGHTS REVERSED - Reprint what you like

                Published by POEE Head Temple - San Francisco
                      " On The Future Site of Beautiful
                             San Andreas Canyon"

Office of My High Reverence
Malaclypse the Younger KSC
  OPOVIG    HIGH PRIEST POEE
        
                                   KALLISTI

THE LAST WORD
The foregoing document was revealed to Mal-2 by the Goddess Herself  
through
many consultations with Her within his Pineal Gland. It is guaranteed 
to be
the Word of Goddess. However, it is only fair to state that Goddess  
doesn't
always say the same thing to each listener, and that other 
Episkoposes are
sometimes told quite different things in their Revelations, which are 
also the Word of Goddess. Consequently,  if you prefer a Discordian  
Sect other than
POEE, then none of these Truths are binding, and it is a rotten shame 
that you have read all the way down to the very last word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
DISCORDIAN SOCIETY
Dedicated to an Advanced
Understanding  of the Paraphysical
Manifestations of Everyday Chaos

             DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOPSIDED PINEAL GLAND?

Well, probably you do have one, and it's unfortunate because lopsided 
Pineal
Glands have perverted the Free Spirit of Man, and subverted Life into 
a
frustrating, unhappy and hopeless mess.

Fortunately, you have before you a handbook that will show you how to 
discover
your salvation through ERIS, THE GODDESS OF CONFUSION.
It will advise you how to balance your Pineal Gland and reach 
spiritual
Illumination. And it will teach you how to turn your miserable mess 
into a
beautiful, joyful, and splendid one.

POEE is a bridge from
PISCES to AQUARIUS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~
the Words of the Illuminated                    Rated X... NATURALLY

Why are we Here ?                               SUPPRESSED KNOWLEDGE

Have you ever secretly                          HYGIENE
wondered why the Great                     The Lord promised: 
"Therefore,
Pyramid has five sides? -                  behold, I will bring evil 
upon
counting the bottom?                       the house of Jeroboam and 
will
                                           cut off from Jeroboam him 
that
GRAND OPERA                                pisseth against the 
wall..."
"Wherefore my bowels shall sound                    -I Kings 14:10 
(This 
like a harp for Moab, and mine                  unsanitary practice 
caused
inner parts for Kirharesh."                     serious erosion of 
the mud 
   -Isaiah 16:11                                walls)


Face to fact  with the  mighty forces  and elements of  nature, the  
thoughtful man fearlessly contemplates his place in the great cosmic 
scheme.
                               -><-  POEE  -><-

YES, I'd like to know the Five Simple Actions that will turn Me into 
a "Mental Wizard" in a Single Weekend.

                                   Warning!
Prolonged use in a darkened room may induce hallucinations or trigger
undesired side effects. Should not be used in the presence of persons 
subject
to epilepsy.

              THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT GUIDE IN YOUR LIFE!



                         -THE GODDESS ERIS PREVAILS-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~

                              SPECIAL AFTERWORD
               to the Loompanics Edition of PRINCIPIA DISCORDIA
                        G.H. Hill, San Francisco, 1979
                 All Rites Reversed (K) Reprint What You Like


                         INTERVIEW WITH NORTON CABAL
                   by Gypsie Skripto, Special Correspondent

        It has been ten years since I net the mysterious Malaclypse 
the
Younger. I was free lancing for  the underground papers and went to  
POEE Hear
Temple at 555 Battery Street to try for an interview.

        I found him in the Temple PO Box busy wrapping up the new 
Fourth
Edition of PRINCIPIA. He seemed impatient with me, insisting that he 
didn't
have the time or inclination  for foolish questions from reporters.  
Undaunted,
I burst out with questions like  whether he preferred Panama Red or  
Acapulco
Gold and how the  fuck did we manage  to fit inside  of a tiny post  
office box
and other things apropos  a naive young  semiliterate dropout hippy  
writer. He
asked me if I wanted to drop mescaline and fuck all night and said he 

knew how to turn himself into a unicorn and there might be room for a 
tiny interview on the cover of the PRINCIPIA if I wanted to work for 
the GREATER POOP so I said sure, OK, I've never dropped mescaline in 
a post office box before.

  It  turned  out  I  was  among  the  last  to  see  Malaclypse.  As   
subsequent
issues of  GREATER  POOP revealed,  he  was to  disappear  and POEE  
business was to be assumed by his students at Norton Cabal. Professor 
Ignotum P. Ignotius,
Department of Comparative Realities, was  assigned the Trust of the  
POEE Scruple and  Rev. Dr. Occupant  became Keeper of  the Box. The  
newly published copies of PRINCIPIA  were distributed by Mad Malik,  
Block Disorganizer, who had distribution contacts with the Aluminum  
Bavariati. Practical relations
remained in the hands of concept artist G. Hill.

 When the 1000 PRINCIPIAS were gone the GREATER POOP stopped
publishing, Head Temple  closed down and  the Cabal  just seemed to  
evaporate.

Finally even the box was closed. But  over the years I noticed that  
copies were still circulating, and that independent Discordian Cabal 
would occasionally pop out of nowhere (and  still do ). And I would  
wonder what ever happened to Malaclypse.

 When I read the ILLUMINATUS trilogy I resolved to again find and
interview the denizens of Joshua Norton Cabal of the Discordian 
Society.

        * * *

 As I cabled over Nob to San Francisco's Station 'O' Post Office I
couldn't help  but  wonder  at Goddess'  hand  in  assigning street  
addresses to Her  outposts. Mal2  had told  me that Good  Lord Omar  
always filed everything under "O" for OUT OF FILE.

  "Maya  is  marvelous"   I  was  thinking   when  I  rapped  on   the  
little metal
door and was greeted warmly by a huge beard who introduced himself as
Professor Ignotius. He ushered me into  a spacious wood paneled and  
tapestry
hung parlor where three  others were laughing  and passing around a  
wine jug.
The sunny one in a tunic was the Reverend Doctor Occupant, the trim  
khaki and
jeans was Mad Malik and the wine jug  claimed to be Hill. I got the  
recorder
on....

GYPSIE SKRIPTO [in response to a question]: ...1969 but only briefly. 
I guess
I missed you guys.

MAD MALIK: No wonder, he was pretty much a one man show then. We were 
just his students and were usually off on errands. You worked for the 
POOP?

Gypsie: Well, for one night anyway. The interview is in the 
PRINCIPIA.

REV. DR. OCCUPANT: Malik was the only one he would ever let write for 
the POOP or get on the letterhead.

Gypsie: Did you [Malik] have higher authority than the others?

Malik: No,  [but  I  was  allowed to  speak  in  the  POOP] because  
[Malaclypse the
Younger] hated politics. He  was infuriated with  Johnson and nixon  
over Viet
Nam because  it  was  turning  the  renaissance  into  a  political  
revolution and was stealing his sacred thunder. So he trained me in 
Zenarchy, which  he  learned  from Omar,  and  I  was  the official  
anarcho-pacifist for the Cabal.  Also I was  liaison to The Ancient  
Illuminated Seers of  Bavaria, the Chicago  Discordians. Later Omar  
activated the Hung Mung Cong Tong and ELF, on zenarchist principles, 
and also Operation Mindfuck.  I was also into  those. Though at the  
time I was masquerading in GREATER POOP as a created cabbage to throw 
off the FBI.

Gypsie [to Hill]: Since you wrote it, I take it you are an anarchist?

G.H. Hill: Since then I have given up anarchy. Too many rules-- 
hating the
government and all that stuff.

IGNOTUM PER IGNOTIUS: It's like hating your own fantasies.

Malik: [Anarchy] is also standing up and proceeding forward, fantasy 
rule or
not. The condition is the same.

Occupant: Brother needs some wine!

Malik: We have had this argument before, Reverend Doctor Brother. But 
wine
before platitudes, fill it up.

Gypsie [to Hill]: And pacifism?

Hill: I'm not sure I ever was one. Mal2 was not, Malik was. 
Personally I
accepted self defense yet I could never reconcile that with the 
ideal. I
finally gave up on that one too. Actually I just gave up on idealism.

Ignotius: Idealism lives with rules. Realism lives with rocks.

Hill: Yeah. I get along better with rocks.

Malik: Mal2 once told me that pacifism was a dilemma. If everybody 
was a
pacifist then everything would be perfect. But nobody is going to be 
a
pacifist unless I am first.  But if I am and  somebody else is not,  
then I get
screwed. He said that there were five choices under that 
circumstance. The
first was napalming farmers and the second was executing your 
parents. The
third was hypocrisy, the fourth was cowardice, and the fifth was to 
swallow
the dilemma. Zenarchists are trained in dilemma swallowing.

Occupant: So are other Erisians, like POEE.

Ignotius: That is characteristic of the Discordian perspective.

Hill: But of course training contradicts Discordian principles.

Malik: Oh so what. Contradictions are nothing to Discordians.

Occupant: Dilemma, Schilmemma.  [to Gypsie]:  What do  you think of  
this, pretty
ma'am? We don't get to hear your thoughts.

Gypsie: I'm reporting now, you talk.

Occupant: Later then?

Gypsie: Perhaps. Later.

Occupant: You are smiling.

Gypsie: Hey, guy, later. [to Hill]: Doesn't this leave you a little 
schizy?

Hill: It's OK, I'm half Gemini.

Gypsie: What's the other half?

Hill: Taurus. That makes me a stubborn schizy.

Ignotius: I'm a Whale.

Occupant: I choose Satyr.

Malik: Spirits don't have signs.

Hill: A character can have a sign if I want it so.

Occupant: Well I can have a sign if I want to and screw both of you.

Malik: Come on Greg, you just think that we are your characters....

Occupant: You were inhabited by Malaclypse the Younger. He caused you 
to
create roles and those roles are being performed by us spirits.

Ignotius: A perfectly normal pagan relationship.

Hill: Well you can look at it like that if you want to, but I created 
Mal2 to my specifications just as I conceived all the rest of you.

Occupant: You didn't invent Eris. She caused you to think you created 
the
spirit of Malaclypse.

Hill: Oh bull! Besides, I changed her so much the Greeks would never 
recognize her.

Occupant: That's what She wanted!

Ignotius: Deities change things around all the time.

Malik: What you don't realize is that a spirit has a self identity.

Hill: Nope. A spirit is a product  of definition and the one who is  
doing the
defining around here is me. Your identity is what I say it is. Just 
to prove
it, I'm going to change your name.

SINISTER DEXTER: It's OK with me. Fate  is fate. I never much liked  
"Mad Malik" anyway.

Ignotius: Besides people confused him with Joe Malik in ILLUMINATUS.

Dexter: I sort of enjoyed the confusion part.

Occupant: Doesn't prove anything anyway.

Gypsie: That name sounds familiar. Where is it from?

Hill: Its a name I came  up with in the old  days and never used it  
much. Its on page  38 of the PRINCIPIA  referring to Vice President  
Spiro Agnew. I always
thought I invented it but now it sounds like a Stan Freberg name now 
that I
think about it. It may have stuck in my preconscious memory from 
early TV.

Gypsie: Can you use it without his permission?

Hill: If it is his? I don't know. I hope so. it means "left right" in 
Latin
and is a perfect  name for a libertarian  anarchist. Actually in my  
kind of art
the question of what can I use freely and what can I not is a very 
tricky
problem.

Gypsie: How do you mean?

Hill: Well, take a collage for example. Like the early one on page 36 
of the
PRINCIPIA. Each little  piece was  extracted from  some larger work  
created by
some other artist and published and maybe copyrighted. I find them in
newspapers and magazines mostly. Often from ads. With a collage you  
select and extract from your environment  and then assemble into an  
original relationship.

The PRINCIPIA itself is a collage. A conceptual collage. All of it 
happens
simultaneously. But visually it is a montage, passing through time, 
like a
book does.

There is a lot of pirated stuff in the PRINCIPIA, especially in the  
margins.
But also I sympathize with artists who must own and sell their works 
to earn a  living. Art, like  knowledge, should be  free fodder for  
everyone. But it isn't It is perplexing.

Gypsie: Where did all the things in PRINCIPIA come from?

Hill: Well, a full answer would take another book in itself. Most of 
the
writing credited to  a name  is a true  person and  almost always a  
different name means a different  person. Most of the non-credited,  
you know, Malaclypse, text is mine although some things credited to  
either Mal2 or  Omar were actually  co-written and  passed back and  
forth and rewritten  by each of  us. The  marginalia, dingbats, and  
pasted in titles and heads and things came from
wherever I found them--some of which is original but uncredited 
Discordian
output, like the page head on 12 and other pages which is from a 
series of
satiric memo pads from Our Peoples Underworld Cabal. All page layout 
is mine
and some whole  graphics like the  Sacred Chao and  the Hodge Podge  
Transformer
are mine but mostly I just found stuff and integrated it. Mostly I 
did
concept, say 50% of the writing, 10% of the graphics, all of the 
layout.

Gypsie: Specifically, what are some of the sources?

Hill: Weel, the poem  on the front  cover is by  Walt Kelly and was  
spoken by  one  of his  characters  in Pogo.  The  government seals  
starting from page 1 are from a  book of sample seals from the U.S.  
Government Printing Office. Western Union on page 6 got into the act 
because I used to  be a teletype  operator and had  access to blank  
forms. Rubber stamps came from all over the place and some, like the 
apple on page 27, I carved myself. A few I ordered to my
specification, like on page 1. The quote on the top of page 8 might 
be from
Barnum, I'm  not  sure. The  jumping  man  on page  12  is  from an  
advertisement. I recognize the style--a popular commercial artist--  
but I don't know his name. The Chinese on the page is a grocery ad,  
I think. The  Norton money  on page  14 is historic,plus  my little  
additions. The apple on page 17,as well as the triangle on 23 and the 
Sacred Chao on 50 are, believe  it or not, pasteups of mimeographs,  
from Seattle Cabal. That  group produced the  best damn mimeography  
I've ever seen. The Lick Here Box on page 23 is one of many tidbits  
making the  rounds in  alternative/underground newspapers  in those  
days. Trip 5 page  header on 29 was  a chapter title  in one of Tim  
Leary's books. The Knight  on the bull  with the TV  antenna on his  
helmet on page 46 came from a very artistic magazine called Horseshit 
and put out by two brothers from Long Beach. I don't remember their  
names. Wonderful magazine.

Occupant: Eris told Mal2 what to use and where to find it.

Hill: Yeah, in a way that is right. That is why my name does not 
appear
anywhere on the PRINCIPIA and why it was published with a broken
copyright--Reprint What You Like. I knew I was taking liberties and 
didn't
want my intentions to be misunderstood. It was an experiment and was 
intended
to be an underground work and that involves a different set of ethics 
than
commercial work.

Gypsie: There are no real names at all?

Hall: Oh, some.  Camden Benares is  a real name  because he legally  
changed his
original name to  his Holy  Name. Also,  instead of  using Mordecai  
Malignatus I used Bob Wilson's real name on page 12 because Werewolf 
Bridge was a work
before Discordianism. And of course real people like Neils Bohr crop 
up in
quotes. 

Gypsie: What do you think about the PRINCIPIA now? Would you want to 
change it?

Hill: I consider it a successful work and I wouldn't want to change 
it. In
some ways it is immature and I am not the same person I was 10 years 
ago, but
it accomplished the objectives I set for myself and it has the effect 
I wanted it to have. There are a few errors though.

Gypsie: Like what?

Hill: Oh, I changed a quote from Tom Gnostic on page 61 and I don't  
think he
ever did forgive me  for it. He's  right. Starbuck's Pebbles should  
have been
preceded by the Myth of Starbuck which was being saved for something 
else and
never got used. I should have used it when I had the chance. And then 
Eris did a  neat little trick  on me by  having IBM  make the Greek  
selectric typewriter element not coincide with all the characters on 
their keyboard. So the little "kallisti"  that appears on the title  
page and lastly on the back cover came out "kallixti" and I was too 
dumb to know the difference.

Gypsie: Will there ever be a Fifth Edition?

Hill: There already is a Fifth Edition, by Mal2. It is a one page 
telegram
that reduces everything to  an infinite aum. I  found it at Western  
Union where
a machine got stuck and kicked out hundreds of pages of nothing but  
m's. He
made it the Fifth Edition and then left.

Principia/Malaclypse was a very personal work for me and actually 
took 10
years to culminate.  it was one  single statement  that included my  
adolescence
in the 50's and my young adulthood in the 60's. When I finally had 
the
paste-ups done I knew that  I had finished it.  That is why, quote,  
Malaclypse
left. I knew it was finished. I didn't know exactly what it was, but 
it was
done.

Occupant: See?

Gypsie: Earlier you said that you met your objectives. Just what were 
those
objectives?

Hill: Well, that's hard to answer because it kept refining itself 
over the
years. In 1969 I mainly though of myself as a cosmic clown and I set 
out to
prove, by demonstration, that a deity can be anything at all.

In other words, people invent gods and not the other way around. 
Later I
decided that I was doing some kind of conceptual art.

In the 50's my culture taught me that I was created by and for a 
deity, a
specific male deity, and that all other deities are FALSE. Yet my 
growing
experience showed me that any deity is true in some sense and false  
in some
other sense.  So  I  set out  to  do  what my  society  told  me is  
impossible--make a real religion from a patently absurd deity.

In the 50's a female deity was blasphemy. In the 70's a humorous 
deity is
still considered impossible, ridiculous, and blasphemous. As far as 
I'm
concerned, I have proven my point. Eris is a real deity and even 
though I
don't promote Erisianism as a serious religion....

Occupant: I do!

Dexter: You speak for yourself.

Ignotius: Here, here.

Hill: ...I do point out that it makes just as much sense from its own
perspective as all the others do from each of their own perspectives.

Occupant: I think paganism  is a valid  spiritual path. I encourage  
Erisianism
because it makes fun of itself. i think this is healthy.

Ignotius: If you can live rewardingly with Goddess Eris you can live 
with any
deity, including none at all.

Dexter: I don't much go for the worship business but I argee with 
Occupant
about the spirit of  the thing. We  live in a  time of turmoil, the  
whole planet
is in  a state  of  change. If  we, as  a  species, cower  from the  
confusion then we die with the dying. This is revolution.

Ignotius: I am an athiest myself. There is no Greg Hill.

[laughter]

Gypsie [to Hill] : What do you think of ILLUMINATUS?

Hill: Oh, I love it. I was finishing PRINCIPIA when Shea and Wilson 
were
working on ILLUMINATUS. It took Dell five years to publish it...maybe 
that is significant. The 1969 Discordian Society was a mail network  
between
independent writers of various kinds. Norton Cabal was just me and my
characters and I used the other Cabals as sort of a laboratory. In 
return
other Discordians would bounce their stuff off of me. We would toss 
in ideas
and anybody could  take anything  out. It  was a concept  stew. The  
exchanging of ideas and techniques  broadened and encouraged all of  
us.

I like ILLUMINATUS for the surrealism. A very effective method of 
writing.

Ignotius: I got misquoted. Worse, I wasn't even in that scene and if 
I had
been then I would have said something else.

Dexter [to Ignotius]: That was me in that scene.

Ignotius: Oh, is that what that was?

Dexter: He got our names mixed up.

Hill: He got mixed up about me too, in COSMIC TRIGGER. Bob says that 
when
Oswald was buying the assassination rifle, my girlfriend was printing 
the
first edition of  PRINCIPIA on Jim  Garrison's Xerox.  It wasn't my  
girlfriend,
it was Kerry's; it wasn't the FIRST ED PRINCIPIA, it was some earlier
Discordian  thought;  it  wasn't  Garrison's   Xerox,  it  was  his   
mimeograph; and it wasn't just before Kennedy was shot but a couple 
of years before that.*

The FIRST ED PRINCIPIA, by the way, was reproduced at Xerox Corp when
xerography was a  new technology  Gypsie. Which  was my  second New  
Orleans trip in 1965. I worked for a guy on Bourbon Street who was a 
Xerox salesman by day.

Dexter: I think that George Dorn took too much guff from Hagbard. If 
someone
pulls a weapon on me, I'm more inclined to either leave or kill the
sonofabitch. 

Occupant: You are supposed to be a pacifist.

Dexter: I'm speaking figuratively of course. I'll tell you more 
tomorrow.

Gypsie [to Hill]: Did you really translate erotic Etruscan poetry?

Hill: Sure, but I used a pen name. I signed it "Robert Anton Wilson".

[A quick rap is heard on the door]

Gypsie: I have only one question left...

Dexter: I'll get it.

Gypsie: ...what I really want to know is how can we all fit inside of 
a tiny
little post office box?

Dexter[to Gypsie]:It's a telegram for you, from Mal2.

Gypsie: To me?

[Paper tearing]
 
Gypsie [reading]: "If I told everybody how they could live inside of 
a post
office box then everybody  would stop paying  landlords and go live  
inside their post office boxes. It would collapse the building! Can  
you imagine,  post offices  collapsing  all over  the  country, the  
hemisphere, the PLANET! The whole world's communication system would 
be destroyed. No,no, I must not say. I dare not!

-------------
* I checked this further with Mr. Thornley. He says that the woman in 
question was not his girlfriend, she was just a friend, and it wasn't 
a couple of years before Kennedy was shot but had to be a couple of  
years after (but before Garrison investigated Thornley). --GS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
                        RITE OF HANDFASTING 

                        Joy and Tom Williams
                         April 16, 1994 ce


MUSIC :
 Beltane Wedding Dance by Gwidion. -- While Circle forms, those 
entering
are smudged by ASSISTANTS standing on both sides of SOUTH side of 
circle.

HP and/or HPS:
explain for non-Pagans the idea of Handfasting, why a circle
instead of pews, etc.

CIRCLE CASTING (HPS casts circle followed by FLOWER MAIDEN strewing
petals):
We cast the circle of ancient lore;
Waves upon a timeless shore.
With no begninning, nor an end;
It always knows a foe from friend.
Oroboros, of legends old;
Rings of power, forged in gold.
Circle of Life, ring of stones;
Cycle of creation, birth to bones.
A ring around the silv'ry Moon;
We cast you now, o ancient rune!
QUARTERS:
(CRYSTAL BEARER takes crystal from altar and gives it to the EAST 
quarter
caller.  Caller invokes power holding up CRYSTAL. When done, the 
caller
hands CRYSTAL back to bearer who takes it to the next quarter.  After
NORTH, bearer places CRYSTAL back on altar.)

EAST:
I call the Eastern powers of air,
You whose breath of life we share,
Bring understanding, kindness, care,
And loving words, both clear and fair,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.

SOUTH:
I call the Southern powers of fire,
Whose light doth stir the poet's lyre,
With love's bright spark our hearts inspire,
Bring passion's flame, bring sweet desire,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.


WEST:
Oh powers of the Western sea,
Oh water's flowing unity,
Bring feeling, warmth and empathy,
That all our lives may blessed be,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.

NORTH:
Oh Northern powers of living Earth,
Charge our souls from death to birth,
On solid ground of rock and loam,
Bring forth our food and build our home,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.
GODDESS INVOCATION (HP)

Laughter-loving Aphrodite!
Venus Amathusia!
Come to me with laughing breast,
Come on waves with golden crest,
Come with doves and golden light,
Drawn by swans and sparrows bright.
Alight! Alight!
I am thy man, I am thy mate!
Receive me til our storm abate!
Thy green glades echo with my calls,
Come to me from emerald halls,
Flanked by maidens winding there,
Rose and mytle in thy golden hair,
Come to me! to me! to me!
And mate with me upon the grass,
Laughing, lusty, oh ravishing lass!
Our bodies arch and strain and twine,
I am thine and thou art mine!
Come from heavens of azure hue,
Ocean born and ever new,
Pulsing, laughing, yearning straining,
Pleasure, lust, all life containing,
Race with me through glades of green,
Exalting, loving, oh rapturous queen!
To me! to me!
Oh come to me!
And enter, merge, enfold, unite!
Suffuse desire with golden light!
Never sated in eons of time,
I am thine and thou art mine!
GOD INVOCATION (HPS)
 Oh horned one, goat-foot,
Great God Pan!
Come to me with eyes of fire,
And with thy pipes awake desire,
Come with wild and lustful grin,
Herald of your flame within,
Io Pan! Io Pan!
Io Pan, Pan, Pan!
Shout to me from scented wood,
The call of all that's wild and good,
Come to me with shaggy thighs,
And let the hills return our cries,
Come with satyrs bearing wine,
I am thine and thou art mine!
Come with joyous lusty laugh,
Come with swollen ruddy staff,
Race with me thorugh halls of green,
Thou art my God and I your Queen,
And spend with me a tender hour,
Making love within my bower,
To me! To me!
Oh come to me!
And come oh God of stream and wood,
Oh God of life and all that's good,
Never sated in eons of time,
I am thine and thou art mine!

HPS:
And by your rites of sacred marriage I inoke ye:
Shiva and Parvati
Jove and Juno
Dagda and Boyne
Odin and Freya

HP:
And by your sacred rites of marriage I invoke ye:
Persephone and Hades
Nuit and Geb
Rhiannon and Pwyll
Ishtar and Tammuz
HP & HPS:   Blessed Be!

ALL:        Blessed Be
HP:
Our work today is a happy one.  We are gathered in the presence of
the deities of the fruitful trees, the flowing waters, the warming 
sun
and the
siging air, and in the sight of  the Goddes of our Blessed Earth to  
celebrate
the joining of our  two dear friends  Joy and Tom,  in union by the  
fasting of
their hands by ancient rite.

HPS (holding up CORD):
This is the cord of handfasting. It will tie Tom and Joy together 
with
bonds of love.  For such bonds to be strong they need support -- the
support of the lovers themselves, the support of the Gods and the 
support
of a community of family and friends.  we ask now that each of you 
give
your support, letting it flow as loving strength into the cord as it 
is
passed around the circle.

ALL SING:
Love is a River (as CORD is passed around circle)

HPs (to assistants):
Now open the circle, cut wide the gate, for two are coming who would 
be
made one!

ASSISTANTS:
(Open gate at SOUTH and stand at each side as couple enters..They 
then
take BROOM from altar and lay it across the gate, remaining there 
with
the circle joined together again.)

(HP: Rings bell three times. Processional, Spring Strathsprey by 
Gwydion,
vocal)

(Couple walk hand-in-hand deosil around the inside of the circle. 
After a
full turn around the circle, GROOM stops in the WEST while BRIDE
continues
on around to the EAST, at which point they both approach the altar 
from
opposite directions.)

(Music ends when all are in place, or the song is ended.)
HPS:
Brothers and sisters, the Bride comes from the heart of the dawn, and
the Bridegroom from the sunset. There is a wedding in the valley; a 
day
too
vast for recording! There is magic to be done here; the magic of 
Love!

HP:
You have come together in this sacred grove to stand in the presence
of our Lady of Love and our Lord of Lust, that they may bestow upon 
you
their bountiful blessings of everlasting love and devotion through 
the
sacred
rite of handfasting. This is a bond not to be entered into lightly, 
but
with
seriousness, reverence, and joy.

HPS:
Is it your intention, Tom, to be wed to Joy in the sight of the gods 
and
of these people? to be tied to her in giving, in dreams, and in
intentions, and
to vow to her your love and commitment?

GROOM: (answers)

HPS:
Have you considered the gavity of your commitment?

GROOM: (answers)

HPs:
Have you considered the levity of your commitment?

GROOM: (answers)

HP:
Is it your intention, Joy, to be wed to Tom in the sight of the Gods
and of these people? to be tied to him in giving, in dreams, and in
intentions, and to vow to her your love and commitment?

BRIDE: (answers)
HP:
Have you considered the gavity of your commitment?

BRIDE: (answers)

HP:
Have you considered the levity of your commitment?

BRIDE: (answers)
HPS (facing BRIDE and holding up PENTACLE):
    Joy,
    Thou shalt be the star that rises from the twilight sea
    Thou shalt bring a man dreams to rule his destiny
    Thou shalt bring the moon-tides to the soul of a man
    The tides that flow and ebb, and flow again,
    The magic that moves in the moon and the sea;
    These are thy secret, and they belong to thee.
    Thou art the Eternal Woman, thou art She,
    The tides of all men's souls belong to thee.
    Danu in heaven, on Earth, Persephone,
    Diana of the Moon and Hecate,
    Veiled Isis, Aphrodite from the sea,
    All these thou art, and they are seen in thee.

HP (facing GROOM and holding WAND):
Tom,
All wild creatures hear thy call upon the haunted wind.
Within thy soul the Horned One returns to Earth again.
Together you shall manifest the magick of the man
And falcons soar from out the sky to perch upon thy hand.
The serpent's wisdom thou shalt learn from tip of forked tongue.
The fleetness of the white stag's flight in starlight or in sun.
Lord of Light and Lord of Shadow; keeper of the key
Which unlocks the door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
Cernunnos, Tammuz, Horus, Pan; by name we set thee free!
0, Shepherd of the wild woodland, may thou be one with he!

(HP turns to HPS holding WAND.  HPS picks up CHALICE and ATHAME;
anoints with water, touches to flower petals; censes; then places 
over
WAND.  The HP & HPS hold WAND aloft between them.)
HPS:
Above you are the stars, below you are the stones.
As time passes, remember...
Like a star should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience each with the other,
For storms will come, but they will go quickly.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth;
Make love often, and be sensuous to one another.
Have no fear, and let not the ways or words of the unenlightened give
you unease.
For the old gods are with you,
Now and always!

HP (holding wand):
Is it your wish, Joy, to become one with this man?

BRIDE: (answers)

HP:
Then give him your vow.

BRIDE:
    I, Joy wed you, Tom and pledge to build with you a place of
love, nourishment and happiness within our hearts and within our 
home.

    I pledge you love, honor and trust.  love, both soft and tender
and love suffused with passion and playfulness; love which will honor 
your inner deity,  endure hardship  and nurture  honesty, trust and  
devotion.

    I pledge to support and cherish your growth in the human
adventure; to explore with you the wonders of life; to hold you in my 
love when you are ill  or sad and to  nurture your healing, growth,  
development and
actualization.  As you evolve so shall I for we are as one and 
reflect one
another.

    I promise to create a home with you that shall be a haven for us
both, a place of welcome for family, friends and lovers and a place  
of comfort in times of sorrow. I promise to love, honor, protect and 
nourish you as long as we both shall live

HPS:
Is it your wish, Tom, to become one with this woman?

GROOM: (answers)

HPS:
Then give her your vow.

GROOM
:   I, Tom wed you, Joy and pledge to build with you a place of
love, nourishment and happiness within our hearts and within our 
home.

    I pledge you love, honor and trust.  love, both soft and tender
and
love suffused with passion  and playfulness; love  which will honor  
your inner
deity, endure hardship and nurture honesty, trust and devotion.

    I pledge to support and cherish your growth in the human
adventure;
to explore with you the wonders of life; to hold you in my love when 
you
are ill or sad and to nurture your healing, growth, development and
actualization.  As you evolve so shall I for we are as one and 
reflect one
another.

    I promise to create a home with you that shall be a haven for us
both,
a place of welcome for  family, friends and lovers,  and a place of  
comfort in
times of
sorrow.  I promise to love, honor, protect and nourish you as long as 
we
both shall live.

HP:
Does any say nay?

GROOM:
Then we are happy, but we would yet ask the blessing of the
May Queen on our union.

BRIDE:
Oh Queen of the May, we ask your blessing on our union and
on our connection with this land which is our home upon the Earth.

MAY QUEEN:
As you marry, take my blessing and the blessing of our Mother Earth 
that
you may live long within Her breast and flourish in Her abundance.
(Takes cord from the altar and hands it to HP and HPS) I bid you bind
them in love with my blessing,

HP & HPS (tying the hands of bride and groom together with the cord):
This day you marry your friend, the one you love, laugh with, live 
for,
dream with.

HP (handing ATHAME to GROOM):
This knife is for the troubles that lie ahead.

HPS (handing CHALICE to BRIDE):
This cup is for the love that conquers them.

GROOM (holding up ATHAME):
I bring the energy of yang, active, bright, logical and hard.  I bid 
you
blend these energies with yours to make us whole and keep this token 
on
the altar of our love.
BRIDE (holding up CHALICE):
I bring the energy of yin, dark, intuitive, flowing and soft.  I bid 
you
blend these energies with yours and make us whole and keep this token 
on
the altar of our love.

(GROOM dips ATHAME into CHALICE)

HP:
Yin and yang, male and female, light and dark.  neither may stand
alone, but out of their eternal interplay the universe is born.  So 
it is
above
and so it is here below.

HP:
Now share you the water of life, the blood of the sacred Goddess our
Mother Earth, water that binds us and all living things to her body.

(BRIDE and GROOM share water and kiss)

HP:
Out of the billions of the Earth, these two have come, have looked
into each other's eyes, and are now made one. Their ways have 
converged
and shall now be together. In our deepest being we hope that their 
path
may
be pleasant and the sky fair where they reside. But if trouble comes, 
as
it
can surely come to all, may the pressure of the trial only bring them
more
closely together. With clasped hands and united hearts, may they bear
life's
sorrows together and share life's joys together.
(BRIDE pours libation and speaks however she is moved, then hands
CHALICE to GROOM, who sips, libates and passes cup to HPS, who sips,
libates and passes CHALICE to HP. COUPLE then moves around the circle
deosil greeting guests while chant is sung:  I am the Heart and the 
Soul
of
Creation, then return to altar.)

HPS (gives Navajo Wedding Blessing):
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the shelter to the 
other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you shall be the warmth to the 
other.
Now there is no more loneliness for you.
Now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your 
togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon this Earth.

(GROOM thanks guests and invites them to the feast.)

(ASSISTANTS open the gate in SOUTH where the BROOM has been lying and
hold the broom a LITTLE off the ground. HP and HPS: lead the chant:  
JUMP
THE BROOM! as COUPLE runs around the circle and jumps the BROOM on 
the
way out.)

HP & HPS (Stand on opposite sides of altar, raising arms):
We thank you Gods and Goddesses of the Sacred Marriage for
attending and blessing this, our rite of life and love.  We bid you 
now,
Hail
and Farewell!

ALL:    Hail and Farewell!

HP:
Oh mighty Lord of life and death, whose hooves dance upon the altrar
of Time and whose pipes play the song of Never-Ending, we thank You 
for
Your blessing and bid You now Hail and Farewell!

ALL:    Hail and Farewell!

HPS:
Oh gracious Goddess, Queen of love and birth whose body is the
green and flowering Earth and the dust at whose feet are the stars of
heaven, we thank You for Your blessing and bid You now Hail and 
Farewell!

QUARTER CALLERS:
We thank you now, oh powers of Earth (Water, Fire, Air)

HPS:
All from air into air, let the misty curtain part.
All is ended, all is done
What has been must now be gone!
What is done by ancient art
Must merry meet and merry part!
AND MERRY MEET AGAIN!


Well, there it is.  It was beautiful.  And so smooth.  Hope you all
enjoyed it.  Tom wrote the invocation to Pan and Aphrodite.  If you 
want
to use it though would expect people to ask permission to use it,  
since
it is  copyright protected in the Green Egg.

Anyway, this is a guide, and it is OUR h-fasting.  People can use it 
as a
guide, but it is much more magickal if you create your own.

Thou art Goddess!

Joy Williams
--
                   SHADOW WEAVER GROVE ADF 
                  BELTANE RITUAL 5/5/1990 

This is a transcription of the  original planned ritual for Beltane  
forthe Shadow Weaver  Grove, transcribed with  permission by Joseph  
Tellerof the  Wonderland  BBS 508-663-6220  WWIVNet  Node  5803 for  
distributionto the Pagan Community at large. Shadow Weaver Grove can 
also bewritten to via Surface  mail at : PO  Box 5451, Billerica MA  
01821.Distribution for  non-commercial  use  of  this  document  is  
granted, solong  as the  wording  and information  contained herein  
remains unchangedin the process of distribution.
______________________________________________________________________
_____
I. Starting the Ritual
  A) Processional : (starting Chant {Ku-Wa-Te})
 To  enter the  circle each  person  must pass  through four  "gates"  
representing each of the  Three Worlds (Land, Sea  & Sky) and Fire.  
Each person steps to the first Gate Keeper and is asked: "What do you 
ask of the Gate of  Earth (Sea) (Air)?" AN answer  is given or left  
unspoken, and the person is marked by the Guardian (with mud, water 
and brush  of a  feather)  and proceeds  to  the next  Gate  and is  
questioned again. The Guardian of the  last Gate, Fire, smudges the  
person before they enter the circle. When everyone is in the circle, 
the chant continues ("Ku-Wa-Te")  as the Gatekeepers  come into the  
circle and prepare themselves.
   B) Statement of Purpose :
  We  are  here  tonight  to  honor  the  Goddess  Danu,  called   the  
Earth-mother and to honor the God  Belemos, Called the Sun King. We  
honor them and ask them to bless  us and rekindle the warmth of the  
world.
   C) Centering Meditation:
 Group  meditation  and  collective  consciousness:  All present  are  
brought together with a group meditation, to form a "group-mind"; to 
help everyone center and bring themselves together to work in accord.
  D) Earth Mother Invocation :
         Oh Earth-Mother
         We praise thee
            That seed springeth
            That flower openeth
            That grass groweth
         We praise thee
         For winds that whisper
            Through the shining Birch
            Through the lively Pines
            Through the mighty Oak
         We praise thee
         For all things
         Oh Earth-Mother who gives lifeII.

                          The Active Ritual

    Invocation of Ogma the Gate Keeper or Mannanon in English:
    (Visualization is a triangle shaped iris opening)

 Gate Keeper of Fire:
 O Ogma, Lord of the Gates,  Lord of Knowledge, open the ways for  us 
O Mannanon, master of the realm beyond the seas, grant us passage to 
your kingdom.
   O great God of knowledge, we wish to walk your roads.
  Reveal  to  us  your  teachings,   reveal  to  us  the  safe   path.  
Come wash the nighttime clean;
         Come Close the gap of darkness in between.
         We praise you for the brightness of your power.
         We praise you for the gift of knowledge.
         Guide us to the place we seek.
         Walk with us Ogma!
         Walk with us Mannanon!

CHANT:         We invoke thee Ogma, opener of every Gate
               We invoke Mannanon, opener of every Gate.
 You  shall  reach  us,  You shall  teach  us  and  reveal our  fate.  
You shall reach us, You shall teach us and reveal our fate.
   B) Consecration of the Waters:
  [After   each  cup   is  consecrated   it  is   passed  around   the   
members of the  circle so  that each  may drink  from it.  When the  
cup returns to the  start the remaining liquid  is spilled unto the  
Earth or into the fire. Contents may be spring water, or an alcholic 
brew if alcohol it is preferred to  have been brewed by a member of  
the Grove.]

      Druid of the Gate of Land:
 Spirits  of nature,  of  the trees  and rocks,  of  the animals  and  
Earth, give us your favor and your companionship, share with us the 
bond of spirit and of life on Earth. Remember us and speak to us in  
our hearts. Give us your teachings and laughter, become one amoung us 
here tonight, Consecrate these waters.     Behold the Waters of Life!
     {All Chant "Fur and Feather"}

     Druid of the Gate of Sea:
 Ancestors of  Long ago,  be with  us, give  us your  favor and  your 
wisdom, share with us the  bond of kinship and  of life upon Earth.  
Remember us and speak to us in our hearts. Give us your knowledge and 
your blessing, become  one with  us here  tonight; Consecrate these  
waters.  Behold  The   Waters  of   Life!  {All   Chant  "Blood  of   
the Ancients")

      Druid of the Gate of Sky:
  Gods  and   Goddesses,  be  with   us,  give   us  your  favor   and  
blessings, share  with us  the  bonding essance  and  our existence  
upon your sphere of life. Remember us and speak to us in our hearts. 
give us your  strength and  your peace,  become one amoung  us here  
tonight. Consecrate these waters.
     Behold the Waters of Life!      {All Chant "Mother I feel you"}
  C) Individual Offerings and prayers:
 At this  point, all  present that wish  to may  make an offering  or 
offer prayers. If anyone has an offering or a prayer they would like 
to make  they  step  forward and  do  so,  individual  offerings to  
particular patrons or spirit helpers are done at this time.
   D) Sacrifice with the Willow Branch:
 Gate  keeper of  fire makes  a final  offering of  a willow  branch,  
to send the energy to the deities of the occasion. It is sacrificed  
into the central bonfire.
      Gate Keeper of Fire:
 Our praise  goes up  with thee on  the wings  of eagles; our  voices 
are carried up to  thee on the  shoulders of the  wonds. hear now O  
Belemos, O Danu, we pray thee, as we offer up this sacrifice of life. 
Accept it we pray thee, and cleanse our hearts, giving to us of your 
peace and life.
   E) Divination :
 A  scrying is  done with  crystal/flame, to  find if  the gods  have  
accepted our  prayers and  will be  with  us. If  the omen  is bad,  
offerings are made again. If they are rejected thrice, the circle is 
broken immediately and the ritual ended.
   F) The Fourth Consecration:
 Here  the wards  are set  to protect  us during  the magic  working.  
Druid #1 (Fire):
 We  greet you,  Brother  Wabun, Golden  Eagle of  the  East. We  ask  
that you watch over us this night, and share with us your wisdom, Let 
your keen vision  guide us over  the obstacles before  us. We greet  
you, Brother Shawnodese, Guardian of the South, great Coyote. We ask 
that you walk with us this night, and guide us as we walk this path  
of learning.  We greet  you, Waboose,  White  Buffalo Woman  of the  
North, Grace us with your company, and walk with us night as we seek 
the wisdom that  surrounds us.  We greet  you, brother Mudjekeewis,  
Great Bear of the West.  Walk with us this night  and aid us in our  
journey to wisdom. At this time,  would each of you please meditate  
on your personal needs and desires.
  G) Induction of Receptivity : (Litany of the Waters)
 [D1  can be  Guardian of  Fire,  D2 can  be the  Group response.  If  
the group doesn't  know the  responses one  of the  other guardians  
should lead them into them]
 D1: Of  what does  the Earth-Mother give,  that we  may know of  the 
continual flow and renewal of life?
      D2: The waters of Life.     
      D1: From whence do these waters flow?
  D2:  From   the  bosom   of  the   Earth-Mother,the  ever   changing  
All-Mother  D1:  And  how  do  we   honor  this  gift  that  causes   
life?
      D2: By partaking of the waters of life.
      D1: Has the Earth-Mother given forth her bounty?
      D2: She has
      D1: Then give me the waters!

      Final consecration and sharing: A fourth cup is consecrated.
 O  Belemos, O  Danu, hear  us and  answer us!  Hallow these  waters!  
We your  children  have  praised  you,  and  now  we  ask  from you  
healing, blessing, power and inspiration...Behold the waters of life!
      {Passing chant: "Ku-Wa-Te"}

 III. The Work of The Circle
   A) The Magic Working:
 Tonight  we pray  for  the prosperity  of all  those  here. May  our  
fortunes increase, may the Goddess and God smail on our endeavors and 
bring us good luck in all that we do.
 We  ask  that  you  bless these  small  tokens  of  our wishes,  and  
grant us the success that  we ask for. {Here a  small basket with a  
crystal and appropriate  symbols of general  prosperity were passed  
around so that all might add     energy to it}
   B) Affirmation of Success:
     D1: Belemos and Danu have Blessed us!
 D2:  Every  time  we invoke  them,  they  become  stronger and  more  
alert to the needs of their people.
 D1: With joy  in our hearts  let us return  to the realm of  mortals 
to do the will of the Gods and our own.
 D2: Yet,  before we  leave, we must  give thanks  to those whome  we 
have invited here today.

 IV. Closing:
   A) Thanking and closing of the Quaters:
 We thank  you, Brother  Wabun, Golden  Eagle of the  East. You  have 
watched over us this night, and shared with us your wisdom, Your keen 
vision has shown us the ostacles before us. We ask you, go in peace, 
as you came in peace. So we  may walk together again. We thank you,  
Brother Shawnodese, Guardian of the South, great Coyote. Once again  
your lessons have helped us, and shown us the truth in ourselves. We 
ask you, go in peace, as you came in peace, So we may walk together  
again. We thank you, Waboose, White  Buffalo of the North. You have  
graced us with your company, and walked with us this night. You have 
helped us see the wisdom that surrounds us. We ask you, go in peace, 
as you  came in  peace. So  we  may walk  together again.  We thank  
you Brother Mudjekeewis, Great Bear of  the West. You have shown us  
your power and kept us safe in our journey to wisdom. We ask you, go 
in peace, as you came in peace, so we may walk together again.
  B) Thanking of the Gods and Goddess:
 Gods  and Goddesses  of  the old  times, spirits  of  the old  times  
and of this place,  people of the  old times and  of our ancestors,  
our kindred we thank you.
  C) Closing the Gate:
    Gate Keeper of Fire :
 O  Ogma, Lord  of the  Gates,  Lord of  KNowledge, we  thank you.  O  
Mhannon, we  thank you.  Now let  the Gates  between the  Worlds be  
closed!
  D) Return from the group-mind, grounding and centering.
    Reverse the Tree Meditation.

     Relaxing of the Grove's Wards.
      Libation:
 D1:  To thee  we  retrun this  portion  of thy  bounty,  O Danu  our  
Mother, even as we must someday return unto thee.
      D2: We have finished this ceremony.
      D1: So be it!
      ALL: Biodh se!
______________________________________________________________________
                _____  CHANTS USED DURING RITUAL: 
                             {Ku-Wa-Te}
Ku-Wa-Te Lay-no Lay-no Ma-ho-teHi-ano, Hi-ano, Hi-anoKu-Wa-Te Lay-no 
Ma-ho-teHi-ano, Hi-ano,  Hi-ano We  are one  with the  infinite sun  
Forever, Forever, ForeverWe are one  with the Infinite Sun Forever,  
Forever, Forever.  
                        {Mother Nature Waits}
Mother Earth provides Mother Earth Provides Mother Earth Provides all 
for us to surviveMother  Earth Provides Mother  Nature Waits Mother  
Nature Waits Because life never ends, she always begins again Mother 
Nature waits.           
                           {Hoof and Horn}
Hoof and horn, Hoof and hornAll  that dies shall be reborn.Corn and  
Grain, corn and grainAll that falls shall rise again.

                       {Blood of the Ancients}
It's the blood  of the AncientsThat  runs through  our veinsAnd the  
forms pass,But the Circle of life remains. 

                         {Fur and Feather}
Fur and Feather and scale and skin
Different without but the same within
Great of body but one of soul
Through all creatures are the Gods made Whole

                         {Mother I feel You}
Mother I feel you under my feet
Mother I feel your heart beat
Mother I feel your heart beat 
Father I see you where the eagle flies
Spirit gonna carry me higher and higher
Spirit gonna carry me higher and higher
______________________________________________________________________
__                   BRIGIT OF THE CELTS
                   -------------------
   Brigit was one of the great Triple Goddesses of the Celtic people.
She appeared as Brigit to the Irish, Brigantia in Northern England,
Bride in Scotland, and Brigandu in Brittany. Many legends are told
about Brigit. Some say that there are three Brigits : one sister in
charge of poetry and inspiration who invented the Ogham alphabet,
one in charge of healing and midwifery, and the third in charge of 
the
hearth fire, smithies and other crafts. This catually indicates the
seperate aspects of her Threefold nature and is a neat division of
labor for a hard-working goddess.
   Brigit was probably originally a Sun Goddess, and a charming story
of her birth is that she was born at sunrise and a tower of flame
burst from the forehead of the new born Goddess that reached from
Earth to Heaven. It was likely She who inspired the line in the 
famous
Song of Amergin: "I am a fire in the head." Her penchant for 
smithcraft
led to her association by the Romans with Minerva/Athena. As a 
warrior
Goddess, She favored the use of the spear or the arrow. Indeed, 
various
interpetations of her name exist including, "Bright Arrow," "The 
Bright
One," "the Powerful One" and "The High One," depending upon the 
region
and the dialect.
   As a Goddess of herbalism, midwifery and healing She was in charge
of Water as well as Fire. I don't beleive that anyone has ever
counted all teh vast number of sacred wells and springs named after
or dedicated to this Goddess. A story is told of how two lepers came
to one of her sacred springs for healing and She instructed one Leper
to wash the other. The skin of the freshly bathed man was cleansed
of the disease and Brigit told the man who was healed to wash the man
who had bathed him so that both men would be whole. The man who was
healed was now too disgusted to touch the other Leper and would have
left him, but Brigit herself washed the leper and struck down the
other arrogant fellow with leperousy once more before he could leave.
Offerings to the watery Brigit were cast into the well in the form
of coins or, even more ancient, brass or gold rings. Other sacrifices
were offered where three streams came together. Her cauldron of
Inspiration connected her watery healing aspect with her fiery poetic
aspect.
   Brigit is clearly the best example of the survival of a Goddess
into Christian times. She was cannonized by the Catholic church as
St. Brigit and various origins are given to this saint. The most
popular folktale is that She was midwife to the Virgin Mary, and thus
was always inviked by women in labor. The more official story was
that She was a Druid's daughter who predicted the coming of
Christianity and then was baptised by St. Patrick. She became a nun
and later an abbess who founded the Abbey at Kildare. The Christian
Brigit was said to have had the power to appoint the bishops of her
area, a strange role for an abbess, made stranger by her requirement
that her bishops also be practicing goldsmiths.
   Actually, the Goddess Brigit had always kept a shrine at Kildare,
Ireland, with a perpetual flame tended by nineteen virgin priestesses
called Daughters of the Flame. No male was ever allowed to come near
it; nor did those women ever consort with men. Even their food and
other supplies were brought to them by women of the nearby village.
When Catholicism took over in Ireland, the shrine became a convent
and the priestesses became nuns but the same traditions were held
and the eternal flame was kept burning. Their tradition was that
each day a different priestess/nun was in charge of the sacred fire
and on the 20th day of each cycle, teh fire was miraculously tended
by Brigit Herself. There into the 18th century, the ancient song
was sung to her : "Brigit, excellant woman, sudden flame, may the
bright fiery sun take us to the lasting kingdom."
   For over a thousand years, the sacred flame was tended by nuns,
and no one knows how long before that it had been tended by the
priestesses. In 1220 CE, a Bishop became angered by the no-males
policy of the Abbey of St. Brigit of Kildare. He insisted that nuns
were subordinate to priests and therefore must open their abbey
and submit themselves to inspection by a priest. When they refused
and asked for another Abbess or other female official to perform
any inspections, the Bishop was incensed. He admonished them to
obediance and then decreed that teh keeping of the eternal flame
was a Pagan custom and 6rdered the sacred flame to be extinguished.
Even then, She remained the most poular Irish saint along with
Patrick. In the 1960's, under Vatican II modernization, it was
declared that there was insufficient proof of Brigit's sanctity
or even of her historical existance, and so teh Church's gradual
pogrom against Brigit was successful at last and She was thus
decanonized. It is very difficult to obtain images or even holy
cards of ST. Brigit outside of Ireland anymore.
   Her festival is held on Febuary 1st or 2nd. It corresponds to
the ancient Celtic fire festival of Imbolc or Oimelc which
celebrated the birthing and freshening of sheep and goats (it really
is a Feast of Milk). This festival was Christianized as Candlemas
or Lady Day and Her Feast day, La Feill Bhride, was attended by
tremendous local celebration and elaborate rituals. Her festival
is also called Brigit. Brigit (the Goddess and the Festival)
represents the stirring of life again after the dead months of the
winter, and her special blessings are called forth at this time.
Since She was booted out of teh Church for being Pagan, it is
incumbant upon us Pagans to restore Her worship to its former glory
especially those of us of Celtic ancestory. Here is an ancient rite
to invite Brigit into your home at the time of her Holiday:
   Clean your hearth thoroughly in teh morning and lay a fire
without kindling it, then make yourself a "Bed for Brigid" and
place it near the hearth. The bed can be a small basket with covers
and tiny pillow added as plain or fancy as you like. If you have no
hearth, you can use the stove and put the bed behind it. Then at
sundown light a candle rubbed with rosemary oil and invite Brigit
into your home and into er bed; use the candle to kindle your
hearthfire if possible. Make your own poem to invite Her or use
the ancient song mentioned earlier. Let the candle burn at least
all night in a safe place. You might even want to begin the custom
of keeping the eternal flame; it is a popular custom in some
magickal and Wiccan traditions. AFter all, it's up to us now to
keep the spirit of Brigit alive and well for the next thousand
years at least!!!

Brigid is not really a Celtic Mother Goddess.  She is generally
considered a Goddess of fire/smithcraft, of poetry and of healing.  
One
of her roles is as midwife, but although she has a son, she is not
usually seen as a mother.

I don't know any books that deal specifically with Brighidh, but 
please
look for a book called "Celtic Mythology" by Proinsias MacCana and 
for
"Gods and Heroes of the Celts" by Marie Lousie Sjoestadt for more
information about Celtic deities.  They are both VERY good sources.

Brighidh is a Goddess of healing, smithcraft and poetry, brewer of 
mead
and ale, a lawgiver, a midwife, supposedly daughter of the Daghda,
mother of the poet Cairbre, and of the Gods Brian, Iuchar and 
Iucharba.
She was transformed into a Christian Saint and became the foster 
mother
of Christ.  Some sources say that the healer/smith/poet were embodied 
in
one Goddess, other sources claim that she was three sisters, all 
named
Brighidh.

Her holy day falls (on our calendar) on February 2nd (I wonder if She
likes groundhogs...) called Imbolc, Oimelc or Lady Day.  Candles are
blessed that day in the Catholic churches.

By: Ido
To: Teakan
Re: Somethnig about Brighid:

Brigit/Brigid/Bride was the daughter of Dagda. She was the proctector 
of the
poets, the forge and the healing persons. Her son Ruadan, which she 
had with
Bres, was killed by Goibnui. For her  died son she sounds the first  
kenning of Eireland. She also was put into the cult and the person of 
Brigit from  Kildare,  which  made the  first  female  parish after  
Christianity falls into Eireland. The convent  of Kildare has had a  
neverending fire, which was protected by the sisters of the parish.  
The saint Brigit is the second patron saint of Eireland. within the 
scottish tradition Brigit belongs together with the time of the year 
"Season of the lambs" and the comming of spring. Brigit overcomes the 
control of the Cailleach Bheur.
                   THE FINER POINTS OF RITUAL:
                    A Comparative Approach to
             Liturgical History, Theology and Design
             =======================================
           A Heartland Pagan Festival Keynote Address
                         by Mike Nichols


Participants:  Morning Glory Zell
               Otter Zell
               Rhiannon Bennett
               Carolyn Clark
               Eldoreth Grey Squirrel
               Anahita
               Morwen
               Chris
               Dix
               other audience members not identified


[NOTE:  This transcription was made from an audio tape dub of a
videorecording of the event.  The microphone placement made some
of the comments from the audience unintelligible, and those
sections were omitted.  In some cases, the comments were picked
up but it was impossible to identify the speaker.  Because of the
lack of visual cues, it is also possible that some of the
speakers are incorrectly identified.  To improve readability,
some very minor editing was done.]


Rhiannon:  I'd like to introduce someone whom we are really proud
to have in our community.  He has been involved in Witchcraft --
in teaching free Witchcraft classes -- for over eighteen years
now.  He is also a teacher of parapsychology at the University of
Missouri at Kansas City.  He owns the Magick Lantern, which is
our occult bookstore here in town -- the ONLY occult bookstore we
actually have here in town.  He's very instrumental in
introducing people to Wicca through his classes -- over 6,000
people!  Granted all of them didn't decide to stay with us, which
is fine.  But think how many myths that helped shatter, and
helped to make us a valid religion in some people's eyes.  And a
lot of times, that's what we need.  Every time I say something
about a particular speaker, people say "Well, what has he
written?  What has she written?"  Books are really wonderful but,
as I'm sure you've read, there are some good books, and there are
some mediocre books, and there are some that are pure trash out
there.  Just because they say they're a Pagan writer doesn't mean
a thing.  Sort through and pick out the good stuff.  People like
Mike help us go through and figure out what's real and what's not
real.  And then help you decide, even out of what's real, what's
real for you.  So I'm really proud to have him in our community,
and I'd like to welcome him.

(APPLAUSE) 
 
Mike Nichols:  I hope you don't mind if I do this sitting down. 
I want to present it more like a workshop than a standard
lecture.  First of all, I want to start out with a few thank
you's.  I just want to say a personal thank you to Rhiannon who
has acted as liaison between the Heartland Spiritual Alliance and
the Magick Lantern, which was sometimes a difficult and thankless
task, but she's done it well.  When I saw her stand on the chair
in the hall last night and scream "TWO pieces of chicken!  ONLY
two!", I thought I've never seen anyone look so much in their
element.  (LAUGHTER)  So thank you so much.  And not only to
Rhiannon, but to the organizers of the Heartland Pagan Festival
all together.  I think they've done a wonderful job.  Let's give
them a hand. 
 
(APPLAUSE) 
 
     What we're going to be doing in here is kind of an advanced
class on ritual design, what we sometimes like to call liturgics. 
Before this is all over, we're going to be into such areas as
liturgical theology, liturgical history, and liturgical
aesthetics.  For those of you who are local and who have taken my
class, or seen me do speeches at psychic fairs and such, you will
be happy to note that this is not recycled material.  This is the
very first time I am presenting any of this material anywhere. 
So I hope you enjoy it. 
 
     I'm starting from the premise that most people here are
already fairly well advanced in Paganism and have gotten to the
point where they already know about ritual and realize why it's
there, why  there is a need for it, and are beginning to ask
other questions about ritual.  What does it take to make a "good"
ritual?  What kind of elements do you need to have, what kind of
order, what kind of structure does a ritual have to have to work? 
Are there certain things a ritual needs to work?  How can you
tell if a ritual has worked?  And questions like that start
happening only after you've been into it a little while. 
 
     If you are new to this whole area, and really are not that
conversant with why ritual is used anyway, let me just gloss that
point by saying there are a couple of really good books that I
think give you a good understanding of that.  One is "The Spiral
Dance" by Starhawk.  Another is "Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot
Adler.  I think either one of those would inform you as to why
Witches use ritual in the first place. 
 
     The need for ritual is sometimes one of the most difficult
things for newcomers in this area to understand because quite
often, if they've been brought up in a religious tradition that
downplays ritual, for example, (and many Protestant religious
traditions say that ritual is only so much gobbledy-gook, etc.,
that there's nothing to it), it's a real stumbling block for
people to understand why the ritual is there.  I've noticed that
people with Roman Catholic backgrounds or a background in Judaism
seem to have a better grasp on what ritual is there for and what
it accomplishes. 
 
     When we get into this kind of work, let me just say that
much of my talk here today is going to be highly speculative,
highly theoretical, and please do not take it as a final position
paper on anything.  It is at best a preliminary report on work in
progress.  We're going to do a lot of comparative liturgics as a
way of understanding our own ritual development. 
 
     When it comes to ritual or liturgy -- whichever word you
want to use, and I'm going to be using them interchangeably -- it
has always seemed to me that liturgical theology should be on the
cutting edge of theological concerns in Paganism.  There are many
religious writers who believe that religions basically have three
dimensions -- any religion.  First of all, it's theology: what
are it's beliefs?  Secondly, it's social structure: how does this
religion impact on the world around it?  And thirdly, it's
ritual: what do the people do to express their religious values? 
It has always seemed to me that within Paganism in general, and
Witchcraft certainly in particular, it is the liturgical
dimension that is the most often in focus. 
 
     Theology I think has been rather slow.  It is developing,
Pagan theological concerns, but it's developing late.  If you
read Starhawk and Adler and people like that, you're beginning to
see the beginnings of Pagan theology. 
 
     As far as the social dimension, there was a time of course
when Paganism had a social dimension, when most people were
Pagan.  But for the last couple of thousand years we have been a
minority religion -- a very small minority in some cases.  And I
think because of that we don't yet have a very strong
sociological impact.  But that too may be changing, through
festivals like this, when Pagans start gathering in big enough
numbers to start talking about such things as social change.  For
example, at one of the workshops we had the other day, somebody
suggested that one of the things Pagans could do to increase
their visibility and positive image in the community is to take
on community projects like answering telephones for the local
public TV telethons.  Yes, this is our local Coven on the phone
lines!  (LAUGHTER)  Or this is the local Coven who have all
decided to go down and do a park clean-up on a particular day. 
When we get enough people doing stuff like that, then Witchcraft
will have its social dimension. 
 
     In the meantime, the strongest dimension I think for most of
us is the ritual, is the liturgy.  When you tell somebody you're
a Witch, the first thing they ask you is "What do you do?" -- not
"What do you believe?" or "What is your impact on society?" --
but "What do you do?"  They want to hear about your rituals.  I
think that's exactly why Stewart Farrar titled his first book on
Witchcraft "What Witches Do". 
 
     So we've got to start looking at what we do, in terms of
ritual and how ritual has developed.  However, when it comes to
trying to study liturgy in modern Paganism, you are immediately
arrested by the fact that there is no coherent study of it.  Yes,
there are books of rituals.  Sure, you can buy a spellbook here,
a grimoire there.  Marion Weinstein has published a Book of
Shadows.  The last half of Doreen Valiente's book is a Book of
Shadows.  Scott Cunningham's got books of spells, etc.  But is
there any systematic study of all this stuff put together?  No. 
Not so far. 
 
     I think the reason is because development has been so rapid. 
All of this stuff has come along so fast that people have not had
a chance to assess it and evaluate it, and ask significant
questions about it.  Consequently, both the scholar and the lay
person really don't have very many places to go when it comes to
this. 
 
     There are a few things though that you can say about
religious ritual.  First of all, religious ritual is a human
experience, a very universal human experience.  It is as real as
fear, and as important as love.  It has a meaning of its own.  It
is not some sort of aberration or distortion of reality.  It is
an injection of new meaning into the reality around you.  There
is hardly a culture in the world that has not developed its
religious rituals.  And sometimes by looking at religious rituals
of other cultures, we can begin understanding our own better. 
That's one of things I'm gonna try to do here. 
 
     There's a strange continuity, a sameness when you start
looking at different rituals, that pervades all of them.  We find
that rituals, for example, are transpersonal and transcultural. 
People seem to experience the same types of things no matter
where you look all over the world. 
 
     In looking at liturgical theology, I have been doing an
awful lot of work in terms of comparative study.  Because the
only group of people who have systematically writing about
liturgical theology for any length of time are the Christians. 
Does this have anything to say to us as Pagans?  Perhaps it does. 
Reason:  I think most Pagans are by now well aware of the fact
that the Christians have borrowed a heck of a lot from the old
Pagan religions.  For example, it's commonly known that the old
Pagan holidays served as models for Christian holidays, so that
the modern Christian liturgical calendar is to a great extent
based on older Pagan themes.  And ironically, sometimes you can
look at what Christians have written about these to find out
still more about the Pagan themes that underlie it.

     A second area where this is true is what we call
hagiography, the study of saints.  So many of the saints in the
rites of the Roman Catholic Church are in fact simply
Christianized forms of old Pagan gods and goddesses.  So we read
about the legends of these saints, and we learn a little bit more
about the gods and goddesses underlying those legends.  I think
Pagans generally realize both of these points.  What Pagans do
not generally realize is that it is the same as far as liturgical
ceremonies go, too.  When you get right down to it, Christianity
-- especially the way the Roman Catholic Church developed in the
early years of Christianity -- borrowed most of its liturgical
traditions from the Pagans. 
 
     I mean, if you ever stopped and thought about it...  For
example, within the Roman Catholic Church, there are certain
rituals known as "sacraments", right?  Do you realize that is a
Pagan word?  Sacrament comes from the Latin "sacramentum" and was
an oath given by a Roman soldier to his gods.  It was a ritual
setting.  We might be well advised once again to reclaim the word
sacrament and use it as our own. 
 
     According the Catholic Church, a sacrament is an "effective"
ritual, which means that it produces an objective effect.  This
is not just a symbolic commemoration of something.  This is
something that actually produces a change in reality.  This
beginning to sound familiar? 
 
     Other things which we have long considered primarily
Christian -- Again, I'm going to be drawing this almost
exclusively from the background of Roman Catholic liturgics,
which is one of the ones that is most developed.  The High
Anglican would be another good source if you wanted to look into
this.  The practice of "genuflection", of bowing on one knee,
originally a Pagan practice.  The practice of kissing ritual
tools.  If you were in a Catholic church, did you ever see a
priest pick up a Missal at Mass and kiss it, put it on the altar? 
The same way a priestess will sometimes kiss her athame after
she's used it for an invocation?  Yet another custom borrowed by
the Christians from the Pagans.  So it seems real obvious to me
that we could look at the whole question of sacramental rites,
and ask what have the various Christian writers had to say about
them in terms of how they work, in order to find out what Pagans
probably also originally believed about rites and rituals. 
 
     Although at a later time the Catholic Church would limit the
number of official sacraments to be only seven in number, at an
earlier time this was not true.  Anything could be seen as a
sacrament.  A blessing was a sacrament.  A holiday, a sacred
object, all of these things could be considered sacramental in
what they did.  As a matter of fact, the first use of the word
"sacrament" within a Christian context was not until 210 C.E. and
it was by the Church writer Tertulian.  He was the first one to
use that word in a Christian context, and when he did so,
ironically, he accused the Greek mystery religions of having
stolen that word from the Christians.  Obviously, it was
precisely the other way around. 
 
     Although today the word sacrament refers primarily to only
seven ecclesial rituals within the Catholic Church, all of which
-- or at least six of which -- have parallels in Paganism, the
word "sacrament" is still used in comparative theology in a much
broader sense.  Basically, it refers to any hidden reality, any
sign or symbol of a hidden reality that is mysterious and sacred. 
I could be a person, a place, or a thing.  Any of these things
could be considered sacramental. 
 
     From the point of view of Pagan theology, by the way, with
its strong emphasis on the theological perspective called
"immanence", the in-dwelling quality of the divine force in all
of nature, for a Pagan practically anything can become a
sacrament.  Every rock, every tree, everything is alive with
magical and sacred powers which a Pagan can get in touch with and
from there connect with the entire universe.  That's what a
sacrament is. 
 
     There have been, historically, at least two ways of viewing
rituals and sacraments.  The first is the way as practiced by
social anthropologists.  For example, one of the most famous of
these was proposed by Arnold van Gennep, who was the first to
come up with the idea of rituals being, as he called them, "rites
of passage".  He would point to something like a marriage rite,
and we can find rites like that in practically every society. 
And he would say that the reason this ritual was important for
this society is that it marked a transition for one member of the
society from one social role to another.  From the status of
being unmarried to the status of being married.  In many
societies, kids when they hit the age of puberty go through a
rite of passage.  This is an official recognition by the society
as a whole that this person, who was once considered a child, is
now considered an adult and has adult responsibilities. 
 
     Van Gennep originally thought that practically all religious
rituals were rites of passage.  Later social anthropologists have
pointed out there's at least one other major class or rituals. 
And this is not a rite of passage but what we call a "rite of
celebration".  Very distinct from a rite of passage.  In a rite
of passage, we talk about a person's transition from one social
role to another.  In a rite of celebration -- let's take for an
example a wedding anniversary -- nothing is changing here.  We
are simply looking at something which has a permanent value and
belief structure, and we are celebrating it.  We are focusing on
it.  We are saying this is important to us.  And we're going to
have this ritual to let everybody know how important it is to us. 
A rite of passage is a rite of transition, but a rite of
celebration is a rite of intensification.  It intensifies the
values and beliefs that are already present. 
 
     That was one of two ways of classifying religious rituals. 
The other is the psychological approach.  And probably the best
writer in this field is Mircea Eliade.  He called sacramental
rituals -- he had a wonderful phrase for it -- he called them
"doors to the sacred".  Every sacramental ritual, he said, is an
invitation to a religious or sacred experience.  An invitation,
which you may accept or not.  You can either let yourself become
a part of a ritual or not.  You can make up your mind to distance
yourself from it.  But its basic design, the basic reason for a
sacramental ritual is to give you an invitation to have an
experience of the sacred.  Which Eliade calls a "hierophany", an
experience of the sacred. 
 
     Practically all of these experiences involve altered states
of perception, in terms of an altered sense of time and an
altered sense of space.  And we all have these understandings. 
For example, to most of us a tree is a tree.  But what about the
tree that you had your treehouse in when you were a little kid? 
That tree is special.  There is no other tree like that tree
anywhere else in the world.  It is sacred.  A funeral home -- you
see them on every other street corner; they're just a building. 
Except the funeral home that you attended your grandfather's
funeral in.  You walk into that funeral home and space seems
different.  It is charged with a meaning that normal space -- a
normal other funeral home -- does not have. 
 
     Time is the same way; the sense of time can change. 
Anniversaries, celebrations of New Year's, celebrations like that
take us back to a time that's kind of outside of time, if you
will.  And once again, charges that time with a special meaning. 
Time may even seem to pass differently.  I think for me the best
expression of this has always been in fairy tales.  When somebody
goes into the next world, the world of faery, and experiences the
passage of time differently. 
 
     So all of these -- what Mircea Eliade calls "hierophanies"
-- all of them have to do with altered states of perception,
which include both time and space.  This is remarkably similar,
by the way, to Dion Fortune's famous definition of magick, the
"ability to alter consciousness at will".  We're obviously
talking about the same kind of thing here. 
 
     Most hierophanies, the great majority of them, are
individual.  They are personal.  Whether it's watching a sunset,
visiting a sacred place, walking up to Stonehenge and standing in
the center of it (and having the same feeling you had as you
stood in your last magic Circle), this is sacred space.  This is
an individual and personal experience.  But these religious
experiences can also be shared.  It happens when we sing the
national anthem.  It happens when we sing the old school song. 
It happens when a group of us gets together to go see a dramatic
or theatrical presentation.  In this case, we open ourselves
collectively to an experience of the sacred.  Which again is what
a sacramental rite is all about. 
 
     One other interesting thing about these experiences is that
it is almost universally experienced that the high charge of
meaning that is found in the rite is experienced as "discovered"
or "encountered".  It sort of dawns upon you.  "Oh wow!  That's
what this is all about!  Yeah, I get it now!"  It's not something
that is artificially enforced on the ritual from the outside.  It
should grow organically from the ritual. 
 
     It's interesting to note that in Judeo-Christian tradition,
this sacredness is quite often found in history.  In the
historical development of a God that interacts with a "chosen
people" throughout a period of history.  Whereas in Pagan
theology, sacredness is most usually found not in history but in
nature.  That every tree, every rock, everything is alive, that
you can get in touch with it, that it has a magical and sacred
essence and you can interact with that, and get in touch with the
Cosmos as a whole through that. 
 
     It's interesting to note, too, that because of this the
Judeo-Christian tradition places a very strong emphasis on sacred
writings, or scripture.  Whereas many of the old Pagan religions
-- taking the old Druid religion as a fine example -- made it
forbidden to write down sacred material.  Druids teach it, bards
sing it, dancers dance it -- but you don't write it.  They
realized it was too sacred for that.  So we have these very
definite distinctions in terms of how we've approached these
sorts of things. 
 
     Another way of looking at a ritual is this:  Most of us are
familiar with the way a myth takes the values and beliefs of a
religion and embodies them in story form.  A ritual takes the
values and beliefs of a religion and embodies them in actions. 
That's why quite often a ritual is a myth enacted.  Ritual drama,
for example. 
 
     As I said at the beginning, I think many Pagans are aware of
how Christians have borrowed from us in terms of calendar
customs, and how they've borrowed our gods to use as their
saints.  But we've seldom examined how the Christian religion has
borrowed our sacred rites.  They have.  The Catholic Church now
recognizes seven official sacraments.  And virtually all of them
-- or at least six of them -- have Pagan origins. 
 
     First of all, the rite called "Baptism".  That's the first
ecclesial ritual in the Roman Catholic Church.  Or "Christening",
as it's sometimes called.  It turns out once again that
practically every "primitive" culture has similar rites of
blessing of a child.  In ancient, pre-Christian, Pagan Celtic
society, there was a similar rite.  It had to do with sprinkling
a child with water, passing the child through the smoke of a
fire, passing it through a hole in a stone or else touching it to
the earth (getting in all the elements here), and quite often
passing the child around a circle, handing the baby around so
that each person in the circle gets to hold it for a short time. 
If you want descriptions of this taken from people who seem to
remember these pre-Christian ceremonies, look at the work of
folklorist Alexander Carmichael in the six-volume set, the
"Carmina Gaedelica".  Some of these rites had been Christianized,
of course, even at the time Carmichael was taking them down.  But
a lot of their Pagan origins are still very clear.
 
     In Pagan Celtic society, by the way, this rite was called a
"seining".  Which I would like to propose as a much better term
for this kind of rite in Paganism than the more recently coined
word "Wiccaning".  I oppose that terminology for two reasons. 
One, it's obviously a word that was coined recently to be a
counterpart to the term "Christening".  So the word itself is not
historically attested.  Secondly, think of what it implies!  When
you "Christen" a child, you are introducing it into the body of
Christ, the Church.  You are making it a Christian.  I don't
think that any Witch thinks that "Wiccaning" a child is making
that child a Witch!  I've never heard any Pagan put it that way. 
At the very most, you are blessing the child, asking the gods'
protection for this child "so that no harm comes to the child, or
to anyone else through the child" (as it is commonly expressed)
until such a time as that child is able to choose its own
religion.  We do not attempt to make that choice for the child. 
It is simply a rite of blessing and protection.  Strangely
enough, that is exactly what the word "seining" means.  And
therefore I think it's much better than the alternative
"Wiccaning". 
 
     The Christian religion also has a sacrament called the
"Eucharist".  By the way, if ever anybody challenges you that the
Christian religion doesn't employ magic, take a look at what the
Catholic Church has to say about the sacrament of the Eucharist,
or what they call "the blessed sacrament" -- THE blessed
sacrament.  The official term for what happens is
"transubstantiation" -- that the priest actually has the power to
turn common bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus!  If
that isn't a magical act, I don't know what one is!  Although the
Church would be loath to use the word "magic" in this context. 
But we certainly understand what it's all about. 
 
     The idea of blessing food and drink, however, once again
seems to be one of those universal rites.  When people sit down
to a shared dinner, a common meal, it is a rite of inclusion. 
Even in the early Christian Church, you were not allowed to
partake in the Eucharistic meal unless you were already a member
of that church.  So the fact that in the Wiccan tradition you
share "cakes and ale" would imply an inclusion in the membership
of that group.  And of course, there are all the symbolic
associations of food as sustenance. 
 
     We also have the sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic
Church.  Which always sounded strange to me when I was growing
up.  You know, you're twelve years old now, and it's time for you
to be "confirmed".  It's almost like up until then you were only
"tentative".  (LAUGHTER)  But now you're confirmed.  What it
really meant, though, was the person was supposedly old enough by
now to make a free choice (cough) of which religion they wanted
to belong to.  And the bishop --  You'll notice here, by the way,
that the proper minister for this rite is the bishop, not the
priest.  Although it is possible for a bishop to delegate the
power to a priest.  But the bishop comes and confirms you into
this religion.  Again, we have so many rites from so many Pagan
systems that this seems to based on that are usually referred to
as "initiation" ceremonies, or rites of passage, rites of
adulthood.  When finally the child is brought fully into the
religious and social (in most primitive societies, they are the
same) structure of the society and is now seen to be a full
adult.  So any first degree initiation could serve as a model for
what the Catholic Church came to call Confirmation. 
 
     Ordination.  This is a right that ONLY a bishop can perform,
in the Catholic Church.  Only a bishop can make a priest.  You'll
notice that when we look at how initiation rites are
traditionally done in Wicca, any priest or priestess can make
another priest or priestess.  And quite often, it looks like in
the oldest rites, it also involved a kind of "laying on of
hands".  There was an imposition of hands that occurred in the
Catholic tradition, as well.  And until that time, a novice
priest was actually told that it would be wrong or DANGEROUS for
him to perform some of the priestly functions unless he had been
made a priest! 
 
     And there were all sorts of stories in the old days that
only a priest could touch the consecrated elements.  Only a
priest's hands -- only consecrated hands -- could touch the
vessels that held the consecrated elements: the chalice, the
monstrance, the ciborium, and so forth.  This almost implies to
me, though it's never quite stated in this way, but it almost
seems like there is some sort of real, tangible, psychic energy
that is present. 
 
     I remember being regaled with stories when I was a little
kid going to a Catholic school where the nuns would tell these
wonderful stories about how some poor person was kneeling at the
altar rail waiting to receive Communion, and the priest comes
along to administer Communion, and drops the Host.  And the poor
person reaches out to try to catch it, and at the first touch of
this consecrated object, there is a tremendous flash of
lightning, and the person is now a little pile of ashes on the
altar carpet. (LAUGHTER) 
 
     I don't think it's quite like that.  But what it may be
saying is that some of these powers, even within magical
traditions or Pagan traditions, are tangible and do carry some
sort of psychic clout.  I don't think lightning is going to flash
out of the sky and reduce you to cinders.  But what we're saying
is a metaphor, really, that there may be some kind of psychic
backlash if you attempt to wield these magical energies before
your training has been finished, before you're ready to handle
them, before you understand what you're doing.  In the same way
that a good psychotherapy session, if it uncovers too much
garbage from your subconscious, can throw you backward if you're
not ready to deal with the stuff that's dredged up. 
 
     For those of you who believe there is some sort of validity
to the concept of "apostolic succession", the imposition of
hands, it also may imply that, when one priest or priestess makes
another priest or priestess, she is passing on a kind of MAGICAL
SHIELDING as well.  A protection, so that you will be able to
handle these magical powers without any ill effect.  For those of
you who believe that the initiation tradition is valid.  Again,
if you want to see Pagan examples of that, look at some of the
work done by Alexander Carmichael.  There is a rite called a
"shielding" where one person kneels, while a second person puts
one hand under their knees and the other hand over their head and
says "Everything that is between my two hands is protected and
seined by the Mother".  The Goddess has control of everything in
this sphere.  It's a passing on of this shielding, that until you
have, it might be dangerous for you to experiment with these
powers.  IF you believe that's a valid idea.  (We'll get into
questions of validity in just a minute.) 

     The Christian tradition of marriage, of course...  Well, in
every society that we know of, we have rituals that talk about
people getting together.  However, ever since the Judeo-Christian
system has come along, we've been firmly locked into only one way
of viewing marriage -- a monogamous way of viewing marriage, for
one thing -- with very little latitude in terms of variability. 
If you look at the Pagan idea of Handfasting, if you go back to
the Irish pre-Christian brehon laws, you will find that they talk
about at least ten different forms of what we today call
marriage.  These forms include such things as marriage between
two people of the same gender, marriage of more than two people
(what today we would call a "group marriage"), marriages that
only last for a "year and a day" or some other specified time
(what today we might call a "trial marriage"), marriages that did
not demand sexual exclusivity (what today we would call "open
marriage"), "contract marriage", the woman keeping her own name,
pre-nuptial and post-nuptial property arrangements.  (If you've
ever read about the great pillow-talk argument between Queen
Maeve and King Aillil about who had the most property, you know
what I'm talking about!)

     You know, it's fascinating to think that all of the
so-called marriage innovations that occurred in the 1960's, that
we thought were so mind-bogglingly new... nope!  They were all
there in the old Pagan form of this rite.  They were *standard*,
until the Christian form of marriage with its single theme, its
monogamous monotheistic vision, it's vision of the one right and
only way to do something, came along and knocked the older one
aside.  But again, the Pagan origins are obvious. 
 
     The ecclesial sacrament called "Last Rites"...  We have all
sorts of what we call "death blessings" in the Gaelic Pagan
traditions, to send the spirit on its way.  For each person who
dies, there is one particular person assigned to be the leader of
these rites who from that time on is known as the dead person's
"soul friend".  This is the one who will carry out the rituals,
remember them when Samhain comes around, set out the extra places
at the table, etc.  We perhaps have less historical data on the
Last Rite theme than we have for certain other themes that we're
talking about here.  But it is still there.  And again a
reference to some of the early folklorists. 
 
     The one modern Christian sacrament that I cannot really find
an exact parallel for in terms of a pre-Christian precursor in
Paganism is the sacrament the Roman Catholic Church calls
"Penance", or "Confession".  Isn't that interesting?  The whole
sacrament has to do with confessing your sins to a priest, who
then absolves you of the sins.  It is a whole thing of guilt, and
release from guilt.  Yes? 
 
Morning Glory:  There were blood guilt rituals, because if you
caused an accidental or even on-purpose death, you had to pay a
wyrguild to the family.  In the New World, the Aztecs had a thing
where if you caused the death of someone, you became a surrogate
for that person.  So there were things like that. 
 
Mike Nichols:  Okay, good point.  I can think of an Irish example
of that, now that you mention it.  The Chucullain legend is a
good example.  Chucullain, who was originally Setanta,
accidentally on purpose kills this very ferocious dog, and walks
up to the gate-keeper and says, "I've killed your dog and I would
like to replace him."  And the gate-keeper says "Fine, there go
some cats.  Get busy."  (LAUGHTER)  I think that's where that
joke started. 
 
Morning Glory:  Samhain was also a time -- and Walpurgisnacht,
especially Walpurgisnacht -- was a time when you took stuff from
that year and purged it in the fire.  And you would have to then
go and get it straight with any other people inside the Circle
that you shared.

Mike Nichols:  I noticed that in a lot of the Pagan traditions,
the purging of one's "guilt" (and I think we're very misguided to
use the term "guilt" here)...

Morning Glory:  Responsibility.

Mike Nichols:  Responsibility, right -- is a matter of making
recompense to the person or persons who were wronged.  It's not a
matter of carrying around a guilt trip until somebody says "Okay,
if you'll go through this ritual, you will be absolved."
(unidentified):  A couple of things I've run into recently, one
was in a work of fiction.  These three young girls rob this woman
who later turns out to be a Witch.  It's on this psychic journey
where they have the bodies of these 12th century people.  And one
ends up a peasant.  And he couldn't help but notice these weird
little Pagan things that kept cropping up that these people had
kept for centuries.  And one of the things was that on the first
day of Spring, the village priest preached a sermon that "dancing
leads to damnation".  Apparently, on the first day of Spring, all
the peasants would go out and dance everything out.  And that
would really help them out.  It got rid of all the pains of the
Winter, someone had been murdered, and a baby had died of
starvation.

Otter Zell:  There was a common form that I can't identify
specifically, but it's a theme I've come across in a lot of
anthropological studies.  But it's the basis of what we call, not
a "trial" really, but more like "mediation".  If there's a
conflict between parties about something or if someone feels
they've been wronged by someone, then the parties would be
brought together within the community of people, and everybody
would have to tell their stories.  Then they would ask them "What
do you think would be a fair settlement?  What do you think would
be fair?"  And this was just talked out in the context of the
community of people, until everything was worked out to
everyone's satisfaction.  And we've used this ourselves in our
Circle under such situations, and it's been incredibly effective,
very powerful.

     And the ultimate, if this could not be worked out, there
were several ways of dealing with it.  The heaviest one was
generally banishment, where the person would simply be sent away. 
And the next heaviest one would probably be ostracism, where the
person would not be spoken to.  He would be ignored, they'd
pretend he didn't exist for a period of time.  Highly effective. 
Of course, the more simple and basic ones would be working out
appropriate compensation that everyone would be satisfied with. 
So there were these procedures, but it wasn't the same thing as
"guilt".  The concept of "sin" and "guilt", and the idea that you
could go to a priest instead of the person you'd wronged, and
that the priest could absolve your soul of guilt.  And we still
have that today, where you go to a trial, and the judge finds you
"guilty" and he fines you or sends you to jail, but the person
who's been fucked over is still fucked over.  (LAUGHTER)

Morning Glory:  They don't get their money back that you stole. 
It goes to the State, for some odd reason.  

Mike Nichols:  Exactly.  These are things that I think we all
ought to think about.  What I'm trying to do in the first part of
this presentation is to focus your attention on how we might be
able to look at Christian liturgical rites to find information
about their predecessors as to how they might have been done in
Pagan societies.  Because all of these things we've talked about,
the so-called "seven sacraments of the Catholic Church -- if you
look for data that Jesus himself instituted these things, you
look practically in vain.  Where in the world did the Church come
up with these things?

     A great example of this, by the way (and it's an example I
use in my class quite often) is this.  For a long time, after I
decided that I was going to be Pagan, I quit going to the
Catholic Church because it didn't interest me.  It might have
been a mistake.  One year while I was at college, I was home for
Spring break (it was Easter) and my mother dragged me along to a
service that happens on the Saturday night right before Easter,
"Holy Saturday" -- which has to be one of the most liturgically
rich occasions of the Church calendar.  (If you want to see it
even richer, take a look at the Orthodox traditions, the Greek
and Russian Orthodox.  They *really* know liturgics.)  At any
rate...

     I had forgotten how the Catholic Church blesses the holy
water that it's going to be using in the coming liturgical year. 
But what happens, roughly, is this.  The holy water font, which
is usually in the porch or vestibule of the church, is brought up
into the sanctuary and placed near the altar.  And at one point
in this particular Mass, the priest walks over to this large
candle which is called the Pascal Candle.  It is in place
throughout the Easter season.  It has little herbs stuck in it
and so forth.  He takes this candle out of its holder, walks over
to the holy water or Baptismal font (which looks, from my point
of view, remarkably like a large cauldron), and holds the candle
over the font, and starts doing *this* with it.  (demonstrates by
plunging the vertical candle in and out of the holy water font) 
(GASPS OF RECOGNITION AND LAUGHTER)

(unidentified):  You're kidding!

Mike Nichols:   I'm NOT kidding.  And after having studied
Paganism, and I saw that, it was like I was seeing it for the
first time.  And I looked to the right and to the left to see if
anybody else, you know, realized what was going on.  I mean, I
thought "Aren't there any *Freudians* in the audience?!?!" 
(LAUGHTER)  There was not one flicker of recognition, not one
flutter of an eyelid!  I could not believe it!

     And I knew there and then that obviously the Catholic Church
had not picked this up from Jesus.  Where had the Catholic Church
learned to bless water?  From us.  And where had the Catholic
Church learned to do a lot of other stuff?  From us.  So, I think
it is richly rewarding for us to take a look at what they have
done in terms of liturgics.

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  "Pagans take back the rite!"  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  Exactly!!  Exactly.  I like that!  That'll be the
title of my new book!  (LAUGHTER)

Morning Glory:  There's another aspect of that, too, with the
Host, the idea of consuming the body of the God.  Sacred
cannibalism was certainly a factor that this came from.  The
eating of the pressed grains of Dammuzi or Tammuz, the Green Man,
the vegetation god, and the eating of the body of the god, that's
definitely ours.  Jesus was pretty much captured into the Tammuz
cycle, and much that we're working with is still in there.

Mike Nichols:  I absolutely agree.  And you'll notice that in all
this discussion we've only covered the seven basic ecclesial
rites of the Church.  We're not even talking yet about all the
little incidental things the Church calls "sacramentals", like
the blessing of holy objects, the consecration of a church altar,
the consecration of the church building.  Where did the
blueprint, where did the pattern for a lot of these rites come
from?

Morning Glory:  Oh, on that note!  The pattern of the church
building itself.  The idea of having a temple where you did your
worshipping on the ground floor, and the basement is where you
bury your dead, that is a universal ancient custom.  And it's the
same whether it's Chartres Cathedral or the so-called "palace of
Knosis", which is a necropolis, actually.

Otter Zell:  You know, another thing that appears to me to be a
sacrament is the concept of purification.  And somewhere during
the course of what you're saying, I was reminded of a custom of
the purification of people who had returned from a war in ancient
Pagan cultures.  They basically had to pass through the holy
women who, by making love with them, would purify and renew them
and "take the war out of them".  There have been some articles on
this recently.

Morning Glory:  There is a great book out now called "The Woman
Who Slept with Men and Took the War Out of Them".  It's by some
famous feminist that you've all heard of, and I can't remember
her name right now.

Mike Nichols:  Sounds good!  Okay, let's move on into the area of
liturgical theology.  What we've been talking about so far is
liturgical history, the development of liturgical rites, and how
I believe we must focus more attention on that historical
development.  But now let's take a look at liturgical theology,
where we can start splitting theological hairs -- which is always
so much fun!

     There are so many questions that have plagued Pagans for a
long time, and I was *delighted* to find that some of these same
questions had plagued the Christians down through the years.  And
it was fascinating to see what they had to say about it.  Some of
the greatest minds of the Catholic Church from St. Augustan to
Thomas Aquinas, whatever other horrible things they may have done
along the way, had some fascinating things to say about these
issues.

     For example, why are some rituals done only once, like a
seining, whereas other rituals are repeated over and over again?
Take the Magic Circle itself, there doesn't seem to be any limit
on how many times you can do it.  Let's look at one possible
answer.  (But again, I'm gonna throw out more questions than
answers here.)  But one possible answer is that certain rituals,
if properly done (whatever *that* means, and we'll get to that in
a minute), have a *permanent* effect on the person who undergoes
them.  A permanent effect, an "indelible mark" as the old
catechism says, that cannot be erased.

     Now, the question of how a ritual is to be done.  How do you
know if a ritual has been done properly?  For example, does a
ritual have an effect if there are no outwardly observable signs? 
Any of you who have ever performed an initiation rite, I think
this has occurred to you.  What happens if the initiation is all
done, and the person sits there saying "I don't feel any
different.  Am I supposed to?  Has anything happened to me?"  And
you will occasionally find people who have been High Priests and
High Priestesses for quite a few years, who will perhaps talk
more freely about it than others, and among themselves they will
talk about whether an initiation "took".  Did it "take"?  Some of
them will say that after an initiation has been completed, the
rite was performed, the energies are set in motion, but it may
not "take" until after another month, and so forth.  That it may
eventually take, but not right when the initiation was done.  But
the energies are there.

     Would you believe the same questions have been wrestled with
by the Catholic Church?  Especially in the early days of
Christianity when the rite of Baptism was an adult rite, and it
meant that the person was supposed to entirely change their
outward behavior, totally give up certain things, and start
believing certain things.  What if a person went through a
Baptism, which is supposedly a magical rite--  In those days,
Baptism and Confirmation were virtually the same rite, and could
only be done once because it was supposed to be effective the
first time.  Remember the whole question of the "heresy" of the
Re-Baptists was on this precise point.  If a person was baptized,
that supposedly made them a Christian, which would supposedly end
their career of "sin", in the eyes of the Catholic Church.  But
what if they went out and sinned again?  What if they murdered
someone?  Should they get re-baptized?

     The Catholic Church said no, they should not be re-baptized
because one Baptism is sufficient.  The energies are already in
place, but it didn't "take".  But only one per customer for the
rite itself.  Now, it may be that the person was not "spiritually
disposed" to receive the energies generated by the sacramental
rite.  There was some blockage, something stopping them from
being receptive.  We don't know what this is.  That is perhaps
one of the reasons the ritual of Penance developed the way it
did.  Because what do you do with a person who has sinned and yet
wants to come back into the body of the Church?  (By the way,
certain people like the Donatists thought once they've sinned,
they're *out*.  We *don't* allow them back in.)

(unidentified):  My background was Fundamentalist, so I was
baptized in the river at about 12.  And every time I would leave
and come back for a visit, all these people would want me to re-
dedicate myself, come up and be re-baptized.  Now, is that just a
variation of the tradition?  I'm trying to figure this out.

Mike Nichols:  Yes, it is a variation.  When the Protestant
Reformation occurred, one of the things that was most held up to
scrutiny, in fact, was the way the Catholic Church approached the
whole question of sacramental rites.  One of the chief questions
(which we'll get to in a minute) is whether or not the
"worthiness" of the minister is an effective variable in the rite
itself.  Does a priest in a state of sin--  What if a priest has
gone out and murdered somebody?  He is in a state of mortal sin,
supposedly cut off from God and the Church.  What if he then
baptizes somebody?  Is that Baptism sacred?  Is it valid?  Or, as
a Pagan may put it, is the power in the person doing the ritual,
or is the power in the ritual?  I think all of us have wondered
this, right?
     I'll be talking about what some of the various Church
Councils have ruled on matters of liturgical theology in a
minute.  But in this particular instance, the Catholic Church
decided that the power was in the rite, in the ritual itself.  It
didn't matter whether or not the person conducting the ritual was
in a state of grace or a state of sin.  This is one of the things
that Martin Luther took exception to.  He felt that the spiritual
"health", if you will, of the person performing the ceremony was
a variable in how effective the ceremony was.  And I'll show you
in a minute why the Catholic position disagreed with that.

Morning Glory:  The thing about the Fundamentalist attitude about
Baptism, it's not a one per customer attitude.  And a lot of that
has to do with the concept that's called "Baptism of the Holy
Ghost", which is an ecstatic experience that is repeatedly craved
and repeatedly done.  It's like raising the power.  So their
attitude about Baptism is not that this is a sacralizing agent as
much as it is an anointing for the purpose of raising power.

Mike Nichols:   Let me ask you a question based on that.  If a
person undergoes a rite of Baptism and doesn't experience this
influx of whatever, Holy Spirit, then is it assumed that they
were not baptized?

Morning Glory:  Not by the Holy Ghost.  If you don't speak in
tongues, then you didn't get the Holy Ghost.  And that's the sign
of it.  And they'll keep at it until you get it.

Mike Nichols:  Ah!  Okay, very good.  The reason this ran into
problems in the Catholic Church was because of the many priests
who were declared to be heretical, in the Albigensens movement,
the Cathari movement, etc.  What happens if a priest, an
*excommunicant* priest, performs a Baptism?  Is that Baptism
valid?

     The Catholic Church said yes, for a number of reasons. 
First of all, they developed two concepts: validity as opposed to
legality.  The sacrament, or the rite itself, was considered
VALID in that it produced the desired effect on the person.  Even
if a person came from a heretical sect into the Church, they were
not re-baptized.  The Baptism only needed to occur once.  It left
an indelible mark on that person's spirit or soul.  It didn't
have to be re-done, right?  However, that Baptism was ILLEGAL
from the point of view of Canon Law.  The Canon lawyers, the
people who codified the ritual structure of the Catholic Church,
would say that this was a VALID but ILLEGAL (or illicit) rite. 
The priest had no legal right to perform that ceremony.

     By the way, in the Catholic Church, under certain special
conditions, anybody can baptize, including (are you ready for
this?) a non-Christian!  In cases of emergency.

Morning Glory:  Oh, for Last Rites and stuff!

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  Interestingly enough, in the house I
grew up in, the crucifix opened up, and it had all the
paraphernalia in it for Last Rites.

Mike Nichols:  Which raises some interesting questions for
Pagans.  You know, Whitley Streiber recently told that wonderful
story about how he was taken by this group of people to perform
some sort of "witchcraft" ceremony, and it turned out these
people were Fundamentalists in disguise who did something
horrible to a goat, sacrificed it or something, and went through
this whole thing...  Let's say, for some reason, that some Fundie
took it upon herself to portray the role of a Pagan priestess and
took somebody through a Pagan initiation.  Is it valid?  What if
they copied the rites exactly out of whoever, Starhawk, Adler,
Farrar, Gardner, whoever?

(unidentified):  "Valid but illegal".  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  What if the person who undergoes the rite has a
wonderful experience?  Let me suggest to you how the Catholic
Church responded to that.  It is valid for the same reason that a
Baptism performed even by a non-Christian is valid because the
person who confers the effects of the rite is not the minister,
but God!  So in this case, we could say it is the Goddess, or
Whoever, who bestows that feeling on the initiate of having been
initiated.  And the minister's part was negligible.
     But that leads us into other problems, doesn't it?  That's
saying that the rite itself, not the minister performing the
rite, is what gets it done.  In the case of the Catholic Church,
this concept was legally defined by the Latin phrase "ex opere
operato", "by the work worked".  In other words, it is the rite
itself, the power was in the ritual, not in the person who
performed the ritual.  Yes, Otter?

Otter Zell:  Well, there's got to be criteria we're dealing with
here.  I mean, the fact that the Church decides what makes it
valid, that seems to be beside the point.  To me, the person who
has to decide is the person who experiences it.  I mean, if you
say "Okay, Domine Domine, you're all Catholics now" and somebody
says "Not me!", then they're *not*... aren't they?  (LAUGHTER)

(unidentified):  If it's the Middle Ages, they're *dead*. 
(LAUGHTER)

Otter Zell:  They used to do that.  The Church would come and
they would just march an entire village through the ford, you
know, and they would say "Now you're all Christians."  And the
people would say, "Wait a minute!  I'm not a Christian.  I'm
going to continue worshipping Thor or Odin or whatever" (because
it was mostly Scandinavian countries they did this to).  How can
you say they're Christians anyway, in spite of the fact they
don't want to be?  I mean, aren't we missing something here?

Mike Nichols:  I think you're right.  And I think the whole focus
of this is to start people thinking on questions about validity,
and legality if it comes to that, in terms of Pagan rites.  I am
not for a moment suggesting we follow the Christian precedent in
these matters.  But they can indicate questions we need to think
about in terms of what *our* response to that, as Pagans, should
be.

     Here's another example.  If the rite *itself* is
effective...  I bet any of you have gone through this.  You have
a student and you're teaching the student to do a ritual, right? 
How to cast a Circle for the first time.  (Where's the sun? 
Okay...)  Start in the North, start with your Sword, and say
"Okay, student, now *do this*!  'Oh thou Circle, be thou a
meeting place--'  And you walk the thing out for them.  You come
back around to where you were and you say "Okay, did you see
that?  That's how you cast a Circle."  And then you go "Wait a
minute!  Did I just cast a Circle?"  We've all thought about
that.  Morning Glory?

Morning Glory:  Yes, but, yes, but when I have done this, or when
I do a demonstration at all, I don't put the power out.  You can
even say the words, or you can walk it out, but you don't put the
astral fire down.  You don't lay down the astral fire.  Unless
you're showing someone how to lay the astral fire down, in which
case...

Mike Nichols:  You're doing it.  (LAUGHTER)  Well, the same
question arose in the Catholic Church, and the answer is
remarkably similar.  It came up this way.  If a priest was
teaching a novice priest how to say Mass, how to perform the
Eucharist, and he actually pronounces the words of consecration,
and unbeknownst to him there is a small crumb of bread on the
table in front of him, is that now a holy crumb?  Because the
Catholic Church had by now decided, remember, that the power was
in the ritual itself rather than in the person.  So if the ritual
is done correctly, the proper words are said (and we'll get into
that in a minute, too: What are the proper words?  What are the
proper gestures?), that crumb now is "the body and blood of
Christ", isn't it?

     Again, this took a lot of quibbling, but before it was all
over the Catholic Church decided no, that crumb would NOT be the
body of Christ because of one little thing that was left out. 
One thing that the minister does have to supply:
"intentionality".  Intent!  The person performing the rite has to
have the intent to be performing this sacred, magical rite.  This
was also true, by the way, of that non-Christian who was
baptizing somebody.  If the non-Christian was doing it as a joke,
it would not be considered valid.  However, if a non-Christian
sincerely wanted to baptize somebody else as a Christian, and had
that intent, and did the rite with all of its elements properly,
that person was, in the eyes of the Catholic Church, baptized. 
Otter?

Otter Zell:  Now, here's a question that concerns a lot of us
Pagans directly.  A lot of us, when we were newborn babies and
unable to speak in our own best interests, were baptized. 
(LAUGHTER)  So, now, theoretically, once you're baptized, you're
a Christian.  Well, uh...  How do you deal with that?  I know I'm
not a Christian.  I sure don't feel like a Christian.

Morning Glory:  It's like getting a tattoo removed, or something. 
(LAUGHTER)

Otter Zell:  Is there any way to get un-baptized?  I mean, what
do you do about that?

Dix:  Even if you go through, as I did, a free-choice baptism,
when you weren't screaming and protesting, then later on you
decide that this is all bullshit, it doesn't exist, I don't
believe in this stuff any more.  Now maybe you're still a
Christian in the eyes of the Church, but that doesn't matter any
difference, because I don't care about the Church.

(unidentified):  Right, I was just wondering, is there some way
the Church could recognize an way of un-baptizing yourself?  

(unidentified):  There is.  Sitting through their boring rituals. 
(LAUGHTER)

Otter Zell:  But if you're not a Christian anymore,...  I mean,
there has to be some way of dealing with that.

(unidentified):  Otter, in whose eyes are you not a Christian? 
In your eyes or their eyes?  And at what point do their eyes
start mattering to you?  Whatever they consider has no bearing on
you.

Otter Zell:  It's not a matter so much of whose eyes.  I'm just
kind of wondering, from the point of view of magical stuff, you
know, how one would interpret this.  I mean, I know I'm not a
Christian and I'll certainly be happy to argue the case with any
of you that might wish to do so.  But from a purely magical,
ritual perspective, if this magical ritual is done that has this
effect--  *Does* it have this effect?  Do all these people who
were baptized, does that make them Christian?  Or is it just
bullshit?

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  Look at it this way, Otter.  They stole
almost everything from us anyway, so what difference does it
make?  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  (laughing)  What you are doing, and what we're all
doing here, is beginning to develop questions about Pagan
liturgical theology.  We are breaking new ground here, is what I
think.  Well, I hope the word structure, if it has to be used at
all, is used very advisedly.  I think Otter has already suggested
one possible Pagan response to this question, and that is that
the validity depends to some extent on the person upon whom the
rite is performed.  That's one possibility.  But what are all the
ramifications of this response, this theological stance?  Okay,
there was somebody over here, yes?

(unidentified):  One point about what the Church was doing is
that they had no competition.  People were not given a choice,
and the Church had the military to back them up.  So that when
they said "This village is now Christian," they *knew* that that
village was not Christian.  But they knew that, with no
information and no rituals allowed or anything, that the great-
grandkids would probably be Christian.  Eventually they would be
assimilated into what they wanted, into the type of person they
wanted, because any radical would be killed.

(unidentified):  I think you could make an analogy between
becoming un-Christian and getting a divorce.  When I got my
divorce, I didn't have a special ritual for that, but I needed
that, that sense of closure, that sense of separation in a ritual
form.  And I think that could be developed very easily.  And I
think that also could apply to becoming un-baptized.

Mike Nichols:  Good.  This whole things raises a very important
question just from the psychological point of view for most
Pagans.  Do we *need* an un-Christening rite?

(unidentified):  From my viewpoint, when I was getting baptized,
for some reason I swear to God I thought he was going to drown
me, and I came up halfway through the "Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost" which he snarled at me later for.  So I sorta screwed up
mine whether I knew it or not.

(unidentified):  On the question of Baptism, in the Christian
church, in a metaphysical sense, Baptism is not all that's
required for salvation.  It must still be worked out within the
Christian faith.  If you do not work it out, then the Baptism is
a ritual that has not been fulfilled.  It's the fulfillment that
makes you a Christian or not.

Mike Nichols:  That's exactly right.  Good point.  Ellen?

Anahita:  I have two things to say.  One,
regarding my Baptism, I had the opposite experience.  I mean, I
took swimming lessons, and they'd all prepared us, and I was
ready to go under and hold my breath and come out transformed. 
And they did it so casually and so intellectually, it was like,
okay this is enough.  And the tip of my nose didn't go under! 
(laughing)  My Achilles heel is the tip of my nose!  So this is
where I got to be Pagan!  (LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

     The other thing had to do with a Pagan ritual that we did
that might have some applications in this, where we just recently
formed a Circle from a Circle that had existed previously.  And
we did a ritual to very gently and caringly disband the other
Circle in the best possible light and bring all the good things
in.  I would hate to see a Pagan ritual that just cancelled
somebody's past, because however you come into Paganism is what
you were, in toto, including your Baptism.  And what many of us
are mentioning, our religious experiences contribute to our
ability to relate to the Goddess as a Pagan, because that's who
you are.  And if it was a fantastic Baptism, then so be it.  I
mean, I've had screaming, crying, evangelical services, and
that's how I learned about spiritual ecstacy.

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  You know where they got that from.  They
stole it from Voudoun, historically.

Anahita:  They stole it from every place.  But it
was a real experience, you know, and that's your basis for
comparison.

Mike Nichols:  Let me comment on that point.  One of the big
educational experiences I've had recently--  One of my dear
friends here in Kansas City is someone you've all seen here in
the last few days, Rhiannon, the one who stood on the chair-- 
She's a High Priestess that I respect with all my heart and love
very much as a good friend, but we had never actually worked
together until relatively recently.  And I was astounded at the
difference in our approach.  She, coming from a very Protestant
background, encourages you at every point in the ritual to speak
from your heart, practically never do anything the same way
twice.  You know, you go to the Watchtower and invoke it using
words that come into your head at that moment, etc.  Me, with my
stolidly Roman Catholic background, doing the same rituals and
the same repetitive patterns almost mantra-like time after time
and expecting the same results.

     We'll get into, if we have time, the pros and cons of these
two approaches.  Obviously, both of them valid approaches, right? 
Both of them seem to work for each of us.  Vastly different.  And
obviously conditioned by our original religious upbringing.  Yes?

Morning Glory:  I want to bring up this question of validity
again.  If you were initiated by a particular Alexandrian couple
who shall remain nameless, as many friends of mine were, and this
Alexandrian couple have repudiated their Craft credentials and
have become born-again Christians, and they're going around on
the circuit with their story of "I was a Pagan"--  All of the
people that those people initiated--  It would be like the
priests who went out and killed someone and then--

Mike Nichols:  Or perhaps a better analogy, like the schismatic
bishops who split away from the Church and continue to ordain new
priests.  Are those valid priests?
Morning Glory:  Exactly.  Yes.  Well, that is an issue that we as
Pagans need to think about.

Mike Nichols:  You know, in all of this discussion,  I am working
from the premise that we are at too early a stage to formulate
answers.  But I think it's high time we started articulating the
questions.

Anahita:  Well, I can speak to that a little bit,
too.  I just went to the 20th anniversary ritual for NROOD.  And
I was amazed, because I had a lot of contact with them about 13
years ago when they were a seven year old religion.  And the
*changes* that they have gone through in 20 years, I'm here to
tell you, are just really amazing!  I mean, they were light and
free and it's so wonderful!  Now, it's like, a lot of dogma.  It
*was* a wonderful ritual and a wonderful time was had by all. 
But they had changed some things in a very valid way, something
that didn't work and was probably better this way.  But 13 years
ago, it was "Oh, those!  Name it:  Alexandrians, Gardnerians,
Orthodox Druids, whatever!  You just have to have enough stars in
your hat to hang out with them."  Well, now, guess what?  You
have to have enough stars in your hat to hang out with NROOD! 
(LAUGHTER)  I mean, it's just really amazing.  So, we can ask
questions till we're blue in the face, but the answers are gonna
be different in five years.

Mike Nichols:  I hope that somebody chronicles those changes as
they go.  They're going to be fascinating.  Let me throw out
another important question of liturgical theology.  Is there a
way to *botch* a Pagan ritual so that it is non-valid or non-
effective, so that it doesn't work or *worse*, causes some kind
of magical boomerang effect that causes some sort of detriment?

     For example, what if you teach somebody how to invoke the
Watchtowers, and you only tell them about three of them?  What's
gonna happen in the Circle when they only invoke three?  Is
anything?  Does it matter?  Does anything matter?  (LAUGHTER)  I
mean, does it, are there certain things that have to be there? 
Are there certain elements?

     From the perspective of the Catholic Church, for example, a
Baptism had to have certain specific components to be valid.  A
certain set of materials had to be present: the water, the salt
to put on the baby's tongue, etc.; a certain set of words had to
be present; the minister who performed it had to be a valid
minister (which, in the case of Baptism, could be anyone), and so
forth.

     Let me give you a quick example.  It's been quite a few
years ago, but in my own Coven we were training somebody who was
new as a priestess.  She had actually been instructed correctly
in invoking all four of the Watchtowers but, as it happened, when
she took the four elements around, things were confused that
night.  It was her first ritual.  And, somehow, something got
left out.  And a little bit later, during the Circle, we were
doing some divinatory work, with a Ouija board.  And please!  In
my tradition, we use a Ouija board for divinatory work.  At any
rate, halfway through the ritual, there was some kind of
manifestation which at least a good portion of us saw.  It looked
like a kind of cloudy, dark hand had reached over the planchette. 
(I hate to be telling a bad Ouija board story because they're
maligned enough!)  (LAUGHTER)

     But this kind of cloudy-looking hand reached in over the
Ouija board.  And everybody sort of jumped back like they were
shocked.  And I think most people there were thinking, "What the
heck is that?"  But my first thought (again, maybe because of my
religious upbringing) was "How did that thing get into a
carefully warded Circle?"  There should not *be* any extra energy
or entity in here that we didn't call ourselves, or want!  And I
started going back over the procedure and realized that (in our
system, it is the incense that represents the element of Air)
this particular priestess had not taken the incense around the
Circle at the time of the consecration of the Circle.  So, from a
purely legalistic point or whatever, the Circle had not been
consecrated by the element Air.  Which theoretically would allow
some sort of sylph or air-related entity to get through.  You
know, it wasn't properly warded by all four elements.

     Can you screw up a rite?  I mean, what things *have* to be
present in order for there to *be* a Circle?  And what things can
be left out?  What things can you change?  What things can you
*not* change?  Yes, Carolyn?

Carolyn Clark:  I have a story that relates to that.  One day a
long, long time ago, when I was very, very new to the Craft, I
knew a girl named Michelle who liked to dabble in Ceremonial
Magick.  And I knew a little bit about Ceremonial Magick. 
(Famous words:  "I knew a little bit about Ceremonial Magick.") 
(LAUGHTER)  So we did a Mars ritual.  We did it on the right day,
Tuesday night.  And it was a little bit out in the country
because Michelle was into cultivating certain controlled
substances.  And, in the middle of the ritual, there were red
lights flashing in all the windows, and I thought "Oh, shit! 
It's the fuzz!"  So we hurried up and finished the ritual,
banished the Circle, looked out the window and...  there weren't
any cops there.  There was nobody there.

Mike Nichols:  I think a very *common* experience of this sort,
which most of us probably have experienced in the course of our
magical training at one time or another, is how it feels to be
psychically kicked in the head when power is not correctly
grounded.  (EXCLAMATIONS OF AGREEMENT)  Right?  How many can
relate to that?  Otter?

Otter Zell:  One that I've encountered a number of times in
rituals I've gone to over the years, in particular with a group I
prefer not to mention because Ellen has already done that
(LAUGHTER) is this sort of arbitrary choice of directions. 
"Well, which way feels like East today?"  And I've actually
attended these things where with great pomp and ceremony someone
will face the south and invoke the East.  And then we'll maybe
turn to the west and invoke the South.  You never know where
they're gonna go.

Mike Nichols:  There are actually instructions like that in some
popular book on the Craft.  Is it the Farrars?  It actually says
in it that it doesn't matter where the directions are as long as
everyone agrees upon them.

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  They call that "consensus reality". 
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

Chris:  It also raises the question of basic styles, and various
traditions.  I've been in this situation where I was doing some
chakra work, and this person I was working with just didn't
understand the symbolism.  And I was in pain for days. 

Mike Nichols:  I think the best analogy here is "small child with
chemistry set".  (LAUGHTER)

Morning Glory:  "Talking Wicca Blues", I think, is the final word
on that.  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  Yes, yes!  Okay, but see, all of these questions
all bear on the same point:  What is really necessary for that
ritual to be done effectively (and *safely*, in many cases)? 
What things about a ritual can you change without hurting the
nature of that ritual?  What things can't you change?  Morwen? 
 
Morwen:  I've seen a lot of recipe books and I've seen a lot of
possible recipes for the same dish.  If you're going to be
attending a Circle where you invoke the four quarters, then you'd
better remember to do the correct things at each one, or you
could leave a gap.  Just like if you're baking a cake, you'd
better remember the baking soda, and remember to butter the pan. 
But if you're going to do a Circle where you're not going to do
the quarters, you could invoke the magic Circle without even
thinking about the four directions.  Because you're invoking a
magic Circle based on a different structure. 
 
Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  There was a guy at Pagan Spirit
Gathering whose particular approach to Paganism was to get ideas
from the old Celtic traditions.  And he says he can't find
anything that justifies the invocation of quarters, the quarter
points.  He was convinced there was no such thing as quarter
points in the way the Celts practiced their religion. 
 
Mike Nichols:  I might argue with that, based on their stone
circles and such.  But on the other hand, I'd be willing to bet
that the way quarter points got into modern Wicca was through
ceremonial magick.  I don't think there's any doubt about that. 
 
Morning Glory:  But isn't it interesting that Native Americans
have the same thing in the Medicine Wheel?  It may be that
there's a certain universality in the four quarter points. 
 
Otter Zell:  It also connects with the natural world.  We're all
trained in levels of metaphor and the magic Circle itself is a
metaphor for so many different cycles.  It's a metaphor for any
cycle, and cycles can be broken up in different ways.  But
certainly the four-quarter system works awfully well on a planet
that rotates around its axis, which gives you four directions. 
 
Mike Nichols:  The basic question we're raising here is, can
somebody just create their own ritual system from scratch?  Or
does it have to link up to the real world around us? 
 
Otter Zell:  I've seen certain systems that are just made up out
of whole cloth, and they're presented as valid traditions by the
people who just make them up, and they're just somehow cuckoo. 
They don't feel right.  Remember, there was this anti-astrologer
guy running around, Owen Rachel, and he was anti-magic, and
anti-Pagan and everything else.  So then he came out with this
book of weird astrology, called "Sky Triangles" or something like
that, or "Sky Diamonds".  And it was supposed to be his
astrological system, and it was supposed to be more valid.  And
he just made up this weird bullshit, and none of it made any
sense, and none of it worked.  But he sold a lot of books. 
 
Anahita:  But sometimes you can make up a system
and it *does* work.  And I loved your answer, incidentally, Mike. 
I didn't have to ask my question because you answered it.  The
way you were talking about it was, "In my tradition, it's
important to invoke the four quarters..."  And I thought, "Aha! 
But you can decide to have a Circle that doesn't use four
quarters." 
 
Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  And even when you think you're making
something up from scratch, you find out later that somebody else
thought of it already.  I created a magical ritual based on the
"Silmarilion", which Mike and I actually performed.  And it had
six quarter points.  And I found out later on that some Native
Americans in Oregon and Washington have six.  It was exactly the
same thing that I did.  I had up and down in mine.  I had never
heard of that before.

Otter Zell:  If you understand the concept of how the energy
works, of how the elements of the thing work...  It's like, you
can make up a recipe yourself if you understand how to cook, if
you understand how to season, and so on.  You can get to where
you're making this stuff up and it'll work.  But if you don't
understand the patterns and the elements that well...

Morning Glory:  "Small child with chemistry set".

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  It gives a whole new meaning to "Magic
Chef".  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  Let me bring this back to something here...  As
far as the final determination of the Catholic Church as to what
consists of a valid sacrament, they came up with these things. 
And it might be interesting to at least note them, to see what we
would have to say about them from a Pagan perspective.  But to be
a valid sacramental rite -- And again, this is magic in the views
of the Ca-- I mean, they don't call it magic, but a sacrament to
the Catholic Church is an "effective" ritual, meaning that it has
an actual objective effect.  Magic, in other words.

     So, a rite had to have what was called the proper "matter"
and "form", first of all.  "Matter" pertains to the materials
used, as well as the gestures used.  The "form" had to do with
the words that were spoken.  In magical contexts, you might think
of this as the incantation, that part of the spell which is
spoken.  It had to be performed by the proper minister.  Now,
this could vary depending on the particular rite.  Only a bishop
could ordain a priest, but anyone could perform a Baptism, even
non-Christians.  And finally, it had to have intentionality on
the part of the performing minister.  So, in the view of the
Catholic Church, it is impossible to accidentally, or
inadvertently, perform a sacramental rite.  That is not possible,
from the point of view of Canon law.

     Now, I'm not suggesting that Paganism take this same
approach.  I'm just suggesting that we in the Pagan movement
think about it.  Canon lawyers were then assigned the task of
codifying which things were needed for a particular rite.  Think
of the way rites were elaborated.  You know, a Baptismal rite, in
terms of Canon law, consisted of a very few things.  Actually, it
didn't even include the salt.  Just the pouring of the water, and
the speaking of the words, "I baptize you in the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."  That was sufficient for
the rite.  Now, if you've ever actually gone to a Church Baptism,
you know that it is elaborated endlessly.  This thing can be
carried out for hours if the minister wants to.  But the only
thing that's really *necessary*, the bare minimum requirements
for a valid right, are just those words, and those elements,
performed by the right minister, with proper intention.

     Interestingly enough, when the Catholic Church started doing
this, it led to a kind of minimalist approach in terms of
rituals.  The priests had been taught that the power of the rite
was in the rite itself.  It only needed to have A, B, and C in
order to be effective or valid.  Therefore, they only did A, B,
and C.  And it didn't matter what kind of state of grace the
minister was in.  So they started rushing them through pretty
quickly.  This is one of the main things that Martin Luther took
exception to, and it gave birth to the Protestant Reformation. 
Because priests had been performing these ceremonies almost by
rote, with the bare minimum standards in terms of Canon law as to
what was required for an effective or valid sacrament.

Morning Glory:  There was a lot of issue about that, especially
in regard to marriage, whether a marriage was valid or legal. 
And whether the children of that union were legitimate or
illegitimate depended upon how it was done, and whether there
were elements that were missing.  If somebody didn't say, or
refused to say, "I do", for instance.  Because lots and lots of
women were married against their will.  It's like in "The
Princess Bride":  "Did you say 'I do'?"  "No, I didn't."  "Well,
in that case, you weren't."  (LAUGHTER)

Dix:  What you were saying about elaborating a ritual...  That
brings up a question.  When you are doing a rite, and you are
adding more stuff, can you detract from it?  At what point do the
additions, the accretions that you keep adding on, where does it
begin to take away from the rite?

Mike Nichols:  I know that certainly it can diminish the
psychological dimension of a rite.  I've seen so many examples
where, say, you're doing an initiation tonight.  Now that means,
to me, the whole thing should focus on this person's initiation. 
It is *their* night.  But somebody else over here has another
spell they want to do, and somebody over here has something they
want to do, and by the time the whole thing is done, it's this
incredible mish-mash with no central focus whatsoever.  To me,
very bad in terms of liturgical design.

Morning Glory:  It's aesthetically piss-poor.  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  Right.  I meant to conclude this whole workshop
(or whatever the heck it is) with a section on liturgical design
or aesthetics, which we're just beginning to touch on.  It's
obvious that we won't be able to get into that too much, but I
think it's good that we bring up at least some points about
aesthetics.  Yes?

(unidentified):  Yeah, but what if you have the proper elements
of the ritual, and you do things in the right order, and you
intend for it to be a magical ceremony, and it's just dead.  No
one's excited, half the people can't remember their lines, or are
making them up on the spot without putting a lot of thought into
it.  There's no spirit there.

Morning Glory:  Their hearts are pure, but their theater is
lousy.  (LAUGHTER)

Mike Nichols:  Yes.  Good intentions is not a valid excuse for
poor ritual.  Absolutely.  To me, well, I've often used a
communications model for rituals.  To me, like language, rituals
have a certain grammar, a certain syntax that it needs to follow,
a certain order.  For example, let's say you're doing a Circle
and it's a high holiday, so you're doing a typical holiday
celebration but, as a part of that, you're also doing an
initiation.  When does the initiation come?  Well, to me, it
seems obvious that the initiation should come during the early
part of the evening ceremonies so that, once that person is
initiated, they may now participate fully in the seasonal
celebration.  Right?  Rather that leaving them out for it, and
doing their initiation at the end.

     So, it seems to me that there is sort of a logic of rituals,
a grammar, a syntax, for doing ritual.  Now, just because you
learn the rules of that grammar (and I suspect there are some
very definite rules that we could get into if I had the time),
but just because you know the rules of grammar doesn't make you a
great writer.

Morning Glory:  Persistence is nine-tenths of any art, not that
it helps to be nine-tenths of an artist.  (LAUGHTER)  There's
another part of this, which is the problem of the hodge-podge
ritual.  When you have conflicting elements.  When somebody wants
to do a ritual to heal the earth.  And someone else wants to do a
ritual to get prosperity for their Aunt Sadie.  And someone else
wants to do something to get a new house.  And some things are
really quite conflicting.  One group wants to do a ritual to heal
the earth, and so they want to put this mellow energy out.  But
someone else says, "Yeah, but we wanna stop those bulldozers that
are coming in, so we wanna get this martial energy to zap their
transmissions and make them fall out on the road!"  And so then
there's this conflict on how to approach things, and things can
get really out of hand.

Carolyn Clark:  Where we see that a lot is where somebody will
come to the Circle and say, "I really need to get in touch with
the Demetre part of me."  Or, I really need to get in touch with
such-and-such god-form.  And my response is, "Yes, you need to do
that.  Then, do it.  But not at this Circle."

Morning Glory:  It's like chocolate icecream and limburger
cheese.
  
Mike Nichols:  I find the same problem in combining elements from
different traditions.  That's a problem for me.  Now,
theologically, I might agree that all the names of the Goddess
are merely different aspects of the same Goddess.  Fine.  But I
still have a problem thinking, how is the goddess Demetre going
to get along with the goddess Arianrhod or Cerridwen?  (LAUGHTER) 
They're very different forms, and to me, well, another analogy I
sometimes use is, let's say you're in a new home and you want one
room of this home to be a library.  You know you want certain
things to be in that library, to make it a library.  You're gonna
want shelves for the books.  You're gonna want the books.  You're
gonna want a comfy chair to sit in and read.  You're gonna want a
reading lamp near it.  You're gonna want a library table,
perhaps, or a writing desk.  And so forth.

     But let's say you go out and you buy early American
bookshelves.  You buy an Edwardian writing desk.  You buy
Victorian chairs.  You buy modern chrome and glass lighting
fixtures.  What you have is a library, granted, because all of
the elements are there.  But nothing fits aesthetically.  It's
like a ritual smorgasbord.  To me, the elements have to fit
together aesthetically in order to work right.

(unidentified):  I've tried to walk a fine line between Feminist
and Traditional Wicca, because I like both.  But how does this
work for a solitary, or a person who has little access to a
Coven?  I've had a very hard time designing my own rituals.  I
found a little books that tells the elements on what goes in a
ritual, and I try to follow that.  Even though I may take a
little bit from Doreen Valiente, because I like the way she says
this one thing.  But then the Farrars have a lot.  And then I'll
stick in a little Starhawk.  But the thing is, they're all geared
more to Covens.  Now, does that make it invalid for a solitary? 
 
Mike Nichols:  I would-- Please!  Don't start asking me what's
valid!  (LAUGHTER)  See, there's a danger in even discussing this
because there's always a danger of falling into that trap. 
 
(unidentified):  Is there a way to get in touch with other
Solitaries? 
 
Morning Glory:  There is a Solitary convention. 
 
Chris:  Single rooms everywhere!  (LAUGHTER) 
 
Mike Nichols:  Scott Cunningham has a book coming out geared to
Solitary Craft work.  Let me answer the first part of your
question first.  I think it is possible to be eclectic and yet to
avoid eclecticism within one particular ritual.  Do tonight's
ritual as a Celtic ritual, and next month's ritual as an Egyptian
ritual if you want to, but don't mix Celtic and Egyptian in the
same ritual.  That's at least my point of view, my bias.  I'm not
saying that's some sort of dogma or rule about liturgics.  It's
my aesthetic, and I think aesthetics are important to ritual. 
 
Carolyn Clark:  When you're working on certain things, when
you're doing a very tight ritual--  For instance, if I'm doing a
ritual to get in touch with that part of the Mother and that part
of me which fructifies and causes creativity to flower, then I
would probably call on all the Goddess names, all the aspects of
the Goddess from all cultures, that do that one thing. 
 
Mike Nichols:  Yes, I understand that completely.  As a matter of
fact, one of the forms I most love that I learned from the Roman
Catholic tradition is that called a litany, a reading of a long
list of petitions or names of Goddesses and Gods.  And that is so
effective in a Pagan ritual, especially if its done as a
responsorial.  That can build power like you just wouldn't
believe!  I use that quite a lot in my own rites. 
 
     Let me jump to another subject which was raised earlier: the
tension which exists between those things which are spontaneous
in a ritual, where you just think up something to say on the spur
of the moment, as the spirit moves you, as it were; or those
people who follow rites that are very patterned, very
repetitious, very rhythmic, if you will.  Now, I was certainly
brought up in that school of thought.  And one thing that I've
read recently, which I found to be a fascinating argument in
favor of that tradition -- not invalidating the other, but in
support of the repetitious tradition -- is that recent studies of
the left hemisphere / right hemisphere brain split have shown
something very interesting. 
 
     Language, as you know, is a very linear system.  And
typically, that is a left hemisphere brain function.  Anytime you
are composing a sentence -- what I'm doing up here right now --
is very left hemisphere.  Whenever someone is confronted with
making up the invocation at each Watchtower, they are virtually
working entirely left hemisphere.  Whenever you are working with
language, I was originally taught, you are working with left
hemisphere. 
 
     There is an interesting exception.  Those things that are
words that are commonly repetitious.  When you sing a Christmas
carol year after year after year, to the point you don't even
have to think about the words as you sing it, your right brain
hemisphere is operating just about on a par with the left,
according to studies. 
 
Carolyn Clark:  I do that with chanting.  While my left brain is
occupied with that, my right brain is free to do all kinds of
other things. 
 
Mike Nichols:  Right!  It's sort of like a mantra.  You know, for
people from Protestant backgrounds, it sometimes comes off like,
well, those Catholics just say their prayers by rote. 
"HailMaryfullofgracetheLordiswiththee."  They can toss those off
in no time at all.  There's no power in it, there's no feeling in
it, there's no spirit in it.  The other point of view, however,
is that the actual words themselves sort of take a back seat to
the meaning, which is superimposed on top of those.  And I can
tell you from doing rituals in my life in the highly repetitive
way, I feel like you, that it has freed my mind to go to perhaps
deeper levels than if I had to do it differently every time. 
 
     And by the way, notice how that's true in group rituals,
too.  If the High Priestess -- and I see a lot of this today --
she will not do the same ritual twice!  And consequently, the
entire Coven is sort of sitting back watching the High Priestess,
saying, "Okay, what's she gonna do *this* time?"  Never allowing
them to really get into the ritual in a psychological way.  When
you're already familiar with something, like that Christmas
carol, it enables everybody to participate fully, because they
know what's going to happen, they know what to expect.  They're
not looking for changes in the script. 
 
     Another thing that's interesting about that kind of
repetitive work is that, when you do throw in a change, for a
particular seasonal variation or something, it stands out.  It
stands out in contrast to the way you've always done it before. 
At a Handfasting, when you invoke the blessing of the Lord and
Lady, instead of "onto ALL who stand before Thee", you say "onto
TWO who stand before Thee", the changing of the words immediately
focuses on the couple becoming handfasted.  You hear that change;
it registers.

Anahita:  But isn't that same thing true for an
aesthetic, well-worded, channelled experience, that a Priestess
may have?

Mike Nichols:  Yeah, but it sorta does put everyone else in the
position of spectator.  It becomes a spectator sport nine times
out of ten.  Or else, you are actively, consciously, left-
hemispherically being involved in the production of this dramatic
play.  You're not getting to relax and simply experience the
*known*, and the comfortable.  And that's what I think we need to
have more of.

     By the way, whenever you have repetition, you also have
rhythm.  And this brings in a whole different dimension.  The
drumming, the chanting, and everything else that goes with
repetition.  I think good ritual pacing has a rhythm of its own.

     Something else that we totally ignore these days in
liturgical design is the use of silence, which can be VERY
powerful.  You know how something happens which is really
meaningful and everyone's wowed by it, and somebody else just
goes right into the next thing.  Doesn't let you have the chance
to absorb that at all.  I'm not talking about that kind of deadly
silence where nothing is happening and no one knows what to do. 
No.  I'm talking about those quiet moments that really empower
what you've just experienced.  Yes, Eldoreth?

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  Well, as someone else who was "lowered"
Catholic (as opposed to "raised" Catholic), there is a problem
when you have something that is repetitious.  Unless the person
really wants to be empowered by this, what their mind is most
likely to do is to think about anything BUT the ritual.  At least
as a child, I found this true.  "Okay, time to daydream.  It's
the same old thing again."

Mike Nichols:  I think a great deal of the blame there has to do
with the fact that as children, you were indoctrinated into this
before the time you were ready to think about it.  You didn't
understand the rite.  Nobody had explained it to you.  You were
simply going through the motions.  To me, that's not magic,
that's superstition.  When you just go through the motions.  It's
just mumbo-jumbo.

     I don't want to run overtime, and we already are a minute or
two.  Let me just conclude by saying that what I feel we've been
doing here is ground-breaking work.  I was *delighted* to have a
group of people already so involved and so experienced, to have
made such wonderful contributions.  I'd like to welcome you all
as being, I think, some of the first Pagan liturgical theologians
around.  (LAUGHTER)  And I hope you'll continue working on it. 
Thank you!  (APPLAUSE)

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  Mike, I have an alternate title for your
book.

Mike Nichols:  What's that?

Eldoreth Grey Squirrel:  "The Rite Stuff."  (LAUGHTER AND GROANS
OF APPRECIATION)
                  Editorial: Web of Wyrd number 10 
                           Julia Phillips

During the Middle Ages, a great many men and women were put to death 
on charges of heresy. Nearly all of them were innocent of any crime; 
nearly all of them were guilty of no more than being a scapegoat for 
someone else's accusations and projected fears.

Fortunately, today we have grown beyond such barbaric inhumanity - or 
have we? As  a race,  have we truly  evolved, or  is humanity still  
groping around in a mire of discontent, seeking for victims on which 
to project its fears and failures? If  we consider the way in which  
the medieval  witch  was  hunted, accused  and  held  up  to public  
condemnation, and then compare  this process with  the way in which  
modern society deals  with its victims,  then I would  say that the  
human race has not evolved in the slightest.

Consider: often for no reason other than he or she offended someone, 
a man or woman living in medieval Europe could be taken as a heretic, 
and with evidence (sic) being no more than hearsay, tried and found 
guilty of charges of which they were mostly entirely innocent. Their 
accusers were not interested in truth, but in judgement; and justice 
certainly had no role  in their scenario.  To absolve themselves of  
any blame in this  autocratic process, the  accusers made sure that  
public opinion was  swayed against  the victim.  How? By publishing  
details of the "crime"(sic), which were then distributed to as wide  
an audience as possible.

Students of English Literature will  know of the enormous influence  
which the humble pamphlet  cast on the  population - which, despite  
high illiteracy, had  sufficient numbers  able to  read aloud  to a  
gathering in  a town  square. We  all know  how quickly  rumour and  
innuendo spreads  -  any grapevine  in  any social  group  is proof  
positive of just how quickly information can passed along; and sadly, 
we all know that there need be no shred of truth in that information 
for it to be spoken about, considered, and accepted as fact.

The medium of the pamphlet proved  to be so efficient and effective  
that it developed, and in time became the newspaper, newsletter, and 
ultimately, the magazine.  In all cases,  the emphasis  is upon the  
distribution of  information  to as  large  a number  of  people as  
possible. In all cases, those  reading (or hearing) the information  
have a predilection to believe what they read to be the truth. Modern 
print is often no more truthful than that of a 16th century pamphlet, 
which might describe  how a  witch succumbed  to the charms  of the  
Devil, flew  to the  Sabbat riding  on a  goat, where  she devoured  
unbaptised infants,  and  took  part in  many  lewd  and disgusting  
practices. Unfortunately  though,  having  "read  about  it  in the  
paper/magazine/leaflet..." most people assume that they are reading  
the truth, and are often willing to believe the worst.

There are  numerous  examples of  this  process at  work  in modern  
society: in some countries, information is manipulated deliberately  
by politicians and  journalists. In other  countries -  and I would  
include all of western civilisation in this - the manipulation is as 
pervasive, but less obvious.  As the saying  goes: "you can believe  
nothing you read in the papers but the date, and they sometimes get  
that wrong".

Unfortunately though, people do believe what they read in the papers, 
see on television, and hear on radio, just as our ancestors believed 
that the woman led  screaming to her  death was a  concubine of the  
Devil, a devourer of babies, and  that she copulated regularly with  
her cat, or  other animals. We  are quick to  condemn the Christian  
Fundamentalist for spreading lies and propaganda, but what about the 
lies and propaganda spread by Pagans  and occultists? It offends my  
intellect to read of claims by self-professed witches of traditions  
handed down since time  immemorial, or of  secret arcane traditions  
known only to an elect few, but it offends my sensibility that these 
people, claiming  to  be  following  a  spiritual  path,  have such  
contempt for Truth.

We are no less human or fallible than our non-Pagan neighbour, but we 
are engaged in a continual search for Truth: both within and without. 
We are not perfect, but we do seek for our highest ideal, and we do  
strive ever towards it, no matter what our particular path. Therefore 
to me it seems a particularly unpleasant kind of action for a writer 
knowingly to misrepresent his or  her background and/or experience,  
simply to acquire some spurious prestige.

The editor of  a Pagan/occult  newsletter or  magazine has  an even  
greater
responsibility, for rarely is the publication subject to professional 
editorial control, and yet it is generally fairly widely distributed, 
and its readers tend to believe what they see. As an example, we can 
look at the sad death of Scott Cunningham; within hours of his death 
being announced, the rumours that he  died of AIDS were widespread.  
The fact that  his family and  his closest friends  have stated any  
number of times that he died of meningitis is neither here nor there: 
to a great many people around the world, Scott Cunningham will have 
died of AIDS. Why? Because it  was reported in Pagan magazines, and  
they can't be wrong - can they?

Not only can they be downright wrong, they can also be inaccurate or 
misleading -  sometimes deliberately  so.  I have  seen newsletters  
recently where  a matter  best  dealt with  quietly,  between those  
concerned, has been fought in the  public arena using very much the  
same means  as  the  medieval  inquisitor.  Defamatory  and  highly  
emotional printed leaflets, with scant attention to the truth, have  
been published and circulated throughout the Pagan/occult communities 
in the  USA, Britain  and Australia  during  the last  year. Highly  
respected writers in Britain
have recently  been  subjected  to  threats,  with  accusations and  
counter-
accusations filling countless pages  in pamphlets, newsletters, and  
magazines.

What, you might wonder,  has this to  do with a  personal quest for  
Truth? Very little, in my opinion,  hence my remarks above that the  
human race appears to have made no progress at all in its essential  
characteristics in hundreds of  years. The only  difference is that  
today, we have far more efficient means of spreading the information 
to greater numbers of people.

I have seen too  many attempts at  character assassination over the  
last year  or  so to  believe  that  it is  an  isolated incidence,  
perpetrated only by one or two people. It has happened in Britain; in 
Australia; in the USA. The modus operandi has been identical in every 
case: an  untruthful  statement has  been  made about  one  or more  
individuals, sometimes supported  by evidence  (sic) of  a spurious  
nature; the accusations have been published in print, or electronic  
media, and distributed to a wide audience. Even where the statement  
is so absurd, that no-one knowing the accused would believe it for a 
moment, those who do not know  the accused are left wondering. This  
kind of trial by media is sick, and those who perpetuate it - usually 
self-professed "Pagans" - are, quite frankly, despicable.

If we, as a community, are to come of age, then we must rid ourselves 
of these contemptible troublemakers. We  can't stop them publishing  
their pamphlets, or typing out their  lies, but we can ignore them,  
and stop giving credence to their venomous pens. As with the victims 
of the Middle Ages, the victims  within our own community are being  
used as scapegoats for someone else's fears and guilt; the only way 
to fight this  particular plague  is to  ignore it. Deprived  of an  
attentive audience, the pamphlet  bandits will soon  give up and go  
away.

                              PR Flyer 
                              By Raven

This may answer  some of the  questions being asked  about Wicca on  
PODSNet. If you  print it  up nice, it  may also  help in answering  
questions OFF PODSNet.

Mind you, it is only ONE possible rendition; opinions are GUARANTEED 
to vary.

About three years  ago, I did  a little PR  flyer to  hand out when  
Wiccans were  doing public  events  (for instance,  Beltane Maypole  
dancing in the local park) and curious passersby would ask just what 
the heck was going on. If you like the idea, use it -- and feel free 
to adapt it as needed, for your own group.

Written 1991 by Raven. NO COPYRIGHT. This is placed into the public 
domain.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
               What You Wanted to Know about Witches *

                    * (but were afraid to ask)

Q.  Do you worship the Devil (Satan)?

A.  No, for three reasons.

 First,  we don't  venerate evil  in  any form:  our chosen  religion  
is
 a  celebration  and  affirmation  of  life  and  living  things,  as  
opposed
 to  their destruction  or  harm. As  we believe  that  good or  evil  
done
    will return upon the doer, this does not encourage doing evil.

  Second,   Satan  is   a   figure  in   Judeo-Christian  beliefs   --   
originally
    not even an opponent of Yahweh, but more like his prosecuting
    attorney (as in the Book of Job).  Those who do worship Satan
    actually accept the later Christian theology, with Satan as
    Yahweh's opponent, but choose to support Satan's side of the
    battle.  We are not Christians or Satanists, and do not accept
    their theology or worldview, so we would no more worship Satan
    than, for instance, Christians would worship the Aztec God
    Quetzalcoatl; he simply has no place in our beliefs.  (We prefer
 the  figure  of  Pan,  who does  have  horns  but  is  a much  nicer  
fellow.)

    Third, we think history shows that, if you invest belief and
 emotion  in  any idea  or  thought-form, you  give  it strength  and  
power
    in your own life -- it becomes more real TO YOU.  We have no wish
 to  invite  hostile  entities into  our  lives  and  give them  such  
power
 over  us,  which is  why  we  don't venerate  any  form we  consider  
evil.
    That's also why we're shocked to see how much energy some
    Christians invest in Satan.

Q.  Then why do I hear those things about you?

A.  "Devil-worship", baby-killing, cannibalism and all that?  These
    are typical accusations made by one religion against another.
  The  Syrians  accused  the  Jews  of  ritual  murders  long   before  
Christ;
 then the  Romans accused  the Christians  (who at  least claimed  to 
be
    eating someone's body and blood every week); then the Christians
    accused the Jews and Muslims and every other religion; today
    different Christian denominations even accuse each other.  Making
  wild  accusations  not  only   sells  newspapers,  and  books,   and  
movies;
 it  helps drum  up support  for the  Religion Of  Your Choice.  This  
is
 a  cynical use  of hate,  fear,  and ignorance,  but as  long as  it  
works,
    it will be used. (And there will always be psychotics willing to
    live up to the image -- then claim "the Devil made me do it.")


Q.  If not Christian theology, what do you believe in?

A.  Life.  We see the entire Universe, all matter and energy, as
 bursting with  life, loving  its own  living parts  -- including  us 
--
    and gathered in one eternal dance.  We try to catch the tune and
    dance to the beat.

    Sometimes we call the leading dancers Light and Dark, or Sun and
    Moon, or the Lord and the Lady, Cernunnos and Ceridwen, Pan and
    Diana, or by other names.  These represent the duality in all
    things -- male and female, yang and yin -- neither side of which
    can be denied or ignored, even within ourselves.

    (We hope this helps us avoid the error that some worshippers of a
    single deity have made, such as thinking that "since God is all
    good and God is male, therefore anything female or feminine is
    evil.")

    Our feeling about the Gods is that they are teachers, family
    members, and fellow dancers:  not some untouchable abstraction
    infinitely distant, but an intimate part of our own lives.  Our
    feeling about other religions is that they, too, are part of the
    universal dance: not enemies, but fellow strugglers seeking as we
    do, to live and learn to keep time with the music.


Q.  What is this ceremony you're doing?

A. It depends on the moment. You may be watching a circle dance, or 
a Maypole dance, or a feast of "cakes and ale", or just a group hug.
(We like to have fun.) Possibly, since you were handed this, you're 
watching us  "cast a  circle". That's  one  of our  basic religious  
ceremonies.

When we  "cast a  circle", we  mark  off a  space as  dedicated and  
protected for our use, rather like Christians consecrating a church. 
(The difference is, we don't need a building, and we let the space go 
back to normal after we've used it.) Within this circle, we ask for  
the protection of guardians -- call  them the four elements of Air,  
Earth, Fire, and  Water, or  the four  archangels Gabriel, Michael,  
Raphael, and Uriel -- again, the names may vary. Then we invite the  
Lord and the Lady to be with us for a time. We have a nice visit, a 
little snack of cookies and wine (or fruit juice), and then everyone 
goes home.  It's very friendly.

Along the way, sometimes we ask for help with our problems, such as  
healing an injury or illness; if you believe in the power of prayer, 
it's the same sort of  thing -- but we try  to put our own energies  
into the task, rather than asking someone else to do all the work.


Q.  How will what you are doing affect me?

A.  If you're not participating, then probably no more than any other
religious service you watch from outside. If you're shocked by other 
religions, you might choose to be shocked by ours. (Ours is just out 
where you can  see it,  instead of hidden  by walls.)  Or you might  
choose to  accept  our part  of  the  universal dance  as  valid if  
different from your own. You might even choose to participate -- and 
people of good will are generally welcome among us.

Even if you do participate, there's no reason to take any effect from 
our services that you don't choose to  accept. Since -- for our own  
sakes -- we  ask for  nice things  to happen, the  biggest possible  
results involve no danger. If we ask for more harmony in the world,  
and your life becomes more harmonious, then you benefit from the same 
general effect as if a church's  prayer for world peace had worked.  
(After that, if you don't like harmony, you could always work to make 
your own life more discordant; whatever suits you.)


Q.  Do all Witches practice the same way you do?

A. There are about as many  "denominations" of Witches as there are  
of
Christians, and since no-one is forced to keep One True Orthodox Way, 
even a single group may do things differently from time to time. The 
two mottoes that apply here are "If it works, use it" -- and "AN IT  
HARM NONE, do as you will."


Q.  How can I find out more about you?

A. Ask one  of us.  We're easy  to talk  with. Or  read some books.  
Good books include Vivianne Crowley's WICCA: the Old Religion in the 
New Age, Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon, Starhawk's The Spiral 
Dance, and Raymond Buckland's Complete Guide to Witchcraft.
There's also a lot of shocking nonsense and pulp fiction out there
-- notably in movies, paperback thrillers, and the sort of newspapers 
sold at supermarket  cash registers;  we can  only ask you  to take  
anything you find there with a skeptical pinch of salt.



 (This  was written  in May  1991  as a  general information  handout  
for
    the use of the CUUPS group of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
 Please  feel  free to  copy  and  adapt this  for  use  by your  own  
group.)

                             The Coven 
                         By: Julia Phillips
                        Wed 20 Apr 94 19:03

This article was written by me several  years ago, but I thought it  
might be of interest here, as it discusses several issues relevant to 
modern Witches.  Any  thought  or  feedback  most  welcome!  Please  
remember, that although the historical stuff is pretty general, the  
other parts of  the article are  my own ideas,  and not necessarily  
applicable outside of my own tradition :)

Covens and Witches

In 1662, Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne made four separate confessions of 
being a Witch,  and in  the process, gave  the word  "Coven" to the  
world. Although there is no other historical evidence for this word, 
it has proven to be one of  the most lasting facets of Witchcraft -  
ask anyone  today  what  Witches do,  and  the  answer  will almost  
certainly include the fact that they meet in groups, called "Covens".

So given that a number of modern Witches do, in fact, either run, or 
belong to, a Coven  - just what  is its purpose  in 20th (and 21st)  
century Western  Civilisation? Why  has this  word of  such dubious  
historical veracity survived over  three hundred years?  Is there a  
place in our modern  world for a  social group which,  as far as we  
know, occurred only in 17th century Scotland?

The very fact of  its survival for over  three hundred years argues  
that there is a place for such a group. In my own case, I have been a 
member of, and run, Covens of Witches for a number of years, and it 
is a social model which fits extremely well within modern society.

The structure  of a  coven  varies, but  generally has  one  or two  
leaders, and a number of members of varying levels of experience. In 
a sense, the modern  Coven has replaced the  tribal family, and its  
members often fulfill familial roles, which are no longer available  
to them in the family in which they were born.

Some researchers have commented that many modern Witches come from a 
background which was disrupted; i.e., did not provide a safe family  
environment during their  formative years. As  I know  a great many  
Witches for whom  this was  not the  case, I  think this  is only a  
partial reason, and only for some people.

Humanity itself  seems to  be  inherently tribal;  any  common bond  
between people  will  generally  result in  the  creation  cults or  
sub-cultures, where those of  a like-mind will  bond together. They  
will evolve their  own social order  (generally hierarchical), have  
their own  common language,  and  often are  identifiable  by their  
demeanour and appearance.

Witches gather together in  Covens for very much  the same sorts of  
reasons; we are apart from general society by virtue of our beliefs 
and practices. Meeting with others who  think and feel similarly to  
ourselves gives us the opportunity to share ideas and skills, as well 
as being able to practise our Craft.

A modern  Coven  provides  a  family-style  environment,  where the  
"Elders" can, by  virtue of  their experience,  give encouragement,  
support, and advice to those seek to learn about Witchcraft. As with 
all families,  Covens  have  very  unique  and  individual  ways of  
approaching this. Just as no two families are the same, neither are 
any two Covens.

Some Covens are run by people with an academic bent, and as would be 
the case in any  family, this characterises the  way in which their  
"children" are brought up. Other groups are oriented towards a more  
simple approach, and the oral traditions  play an important role in  
the way in which the Coven is structured. Some combine the these two 
approaches, and the variations upon the basic themes are endless.

For any "family" to  exist harmoniously, everyone  within the group  
must feel a part of the group, and wish to learn and grow within that 
group environment. With a path such as Witchcraft, with its emphasis 
upon personal growth and development, it is likely that individuals  
who may at one time have been happy within their family group, will  
change, and wish to move away. This is a perfectly natural process, 
and the wise coven leaders will send those people off with their love 
and blessing. Trying to keep them would be like trying to keep your  
sons and daughters tied to your apron strings forever!

Ultimately, and despite  the popularity of  the word  "coven", I do  
believe that most Witches are solitary in nature, and will generally 
spend at least part  of their lives  without being a  member of, or  
running, a coven. I think the inward exploration during these periods 
is vital to self-development, just as we believe it is important to 
encourage social-awareness in children. However, I also believe that 
at some stage it is important  to learn the practices of Witchcraft  
from another person; to be an  apprentice, if you will; because the  
act of  passing  knowledge from  one  person to  another  cannot be  
replicated by books, correspondence courses, or be self-taught. This 
may seem an almost
impossible task to some  people, but as  all the magical traditions  
teach: when the student  is ready, the  teacher will appear! What's  
more, it's true!

B*B Julia

             The Public Contents of the Book of Shadows 

There is really no such thing as the text of the Book of Shadows,
because Gardner never bothered to word things the same way twice;
whenever he  copied something,  he  simultaneously rewrote  it. But  
this,
of course,  is  the way  that  an  author treats  his  own original  
material;
it is not how anyone treats authoritative texts preserved from an
earlier generation. I have  grouped the documents  according to the  
dates
when they were written; these dates are accurate to within a year or 
so,
and the point  to providing them,  of course, is  to emphasize that  
these
documents are modern creations, NOT anything preserved from ancient  
or
medieval tradition. Material  or comments added  to these documents  
later
on I have enclosed in square brackets [these things].

A.1. Casting the Circle (1949)

It is  most convenient  to  mark the  circle with  chalk,  paint or  
otherwise,
to show  where it  is; but  marks  on the  carpet may  be utilized.  
Furniture
may be placed to indicate the  bounds. The only circle that matters  
is
the one drawn before every ceremony  with either a duly consecrated  
Magic
Sword or an  Athame. The circle  is usually nine  feet in diameter,  
unless
made for some  very special purpose.  There are  two outer circles,  
each
six inches apart, so the third circle has a diameter of eleven feet.

[1] Having chosen a place proper, take the sickle or scimitar of Art 
or
a Witch's Athame, if thou mayest obtain it, and stick it into the
center, then take a cord, and 'twere  well to use the Cable Tow for  
this,
and loop it over the Instrument, four and one half feet, and so trace
out the circumference of the circle, which must be traced either with
the Sword, or  the knife with  the black hilt,  or it  be of little  
avail,
but ever leave open a door towards the North.  Make in all 3 circles,
one within the other , and write names of power between these.

[2] First draw circle with Magic Sword or Athame.

[3] Consecrate Salt and Water: Touch water with Athame, saying, "I
exorcise thee, O creature of Water, that thou cast out from Thee all 
the
impurities and uncleannesses of the Spirits of the World of Phantasm, 
so
they may harm me not, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."

[4] Touching Salt with Athame, say, "The Blessings of Aradia and
Cernunnos be upon this creature of Salt, and let all malignity and
hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein, for
without Thee man cannot live, wherefore I bless thee and invoke thee,
that thou mayest aid me."

[5] Then put the Salt into the water.

[6] Sprinkle with exorcised water.

[7] Light candles; say, "I exorcise  thee, O Creature of Fire, that  
every
kind of Phantasm  may retire  from thee, and  be unable  to harm or  
deceive
in any way, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."

[8] Caution initiate  (if any);  warn companions;  enter circle and  
close
doors with 3 pentagrams.

[9] Proclaim object of working

[10] Circumambulate 3 times or more before commencing work.

[11] Summon: "I summon, stir, and Call thee up, thou Mighty Ones of  
the
East, South, West, and North."  Salute and draw pentacle with Magic
Sword or Athame, the  first stroke being  from the top  down to the  
left.

A.2. Drawing Down the Moon (1949)

High Priestess stands in  front of Altar,  assumes Goddess position  
(arms
crossed). Magus, kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body
with Phallus-headed Wand,  invokes, "I  Invoke and  beseech Thee, O  
mighty
Mother of all life and fertility. By seed and root, by stem and bud, 
by
leaf and flower and  fruit, by Life  and Love, do  I invoke Thee to  
descend
into the body of  thy servant and High  Priestess [name]." The Moon  
having
been drawn down, i.e., link established, Magus and other men give
Fivefold Kiss:

(kissing feet) "Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these
ways";

(kissing knees) "Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred
altar";

(kissing womb) "Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be";

(kissing breasts) "Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty and in
strength";

(kissing lips) "Blessed  be thy lips,  that shall  speak the sacred  
names."

Women all bow.

If there be an initiation, then at this time the Magus and the High
Priestess in Goddess position (Arms  Crossed) says the Charge while  
the
Initiate stands outside the circle.

A.3. "Lift Up the Veil"

[The Charge] (1949) Magus: "Listen to the words of the Great mother, 
who
of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine,
Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana,  Arianrhod, Bride,  and by  many other  
names."

High Priestess: "At mine  Altars the youth  of Lacedaemon in Sparta  
made
due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month,
and better it be when  the moon is full, ye  shall assemble in some  
secret
place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries and
magics. There  ye shall  assemble,  ye who  are fain  to  learn all  
sorcery,
yet  have not won its deepest secrets.  To these will I teach things
that are yet unknown. And  ye shall be free from  slavery, and as a  
sign
that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and
women, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in 
my
praise. There is a Secret Door that I have made to establish the way 
to
taste even on earth the elixir of immortality.  Say, `Let ecstasy be
mine, and joy  on earth  even to me,  To Me,'  For I am  a gracious  
Goddess.
I give unimaginable joys  on earth, certainty,  not faith, while in  
life!
And upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, nor do I demand
aught in sacrifice."

Magus: "Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess."

High Priestess: "I love you: I yearn for you: pale or purple, veiled 
or
voluptuous. I who am all pleasure, and purple and drunkenness of the
innermost senses, desire you.  Put on the wings, arouse the coiled
splendor within you. Come unto me, for I am the flame that burns in 
the
heart of every man, and the core of every Star. Let it be your inmost
divine self who art lost in the constant rapture of infinite joy. Let
the rituals be rightly performed with joy and beauty. Remember that  
all
acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.  So let there be beauty and
strength, leaping laughter, force and fire by within you. And if thou
sayest, `I have journeyed unto thee, and it availed me not,' rather
shalt thou say, `I called upon thee, and I waited patiently, and Lo,
thou wast with me from the beginning,' for they that ever desired me
shall ever attain me, even to the end of all desire.

This much of the rites must ever be performed to prepare for any
initiation, whether of one degree or of all three.

A.4. The Initiation (1949)

[First Degree]

Magus leaves circle  by the doorway,  goes to  Postulant, and says,  
"Since
there is no other brother here, I must be thy sponsor, as well as
priest. I am about to  give you a warning. If  you are still of the  
same
mind, answer it with these words: `Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.'"
Placing the point of the sword to the Postulant's breast, he says, "O
thou who standeth on the threshold between the pleasant world of men 
and
the domains of the Dread Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the
courage to make the Assay?  For I tell thee verily, it were better to
rush on my weapon and perish miserably than to make the attempt with
fear in thy heart." Postulant: "I  have two Passwords: Perfect Love  
and
Perfect Trust."  Magus  drops  the sword  point,  saying,  "All who  
approach
with perfect love and perfect trust are doubly welcome." Going around
behind her, he blindfolds her, then putting his left arm around her
waist and his right  arm around her  neck, he pulls  her head back,  
says,
"I give you  the 3rd  password, a Kiss  to pass  through this dread  
Door,"
and pushes her forward with his  body, through the doorway and into  
the
circle. Once inside, he  releases her saying, "This  is the way all  
are
first brought into the circle." Magus closes the doorway by drawing  
the
point of the sword across it three times, joining all three circles,
saying, "Agla, Azoth, Adonai," then drawing three pentacles to seal  
it.
Magus guides Postulant to south of altar, and whispers, "Now there is
the Ordeal." Taking a short piece of cord from the altar, he ties it
around her  right ankle,  saying,  "Feet neither  bound  nor free."  
Taking a
longer cord, he ties her hands together behind her back, then pulls 
them
up, so that the arms form a  triangle, and ties the cord around her  
neck,
leaving the end dangling down in front as a Cable Tow. With the Cable
Tow in his left hand and the sword in his right hand, the Magus leads
her sunwise around the circle to the east, where he salutes with the
sword and proclaims, "Take heed, O  Lords of the Watchtowers of the  
East,
(name), properly prepared, will  be made a  Priestess and a Witch."  
Magus
leads her similarly to the south, west, and north, making the
proclamation at each  quarter. Next, clasping  Postulant around the  
waist
with his left arm, and holding the sword erect in his right hand, he
makes her circumambulate three times around the circle with a
half-running, half-dancing step. He  halts her at  the south of the  
altar,
and strikes eleven knells on the bell.  He then kneels at her feet,
saying, "In other  religions the  postulant kneels,  as the Priests  
claim
supreme power, but in the Art Magical, we are taught to be humble, so 
we
kneel to welcome them and say:

"Blessed be thy  feet that  have brought  thee in these  ways." (He  
kisses
her feet.)

"Blessed be thy  knees that shall  kneel at the  sacred altar." (He  
kisses
her knees.)

"Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be." (He kisses her
Organ of Generation.)

"Blessed by thy  breasts, formed  in beauty  and in  strength." (He  
kisses
her breasts.)

"Blessed be thy lips, which shall utter the sacred names." (He kisses
her lips.)

Take measure thus: height,  around forehead, across  the heart, and  
across
the genitals. Magus says, "Be pleased to kneel," and helps her kneel
before the altar.  He ties the end of the Cable Tow to a ring in the
altar, so that the postulant is bent sharply forward, with her head
almost touching the floor.  He also ties her feet together with the
short cord. Magus strikes  three knells on the  bell and says, "Art  
ready
to swear that thou wilt always be true to the Art?"

Witch: "I am."

Magus strikes seven  knells on  the bell  and says, "Before  ye are  
sworn,
art willing to pass the ordeal and be purified?"

Witch: "I am."

Magus strikes eleven knells on the bell, takes the scourge from the
altar, and gives a series of three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes with 
the
scourge across the postulant's buttocks. Magus says, "Ye have bravely
passed the test.  Art always ready to help, protect, and defend thy
Brothers and Sisters of the Art?"

Witch: "I am."

Magus: "Art armed?"

Witch: "With a knife in my hair."

Magus: "Then on that knife wilt thou swear absolute secrecy?"

Witch: "I will."

Magus: "Then say after me. `I, (name), in the presence of the Mighty
Ones, do of my own will and accord, most solemnly swear that I will 
ever
keep secret and never reveal the secrets of the Art, except it be to 
a
proper person, properly prepared, within a  circle such as I am now  
in.
All this I  swear by  my hopes  of a  future life,  mindful that my  
measure
has been taken, and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my
solemn oath.'"

Magus now unbinds  her feet, unties  the Cable Tow  from the altar,  
removes
the blindfold, and helps her up to her feet.

Magus says, "I hereby sign thee with the triple sign.

"I consecrate thee with oil." (He anoints her with oil on the womb,  
the
right breast, the left breast, and the womb again.)

"I consecrate thee with wine." (He anoints her with wine in the same
pattern.)

"I consecrate thee with my lips" (he kisses her in the same pattern),
"Priestess and Witch."

Magus now unbinds her hands and removes the last cord, saying, "Now 
I
Present to thee the Working Tools of a Witch. "First the Magic Sword.
With this, as with the Athame, thou canst form all Magic Circles,
dominate, subdue, and punish all rebellious Spirits and Demons, and  
even
persuade the Angels and Geniuses.  With this in your hand you are the
ruler of the Circle. [Here "kiss" means that the initiate kisses the
tool, and the Magus then kisses the Witch being initiated.]

"Next I present the Athame. This is the true Witch's weapon and has  
all
the powers of the Magic Sword [kiss].

"Next I present the White-Handled Knife. Its use is to form all
instruments used in the Art.  It can only be properly used within a
Magic Circle [Kiss].

"Next I present the Wand. Its use is to call up and control certain
Angels and geniuses, to whom it would  not be mete to use the Magic  
Sword
[Kiss].

"Next I present the pentacles. These are for the purpose of calling 
up
appropriate Spirits [Kiss].

"Next I present the Censer of Incense. This is used to encourage and
welcome Good Spirits and to banish Evil Spirits.[kiss]

"Next I present the scourge. This is a sign of power and domination. 
It
is also to cause suffering and  purification, for it is written, to  
learn
you must suffer and be purified. Art willing to suffer to learn?"

Witch: "I am."[Kiss]

Magus: "Next, and lastly  I present the  Cords. They are  of use to  
bind
the sigils in the Art, the material basis, and to enforce thy will.  
Also
they are necessary in the oath. I Salute thee in the name of Aradia 
and
Cernunnos, Newly  made Priestess  and  Witch." Magus  strikes seven  
knells
on the bell and kisses Witch again, then circumambulates with her,
proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (name) hath
been consecrated Priestess and Witch of the Gods." (Note, if ceremony
ends here, close circle with "I thank ye for attending, and I dismiss 
ye
to your pleasant abodes.  Hail and farewell." If not, go to next
degree.)

[Second Degree]

Magus binds Witch as before, but does not blindfold her, and
circumambulates with her, proclaims to the four quarters, "Hear, ye
Mighty Ones, (name), a duly consecrated Priestess and Witch, is now
properly prepared to be made a High Priestess and Witch Queen." Magus
now leads her thrice around the circle with the half-running,
half-dancing step, halts south of the altar, has the Witch kneel, and
ties her down to the altar as before.

Magus: "To attain this sublime degree, it is necessary to suffer and 
be
purified.  Art ready to suffer to Learn?"

Priestess Witch: "I am."

Magus: "I prepare thee to take the great oath." 

He strikes three knells on the bell, and again gives the series of
three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes with the scourge as before.

Magus: "I now give thee a new name: _______. [kiss]

Magus: "Repeat thy new name after me, <saying> I, (name), swear upon 
my
mother's womb and by mine Honor among men and among my brothers and
sisters of the Art, that I will never reveal to any at all any of the
secrets of  the Art,  except  it be  to a  worthy  person, properly  
prepared,
in the center of a Magic Circle, such as  I am now in. This I swear 
by
my hopes of Salvation, my past lives, and my hopes of future ones to
come, and I devote myself  to utter destruction if  I break this my  
solemn
oath."

Magus kneels, placing left hand under her knees and right hand on her
head, thus forming magic link.

Magus: "I hereby will all my power into you." Wills.

Magus now unties her feet, unties the Cable Tow from the altar, and
helps the Witch to her feet.

Magus: "I hereby sign and consecrate you with the great Magic Sign.
Remember how it is formed and you will always recognize it. 

"I consecrate thee with oil." (He anoints her with oil on her womb,
right breast, left hip, right hip, left breast, and womb again, thus
tracing a point-down pentacle.)

"I consecrate thee with wine." (He anoints her with wine in the same
pattern.)

"I consecrate thee with my lips" (he kisses her in the same pattern),
"High Priestess and Witch Queen."

Magus now unbinds Witch's hands and removes the cord, saying, "Newly
made High Priestess and Witch Queen" [kiss] "you will now use the
working tools in turn.

First, the Magic  Sword; with it  you will scribe  the Magic Circle  
[kiss]

"Secondly, the Athame" (Form Circle) [kiss]

"Thirdly, the White Handled Knife" (use) [kiss]

"Fourthly, the Wand" (Wave to 4 Quarters) [kiss]

"Fifthly, the Pentacle" (Show to 4 Quarters) [kiss]

"Sixthly, the Censer of Incense" (Circle, cense) [kiss]

"Seventhly, the cords; bind me as I bound you." Witch binds Magus and
ties him to Altar.

Magus: "Learn, in Witchcraft, thou must ever return triple.  As I
scourged thee, so thou must scourge me, but triple. So where you
received 3, return 9; where you received 7, return 21; where you
received 9, return  27; where  you received  21, return  63." Witch  
scourges
Magus as instructed, 120 strokes total.

Magus: "Thou hast obeyed the Law.  But mark well, when thou receivest
good, so equally art bound to return good threefold."

Witch now unbinds Magus and helps him to his feet. Magus, taking the 
new
Initiate by the hand and holding the Athame in the other, passes once
round the Circle, proclaiming at the Four Quarters, "Hear, Ye Mighty
Ones, (name) hath  been duly  consecrated High  Priestess and Witch  
Queen."
(Note, if ceremony ends here, close circle with "Hail and farewell." 
If
not go to next degree.)

[Third Degree]

Magus: "Ere we proceed with this sublime degree, I must beg
purification at thy hands."

High Priestess binds Magus and ties him down to the altar.  She
circumambulates three times, and scourges  Magus with three, seven,  
nine,
and 21 strokes.  She then  unbinds him and  helps him  to his feet.  
Magus
now binds the High Priestess and ties her down to the altar. He
circumambulates, proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye mighty
Ones, the twice consecrate and Holy (name), High Priestess and Witch
Queen, is properly prepared and will now proceed to erect the Sacred
Altar." Magus scourges High Priestess with three, seven, nine, and 21
strokes. Cakes and wine may now be taken [see section A.5].

Magus: "Now I must reveal to you a great Mystery." [kiss].

Note: if High Priestess has performed this rite before, omit these
words. High Priestess assumes Osiris position.

Magus: "Assist me to erect the Ancient Altar, at which in days past  
all
worshipped, the Great Altar of  all things. For in  the old times a  
woman
was the Altar.  Thus was the altar made and so placed [Priestess lies
down in such a way that her vagina is approximately at the center of 
the
circle], and the sacred place was the point within the center of the
circle, as we of old times have  been taught, that the point within  
the
center is the origin of all things.  Therefore should we adore it."
[kiss]

"Therefore, whom we adore, we also invoke, by the power of the lifted
lance." Invokes. "O circle of stars [kiss], whereof our Father is but
the younger  brother [kiss],  "Marvel  beyond imagination,  soul of  
infinite
space, before whom time is ashamed, the mind bewildered and
understanding dark, not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be 
of
love [kiss].

"Therefore, by seed and root, and stem  and bud and leaf and flower  
and
fruit do  we invoke  thee, O,  Queen of  space, O  dew of  light, O  
continuous
one of the Heavens [kiss]. "Let it be ever thus, that men speak not 
of
Thee as one, but  as none, and let  them not speak  of thee at all,  
since
thou art continuous, for thou art the point within the circle [kiss],
which we adore [kiss], the fount of life without which we would not  
be
[kiss]. "And in this way truly are erected the Holy Twin Pillars Boaz
and Jachin  [kisses  breasts].  In beauty  and  strength  were they  
erected,
to the wonder and glory of all men."

(Eightfold Kiss:  3 points,  Lips, 2  Breasts and  back to  lips; 5  
points)

"O Secrets of secrets that art hidden in the being of all lives.  Not
thee do we adore, for that which adoreth is also thou.  Thou art that
and That am I [kiss].

"I am the flame that
burns in every man, and in the core of every star [kiss].

"I am Life and
the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the Knowledge 
of
Death [kiss].

"I am alone, the Lord within ourselves whose name is
Mystery of Mysteries [kiss].

"Make open the path of intelligence between us. For these truly are 
the
5 points of fellowship [on the right appears an illuminated diagram  
of
the point-up triangle above the pentacle, the symbol for the third
degree], feet  to feet,  knee to  knee, groin  to groin,  breast to  
breast,
arms around  back,  lips  to  lips, by  the  Great  and  Holy Names  
Abracadabra,
Aradia, and Cernunnos. Magus and High

Priestess: "Encourage our hearts, Let thy Light crystallize itself in
our blood, fulfilling us of Resurrection, for there is no part of us
that is not of the Gods."

(Exchange Names.)


Closing the Circle High Priestess Circumambulates, proclaiming, "The
twice consecrate High Priestess greets ye Mighty Ones, and dismisseth 
ye
to your pleasant abodes. Hail and Farewell."

She draws the banishing pentacle at each quarter.

A.5. Cakes and Wine (1949)

Magus kneels, fills Cup, offers to Witch [she is seated on the altar,
holding her athame; Priest kneels before her, holding up the cup].

Witch, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.

Magus: "As the Athame is the Male, so the Cup is the female; so,
conjoined, they bring blessedness."

Witch lays aside Athame, takes Cup in both hands, drinks and gives
drink. Magus Holds Paten to Witch, who blesses with Athame, then eats
and gives to Eat. It is said that in olden days ale or mead was often
used instead of wine. It is said that spirits or anything can be used 
so
long as it has life.

A.6. The Sabbat Rituals (1949)

November Eve Walk or slow dance, Magus leading High Priestess, both
carrying Phallic wand or broom, people with torches or candles.

Witch chant or song:
  
  "Eko, eko, Azarak Eko, eko, Zomelak Bazabi lacha bachabe Lamac cahi
  achababe  Karrellyos   Lamac  lamac   Bachalyas  cabahagy   sabalyos  
Baryolos
  Lagoz atha cabyolas Samahac atha famolas Hurrahya!"

Form circle.

High Priestess assumes Goddess position.

Magus gives her Fivefold Kiss and is scourged.

All are purified [that is, bound and scourged with forty strokes, as 
in
the initiation rituals].

Magus assumes God position.

High Priestess invokes with Athame: "Dread Lord of the shadows, god  
of
life and  the giver  of  life. Yet  is  the knowledge  of  thee the  
knowledge
of death. Open wide, I pray thee,  thy gates through which all must  
pass.
Let our dear ones who  have gone before, return  this night to make  
merry
with us. And when our time comes, as it must, O thou the comforter, 
the
consoler, the giver  of peace  and rest,  we will enter  thy realms  
gladly
and unafraid, for we know that  when rested and refreshed among our  
dear
ones, w e shall be born again by thy grace and the grace of the Great
Mother.  Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved
ones, and may we  meet and know,  and love them  again. Descend, we  
pray
thee, upon thy servant and Priest (name)."

High Priestess gives Fivefold Kiss to Magus.

Initiations if any; all others are purified.

(Note: Couples may purify each other if they will.)

Cakes and Wine.

The Great Rite if possible, either in token or truly.

Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people  
then
stay to] feast and dance.

February Eve

After usual opening, all are doubly  purified [that is, with eighty  
strokes].

Dance round outside circle, High Priestess with sword girded on and
drawn, Phallic wand in left hand.

Enter circle.

Magus assumes God position.

High Priestess gives Fivefold Kiss, invokes: "Dread Lord of death and
Resurrection, life and  the giver  of life,  Lord within ourselves,  
whose
name is Mystery of Mysteries, encourage our hearts. Let the light
crystalize in our blood, fulfilling us of resurrection, for there is 
no
part of us that is not of the gods. Descend, we pray thee, upon this 
thy
servant and Priest (name)."

All should be purified in sacrifice before him.  He then purifies the
High Priestess with his own hands, and others if he will.

Cakes and wine.

Great Rite if possible, in token or real.

Games and dance as the people will.

Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people  
then
stay to] feast and dance.

May Eve

If possible ride poles, brooms,  etc. High Priestess leading, quick  
dance
step, singing

"O do not tell the priests of  our arts.For they would call it sin,  
For
we will be in the woods all nightA conjuring summer in.

And we bring you good news by word of mouth. For women, cattle, and
corn: The sun  is coming  up from the  south,With oak  and ash, and  
thorn."

Meeting dance if possible.

Form circle as usual, and purify.

High Priestess assumes Goddess position; officers all give her the
fivefold kiss. 

She purifies all.

High Priestess again assumes Goddess position.

Magus invokes, draws down moon, "I invoke thee and call upon thee, O
mighty Mother of us  all, bringer of all  fruitfulness, By seed and  
root,
by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, do  
we
invoke thee, to descend upon the body of thy servant and Priestess
here." 

Magus gives Fivefold Kiss to High Priestess.

All should be purified in sacrifice before her, and she should purify
Magus and some others with her own hands.

Cakes and wine.

Games.

Great Rite if possible, in token or truly.

Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people  
then
stay to] feast and dance.

August Eve

If possible, ride poles, broomsticks, etc.

Meeting Dance if possible [the double-spiral dance described in
Witchcraft Today, p. 167].

Form circle.

Purify.

High Priestess stands in pentacle position.

Magus invokes her: "O mighty Mother of us all, Mother of all
fruitfulness, give us fruit and grain, flocks and herds and children 
to
the tribe that we be mighty, by thy rosy love, do thou descend upon 
thy
servant and Priestess (name) here." 

Magus gives Fivefold Kiss to High Priestess.

Candle game:  Seated, the men form a circle, passing a lighted candle
from hand to hand "deosil".  The women form circle outside, trying to
blow it out over their shoulders.  Whoever's hand it is in when it is
blown out is 3 times purified by whoever blew it out, giving fivefold
Kiss in return.  This game may go on as long as the people like.

Cakes and wine, and any other games you like.

Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people  
then
stay to] feast and dance.

 B.1. On Chants (1953)

Of old  there were  many chants  and songs  used especially  in the  
Dances.
Many of these have been forgotten by us here, but we know that they 
used
cries of IAU which seems muchly like the cries EVO or EVOHE of the
ancients.  Much dependeth on the pronunciation if this be so.  In my
youth, when  I  heard  IAU  it  seemed  to  be  AEIOU,  or  rather,  
AAAEEIOOOOUU.
This may be but the natural way to prolong  it to make it fit for a 
call,
but it suggests that these be possibly the initials of an invocation 
as
Agla is said to be, and of sooth 'tis said that the whole Hebrew
alphabet is said to be such, and for this reason is recited as a most
powerful charm, but at least this is certain, these cries during the
dances do have profound effect, as I myself have seen.

Other calls are IEHOUA and EHEIE; also Ho Ho Ho Ise Ise Ise.
IEO VEO VEO VEO VEOV OROV OV OVOVO may be a spell but is more likely 
to
be a call. 'Tis like the EVOE EVOE of the Greeks and the "Heave ho!" 
of
sailors.  "Emen hetan" and "Ab hur, ab hus" seem calls; as "Horse and
hattock, horse and go, horse and Pellatis, ho, ho, ho!"

"Thout, tout  a  tout  tout,  throughout  and  about"  and  "Rentum  
tormentum"
are probably mispronounced attempts at  a forgotten formula, though  
they
may have been invented by some unfortunate being tortured, to evade
telling the real formula.

 B.2. To Help the Sick (1953)

[1] Ever remember the promise of  the goddess, "For ecstasy is mine  
and
joy on earth" so let there ever  be joy in your heart. Greet people  
with
joy, be glad to see  them. If times be hard,  think, "It might have  
been
worse. I at least  have known the  joys of the  Sabbath, and I will  
know
them again." Think of the grandeur, beauty, and Poetry of the rites, 
of
the loved ones you  meet through them.  If you dwell  on this inner  
joy,
your health will be better.  You must try to banish all fear,  for it
will reall y  touch you. It  may hurt your  body, but  your soul is  
beyond
it all.

[2] And ever remember, that if you  help others it makes you forget  
your
own woes.  And if another be in pain, do what you may to distract his
attention from it.  Do not say "You have no pain," but if you may,
administer the drugs  which sooth as  well as those  that cure. But  
ever
strive to make them  believe they are  getting better. Install into  
them
happy thoughts. If you can only get this into his inner mind so that 
it
be always believed.

[3] To this end it is not wrong to  let people think that we of the 
cult
have more power than we have. For the truth is that if they believe 
we
have more power than we really possess, we do really possess these
powers, insomuch we can do good to them.

[4] You must try to  find out about people. If  you tell a slightly  
sick
man, "You are looking better.  You will soon be well," he will feel
better, but if he is really ill, or in pain, his Knowledge that he is 
in
pain will cause him to doubt your  words in future. But if you give  
him
one of the drugs and  then say, "The pain is  growing less. Soon it  
will
be gone," because the pain goes, the next time you say, "The pain is
going," he will believe you and the  pain will really get less. But  
you
must ever say so with conviction, and this conviction must come from
your believing it yourself, because you yourself know that if you can
fix his mind so that he believes you, it is true.

[5] 'Tis often better to look exactly between their eyes, looking as 
if
your eyes pierced their heads, opening your eyes as wide as you may  
and
never blink.  This continued gazing oft causes the patient to grow
sleepy. If they  show signs of  this, say "You  are growing sleepy.  
You
will sleep, you  are tired.  Sleep. Your  eyes grow  tired. Sleep."  
If
they close their  eyes, say  "Your eyes  close, you are  tired, you  
cannot
open your  eyes." If  they cannot,  say "Your  arms are  tired, you  
cannot
raise them." If  they cannot,  say "I am  master of  your mind. You  
must
ever believe what I tell you. When  I look like this into your eyes  
you
will sleep and be subject to my will," then tell them they will sleep
and wake up refreshed, feeling  better. Continue this with soothing  
and
healing drugs, and try  to infuse into them  the feeling of ecstasy  
that
you feel at the Sabbath.  They cannot feel it in full, but you can
command them to feel what is in your own mind, and try to concentrate 
on
this ecstasy.  I f you may safely tell that you are of the Cult, your
task may be easier.  And it were well to command them to know it only
with their sleeping mind, and forget it, or to be at least unable to
tell anyone about it when awake. A good way is to command them that, 
if
they are ever questioned about Witchcraft or Witches, to immediately
fall asleep.

[6] Ever remember if tempted to admit  or boast of belonging to the  
cult
you be endangering your brothers, for though now the fires of
persecution may have died down, who knows when they may be revived?
Many priests have knowledge of our secrets, and they well know that,
though much religious bigotry has calmed down, many people would wish 
to
join our cult.  And if the truth were known of its joys, the Churches
would lose power, so if we take many recruits, we may loose the fires 
of
persecution against us a gain.  So ever keep the secrets.

[7] Think joy, think  love, try to  help others and  bring joy into  
their
lives.  Children are naturally easier to influence than grown people.
Ever strive to work through people's existing beliefs. For instance,
more than half of the world believe in amulets.  An ordinary stone is
not an amulet  but if  it hath  a natural  hole in  it, it  must be  
something
unusual, so if the patient hath this belief give him one.  But first
carry it next your skin for a few days, forcing your will into it, to
cure pain, to feel s afe, or against their particular fear, and this
amulet may keep imposing your will when you are absent. The masters 
of
talismans knew this full well when they say they must be made in a
circle, to avoid distraction, by someone whose mind is on the subject 
of
the work.

[8] But keep your own mind happy. Remember the Words of the Goddess: 
"I
give unimaginable joys on Earth, certainty, not faith, while in life,
and upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, and the promise
that you will return again."  In the old days many of us went to the
flames laughing and singing, and so we may again. We may have joy in
life and beauty, and peace and Death and the promise of return.

[9] The Bible speaks sooth, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine
but a broken  spirit breaketh  the bones." But  you may  not have a  
merry
heart.  Perchance you were born under an evil star.  I think that the
effects of the stars are overestimated, but you cannot make a merry
heart to order, you say.  But you can, in the Cult; there be secret
processes by which your will and imagination may be influenced.  This
process also affects the body, and brings it to joy.  Your body is
happy, so your mind is happy .  You are well because you are happy,  
and
you are happy because you are well.

[10] Prayer may be used with good result if the patient believes it  
can
and will work.  Many believe it can, but do not believe their God or
saint will  help.  Prayers  to  the  Goddess  help,  especially the  
Amalthean
Horn Prayer, as it causes stimulation to the body as well as to the
mind.

 B.3. The Scourge and the Kiss. (1953)

[1] Invocation

(Feet, knees, and wrists should be tightly bound to retard blood.)
Scourge 40 or more, to make skin tingle, then say, invoking Goddess,

Hail, Aradia, from the Amalthean horn
     Pour forth thy store of Love.  I lowly bend
 Before Thee!  I invoke thee at the end
     When other Gods are fallen and put to scorn.
Thy foot is to my lips!  My sighs inborn
     Rise, touch, curl about thy heart.  Then spend,
     Pitiful Love, loveliest Pity, descend
 And bring me luck who am lonely and forlorn.

Ask the Goddess  to help you  to obtain your  desires, then Scourge  
again
to bind the spell. This be powerful in ill luck and for sickness.  It
must be said in a Circle, and you must be properly prepared and well
purified, both before and after saying, to bind the spell. Before
starting you must make a very clear picture in your mind of what you
wish.  Make yourself see the wish obtained.  Be sure in your own mind
exactly what it is and how it is to be fulfilled. This spell is the  
one
that was taught to me long ago and I have found it works, but I don't
think there is any special virtue in these words.  Any others can be
substituted provided they ask the goddess's (or gods') help, and say
clearly what you wish and you form the clear mental image; and if it
doesn't work at first,  keep on trying till  it works. Your helper,  
who
wields the scourge, must know what you wish, and also form the mental
image. And at first at any rate, it  will be better for you to work  
the
spell, then for the girl to take your place and work it also; you
scourge her. Don't  try anything difficult  at first, and  do it at  
least
once a week till it works.  You have to get into sympathy with each
other, before anything happens, and regular working helps this. Of
spells, the exact words matter little if the intent be clear and you
raise the true power, and sufficient  thereof. Always in rhyme they  
are.
There is something  queer about rhyme.  I have tried,  and the same  
seem
to lose their power if you miss the rhyme.  Also in rhyme, the words
seem to say themselves. You  do not have to  pause and think: "What  
comes
next?"  Doing this takes away much of your intent.

[2] Order and discipline  must be kept. A  High Priest or Priestess  
may
 and should punish all faults to this end, and all of the Cult must
 accept such  corrections willingly.  All are  brothers and  sisters, 
for
 this  reason:  that  even the  High  Priestess  must  submit to  the  
scourge.
 Each fault should be corrected separately.  The Priest or Priestess
 must be properly prepared and  call the culprit to trial. They  must 
be
 prepared  as  for initiation  and  kneel, be  told  their fault  and  
sentence
 pronounced.  Punishment should be the scourge, followed by a forfeit
 such as several fivefold kisses or something of this nature.  The
 culprit must acknowledge  the justice of  the punishment by  kissing 
hands
 and scourge on receiving sentence and again when thanking for
 punishment received.*

[3] The scourgings are 3, 7, 9 (thrice three), and 21 (thrice seven) 
40
in all. It is not meet to  make offerings [scourgings] of less than  
two
score to the Goddess, for here  be a mystery. The fortunate numbers  
be:
3 and 5.  For three added to two (the Perfect Couple) be five.  And
three and five be  eight; eight and five  be thirteen; thirteen and  
eight
be twenty-one. The Fivefold Kiss is called 5, but there are 8 kisses,
for there be 2 feet and 2 knees  and genitals and 2 breasts and the  
lips.
And 5 times 8 be two score. Also, fortunate numbers be 3, 7, 8, and  
21,
which total  40, or  two score.  For  each man  and woman  hath ten  
fingers
and ten toes, so each totals a score.  And a perfect couple be two
score. So a lesser number would not be perfect prayer. If more are
required make it a perfect number, as four score or six score. Also
there be Eight Elemental Weapons.

[4] To make the anointing ointment, take some glazed pans filled half
full with grease or olive oil.  Put in one sweet mint, marjoram in
another, ground thyme in a 3rd, and  it you may have it, patchouli,  
dried
leaves pounded.  Place pans in hot water bath.  Stir and cook for
several hours, then pout into linen bags, and squeeze grease through
into pans again, and fill up with fresh leaves.  After doing this
several times, the grease will be highly perfumed.  Then mix all
together and store in a well-corked jar. Anoint behind ears, throat,
armpits, breasts, and womb. Also, for all ceremonies where the feet  
are
kissed, they should also be anointed.

 B.4. The Priestess and the Sword (1953)

It is said, "When a woman takes the main part in worship of the Male
God, she must be girt with a sword." Note. This hath been explained  
as
meaning that a man should be Magus  representing the God, but if no  
one
of sufficient rank and knowledge be present, a woman armed as a man  
may
take his place.  The sheath  should be worn  in a  belt. She should  
carry
the sword in hand, but if she has to use her hands, she should sheath
the sword.  Any other woman in the circle while this worship is
performed shall be sword in hand.  Those outside the circle only have
the athame. A woman may impersonate  either the God or the Goddess,  
but a
man may only impersonate the God.

 B.5. The Warning (1953)

Keep this book in your own hand  of write. Let brothers and Sisters  
copy
what they will, but never let this book out of your hands, and never
keep the writings of another,  for if it be found  in their hand of  
write,
they may  well be  taken and  tortured. Each  should guard  his own  
writings
and destroy them whenever danger threatens. Learn as much as you may 
by
heart, and when  the danger  is past,  rewrite your book.  For this  
reason,
if any die, destroy their book if they have not been able to, for, if 
it
be fou nd, 'tis clear proof against them.  "Ye may not be a Witch
alone"; so  all  their friends  be  in  danger of  the  torture. So  
destroy
everything not necessary. If your book  be found on you, 'tis clear  
proof
against you.  You may be tortured.  Keep all thought of the cult from
your mind.  Say you had bad dreams, that a Devil caused you to write
this without your knowledge. Think to yourself,  "I Know Nothing.  I
Remember nothing. I have forgotten all." Drive this into your mind.  
If
the torture be too  great to bear,  say, "I will  confess. I cannot  
bear
this torment. What do  you want me to  say? Tell me  and I will say  
it."
If they try to make you talk of the broth erhood, do not, but if they
try to make you speak of impossibilities, such as flying through the
air, consorting with the Devis, sacrificing children, or eating men's
flesh, say, "I had an evil dream.  I was not myself. I was crazed."  
Not
all Magistrates are bad.  If there be an excuse, they may show you
mercy.  If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards.  Say you
babbled under the torture; you knew not what you did or said. If you 
be
condemned, fear not. The Brotherhood is powerful. They may help you  
to
escape if you are steadfast. If you  betray aught, there is no hope  
for
you, in this life, or in that which is to come. But, 'tis sure, that 
if
steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you.  You will feel
naught, and you go but to Death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of 
the
Goddess. The same with the working Tools.  Let them be as ordinary
things that anyone may have in  their homes. The Pentacles shall be  
of
wax that they may be melted or broken at once.  Have no sword unless
your rank allows you one.  Have no names or signs on anything.  Write
them on in ink before consecrating them and wash it off at once when
finished. Never boast,  never threaten, never  say you  wish ill to  
anyone.
If any  speak of  the  craft, say,  "Speak not  to  me of  such, it  
frightens
me, 'tis evil luck to speak of it."

 B.6. Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical (1953)

Learn of the spirit that goeth with burdens that have not honour, for
'tis the spirit  that stoopeth  the shoulders  and not  the weight.  
Armour
is heavy, yet it is a proud burden and a man standeth upright in it.
Limiting and constraining any of the senses serves to increase the
concentration of another.  Shutting the  eyes aids  the hearing. So  
the
binding of the  initiate's hands  increases the  mental perception,  
while
the scourge  increaseth the  inner  vision. So  the  initiate goeth  
through
it proudly, like a princess, knowing it but serves to increase her
glory. But this can only be done by the aid of another intelligence  
and
in a circle, to prevent the power thus generated being lost.  Priests
attempt to do the same with  their scourgings and mortifications of  
the
flesh.  But lacking the aid of bonds and their attention being
distracted by their scourging themselves and what little power they  
do
produce being  dissipated, as  they do  not  usually work  within a  
circle,
it is little wonder that they oft fail. Monks and hermits do better, 
as
they are apt to work in tiny cells and coves, which in some way act  
as
circles. The Knights  of the Temple,  who used  mutually to scourge  
each
other in an octagon, did better  still; but they apparently did not  
know
the virtue of bonds and did evil,  man to man. But perhaps some did  
know?
What of the Church's charge that they wore girdles or cords?

 B.7.  The Eightfold Way. (1953)

Eightfold Path or Ways to the Centre.

1 Meditation  or Concentration.  This in  practice means  forming a  
mental
image of what is desired, and forcing yourself to see that it is
fulfilled, with the fierce belief and knowledge that it can and will 
be
fulfilled, and that you will go on willing till you force it to be
fulfilled.  Called for short, "Intent"

2 Trance, projection of the Astral.

3 Rites, Chants, Spells, Runes, Charms, etc.

4 Incense, Drugs, Wine, etc., whatever is used to release the Spirit.
(Note. One must be very careful about this.  Incense is usually
harmless, but  you must  be careful.  If  it has  bad aftereffects,  
reduce
the amount used, or the  duration of the time  it is inhaled. Drugs  
are
very dangerous if taken  to excess, but it  must be remembered that  
there
are drugs that are absolutely harmless,  though people talk of them  
with
bated breath, but Hemp is  especially dangerous, because it unlocks  
the
inner eye swiftly an d easily, so one is tempted to use it more and
more. If  it  is  used  at  all,  it  must  be  with  the strictest  
precautions,
to see that the person who uses  it has no control over the supply.  
This
should be  doled out  by some  responsible  person, and  the supply  
strictly
limited.)

5 The Dance, and kindred practices.

6 Blood control (the Cords), Breath Control, and kindred practices.

7 The Scourge.

8 The Great Rite.

These are all the ways.  You may combine many of them into the one
experiment, the more the better.  

The Five Essentials:

1. The most important is "Intention": you must know that you can and
will succeed; it is essential in every operation.

2. Preparation. (You must be properly prepared according to the rules 
of
the Art; otherwise you will never succeed.)

3. The Circle must be properly formed and purified.

4. You all must be properly purified, several times if necessary, and
this purification should be repeated several times during the rite.

5. You must have properly consecrated tools.

These five essentials and Eight Paths or Ways cannot all be combined 
in
one rite. Meditation and  dancing do not  combine well, but forming  
the
mental image and the dance may be well combined with Chants.  Spells,
etc., combined with scourging and No. 6, followed by No. 8, form a
splendid combination.  Meditation, following scourging, combined with
Nos. 3 and 4 and 5, are also very Good. For short cuts concentration,
Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are excellent.

 B.8. To Gain the Sight (1953)

[1] This cometh to different people in diverse ways. 'Tis seldom it
cometh naturally, but it can be induced in many ways.  Deep and
prolonged meditation may do it, but only if you be a natural, and
usually prolonged fasting was also necessary.  Of old monks and nuns
obtained visions by long vigils, combined with fasting, flagellation
till the blood came, and other mortifications of the flesh, and so
undoubtedly had  visions.  In the  East  it is  tried  with various  
tortures,
at the same time sitting in cramped postures, which retard the flow 
of
blood, and these torments,  long and continued,  give good results.  
But
in the Art we are taught an easier way to intensify the imagination, 
at
the same time controlling the blood supply, and this may best be done 
by
using the ritual.

[2] Incense is  also good  to propitiate  the Spirits, but  also to  
induce
 relaxation  and  to  help  to  build  up  the  atmosphere  which  is  
neces-sary
 to suggestibility. (For our human  eyes are so blind to what  really 
is,
 that it is often  necessary to suggest that  it is there, before  we 
may
 see it,  as we  may point  out to  another something  at a  distance 
before
 they  may  see  it  themselves.  Gum  mastic,  aromatic rush  roots,  
cinnamon
 bark, musk,  juniper, sandalwood, and  ambergris in combination  are 
all
 good, but patchouli is best of all.  And if you may have hemp, 'tis
 better still, but be very careful of this.

[3] The circle being  formed, all properly  prepared, and the Rites  
done,
and all purified,  the aspirant should  warlock and  take his tutor  
round
the circle, saluting the Mighty Ones, and invoke them to aid the
operation. Then  both dance  round  till giddy,  invoking  or using  
chants.
Scourge.  Then the Tutor should warlock very tightly, but not so to
cause discomfort, but  enough to  retard the  blood slightly. Again  
they
should dance round, chanting, then scourge with light, steady,
monotonous, slow strokes.  lt is very  good that the  pupil may see  
them
coming (this may be arranged from position, or if a big mirror is
available, this can be used with excellent effect) as this has the
effect of passes, and helps greatly to stimulate the imagination, and 
it
is important that they be not hard, the object being not to do more 
than
draw the blood to that  part and so away from  the brain. This with  
the
tight  warlocking,  which  should  be  warricked,  slows  down  the   
circulation
of the blood, and t he passes soon induce a drowsi ness and a stupor.
The tutor should watch for this.  As soon as the aspirant sleeps, the
scourging should cease.  The tutor should also watch that the pupil
become not cold,  and if they  struggle or  become distressed, they  
should
be at once awakened. (Note: if it  cannot be arranged for the pupil  
to
see, the wand may be used, for a time, then return to scourging.)

[4] Do not be discouraged if no results come after two or three
attempts. It will come, when both are  in the right state. When you  
get
some result, then results will come more quickly.  Soon some of the
ritual may be shortened, but never neglect to invoke the Goddess, and
the Mighty Ones, or  to form the Circle  and do everything rightly.  
And
for good and clear results, it is ever better to do too much ritual 
than
too little.

[5] It hath been found that this practice doth often cause a fondness
between aspirant and tutor,  and 'tis a cause  of better results if  
this
be so.  If for any reason it is undesirable that there be any great
fondness between aspirant and tutor, this may be easily avoided, by  
both
parties from the onset firmly resolving  in their minds that if any  
doth
ensue, it shall be that of brother  and sister or parent and child.  
And
it is for this reason that a man may only be taught by a woman and a
woman by a man, a nd that man  and man, and woman and woman, should  
never
attempt these practices  together. And  may all  the Curses  of the  
Mighty
Ones be on any who make the attempt.*

[6] Remember, the Circle, properly constructed, is ever necessary to
prevent the  power released  from being  dissipated.  It is  also a  
barrier
against any disturbances of mischievous forces, for to obtain good
results you  must  be  free from  all  disturbances.  Remember that  
darkness,
points of light gleaming amid the surrounding dark, incense, and the
steady passes by a white arm are not stage effects. They are the
mechanical implements  which  start  the  suggestions,  which later  
unlocks
the knowledge that it is p ossible to obtain the divine ecstasy, and 
so
attain knowledge and communion  with the Divine  Goddess. When once  
you
have attained this, Ritual is not needed, as you may attain the state 
of
ecstasy at  will, but  till then,  or if  you having  attained this  
yourself,
and wish to bring a companion to this state of joy, ritual is best.

 B.9.  Power (1953)

Power is latent in the body and may be drawn out and used in various
ways by the  skilled. But  unless confined in  a circle  it will be  
swiftly
dissipated.  Hence the importance of a properly constructed circle.
Power seems to exude from the body via the skin and possibly from the
orifices of the body; hence you should be properly prepared.  The
slightest dirt  spoils everything,  which  shows the  importance of  
thorough
cleanliness. The attitude of mind has great effect, so only work with 
a
spirit of reverence.  A little wine taken and repeated during the
ceremony, if necessary, helps to produce power. Other strong drinks  
or
drugs may be used, but it is  necessary to be very moderate, for if  
you
are confused, even slightly, you cannot control the power you evoke. 
The
simplest way is by dancing and singing monotonous chants, slowly at
first and gradually  quickening the  tempo until  giddiness ensues.  
Then
the calls  may  be used,  or  even wild  and  meaningless shrieking  
produces
power.  But this method inflames the mind and renders it difficult to
control the power, though  control may be  gained through practice.  
The
scourge is a far better way, for it stimulates and excites both body 
and
soul, yet one e  asily retains control.  The Great Rite  is far the  
best.
It releases enormous power, but the conditions and circumstances make 
it
difficult for the mind to maintain control at first.  It is again a
matter of practice and the natural  strength of the operator's will  
and,
in a lesser degree, of those of his assistants.  If, as of old, there
were many trained assistants present and all wills properly attuned,
wonders occurred. Sorcerors  chiefly used the  blood sacrifice; and  
while
we hold this to be evil, we cannot deny that this method is very
efficient.  Power flashes forth from newly shed blood, instead of
exuding slowly as by our method.  The victim's terror and anguish add
keenness, and even quite  a small animal  can yield enormous power.  
The
great difficulty is in the human  mind controlling the power of the  
lower
animal mind. But  sorcerers claim  they have  methods for effecting  
this
and that the difficulty disappears the hig her the animal used, and 
when
the victim is human disappears entirely.  (The practice is an
abomination but it is so.) Priests know this well; and by their
auto-da-fs, with the victims' pain and terror (the fires acting much 
the
same as  circles),  obtained  much power.  Of  old  the Flagellants  
certainly
evoked power, but through  not being confined in  a circle much was  
lost.
The amount of power raised was  so great and continuous that anyone  
with
knowledge could direct and use it; and it is most probable that the
classical and heathen sacrifices  were used in  the same way. There  
are
whispers that when the human victim was a willing sacrifice, with his
mind directed on the Great Work and with highly skilled assistants,
wonders ensued  bu t of this I would not speak.

 B.10. Properly Prepared. (1953)

Naked, but sandals  (not shoes)  may be  worn. For  initiation, tie  
hands
behind back, pull  up to small  of back, and  tie ends  in front of  
throat,
leaving a cable-tow to  lead by, hanging down  in front. (Arms thus  
form
a triangle  at  back.)  When initiate  is  kneeling  at  altar, the  
cable-tow
is tied to a ring in the altar.  A short cord is tied like a garter
round the initiate's left leg above the knee, with ends tucked in.
Another is tied round right ankle and ends tucked in so as to be out 
of
the way  while mov  ing about.  These  cords are  used to  tie feet  
together
while initiate is kneeling at the altar and must be long enough to do
this firmly.  Knees must also be firmly tied.  This must be carefully
done.  If the aspirant complains of pain, the bonds must be loosened
slightly; always remember  the object is  to retard  the blood flow  
enough
to induce a trance state.  This involves slight discomfort, but great
discomfort prevents the trance  state; so it is  best to spend some  
little
time loosening a nd tightening the bonds until they are just right. 
The
aspirant alone can tell you when this  is so. This, of course, does  
not
apply to the initiation, as then no trance is desired; but for the
purpose of ritual  it is  good that  the initiates be  bound firmly  
enough
to feel they are absolutely helpless but without discomfort.

B.11.  The Meeting Dance. (1953)

The Maiden should lead.  A man should place both hands on her waist,
standing behind her, and alternate men and women should do the same, 
the
Maiden leading and they dance following her.  She at last leads them
into a right-hand spiral.  When the center is reached (and this had
better be marked by a stone), she suddenly turns and dances back,
kissing each  man as  she  comes to  him.  All men  and  women turn  
likewise
and dance back, men kissing girls and girls kissing men. All in time 
to
music, it is a merry ga me, but must be practices to be done well.
Note, the musicians should watch the dancers and make the music fast 
or
slow as is best. For the beginners it should be slow, or there will 
be
confusion. It is most excellent to get people to know each other at  
big
gatherings.

 B.12. To Leave the Body. (1953)

 'Tis not wise to strive to get out of your body until you have
 thoroughly gained the  Sight. The same ritual  as to gain the  Sight 
may
 be used, but have a comfortable couch.  Kneel so that you have your
 thigh, belly, and  chest well supported,  the arms strained  forward 
and
 bound one on each side, so that there is a decided feeling of being
 pulled  forward.  As  the  trance  is  induced,  you should  feel  a  
striving
 to push yourself out of the top of your head.  The scourge should be
 given a dragging action, as if to drive or drag you out.  Both wills
 should be thoroughly in tune, keeping a constant and equal strain.
 When trance comes,  your tutor may help  you by softly calling  your 
name.
 You will probably feel yourself drawn out of your body as if through 
a
 narrow  opening,  and  find  yourself  standing  beside your  tutor,  
looking
 at the  body on  the couch.  Strive to communicate  with your  tutor 
first;
 if  they have  the Sight  they  will probably  see you.  Go not  far  
afield
 at first, and 'ti  s better to have one  who is used to leaving  the 
body
 with you. A note: When, having succeeded in leaving the body, you
 desire to return, in order to cause the spirit body and the material
 body to coincide, THINK OF YOUR FEET.  This will cause the return to
 take place.

 B.13. The Working Tools (1953)

 There are no magical supply shops, so unless you are lucky enough to 
be
 given or sold  tools, a poor witch  must extemporize. But when  made 
you
 should be able to borrow or obtain an Athame.  So having made your
 circle, erect  an altar.  Any small  table or chest  will do.  There 
must
 be  fire on  it (a  candle  will suffice)  and your  book. For  good  
results
 incense is  best if  you can  get it,  but coals  in a chafing  dish 
burning
 sweet-smelling herbs  will do.  A cup  if you would  have cakes  and 
wine,
 and a platter with the signs drawn into the same in ink, showing a
 pentacle. A  scourge is  easily made  (note, the  scourge has  eight 
tails
 and five knots in  each tail). Get a  white-hilted knife and a  wand 
(a
 sword is not necessary).  Cut the marks with Athame.  Purify
 everything, then consecrate your tools in proper form and ever be
  properly  prepared.  But  ever  remember,  magical  operations   are  
useless
 unless the mind can be brought to the proper attitude, keyed to the
 utmost pitch. Affirmations must be made clearly, and the mind should 
be
 inflamed with desire.  With this frenzy of will, you may do as much
 with simple tools as with the most complete set.  But good and
 especially ancient tools have their own aura.  They do help to bring
 about that reverential spirit, the desire to learn and develop your
 powers.  For this reason witches ever try to obtain tools from
 sorcerers, who, being  skilled men, make  good tools and  consecrate 
them
 well, giving them mighty power.  But a great witch's tools also gain
 much power; and you should ever strive to make any tools you
 manufacture of the finest materials you can obtain, to the end that
 they may absorb  your power the  more easily. And  of course if  you 
may
 inherit or obtain another witch's tools, power will flow from  them. 
It
 is an old belief that the best substances for making tools are those
  that  have  once  had  life  in  them,  as  opposed  to   artificial  
substances.
 Thus wood or ivory is better for a wand than metal, which is more
 appropriate for knives or swords.  Virgin parchment is better than
 manufactured paper for  talismans, etc. And  things which have  been 
made
 by hand are good, because there is life in them.

 B.14. Skyclad (1953)

 It is  important to  work naked from  the start,  so it becometh  as 
second
nature, and no thought of "I have no clothes" shall ever intrude and
take your  attention  from  the  work.  Also,  your  skin being  so  
accustomed
to unconfinement, when power is given off the flow is more easy and
regular. Also, when dancing you are free  and unconfined. . . . And  
the
greatest of all, the touch of the body of your beloved thrills your
inmost soul, and so your body gives out its utmost power; and then it 
is
most important of all that there is not the slightest thing to divert
the attention, for then the mind must seize and mold the power
generated, and redirect it to the desired end with all the force and
frenzy of the imagination. It has  been said that no real knowledge  
may
be gained our way, that  our practices are such  that they can only  
lead
to lust; but this  is not really so.  Our aim is  to gain the inner  
sight,
and we do it the  most natural and easy way.  Our opponents' aim is  
ever
to prevent man and woman from loving, thinking that everything that
helps or even permits them to love is wicked and vile.  To us it is
natural, and if it aids the Great Work it is good. 'Tis true that a
couple burning with a frenzy for knowledge may go straight to their
goal, but the average couple  have not this fire.  We show them the  
way,
our system of props and aids (i.e., magic ritual).  A couple working
with nothing but lust will never attain in any case; but a couple who
love each other dearly should already be sleeping together, and the
first frenzy of love will have passed, and their souls will already 
be
in sympathy.  If the  first time  or two  they do  stay a  while to  
worship
Aphrod ite, 'tis only a  day or two lost,  and the intense pleasure  
they
obtain only leads them again to the mysteries of Hermes, their souls
more attuned to the  great search. Once they  have pierced the veil  
they
will not look back. This rite may be used as the greatest of magics 
if
it be done with both partners firmly fixing their minds on the object
and not thinking of sex at all.  That is, you must so firmly fix your
mind on your object that  sex and all else  are naught. You inflame  
your
will to such an extent  that you may create a  strain on the astral  
such
that events happen.

 C.1.  A Revision of the Casting Procedure (1957)

ALL ARE PURIFIED

[1] Magus consecrates salt and water.

[2] High Priestess kneels at Altar, takes up Sword, says, "I conjure
thee, O Sword of Steel, to serve me as a defence in all Magical
Operations.  Guard me at all times against mine enemies, both visible
and invisible.  Grant that I may obtain what I desire in all things
wherein I may use Thee, Wherefore do I bless Thee and invoke Thee in 
the
names of Aradia and Cernunnos."  Gives Sword to Magus.

[3] Magus kneeling hands her vessel of consecrated Water and
Aspergillum.  He Casts the Circle, three circles, on the lines marked
out, starting at the East and returning to the East.  High Priestess
follows, Asperging  Circle (sprinkling  it  to purify  it)  and all  
present
and  finally  herself.  Then  she  goes  round  again  censing  it.   
(Everyone
in the circle  must be sprinkled  and censed.)  She returns vessel,  
etc.,
to Magus, who places them on  altar, or convenient place, and hands  
her
Sword [handwritten].

[4] She walks slowly round Circle, saying, "I conjure Thee, O Circle 
of
Space, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place
between the world of Men and that of the Dread Lords of the OUTER
SPACES, that Thou be cleansed, Purified, and strengthened to be a
Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain THAT POWER
which we so earnestly desire to raise within thy bounds this night,
wherefore do I bless thee and entreat thee to aid me in the endeavor, 
in
the  names  of  Aradia  and  Cernun  nos."  Hands  sword  to  Magus   
[handwritten].

[5] Magus then summons the Mighty Ones as usual.

[6] High Priestess stands in front of Altar (which may be pushed back
for this).  High Priestess assumes Goddess position (arms crossed).
Magus kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body with
Phallus-headed Wand, Invokes (Drawing down the Moon), "I Invoke and
beseech Thee, O mighty  MOTHER of all life  and fertility. `By seed  
and
root, by stem and  bud, by leaf  and flower and  fruit, by Life and  
Love,
do I invoke Thee' to descend into the body of thy servant and High
Priestess (name)." (The Moon hav ing been drawn down, i.e., link
established, Magus and  all male  officers give  fivefold kiss; all  
others
bow.)

[7] High Priestess in Goddess position says, arms crossed,

"Mother, Darksome and Divine,Mine the Scourge and Mine the Kiss,The
Five-point Star of Love and  Bliss; Here I charge  ye in this Sign.  
(Opens
out Arms to pentacle position)

Bow before my Spirit bright                     (All bow)
Aphrodite, Arianrhod,Lover of the Horned God,
Queen of Witchery and Night.

Diana, Brigid, Melusine,
     Am I named of old by men,
     Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's Queen.

Ye who ask of me a boon,
     Meet ye in some hidden shade,
     Lead my dance in greenwood glade
By the light of the full moon.

Dance about mine altar stone,
     Work my holy magistry,
     Ye who are fain of sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.

No more shall ye know slavery
     who tread my round the Sabbat night.
     Come ye all naked to the rite
In sign that ye are truly free.

Keep ye my mysteries in mirth,
     Heart joined to heart and lip to lip.
     Five are the points of fellowship
That bring ye ecstasy on Earth.

No other law but love I know;
     By naught but love may I be known,
     And all that liveth is my own:
From me they come, to me they go.

 C.2.  The Prose Charge (1957)

THE CHARGE, to be read while the initiate stands, properly prepared
before the Circle.

[Magus]: Listen to the words of the Great mother, who was of old also
called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite,
Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.

[High Priestess]: "At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta  
made
due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, 
and
better it be when the moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some
secret place  and  adore the  spirit  of  Me who  am  Queen  of all  
Witcheries.
There ye shall assemble, ye who are  fain to learn all sorcery, yet  
who
have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that  
are
yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye 
be
really fre e, ye shall be naked  in your rites, and ye shall dance,  
sing,
feast, make music, and  love, all in  my praise.' "For  mine is the  
ecstasy
of the Spirit, and  mine is also joy  on earth. For  my Law is Love  
unto
all beings. "Keep pure your highest ideals.  Strive ever towards it.
Let naught stop you or turn you aside. "For mine is the secret which
opens upon the door  of youth; and mine  is the cup  of the Wine of  
Life:
and  the  Cauldron  of  Cerridwen,  which  is  the  Holy  Grail  of   
Immortality.
"I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of Joy unto the heart 
of
Man. "Upon Earth  I give the  knowledge of the  Spirit Eternal, and  
beyond
death I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone
before. Nor do I  demand aught in  sacrifice, for behold,  I am the  
Mother
of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth."

[Magus]: Hear ye the words of the  Star Goddess, She in the dust of  
whose
feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.

[High Priestess]: "I who am the beauty  of the green earth; and the  
White
Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters; and the desire 
of
the heart of man. I call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me. "For 
I
am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe; `From me all
things proceed; and unto me, all things must return.'  Beloved of the
Gods and men,  thine inmost  divine self  shall be enfolded  in the  
raptures
of the infinite. "Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, 
for
behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; and therefore 
let
there be  Beauty and  Strength,  Power and  Compassion,  Honour and  
Humility,
Mirth and reverence within you. "And  thou who thinkest to seek me,  
know
that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know 
the
mystery, that if  that which thou  seekest thou  findest not within  
thee,
thou wilt never find it without thee,  for behold; I have been with  
thee
from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of
desire."

 C.3. CAKES AND WINE. (1957)

High Priestess seated on Altar, God position.

Magus, kneeling, kisses her feet, then  knees, bows with head below  
her
knees, extends arms along her thighs, and adores.

Magus fills cup and offers it to High Priestess, who, holding Athame
between palms, places point in cup.

Magus says: "As the Athame is the male, so the cup is the female, and
conjoined they bring blessedness."

High Priestess lays Athame aside, and takes Cup and drinks, gives Cup 
to
server, who puts a little in each glass.

Magus presents Pentacle with  cakes to High  Priestess, saying, "Oh  
Queen
most secret,  bless this  food unto  our bodies,  bestowing health,  
wealth,
strength, joy  and  peace, and  that  fulfillment of  love  that is  
perpetual
happiness".

High Priestess blesses them with Athame, takes Cake and eats, while  
the
Magus gives her the Cup again and kisses knees and adores.

All sit as Witches, and invite High Priestess to join them.

 C.4.  The Sabbat Rituals (1957)

 Spring equinox

The symbol of the wheel should be placed on the altar upright, decked 
with flowers, flanked with burning candles. The Cauldron, containing 
spirits, is in the east. Magus in west, High Priestess in east with  
Phallic wand or pinecone-tipped wand, or broomstick, or riding pole, 
broom upwards.  
High Priestess lights Cauldron, saying,

"We kindle fire this day!
In the presence of the  Holy Ones:Without malice, without jealousy,  
without envy.
Without fear of aught beneath the sun.But the High Gods.

Thee we invoke: O light of life:Be thou a bright flame before us:
Be thou a guiding star above us:Be thou a smooth path beneath us;

Kindle thou in our hearts within,A flame of love for our neighbor, To
our foes, to our friends, to our kindred all:To all men on this broad
Earth.

O merciful son of Cerridwen, From the lowest thing that liveth
To the name that is highest of all."

High Priestess draw pentacle upon Magus with wand, kiss, gives it to
him.  He does likewise.  They lead the dance round the circle, all
couples leaping burning fire.  The last couple as the fire goes out
should be well-purified three times,  and each should give Fivefold  
Kiss
to all of opposite sex.

Cakes and wine.

If the people will, the Cauldron dance can be done again, many times, 
or
other games can be played.

 Summer Solstice

Form circle.  Invoke,  Purify.  Cauldron  is  placed  before  altar  
filled
with water, wreathed with summer flowers.  The people, men and women
alternately, stand round  circle. High  Priestess stands  in north,  
before
Cauldron, holding raised wand, which should be Phallic or tipped with 
a
pinecone (anciently the thyrsus) or a riding pole or a broomstick,
invokes the sun.

 "Great One  of Heaven,  Power of the  Sun, we  invoke thee in  thine 
ancient
names, Michael, Balin, Arthur, Lugh, Herne.  Come again, as of old,  
into
this thy land. Lift  up thy shining  spear of light  to protect us.  
Put
to flight the powers of darkness, give us fair woodlands and green
fields, blossoming orchards and  r ipening corn.  Bring us to stand  
upon
thy hill of vision, and show us the path to the lovely realms of the
gods."

High Priestess draws invoking pentacle on Magus with wand.

Magus comes forward sunwise and takes  wand with kiss, plunges wand  
into
Cauldron and holds it upright, saying,  "The spear to the Cauldron,  
the
lance to the Grail, spirit to flesh, man to woman, sun to earth." He
salutes High Priestess  over Cauldron,  then rejoins  people, still  
bearing
wand.

High Priestess takes aspergillum, stands by Cauldron, says, "Dance ye
about the Cauldron of Cerridwen the Goddess, and be ye blessed with 
the
touch of this consecrated water, even as the sun, the lord of light,
arriveth in his strength in the sign of the waters of life."

The people dance sunwise about the altar and Cauldron, led by Magus
bearing wand. High  Priestess sprinkles  them lightly  as they pass  
her.

Ritual of cakes and wine.

Any other dances, rites, or games as the Priestess and people wish.

Autumn equinox

The altar should be decorated with symbols of autumn, pine cones, oak
sprigs, acorns, or  ears of corn,  and should have  fire or burning  
incense
on it as usual.  After usual purification,  the people stand round,  
men
and women alternately.  Magus at west of altar in God position.

High Priestess stands at east of altar, facing him, and reads the
incantation.

"Farewell, O Sun, ever returning light. The hidden god, who ever yet
remains. He  departs to  the land  of youth,  through the  gates of  
death,
to dwell enthroned, the judge of gods and man. The horned leader of  
the
hosts of air. Yet, even as stand  unseen about the circle the forms  
of
the Mighty Lords  of the Outer  Spaces,. So dwelleth  he, `the lord  
within
ourselves'.  So dwelleth he within the secret seed, the seed of new
reaped grain, the seed of flesh, hidden in the earth, the marvellous
seed of the stars. 

 `In him  is life, and  life is the  light of  men [John 1:4],'  that 
which
 was never born and never dies.  Therefore the Wicca weep not, but
 rejoice."

The High Priestess  goes to  the Magus with  a kiss.  He lays aside  
Athame
and scourge, and kisses her.  The High Priestess hands him her wand,
which should be Phallic, or  a branch tipped with  a pinecone, Or a  
riding
pole, or a broomstick (anciently the thyrsus). They lead the dance,  
she
with a systrum or rattle, he with wand, the people falling in behind
them, dancing three times round the altar.  Then the candle game is
played.

Cakes and wine.

Great Rite if possible.

Dances and games.


 Winter Solstice

Form circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones.

The Cauldron  of Cerridwen  is placed  in the  circle at  the south  
wreathed
with holly, ivy, and mistletoe, with fire lighted within it.  There
should be no other  light except for  the candles on  the altar and  
about
the circle.

After all are purified, the Moon should be drawn down.

Then the  High Priestess  stands  behind the  Cauldron  in pentacle  
position,
symbolizing the rebirth of the sun.  The people, man and woman
alternately, stand round  the circle.  The Magus  stands facing the  
High
Priestess with a bundle of torches, or candles, and the book of words 
of
the incantation.  One  of the  officers  stands beside  him  with a  
lighted
candle, so that he may have light to read by.

The people begin to slowly move round the circle sunwise.  As each
passes him the Magus lights his candle or torch from the fire in the
Cauldron, which may be simply a candle, till all have lighted candles 
or
torches.  Then the people dance round slowly as he reads the
incantation.  (A real fire must now be kindled in the Cauldron.)

Queen of the Moon, Queen of the Sun. Queen of the Heavens, Queen of 
the
Stars.

Queen of the Waters, Queen of the Earth. Who ordained to us the child 
of
promise:

It is the Great Mother who gives birth to him, He is the Lord of Life
who is born again, Darkness and tears are set behind,And the star of
guidance comes up early.

Golden sun of  hill and  mountain illumine  the land,  illumine the  
world,
illumine the seas,  illumine the rivers,Grief  be laid,  and joy be  
raised.

Blessed be the Great Mother, Without beginning, without ending, To
everlasting, to eternity, I O. Evohe, Blessed be."

The dance commences slowly, in rhythm with the chant, all taking up 
the
call "I. O. Blessed  be." The Priestess joins  dance and leads them  
with
a quicker rhythm. The cauldron with  burning fire is pushed so that  
the
dancers leap  or  step over  it,  in couples.  Whichever  couple is  
passing
it as it goes out, should be well-purified, three times each, and may
pay any amusing forfeit as the High Priestess may ordain. Sometimes  
the
cauldron is relighted several times for this purpose.

 C.5 The Eightfold Path or Ways. (1957)

1. Meditation or concentration, actually by the firm knowledge that  
you
can and will succeed -- forming a clear picture in your mind or your
requirements.

2. Trance states, Clairvoyance, Projection of the Astral etc.

3. Drugs, Wine, Incense.

4. Dance, Performing Rites with a purpose.

5. Chants, Spells etc.

6. Blood control (Cords etc), Breath control.

7. Scourge

8. The Great Rite

N.B.

The great thing is to combine as many of these paths into the one
operation. No 1 must be in all --  for if you have no clear picture  
of
what you wish and no certainty you will not succeed -- 'tis useless. 
No
2 can be combined with this easily.  Nos 3, 4, and 5 are all good
preliminaries- also 6 and 7; but No 3 is dangerous and therefore if
possible should be avoided, except for incense, which is harmless if 
too
much is not used.

The best combination is Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 7, for small purposes, with 
no
8 if great force is necessary. Also a  combination of 1, 6 and 7 is  
good
if more can not be done; this if properly performed leads to No. 2.

 C.6.  The First-Degree Initiation (1957)

Draw Circle with Magic Sword or Athame.

Sprinkle with Exorcised Water.

Go round Circle with Magic Sword or Athame, Saying, "I conjure thee, 
O
Circle of Power, that thou beest as a Boundary and a Protection to
contain the magic power which I will raise within thy bounds. So do  
I
bless thee, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."

Go round, saying at East, South,  West, and North, "I summon, stir,  
and
call thee up, ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North), to
witness the rites and to guard the circle."

Magus draws down Moon on High Priestess.

Read Charge, then say, "O thou who standest on the threshold between 
the
pleasant world of men and the dread domains of the lords of the outer
spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay?" (Place point of the
Magic Sword or Athame  to Postulant's heart.) "For  I say verily it  
were
better to rush on my blade and perish than to make the attempt with 
fear
in thy heart."

Postulant: "I  have two  perfect words:  perfect love,  and perfect  
trust."

Say, "All who have are doubly welcome."

Entering position: "I give you a third to pass you through this dread
door."  Gives it [kiss].
Lead Postulant sunwise to south of altar, and say, "O thou who hast
declared intent to become one of us, hear then that which thou must  
know
to do. Single is the race of men  and of Gods; from a single source  
we
both draw breath, but a difference of power in everything keeps us
apart, for we are as nothing, but the Gods stay forever. Yet we can, 
in
greatness of minds, be like the Gods, though we know not to what goal 
by
day or in the night Fate has  written that we shall run. Beyond all  
seas
and Earth's la st boundaries, beyond the Spring of night and the
Heavens' vast expanse, there lies a  majesty which is the domain of  
the
Gods.  Thou who would pass through the Gates of Night and Day to that
sweet place, which is between the worlds  of men and the domains of  
the
Lords of the outer spaces,  know that unless there  is truth in thy  
heart,
thy every effort is doomed to failure.  HEAR THEN THE LAW: that thou
lovest all things in nature; that thou shalt suffer no person to be
harmed by thy hands or in thy mind; that thou walkest humbly in the 
ways
of men and the ways of the Gods.  Also it is the law that contentment
thou shalt learn, through suffering, and from long years and from
nobility of mind and of purpose, FOR THE WISE NEVER GROW OLD.  Their
minds are nourished by living  in the daylight of  the Gods, and if  
among
the vulgar some discoveries should  arise concerning some maxims of  
thy
belief in the Gods, so do thou, for the most part, keep silent.  For
there is a great risk  that thou mayest straightway  vomit up th at  
which
thou hast not digested, and when someone shall say to thee, "Thou
knowest naught," and it bites thee not, then knowest thou that thou 
hast
begun the work. And as sheep do not bring their food to the shepherd 
to
show how  much  they  have  eaten,  but  digesting  inwardly  their  
provender,
bear outwardly wool and milk, even so, do not thou display the maxims 
to
the vulgar, but rather the works  that flow when they are digested.  
Now
there is the ordeal." [This speech was added after about 1960.]

Tie cord around  Postulant's right  ankle, leaving  ends free; say,  
"Feet
neither bound nor free."

Leading postulant, proclaim at four quarters, "Take heed, ye Lords of
the Watchtowers of the East (South, West, North), that (name) is
properly prepared to be made a priestess and a witch."

Three times round the Circle with Dance step and chant.

Place Postulant in East; say, "Kneel."

Postulant kneels.

Strike eleven knells on bell; say, "Rise. In other religions the
postulant kneels while the priest towers above him, but in the Art
Magical we are taught to be humble, and so we kneel to welcome them, 
and
we say:

"Blessed be the feet that have brought you in these ways [kiss];

"Blessed be the knees that shall kneel at the sacred altar [kiss];

"Blessed be thy womb (or organ of generation), without which we would
not be [kiss];

"Blessed be thy breasts, erected in beauty and in strength [kiss];

"Blessed be thy lips, which shall utter the sacred names [kiss].

"Before ye  are  sworn,  art  willing to  pass  the  ordeal  and be  
purified?"

Postulant "I am."

Take measure: height (tie knot); around head (tie knot); around heart
(tie knot); around hips (tie knot).  Prick postulant's thumb; catch
blood on measure. Place measure on altar.  Have postulant kneel, tie
postulant's feet  together, and  secure cable  tow to  altar. Three  
strokes
on bell. Say, "Art ready to swear  that thou wilt always be true to  
the
Art?"

Postulant "I am."

Strike seven times on bell and say, "Thou must first be purified."
Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.

Say, "Ye have bravely passed the test.  Art always ready to help,
protect, and defend thy brothers and sisters of the Art?"

Postulant "I am."

"Then say after me:  I, (name), in the presence of the mighty ones of
the outer spaces, do of my own free will most solemnly swear that I 
will
ever keep secret and never reveal the secrets of the Art, except it  
be
to a proper person, properly prepared, within such a circle as I am  
in
now, and that I will never deny the Secrets to such a person if they 
be
vouched for by a brother or Sister of  the Art. All this I swear by  
my
hopes of a future life, and may my weapons turn against me if I break
this my solemn oath."

Loosen cords from ankles and from altar, and remove blindfold; assist 
to
 rise.

 "I hereby sign thee with the triple sign [the point-down triangle
 formed by touching the genitals, the right breast, the left  breast, 
and
 the genitals again.] I consecrate  thee with oil. I consecrate  thee 
with
 wine. I consecrate thee with my lips, Priest (Priestess) and Witch."

 Remove Cords [kiss].

 "I now  present to  you the  working tools. First  the magic  sword. 
With
 this,  as  with  the athame,  thou  canst  form  all magic  circles,  
dominate,
 subdue,  and punish  all  rebellious spirits  and  demons, and  even  
persuade
 angels and good spirits.  With this in your  hand, you are ruler  of 
the
 circle." [kiss]

 "Next  I  present to  you  the  athame. This  is  the true  witches'  
weapon,
 and has all the powers of the magic sword." [kiss]

 "Next I present the white-handled knife.  Its use is to form all
 instruments  used  in the  Art.  It  can only  be  used  in a  magic  
circle."
 [kiss]

 "Next I present the wand.  Its use is to call up and control certain
 angels and genie to whom it would not be meet to use the sword or
 athame." [kiss]

 "Next I present the pentacle.  This is for the purpose of calling up
 the appropriate spirits." [kiss]

 "Next I present the censer of incense. This is used to encourage and
 welcome good spirits, and to banish evil spirits." [kiss]

  "Next  I  present  the  scourge.  This  is  a  sign  of  power  and   
domination.
 It is also used to cause purification and enlightenment, for it is
 written, `To learn you must suffer and be purified.' [kiss]

 Art willing to suffer to learn?"

 Postulant: "I am."

 "Next and lastly I present the cords.  They are of use to bind the
 sigils of the art, also the material basis. Also they are necessary  
in
 the oath." [kiss]

 "I now salute you in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos, Newly made
 Priestess and Witch."

 Lead round  and proclaim to  four quarters,  "Hear, ye Mighty  Ones, 
(name)
 has been consecrated a priestess of the Goddess."

 Now present new Witch to coven members.  All should kiss and hug new
 Witch as welcome into membership.

 To close circle  proclaim to four quarters,  "Ye Mighty Ones of  the 
East
 (South, West, North), I thank  you for attending and, ere ye  depart 
for
 your lovely realms, I say hail and farewell."

  C.7.  The Second-Degree Initiation (1957)

  Form Circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones at the Four
 Quarters. The Initiate  should be properly  prepared and bound  with 
the
 Cords.

 All are purified, including Initiate.

 Circle once, proclaiming at the Four Quarters: "Hear Ye Mighty Ones, 
.
 . . (N), a duly consecrated Priestess and Witch is now properly
 prepared to  be made  a High  Priest and Magus  (High Priestess  and 
Witch
 Queen)."

 Circle three times, with dance step and chant.

 Initiate then kneels before the Altar and is secured with the Cords.

 Priestess  or  Magus:  "To  attain  to  this  sublime Degree  it  is  
necessary
 to suffer and be purified. Art willing to suffer to learn?"

 Initiate: "I am."

 Priestess or Magus: "I purify thee to take this great oath rightly".

 Strike three strokes upon the bell. Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21. "I now give
 thee a new name: . . ." [kiss]

 "Repeat thy new name after me, saying, `I, . . ., swear, upon my
 mother's  womb and  by mine  honour among  men and  my brothers  and  
sisters
 of the  Art, that  I will  never reveal  to any  at all  any of  the 
secrets
 of the Art, except it be  to a worthy person, properly prepared,  in 
the
 center of a  Magic Circle such as  I am now in.  This I swear by  my 
hopes
 of salvation, my past lives and my hopes of future ones to come and  
I
 devote myself and my measure to utter destruction if I break this my
 solemn Oath.'"

 Kneel.

 Place Left Hand under Initiate's Knee and Right Hand on Head, thus
 forming Magic Link, saying: "I will all my power into thee."

 WILL.

 Loose, assist to rise.

 Consecrate: "I consecrate thee with oil [on genitals, right breast,
 left hip, right hip, left breast, genitals), I consecrate thee with
 wine, I consecrate thee with my lips, High Priest and Magus (High
 Priestess and Witch Queen)." Loose remaining cords. [kiss]

 "You will now use the working tools in turn, "First the Magic Sword
 (Form Circle) [kiss]

 "Second the Athame. (Form Circle) [kiss]

 "Third  the  White-Handled  Knife  (use)  [kiss]  "Fourth the  Wand.  
(Wave
 to 4 Quarters) [kiss]

 "Fifth the Pentacle. (Show to 4 Quarters) [kiss]

 "Sixth the Censer.  (Circle, cense) [kiss]

 "Seventh the Cords.  (Use) [kiss]

 "Eighth the scourge: for learn, in witchcraft you must ever give as  
you
 receive, but ever triple.  So where I gave thee 3, return 9; where I
 gave 7,  return 21;  where I  gave 9,  return 27;  where I gave  21, 
return
 63." (Use, 9, 21, 27, 63; i.e., 120 in all [kiss])

 "Thou hast obeyed the law. But mark well, when thou receivest good,  
so
 equally art bound to return good threefold."

 The  Priestess or  Magus is  then loosed  from the  cords and  says:  
"Having
 learned thus far, you must know why the Wicca are called the Hidden
 Children of the Goddess".

 Then the Legend of  the Goddess is either read  or acted out. If  it 
is
 possible to act it out, the new Initiate may take one of the parts.
 One of the Coven should act as Narrator, and another as Guardian  of 
the
 Portal. The Priestess, or another woman, may act the part of the
 Goddess, and the Magus, or another man, may act the part of the God.
 The Priestess --  or whoever is  taking the part  of the Goddess  -- 
takes
 off her necklace  and lays it  on the Altar.  Then she goes  outside 
the
 circle and  is dressed  in a  veil and  jewellery. The  Magus --  or 
whoever
 is taking the part of the God -- is invested with a horned crown and
 girds on a sword, which he draws and stands in the God position with
 sword and scourge, by the altar.

Narrator: "In ancient  times our Lord,  the Horned One,  was, as he  
still
is, the Consoler, the Comforter; but men knew him as the Dread Lord  
of
Shadows -- lonely,  stern, and hard.  Now our Lady  the Goddess had  
never
loved, but she would solve all mysteries, even the mystery of Death 
--
and so  she journeyed  to the  Nether Lands.  The Guardians  of the  
Portals
challenged her:"

(The Priestess -- or whoever is taking the part of the Goddess  --
advances to the side of  the Circle. Whoever is  taking the part of  
the
Guardian of the Portal challenges her with the Sword or Athame.)

Narrator: "`Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels, for naught 
may
ye bring with ye into this our land'. So she laid down her garments 
and
her jewels and was bound, as are  all who enter the realms of Death  
the
Mighty One".

(The Priestess takes off  the veil and the  jewellery and lays them  
down
outside the Circle. The  Guardian of the Portal  binds her with the  
Cords
and brings her inside the Circle.)

Narrator: "Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and laid his
sword and crown at her feet and kissed her feet."

(The Magus -- or  whoever is playing  the part of  the God -- comes  
forward
and lays the Horned Crown and the Sword at the Priestess's feet and
kisses her feet)

Narrator: "Saying, `Blessed be  thy feet that  have brought thee in  
these
ways. Abide with me, but  let me place my cold  hand on thy heart'.  
And
she replied, `I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I
love and take delight  in to fade and  die?' `Lady,' replied Death,  
`'Tis
Age and Fate, against which I am helpless.  Age causes all things to
wither; but when men die  at the end of time,  I give them rest and  
peace
and strength, so  that they  may return.  But you, you  are lovely.  
Return
not; abide with me.' But she answered, `I love thee not.'  Then said
Death, `An you receive not my hand on your heart, you must receive
Death's scourge.'"

(The Magus rises and takes up the Scourge from the Altar.)

Narrator:  "`It is fate, better so,' she said, and she knelt."

(The Priestess  kneels before  the altar,  and  the Magus  uses the  
scourge
3, 7, 9, 21.)

Narrator: "And Death scourged her tenderly,  and she cried, `I feel  
the
pangs of love'. And Death raised her, and said, `Blessed be,' and he
gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, `Thus only may you attain to joy 
and
knowledge'."

(The Magus raises  the Priestess, gives  her the  Fivefold Kiss and  
unties
the cords)

Narrator: "And he taught her all the Mysteries and gave her the
necklace, which is the Circle of Rebirth."

(The Magus takes the Priestess's necklace from the Altar and replaces 
it
about her neck.  The Priestess  takes up  the Sword and  the Horned  
Crown
from the floor, where the Magus placed them, and gives them back to  
him.
Then he stands as before by the  Altar, in the position of the God,  
and
she stands by his side in the pentacle position, as Goddess)

Narrator: "And she taught him the mystery of the sacred cup, which is
the cauldron of rebirth. They loved and were one; and he taught her  
all
the Magics.  For there be three great mysteries in the life of man --
love, death, and resurrection  in a new body  -- and magic controls  
them
all. To fulfill love you must return  at the same time and place as  
the
loved one, and you  must meet and  know and remember  and love them  
again.
But to be reborn you must die and be ready for a new body; to die you
must be born; without love you may not  be born -- and these be all  
the
magics. And  our  Goddess  ever inclineth  to  love  and  mirth and  
happiness,
and guardeth and cheriseth Her hidden children in life; and in death 
she
teacheth the  way to  have communion,  and even  in this  world She  
teacheth
them the Mystery of the Magic Circle, which is placed between the
worlds."

The Priestess or Magus then replaces the Sword, Crown, Scourge, etc.,
upon the Altar, and taking the new Initiate by the hand and holding  
the
Athame in the other, passes once round the Circle, proclaiming at the
Four Quarters,  "Hear,  Ye  Mighty  Ones,  .  .  .  hath  been duly  
consecrated
High Priest and Magus (or High Priestess and Witch Queen)."

 C.8.  The Third-Degree Initiation (1957)

Magus gives Fivefold Kiss.
Magus: "Ere  we  proceed  with  this  sublime  degree,  I must  beg  
purification
at thy hands."

High Priestess binds Magus and ties him down to the altar.  She
circumambulates three times, and scourges  Magus with three, seven,  
nine,
and 21 strokes.  She then unbinds him and helps him to his feet.

Magus now binds the High Priestess and ties her down to the altar. He
circumambulates, proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye mighty
Ones, the twice consecrate and Holy (name), High Priestess and Witch
Queen, is properly prepared and will now proceed to erect the Sacred
Altar."

Magus scourges  High  Priestess  with three,  seven,  nine,  and 21  
strokes.

Magus kisses her feet. "Ere I dare proceed with this sublime degree, 
I
must again beg purification at thy hands." 

She binds and scourges him.

Note: if High Priestess has not performed this rite before, he says,
"Here I reveal to you a great mystery."  [Kneel and place couch in
position so as to face north.]

     Assist me to build
          As the Mighty One willed,
     An Altar of praise,
          From beginning of days,
     Thus doth it lie,
          Twixt the points of the sky,
        For thus it was placed
                When the Goddess embraced
        The Horned One, Her Lord,
                Who taught her the word,

[Priestess lies down in such a way that her vagina is approximately 
at
the center of the circle]

        Which quickened the womb,
          And conquered the Tomb.
     Be thus as of yore,
          The Shrine we adore,          [kiss]
     The feast without fail,
          The life-giving Grail,        [kiss]
     Before it uprear
          The Miraculous Spear,
     And invoke in this sign
          The Goddess divine.           [kiss]

Invoke:   "Thou who at moon of night doth reign,
               Queen of the starry realm above,
          `Not unto Thee may we attain
               Unless Thine Image be of Love.'         [kiss]

          By moon-rays silver shaft of power,
               By green leaf breaking from the bud,
          By seed that springeth into flower,
               By life that courseth in the blood.     [kiss]

          By rushing wind and leaping flame,
               By flowing water and green earth,
          Pour us the wine of our desire
       From        out        Thy        Cauldron        of        Rebirth.        
[kiss]

          Here may we see in vision clear
               The Secret Strange unveiled at length,
          The wondrous Twin-Pillars rear
     Erect      in      Beauty      and      in      Strength.      [kiss      
breasts]

                 Altar of Mysteries manifold,
                        The Sacred Circle's central point,
                  Thus do I sign thee as of old,
                        With kisses of my lips anoint.

(Eightfold Kiss: 3 points, Lips, 2 Breasts and back to lips, & 5
points*, with oil, wine, & kisses)

          Open for me the Secret Way,
               The pathway of intelligence,
          Between the Gates of Night and Day,
               Beyond the bounds of time and sense.

          Behold the Mystery aright,
               The Five True Points of Fellowship,
          Here where the Lance and Grail unite,
               And feet and knees and breast and lips."

Magus and High Priestess: "Encourage our hearts, Let thy Light
crystallize itself in our blood, fulfilling us of Resurrection, for
there is no part of us that is not of the Gods."

                (Exchange Names.)

 C.9.  The Witches' Chant or Rune (1957)

Darksome night and Shining Moon,
     East, then South, then West, then North,
Harken to the Witches Rune:
     Here come I to call thee forth.

Earth and Water, Air and Fire,
     Wand and Pentacle and Sword,
Work ye unto my desire,
     Harken ye unto my word.

Cords and Censer, Scourge and knife,
     Powers of the Witches Blade,
Waken all ye into life,
     Come ye as the Charm is made:

Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell,
     Horned Hunter of the Night,
Lend your power unto the Spell,
     Work my will by Magic Rite.

If chant is used to reinforce a work already begun, end with this:

By all the power of land and sea, by all the might of moon and sun,

What is my will- "So mote it be,"What I do say- "It shall be done."

 C.10. Consecrating Tools (1957)

(Note: if possible lay any new weapon touching an already consecrated
one, Sword to sword, Athame to Athame, etc.)

[1] Prepare Circle and  purify. All tools must  be consecrated by a  
man
and a woman, both as naked as drawn swords; they must be purified,
clean, and properly prepared.

[2] Place tool on  pentacle on altar. Magus  sprinkles it with salt  
and
water.  Witch passes it through smoke of incense, replaces it on
pentacle. Touching with  already consecrated  weapon, they  say the  
First
Conjuration.

[2a] For sword or athame, say "I  conjure thee, O Sword (or Athame)  
of
Steel, that thou  servest me  for a strength  and a  defence in all  
magical
operations, against all mine enemies, visible and invisible, in the
names of Aradia and Cernunnos.  I conjure thee anew by the Holy Names
Aradia and Cernunnos, that thou servest me for a protection in all
adversities, so aid me."

[2b] For any other tool, say, "Aradia and Cernunnos, deign to bless 
and
to consecrate  this [tool],  that  it may  obtain  necessary virtue  
through
thee for all acts of love and Beauty."

[3] Again they sprinkle and cense, and say the Second Conjuration:

[3a]  For sword or athame, say, "I conjure thee, O Sword [Athame] of
Steel, by the Great Gods and the Gentle Goddesses, by the virtue of  
the
Heavens, of the Stars,  of the Spirits who  preside over them, that  
thou
mayest receive such virtues that I may obtain the end that I desire  
in
all things wherein I shall use thee, by the power of Aradia and
Cernunnos."

[3b] For any other tool, say, "Aradia and Cernunnos, bless this
instrument prepared in  thine honour."  (For the  scourge or cords,  
add,
"That it may only serve for a good use and end, and to thy Glory.")

[4] All instruments when  consecrated should be  presented to their  
User
by giving the [point-down triangle] sign salute (if they are working 
in
the 1st degree, or the sign of the higher degree if they are working
that.)

[5] Then the one who is not the owner should give the Fivefold Kiss 
to
the owner.  For the final kiss, the tool should be placed between the
breasts, and the two workers should embrace for as long as they feel
like, it being held in place by  their bodies. The new owner should  
use
it immediately, i.e., cast (trace) Circle with Sword or Athame, wave
wand to 4  quarters, cut  something with  white-handled knife, etc.  
Cords
and scourge should be used at once.

The tool should be kept  in as close connection  as possible to the  
naked
body for at least a month, i.e., kept under pillow, etc.  When not in
use, all tools and weapons should be put away in a secret place; and 
it
is good that this should be near your sleeping place, and that you
handle them each night before retiring. Do not allow anyone to touch 
or
handle any of your tools until they are thoroughly impregnated with  
your
aura; say, six months or as near as possible.  But a couple working
together may own the same tools, which will be impregnated with the 
aura
of both.

 D.1 The Old Laws (1961)

[A] The Law was  made and Aredan of  old. The law  was made for the  
Wicca,
to advise and  help in  their troubles.  The Wicca should  give due  
worship
to the Gods and obey their will, which they Aredan, for it was made 
for
the good of the Wicca,  As the [5] Wicca's worship  is good for the  
Gods,
For the Gods love the Wicca. As  a man loveth a woman, by mastering  
her,
so the Wicca should love the Gods, by being mastered by them. And it 
is
necessary that the Circle, which is the Temple of the Gods, should be
truly cast and purified, that it [10] may be a fit place for the Gods 
to
enter. And the Wicca  should be properly  prepared and purified, to  
enter
into the presence of the Gods. With love and worship in their hearts
they shall raise power from their bodies to give power to the Gods,  
as
has been toughed us of old, [15] For in this way only may man have
communion with the Gods,  for the Gods cannot  help man without the  
help
of men.

[B] And the High Priestess shall rule her Coven as representative of 
the
Goddess, and the High Priest shall support her as the representative 
of
the God, And the High Priestess shall choose whom she [20] will, if  
he
have sufficient rank, to be her High Priest), For the God himself,
kissed her feet in the fivefold salute, laying his power at the feet 
of
the Goddess, because of her youth and beauty, her sweetness and
kindness, her wisdom and Justice, her humility and generosity.  So he
resigned his lordship to her. But the Priestess should [25] ever mind
that all power comes from him. lt is only lent when it is used wisely
and justly. And the greatest virtue of a High Priestess is that she
recognizes that  youth is  necessary to  the representative  of the  
Goddess,
so that she  will retire gracefully  in favour of  a younger woman,  
Should
the Coven so decide in Council,  For the true [30] High Priestess
realizes that gracefully surrendering pride of place is one of the
greatest of virtues, and t hat thereby she will return to that pride 
of
place in another life, with greater power and beauty.

[C] In  the  days when  Witchdom  extended  far, we  were  free and  
worshipped
in Alther Greatest Temples,  but in these unhappy times [35] we must
hold our sacred mysteries in secret. So it be Aredan, that none but  
the
Wicca may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many, And torture
looseth the tongues of many. It be aredan that each Coven shall not  
know
where the next Coven bide, or who  its members are, save the Priest  
and
Priestess, [40] That there shall  be no communication between them,  
save
by the Messenger of the Gods, or  the Summoner. Only if it be safe,  
may
the Covens meet, in  some safe place, for  the great festivals. And  
while
there, none shall say whence they come, or give their true names, to 
the
end that, if any are tortured, in their agony, they can [45] not tell 
if
they know not.  So it be Aredan that no one may tell any not of the
Craft who be of the Wicca, nor give any names, or where they bide, or 
in
any way tell anything which can betray any to our foes, nor may they
tell where the Covenstead be, or where is the Covendom, [50] or where 
be
the meeting s or  that there have  been meetings. And  if any break  
these
laws, even under  torture, The Curse  of the Goddess  shall be upon  
them,
so they never reborn on earth, And may they remain where they belong, 
in
the Hell of the Christians.

[D] Let each High Priestess govern  her Coven with Justice and [55]  
love,
with the help of the advice of the elders, always heeding the advice 
of
the Messenger of the Gods, if he cometh. She will heed all complaints 
of
brothers, and strive to  settle all differences  among them, but it  
must
be recognized that  there be people  who will ever  strive to force  
others
to do as they  will. [60] They  are not necessarily  evil, and they  
often
do have good ideas, and such ideas should be talked over in council. 
And
if they will not agree with their brothers, or if they say, "I will 
not
work under this High Priestess," it hath always been the old law to  
be
convenient for the brethren, and to void disputes, any of the Third 
[65]
may claim to found a new Coven because they live over a league from 
the
Covenstead, or are about to do so. Anyone living within the Covendom
wishing to form a new Coven, to avoid strife, shall tell the Elders  
of
his intention and on the instant void his dwelling and remove to the 
new
Covendom. Members of the old Coven may join the New one when it be
formed, but if they do, must utterly void the old Coven. The Elders  
of
the New and the Old Covens should meet in peace and brotherly love,  
to
decide the new boundaries. Those of the Craft who dwell outside both
Covendoms may join either indifferent, but not both, though all may, 
if
the Elders [75] agree, meet for the Great Festivals, if it be truly  
in
peace and brotherly love. But splitting the coven oft means strife,  
so
for this reason these laws wer e made  of old, And may the curse of  
the
Goddess be on any who disregard them.  So be it aredan.

[E] If you would Keep a  book let it be in  your own hand of write.  
[80]
Let brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book 
out
of your hands, and never keep the writings of another, for if it be
found in their hand of  write, they well may  be taken and Engined.  
Each
should guard  his  own  writings  and  destroy  it  whenever danger  
threatens.
Learn as much as  you may by  heart, and when  danger is [85] past,  
rewrite
your book an it be safe. For this reason, if any die, destroy their 
book
if they hav e not been able to, for an it be found, 'tis clear proof
against them, And our oppressors well know, "Ye may not be a witch
alone" So all their kin and friends be in danger of torture.  So ever
destroy anything not necessary. [90] If  your book be found on you.  
'tis
clear proof  against  you  alone.  You  may  be  engined. Keep  all  
thoughts
of the Craft from your mind. Say you had bad dreams; a devil caused 
you
to write  it without  your knowledge.  Think  to yourself,  "I know  
nothing.
I remember nothing. I  have forgotten everything."  Drive this [95]  
into
your mind.  If the  torture  be too  great  to bear,  say,  "I will  
confess.
I cannot bear this torture. What do you want me to say? Tell me and  
I
will say it."  If they try to make yo u speak of the brotherhood, Do
NOT, but if they try to make you speak of [100] impossibilities, such 
as
flying through the air, consorting with the Christian Devil, or
sacrificing children, or eating men's flesh, to obtain relief from
torture, say,  "I  had an  evil  dream.  I was  not  myself.  I was  
crazed."
Not all Magistrates are bad.  If there [105] be  an excuse they may  
show
mercy. If you  have confessed  aught, deny  it afterwards;  say you  
babbled
under torture,  you knew  not  what you  did  or said.  If  you are  
condemned,
fear not. The Brotherhood is powerful. They may help you to escape, 
if
you stand steadfast, but if you betray  aught, there is no hope for  
you,
in this  [110] life,  or  in that  which is  to  come. Be  sure, if  
steadfast
you go to the pyre, Dwale will reach you. You will feel naught. You 
go
but t o Death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the Goddess.

[F] 'Tis probable that before you are engined, Dwale will reach you.
[115] Always remember that Christians fear much that any die under
torture. At the first sign  of swoon, they cause  it to be stopped,  
and
blame the tormenters.  For that reason, the tormenters themselves are
apt to feign to  torment, but do not,  so it is best  not to die at  
first.
If Dwale reaches you, 'tis a sign that you have a friend somewhere.
[120] You may  be helped  to escape, so  despair not.  If the worst  
comes,
and you go to the  pyre, wait till the flames  and smoke spring up,  
bend
your head over, and breath in with long breaths. You choke and die
swiftly, and wake in the arms of the Goddess.

[G] To void discovery,  let the working tools  [125] be as ordinary  
things
that any may have in their houses.  Let the Pentacles be of wax, so  
they
may be broken at once. Have no sword unless your rank allows you one.
Have no names or  signs on anything.  Write the names  and signs on  
them
in ink before consecrating them and  wash it off immediately after.  
Do
not Bigrave them, [130] lest they cause discovery.  Let the colour of
the hilts tell which is which. 

[H] Ever remember, ye are the Hidden Children of the Gods. So never  
do
anything to disgrace them. Never boast, Never threaten, Never say you
would wish ill to anyone. If you or  any not in the Circle speak of  
the
Craft, [135] say, "Speak not  to me of such.  It frightens me. 'Tis  
evil
luck to speak of it." For this reason: the Christians have spies
everywhere. These speak as  if they were well  affected, as if they  
would
come to Meetings, saying, "My mother used  to go to worship the Old  
Ones.
I would that I could go myself."*  To these ever deny all knowledge.
[140] But to  others ever  say, "'Tis  foolish men talk  of witches  
flying
through the air; to do  so they must be  light as thistledown," and  
"Men
say that witches all be bleared-eyed old crones, so what pleasure can
there be in witch meetings  such as folk talk  on?" Say, "Many wise  
men
now say there be no such creatures." Ever [145] make it a jest, and 
in
some future  time, perhaps  the persecution  will  die, and  we may  
worship
safely again.  Let us all pray for that happy day.

[I] May the blessings of the Goddess and the God be on all who keep
these laws which are Aredan.

[J] If the Craft hath any Appanage,  let all brothers guard it, and  
help
to keep it clear and good for the Craft, and let all justly guard all
monies of the  Craft. But if  some brothers truly  wrought it, 'tis  
right
that they have their pay, an it be  just, an this be not taking [5]  
money
for the use of the Art, but for good and honest work.  And even the
Christians say,  "A labourer  is worthy  of his  hire." But  if any  
brothers
work willingly for the good  of the craft without  pay, 'tis but to  
their
greater honour.  So it be Aredan.

[K] If there be any disputes or quarrels among the brethren, the [10]
High Priestess shall straight convene the Elders and enquire into the
matter, and they shall hear both sides, first alone, then together,  
and
they shall decide justly, not favouring  the one side or the other,  
ever
recognizing that there be people who can never agree to work under
others, but at the same  time there be some  people who [15] cannot  
rule
justly. To those who ever must be chief, there is one answer, "Void  
the
Coven and seek an other, or make a Coven of your own, taking with you
those who will to go." To those  who cannot rule justly, the answer  
be,
"Those who cannot bear your rule will leave you," for none may come  
to
meetings with those  with whom  they are  at [20] variance;  so, an  
either
cannot agree, get hence, for the Craft must ever survive. So it be
Aredan.

[L] In the  olden days  when we  had power,  we could  use our Arts  
against any who ill-treated any of the Brotherhood, but in these evil 
times, we may not do so, for our enemies have devised a burning [25] 
pit of everlasting fire, into which  they say their God casteth all  
the people  who worship  him, except  it  be the  very few  who are  
released by their priests' spells and Masses, and this be chiefly by 
giving money and rich gifts to receive his favour, for their Alther 
Greatest God [Greatest God of all] is ever i
n need of Money. [30] But as our Gods need our aid to make fertility 
for men and crops, So the God of  the Christians is ever in need of  
man's help to search out and destroy us. 
Their priests tell them that any who  get our help or our cures are  
damned to the Hell forever, so men be mad for the terror of it. But  
they make men [35] believe that they may scape this hell if they give 
victims to the tormenters. So for this reason all be forever spying, 
thinking, "An I can  but catch one  of the Wicca  I will scape this  
fiery pit." But we have our hidels,  and men searching long and not  
finding say,  "there be  none,  or if  they be,  they  be in  a far  
country."
[40] But when one of our oppressors die, or even be sick, ever is the 
cry, "This be Witches Malice," and the hunt is up again. And though  
they slay ten of their people to  one of ours, still they care not;  
they have many thousands, while we are  few indeed. So it is Aredan  
that none shall  use the  Art in  any way  to do  ill [45]  to any,  
howevermuch they have injured us. And  for long we have obeyed this  
law, "Harm none" and nowtimes  many believe we exist  not. So it be  
Aredan that this law shall still continue
to help  us in  our  plight. No  one,  however great  an  injury or  
injustice they receive, may use the Art in any to do ill or harm any. 
[50] But they may, after great consultations with all, use the Art to 
prevent or restrain Christians from harming us and others, but only  
to let or constrain them and never to punish, to this end. Men say, 
"Such an one is a  mighty searcher out and  persecutor of Old Women  
whom he deemeth to  be Witches, [55]  and none hath  done him Skith  
[harm], so this be proof they cannot, o
r more truly, that there  be none," For all know  full well that so  
many folk have died  because someone had a  grudge against them, or  
were persecuted because they had money or goods to seize, or because 
they had  none to  bribe  the searchers.  And many  have  died [60]  
because they were scolding old  women, so much so  that men now say  
that only old women are witches, and  this be to our advantage, and  
turns suspicion away from us.
In England 'tis now many a year since a witch hath died the death,
but any misuse of  the power might raise  the Persecution again; so  
never break this law, [65] however  much you are tempted, and never  
consent to its being broken. If you  know it is being broken in the  
least, you must work strongly against it, and any High Priestess or 
High Priest who consents to it must be immediately deposed, for 'tis 
the blood of the Brethren they endanger. Do good, an it be safe, and 
only if [70] it be safe, for any talk may endanger us.

[M] And strictly keep to the Old Law, never accept money for the use 
of
the art. It is Christian priests and sorcerers who accept money for 
the
use of their  Arts, and  they sell Dwale  and evil  love spells and  
pardons
to let men scape from  their sins. [75] Be not  as these. Be not as  
these.
If you accept not money, you will  be free of temptation to use the  
Art
for evil causes.

[N] You may use the Art for your own advantage, or for the advantage 
of
the Craft, only if you be sure you harm none.  But ever let the Coven
debate the matter at length. Only if all are satisfied that none may 
be
harmed [80] may the Art  be used. If it is  not possible to achieve  
your
ends one way without harming any, perchance the aim may be achieved 
by
acting in a different way, so as to harm none.  May the Curse of the
Goddess be on any who breach this law.  So it be aredan.

[O] 'Tis adjudged lawful an anyone need a house or land, an none will
[85] sell,  to incline  the  owner's mind  to be  willing  to sell,  
provided
it harmeth him  not in any  way, and that  the full  worth is paid,  
without
haggling. Never bargain  or cheapen anything  which you  buy by the  
Art.
So it be Aredan.

[P] It is the Old Law and the most important of all Laws [90] that no
one may do or say anything which will endanger any of the Craft, or
bring them in contact with  the law of the land,  or the Law of the  
Church
or any of our persecutors. In any disputes between the brethren, no 
one
may invoke any laws but those of the Craft, or any Tribunal but that 
of
the Priestess and the Priest and the [95] Elders. And may the Curse  
of
the Goddess be on any who so do. So it be Aredan.

[Q] It is not forbidden to say as Christians do, "There be Witchcraft 
in
the Land,"  because our  oppressors of  old made  it Heresy  not to  
believe
in Witchcraft, and so a crime to deny it, which thereby put [100] you
under suspicion.  But ever say "I know not of it here, perchance they
may be, but afar off. I know not where."  But ever speak so you cause
others to doubt they be as they are.  Always speak of them as old
crones, consorting with the  Devil and riding  through the air. But  
ever
say, "But how may men ride through the  air an they be not [105] as  
light
as thistledown?" But the curse of the Goddess be on any who cast any
suspicion on any of the Brotherhood, or speaks of any real meeting
place, or where any bide.  So it be Aredan. [R]  Let the Craft keep  
books
with the names of all Herbs which  are good for man, and all cures,  
that
all may  learn. But  keep  [110] another  book with  all  the Banes  
[poisons]
and Apies. and let only the elders and trustworthy people have this
knowledge. So it be Aredan. [S] And may the Blessings of the Gods be 
on
all who keep these Laws and the Curses of both God and Goddess be on 
all
who break them  So it be  Aredan. [The following  two sections were  
added
after 1960.] [T] Remember the Art is the secret of the Gods and may 
only
be used in earnest and never for show or vainglory.  Magicians and
Christians may taunt us, saying, "You have no power.  Do magic before
our eyes. Then only will we believe," seeking to cause us to betray  
our
Art before them.  Heed them not, for the Art is holy, and may only be
used in need. And  the curse of the  Gods be on  any who break this  
law.
[U] It ever be the way with women, and with men also, that they ever
seek new love, nor should  we reprove them for this,  but it may be  
found
to disadvantage the Craft, as so many a time it has happened that a 
High
Priest or High Priestess, impelled by love, hath departed with their
love; that is, they have left the coven.  Now, if a High Priestess
wishes to resign, she may do so in full Coven, and this resignation  
is
valid.  But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if
they may not return w ithin a few months?  So the law is, if a High
Priestess leaves her coven, but returns  within the space of a year  
and a
day, then she shall be taken back, and all shall be as before.
Meanwhile, if  she has  a  deputy, that  deputy shall  act  as High  
Priestess
for as long as the High Priestess is away.  If she returns not at the
end of a year and a day, then shall the coven elect a new High
Priestess. Unless  there  be a  good  reason to  the  contrary. The  
person
who has done the work should re ap the benefit of the reward,  Maiden
and deputy of the High Priestess.

 D.2. The Verse Charge (1961)

I the Mother, darksome and divine,
Say to thee, Oh children mine
(All ye assembled at mine Shrine),
Mine the scourge and mine the kiss
The five-point star of love and bliss
Here I charge ye in this sign.       (Assume Goddess position.)

All ye assembled here tonight
Bow before my spirit bright
Aphrodite, Arianrhod, Lover of the Horned God,
Mighty Queen of Witchery and night

Astarte, Hecate, Ashtaroth, Dione,
(Morrigan, Etain, Nisene),
Diana, Brigid, Melusine,
Am I named of old by men, Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's Queen.

(Whene'er trouble comes anoon)
All who would learn of me a Rune
Or would ask of me a boon, Meet ye in some secret glade
Dance my round in greenwood shade,
by the light of the full moon.

(In a place wild and lone)
With the comrades alone
Dance about my altar stone.
Work my holy Magistry,Ye who are fain of sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.

(Whate'er troubles come to thee),
No more shall ye know slavery
Who give due worship unto me,
Who tread my round on Sabbat-night. Come ye all naked to the rite,

In token ye be truly free.

I teach the mystery of rebirth,
Keep ye my mysteries in mirth
Heart joined to heart, and lip to lip,
Five are the points of fellowship
That bring ye ecstasy on Earth.

I ask no offerings, do but bow,
No other law but love I know,
By naught but love I may be known,
All that liveth is mine own
From me they come, to me they go.

 D.3. Casting and Charging (1961)

[1]  Forming Circle.  Light candles.

1. Draw Circle with Magic Sword or Athame.

2. Sprinkle with consecrated water.

3. Cense.

4. Say, "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou be a Boundary 
and
a Protection and a meeting  place between the world  of men and the  
realms
of the Mighty Ones, A Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve 
and
contain the Power which we shall  raise within thee, Wherefore do I  
Bless
and Consecrate thee."

5. Say "I  summon, Stir, and  Call Thee up,  Ye Mighty  Ones of the  
(East,
South, West, North) To witness the Rites and to guard the Circle."

[2]  Closing Circle.

Say, "Mighty Ones of the (East, South, West, North), I thank you for
attending, and ere you depart for your lovely realms, I say Hail and
Farewell."

[3]  Consecration of Water and Salt.

Touch water with  Athame, saying, "I  exorcise thee,  O Creature of  
Water,
that thou cast out from thee all the impurities and uncleannesses of 
the
spirits of  the  World of  Phantasm,  In  the names  of  Aradia and  
Cernunnos."

Touching Salt with Athame, say, "Blessings be upon this creature of
Salt. Let all malignity  and hindrance be  cast forth hencefrom and  
let
all good enter herein. Wherefore I  bless thee that thou mayest aid  
me,
In the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."

[4]  Drawing Down the Moon.

"I invoke Thee  and call  upon Thee,  Oh Mighty  Mother of  us All,  
Bringer
of all Fruitfulness. By Seed and Root, by Stem and Bud, by Leaf and
Flower and Fruit, by Life and Love, Do We invoke Thee to descend upon
the body of Thy servant and Priestess (name)."

High Priest and other men give Fivefold Kiss.  Women all bow.

 D.4.  Forming the Circle. (1961)

FORMING THE CIRCLE.

[1] Must have a man and a woman, properly prepared, i.e., naked.

[2] Mark a circle nine feet across on the floor with chalk, etc.  The
best way is  to get  a string.  Tie 2  loops four  foot, six inches  
apart.
Put one loop over a  nail or something in the  center. Put chalk in  
the
other and run it round.  If you can't make marks on the floor, put
furniture, etc., round to form it.  Have a table, etc., as an Altar,
with all tools, etc., on it.  Have a bowl of water, and some salt.

[3] Place Athame on the bowl of water.  Say, "I exorcise thee, O
creature of Water, that thou cast  out from Thee all the impurities  
and
uncleannesses of the Spirits of the World of Phantasm in the name of
Aradia and Cernunnos. But  ever mind that  Water purifies the body,  
but
the scourge purifies the soul."

[4] Then place Athame on the salt.  Say, "Blessings be upon this
creature of Salt.  Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth
hencefrom, and let  all good enter  herein. Wherefore  I bless thee  
that
thou mayest aid me, in the name of Aradia and Cernunnos.

[5] Then trace Circle on the lines you have marked out, starting at  
the
East and returning  to the East.  (Always go round  the circle with  
your
Right hand to the Altar.  Never go Widdershins.)   Then put the Salt
into the water.  and go  round the  circle again, sprinkling  it to  
purify
it.  Then go round again censing it.  (Everyone in the circle must be
sprinkled and censed.)

[6] Then go to the East, Sword or Athame in hand.  Draw an invoking
pentacle in the Air, starting at the top and going to the lefthand
corner, saying, "I summon, and call thee up, O Ye Mighty ones of the
East, to guard the Circle and witness our rites."  Then holding the
point of sword or Athame upwards, do the same to the south, west, and
north, and return to the center, to the south of the Altar.

[7] Then each girl should bind her man, hands behind back and cable  
Tow
to neck. He should  kneel at altar,  and be scourged.  When all men  
are
thus "purified," they purify the girls in turn.  No one may be in the
circle without being thus purified.

[8] Then do whatever work wanted.

[9] When closing the Circle, the High Priestess, or whoever she tells 
to
do it, saying, "Hail, ye mighty ones of the East.  I thank you for
attending, and ere ye depart for your lovely realms, We say, Hail and
Farewell."

 Bibliography

These are books you should read in order to see the sources Gardner  
used
to create these rituals.

Crowley, Aleister.  Magick in Theory and Practice. Castle, n.d. [ca.
1930]

Gardner, Gerald B.  High Magic's Aid.  Michael Houghton, 1949.

------.  Witchcraft Today.  Jarrolds, 1954.

------.  The Meaning of Witchcraft.  Aquarian Press, 1959.

Glanvil, Joseph, and  Henry More. Saducismus  Triumphatus: or, Full  
and
Plain Evidence Concerning Witches and Apparitions. London: Lowndes,  
3d
ed., 1689.  Scholar's  Facsimiles,  1966.  One  of  Murray's  major  
sources
of information.

Leland, Charles  Godfrey.  Aradia:  The Gospel  of  the  Witches of  
Tuscany.
Scribner's, 1897.  Buckland Museum reprint, 1964.

Mathers, S. L. MacGregor, ed. and trans.  The Greater Key of Solomon.
De Laurence, Scott, 1914.

Murray, Margaret A.  The Witch-Cult in Western Europe.  Oxford
University Press, 1921.  Oxford paperback, 1962.

------.  The God of the Witches.  Oxford University Press, 1934.
Doubleday Anchor, 1960.

Regardie, Israel.  The Golden  Dawn: An  Account of  the Teachings,  
Rites,
and Ceremonies of the Order of the Golden Dawn.  1937-1940.  Hazel
Hills, 2d ed., 1969.

* Gardner appended  this paragraph to  the Craft Laws  in the early  
1960s.

* Gardner appended  this paragraph to  the Craft Laws  in the early  
1960s.

* These are shown  by a drawing  to be: genitals,  left foot, right  
knee,
left knee, right foot, and back to genitals.

* My  Lady Epona  points out  that this  is precisely  what Charles  
Cardell
had claimed; that is, this paragraph is a response to Cardell, and so 
it
was probably inserted into the Craft Laws after the run-in with the
Cardells and Olive Green in 1959.  This again is an indication that
Gardner did not promulgate the Craft Laws as a document for the Book 
of
Shadows until about 1960, when Mr. Q was initiated.

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

Classification:     IT.IV.C.2.e
Title:              Symbolism
Author:             Grand Master of the Order of Shuti
                    Temple of Set
Date:               December,  XXIV
Published:          Dialogues  I.3
                    (The section on "Neters" was published in
                    issue I.4)
Subject:            Symbolism
Reading List:       2L, 2V

[copyright 1989, Temple of Set.  Permission for electronic
distribution by echo and on PODS has been given by the author.
No not copy or distribute further without permission of the
author or the Temple of Set.]


The first session of the year-XXIV Order of Shuti Workshop
discussed symbolism.

While the study of symbolism itself is not a primary concern of the
Order of Shuti, several of the Order's activities do involve
working with forms of symbolism, or are discussed using various
symbols.

The symbols of the twin lion gods, Shu and Tefnut, who together are
Shuti, are obviously of importance in understanding the activities
of the Order.  The topic of symbolism was therefore chosen for the
introductory session of the workshop.

                             Application

In discussing this session and what would be discussed, the Grand
Master stressed that symbolism wasn't to be discussed simply as an
intellectual exercise, but that all participants should try to
apply the Setian yardstick of "application" to this discussion.

Each and every topic of this session (and all sessions in the
workshop) should be measured by the questions of a) Can it be
applied? b) Is it useful? c) Does it work?

                         What is symbolism?

One answer suggested by workshop participants is that symbolism is
a language of the unconscious.

It is a dynamic language in which one image, a single symbol, can
conjure up archetypical impressions, complex or complete concepts
and/or meanings, rather than being a structured language in which
many words and/or several sentences are needed to put together an
equivalent concept or meaning.

Another purpose of symbolism offered by the participants is to
serve as a metalanguage which has two levels or multiple levels of
meaning.

Each symbol or set of symbols can have one meaning to the
initiated, and another meaning to the uninitiated.  That symbol or
set of symbols could also have /different/ meanings to the
initiated, depending upon how the symbols are communicated, and how
they are mixed with other symbols.  A statement in a symbolic
language could even have multiple meanings communicated at the same
time to the same person.

A lot of the symbols Setians use in our writings are like that.
When we read through the _Scroll of Set_ or the jewelled Tablets,
those of us who have been using the language of the Temple of Set
for a while will see certain words, and will know just from the way
the words are used that the author is writing symbolically as well
as grammatically, and he therefore means "this type of thing".

This symbolic use of language lets us add meaning to an article
without adding substantially to the size of that article.

Those who haven't been in the Temple of Set long enough to pick up
on that symbolic use of language will miss almost all of that
meaning on their first reading.

This is one of the reasons why we all find it useful to reread past
issues of the _Scroll_ and to reread Tablet articles.  It enables
us to read meaning in an article that we may have missed on an
earlier reading.

It sometimes happens that "unintended" meaning is found in an
article during such a rereading.

Even though the author may not have consciously intended to convey
a certain meaning, that author's Higher Self may have influenced
the writing in such a way as to symbolically give a specific
message in the writing.  These messages remain hidden except for
those who can perceive and understand them.

On the other side of the scale, if our writings are read by someone
totally unfamiliar with occult symbolism, then the message can be
totally lost, and the reader may never see it.

Symbolism can be visual (examples are the Pentagram of Set,
pictures of the Egyptian Neters, etc), and verbal (the closing we
use on our letters, "Xeper and Remanifest", is a statement and
reminder of our dedication to this Formula, a way of developing and
keeping the habit of Xeper and Remanifestation going strong).

Each Word itself is a symbol (Xeper, Indulgence, Thelema, etc.),
as is each Neter (Shu, Tefnut, Sekhmet, Bast).  A lot of principles
can be used as symbols which have more meaning to the initiated
than they do to those who just read about them in a dictionary.

Visual and verbal/written symbols involve just one of our senses
(sight).  If you include verbal/spoken symbols, we then involve a
second sense (hearing).  We then asked the question, "Are there
symbols which are perceived and communicated through each of our
other senses?"

The first examples offered by workshop participants were incense
and music: Incense can bring about different emotions and responses
through the sense of smell.  Music can bring about different
responses through the sense of hearing, in ways totally different
than the verbal symbols do (the difference between right brained
behavior and left brained behavior).

                   Where does symbolism come from?

When dealing with incense and music, we are leaving the mental
processes and intellectual reactions that visual symbols will
evoke, and going instead to the more reactive, bodily, reactions.

We react to the smell of bodily feces with distaste because of the
body's reaction to that sort of an input.  We find the fragrance
of a rose very pleasing.

One of the reasons we use fragrant incenses during a ritual is to
bring about bodily reactions which enhance a ceremony because of
the smells and our reactions to the smells.

The discussion of one question leads to another.  We learn the
reactions / interpretations / meanings of visual and verbal symbols
(at least those discussed above).  Do we also learn reactions to
incenses and music, or are those reactions more innate?

The first response was that our reactions and interpretations, even
our likes and dislikes of music are learned.

The example given was classical music, which strikes some people
as very soothing and relaxing, and which is likely to put these
people to sleep.  But others who are aware of the intelligent
dynamics and many other ingredients of classical music will find
the same music very stimulating.

(We believe that the workshop participant was thinking about the
lighter classical pieces, such as "Tales from the Vienna Woods,"
and not the more active pieces such as "Night on Bald Mountain.")

The second response disagreed with the first, pointing out that
regardless of whether they are used in classical, modern, or any
other form of music, harps and strings tend to evoke emotional
(peaceful) moods, while drums are more primal and physical, evoking
more active responses.

The next example we discussed referred to the sense of smell.  To
a farmer, feces and fertilizer are pleasing and filled with
promise, a smell of promised growth and life, a totally different
reaction than most people will have (especially after scraping a
dog's refuse off the bottom of one's shoe).

Similarly, an inlander's first pleasant reaction to sea gulls on
wing, grace in motion, can be compared to the reaction of those who
live on the beach and have to live with the noise and the mess and
the droppings left behind by those very same sea gulls.

These examples tend to support the theory that we learn our
interpretations of the sounds and smells around us.

It seems from these examples that our reactions to inputs are
learned, or at least they arise from our experiences.  The question
then becomes, can symbols have innate visceral responses, or is the
response to a symbol necessarily a learned one?

To look at innate responses, the original responses to stimuli, we
necessarily looked at children.

For instance, children generally have no innate response to feces,
and will often eat them until they learn not to.  They later learn
to either react with disgust to feces, or to view them as
fertilizer and the source of life.

The first example of a possibly innate response brought to the
discussion was that of the ephemeral beauty of a butterfly on the
wing.  None of the participants could envision any child's reaction
other than awe and delight at such beauty (or at least none would
admit to any other vision).

This brought forth remarks concerning innate childish "awe", where
almost everything is new and wonderful.

Children as they begin to distinguish between the multiple events
and objects in their world are simply delighted at the beauty and
diversity they find around them.  There is no "evil" during this
time -- only the beauty of nature.

Few of us have any reason to unlearn this initial response to the
butterfly.  These reactions can therefore be considered innate,
stemming from the earliest days of our consciousness.  Other
reactions, unpleasant reactions and also more complex reactions,
seem to be learned over time.

Therefore, there's some of both types of reactions.  People will
have initial reactions to many meaningful symbols and inputs, but
their reactions can be modified by their experience and training.

This discussion raised yet more questions, for which no answers
were attempted during this workshop.  The questions were, how much
of our symbolism is learned, and how much of our symbolism is
innate? And if some form of consciousness or memory can survive
from one life to another, then how much might be remembered from
past lives?

Symbols may or may not come to one's attention.  An extremely
visually-oriented person may not notice or respond to other types
of symbols, such as a room's smell, or a background level of music,
while those who are oriented towards those senses will respond to
those inputs, but perhaps not to others.

Symbolism may have personal and/or experiential meaning (such as
the manure used to plant your garden or that you step in), or
symbolism may be abstract (learned and used in writing, teaching,
or jewelry, but not something that's impacted upon you in the
past).  This is the difference between a) the visceral response,
which may be innate and may also be a learned response, modified
through experience or training, and b) the mental response which
must always be learned or developed.

The Grand Master wishes to note that the discussion at this point
had unintentionally left the strict topic of symbolism, and was
dealing instead with experience and reaction to stimuli, on the
unspoken assumption that these reactions applied to our use of
symbolism.

We feel this to be a valid assumption, since the pleasant reaction
we have to a butterfly or to a unicorn extends to and impacts our
use of those images as symbols.  Those with differing reactions to
sea gulls as described above would similarly have different
reactions to Johnathon Livingston Seagull's story.

Also, by concentrating on experience and reaction rather than
symbolism, we temporarily lost sight of the most important measure
of symbolism -- that of meaning.

Yes, music has impact, but that music is symbol only if its impact
includes meaning, such as the sense of freedom and power that
accompanies the visual image of the "Flight of the Valkyries" and
similar images of meaning those who are familiar with the movie
will get from various pieces in the sound track from 2001.

Likewise incense is symbol only if its impact includes meaning.

That meaning may be supplied by the smell, or that meaning may be
supplied by knowledge of the ingredients within the incense.
Meaning may also be supplied by the words used during the censing
of the chambre.  Without some meaning, incense is not symbol, but
only smell.

Closely related to the sense of smell is the sense of taste, and
it's fairly easy to see that certain tastes can have meaning as
well.

During Passover Seder, a ritual meal of thanksgiving and freedom
(celebrating the Exodus), Jews will dip greens into salt water and
eat the salty greens, to remind them of tears shed by the Jews in
bondage.  They will eat bitter herbs to remind them of the
bitterness of slavery.

Likewise, there can be kinesthetic symbols as well.

We feel different when we hold a sword in ritual as opposed to when
we hold a dagger.  We feel different when we are standing up than
we feel when we are sitting down, and different still when we are
kneeling or laying down.  We feel different in charged rooms, dry
rooms, wet rooms, hot rooms, cold rooms, still rooms, breezy rooms.
Uncontrolled, these latter experiences are just stimuli.
Controlled and used meaningfully, these latter experiences can be
symbols, manipulated and understood as such.

                    How should symbolism be used?

The first obvious use of symbolism is in the communication of
ideas, whether written, spoken, or communicated through one or more
other senses.

Based on the idea that a single symbol can have a whole galaxy of
meaning, a useful communications skill is the ability to use
symbols in the proper places, in the proper ways, to communicate
more meaning in a smaller package (with fewer words).

Perhaps of greatest importance within the Temple of Set are the
magical aeonic Words: Xeper, Remanifestation, and Xem, and the
preceding Words of Indulgence and Thelema.  By using these Words
in writing or other forms of communication, we communicate the
meanings associated with those Words.

If I say the word "Xeper" to an initiate, it means something
totally different than it would mean to someone off the street, and
it means something totally different to a Setian than it would mean
to an Egyptologist who /thinks/ he knows the Egyptian god Xepera.
Our use of the Word is quite different and the symbol carries so
much more meaning than just the word "Xeper" would carry in a
modern Egyptian dictionary.

This use of symbolism doesn't apply just to magical Words or
Formulae, but applies to symbols of many different kinds, in many
different uses.

You'll sometimes find certain words capitalized in text, as are
"Words" and "Formulae" above.  When not overly used, this is a
clear indication that the author wishes you to view these words
with their symbolic meanings, rather than their normal meanings.

During group ritual, certain words will be spoken more
flamboyantly, perhaps louder, perhaps longer, and often with more
gesturing.  These words are then generally being used symbolically,
with special meaning at least to the speaker, if not to other
participants.

Symbolism can also be used in Lesser Black Magic, as tools to
influence certain people (singular or multiple) in certain ways.
The magician (or politician or religious leader or arts director
or other manipulator) will use lighting, music, fragrance, and
other symbols in ways particular to their audience's response to
the symbols.

Symbolism can be used upon ourselves in a similar manner, to bring
out responses from us that we want to bring out, as in ritual or
as an aid to Xeper.

Words which have become symbols to us can be used as a means of
increased concentration, as a visual mantra or as a sensual mantra.
Such mantras can be used in ritual, in nonritual meditation, or
whenever we choose to remind ourselves of the principles carried
within that symbol.

Over time, some symbols can become richer and can carry more and
more meaning to those people who work with the symbol.

These symbols can become "magnetic", in that each use of the symbol
brings forth yet another repetition of the symbol.  Each reference
brings forth a constellation of meaning, with one meaning and use
leading to another.  Each use of the symbol sparks, or attracts,
another use of the symbol.

In these cases the symbols will often be repeated over and over
throughout a conversation or other communication, each time
exercising one or more of those meanings, and through the course
of the communication this symbol can almost hold or reflect an
entire world view.  This is the way the people influenced by the
symbol see their world.

At a political rally the symbol might be "America", "Democracy",
or "the Party" (citizens of other countries may substitute those
symbols meaningful in your domain).  To some, the symbol might be
"the Environment".

The symbol "Xeper" has a similar impact within the Setian culture.

Group consensus is important for communication through symbols.
Different groups can have differing uses of symbols, and attempts
to communicate between these groups using the symbols particular
to one group (or those symbols which are viewed differently by
different groups) can result in confusion or worse.

Because Setians come from such diverse backgrounds, we have various
communication problems related to these diverse backgrounds.

Members from the O.T.O. may know all of the Qabalic
correspondences, while members from the Wiccan background couldn't
care less about the Qabalic attributions, and have correspondences
which are totally different.  Numerologists apply different
meanings to their numbers than do the Qabalists.  And all of these
symbolic systems work.

But very, very few of them work for all Setians.

Qabalists within the Temple of Set who write articles and/or
letters steeped in Qabalic symbolism find that very few others care
enough about their symbols to wade through the text.  Those from
other backgrounds with intensive use of symbols similarly find
difficulty communicating within the Temple of Set, since our
symbolic vocabulary is so much less cohesive.

This lack of similarity in symbolism affects not only written
communication, but also ritual activity.

Each pylon seems to develop its own pattern of symbolism, and
inter-pylon rituals can at times be very difficult.  Fitting many
diverse magicians with their diverse backgrounds into one
meaningful ceremony can be a challenge, a challenge faced at each
Conclave, and at each activity like the Order of Shuti Workshop.

                    Language of the Unconscious?{fn 1}

The first question asked by the Grand Master was, "What is
symbolism?" The first answer received was, "A language of the
unconscious."

Parts of the workshop's discussion might seem to support this
definition, while others contradict it.  So let the Grand Master
speak:

Symbols have many attributes.  Among the more important of these
attributes is their ability to cause reaction in their audience,
visceral if not innate reactions, as discussed above.

Elizabeth S. Helfman, in her book _Signs and Symbols around the
World_, defines symbol as being: "anything that stands for
something else."

Look in your dictionary.  Mine includes several definitions of
symbol and symbolism, including:

>> Symbol: 2: something that stands for or suggests something
else  by  reason  of   relationship,  association,  convention,  or   
accidental
resemblance. 5: an act, sound, or object having cultural significance 
and the capacity to excite or objectify a response.

>> Symbolism:  1:  the art  or  practice  of using  symols  esp. by  
investing things  with  a  symbolic meaning  or  by  expressing the  
invisible  or   intangible  by   means   of  visible   or  sensuous   
representations; as a: the use of conventional or traditional signs  
in the  representation of  divine beings  and spirits,  b: artistic  
imitation or invention that is a  method of revealing or suggesting  
immaterial, ideal, or  otherwise intangible  truth or  states. 2: a  
system of symbols or representations.

Symbolism is an art, a practice, something which is done. It is used 
to communicate meaning. It is a language.

Our visceral responses to symbolism may be unconscious, but if
that's all there is, then have we received and/or responded to
meaning?

The transmission and communication of *Meaning* requires some
form of consciousness.

Let's use the word /Awake/ to mean the highest form of consciousness. 
Remember -- the capital letter indicates I'm using a symbol; Setian  
use of this specific symbol (Awake) most often refers to Ouspenski's 
heightened state of consciousness  and awareness, a  state of being  
totally awake.

For simplicity, let's  assign a  whole range  of various  levels of  
conscious awareness to the name "conscious". This name can apply to  
heightened states of consciousness which those we would call Awake,  
those that barely miss being Awake,  down to the almost somnabulent  
states in which most of mankind spends their day.

Finally, I would call the preconscious state one of consciousness in 
this case, a state in which meaning can be received, interpreted, and 
acted upon, without the individual being "consiously" aware that this 
has happened. But if  the individual's attention  is brought to the  
subject, then the  symbol and its  meaning can be  recalled and the  
process repeated without any difficulty.

If symbols are generated and communicated, if they are transmitted
and received, in one of these three states, then I believe we can
correctly talk about symbolism, about language.

However, if  the  generation  and/or  reception  of  the  symbol is  
unconscious, and/or totally  unintended, then  I propose  that that  
instance  is  not  an   example  of  symbolism,   not  language  or   
communication, but  rather  the  accidental  generation  of  and/or  
visceral response to sensory input.

[Now let us return to the discussion as it took place in the 
workshop...]

                      Planetary Symbol System?

We know there are differences in the meanings of many symbols.
"Patriotism" can be exceedingly important to a Republican and
also to a Libertarian, but the  meanings that this symbol will have  
can
be quite different in many ways.
This leads us to ask the question of whether there might perhaps be a 
"planetary symbol system" in which some symbols at least can be found 
commonly used in many or all cultures.

The cross, square, circle, and most or all simple symbols have been
found in use all over the earth. We therefore can ask whether their  
meanings are similar, or are the symbols used simply because they are 
simple geometric figures, but with meanings arbitrarily assigned by  
the individual cultures?

One participant brought forth Ouspenski's example that "Table" has a 
function, an innate form or essence,  which can be perceived beyond  
words, and beyond a learned experience.

"Table" provokes an image, feeling, or essence that is evoked through 
a willed perception that extends beyond the actual set of tables that 
a person may have ever experienced.

Ouspenski claims that at a certain state of consciousness the Aware
individual can see  this deeper meaning  or essence,  and that this  
deeper meaning or essence can be commonly perceived by all who reach 
this level of consciousness.

Similar ideas were  offered by Plato,  and the  concept of Platonic  
Forms is very prevalent throughout the  Setian use of symbolism. We  
often speak of the Egyptian Neters  as being Forms, the original or  
specific essence of an Ideal.

This is  certainly an  area  that needs  deeper  investigation. The  
workshop session discussion however left the topic of abstract Forms, 
and instead  investigated the  historic use  of symbols  in various  
cultures.

Looking first at the more complex god forms, it seems each major
culture has a "trickster" god:  Coyote fills this niche in several
Amerindian cultures, Loki in the Norse mythos, and Thoth (Hermes
and Mercury) in the Egyptian (Greek and Roman) mythologies.

The Trickster is that Spirit who makes you Think.  He is the Spirit
who is unpredictable in his actions or reactions, who gets himself
and everyone else into trouble.  In the process of doing so -- most
often after everyone is already in trouble -- he makes people
Think, and in the end he generally gets everyone out of trouble by
thinking.

To represent the Trickster, each culture used that type of symbol
or god form which for them was most appropriate for that type of
character.

The coyote is a fairly independent and hard to track animal in
America, requiring more than the usual amount of intelligence and
stealth to catch.  Monkeys similarly were appreciated for their
seeming intelligence and playfulness, and so Egyptians assigned the
Trickster attribute and the monkey's form to Thoth.

The question becomes ... is this type of being, this symbol,
something which is universal, cross-cultural, or is it something
which happens in just a few cases, and many other societies never
had any use for it?

Jung was exploring this area.  He defined specific symbols which
he felt were common to many or all cultures.  They were fairly
common within his culture and Jung did manage to validate them with
some cross-cultural study.

We still need to ask how complete his studies were, how extensive
and wide spread.

Given people in extremely different environments, such as the
Eskimo, Hawaiian, Indian, Tibetan, etc., cultures where the people
have many different experiences, totally different social and
physical environments, it can be expected that these people would
have very different reactions to the symbols that Jung thought he
had commonality on.

Jung's _Man and his Symbol_ was recommended by one participant as
containing documentation on his cross-cultural studies in this
area.

Not having access to any resource materials that would answer our
questions at the time, the workshop session then proceeded into the
topic of Egyptian Neters and the use of Neters in symbolism.

                               Neters

The Workshop discussion of Egyptian Neters started with a brief
discussion of the Egyptian languages.
The ancient Egyptians used three different written languages, the
hieroglyphic, hieratic, and demotic.

The demotic language was a mostly alphabetic language used for
common communications among those who could read and write.  Its
primary uses were for social and business reasons.

The hieratic language was a pictographic language related to the
hieroglyphic, but in which the pictographs were abbreviated and
simplified to speed writing.  It was used for important state
documents and many later religious texts.

The hieroglyphic language was the most ornate of the three
languages, the most ancient of the three languages, and the most
symbolic.  It was used for the most important religious and
philosophical statements, and for the most important state
declarations.

Many of the symbols used to form the hieroglyphic language had
assigned sounds, and many others did not.  In addition to the
sounds and symbols used to form words, the Egyptians used
determinatives, signs added to specifically identify each word.
Through the use of the determinative, it was impossible to mistake
one written word for another, even if verbal sounds were the same,
even if the letters used were the same.

This use of a purely symbolic, picture-oriented language encouraged
the ability in the learned ancient Egyptians to think with right
brained methods while doing the left brain activity of reading.

It also encouraged these educated and intelligent Egyptians to work
with symbols as they worked with language.  They were able to
communicate ideas and ideals in a language particularly well suited
to this purpose.

Setians use the ancient Egyptian neters as symbols, representing
aspects of the world, or aspects of the individual.  We feel this
is very close to the way the higher initiates of the ancient
Egyptian Temples, the priests of the Temples, and the smarter
pharaohs used and viewed their neters.  The neters were concepts
that could be communicated to and shared among the initiated,
rather than being actual gods and goddesses.

The common man may very well have believed in the literal existence
of his many gods and goddesses, but we believe the elite of the
Egyptian society understood that these neters were purely symbols.
When the Egyptian elite paid homage to the neters, they paid homage
to the aspects of the universe or of the self represented by those
neters.

One neter of obvious importance is Set.  In dealing with this
symbol, we try to identify the original meaning of the symbol, and
try to eliminate the corruptions of the symbol imposed by the later
rule of Osirian religion.

Rather than take space here to discuss the corruptions and
distortions that were applied to the symbol of the neter Set
through the Osirian culture, we'll simply refer the interested
student to appropriate books in the reading list: 2A, 2E, 2G, 2W,
and 2AA.

It is rather clear that the use and peripheral meanings of the
neter Set changed over time.  The study of Set must therefore
include the careful consideration of the source of whatever
writings are being studied.  Fortunately most other Egyptian
symbols/god forms did not change significantly over time, and such
care need not be used in studying and working with them.

The neters were used and viewed as symbols.  But the Egyptian
temples _were_ temples, and were recognized as religions, not
simply as centers of enlightened philosophy.  This brings up the
question: Do/did the Egyptian Neters actually exist? Were these
religions founded to worship or work with beings that actually
existed? Or were they simply the creations of the ancient Egyptian
priesthoods?

Rather than tackle immediately the question of whether the Neters
actually existed, workshop participants first chose to examine ...

                        Egyptian Priesthoods
The first statement made about these priesthoods was that each
temple in Egypt taught a different area of philosophy or knowledge.

Those temples dedicated to a major neter or god taught that their
primal Form was the First Cause.  These were the major temples of
the land, and an initiate who studied at temple after temple would
be presented with the opposing claims that each god was the god,
The Creator.

We noted in our discussion that the priesthoods of several of the
"minor" neters did not make any such claims.  Thoth as a single
neter never seemed to be treated as the creator god; nor was Geb.
However, many of the major neters were treated as creator gods, and
many gods were intentionally combined into units (such as
Amon-Thoth-Ra) in order to form a god which would be powerful
enough to qualify as The creator god.

                          Neters as Symbols

We returned to discussing the neters as ways of viewing possibility
and potentiality, and ways of viewing different aspects of the
universe and of the individual.

For example, Ra, the sun god, was a most pervasive and powerful
being, since every single day, there he is in the sky.  Ra was
consistent, reliable, and therefore powerful.

Similarly each force in nature was given a personality, because
each force in nature has a personality (or seems to, to those who
humanize such things).  This is the basic principle behind most
spirits of most animistic religions.

These personalities are generally reliable.  A rain cloud is going
to rain; it isn't going to add to the day's heat.  The Nile was not
going to dry up -- it was going to overflow once a year, and
deposit good, rich, fertile earth upon the ground.  Each force of
nature, each personality, was given a name, a face, and a story.

The most powerful stories, faces, and names are those that belong
to the creator gods.  There are so many creator gods, that it's
really difficult to pin down an actual order of precedence.

This brings up the fact that there are many apparently conflicting
stories within the Egyptian mythology.

The Grand Master pointed out that in several Egyptian myths, Shu
and Tefnut are self-created.  In others they were created by tears
of the master creator god (whoever he happened to be according to
the story teller).  In yet others they were created by the master
god's masturbation.

Shu and Tefnut by definition are the first male and female.  The
master god's masturbation in these latter stories was always male
masturbation, but Shu is the first male.  Shu and Tefnut begat Geb
and Nut, but Nut was the all-pervasive universal sky that preceded
the first god...

This confusion is the result of centuries of Egyptian story
telling, and while some of it appears to be contraditory, most of
it is useful.  We certainly must hesitate to consider this
mythology as one consistent symbolism, and must be careful if we
wish to communicate consistent meanings using these symbols, but
we have found value in this mythology.

Each story is a different way of looking at the world, a different
way of looking at the first cause, and of looking at the symbols.
By using these symbols, we can then indicate not only a symbol, but
also which way we are looking at the world.

Hence, if in ritual or other communication we call upon
Ptah-Geb-Nu, we are calling upon the creator of the earth and sky,
the god who created the physical universe.  If instead we call upon
the Neter Ra-Ptah-ankh, we are calling upon the god who brought
light and life to this planet.

Having discussed these differing views of the world as expressed
by the many symbolic neters, we felt that this was a good point
from which to launch into a discussion of one of the ways in which
we look at Neters.

Set, the prime source of intelligence and the ageless intelligence
himself, is a wee bit complex for someone a mere 20 or even 200
years old to understand, regardless of whether we look at Set as
an actually existing being or instead as a master symbol.

So rather than try to encompass all of Set, intellectually or
emotionally, rather than try to understand all of Set, we can work
with neters which are facets of Set's being, facets of Set's
symbolism.  Each neter can be thought of as a specific element of
Set.

As examples, Shu is one set of symbolism, one set of ideas, that
an initiate can work with to "get somewhere" with, to accomplish
certain initiatory goals.  Tefnut is another set of ideas, as is
Geb, Isis, etc.

Rather than trying to encompass and work with the entire universe
simultaneously, grab whatever you can hold onto, work with that
handful, study that symbol or symbols, and see what it leads to.

We had originally intended to discuss whether or not the Neters
might or might not exist in their own right.  Having discussed the
above, it seemed somewhat unimportant as to whether the Neters
actually exist.  That topic will be left for a later discussion.


                            Bibliography

While the following books and papers were not necessarily discussed
nor referenced during the workshop discussion (or in completing
this article), the initiate interested in studying symbolism as a
subject on its own would be well advised to begin with this
bibliography.  Additions to this bibliography are welcome, and
should be sent to the Grand Master.  (_RT_ entries are from _The
Ruby Tablet of Set_.)

Barrett, Ronald K., "Book of Opening the Way (Key #4)".  _RT_
IT.II.A.5.b.(1).(d).

Barrett, Ronald K., "Stele of Xem".  _RT_ IT.II.A.4.a.(3).

Cavendish, Richard, _The Black Arts_.  4C (TS-3).

Crowley, Aleister, _The Book of Thoth_.  9L (TS-4).

De Lubicz, Isha Schwaller, _Her-Bak_.  2L (TS-1).

De Lubicz, Isha Schwaller, _Symbol and the Symbolique_.  2V (TS-4).

Fisher, Leonard Everett, _Symbol Art:  Thirteen Squares, Circles,
and Triangles from Around the World_.  NY: Four Winds Press,
MacMillan Publishing Company, 1985.

Helfman, Elizabeth S., _Signs and Symbols Around the World_.  NY:
Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., 1967.

Jung, Carl G., _Man and his Symbols_.  Garden City: Doubleday &
Co., 1964, 1968.  Also NY: Dell Publishing Co., 1968, and London:
Aldus Books, 1964.

Menschel, Robert, "Remanifestation:  A Symbolic Syntheses", _RT_
IT.II.B.3.e.(2).

Menschel, Robert, "Tarot Primer", _RT_ IT.II.B.3.e.(3).

Norton, Lynn, "Golden Section Tarot Working", "Atu XV: The Devil",
and "The Dialogue".  _RT_ IT.II.A.3.k.(1), 4.h.(1), and 4.h.(2).

Regardie, Israel, _777 and Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister
Crowley_.  9M (TS-4).

Schaefer, Heinrich, _Principles of Egyptian Art_.  2R (TS-4).

=========
Footnote:
=========

1. The Grand Master wishes to digress temporarily from the workshop's 
discussion, and  to  comment  at  this time  on  one  of  the first  
statements offered during this discussion.

                            The God Set 
                             by Setnakt

The best English study of Set is Te Velde's _Set, God of
Confusion_ Brill 1977. If this particular text is unavailable through 
your library, I recommend a a short cheap and very reliable book by  
George Hart: _A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses_, Routledge 
& Kegan Paul, 1986. This very ambiguous god was alternately deified
and demonized depending on  the cultural/political currents running  
through Egypt. Allow me to present here a brief history of Set.

Predynastically: Set was an important deity appearing in the art of  
the Hamitic  peoples  living  in  the  Ombos  and  Naquada regions.  
Interestingly, his was the only god-figure not composed of parts from 
recognizable Earth animals.

(The Hamitic  speakers  donated  most  of  the  terms  to religious  
philosophy to  the Egyptian  langauge that  seperate it  from other  
Semitic languages including ba, ka,  neter, etc. If somebody really  
wants to find the roots of the Egyptian religion, they should go up  
the Nile and  do some  serious anthropology  among Hamitic speaking  
native cultures-- the roots  of the Nile may  hold keys to Egyptian  
thought that mute stones do not).

Archaic Egypt: Set generally occupies a secondary role to his enemy  
Horus, champion of the people of the North (except in the 2nd dynasty 
when one pharaoh took a "Set" name rather than a Horus name.) Set is 
intimately  connected  with   teaching  astronomy,the   methods  of   
agriculture, medicine, and above all magic. He is said to have opened 
the mouth of the other gods, and is the patron of the sem ritual. His 
cult titles include "Great of Magic" and "Eternal". There is indeed  
evidence that Set  is set  apart from  other gods to  die (Bonnet's  
commentaries on the
Pyramid texts).

The astronomical cult, which placed the  afterlife in the region of  
the Northern heavens -- particularly in and around the constellation 
of the Great Bear was replaced in the Fourth dynasty by a growing sun 
cult centering on  Re and  Horus. The  great stellar  monument that  
Imhotep designed were replaced by the  solar pyramids of the Fourth  
and Fifth dynasty's. (Notably  Cheops took no  chances in the great  
Pyramid's design -- although outwardly a solar monument he had a hole 
bored
through the stones aligned  with the position  of Alpha Draconis (a  
star in the Great Bear called Thuban = "the Subtle One" a Set cult
title?) just in case that was where his ka was heading. 

During the next few dynasties (4 - 17), Set is generally
ignored. His functions are absorbed into other gods. Thoth picks up  
the
attributes of magic, Osiris  picks up the  attributes of Mysterious  
time _djet_  as opposed  to exoteric  time  _neheh_. Set  keeps his  
attributes a  storm  and stellar  god,  and gradually  comes  to be  
associated with all night fears -- nightmares, desert fiends, and bad 
animals such  as the  hippo  and the  jaguar  of the  South.  He is  
mentioned in a famous 12th dynasty writing called _The Discourse of a 
man with his ba_ in which his solar aspect IAA is referred to. Bikka 
Reed has a great translations of this text.

In the 18th dynasty a remarkable Pharoah Hatshepsut reintroduced the 
worship of Set by building a Temple  dedicated to him and Horus the  
Elder at  Ombos. This  marked a  strong  interest in  Set's eternal  
nature, for example  in Hatshepsut is  the prophecy  (which she had  
placed in her tomb at Der el-Medina)  that "She will not only enjoy  
the days of Horus, but the days of Set will be added to her span."

She was also interested in the antinomian nature of the Set cult --  
in fact she preformed one of the most scandalous acts available to a 
woman -- she acted as a man. This early feminist clearly found Set, a 
great archetype to Work with. Set was popular among her family until 
the Kingship of Akhenaton (may he be reborn forever drowning in the 
jaws of Sobek the crocodile god).

The very militaristic pharaohs of  the Nineteenth dynasty, who were  
probably descended form a family of Set priests at Tanis, delighted  
in Set both in his militaristic role  and as God of Foreign places.  
Ramses II for example called himself the Son of Set. The Set cult too 
was very popular with foreigners coming to live in Egypt. His worship 
has always been connected with the outsider.

The Twentieth Dynasty began by looking very favorably on this god, as 
is shown in the name of its founder Setnakt, "Set is Mighty." There  
is also considerable evidence  that the set  cult was favored among  
artisans of the time (see Romer's _Ancient Lives_, Henry Holt, 1984, 
and if  you've got  as copy  of  Stephen Quirk's  _Ancient Egyptian  
Religion_ check out the beautiful Stella of Aapehty -- probably the  
most beautiful surviving example of Setian art).

By the end of the Twentieth Dynasty, as the funerary cult of Osiris  
became the dominate force in popular Egyptian religion,more and more, 
Set as the murderer of  Osiris became the Evil One.  In fact by the  
Twenty Sixth  dynasty it  was a  common  practice to  disfigure any  
representations of Set. He became  --for all practical purposes the  
Christian devil. Some scholars have even derived the name Satan from 
Set-Hen, a cult title meaning the Majesty of Set, but I am dubious of 
this particular derivation.

However Set was not down for the count. During the Ptolemaic period 
Set, merged with the Greek titan  Typhon, became the figure for the  
_goes_ or sorcerer to use. After Hermes the most often invoked god in 
the Magical papyri  is Set-Typhon.  This entity  was used  to bring  
spirit helpers ( bird would fly down and announce that the magician 
was now under the
protection of a god -- a popular Typhonic practice outside of Egypt 
as well see Morton Smith's _Jesus  the Magician_). Set was also the  
god to invoke to send dreams, perform healings on the head or spinal 
column, and to cause enmity between enemies.

There seems to be a few common threads running through the Set cult: 
the quest for immortality, antinomianism, and the practice of magic. 
Perhaps this is why Michael Aquino's current Temple of Set finds this 
figure so appealing  as an archetype  for the Left  Hand Path. Like  
Hatshepsut before Aquino has Opened the  Mouth of this ancient god,  
and the articulation  of the  Principle of  Isolate Intelligence is  
available to us today.

                  Sources and Resources for Asatru 

Organizations:

The Asatru Alliance of Independent Kindreds P.O. Box 961; Payson AZ  
85547

The Alliance is the linear descendent  of the Asatru Free Assembly.  
They are a democratically run national confederation of independent  
kindreds who meet once a year in an Allthing to conduct business. It 
is essentially conservative and libertarian. "The Alliance is based  
upon the ancient model of tribal  democracy known as the Thing, and  
member kindreds support a code of laws we feel necessary to preserve 
and protect Asatru from those who  would dilute, subvert, or in any  
way harm our religion. Membership in the Alliance is encouraged for  
those who actively promote  and believe in the  Aesir and Vanir and  
our collective Heathen  Heritage. Anyone interested  in joining the  
Alliance should contact the kindred of choice for acceptance. There  
is  no  membership  in  the  Alliance  except  through  a  kindred.   
Applicants must  subscribe to  the  membership requirements  of the  
kindred of choice and uphold the  bylaws of the Asatru Alliance."

The Ring of Troth P.O. Box 18812; Austin TX 78760 The Ring of Troth 
was
founded by Edred  Thorsson. He  resigned in  Spring of  2242 (Runic  
Reckoning - 1992 C.E.) and has been replaced by Prudence Priest, most 
well known as  the editor of  Yggdrasil. Due to  the resignation of  
Thorsson and several other members of  the High Rede (i.e. Board of  
Directors) the Ring is currently  in reorganization, and it appears  
that it will emerge much stronger than before.

The Ring is governed by an appointed High Rede of 9 persons who guide 
the national affairs of  the Ring. They offer  a number of programs  
include an Elder training program  for prospective clergy, The Rune  
Ring for study of the magickal properties of the Runes from within a 
Germanic Pagan context, and recognition  for local Kindreds.

The Ring of Troth requires that "its members affiliate for cultural  
and
religious reasons rather than for racial and political reasons. The  
use of the Ring of Troth as a platform for any type of political or  
racial
propoganda will not be tolerated"

Dues are $24 and include a subscription  to Idunna. If one does not  
wish to join, Friends  of the Troth  may receive Idunna  for $24 as  
well.

Magazines:

Vor Tru - $12/year.  The Journal of the  Asatru Alliance (see above  
address). Concentrates  on  community issues  within  the Alliance,  
news of kindreds, letters, etc.

Idunna -  $24/year.  The  journal  of  the  Ring  of Troth.  Idunna  
concentrates on fairly heavy academic  subjects, runelore, etc.

Mountain Thunder - $15/year,  1630 30th St  #266; Boulder CO 80301.  
Glossy
covered and  well  put  together.  Usually  excellent  articles  on  
relgious
issues of Heathenry, scholarly stuff, reviews, and opinion.

Uncle Thorr's Newsletter - $12/year, P.O. Box 080437; Staten Island  
NY
10308-0005. Simple newsletter  with ranting  and raving  from Uncle  
Thorr and company, news from NY,  and articles on lifestyle, runes,  
and other topics.

Kindreds:

American Church of Theodish; 107 Court  St, Suite 131; Watertown NY  
13601
(Anglo Saxon Theodism)

Am Church of Theodish West; 9353 Otto St; Downey CA 90241

Arizona Kindred; P.O. Box 961; Payson AZ 85547 (Asatru Alliance)

Barnstokker Hearth; P.O. Box 1972; Seattle WA 98111-1972

Eagles Reaches; P.O. Box 382; Deer Park TX 77536 (Ring of Troth)

Mountain Moot; P.O. Box 328; Elizabeth CO 80107

Nerthus Heart; 27 Gap Rd; Black Hawk CO 80422

Northern California Kindred; P.O. Box 445; Nevada City CA 95959

Norvegr Kindred; 219 Lewis St; Wash Court House OH 43160

Oak Rune Kindred; P.O. Box 3392; Galveston TX 77552

Raven Kindred; P.O. Box 970; Amherst MA 01004-0970

Skelland Kindred; P.O. Box 7608; Clearwater FL 34618

Thorr's Hammer Kindred; 9461 Bella Vista Rd; Apple Valley CA 92308

Torwald Kindred; 1630 30th St #266; Boulder CO 80301

Vinland Kindred; P.O. Box 15431 PSS; Stamford CT 06901

Wulfing Kindred; P.O. Box 18237; Chicago IL 60618 (Asatru Alliance)

Yggdrasil Kindred; 1709 West Midvale Village Dr; Tucson AZ 85476

Recommended Books:

The Poetic Edda, Lee Hollander translation (basic mythology in an
excellently translated poetic version.)

The Prose Edda, Jean Young translation (basic mythology)

The Norse Myths, Kevin Crossley  Holland (basic mythology in modern  
language and retelling, excellent  for readings or meditation)

A Book of Troth by Edred Thorsson (Not my favorite author and not a 
book
without many imperfections,  but the only  mass market  book of the  
basic
rituals of Asatru)

The AFA Rituals, three volumes available from World Tree Books ($18  
from
World Tree)  The  original  ritual  volumes  from  the  Asatru Free  
Assembly.

Introduction to Ritual and Invocation Tape ($7 from World Tree Books) 
A basic cassette tape that goes through  a ritual step by step, the  
other side is a variety of invocations and prayers.

The last two are from World Tree Publications; P.O. Box 961; Payson 
AZ 85547 (checks payable to  the O.F. of Arizona).  World Tree is a  
service of the  Asatru Alliance and  carries a number  of tapes and  
booklets as well as Thor's Hammers and statuary.


                    ADF BASIC RITUAL NUMBER ONE 
             by P.E.I. Bonewits, Sally Eaton and others

Procession, lead by D1 and D2:

    D1: Ta muid anseo leis na Deithe a adhradh.
    D2: We are here to honor the Gods.
    D1: A Dheithe, an Airde, a Thabharthoiri ar Bheatha - eistigi
    agus freagairt orainn!
    D2: O Gods, High Ones, Givers of Life - hear and answer us!

Processional song:

    We come from the mountains,
    Living in the mountains,
    Turn the world around.

    We come from the oceans,
    Living in the oceans,
    Turn the world around.

    We come from the fire,
    Living in the fire,
    Turn the world around.

    We come from the breezes,
    Living in the breezes,
    Turn the world around.

Settling song:

    She changes everything she touches,
    And everything she touches changes.


Tree Meditation:

    When e'er we stand in a sacred place
    Beneath the Sun's or Moon's bright face,
    In a circle's rim or shady grove,
    Our spirits go to the Gods we love.

    Let all our minds go clear and free,
    and form the image of a treee,
    A youthful sapling of the glade,
    Whose budding branches cast no shade.

    Around this tender, supple youth,
    Are seen its sturdy forbearers growth,
    Those forest Elders strong and wise,
    Who nurture those of lesser size.

    So close your eyes, and in your mind
    Become one of the spirit kind.
    Cast off your cares and disbelief,
    and enter tree from root to leaf.

    Relax and breathe and center will,
    Then let the peace within you swell
    Until it is a thing profound.
    Now send it deep in the ground.

    In every little tender root
    Feel water flow, and and then transmute;
    The sap will flow through ever vein,
    Our links to our ancestors regain.

    Now let the sap rise in a flood,
    And race to every branch and bud;
    Each branch extend into the air,
    Each leaf unfold in green so fair.

    The gentle zephers toss each bough,
    And to you calming breaths endow,
    While rays of golden summer light
    Give warmth and lend their power's might.

    Let water rise and fire descend,
    And lively air the branches bend;
    Thus firmly planted in the Earth,
    The elements give us rebirth.

    Now let the green entwine,
    And form our sacred grove devine.
    With branch and root our circle form,
    And magic from mundane transform.

    We all are rooted just the same,
    We feel the same supernal flame,
    We drink the water free to all,
    We hear the gentle airy call.

    Now let us feel our spirits surge,
    And into one great spirit merge
    To let the Lord and Lady know
    That we are ready below.

    And let us all link hand to hand,
    Before all of the gods we stand,
    And in this hallowed space we start
    To show all that is in our heart.

Specifacation of ritiual:


Invocation of Ogma the Gate Keeper, or Mannanon in English and Irish:
(English by Sally Eaton, Irish by James Duran)
(visualization is a triangle shaped iris opening)

  D1:  A  Oghma,  a  thiarna  na  nGeatai,  a  thiarna  an  Fheasa,  
oscail
 na geatai  duinn. Ta  muid ag  siul i  do lorg,  ta' muid  ag siul  
ar
  do  bhealach.  Scaoil  duinn  do  theagasc  taispeain  duinn  cen   
chaol
        a siul faidh muid slan. Molann muid thu mar gheall ar do
        chumhacht. Siuil linn a Oghma!

    or

        D1: A Mhanannon, a thiarna na nGeatai, a thiarna an Fheasa,
 oscail  na geatai  duinn.  Ta muid  ag siul  i  do lorg,  ta' muid  
ag
        siul ar do bhealach. Scaoil duinn do theagasc taispeain duinn
 cen  chaol a  siul faidh  muid  slan. Molann  muid thu  mar gheall  
ar
        do chumhacht. Siuil linn a Mhanannon!

 D2:  O  Ogma, Lord  of  the  Gates, Lord  of  Knowledge,  open the  
ways
 for us.  We walk  in your  footsteps, we  walk your  roads. Reveal  
to
        us your teaching, reveal to us the way to walk in safety. We
 praise  you  for  the  brightness of  your  power.  Walk  with us,  
Ogma!

    or

 D2:  O  Manannon,  Lord  of the  Gates,  Lord  of  Knowledge, open  
the
        ways for us. We walk in your footsteps, we walk your roads.
        Reveal to us your teaching, reveal to us the way to walk in
        safety. We praise you for the brightness of your power. Walk
        with us, Manannon!

    D1: Siuil linn a Oghma...
    D2: ...walk with us Ogma!
    D1: Siuil linn a Oghma...
    D2: ...walk with us Ogma!
    D1: Siuil linn a Oghma...
    D2: ...walk with us Ogma!

    or

    D1: Siuil linn a  Mhanannon...
    D2: ...walk with us Manannon!
    D1: Siuil linn a Mhanannon...
    D2: ...walk with us Manannon!
    D1: Siuil linn a Mhanannon...
    D2: ...walk with us Manannon!

Chant:

    We invoke thee Ogma, Opener of every Gate
    We invoke thee Ogma, Opener of every Gate.
    You shall reach us, You shall teach us and reveal our fate.
    You shall reach us, You shall teach us and reveal our fate.
    (repeat nine times)

    or

    We invoke Manannon, Opener of every Gate
    We invoke Manannon, Opener of every Gate.
    You shall reach us, You shall teach us and reveal our fate.
    You shall reach us, You shall teach us and reveal our fate.
    (repeat nine times)

Invoke Matron of Bards (Bridget nominally)

    O Bridget, our heart, Our brightest Queen;
        Cast your blessings unto us.
    We are your children, You are our mother;
        So harken unto us.
    You are the Cauldron now in our grove;
        Earth-Mother inspire us.
    O fire of love, O fire of life;
        Please Bridget, come to us!

Triad invocations and consecrating of the waters:

Nature: Fill main chalice  with whiskey and  secondary chalice with  
water.
Hold them up and say:

        D2: O spirits of the old times and of this place, our
 companions,  our  teachers,  hallow these  waters.  Share  with us  
the
        renewal of the Earth. Share with us comfort, knowledge, and
 blessing.  Speak  to  our  hearts, that  we  may  become  one with  
you
        all...Behold the waters of life.
        D1: A sprideanna na seanaimsire, agus na haite seo, a
  chomhghuaillithe,a   mhuinteori,   beannaigi   na   h-uisci   seo   
duinn.
        Roinnigi orainn athbheochan na Talun. Roinnigi orainn
 suaimhneas,  eolas,  agus beannacht.  Labhraigi  linn  inar gcroi,  
le
  go  mbeadh   muid  in  aon   bhall  libhse...Seo   iad  uisci  na   
beatha!

Sip from  each chalice  and passes  to D2  then to  sunwise (left),  
saying:

    Behold the waters of life.

Asperging song/chant  (Fur  and Feathers)  for  while  waters being  
passed.

    Fur and feather and scale and skin,
        Different without, the same within.
    Many of body but one of soul,
        Through all creatures, the Gods made whole.
    (repeat nine times)

Ancestors:
        D2: O people of the old times, our ancestors, our kindred,
        hallow these waters. Share with us the bond of life upon the
 Earth.  Share  with  us comfort,  knowledge,  and  blessing. Speak  
to
 our  hearts,  that we  may  become  one with  you  all  ... Behold  
the
        waters of life!

 D1:  A  sheana,  a  shinseara,  a  mhuintir,  beannaigi n  h-uisci  
seo
        duinn. Roinnigi orainn ceangal na beatha ar Talamh. Roinnigi
        orainn suaimhneas, eolas, agus beannacht. Labhraigi linn inar
 gcroi,  le  go  mbeadh  muid in  aon  bhall  libhse  ....  Seo iad  
uisci
        na beatha!

Asperging song/chant:

    It's the blood of the ancients,
        That runs through our veins.
    And the forms pass,
        But the Circle of Life remains.

Gods as a whole:

        D2: O Gods of the old times, our mothers, our fathers, hallow
  these  waters.  Share  with  us  your  power  to  regenerate  the   
Earth.
        Share with us comfort, knowledge, and blessing. Speak to our
        hearts, that we may become one with you all ... Behold the
        waters of life!

        D1: A Dheithe na seanaimsire, a mhaithreacha, a aithreacha,
  beannaigi   na   h-uisci   seo   duinn.   Roinnigi   orainn  bhur   
gcumhacht
        le go nginfeadh muid an Domhan. Roinnigi orainn suaimhneas,
  eolas,  agus  beannacht.   Labhraigi  linn  inar   gcroi,  le  go   
mbeadh
        muid in aon bhall libhse ... Seo iad uisci na beatha!

Asperging song/chant:

    Mother I feel You under my feet. Mother I hear your heart beat.
    Mother I feel You under my feet. Mother I hear your heart beat.
    Father I see You where the eagle flies.  Spirit going to take me
    higher.
    Father I see You where the eagle flies.  Spirit going to take me
    higher.


Praise offerings and major power raising:


The sacrifice: (see FESTNAME.TXT for diety names of holidays)

        D2: Our praise goes up with thee on the wings of eagles; our
        voices are carried up to thee on the shoulders of the winds.
        Hear now, o Name, o Name, we pray thee, as we offer up this
        sacrifice of life. Accept it we pray thee, and cleanse our
        hearts, giving to us of your peace and life.

 D1:  Teann  ar  moladh suas  chugat  ar  sciathain  iolar; beitear  
ar
        nglortha suas chugat ar ghuailne na gaoithe. Eistigi anois,
        a..., an ..., mas e bhur dtoil e, agus sinn ag ofrail na
 h-iobairte  seo  ar  son  na  beatha.  Glacaigi  lei,  mas  e bhur  
dtoil
  e,  agus  glanaigi  ar  gcroithe,   ag  roinnt  arainn  do  chuid   
siochana
        is do bheatha.

The Omen:

    D2: Have you accepted our sacrifice of life and human effort?
    D1: Give unto us an omen!

Possible repitition of Praise offerings and Omen seeking, if needed.

    D1: Rejoice! The NAME and NAME have accepted our sacrifices!

Meditation on personal needs:

Repetition on group needs: done by D1 & D2

Induction of Receptivity:

 D1:  Of what  does  the Earth-Mother  give,  that we  may  know of  
the
             continual flow and renewal of life?
        D2: The waters of life.
    D1: From whence do these waters flow?
 D2:  From  the  bosom  of  the  Earth-Mother,  the  ever  changing  
All-Mother.
    D1: And how do we honor this gift that causes life?
    D2: By partaking of the waters of life.
    D1: Has the Earth Mother given forth of Her bounty?
    D2: She has.
    D1: Then give me the waters!

Final consecration and sharing:

 D1:  A  NAME,  an  NAME,  Eistigi  agus  freagairt  orainn!  Bean-  
naigi
  na  h-uisci  seo  duinn.  Muide  do  chlann,  a  mhol  thu,  agus  
anois
        iarrann muid ort leigheas, beannachtai, cumhacht agus
        tinfeadh... Seo iad uisci na beatha!

 D2:  O  NAME,  O  NAME,  hear  us  and  answer  us!  Hallow  these  
waters!
        We your children have praised you, and now we ask from you
  healing,  blessing,   power  and  inspiration   ....  Behold  the   
waters
        of life!

Passing song/chant:

    Burn bright, flame within me,
        Kindled of eternal fire.
    Of the people I do be,
        And the people part of me,
    All one in many parts,
        A single fire of flaming hearts!

Meditation on  reception of  blessings  and reinforcement  of group  
bonds:

Affirmation of success:

    D1: NAME and NAME have Blessed us!

    D2:Every time we invoke them, they become stronger and more alert
    to the needs of their people.

 D1:  With  joy  in our  hearts,  let  us return  to  the  realm of  
mortals,
    to do the  will of the Gods and our own.

    D2: Yet, before we leave, we must give thanks to those whom we
    invited here today.

Thanking of the Entities involved:

    D2: O NAME and NAME,
    D1: A NAME, an NAME,
    D2: We thank you!
    D1: Go raibh maith agaibh!

    All: Go raibh maith agaibh!

    D2: O Gods and Goddesses of the old times,
    D1: A Dheithe na seanaimsiri -

    All: Go raibh maith agaibh!

    D2: O people of the old times, our ancestors, our kindred,
    D1: A sheana, a shinseara, a mhuntir -

    All: Go raibh maith agaibh!
    D2: O spirits of the old times, and of this place,
    D1: A sprideanna na seanaimsire, agus na haite seo -

    All: Go raibh maith agaibh!

    D2: O Bridget, Fire of Life and Fire of Love, Mother of Bards
    and Goddess of inspiration, we thank you.
    D1: A Bhrid, a Thine Bheatha agus a Thine Ghra, a Mhathair na
    Bardai agus Bheandia na Thinfeadh, go raith maith agat!

Closing of the Gates:

    D2: O Ogma, Lord of the Gates, Lord of Knowledge, we thank you.
    Now let the Gates Between the Worlds be closed!
    D1: A Oghma, a Thairna na nGeatai, a Thairna an Fheasa, go raith
    maith agat. Anois biodh na geatai idir na saolta a druidte!

    or

 D2: O Mhannon, we thank you.  Now let the Gates Between the Worlds  
be
    closed!
    D1: A Mannonon go raith maith agat. Anois biodh na geatai idir na
    saolta a druidte!

Reversing the Tree meditation:

    Our sacred grove the Gods do love,
    The Earth beneath, the sky above,
    But now this ritual must end,
    Toward our home and hearthstone fend.

    Again we cleat our mind and heart;
    The branches shrink and pull apart.
    The roots untie and backward turn,
    And spirit fire less brightly burns.

    Let water sink, let fire go,
    Let gentle zephers homeward flow,
    And as if in a cleansing rain
    Become a single tree again.

    Then from this solitary tree
    Your soul breaks loose, a being free.
    Your body calls, your spirit flies,
    Returns, you slowly open your eyes.


Libation:

        D1: To thee we return this portion of thy bounty, o NAME our
        Mother, even as we must someday return unto thee.

Final Benediction:

 D1:  Let  us  go  out into  the  world,  secure  in  the knowledge  
that
 our  sacrifices  have pleased  the  Gods and  Goddesses,  and that  
we
        go forth upon the Earth under their protection.

    D2: We have finished this ceremony!
    D1: So be it!
    All: Biodh se!


Recessional song/chant: Walk with Wisdom

    Walk with wisdom
        from this hallowed place.
    Walk not in sorrow,
        our roots shall ere embrace.
    May Strength be your brother,
        and Honor be your friend.
    and Luck be your lover until we meet again.

**********************************************************************
    *From:THE DRUIDS PROGRESS, Report #6. The DRUIDS PROGRESS is  
 published semiannually (Gods Willing) and is sent primarily to the 
subscribing members of ADF. For Further information write:  ADF, PO 
   Box 1022, Nyack, NY USA 10960-1022 (include a SASE). All Items 
accredited to "the Archdruid" have been written by and are (C) 1990 
by P.E.I. Bonewits. All items created by other parties are (C) 1990 
by them. All opinions expressed, save those specifically attributed 
   to the Board of Trustees, are the opinions of the individuals 
expressing them and are Not official ADF policy.  Reprint Procedure: 
 Neopagan, Druidic, Medievalist and all  cultural publications may 
reprint any material written by P.E.I.    Bonewits, but his copyright 
notice must appear in full. If more than 250 words are excerpted, one 
              cent per word should be donated to ADF.  
**********************************************************************
                       *  PAGAN MANNERS OR 
              Are There Any Dead Animals in The Soup? 
                    by Grey Cat, Members Advocate
--------------------------------------------------------------------- 
I can hear the outraged screams already. there are people out there 
who believe that the very idea of  "Pagan Manners" is a conflict in  
terms; that  "manners"  are outdated,  dishonest  and hypocritical.  
Well,think again. Manners constitute  the only successful technique  
ever discovered  by  humankind to  enable  groups  and individuals,  
holding moderately disparate views, customs or beliefs, to get along 
together. There are things more important than manners; but, without 
manners,its unlikely that a discussion will  ever go to them. Pagan  
manners are fairly simple and have nothing to do with which fork you 
use or how to word an invitation.  They have to do with respect for  
others' feelings and beliefs. They most specifically have to do with 
recognition of the fact that you should "judge not the path of your  
brother or sister for  their path is sacred."  Manners are also the  
only way of attempting  to grant everyone  the personal space which  
each of us needs. There have been a number of attempts to write down 
a list of "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" which will cover Pagan 
life. Here are several tries made by four different people: 
 MY OWN OPINIONS  1. Never assume  that you are  invited to a  ritual 
or a non public gathering just because your friend is invited. Have 
your friend  call  the group  doing  the  event and  ASK!  (or call  
yourself). 2. When participating in a ritual led by a group of which 
you are nota member,  ask ahead of  time what will  be done. SHould  
there be something in the explanation, or in the set-up of the ritual 
area which bothers you, just quietly don't participate in the ritual. 
3. Ask  the  person(s) officiating  at  a ritual  before  you place  
anything in the ritual area; wear  clothing or tools which might be  
considered unusual; or  add private  energy workings  to the ritual  
being done. 4.  Never just  walk out of  a cast  ritual circle. Ask  
someone in the group sponsoring the ritual to cit you a door if your 
really and truly absolutely have to leave. 5. Don't make comments on 
the ritual, its leaders or the amount or quality of the energy raised 
during the ritual unless such opinions are asked for by the leaders. 
Save it for  your friends, privately,after  the ritual  is over. 6.  
Vegetarians, Vegans, Strict  Carnivores, Diabetics,  and any others  
with very strong food preferences: no one minds your asking quietly  
and politely "Which  dishes have  meat (sugar,  spices, hot pepper,  
etc.)in them?" When planning a meal for mixed Pagan/Wiccan groups, it 
is strongly suggested that at least some of the dishes be vegetarian, 
sugar-free, relatively  non-spicy  etc. At  all  times,  within and  
without the  ritual  context,  always  provide  an  alternative  to  
alcoholic beverages.  7. While  many  people have  become  far less  
secretive about their membership in a Pagan group, it is never, EVER, 
permissible to "blow someones cover". Do  not ever call a friend or  
acquaintance by their Pagan  name or mention  their membership in a  
mundane situation. It is also bad manners - and a symptom of social  
climbing - to call an individual by his/her mundane name in a Pagan  
situation. It always reminds me of an extra calling John Wayne "The 
Duke" at a local bar. 8. Whether you drink, take drugs or indulge in 
other similar behavior is completely your own business. It is always 
wrong to urge such behavior on any other individual. The majority of 
serious Pagan  groups  absolutely  do NOT  allow  anyone  under the  
influence of drugs or  alcohol to participate in  ritual. Do not be  
offended of you are turned away for this reason. If you are taking a 
psycho-active drug for a medical reason it is very wise to check with 
the ritual leader(s) so they will  understand and can advise you if  
they feel the ritual might be harmful  to you. 9. Just because most  
Pagans/Wiccans  are  under  40  and  in  reasonably  good  physical   
condition, never assume  that everyone  is. Rituals  and gatherings  
should be planned so that those with physical problems aren't barred 
totally from participation.  Particularly in ritual,  be aware that  
many more people than you might think are "mobility disabled." Group 
ritual should take  place in  an accessible  area and  some thought  
should be given to designating a safe place for those not taking part 
in dancing to stand or sit. Please  be alert to anyone to whom help  
would be  welcome. Help  them to  find  a campsite  which minimizes  
walking - to the ritual area, to  the privies, to the eating area -  
whatever. Help them pitch their camp. Don't make them feel unwelcome 
- most handicapped people have worked  extra hard on their magickal  
skills and may be able to add a great deal to the power in ritual and 
to the success of the gathering. 10. When at any sort of gathering,  
please be thoughtful. Particularly please  observe true quiet after  
midnight. No one minds if you and  others want to stay up all night  
talking or whatever. Everyone else minds a great deal if you stay up 
talking and  laughing  loudly  and/or  drumming.  Those  hosting  a  
gathering should take the responsibility of keeping the noise level  
very low in at least some of the sleeping areas - and designating it 
as a quiet area. 11. Do not allow yourself to get the idea that you  
know the One True,Right and Only Path! Even if you really do have the 
conviction that what someone else is doing is "wrong", "incorrect",  
"Left-hand path"or  whatever,  just  don't  talk  about  it.  It is  
perfectly permissible to refrain from participating in the activities 
of those with whom you cannot feel comfortable. It is not acceptable 
to express the idea that they "shouldn't"  be doing it. This is not  
to say  that if  you know  of criminal  behavior on  the part  of a  
so-called Pagan/Wiccan group you should not report it. We must also  
be responsible for cleaning  up our own  act. Paganism is glorified  
by its diversity. Please do not allow yourself to express judgement  
by categories. Whether or not you  like or dislike blacks, Indians,  
Homosexuals, women, men, or  whatever, keep it  to yourself! If you  
really and truly  cannot feel comfortable  taking part  in a ritual  
which isn't conducted according to the tradition you follow or if you 
cannot be pleasant in company mixed  with groups you disapprove of,  
please just stay home.
     
                PAGAN/CRAFT ETIQUETTE by Soapbox Sam 
Listed below are not hard and fast rules, but some helpful guidelines 
for those who would function smoothly in a craft/Pagan environment.  
1. Should you write  to someone for  information, always enclose an  
SASE (Self-addressed, Stamped Envelope). Many of us receive several  
inquiries a day. Sometimes just answering them, much less having to  
pay the postage and  buy envelopes, is  a time-consuming, expensive  
task! 2. Should your inquiry be about Pagan/Craft folks in your area, 
tell about yourself, and how you came to have our names and wrote to 
is -after all the Inquisition is alive and sick here in the heart of 
the Bible Belt. Do  not expect names and  addresses unless they are  
already"public". Most of  us, even  the "public"  Pagan/Craft folks  
prefer to meet people slowly and carefully over a cup of coffee in a 
public place, before we start introducing you to our groups and our 
friends.Why should we risk when you have risked nothing? ((Sometimes 
I get mail that simply has a name and address on it and demand that I 
send  the  latest   copy  of  my   newsletter  or   the  names  and   
addresses/phone numbers of all Craft  people in the writer's areas.  
One man sent me a letter raising  hell because he has (according to  
him) sent me $0.33  in the mail and  was waiting on  the copy of my  
newsletter "I owed him"!Sadly,  this type of  letter is more common  
than not...  his  letter and  33  cents,  is ever  sent,  was never  
received. Do I really have to  explain to grown mature adults about  
sending money through  the mails???))  3. If  you are invited  to a  
gathering or festival, whether by written or oral invitation, before 
you invite  others,  get  permission. Because  of  space,  or other  
considerations, the number of people that can be accommodated might  
be limited, or  certain individuals  or groups  may not  be welcome  
because of personality conflicts and resulting disharmony. Also, if a 
weekend gathering is scheduled and you can only arrive for the ritual 
and then must leave, ask if that is OK...sometimes the ritual is the 
climax of the entire gathering, rather  than an event in itself; in  
that case to show up only for the ritual not having been part of the 
entire event is  to 'take-away' from  the meaning of  the whole for  
those who were there! 4. Always inquire what you should bring to any 
gathering. If you have received  an official invitation, you should  
have been told. But,assume nothing! Ask  if you need to bring food,  
robes, candles, drinks,eating utensils (forks, cups, plates, etc). It 
is unreasonable and rude to assume that an invitation to a gathering 
means that people just like yourselves, will expect you to come and 
eat their food, use their utensils and leave a mess for them to clean 
up after you have gone. If you cannot take food, then at least offer 
the gatherings sponsors a cash donation to help defray their cost. If 
you can't stay to help clean up afterwards, at least be considerate 
enough to get  your own  refuse to  a garbage  container. 5.  To be  
invited to participate in  another's ritual is  NOT your right, but  
rather a privilege and  an honor. If you  are unfamiliar with their  
tradition, common courtesy demands that  you at least inquire about  
enough information to participate  in a positive  fashion, and most  
certainly, make no assumptions about adding anything to the circle or 
placing your "special' crystals, totems, whatever in the circle or at 
a specific place within the circle without getting permission. Also, 
do not remove anything from a circle even should you feel it doesn't 
belong, without explaining why and getting permission. 6. It should  
not have to be said,  but then neither should any  of the above: If  
these Pagan/Craft rituals have no meaning  in your life, and if you  
have just come  for the fellowship,  then enjoy  the fellowship and  
please do not attend the ritual. The circle is a significant part of 
our entire way of life, not a reenactment of some past event just for 
the sake of the pageantry. When we  can, we are pleased to share it  
with you, and we do so in Love and Light with Peace and Laughter. 
 IDEAS  FROM MERLIN  THE ENCHANTER  1.  Be Yourself...  if you  worry  
about what others think, then you won't think for yourself... and if 
you don't think for yourself, you may as well be dead! 2. Allow all 
others to be themselves... just because Joe Blow from kokomo has blue 
candles on his altar and you use only white ones, that doesn't mean  
he is the son of  Satan. We must each one  be allowed our own Pagan  
path in freedom, for if we cannot do that, then we have no freedom! 
3. Let's stop all the  silliness of who is and  is not a Witch, and  
what one must do to be a witch. 4. Don't ask for someone's opinions 
unless you  really want  it! More  Witch  wars are  started because  
someone asked for another's  views and didn't  like the answer they  
got! 5. Add a dose of good humor (the worst Witches are the ones that 
take  everything  so  S-E-R-I-O-U-S-L-Y!)  IDEAS  FROM  BEKET  ASER   
EDITHSDATTERIt is necessary  that we learn  to be  just plain adult  
about working together - or even, just existing on the same planet. 
1. If  you can't  tolerate any  slightest  deviation from  your own  
tradition, do not take part in  public or cross-cultural rituals or  
gatherings. 2. If you have ideas of what should be in the ritual; or 
what should  not -  go  to the  planning meeting  and  express your  
opinions. 3. If you delegate a task to someone else - you have made 
it their job. The only thing you have to say is "Thank you". When and 
how they do it is their business so long as it is done at the moment 
it is required. 4.  Appoint somebody to keep  notes of the planning  
meetings - as things are said, not afterwards, or, inevitably, there 
will be disagreements about the ground rules. 5. Gossip : There are a 
few situations wherein  it is legitimate  to pass  on "gossip". the  
following suggestions are not  all inclusive but  may serve to give  
guidelines for judging: a.  When a major  life change definitely is  
occurring to someone with whom you and  the person to whom you pass  
on the information  - frequently  work. b.  When you are  acting as  
resource to help someone  decrease a situation  of disagreement. c.  
When you  really  plan to  take  positive action  to  alleviate the  
situation the gossip refers to. d.  (This situation really does not  
occur all  that often.)  When warning  someone about  an individual  
whose practices are definitely undesirable  for a reason other than  
that  you  don't  like  them.  e.  When  you  have  truly  accurate   
information to counteract  damaging and  inaccurate rumor.  6. When  
examining a situation  to decide  whether or  not you, yourself,are  
under psychic attack,  be sure  to ask  yourself if it  couldn't be  
because being under attack makes you  feel important. 7. Within the  
group or group structure, the High Priest and or High Priestess are 
generally entitled to your respect and a certain amount of deference. 
If they really, really don't know as  much as you do, perhaps it is  
time that you  take a fond  and friendly leave  of them/him/her and  
begin a group  of your own.  Obviously, group or  group affairs are  
appropriate subjects for discussion among  all the members, and the  
HP/S  definitely  should   be  willing  to   listen  to  reasonable   
suggestions. However, you joined the group in order to learn from its 
leaders; a year  or two  of study  probably doesn't qualify  you to  
suddenly object to all their teachings, methods, and beliefs. Above  
all, it is inappropriate to try to stir up the whole group and "take 
over" the group. The leaders have put a good deal of time, patience, 
thought and teaching into  building the group and  giving it a good  
name - if you want to be Witch Queen of the Universe, start your own 
group from scratch  and try  to become  good enough to  earn status  
yourself. The goal is not big groups, it is the best possible groups. 
For group leaders:  They need  to be  grown-up enough to  know that  
everydisagreement isn't necessarily a personal attack. They need to  
developleadership skills to avoid  confrontation and inflexibility.  
They needto know  how to lead  without dominating and  they need an  
intenseinterest in the health of the group. The HP/S needs to listen 
to theideas of the members and to use their ideas whenever posssible. 
Theyshould be able to explain rationally why certain ideas cannot be 
used.                               #30#

                Study of the Planetary Hours System
                -----------------------------------
                          by Andrew Kettle.
                                1994

Introduction.    Neo-pagan witchcraft has no central leaders, so
              one of the questions that echos across the valleys
              of the traditions is; "Are there to many cooks spoiling
   the   broth?"   As   most   witches   are   fervent    independants,   
and
              self-assertively so, each will have a differnt approach
              and opinion to such a simple observation.
    Underneath    the    whole    landscape    of    debate     however,    
are
              truths and basic historical facts being forgotten or
              distorted? In certain instances it would be deemed
              unavoidable in the present atmosphere of information
    scavenging,    where     medium    communications    reveal     past    
lives
  and   the   knowledge  from   them   to   broaden  the   bookshelves   
of
              the many esoteric book shops.
                 Be that as it may, studying the large expanse of
              existing wisdom, at times similiar to looking through
              water-glass, will relinquish many difficulties and
    contradictions.    To     some    this     would    increase     the    
mysticism,
              however when it is a matter of legitimacy where do we
              stand?

Sample Text:
            from "What witches do", Stewart Farrar,1989, Phoenix
 Pub.,Wash. 
p.174.

        "
         Appendix 3. Planetary Hours.

  These   are   the  traditionally   accepted   hours  for   operating   
spells
   which   have   planetary    correspondences.   Each   day   has    a   
ruling
  planet;  our  days  of  the   week  in  English  are  mostly   named  
after
         the Teutonic forms of the planet-gods concerned. They are:
         Sunday, the Sun; Monday, the Moon; Tuesday, Mars (Tiw);
   Wednesday,    Mercury    (Woden);    Thursday,    Jupiter    (Thor);    
Friday,
   Venus   (Freya);   Saturday,   Saturn.   The   First   hour    after   
sunrise
         is ruled by the day's own planet, after which each hour is
         ruled by one of the other planets in the order Sun, Venus,
         Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and so on in rotation.
  Thus   Monday's   second  daylight   hour   is   ruled  by   Saturn,   
Tuesda's
         second by the Sun, etc. At sunset a new sequence starts with
         the fifth down the list from the day's planet: thus Monday's
 first  hour  from sunset  is  ruled  by Venus,  etc.  The full  list  
is as follows: "


Disclaimer: I have it as a strong intention, to point out that this
  acticle  is  not   to  be  taken  as   a  personal  attack  of   the  
above
           author or the publisher, or any other connecting party.
  I  have   used  Stewart  Farrar's   text  only   as  a  example   of  
the
           commonly published, and accepted, planetary hour concept.

Example:
    Winter Solstice Timetable of Planetary Arrival and Departures for
    =================================================================
    Eastern Australia (Brisbane area only) on the 22nd of June, 1994.
    =================================================================
                            Wednesday

           Time        Planet       Statis      Planetary Hours
           ----        ------       ------      --------- -----

          2.30am       Jupiter       Set.            Mars
          3.40am          Mars       Rise.           Sun
          3.50am         Pluto       Set.            Sun
          4.54am          Moon       Set.            Venus
          5.14am      Twilight start
          6.37am           Sun       Rise.
          6.55am       Mercury       Rise.
          8.14am       Neptune       Set.            Moon
          8.25am        Uranus       Set.            Moon
          9.12am         Venus       Rise.           Saturn
          11.06am       Saturn       Set.            Mars
          1.32pm       Jupiter       Rise.           Venus
          2.29pm          Mars       Set.            Mercury
          3.21pm         Pluto       Rise.           Moon
          3.53pm          Moon       Rise.           Moon
          5.02pm           Sun       Set.
          5.31pm       Mercury       Set.            Jupiter
          6.25pm      Twilight End
          6.35pm       Neptune       Rise.           Sun
          6.46pm        Uranus       Rise.           Sun
          7.44pm         Venus       Set.            Venus
          10.23pm       Saturn       Rise.           Saturn

Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that the 'Planetary Hours' concept
         is a timetable, based primarily on simplicity, that
         was developed in a age when astronomic technology
         was largely unavailable, so resulting in such a
         system; that in our modern technological society, as
         a result of astronomic calculations being easily
         accessable, that a new system of 'Planetary hours'
         should be constructed upon 'Hours of Right Ascension/
  Planets  on   the  Meridian'   where  applicable   or  the   highest  
point
         of ascension, when the planet is not true to the horizon.

Conflict:   As it can be deduced from the above table, certain
         planetary hours occur when the planet in question is not
  within  the  horizon.  For   example,  the  sun's  planetary   hours  
of
 3am  and  6pm  are  outside  of  'daytime';  Mar's  2am  is  outside  
of
         'Marstime'; the moon's 8am is external to 'Moontime'.
            As a principle, I would remark that it would be of
         assistance in rituals that the planet is in appearance and
         that the optimum time would be when the planet is directly
         above, the hour of Right Ascension/ Planet on the Meridan,
         or highest point of path through the hemispheres. If the
         'worshipper' was to have a difficulty with the domineering
 effect  of the  planet  being above  them  / on  top  of them,  then  
a
  principle  of   welcoming  the  planet   at  rise  and   farewelling  
the
         planet at set are equally as valid.
  Continuing,   this   would  establish   only   one  planetary   hour   
in
  each  day,   raising  the   question  of   practicality,  though   a  
rather
         erroneous matter, giving the examples hours of:
                 Mars (9.04am) 9am planetary hour,
                 Sun     (11.49am) 11am planetary hour,
                 Mercury (12.13pm) 12pm planetary hour,
                 Venus (2.26pm) 2pm planetary hour, etc.
            To this end, computer programs and/or annual publications
  would   easily  create   the   availablity  of   the  timetable,   a   
future
  project   for  any   publishing   house  or   any   number  of   the   
pagan/
  witchcraft   magazine   to   have   as   a   regular  cloumn,   thus   
giving
    the    practitioner    the    simplicity,    not    resorting     to    
ill-advised
          system as an alternative.
            However, at this point it should be mentioned that, in
          accordance with general perception, the physical planet
  plays  a  symbolic  role,  that  the  planet  is  not  the   vehicle  
of
  magical  properties,  but   a  icon,  much   as  the  moon  is   not  
Aradia
          in person, but a mirror of her essence.
  Furthermore,  it   is  an   accepted  belief   that  the   full-moon  
is
          the time of 'Esbat', though in comparison the remaining
          planets are given an inaccurate timetable; a perplexing
          situation.
  Toward,   the   modernising  approach   in   witchcraft  it   should   
be
   important   to   establish   'correct'   instruction   to    ritual,   
upon
          the understanding that it would be a great disservice to
  entertain  anything   else  but   actuality;  as   the  turmoil   of  
the
  word  'wicca'  has   caused  in  the   movement,  now  accepted   by  
most
          as a redefined word, though all the same established upon
          false impressions, an unfortunate situation historically
          speaking.
            An accurate approach to the craft, that is slowly being
   supported    as    our    cultures'    resources   and    developing    
knowledge
          widely spreading with discussions and publications, will
          result in a detailed sweep and clean of the old
  misconceptions  in   the  traditions   and  a   polish  to   reflect  
the
          light of modern education.

Conclusion: As with the modern approach of Planetary Hours, it should
         be every members directions in tune with open-minded, clear
         thinking not to accept a practice that is incorrect and to
    strive    establishing    a    strengthed    tradition    on     the    
foundations
         of accurate discovery of the originals of comprehension.
            Such an approach would wash out the '14th century mass
         illiterate' influence that customs have continued. Though
         it must be seen that without this assistance there would
         possible be no present existance of witchcraft, but a
         rectification of this knowledge is by no means an attack.
  Furthermore,  it   is  suggested   that  a   choice  should   always  
be
         based on truth and not mislead by mistaken presuption.

   
---------------------------------------------------------------------
By: Alex Rigel
Source: "An ABC of Witchcraft", Doreen Valiente, 1973, Phoenix
         publishing inc., Wash. pp.203-4.

"Initiations.
     When witchcraft became an underground organisation, the Craft of
the Wise, it shared a characteristic common to all secret societies.
Admission to it was by initiation.
     Such initiation required the newly admitted member to swear a
solemn oath of loyalty. When witchcraft was punishable by torture and
death, such an oath was a serious metter. Today, when witchcraft has
become like Freemasonry, not a secret society but a society with
secrets, the idea of initiationj still remains.
 Initiations  into witch  circles nowadays  take varying  forms, as  
they
probably always did. However, the old idea that initiation must pass
from the male to the female, and from the female to the male, still
persists. A male with  must be initiated  by a woman,  and a female  
witch
by a man. This belief may be found in other forms, in traditional
folklore. For  instance,  the  words of  healing  charms  are often  
required
to be passed on from a man to a woman, or from a woman to a man.
Otherwise, the charm will have no potency.
 There is also an  old and deep-seated belief,  both in Britian and  
in Italy, that witches  cannot die until they  have passed on thier  
power to someone else. This belief  in itself shows that witchcraft  
has been  for  centuries  an initiatory  organisation,  in  which a  
tradition was handed on from one person to another.
 The exception to the  rule that a person must  be initiated by one  
of the opposite sex, occurs in the case of a witch's own children. A 
mother may initiate her daughter, or a father his son.
 In  general, for  their own  protection, covens  have made  a rule  
that
they will not accept anyone as a member under the age of 21. Witches'
children are  presented as  babies to  the Old  Gods, and  then not  
admitted
to coven membership until they have reached their majority.
 This  rule became  general in  the  terms of  persecution. Secrecy  
upon
which people's lives depended was too great a burden for children's
shoulders to bear. It is evident, from the stories of witch
persecutions, that witch-hunters realised how witchcraft was handed  
down
in families. Any blood relative of a convicted witch was suspect.
  The   witch-hunting   friar,  Francesco-Maria   Guazzo,   in  his   
'Compendium
Maleficarum' (Milan, 1608, 1626; English translation edited Montague
Summers, London, 1929), tells us that "it is one among many sure and
certain indications against those accused  of witchcraft, if one of  
their
parents were founded guilty of this crime". When the infamous Matthew
Hopkins started his career as Witch-Finder General, the first victim 
he
seized upon was an old woman whose mother had been hanged as a witch.
     There are a number of fragmentary accounts of old-time witch
initiations, and from these a composite picture can be built up. The
whole-hearted acceptance  of the  witch religion,  and the  oath of  
loyalty,
were the main features. There was also the giving of a new name, or
nick-name, by which  the novice was  henceforth to be  known in the  
novice
was given a certain  amount of instruction,  and, if the initiation  
took
place at a Sabbat, as it often  did, they were permitted to join in  
the
feast and dancing that followed.
     In some cases, in the days of really fierce persecuation, a
candidate was also required to make a formal renunciation of the
official faith of the Christian Church, and to fortify this by some
ritual act, such as trampling on a cross. This was to ensure that the
postulant was no hypocritical spy; because such a one would not dare 
to
commit an act which he or she would believe to be a mortal sin. Once 
the
postulant had formally done such an act, they had in the eyes of the
Church damned themselves, and abandoned themselves to hellfire; so it
was a real test of sincerity, and an effective deterrent to those who
wanted to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. Such acts are 
not,
however, to my knowledge, required of witches today.
 One  of  the  ritual  acts  recorded  as  being  part  of  a witch  
initiation
is that described by Sir George Mackenzie, writing in 1699 about
witchcraft in Scotland, in his book 'Laws and Customs of Scotland"
(Edinburgh, 1699):  "The Slemnity  confest by  our Witches,  is the  
putting
one hand to the crown  of the Head, and another  to the sole of the  
Foot,
renouncing thier Baptism in that posture." Joseph Glanvill's book
'Sadducismus Triumphatus'  (London,  1726), had  a  frontispiece of  
pictures
illustrating various stories  of mysterious happenings,  and one of  
these
old woodcuts shows a witch in the act of doing this.
     Her initiation is taking place out of doors, in some lonely spot
between two big trees. With her are  three other women, one of whom  
seems
to be presenting her to the devil, who appears as the conventional
figure of a horned and winged demon. In practice, however, the devil 
of
the coven was a man dressed in  black, who was sometimes called the  
Man
in Black, for this reason. The "grand array" of the horned mask, etc,
was only assumed upon special occasions.
 A variant  of this  ritual was  for the  Man in  Black to  lay his  
hand
upon the new witch's head, and bid her to "give over all to him that
was under his hand". This, too, is recorded from Scotland, in 1661.
     Information about the initiation of men into witchcraft is much
less than that referring to women. However, here is an account from
the record of the trial of William Barton at Edinburgh, about 1655,
evidently partly in his words and  partly in those of his accusers,  
which
tells how a young woman witch took a fancy to him, and initiated him:

 One  day, says  he,  going from  my  own house  in  Kirkliston, to  
the
 Queens Ferry,  I overtook in  Dalmeny Muire,  a young Gentlewoman,  
as to appearance beautiful and comely. I drew near to her, but she
      shunned my company, and when I insisted, she became angry and
 very  nyce. Said  I,  we are  both going  one  way, be  pleased to  
accept
 of  a  convoy.  At  last  after  much  entreaty  she  grew  better  
natured,
      and at length came to that Familiarity, that she suffered me to
 embrace her,  and to  do that  which Christian  ears ought  not to  
hear
      of. At this time I parted with her very joyful. The next night,
 she  appeared to  him  in that  very  same place,  and  after that  
which
      should not be named, he became sensible, that it was the devil.
 Here  he  renounced  his  baptism,  and  gave  up  himself  to her  
service,
 and  she called  him her  beloved and  gave him  this new  name of  
John
      Baptist, and recieved the Mark.

     The Devil's amke was made much of by professional witch-hunters,
being supposed to be an indelible make given by the devil in person  
to
each witch, upon his or her initiation. However, it would surely have
been very foolish of the devil to have marked his followers in this  
way,
and thus indicated a means by which they mightalways be known. From 
the
confused descriptions given at various times and places, it seems
evident that  the witch-hunters  knew  there was  some  ceremony of  
marking,
but did not know what it was.
     In witchcraft ceremonies today, the new initiate is marked with
oil, wine, or some pigment, such as charcoil. However, as Margaret
Murray has pointed out, there is a possibility, judging by the many 
old
accounts of small red or blue markings being given, the infliction of
which was painful but healed after a while, that this may have been a
tattoo mark. Ritual tattooing is a very old practice; and some relics 
of this  survive today,  in the  fact  that people  have themselves  
tattooed
with various designs  'for luck'. However,  when persecution became  
very
severe, it would have been unwise to continue this form of marking.
     The most up-to-date instance I have heard, of the marking of new
initiates, is the practice of a certain coven in Britian today, which
uses eyeshadow for this purpose; because it is available in pleasing
colours, is easily washed  off, and does  no harm to  the skin. One  
wonders
what old-time witches would think of it!


By: Alex Rigel
Source: "Lid Off The Cauldron. A wicca Handbook", Patrica Crowther,
        1992, Samuel Weiser inc., Maine. pp.34-

" 5 Initiation.

 To become  a witch you  must have a  natural inclination to  worship 
the
Old Gods. It  must be  a feeling which  springs from  the heart and  
carries
you on towards your goal, in exactly the same way it happened to the
first witches thousands of years ago.
  The approach must be in this manner. Any other attitude, such as
vulgar curiosity, a desire for power over others, or the selfish
intention of using  magic to gain  material ends, will  only end in  
failure
and disillusion.
 The Old  Gods are  ancient archetypal  images of  the divine  powers 
behind
all Nature. They are the oldest gods known to man. Pictures of them  
are
painted all over Europe and show the great influence they had, even 
at
the Dawn of Time.
 Just because they are  so old, is no reason  to believe they are  in 
any
way 'out of date'. Our ancesstors were  no fools: their way of life  
and
their culture is gaining more and more respect as the years go by.
Continuous discoveries  about  their  skills  and  beliefs  growing  
admiration
and amazement.
 Their deities were a Mother  Goddess and a Horned God,  representing 
the
twin forces of life: male and female, light and dark, positive and
negative, Sun and Moon, etc.  These complimentary aspects in nature  
are
'fact' and cannot be disputed. And, because the Gods are true
representations of the divine powers behind all manifestation, they  
have
endured through millennia, and will always endure.
  Unlike many other religions, where contact with divinity is sought
through prayer and meditation, witchcraft teaches development of the
soul through the Eight Paths of  the Witches' Wheel. These ways are  
part
of the Western Mystery Tradition. The West and the East are two very
different places. Eastern religions teach their followers to look
'within' for enlightenment, and although the West uses this method in
meditation, it is only  'one' of the Eight  Paths. The Western mind  
looks
'outward' and seeks  spiritual grace  by helping  others. Thus, the  
witches
use their powers to help those in sickness or trouble.
 The Awakening can begin  as an urge which  rises from the depths  of 
the
soul. A state  of boredom or  despiration, which  every human being  
comes
to at some  point of  incarnation, can  become as  a beacon  to the  
spirit.
  It is born to the struggling soul and to the complacent alike. Many
lives may be endured before it is realized that the true self must
take the initiative and begin to fight its own way out of the Cycles 
of
Incarnation, which,  without the  control of  the Higher  Self, may  
continue
indefinitely. Once the realization is born, and the quest begun, the
soul is on its way from manhood to godhood.
  Regarding the Craft, it is wise to seek initiation from a 'genuine'
coven. This is not as easy as it sounds, as genuine adherents do not
seek converts,  and therefore  do not  advertise for  members. they  
believe
that if a person is sincere and determined enough in their desire to
belong to the Craft, they will, sooner or later, make contact.
 There are,  however, various ways  of speeding  things up a  little, 
such
as contributing to one  of the privately  printed occult magazines,  
which
are usually run by  people 'in the  know'. Or even  placing a small  
advert
in one of these papers. You can also write to the author of a book on
the subject, and send the letter via the publishers. It might then be
forwarded to a coven in your area, although I must add here that even 
if
this happens, and you are invited to  meet someone from a coven, it  
would
not be indicative of entry.
  There are certain conditions which have to be fulfilled, such as
blending in with the personalities of the members, having read widely 
on
the subject, a willingness to submit to a waiting period, usually a 
year
and a day, among  others. Yet these conditions  are valid ones; you  
cannot
expect to be accepted quickly, but you will know that the witches you
meet have undergone similar obstacles themselves.
  The ways of the witches are those of caution, especially where
strangers are concerned. After  all, who would  admit a stranger to  
their
home without an introduction, let alone to a temple of the Mysteries.
  Care must be taken, too, in finding a coven which is in close
'rapport' with your own life-style, culture and character. But, once
contact is made, there is hope in finding a group where conditions, 
on
both sides, can be fulfilled.
 Although some covens wear robes,  the traditional way of working  in 
the
Circle, is to be sky-clad, or naked. When you are brought into the
Craft, yoou enter as you were born,  without clothes or ties of any  
kind.
The first initiation is  virtually an introduction to  a new way of  
life.
You are made a 'Child of the Goddess'; you are shown the tools of the
Craft; told the ways of working magic, and made to swear an oath to 
keep
the secrets of the Art. This is called the First Degree.
 The  Second Degree  is  the initiation  proper.  Thsis involves  the  
concept
of symbolic death and  symbolic resurrection, when  you are re-born  
with
the new magical personality. A new name (of your own choice) is given 
to
you which represents the transformation,  and by which, henceforth,  
you
will be known when in the Circle.
  The drama of this mystery play implants its ideas firmly in the
subconscious mind of the adherent, and the mystery, which is enacted
on the material plane, sets the seal on the future.
  It is not to be supposed that by initiation and teaching you will
automatically be 're-born'. A way will be shown, and knowledge
imparted, yet the  journey is  always 'alone'  and the  true 'will'  
tested
to the very brink of breaking point.
  In a sense, when initiation takes place it is very much like daring
Fate to do  its worst. One  has taken a  stand: "I  announce to all  
creation
that I will endure to progress."
  In witchcraft the soul develops a deeper understanding of 'being'.
This entails  practice,  which  is  why  the  Craft  has grades  of  
advancement.
The highest grade is the consummation of the mysteries, where ritual
yields to what is termed, 'The Secret of the Silver Wheel'.
  There is also the imparting of certain 'secret' words, which, in
themselves, convey very little, but their secret intention 'is'
important and gently 'nudges' the aspirant onward.
                          ASC's And Ritual 
This article by Anna appeared in Web of Wyrd, issue number 7.

***begins

Altered States  of Consciousness  (ASCs)  are an  integral  part of  
ritual. They can be  defined as any mental  state recognised by the  
individual as different from his or her normal waking consciousness. 
As such, the  act of  separating yourself  from the  mundane world,  
having a ritual bath  or shower and preparing  the ritual space, is  
enough to induce some sort of ASC in most people. Taking on a magical 
persona involves an ASC, as does  invocation of godhead, dancing or  
chanting to raise power,  meditation, scrying, and  going through a  
guided visualisation or pathworking.

The use of ASCs in magic and ritual has many benefits. By means of a 
guided visualisation or  pathworking you can  have experiences that  
would harm you or be impossible in the mundane world. For example, in 
a visualisation relating to  fire you can  stand in the  midst of a  
roaring fire or  become the  flame itself;  experiences which might  
deepen your understanding  of the element  fire. Another experience  
reached through ASCs is that of the god or goddess being called down 
upon you, something that enriches and enlivens your magical life.

Entering an ASC is normally part of the process of stepping onto the 
astral plane, reaching the Otherworld, tapping racial memory or the  
collective  unconscious,  contacting  inner   guides  or  obtaining   
information from your own unconscious. To raise power, many enter an 
ASC by dancing, chanting  or using breathing  techniques. It's then  
much easier to focus your concentration, draw on energy, and let it 
flow through you and into the object of the spell.

Simple ASCs shouldn't be  forgotten. Being able  to relax the first  
time you cast a circle in front of everyone might help you remember  
the words, and  will certainly help  you focus the  power you need.  
Meditation is another fundamental skill in magical arts, one that is 
used at all stages.

Some ASCs can help you find out more about yourself. By doing so, you 
can understand and remove  the beliefs and  blocks that prevent you  
from developing, from  using your  magical abilities  to their full  
extent. These blocks are erected as  part of the process of growing  
up. As an example, if you're told  often enough as a child that the  
fairies that  you see  at  the bottom  of the  garden  don't exist,  
eventually you come to believe it. Understanding and getting rid of  
this belief twenty years later so that you can see the fairies again 
can be a long  process, one which  can be speeded  up by techniques  
using certain ASCs.

Like many things, ASCs are tools, often valuable, but also dangerous. 
One danger is not coming out properly at the end of a ritual. Being 
in an ASC can feel wonderful and  it can be tempting to stay there.  
You see it happening at some of the New Age workshops, where people  
get a nice emotional spaced-out high from a session, and hang on to  
that feeling as long as they can - "workshop junkie". The problem is 
that in an ASC you do not always have full access to those parts of  
yourself needed to perform mundane tasks like driving a car, or doing 
your job satisfactorily. Remaining in an ASC can be quite destructive 
if you need to function in the "normal" world.

Occasionally an ASC can  trigger what is known  as an abreaction in  
someone. Entering the  ASC removes the  barrier the  person has put  
between their conscious mind and a traumatic experience they've had. 
As a result the person suddenly  goes through the experience again,  
bursting into tears, yelling with anger, shivering with fear, and so 
on. This sort of  reaction needs to  be dealt with therapeutically;  
telling the person to  forget it only makes  the experience and any  
problems it has  caused, worse for  them. Not only  does the person  
controlling a group ASC  experience need to be  able to handle such  
abreactions, but he or she also needs to be able, when putting a new 
group into ASCs, to recognise individuals with borderline psychoses. 
The reason is that putting such people into an ASC, especially trance 
states, can push them over into a full-blown psychosis. For example, 
putting an epileptic into trance can trigger epileptic seizures.

Control is an important aspect  of ASCs. In a  ritual, at least one  
person should remain  in control, able  to take over  and bring the  
group out if anything goes wrong. That person makes sure that no-one 
is taken over by an entity which remains after the circle, and that  
no inappropriate suggestions are made.  (In ASCs, especially trance  
states, you are much more suggestible, and might inadvertently pick  
up someone else's comment as a suggestion  - after all, this is the  
principle upon which TV advertising is  based.) They also make sure  
that everyone  comes out  and grounds  properly at  the end  of the  
ritual.

Another area where control is important  is where an ASC is entered  
from another ASC.  Pathworking, visualisation and  scrying is often  
more intense, more meaningful,  if done in  circle. This is because  
when you start to  do the pathworking  or whatever from  a mild ASC  
instead of your own normal waking state,  you tend to go further or  
deeper, and thus gain more from  the exercise. However, using drugs  
to enter an ASC before performing  ritual is a completely different  
matter. Drugs leave you with no control over the first ASC you enter, 
so the outcome of entering a second one can be quite different from  
what you expected. The  harder the drug, the  bigger the problem is  
likely to be.  A drug might,  on a rare  occasion, have  a place in  
ritual, but only when the effect of the drug on the person taking it 
is known, there is a very good reason for its
use, and someone else  is available to deal  with any problems that  
might arise.  Drugs also  sap the  magical  will and  discipline by  
preventing you from learning how to achieve the results you desire by 
yourself, and encouraging you to be lazy. In the end your ritual work 
suffers.

ASCs are a  fundamental part  of magical  ritual. The basic  arts -  
meditation, concentration and  visualisation - all  involve ASCs in  
some form. It is easy to get caught up with the glamour of something 
different, something that  feels good,  that is  outside our normal  
experience and upbringing, and forget that, like most things, there  
is a negative side to ASCs. They are a tool; useful once you master 
them, but dangerous if misused. For many, ASCs have become the basis 
of their path to spiritual development.

***ends

B*B Julia
                       The Betty Crocker Cult 
For the edification and entertainment of  all, I am letting you all  
see one of the rarest pieces of modern ritual literature today. it is 
copyrighted 1993, M. Perrin, Jersey City, NJ.


                What Do Betty Crocker Cultists Believe?

 For  all  intents  and  purposes,  Betty  crocker  Cultists  believe  
whatever I, the Grand High Ladle, tell them to believe. The B.C.C. is 
a cult in the truest sense of the word, with one infallible leader,  
me. For indeed it was I, Badger Girl, who received the word of Betty, 
when I least expected it, right in  the middle of an episode of the  
French Chef.

 Thrust  as  I  was,  right  in  the  middle of  pagan  controversies  
of all stripes, it was clear to me that there was something missing  
in our community as a  whole. That thing was  the Kitchen. Not just  
food, you see, but the Kitchen,  with all of its wondrous utensils,  
appliances and storage capacities. I knew  this to be the answer to  
many of today's modern pagan problems. Betty told me so. "Go forth to 
the stove" said Betty, and go forth I did, taking most of the women 
(henceforth to be known as "Ladies") of Green Man Grove with me, as I 
hate to eat alone.

  And  lo!  Many  splendid  things  did  befall  us  as  we   cavorted  
amidst the Tupperware. Betty spoke to me as we did, and she sai, "Now 
you're cookin', kid!",  and of course,  She was right.  Soon we all  
tired and Betty took advantage of the  situation (as is Her way) to  
tell us of her many colleagues in the world of the "Other Kitchen."  
She spoke of Oscar Meyer, patron of fathers in the Kitchen, also She 
spoke of Lttle Debbie, Goddess of cellophane wrapped snack foods. the 
tale of the Pillsbury Doughboy (Poppin' Fresh, to the initiated), the 
God of phallic foods that go "Fuff"  was revealed to us, as well as  
the story of Mrs. Paul, Queen of the Frozen Seas. Betty then bespoke 
of the twin deities of the most sacred barbecue flame, Lee & Perrin, 
and also of Aunt Jemima, keeper of the Holy Syrup (and it was good!). 
Finally Betty told us of
that most  well preserved  of holy  mean, Earl  Tupper and  we were  
silently awed by the miracle of the Burp Seal.

 Surely  did  Betty  talk  a  blue  streak  that  fateful  day!  Then  
Betty told me that She had chosen me  to be Her Grand High Ladle on  
this earthly plane, and to gather around me all the minions I couls  
strongarm into the Cult.  "You and your  initiated minions shall be  
know to  the world  as "The  Dash Board"!"  said Betty.  Betty then  
explained the hierarchy to be adhered to within the Cult. The lowest 
initiates being the "Cups" and all higher initiates gradually getting 
smaller and  smaller  until  acheiving  "pinchdom"  if  not  actual  
"dashery." And so,
I said unto Betty, "Sounds good to me!" and she seemed well pleased.

 This  is  how  I  became  the  Grand  High  Ladle.  I  am chosen  by  
Betty to lead  you to  the Kitchen and  getyou all  cookin'. If you  
choose to follow, it will  be by my say so  and the approval of the  
Dash Board. The initiation will be grueling and with any luck, really 
intimidating. You seeker, may have finally come to the right place,  
then again, maybe not, only i can be the judge ofthat.


                                  Badger Girl, Grand High Ladle, BCC
                           The Berserkir 
This letter appeared in Web of Wyrd number 7:

With reference to the ongoing discussion  of the berserkir or "bear  
shirts" Viking warrior clan. P G Foote and D M Wilson state in their 
book, "The Viking Achievement" (Sidgwick & Jackson UK 1970) that the 
berserkers worked  themselves  up  into a  frenzy  which  gave them  
supernormal strength  and made  them indifferent  to blows.  It was  
generally believed that they had magical powers, although they were  
regarded as inferior to  the great heroes of  the Viking sagas. The  
berserkir howled savagely as  they went into  battle, and Foote and  
Wilson speculate  that these  battle  frenzies were  the  result of  
excessive alcoholic intake.  According to  Icelandic Law (Christian  
version) anyone who fell into a
berserk frenzy was considered highly dangerous and could be classed  
as an outlaw from  society. The following verse  from the epic poem  
"Atlamal" circa 11th century CE is believed to contain a reference to 
the berserkir and their  method of fighting, as  well as to another  
warrior clan  who  wore  wolf  skins,  and  may  be connected  with  
lycanthropy!

          Full they were of fighters
          and flashing bucklers,
          western war lances
          and wound-blades Frankish;
          cried then the bear-pelted,
          carnage they had thoughts of,
          wailed then the wolf-coated
          and weapons brandished.

It would seem  the berserkir  wore tunics  of bearskin  because the  
animal was their totem and they believed they could magically attain 
its strength. Their unorthodox fighting methods - akin to the "battle 
spasm" of Celtic warriors possessed by  the god/desses of war - and  
the modern meaning of the term "to go berserk" suggest they were less 
than self-controlled but in fact  fought, quite literally, like men  
possessed.

Mike Howard
                             QUANTUM MECHANICS
                                 AND SOME
                           SURPRISES OF CREATION

Cross posted from I_UFO, by Glenda Stocks, again By Bill Moore
Scanned from the CONTACT, June 14,1994, with permission.

SYNTHESIS OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION

[...]
... we will define this writing as simply an interesting look
into quantum-statistical methods of simulating energy-informational
processes.

... Boris Iskakov who was born in Magnitogorsk on November 14, 1934.
He is a graduate of the Institute of Physical Engineering in Moscow.

... In this work he endeavors to synthesize elements of science
and religion.  Dr. Iskakov has recently been interrogated and we
would share the interview with you.

... The interview comes from Russian documents so we will meander
through the translations as best we can and at least you will be
introduced to such as "leptons", etc.
[...]

[QUOTING]

MATHEMATICAL TRANSFORMATIONS

The equations of Schrodinger and Dirac, well known in quantum
physics, describe the laws of the conservation of probability for
fluxes of matter at the level of elementary particles of the
microworld. By means of certain mathematical transformations I
(Dr. Iskakov) obtained equivalent equations of a much broader
applicability. They describe the laws of the conservation of
probability for fluxes of matter, energy, and information. The
equations have a deep philasophical meaning, which extends far
beyond the interpretation of the Schrodinger and Dirac equations. An
appropriate name for them is, in my view, suggested by a doctrine
of Oriental philosophy--karma. In a narrow sense, it claims that
every deed or thought, good or bad, receives due reward or
retribution. In a broader sense, it denotes the principle of unity,
integrity, and inter-conditionality and causality in the Universe.
That is how I construe the term "equations of karma", which
describe any cause-and-effect relationship.

WHAT IS THE "EQUATION OF KARMA"?

The study of psychic phenomena dictated the need to define the
concept of the information-energy field. Its material medium,
according to contemporary notions, may be a global lepton gas,
consisting of extremely light particles, microleptons, with a mass
of 10^-40 - 10^-30 g. Microleptons are much lighter than electrons
and are capable af freely penetrating any body in the Universe. The
gaps between atomic nuclei are for them just as spacious as are the
holes in a fishing net for molecules of air.
The idea of a microlepton gas appears to echo the 19th-century
notion of the universal ether, but is scientifically much more
complex and profound. What we are talking about in this case is no
longer an ideal space-pervading fluid, but a quantum-granular
structure of the space-time continuum, filled with whirling streams
of polarized microleptons (including some virtually vacuum-born).

Such an approach enables us to use the mathematical apparatus of
quantum mechanics to describe the information-energy field.
Moreover, relationships of a higher level of generalization are
derived than the classical equations of Schrodinger. The new
equations describe not only the movements of matter, but also the
development of the totality of interconnections, signals, events,
and processes. The special term introduced for such relationships
is "equations of karma". As for karma, it is understood to mean a
broad philosophical category of universal inter-conditionality,
causality, and dependence in combination with the principle of the
unity and integrity of the Universe. There are two equations of
karma--the direct and the complex-conjugated:

GS> (NOTE:  I have substituted regular letters for the Dr.'s
GS> symbols)

       AY=0; A'Y'=0;

      where the operators have the form

       A=2h^2V + i2h o/o t-9;
       A'=2h^2V - i2h o/o t-9.

Here Y denotes the probability density wave (the wave function);
V, the Laplace operator; 9, the potential energy density, and h,
Planck's constant.

These equations may be solved in the form of karma waves and
anti-waves with quantization of probability waves. Connected with
them are perturbations of the information-energy field, i.e., wave
signals. In principle, such signals may propagate faster than light.

The equations of karma make it possible to draw certain
philosophical conclusions of fundamental significance. It follows
from them that diffraction takes place not only in space but also in
time. Any event is, so to speak, split in space-time. The
propagation of a solitary signal is preceded by a series of pre-
signals and followed by post-signals, both fading with distance.
Perceptive analysts are able to use the first intimations of
pre-signals to give a precise picture of a coming event. This is
called scientific foresight. But there is also intuitive prevision.
Centuries ago clairvoyants described events that are happening in
our time.

Pre-signals provide an explanation of relative proscopy--when a
sensitive person learns about an event before others do. Such a
person detects faint pre-signals that most people do not perceive.

For instance, an explosion on the Sun may produce solar prominences
extending for millions of kilometers. Two or three days later the
"solar wind" reaches the Earth, causing powerful geomagnetic
storms that affect everything living. During such periods, disease
and mortality rates increase in all countries.

This dependence of everything living upon solar catastrophes was
proved several decades ago by Alexander Chizhevsky. Can we learn of
the approaching "solar winds" in advance? It appears that we can.
The solar wind has presignals: swift streams of solar photons an
neutrinos, which reach the Earth in eight minutes. By detecting them
it is possible to warn the medical services of all countries of an
imminent geomagnetic storm two or three days in advance, ample
time to take the necessary measures.

From the theoretical standpoint the works of the eminent Russian
researcher Anatoly Okhatrin are of definite interest. They confirm
the idea of an ether or universal lepton gas, which contains full
information about the material world. Clusters of the lightest par-
ticles--microleptons--carry people's thoughts and feelings; these
microleptons are capable of travelling in space and time at
tremendous speeds.

The speed of light is a limiting factor only for a continuous stream
of speeds, the so-called continuum. However, greater speed levels,
in excess of the speed of light, are possible for extremely weak
signals.

Okhatrin's experiments and calculations show that people's thoughts
are carried by the lightest microleptons. And the equations of karma
prove that they can travel much faster than light. This justifies
the conclusion that humanity's potential in getting to understarnd
the Universe is practically boundless.

Up to now it was considered that our potential in the conquest of
outer space is limited by what is known as the pessimistic radius
of Poincare-Einstein. If we multiply the speed of light by the
human life span, we arrive at the limit that even the most sophis-
ticated spaceships cannot surpass. No generation of spacemen can
explore the Universe beyond that radius [it says].

But from the equations of karma it follows that at the level of
extremely weak signals we can reach out far beyond the Poincare-
Einstein sphere. Material thought can travel to distant regions of
the Universe at a speed greater than that of light. Man can obtain
information about what is happening at any distance from him. This
is a fundamental philosophical conclusion that allows humanity to
look to the future with optimism.

I arrived at this conclusion by considering the equations of karma.
But then, many scientists before me have reflected on the
synthesis of science and religion, among them the founders of
quantum physics. What are termed the conjugated equations of
Schrodinger and Dirac point to the possibility of the existence of
anti-particles. Similarly, the conjugated equation of karma suggests
that there can be anti-signals as well as anti-particles. More-
over, this equation makes it possible to describe the spectrum of
properties that these anti-signals possess. While ordinary signals
travel along the river of time from the past via the present into
the future, anti-signals travel in the opposite direction. They
originate in the future and pass through the present into the past.
This property of anti-signals stuns our imagination: certain
particularly sensitive people and instruments can, it turns out,
receive signals from the future.

Previsions, predictions, and prophesies come under the scientific
heading of absolute proscopy, which implies the acquisition of
information about events that have not yet taken place. They have
yet to occur, but sensitives already know about them.

The problem is merely one of the threshold of sensitivity and the
balance of signals and noise. Anti-signals come from the future at
a faint and very faint level. Very few people can detect them.

There is no violation here of the principle of causality. Rather,
its interpretation becomes more sophisticated and more refined
dialectically. According to the equations of karma, time in the
microworld can reverse its direction, turning, as it were, into
"anti time". From a single point it is possible to see both the past
and the future of microparticles at the same time.

We can receive information about the future only at the
probability level. Only the strategic parameters of a human fate are
pre-determined. But freedom of choice too is preserved: a person is
free to take any decisions and bears full responsibility for them.
A person shapes his or her destiny and pays for the consequences of
those decisions. Thus, there is a predetermined part of the future,
which a person cannot change, and there is a probable or variable
part, for which he is responsible.

Solving stationary equations can yield curious results. Waves
emitted and absorbed by hundreds of biologically active points are
superimposed on one another and form a series of standing waves,
which surround the human body. The body turns out to be nothing more
than a dense nucleus shrouded on all sides by a number of
energy-information holograms. The shape of the first hologram
follows that of the human body, but is enlarged and rounded,
remotely resembling a spacesuit. Actually, this hologram contains
all the information about the body and is carried by microleptons
orbiting along the quantum shell, the boundary of the first
hologram. The second hologram and its shell are larger and carry
weakened information, which is more difficult to decipher. The
same may be said of the third and subsequent shells. The more remote
shells are more rounded in shape, changing from a spacesuit to an
egg and then to a sphere. Our atomic-molecular body is "clad" in
microlepton holograms, each of which carries complete but weakened
information about the person, including his or her innermost
thoughts and feelings, his or her mind and conscience. It may be
said that the sum-total of these holograms is nothing short of a
person's lepton soul.

Ordinarily, people do not see the energy-information shells that
surround them. But in certain conditions it is possible to make the
first hologram glow, especially the part of it surrounding a
person's head. The fact is that upper chakras, the most
power-intensive, operate at the highest frequencies. Some people
have a first quantum shell that can become visible.

Estimates show that the energy of the first shell amounts to
fractions of an electron-volt. This is quite enough for a faint glow
in the optical range of the spectrum. But for the glow to become a
reality a great deal of energy has to be pumped into the upper
chakras. This means a person has to adopt a definite mode of life:
overcome base passions, and make his or her thoughts, feelings,
and deeds pure, lofty and inspired. It is in that case that the
energy of the upper chakras causes the excitation of the first shell
by fractions of an electron-volt, and a halo visible to other people
appears around the head of such a person (for example, a saint).

In Christian art, only part of the hologram around the head is
usually portrayed as glowing. But in Buddhist temples, there are
pictures showing the whole spacesuit-shaped hologram aglow.

The most ancient Buddhist manuscripts speak of a person's seven
bodies: one dense and six subtle. The first hologram is called the
ethereal body; the second, the astral body; the third, the mental
body, and so forth. The lepton hypothesis allows a larger number of
holograms.

Judging from the equations of karma, we humans are infinitely
"larger" and our lives are infinitely longer than we are accustomed
to think. This means that each person is a factor of Cosmic
significance.

Moreover, analysis reveals that inanimate objects as well as Homo
Sapiens and other living beings have holograms of this kind.

Consider the implications of this. If each body is present, at the
information level, throughout the Cosmos, then in every small region
of space-time there must be, if only super-weak, information about
the entire Universe.

Gautama Buddha's famous dictum states "everything is in
everything" and, hence, "everything is in the small." In an expanded
form this may be taken to mean that every point of space-time
"knows" everything about all the other points.

But if every zone of space "knows" everything, it is a most
complete encyclopaedia, in infinite storage of knowledge about the
Universe . All that is needed is to learn how to plug into this
source of information, which can tell a person about anything and
everything in the world.

It follows from the lepton hypothesis that the soul is real and
material. A human being, in the customary sense of the term, is
nothing but a dense nucleus around which streams of leptons
circulate. The totality of lepton shells is a cold bioplasma,
which contains complete information about the nucleus. Thus, it
can be termed a person's lepton soul. This notion has a quite
precise materialistic content.

According to the lepton concept, thoughts and feelings are material.
They are carried by superweak pulses of electromagnetic and
microlepton fields. Visual, audible, and other images, and all
thoughts and feelings, exist in the form of clusters of superlight
elementary particles. This brings to mind Plato's inspired guess
that all eidoses, i.e., ideas or thoughts, exist autonomously,
"float in the air" and recognize no boundaries.

Plato intuitively arrived at that conclusion over two thousand years
ago. Today we can put this into the language of mathematical
formulae. We can measure the mass of a single human thought. Its
weight varies from 10^-30 to 10^-40 g. To be sure, the opinion of
sensitives and Okhatrin's experiments cannot serve as proof. Similar
investigations have to be carried out at other laboratories. This
will furnish the statistical data for reliable conclusions. If they
confirm Okhatrin's findings, he will become the author of the
greatest discovery of the latter half of the 20th century.

Thoughts and feelings generated by human beings begin their
independent existence in space and time. Both theory and experi-
ments show that these eidoses are capable of exchanging information.
What is most important of all is that one person's thoughts can
occur to other people. Eidoses are like small living beings, but at
the lepton level of matter. Thoughts and feelings are our offspring,
who communicate with one another and with us in a language of
super-weak signals.

Estimates show that during a lifetime a person generates millions
and even billions of eidoses. This makes it clear that we bear an
enormous responsibility before the whole of humankind and before
ourselves for what our offspring, i.e., our thoughts and feelings,
will be like.

When our offspring are noble eidoses of kindness, love, mercy,
mutual assistance, truth, beauty, and harmony, we contribute to the
health of humanity's leptonosphere. But when we beget malformed
eidoses, i.e., evil, envious, cowardly, vain, and arrogant thoughts
and feelings, we thereby pollute the leptonosphere we inhabit.
Should the negative eidoses exceed a certain critical mass,
humankind will be doomed. At present our survival depends to a great
extent on the ecology of the spirit.

Here we also come up against a legal problem. Mere criminal intent
is not yet a crime at the atomic-molecular level, but when a person
conceives, say, a murder, he or she spawns criminal eidoses, which
contaminate humankind's leptonosphere.

That is why when someone steers a nation or country onto a road
leading to disaster, that person commits the gravest offence above
all against the whole of humanity. Although economic and
political catastrophe is still many years off, it has already
taken place at the lepton level, in the public mind. The collapse of
a vast State can contaminate humanity's leptonosphere to such a
degree that humanity's very existence becomes threatened. And no
clan, no state, nor coalition that conceived such a crime against
other nations can survive.

The lepton hypothesis can provide a scientific explanation of the
essence of God. When congregations gather in their temples, they
create eidoses of prayer, which assemble into a collective
egregor-eidos of a deity. When millions of people worship it, the
material deity eidos acquires tremendous energy at the lepton level
of matter. There arises feedback: a believer not only supplies the
deity with energy, but receives genuine assistance from it upon
supplication. There exist eidoses of Christ, Buddha, and Allah, and
they actually interact with their Worshippers when the latter tune
into the proper frequencies. This is something like a deposit in a
savings bank--it helps the client at at a time of need. The
microlepton "savings bank" is not responsible for other banks'
clients: there is no resonance correspondence between them. Alien
gods hold no power over a flock--only their own God has such powers.

Gods, thus, actually exist at the lepton level of matter. In fact,
the world religions describe different aspects of one and the same
Supreme Rational Being. All the people of the Earth worship a single
God, but in His multiple manifestations.

After the death of a person's atomic-molecular nucleus, his or her
lepton holograms may take different courses. Some of them may
likewise disintegrate. But this happens only to the holograms that
are made up of the heavier microleptons. Estimates show that the
relatively heavy holograms have a natural half-life of seven to nine
days; their ninety-nine percent decay takes about forty days.

Thus, the meaning of the funeral repast on the 9th and the 40th day
(in accordarnce with the Orthodox faith) is that the living emit
eidoses that recharge the dead person's soul with energy and
information to help it undergo the necessary changes in the lepton
world. Thanks to these rites, relatively heavy lepton holograms can
survive much longer. A reliable supply of living people's thoughts
and feelings can extend the life span of the heavy fractions of a
dead person's soul from forty days to several millennia. As long as
a person is remembered and his or her days of birth and death are
observed, that person's soul is preserved almost intact, just as it
was when the person was alive. One can communicate with it by means
of special techniques known to mystics.

The soul also has medium and light fractions. We cannot yet
verify this experimentally, but there is reason to think that
their half-lives and total decay periods are much longer than those
of the heavy fractions. It is even quite possible that the lightest
fractions live eternally--the soul is immortal according to all the
world religions. So far science cannot confirm or deny this in
strict terms. This problem remains unsolved and requires an
experimental solution.

[END OF QUOTING]


(Hatonn's comments)

The next most logical question might well be , "Isn't there any way
to measure this lepton energy or aura?" Yes indeed and again the
only ALLOWED presentation comes silently from Russia. There are two
scientists--the engineer and inventor Uri Kravchenko and the
physician Nikolai Kalashchenko--who have developed an original
instrument: the phase aurometer. This is a highly sensitive instru-
ment for the remote measurement of the electromagnetic radiation
of any object, biological included. The instrument and the method
are protected by a Certificate of Authorship issued in 1990. This
is an easy-to-prove concept and because of this implication I will
not introduce much about it other than generalities about which
much has been shared. This is something which Dr. Young has already
devised though he doesn't recognize it as this and I would think
would remind our own "tinkerers" that this is nothing more than a
measuring device or a production device for electro-magnetic
fields MEASURED IN HERTZ.

The particular phase aurometer in point is only for measurement or
recordimhg a "patient's" own radiation by a contact-free method and
has no impact whatever on the environment. BUT, LISTEN UP: THE
APPLICATIONS OF THE PHASE AUROMETER CAN BE CONSIDERABLY EXPANDED
FURTHER INTO, FOR EXAMPLE, DOWSING, TESTING FOLK HEALERS AND
SENSITIVES AND SUCH SEEMINGLY DISTANT FIELDS AS AGRICULTURAL
SELECTION OR CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE SUPERVISION.

I am not going to publish this information in general format as
above. However, I do ask that several of the attached "tinkerers" be
supplied with the documentation. We need to introduce frequency
upgrading into seed for crops, etc. This is easily done but someone
has to do it and I cannot spend time educating those at random
distance. So, please make sure that Dr. Young, Dr. Hoffman, Dr.
James and Dr. Trelle are made privy to the document in point. Thank
you. It will seem quite primitive to you ones--but sometimes
simplicity is where we must RE-begin in order to conceptually change
directions. I salute you for your patience.

Origin:  CRYSTAL   CAVE  "DAS   MAGICAL   TREFTPUNKT"  719-391-1092   
(93:9900/0)
This article appeared in Web of Wyrd number 7

 THE KNOTS OF DEATH
 by Alby Stone


A number of Viking monuments feature  a curious design known as the  
valknut, the "knot  of the  slain" or,  more loosely, "the  knot of  
death". On an 8th century CE  picture stone from Hammers in Larbro,  
Gotland, it consists of three interlocking triangles. This stone, now 
in Stockholm's National Historical Museum,  is divided into several  
panels; one of  the central  panels, in  which the  valknut occurs,  
depicts several motifs that suggest some sort of connection with the 
cult of Odin -  an eagle, a  flying figure -  possibly a valkyrie -  
holding a ring, a man being hanged from a tree and a group of three  
warriors - with shields and upraised swords - led by a fourth man who 
seems to  be holding  a large  bird  of some  kind. The  valknut is  
adjacent to the eagle and below it are two men, one with a spear, who 
appear to be engaged in placing a corpse
inside what looks like a burial  mound. Between them and the hanged  
man is what  appears to  be another,  smaller, valknut of  the same  
design. This type can also be seen on a rather splendid golden ring  
discovered near Peterborough, Cambs, and currently on display at the 
British Museum  in  a cabinet  labelled  as  containing Anglo-Saxon  
"secular" metalwork. Another picture stone from Gotland (Tangelgarda 
also in Larbro) has a panel showing a rider being welcomed by a woman 
holding a drinking  horn with four  men who are  holding rings. The  
woman may be  a valkyrie,  a "chooser of  the slain",  one of whose  
functions was to  serve ale  to the  Warriors in  Valhalla, another  
pointer to the cult of Odin. The rider has a valknut behind his head 
and there are two more among his horse's legs. On this stone, which  
can also be seen at the Swedish Museum, the valknut
is made up of a single line, interlaced to make three triangles.

Similar to the Tangelgarda design, but slightly more rounded, is that 
carved  onto  one  of  several  "hogback"  monuments  at  Brompton,   
Yorkshire, and  probably  dating  from  the  10th  century  CE. The  
end-beasts of this particular hogback - these monuments are based on 
Viking Age houses (although to this eye they have more than a passing 
resemblance to long barrows) and the end-beasts are situated at what 
would be the gable  ends - are easily  identifiable as bears, again  
suggesting the cult of Odin, who was patron of the Warriors known as 
berserkr or "bear-shirts". The purpose of the hogbacks is uncertain; 
no graves  have been  found with  them so  they were  certainly not  
tombstones. Hogbacks with  undecorated ends  at Lythe  in Yorkshire  
exactly match  the  shafts  of  crosses  found  at  the same  site,  
indicating that the hogback formed a composite monument
with a cross at each  end. In this case the  hogback is certainly a  
religious monument and it  seems fair to  suppose that the Brompton  
hogback and its fellows, and similarly ended hogbacks elsewhere, are 
also religious structures, albeit of a different faith.

The Brompton hogback has five valknuts in a row. The Brompton style 
valknut also occurs on each of the  four arms of the Gosworth Cross  
(Cumbria), on both faces. The shaft of the cross strangely enough has 
scenes from heathen myth,  and the only  remotely Christian looking  
scene,  which  has  been  rather   desperately  identified  as  the   
Crucifixion, seems to owe  more to the  rune-winning ordeal of Odin  
described in the  heathen poem  "Havamal" than  it does to  the New  
Testament. The same type of valknut appears on the shafts of crosses 
at Sockburn (Co Durham), Lastingham, Hawsker and Brompton (all North 
Yorks). On  the last,  three of  these valknuts  are arranged  in a  
triangular pattern.

A fourth type of valknut, rather  different from those described so  
far, occurs on a stone cross from Andreas on the Isle of Man and is  
now in the Manx Museum, Douglas. This version is basically a simple 
knot "tied" in such a way as to retain the basic tripartite structure 
of the versions mentioned above. Unlike the others it is not a closed 
structure but its identity as a valknut, while mildly contentious, is 
not really in  doubt. The  scene in which  it appears  shows a man,  
evidently Odin, holding a spear pointing downward as he is devoured  
by a great  wolf. An  eagle perches on  the man's  shoulder and the  
valknut is at his side. The same design appears elsewhere, on a stone 
discovered in  1822  at  Gosforth  and  now  incorporated  into the  
structure of the  local church.  It is between  the back  legs of a  
horse. On a picture stone from  Alskog, in Gotland, it occurs twice  
among the eight legs of Odin's horse, Sleipnir. Despite this seeming 
wealth of examples and the diversity of styles the valknut itself has 
remained  enigmatic.  It  seems  to   be  associated  with  horses,   
particularly with the steed of Odin, and the cult of Odin in general. 
Motifs associated with the symbol include the hanged man, valkyries, 
bears, and the scene from Ragnarok on the Manx Cross, all indicating 
some connection  with Odin.  According  to HR  Ellis  Davidson, the  
valknut also appears on the funeral ship excavated at Oseberg,
Norway in 1904, and on the tapestry found in that vessel, indicating 
some sort of funerary association.

The origin and  meaning of  the symbol  are extremely  difficult to  
discern, as  is  its  association with  Odin.  Obviously  it  has a  
decorative value as distinct from its symbolic meaning. The valknut  
has been used as  a motif by Scandinavian  weavers since the Viking  
Age. Indeed, it is recognised as a traditional design in that part of 
the world quite  apart from its  alleged occurrence  on the Oseberg  
tapestry. Davidson opines that it is related to the Celtic triskele, 
the three-legged symbol most familiar as  the emblem of the Isle of  
Man and linked with the Irish God of the sea, Manannan. The triskele 
is  essentially  a  variety  of   the  swastika,  a  common  enough   
cosmological symbol,  but  neither  can  be  said  to  possess  the  
characteristic interweaving of the valknut. While it may be unwise to 
dismiss a possible relationship between triskele and valknut, it
must be said that any resemblance is purely superficial, lying solely 
in their tripartite structures. Structurally the valknut has more in 
common with the Celtic triple spiral motif which is also found on Old 
English and Pictish artifacts and much older objects. Unfortunately  
there is a dearth of hard evidence for the mythological or religious 
significance of the triple spiral, which tends to occur within wholly 
abstract or symbolic designs, but it occurs within funerary contexts 
and has been linked with the  female principle by various scholars.  
The various  types  of  valknut, their  contexts  aside,  share two  
important  characteristics:  they  are   tripartite  and  they  are   
constructed by
interweaving or interlinking.

Davidson also postulates a link with the bindings that occur in Norse
tradition. The best known examples of this are probably the binding  
of Loki  following  his betrayal  of  Baldr; the  binding  of Baldr  
himself, a theme that found itself into Scandinavian and Old English 
interpretations of the Crucifixion; the binding of the wolf Fenrir;  
the ritual binding of sacrificial victims, as partly confirmed by the 
discovery of bound corpses in the peat bogs of northern Europe; and 
the Herjoturr or "war fetter", a kind of paralysis that Odin and the 
valkyries were said to be able to inflict upon unfavoured warriors in 
the heat  of battle.  To  these we  might add  the  hangman's noose  
characteristic of the  double sacrifice -  simultaneous hanging and  
stabbing - known to have been used in the cult of Odin and a method  
of ritual killing that accords with
the condition of  a number of  bog corpses. One  bog discovery, the  
severed head of  a man  discovered at  Osterby in Denmark,  is very  
interesting; the hair on the right side of the head is gathered into 
an elaborate knot that looks very much like a valknut.

Tacitus, writing at about  the time the Osterby  man is believed to  
have met  his end,  about the  1st  century CE,  tells us  that the  
warriors of  the  Suebi (a  generic  name for  the  Germanic tribes  
inhabiting the region now occupied roughly by north western Germany, 
Denmark and the Netherlands) tied their hair  in such a knot, and a  
number of Roman  monuments depict  Germanic warriors  with the same  
hairstyle. It would  be reasonable  to suppose  that this hair-knot  
marked a warrior as a follower of an early form of Odin in his role  
of war god.  (See the  author's article  on "Heretical  Hairdos" in  
Talking Stick magazine Spring 1992 for a further discussion of pagan 
hairstyles and the symbolic significance.)

The noose found around the neck of  the Lindow Man unearthed from a  
peat bog in Cheshire a few years ago consists of a sliding knot in a 
cord knotted at each end, making a triple knot. A similar noose was  
found on a body in  a peat bog at Borremose,  Denmark but the noose  
found on another Danish  corpse, from Tollund,  is much simpler. Dr  
Anne Ross and  Dr Don Robins,  along with  the Danish archaeologist  
Professor P V  Glob, believe that  these nooses are  related to the  
Celtic torc, and note that a number of torcs seem to be designed to 
look like garrottes. They suggest that the corpses from Tollund and  
Borremose were sacrifices to Nerthus, a goddess mentioned by Tacitus, 
and that the torc was an
attribute of  that  goddess.  Tacitus also  tells  us  that certain  
warriors of the Chatti wore iron  collars that would not be removed  
until they had killed their first enemy, although many chose to wear 
them until they died.  In their case  the collar probably indicated  
they were dedicated to a god of war as opposed to a goddess of peace 
and plenty like Nerthus. It would be rash to state unequivocally that 
the collar and  torc represent  stylised versions  of the  noose or  
garrotte - but it is an  attractive proposition. However, torcs and  
collars are not valknuts, and only the nooses found on Lindow Man and 
his Danish counterpart can possibly be construed as being such.

It seems fairly certain that the  valknut has a cultic or religious  
significance and a  particular association  with death,  as it name  
alone indicates. The Andreas Cross shows the death of Odin, himself  
the Lord of the Dead Warriors of  Valhalla, and on the Alskog stone  
the valknut appears by the feet of Sleipnir, the steed on which Odin, 
and also Heimdall, rode to the land of Hel. It is seen by the hanged 
man and in the funerary scene on  the stone from Hammars and on the  
Tangalgarda stone the rider seems to  be receiving a welcome to the  
realm of
the dead. The scenes often include  female figures who appear to be  
valkyries or maybe even the death goddess Hel herself. The presence  
of the valknut on Viking Age crosses in England and on the Brompton  
hogback hints at a retention of this element of heathen iconography  
among the adherents of the new cult.

The valknut is certainly part of the iconography associated with Odin 
but  that  fact  alone   brings  us  no   nearer  to  its  meaning.   
Representations of Odin and scenes from myths pertaining to him are  
common enough and their components are usually readily identifiable. 
If the valknut does stem from the cult or mythology of Odin, then it 
must represent something that cannot be given a pictorial rendering, 
either because  of a  taboo  or simply  because it  just  cannot be  
pictured in anything but an abstract form.

The form  is tripartite  and interwoven;  the context  is mortuary,  
Odinic and  Otherworldly  and  it  has  both  equine  and  feminine  
associations. This set of conditions is peculiar to the mythology of 
the World Tree and can be related to certain beings associated with 
it. The World Tree is Yggdrasill or "The Steed of the Fearful One",  
which makes it a doublet of Sleipnir. It has three roots which link  
the worlds together. According to Snorri Sturlson, each root leads to 
a well  or  spring;  Hvergemir  in  Niflheim;  Mimisbrunnr  "in the  
direction of the frost ogres", and Urdabrunnr "in the sky", the Well 
at which the three
Nornir gather to decide the fates of humans and gods alike.

Now it is clear from a number  of references that these three wells  
are in fact only one under three different names. A consideration of 
their locations clinches the argument. Hvergelmir is the primordial  
well, situated in the  north, according to  Snorri's account of the  
creation of the cosmos. The nature  of the "frost ogres" means that  
they can also be located in the cold north, and the central point of 
the revolving sky is also in the north, at the Pole Star. The Nornir 
derive their collective name  from an archaic  word meaning "north"  
which also denotes "that  which is below"  (compare English nether,  
be-neath). The name of the goddess Nerthus (a goddess of the earth) 
reported by Tacitus may also be so derived.

While the Nornir each have individual  names in England, they go by  
the name allocated to the eldest in Norse Tradition. The elder of the 
three is called Urdr  by the Norse,  which is cognate  with the Old  
English "wyrd", hence the three "weird sisters" of Shakespeare. Thus 
they are a  three-in-one being  in the  same way  as the  Irish war  
goddesses known as the Morrigna. Like the other, inevitably triadic, 
Indo European fates,  the Nornir spin  and weave  destinies. One of  
them is also named as a valkyrie.

This brings us back to Odin, himself a shaper of destinies. In the
"Gylfaginnning" section of Snorri's "Edda"  he appears in a triadic  
guise and is credited with having taken a drink from the well at the 
centre of the  world, one source  of his wisdom.  Odin acquired the  
wisdom of the runes while hanging on the World Tree and could obtain 
information from the  dead. The  latter -  apart from  those worthy  
fighters chosen to carouse in Valhalla until Ragnarok (the Twilight  
of the Gods) and those who ended  up in the paradisal Odainsakr, or  
abode of the righteous dead, the hall Gimle - resided with the dread 
goddess Hel in  the underground  realm variously  known as Niflhel,  
Niflheim or simply as Hel located in the far north. This goddess of  
the dead was said to be Loki's offspring, conceived and born while he 
was in  the  form of  a  mare following  a  dangerously mischievous  
escapade.

Actually she can be traced back to proto-Indo-European times and her 
original name has  been reconstructed  as Kolyo,  "the coverer". As  
Bruce Lincoln puts it in his book, "Death, War and Sacrifice" (1991), 
"Her domain is underground  and she physically  conveys her victims  
thence by fixing a snare or noose on their bodies and dragging them  
down. Her bonds regularly fall upon the foot or neck of the victim,  
the same places where domestic animals are fettered. The deceased are 
thus led  away  like animals  by  Death,  in whose  bonds  they may  
struggle, but which  they cannot escape,  caught in  her snares and  
dragged under."

Lincoln presents  an impressive  body of  evidence to  support this  
summary, from Ancient Greece, Rome, Scandinavia, India and Iran. The 
theme has altered from place to place and from one age to another but 
the essence has remained. He also notes that the Middle High German 
term for a noose was "helsing", which he translates as "Hel's Sling". 
He argues that German sacrifice by hanging, generally related to Odin 
or Woden, was  actually a  ritual enactment  of the seizing  of the  
victim by the goddess of death.  Given the mutual concerns of Odin,  
Hel and the Nornir, it seems to make little difference either way.

In Old  English  texts  the  term  "wyrd"  is,  despite  its  other  
connotations,
frequently used  to  denote  death  rather  than  a  structured and  
unfolding future that is suggested by the functions of the Nornir and 
their Greek and Roman counterparts. There  is of course an intimate  
relationship between the two concepts and death is after all the fate 
of every being. Scandinavian myth makes it clear that there are only 
two things which the gods cannot avert; fate and death. In Norse myth 
the name of the senior Norn is Urdr, a word in Old Icelandic that can 
also denote  a burial  mound or  cairn.  "Beowulf" and  other texts  
characterise wyrd as a  weaving of webs but  the word usually means  
nothing less than the moment of death, or at least the events leading 
up to death. 

The "Beowulf" motif is revealing, however; it has already been noted 
that the fates tend to be spinners  or weavers and in this instance  
there is also  the idea  of a  snare, which  can refer  back to the  
Indo-European goddess of death as described by Lincoln. Like Hel, the 
Nornir reside in the far  north, at or near  the celestial axis and  
like her they reside  "below ground", where the  World Tree has its  
roots. The Nornir determine life, span and the time of death, while 
Hel takes the dead to her cold bosom. All these characteristics are 
shared to some extent with Odin, as is their femininity, apparently  
adopted by Odin in order to engage  in seidr - the natural magic of  
womankind.

At the very least, Hel and  the Nornir are closely related, perhaps  
even
deriving from the  same proto  Indo-European goddess,  and Odin has  
acquired some of their characteristics by virtue of his association  
with the cosmic centre,  the structure of  which reflects their own  
nature. If  the valknut  symbolises anything  then, it  is probably  
either wyrd, death, or perhaps even  the Nornir themselves, who are  
more or less the same as wyrd anyway. Exactly when the valknut would 
have come to represent these is difficult to estimate. Certainly the 
examples here all date from  the Viking Age and  appear to range in  
time from about the 7th to the 10th centuries CE. I am not aware of  
any valknuts of a significantly earlier date. It is interesting that 
in England the use of  the valknut seems to have  died out with the  
establishment  of  Christianity  and   the  consequent  decline  of   
heathenism. The Nornir are not  represented pictorially anywhere in  
the Germanic world, which is rather surprising. A panel of the Franks 
Casket shows three hooded figures who might be intended as a likeness 
of that fateful trinity, but  it is by no  means certain. Until any  
conclusive artifacts come  to light  the truth  of the  matter must  
remain as uncertain as the workings of the Fates themselves.
                        Memorial Day Ritual 

This is a copy of the script written for a Memorial Day and
Warrior's Honor Ceremony performed at the Heartland Pagan
Festival in 1992.  It was written during the festival by She-Wolf
and Gary Stanfield, and is the latest of a few editions.

This ceremony was intended for participation by any persons who
can accept the Wiccan ceremonial format and who have been
or are likely to become touched deeply by war. Realistic acceptance,
loving reconciliation, and emotional catharsis are the major themes.
Fears, regrets, sympathies,  feelings of caring,  and grievings are  
dealt
with intensely.  Adventure, patriotism, the joy of battle, etc.
are ignored.

The setting is  outdoors in mid-morning  light in  a clearing among  
trees.
There is a fire in the center of the temple space and an altar at
the northernmost point of the circle.

                    MARTIAL HONOR CEREMONY

1.  Defining of the Temple Space and Time.
All participants form into a circle as a drum beats slowly and
steadily (about one beat per second).  When the time comes to
start, the HPS breaks from the circle and begins to define its
outer limits with a sword.  After she has just begun, the priest
raises an old, rust-marked sword into the air -- this cues the first
speakers.  Alternating male and female voices call out (one from
each quarter as the HPS passes):

"Thermopylae!"

"Gettysburg!"

"Desert Storm!"

"Uncounted thousands of battles!  Uncounted thousands of wars!
Over uncounted  thousands of years!"

Then the HP puts down his sword as the HPS rejoins the circle.

2.  Calling of the Quarters.
The priestess, taking one step forward from
her position next to the altar says:

"Guardians of the East, Spirits of Air
Breath of life, lost to those who have died
attend our rite and protect this circle."

"Guardians of the South, spirits of fire
Heat of battle, warmth of living flesh
attend out rite and protect our circle."

"Guardians of the West, spirits of water
Sweat of our bodies, blood that was spilled
Attend our rite and protect our circle."

"Guardians of the North, spirits of Earth
Symbolized by salt, once the soldier's pay
Earth to which we all return
Attend our rite and protect our circle."

HPS then asks attendees to sign themselves, sealing their auras.
[This can be done  with a pentagram, hammer  sign, or other sigil].  
She
returns to her place by the altar.

3.  Interdenominational Invocation of a War Deity.
HP takes one step forward  from his position next  to the altar and  
says:

"As we must accept the parts of our psyches associated with our
pasts in war, we must honor deities of war in our pantheons.
We honor you -- Athena, Indra, Woden, Mars, Morrigu, and
many others.  Please come to us now."

Someone costumed and equipped to portray a war deity emerges
from the circle to near the center of the temple space and says:

"Now also honor those humans who were honorably involved in warfare:

     Those who were your enemies and those who were your friends;

   Those   who   volunteered   and    those   who   were   pushed    by   
circumstances;

     Those who were heroes and those who were just in it;

     Those who fought and those who only stood ready;

     Those who survived war and those who did not;

     Those uncounted millions of your times and of times past --

     They have no need to be ashamed."

"Do not  admire mindless  rape,  plunder, nor  terrorizing.  Do not  
admire
raids upon the  defenseless --  although in  war some  predation is  
necessary."

"And since there is no shame in being a victim of a mighty tide,
you shall extend compassion to refugees and other civilian and
military victims."

"Raise your right fists into the air to salute honorable warriors
and to civilian heroes and heroines."  (War deity raises his/her
right fist as this order is given.  After the deity drops the salute,
the others drop it also).

"Give the salute of embrace to  signify compassion for refugees and  
other
victims." (War  deity crosses  his/her arms  over his/her  chest to  
signal
the start of the salute of embrace and everyone else does as the war
deity does. The war deity signals the end of the salute by dropping  
it).

War deity returns to circle.

5. Closing.

HP:  "We thank the war deities for their attendance."

HPS: "Let us  be mindful that  sometimes the warrior  is the victim  
also."

"Spirits of air, we thank you for your attendance.  Receive in peace
the spirits of those who were raised on funeral platforms.  We bid
you hail and farewell."

"Spirits of fire, we thank you for your attendance.  Receive in
peace those whose funeral pyres burned brightly.  We bid you hail
and farewell."

"Spirits of water, we thank you for your attendance,  Receive in
peace those lost or buried at sea.  We bid you hail and farewell."

"Spirits of Earth,  we thank  you for  your attendance.  Receive in  
peace
those buried in the earth.  Mother earth, return to us again in new
forms, if it be their will, the spirits of those who have fallen."

"For those who have fallen!"  (She pours wine on the fire in the
center of the temple space).

"And the bread of compassion for the victims of war."  (She
crumbles bread and drops it onto the ground).

HP:  "By this ceremony may each of us be strengthened --
deity, spirit, and living human alike."

"Nor this circle is open, but not broken."

"Please ground, and you may hug."
                     CELTIC WORKSHOP (Internet)
This is an Upload of the first Celtic Workshop on Druids, Oghams and 
Divination. Each student was supposed to have already downloaded the
Library 16 files Oghamd.txt (A table of Ogham correspondences),
Fionnw.GIF ( A symbollic representation of Oghams in Circles.) and
Ogham.GIF (A  picture showing  exactly how  each tree  Ogham symbol  
looked.)
In additional to these files, messages were posted in the Section 15
message board for Ogham correspondence tables by Nigel Pennick, D.J.
Conway, John  Matthews,  Murray  Hope,  Douglas  Monroe  and  Edric  
Thorsson.
A lot of information is contained in these files and messages and
is essential for fully understanding the workshop and discussion. I 
recommend reading  "The  Celts"  by  Nora  Chadwick  for historical  
background
on the Celts as a people. I recommend John Matthews book "Celtic
Shamanism" and also Nigel Pennick's book "Magical Alphabets". More
complete discussions of  many of  these topics  are found  in those  
works.

Due to time constraints, All the prepared material did not get
presented during  the Workshop.  I have  included  it here  in it's  
entireity
at  the  request  of  the  participants  and  in  the  interest  of   
completeness.

Before starting the  Workshop, we engaged  in informal conversation  
with
the first topic being the book "Life of a Druid Prince". Jehana asked 
if I had read this book.

<Start of Workshop>

O'Dubh  : Never read the book
Jehana  : It's basically an archeological/anthropological study of...
  one  of  those  sacrificed  humans   they  pulled  out  of  a   peat  
bog.
SUZAN   : hello Jehana!
Jehana  : with some interesting speculations as well.
          Hello suzan.
          Hail!
O'Dubh : I saw an article on it with pictures in Scientific American 
I 
          think.
          Merry Meet Again Maiden!
Jehana  : yes, i think they covered it there, too.
O'Dubh  : looks like UFOs are the talk of the town tonight.
Jehana  : And The Crone greets the Maiden!
SUZAN   : there was a great TLC special on an archeological find like 
          that
Jehana  : suzan is still here.
          suzan?
SUZAN   : geesh! there are 27 people in that room!
O'Dubh  : yes it's a mad house over there
SUZAN   : oh just lurking around a bit sorry :)
O'Dubh  : I didn't get any advertising here.
Jehana  : too busy to stay there. <g>
O'Dubh  : had to do it all myself.
Jehana  : rilla mentioned it to me when i logged in tonight.
O'Dubh  : everytime I log on here I'm bombarded with announcements
          but no Celtic Workshop!:(
          Hi Susan W!!
Jehana  : hey, celtic workshop!!
Susan W.: Hi, just nosey, what's going on?
Jehana  : hello susan...
          odubh is about to do a celtic ../.
          druidic workshop.
O'Dubh  : We're gonna be talking about Celts, Druids and the like
Jehana  : is it workshop or discussion or both?
Susan W.: Maybe  I'll listen  in for  awhile, already been  on over  
anhour.
O'Dubh  : I know how expen$ive it is!<G>
Jehana  : same here.
O'Dubh  : Well I guess I'm gonna start
Susan W.: What can I learn here?
O'Dubh  : You can learn Magick, Shamanism, Oghams, Divination
          But it won't happen overnight.
          Also Druid type stuff.
          There's a lot to cover.
Jehana  : (But it doesn't all require connect time) <g>
O'Dubh  : that's right
          A lot of the files are in the library or message boards
          any way Maybe I should start.
Jehana  : ga
O'Dubh : I'm going to upload the  announcement first so you can see  
what           we'll cover.
Susan W.: great
O'Dubh  : Dia dhuit, a Kheltoi is ni Kheltoi!
          (Hello to all Celts and Non-Celts!)
  We  are   going  to   be  having   on-going  Work  Shops   regarding  
Celtic Topics  of  Interest  here  in  the  NewAge  Forum.  I  hope  
to draw  you  Celts  and  NonCelts  alike  out  of  the  Groves and  
into the  CO's!<G>  Time  to share  some  of  that  Knowledge we've  
been           hiding! 
          I plan to touch on the following topics of interest:

                  CLASS #1
                  Druids, Oghams, Divinations
                  CLASS #2 
                  Deities, Shamanism, Magick
                  CLASS #3 
                  History, Warriors, Geneologies (maybe your family  
                 name!)
                  CLASS #4 
                  Languages (Gaeilge, Gaelic, Welsh, Manx,Breton), 
                  Poetry, Prose

          I will basically upload files to the library, prior to the 
          class, to provide a focal point for the discussions and a 
          framework for building a Celtic Book of Shadows. We will 
          flesh these frameworks out through discussions online. I, 
          by no means, have all the answers on matters Celtic. 
          But I truly believe that ALL of us, working together, can 
  approach   advance   our   knowledge   and   rediscover   the   True   
Celtic         Way.

          Druids are especially welcome to attend so that our Celtic 
          Knowledge may be "Illuminated"!<G> 
  I  also  hope  that  The   Welsh  Bards  will  grace  us  with   the  
Songs 
          of Taliesin. 
          
          Other topics will be included based upon the desires and 
          direction of the students and other participants.

          I see the way that the workshops will be conducted as:
Susan W.: ?
O'Dubh  :         Opening Remarks by Me.
                  Presentation by a Speaker (not necessarily me).
                  Questions and Answers.
                  Group Open Discussion and Discovery.
                  Summation and Assignments.

 The  classes  start  this  Monday  night  in  Work  Shop  1  of  the  
NewAge 
          Forum at 10 PM EST! See you there!<G>
          Beannacht leat,
          (Blessed be)
          O'Dubh
          Susan W> ga
Susan W.: Oh, sorry, thought my screen was stuck there.  GA
O'Dubh : OK That was the announcement  and sorry if it was wrapping  
on 
          your screens!<G>
Jehana  : sorry, i do have to go; i will put this workshop on 
          next monday's calendar.
O'Dubh  : I'll continue with the presentation
          Ce'ad Mi'le Failte!  (100,000 Welcomes)
          Welcome to the Celtic Workshop!
          We will be investigating  and sharing our knowledge
          of matters Celtic here. 
          It is my hope that the researches and references 
          I have will add to or compliment your own. 
          I am, by no means, the final authority on 
          these matters. 
          Discussion and interaction, coupled with a
          shamanistic journey or two should fill in
          the gaps and illuminate us all.
          all
Dean    : hello
O'Dubh  : Tonight I hope to lay down a firm framework
          for our knowledge of Druids through a
          discussion of their Magickal writing,
          called Ogham, after Ogma - Sun Face,
          and through a discussion of their divination
          techniques.
          It is commonly thought that the Druids left
          no written records of their work.
          I disagree.
          Many references exist that contain the
          poems of Druids, stories about their Magicks,
          tales of their strategies, their secret lore,
          their Oghams, their invocations, their victories
          and their defeats.
          The major problems with using this information
          is that it is the product of a long
          (tho reliable) oral tradition that was finally
          written down by their antecedents the Culdean
          Monks of the Celtic Church.
          (Probably Druids in hiding).
          Some of the Irish manuscripts 
          used as references on Druids are:
          The Book of Armaugh
          The Book of Ballymote
              (A primary source for Oghams)
          The Tain Bo Cuailgne
          The Book of the Dun Cow
          The Book of Invasions
          The Book of Leinster
          Many references to what Druids did
          are contained within the above books.
          Much of what Celts wrote was symbollic
          of deeper meanings.  Each work can
          be interpreted on many levels.
          In modern times, Druidry is being studied
          by several major groups, ADF and OBVD to
          name just two.
          If we have any Druids present tonight,
          Please come forth and identify yourselves now.
          (well, since only us chickens are here!<g>)
Susan W.: .
O'Dubh : I'll  identify myself  as a  student of Wicca,  Druids and  
Celts
          Susan W>Whatis your interest or area?
Susan W.: I have no knowledge in this area . .
          I have been told a little bit by a friend.
          The extent  . . .
          is that I understand this Wicca, Druid beliefs,
          are very old and are based on the powers of the earth?
          ga
O'Dubh : yes the knowledge of Druids/Wiccans is based upon the Earth 
and 
          it's power.
  The  knowledge  of   the  Oghams  is   tree  knowledge  applied   as  
symbols
          in the use of Magick and Divination.
          I'll upload some info on each symbol
          or group of 5 symbols and show what their
          meanings are.
          The Druids were the shamans of the Celtic
          Clans. They carried the history, the culture 
          and the geneologies of the Clan in their memories.
          To aid in remembering this information,
          Oghams were used, each Ogham being
          associated by its beginning sounds
          with the item to be remembered. This
          is similar to alliteration in today's
          writings.This led to an entire series of
          different types of Oghams.
          Tonight we will discuss tree oghams and Fionn's Wheel.
          Ogham BTW is pronounced "O Wam".
          It's one of those strange Gaelic things!<G>
          I have listed the Oghams for
          those of you that haven't 
          downloaded the Ogham GIF's
          or the Ogham Divination files
          in Library 16 yet.
          Each Ogham is listed by its
          ancient Gaelic name, then its
          modern Irish name and then its
          Welsh counterpart.
          The first group of 5 is from the
          North on Fionn's Wheel.
          (it is from the Book of Ballymote)
          7th century Irish manuscript.
Susan W.: .
O'Dubh  : Beth Beith Bedw Birch - The White Tree of Purification
          Protection against harm, physical and spiritual.
          Deal with/clear away the bad things of life.
          A new begining. Peasant. 24 December-20 January. White.
          
          Luis Caorthann Criafol Rowan - Tree of Life
          Protection against psychic attack.
          Develop powers of protection and foretelling.
          Used in Metal dowsing.
          Planted around stone circles. Peasant 
          21 January-17 February. Liath (grey). 
          (also luisne or "red glare").
          
          Fearn Fearno'g Gwernen Alder - "The Red Man"
          (pranksters, also help one escape the Otherworld)
          Used in fires to make swords.
          Frees the Earth from water. Used in Building
          Foundations because of this fire aspect.
          Protection in conflicts.
          Freedom from binding Magicks. 18 March-14April. 
          Crimson or blood red.
          
          Saille Saileach Helgen White Willow or Sally Tree -
          The growth of lunar power and water.
          Linking and harmonizing. It's power is greatest
          at night unless the Moon is visable during the day.
Susan W.: ? O'D 
O'Dubh  : Tied to the Moon phases.
          Protection against diseases. Peasant. 15 April-12 May. 
          Sodaith (Bright or fine).
          
          Nuin Fuinnseog Onnen The Black Ash - The Tree of Rebirth
          Links the World of Spirit to the physical.
  The   passage  way   between   the  inner   world   and  the   outer   
realms.
          The keys to the future but only in time. 
          First Chieftan Tree. 18 February-17 March
          Necht or clear in color.
          
  Yes  Susan  W?   (I  actually  heard   Susan  W  and  responded   at  
this
  point  but  have  included  the  other  uploaded  information   here  
     for completeness).
        
                
          Huath Sceach gheal Ysbyddaden - 
          The Hawthorn or Whitethorn
          The May Tree. The name means "Terrible" 
          referring to the Destroyer aspect of the Goddess. 
          Unlucky (especially to cut it except in May).
          (Bringing the blossoms in the house is also unlucky).
          Rags are tied to its branches as offerings.
          Protection against all ills Magickally.
          Peasant. 13 May-9 June. Purple (For the Hag/Underworld).

          Duir Dair Derwen Oak - The King of Trees
          The Oak King. Magickal strength.
          The doorway to inner knowledge.
          The ability to see the invisible or be invisible.
          The ability to bar or open the ways.
          10 JUne-7 July. Black. Chieftan. 
          Planted in Sacred Groves by the Druids.

          Tinne Cuileann Celyn Holly - "Fire"
          The Holly King. Balanced Strength and Power.
          Unification, Fatherhood, Rebirth.
          Fire, strength, boldness.
          Peasant. Temen (grey-green).

          Coll Coll Collen Hazel - 
          "By the Power of Three Times Three"
          Discovery, Druidic Herald wands "Word Wisdom".
          Used as A Magick Shield in warfare (Fionn's Shield).
          Water Witching forked rods.
          Nut-Brown.

          Quert Aball Afall Crab Apple - Tree of Eternal Life
          Isle of Avalon. Five seeds/blossom petals.
          Apple-green or Mouse-Brown.

          Muin Muine Vine - "The Vernal Equinox"
          "The First Harvest".
          Chieftain, 2 September- 29 September.
          Mbracht (variegated).
          The Magickal ability to roam widely and to gather.
          Assimilation leading to inner development.

          Gort Eadhne'an Eiddew Ivy  - "The Second Harvest"
          30 September - 27 October. Gorm (blue).
          scarcity in unfavorable situations.
          Changes necessary for growth.
          All things are tied to the Earth.
          Transformation by being rooted in the Earth.

          Ngetal Giolcach Cawnen Reed - "The Tree of Scribes"
          Used to make pens and Welsh plagawd (paper).
          28 October - 24 November.
          Thatching, mats, baskets.
          Insulation, Enclosure, Covering.
          Preserver of Knowledge, Maintainer of Order.
          Nglas (glass green or yellowish-green).

          Straif Drai'on Draenenwen Blackthorn - 
          "Tree of Punishment and Strife"
          Peasant. Staves of Magickal Power.
          Draoi (Wizard), Drai' (Druid).
          Power in Visible and Invisible Worlds.
          Use to overcome resistance to One's will.
          Sorcha (bright colored) or purple-black.

          Ruis Trom Ysgaw Elder - 
          "Tree of the Cailleach (Hag)"
          ru'isce (a violent attack, a blow, a throw).
          Irish Witches rode Elder sticks instead of brooms.
          Three fold aspects of Time, Existence, Goddess.
          Ogham of Timelessness or unity of all time.
          Balance in threes. Rocnat (roebuck red).

Susan W.: How would you use this information, for example . . .
  the  Native  Americans  use   prayers  for  certain  rituals,   such  
as 
          blessing your surroundings.
          How would you use that infor.?
          Ga
O'Dubh  : The information would be used 
          in divinations and in casting spells.
  It   would   also   be  used   to   mark   pathways  for   Spiritual   
journeys
          into the Celtic Otherworld.
          The first use of Oghams was on Birch, for instance,
          and it was interpreted by the Irish God Lugh to mean
          that a Magickal attack was going to be made
          upon his wife.
Freepowder: hi all
O'Dubh  : He took precautions.
          Hi Freepowder !! we are underway with our workshop.
Freepowder: I didn;t miss it?
O'Dubh  : I'm just telling Susan how Ogham information was used.
          It's happening right now.
          Anything missed will be in the library.
Freepowder: out standing, but I can't stay long<sigh>
O'Dubh  : Susan>Does that answer your question?
Freepowder: GA
Susan W.: So, he called upon the spirit of the Birch tree to protect 
          him???
O'Dubh  : He used the Magick of the Birch symbol to protect him and
          his wife. Birch was used to surround them and protect them
          from Magickal attack. Lugh's wife was in danger of being
          spirited away to the Underworld.
Freepowder: (sorry) who are we talking about?
Susan W.: Gottcha. :) Difference in interpretation. GA
O'Dubh :  The  Celts were  also  shamanistic just  like  the Native  
Americans
          Ok
Susan W.: ?
O'Dubh  : FP>We are talking about the use and meaning of Oghams and 
          symbols of Magick.
          FP>GA
Freepowder: in general?
O'Dubh : Well  I'm presenting the  meaning for each  Ogham as based  
upon 
          the information handed down by the Irish Druidic Bards.
Misty   : Can you tell us a little about the shamanistic part of the 
          Celts?
Freepowder: ah!
O'Dubh  : Misty>I will cover that more fully next week but....
          the Celts lived close to nature as did most peoples
O'Dubh  : in the past. They observed that they had to interact with
          it on a more personal basis than we do today.
          I am introducing symbols and diagrams to be
O'Dubh  : used in Magickal journeying.
Misty   : Ok, sounds good!!
Freepowder: O'd> the Celts focused mainly  on Trees & shrubs, while  
the 
          NAIndians,
Freepowder: focused more on animals , right?
O'Dubh  : FP>The Celts tied Oghams to everything...
          Birds, animals, shields, flowers you name it!<G>
Freepowder: !
O'Dubh  : They even had a secret Hand Language<G>!
          GA
Misty   : I've heard of that...how was that used?
Freepowder: <aside> sounds like modern gang!>...
          Ogham was used like runes or tarot?
          ga
O'Dubh : FP>one of the messages  I posted has a direct correllation  
for
          Oghams and TArot!
Susan W.: ?
Freepowder: I missed it, been a heavy wkend<abashed> GA
O'Dubh  : It's in Section 15.
          Susan >GA
Susan W.: I had someone give me a shamanistic (N.Amer.) style
          drumming experience. ..
          in which I saw the trunk of a very large tree . .
          with a section that you could walk into  . . .
 like  the  old  forest  located  S.  of  Yosemite  .  .  . what  are  
those 
          called again. ?  Anyway GA
          Any meaning to that vision? O'D?
          Sequoia . that's it.
          O'D> GA
SUZAN   : O'D is having some trouble with his connection.......
          he will be right back.....
Susan W.: ok
  I'm  probably  gonna  split  in  a   few  .  .  .  been  on   almost  
2hrs.
SUZAN   : thanks for being patient
Susan W.: What are your interests again Suzan?
SUZAN   : i am an astrologer
Freepowder: Suzan> by the  look of it  we have just  got started w/  
this, 
          right?
Susan W.: Hi O'D
Freepowder: welcome back O'D
O'Dubh  : Sorry about the line going down!<G>
          Thanks guys!
Freepowder: Mercury is retarded<G>
O'Dubh  : So where were we?
Freepowder: Sequoyah in vision
Susan W.: Did you get I saw trees in a vision?
O'Dubh  : FP!>LOL probably what the prob is!<G>
Freepowder: GA<G>
O'Dubh  : Susan>Yes
Susan W.: Any importance?
O'Dubh  : I was telling how Celts/Druids
          saw all of life interconnected like the Oak limbs
          I believe your vision is telling you 
          to look within yourself to see how
          you connect to the life around you
          perhaps you should go on a shamanistic journey.
Freepowder: ?
O'Dubh  : Discover your inner truths.
          FP> ga
Freepowder: Shamanistic Journey?...
          you mean like a vision quest?
Misty   : Did we lose him again?
O'Dubh  : Yes FP but along definate paths
Susan W.: O'D> celtic style?
O'Dubh  : let me continue and I'll show you the map.
Freepowder: GA
O'Dubh : Susan>Definately  Celtic style  if that  is what  you feel  
closest 
          to.
Susan W.: Actually more N.Amer. style :)
O'Dubh  : Native American style is nice but I am a Celt.
Susan W.: Tell me your way.
O'Dubh  : Watch and see !!
          they (the ways) may be closer than you know!:)
Freepowder: <watching><G>
O'Dubh : Ok I'm going to skip the Ogham meanings and go straight to 
the 
          Wheel of the journeys.
          This is Fionn's wheel and is a GIF in Lib 16.
          <now uploading path names>
          Fionn's Wheel is a diagram found in the Book of Ballymote. 
  It   shows   all   25   Oghams   arranged   around   a   series   of   
concentric
          circles (in library 16 as fionnw.gif). This diagram can be 
          used to divine paths necessary for "Pathworking", a very 
   powerful   shamanistic    technique.   I    have   identified    the   
meanings of  each Ogham  on  the paths  (using  the correspondences  
from   Nigel   Pennick   mostly).    Each   Ogham's   meaning   can    
require at  least  a  workshop  of  it's  own  to  fully  cover.  I  
offer these         here to show what can be done with Oghams:
          
          An Roth de an Bealach
          (The Wheel of the Ways)
          ___________________________________
          Each path will be identified with it's Gaeilge/English name 
          and the elements along the Ways.
          
          The Northern Path is first.
          (from outside to inside)
          ___________________________________
          An Cosa'n do Sla'n 
          (The Way of Protection)
          The White Tree of Purity
          The Tree of Life
          The Red Man
          The Moon
          The Keys to the Future
          ___________________________________
          This is the first path on Fionn's wheel
0jim     : hellod
O'Dubh  : It contains the first 5 Oghams B L F S N
jim     : hello
O'Dubh  : This path is first because it teaches the new
          student how to protect him/herself from Magickal harm.
          HELLO jIM
          Please standby
jim     : ok
O'Dubh  : this is a formal Workshop
          But join in !!! 
          Any way, the first step was Purification,
          followed by gaining an ally in "the Red MAn",
          a being kind of like Coyote in Native American workings.
          The tree of life is there as well
          (this could be what Susan saw in her dream)
          The Moon represents the protection of the Goddess
          When the inner level is reached
          the student gains the keys of knowledge
          but not the wisdom to use them.
          Another journey must be made.
          That is the next path.
          ___________________________________

O'Dubh  : This Path contains the Ogham EBA:

          An Roth de an Bealach
          (The Wheel of the Ways)
          ___________________________________
          An Cosa'n de Fe'ile
          (The Way of Ritual)
          The Sacred Grove (Imbolc)
          ___________________________________
          
          This path requires an understanding of
          the major Religious festivals of the
          Celtic year begining with Imbolc,
          The new beginings
          The festival of Brigit.
Susan W.: !
O'Dubh  : It also requires one to perform such a ritual
          Susan>ga
Susan W.: O'D & all>  sorry, but I gotta go.  Thanks for the info.
jim     : !
O'Dubh :  Susan> ok  I'll  continue and  upload all  this  into the  
library.
          B*B
          jim>ga
Susan W.: THanks, I'll check into it.  Bye.
jim     : Thanks for the insight to PAGANISM.  Get out of this stuff!
Freepowder: ?
O'Dubh  : jim>not sure what you mean?
jim     : !
O'Dubh  : jim>ga
jim     : you know! Druids, Pagans, Witches, stuff like that
Misty   : Get out???
jim     : !
Scott   : uh oh.
O'Dubh  : JiM>We are Druids, Pagans, Witches and stuff like that.
jim     : !
O'Dubh  : You are well to listen in to the workshop.
          Jim>standby just a second.
          FP has a question
          FP>ga
Freepowder: I thought Samhain was the beginning of the Celtic year?
          ga
O'Dubh  : FP>It's the begining of the Celtic year but not necessarily
          the begining of the study of Celtic religions.
          ga
Freepowder: ?
O'Dubh  : FP>ga
Freepowder: Imbolc...
          is the start of this path of wisdom?...
          or study on fionn wheel, right?
O'Dubh  : FP>The study of all the major festivals is the second path
          The symbol is actually the Grove.
          The most powerful Magick in the Druid rites
Freepowder: ah!
O'Dubh  : was The victory of life over death,
          the renewal of the wheel of the year,
          the marriage of the Crone to the Oak King or Cernnunos.
          That would not be an appropriate start point for begining
          the study of Druidic Magicks. (Before a student can begin
          Magickal work, the ability to shield and protect oneself
 must  first  be  developed.  This  is  why  the  first  way  studied  
is 
  the   way  of   protection.   The  next   step   to  performing   or   
learning 
  occult  wisdom  would  be  in  a  protected  environment,  such   as  
 rituals  or  Circles. What  better  ritual for  a  fresh start  than  
 Imbolc  which  is  symbollic of  New  Beginings  and the  Quickening  
 of  Life?  Samhain  is  actually  the  end  point  of  the year  and  
     represents the  culmination of the Druidic Mysteries.

          Jim>I believe you had a question?ga
jim     : not really
O'Dubh  : ok
jim     : just watching and laughing
O'Dubh  : any other questions?
Scott   : ?
Misty   : So are you saying that Winter Solstice is the beginning of 
          the wheel?
O'Dubh  : Jim>I suggest that you watch your behavior
          since the forum has some strict rules about 
jim     : ?
O'Dubh  : putting down what others believe.
          Jim>ga
jim     : i'm not putting you down, just enjoying the show
O'Dubh  : Jim>Are you done?
          or do you have a question?
jim     : 1!
          ?
O'Dubh  : Jim>ga
jim     : soo sorry if i offended anyone, didn'y mean to
          got to go
O'Dubh  : Goodbye jim
          now to continue
Freepowder: Slan leat J
Scott   : ?
O'Dubh : the next path  to aid us in  becomming more enlightened is  
the 
          Eastern path on the wheel.
Misty   : What about my question?  Or did someone beat me to it?
       ******** Answer inserted by O'Dubh  ****************
  (I  completely  missed  Missy's  question  in  all  the   confusion.  
The answer to Missy's question is that Samhain is the begining 
 and  the  ending  of  the Celtic  year.  It  is  the  time when  the  
God  of   the  Underworld   marries   the  Crone   aspect   of  the   
Goddess. The  new  God or  the  Sun  is not  yet  reborn  until the  
Winter  Solstice.  The  Celts  began  their  days  at  sundown.  It   
is not  surprising that  they  began their  new year  with  the end  
of  the  last  harvest.  The  period  between  Samhain  and  Imbolc   
is the  dark part  of  the year  and  is therefore  like  the night  
before the  day.  During  this period  preparations  were  made for  
the       onset of winter and the coming spring planting.)
 ******************************************************************
Michael : Whats up tonight?
jim     : \exit
O'Dubh  : Scott>ga
jim     : \exit
O'Dubh  : Jim> try /exit
jim     : thanks
Scott : O'D did  you say you  were going to  upload this lecture? I  
would really like to D/L it, but have to go to bed...
O'Dubh  : Scott>Yes I will and will add notes as I go !<G>
          Slan leat!
          Blessings
Scott   : Any idea what the file name will be? <G>
O'Dubh  : It'll be celtws1.txt
Freepowder: byer
Scott   : thanks for your time, Blessed Be.
O'Dubh  : Pressing on here and watching the clock.
          <g>                                  
O'Dubh  : This Path contains the next 5 Oghams H D T C Q:

          An Roth de an Bealach
          (The Wheel of the Ways)
          ___________________________________
          An Cosa'n do Fios
          (The Way of Wisdom)
          The Cailleach
          The Oak King
          The Holly King
          The Three Times Three
          The Tree of Eternity
          ___________________________________

O'Dubh  : This Path contains the Ogham OI:

          An Cosa'n do Gra'
          (The Way of Love)

          The Spindle of the Wheel (Beltaine)

          ___________________________________

    ******** Additional Data inserted by O'Dubh  **************
O'Dubh  : This Path contains the next 5 Oghams M G NG STR R:

          An Cosa'n de Deis
          (The Way of Balance)

          The First Gathering
          The Second Harvest
          The Tree of Scribes
          The Tree of Punishment
          The Triple Goddess 
          ___________________________________

O'Dubh  : This Path contains the Ogham UI:

          An Cosa'n de an Fhi'rinne
          (The Way of Truth)

                
          The Ancient Knowledge  (Lugnasadh)
          The Inner Mysteries

          ___________________________________

O'Dubh  : This Path contains the next 5 Oghams A O U E I:

          An Cosa'n de an Saol
          (The Way of Life)

          The Tree of Regeneration
          The Tree of Continuous Fertility
          The Morning Dew
          The Preventer of Death
          The Tree of Life and Death 
          ___________________________________

O'Dubh  : This Path contains the Ogham AE:

          The Way between the Worlds
          The Sea (Samhain)
           **********End of inserted data ***************

          I will cover all of these and their meanings in the next 
          Workshop, next Monday.
Freepowder: ?
O'Dubh  : I'm putting them here to give everyone a chance to read and 
          study them.
          FP>ga
Freepowder: A bit off the Subj...
          if you find the time could you help with...
          Gaelic Pronounciation?
          <G>
O'Dubh  : FP>Sure will and I'll put notes in the upload as well.
Freepowder: thanks!
Rilla/Sysop: Hi all!
O'Dubh : I'm going  to type the rest  of the paths  in now to speed  
things           up.
          Hi Rilla!
Freepowder: Hi rilla, Dai dhuit
Rilla/Sysop: Dai dhuit!
          Did you learn what that meant ???
O'Dubh  : Rilla>It means Hello.
Rilla/Sysop: Just stopping bye to tell y'all goodnight!
          and hugs!
O'Dubh  : Gang I see that we will have to continue next week
          It's late and we still have about 2 hours to cover.
Freepowder: ?
Misty   : I hate that.
O'Dubh :  I will  post the  rest of  my lecture  on the  section 15  
message 
          board.
          FP>ga
Freepowder: what time does this start?...
          and will it be in the Co notices?
O'Dubh  : It starts at 10 PM Est.
          Yes it should be.
          I have to get Rilla to do it.
Freepowder: 7 PST<scratching head>
O'Dubh  : I was surprised it wasn't.
          FP>that's right
          7PM PST.
Freepowder: numbers hate me<G>
O'Dubh  : I know 
          I appreciate everyone being here.
Misty   : No prob..
O'Dubh : Next time  we''ll cover how to  make a shamanistic journey  
using 
          the Oghams and Fionn's Wheel.
Misty   : See ya next time or probably sometime during the weekend.
Freepowder: O'D, I appreciate you taking the time to put this on!
O'Dubh  : Beannacht leat!<blessed be!>
          Thanks everyone!
          Hugs!
          Slan
Freepowder: Sl'n leat!
Misty   : Night....*B*B*
Freepowder: well, who's left?

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


What follows is the rest of My presentation concerning divination:

O"Dubh  : Western (read Druidic) meditation was usually done 
        for divination and foretelling the future. 
        This was called by the names: Tenm Laida, Dichetal
        Do Chennaib and Imbas Forosna.

        Tenm Laida (Illumination by Song) is an altered state 
        usually achieved by chanting or singing of a repetitive 
        pattern. This can also include drumming and dancing. 
        These activities synchronize the body and mind to
        an external rhythm allowing us to cast off the chains 
        of normal existence.

        This allows one to float at peace within the song 
        (dance, beat, mantra, etc.) This is a strictly Druidic 
        or Shamanistic practice even though it may look like TM.

        Dichetal Do Chennaib (Cracking  open the Nuts of Wisdom) 
        is a state achieved by relaxation and clearing the mind 
        in a Ritual environment. It usually involved using some 
        Magickal implement such as a knife, a sword or a staff 
        to touch a subject (usually upon the head) or involved 
        the handling an item so that the diviner could discover 
        what secret knowledge was contained within it. 
        This information could be events from a person's past life, 
        a detailed history of who and what had happened to an object 
        or how and why the subject was being hexed or spelled. 
        I know this sounds like ESP but it was enhanced through 
        Ritual and relaxation techniques. I believe that Dichetal
        Do Chennaib is the proper state for performing Ogham
        divinations as well. More on this later.

        Imbas Forosna (Illumination) was a form of altered state 
        used by seers and bards to create or see visions. 
        The Druid would be totally isolated from all sensory inputs, 
        sounds, lights and feelings. This was usually a very
        dark room or a covering of hides. The Druid would attempt 
        to float and relax. When in the proper state he/she would 
        signal for the hides to be removed or he/she would open 
        the door out of the Darkness. The sudden, instantaneous 
        transition from Darkness to Light would cause him/her to see 
        visions or to spontaneously utter poems, prophecies or to 
        achieve a total Awareness of the secret Knowledge of 
  their  Surroundings.   This  sensory   deprivation  forced   oneness  
upon 
        them and caused them to become centered and to float. It was 
        their Ultimate Meditation technique.

  The  Druids  also   used  music,  colors,   trees  and  numbers   to  
alter  their   consciousness.   They   were   familiar   with   the   
Pythagorean   Mysteries   and   may    have   actually   been   the    
source of them!<G>

 Druids  shared  IndoEuropean  roots  with  the  Indian Brahmans  but  
  I  don't  have  any  hard  data  to  support  any  similarities   in  
     their practices.

O'Dubh : To perform an  Ogham divination , one  must be clear about  
the
  purpose  or  object  of   the  divination  before  begining.   Focus  
this 
        purpose in your mind before starting meditation and/or Circle
 casting.  I  find  that  working  within  a  Magickal  Circle  tends  
to
        prevent outside psychic influences but don't believe it's 
        absolutely necessary to use a Circle. The form of divination
        is Dichetal Do Chennaib. 
        
  What  we  will  be  doing  is  casting  sticks  or  "fews"  upon  a   
casting
 cloth.  The  sticks are  about  finger length  and  size and  carved  
 with Oghams  for each  of the  25 symbols.  (I prefer  to work  with 
 woods  that  are  the  actual  symbols  used  for each  Ogham  where  
        possible.
  Obviously,  some  "Crane  Bag"  symbols  are  not  trees  and   will  
have
 to  be  carved  on some  neutral  wood  or  other substance,  shells  
or
        rocks for instance. I use Ash or Oak for any substitutions.)
  The  casting  cloth  is  a  representation  of  Fionn's  Wheel   and  
can
 be  multicolored  (as  in  the  GIF),  plain  (Black and  White)  or  
just
  drawn  on  the  floor  or  ground.  I  like  to  make  the  largest   
Circle
 about  my  height  (in  my case  6'2"  but  use  what  is suited  to  
you).
 I  orient  the Wheel  with  the  "B" Ogham  to  the  North. I  stand  
on the  South side  of the  Wheel  facing North  about 3  feet back  
from  the  "M"  Ogham.   Place  the  Oghams  in   a  bag  and  then   
randomly  select  7   of  them.   Close  your   eyes,  spin  around   
three times  while  blanking  your mind  from  everything  but your  
purpose. At  the end  of  the third  spin  toss the  7  "fews" into  
the air about  3 feet  above your  head and  towards the  center of  
the  Wheel.  Once  they  have  settled  out  immediately  read  the   
arrangement of  the  sticks  as a  general  impression  only. Write  
this down.  Also  record  the  relative  orientations  and postions  
of the  "fews"  upon  the  Wheel.  Pick  up  the  cast  sticks  and  
return them  to the  bag. Repeat  this process  twice more  so that  
a total of three readings is                 available.

O'Dubh  :You should now have three Wheel/Ogham Divination charts that 
 have  the  relative  positions  of  21  Oghams  on  them.  Interpret  
the
   Oghams    based    upon    the    correspondences    I    referenced    
previously.
        (This came from Nigel Pennick's Book "Magical Alphabets" with
   the   actual    meanings   for   the    Oghams   being   from    the   
Bardic/Druidic
  traditions   as   passed   dowm   by   the   Clan   Bards   of   the   
O'Flahertys).
        I use the correspondences that "feel" right to me. You should
        do the same. No one set of correspondences is the absolutely
  right   one   to   use.   The   above   correspondences  just   hang   
together
  better  in  my  own  mind.  The  basic  technique  to  reading   the  
tale
        of the sticks is to read then deosil (clockwise) and from the
  outside   to   the   inside.   The   "fews"   towards   the   center   
represent 
        the future and those towards the outside the past. Any sticks
  not   on   the  Wheel   are   ignored.   Crossed  sticks   conflict.   
Parallel
        sticks compliment or enhance. Sticks laying on Oghams of the
  Wheel  have  combined  effects.  The  interpretation  is  not   hard  
and
 fast.  I read  the symbols  as  a "story"  that is  dynamic. I  take  
 all  three divinations  together. If  they have  no correllation  at  
 all, I  ignore the  results and  try again.  Sometimes A  divination 
 is  not possible.  I'll try  at least  three times  to get  results.  
   The relative agreement of each of the Three Wheel/Ogham charts 
  determines  the   degree  of   confidence  one   can  have  in   the  
readings, from utter certainty to total confusion! (reminds me of Sex 
for some reason but  that's another story!<G> I  guess the point is  
that
such Powers and their use are not instantaneous or easy to realize
at times. Sometimes its easy and other times impossible no matter 
how much you try!<G>) This entire process of interpretation is very  
similar to:  Palmistry, Tarot,  Astrology  or Runes.  They  are all  
basically  taking   seemingly   random  or   (at   least)  uniquely   
individualized instances from a person's life and attempting to give 
meaning to such events based upon how they relate to Magickal symbols 
and patterns. What is actually occurring  is that the left brain is  
gathering facts from the cast patterns  that configure the mind and  
Spirit to  allow  the right  brain  to  make the  "Salmon  leap" to  
intuitive insight or Illumination. This is 
Dichetal Do Chennaib or  "cracking open the nuts  of Wisdom" at its  
finest.

  After  the   divination  is  finished,   dismiss  your  Circle   and  
fold or erase your casting Wheel or cloth. Store them separately and 
away from normal life until they are to be used again. I recommend a 
wooden or  cedar chest.  Use whatever  represents peace,  quiet and  
solitude for you.

O'Dubh :  So what  have we  found from  this discussion  of Druids,  
Oghams
and divination? We  found that Information  exists concerning Druid  
Oghams in  the  ancient  7th  and  8th  century  writings of  Irish  
monks-Druids. We  disovered that  Fionn's Wheel  can  be used  as a  
divination casting  cloth  and  as a  "map"  for  "Pathworking". We  
suggested that the Ogham correspondences can identify unique ways to 
Magickal knowledge and insight. Most  of this information came from  
oral Druid histories  that were finally  written down  in the first  
millenia by the Druid remnant or Culdean Monks. I admit that some of 
my presentation has been colored by  my interests in other forms of  
MAgick that have more readily available information, such as Runes,  
Tarot and Astrology.  I have  also made  every effort  to go  to an  
ancient textural source or,  at the very least,  to a modern writer  
basing their work upon ancient verified Druidic works. In our future 
investigations into Druidic practices and Magick, I hope to 
continue using the  same techniques  to discover  or rediscover the  
Mysteries of the inner Druidic Knowledge.

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

Key words to look up and understand for this Workshop and the next:

        Shamanism, Pathworking, Magick, Oghams, Druids, Culdee,
        Celt, Fionn, Archetypes, Jung, Vision Quests, divination,
        meditation, Bards, Invocation, Circles, spirit guides.

During the discussion of Fionn's wheel we will primarily address
archetypes, symbols, Magick and Shamanism as well as Pathworking.
                     CELTIC WORKSHOP (Internet)

This is the  second Celtic  Workshop. We  covered Pathworking using  
Fionn's  Wheel and how Druids did Magick. (O'Dubhain - 28 Feb 1994)
       
       
       *SYSTEM*             | Switching to Workshop/Seminar 1
       Freepowder           | heloooooo
       O'Dubhain            | Hi!
                            | Looks like just you and me!<G>
       Freepowder           | how many are we?
       O'Dubhain            | Hi Tammy!
       Tammy                | Hi!!!
   |    I    got   my    old    man   to    give    me   15    minutes.    
How generous!
       Freepowder           | BRB, Hi tammy! Jee-ah guitch <heheheh>
       O'Dubhain            | What a nice guy!<G>
                            | Ban jeeah Gwitch!
   Tammy   |   Sorry    I   won't   be    able   to   stay   for    the   
whole thing.
       O'Dubhain            | heheheheeh!
                            | That's ok you can download it later
       Nan                  | 'lo everyone
       O'Dubhain            | Lo Nan!
       Sue Thornburg        | Hello!!!!!!!!!
       Falcon               | Hi All
  Freepowder   |   it's   obvious  that   the   Celts   had  a   sense   
of humor, look at their spelling<G>  HI nan, Hi falc
       Sue Thornburg        | FP> HAHAHAHA
       O'Dubhain            | Hi Falcon!  Hugs Sue
       Sue Thornburg        | Will this be a formal CO, Odie?
       Falcon               | Hi O'D
       O'Dubhain            | Sue>It's semiformal!<G>
   Freepowder    |   hi    sue,    the   word    for    the   day    is    
*maismic*
       Wren                 | Hi, guys
       O'Dubhain            | It's a workshop!
       Freepowder           | hi wren
       Nan                  | maismic?
       Falcon               | <lost>
  Sue  Thornburg  |   Oooh,  good,  I'm   wearing  half  of  my   tux.  
<g>
       O'Dubhain            | Hi wren
       Falcon               | Hi Wren
       O'Dubhain            | Lo Eric  Let's get cranking folks
       Eric                 | LO OD
       Falcon               | What is a workshop?? <otl>
       Freepowder           | I'll be good, O'd, promise
  O'Dubhain   |   A  Workshop   is   another  word   for   a  CO   But   
since its a WOrkshop it's supposed to be hardere!<G>
       Eric                 | and maismic??
       O'Dubhain            | ANYway
       Falcon               | *maismic*
  O'Dubhain   |   The   way   this   works   to   date   is   I   talk   
about  some subjects and we discuss them
                   | then we maybe come up with some new ideas
       Sue Thornburg        | Sounds terrific. :)
  O'Dubhain   |   It   runs  like   a   formal   CO   to  begin   Just   
put in a ? or a !
       Fred McCandless      | so toss out an idea
       O'Dubhain            | If you have a comment or a question
                   | OK
                   | First last week
                   | We talked about Druids Oghams and Divination.
       Fred McCandless      | ?
   O'Dubhain    |   I    placed    a   bunch    of    files   in    the    
library 16 to be used in the workshop.  ok Fred>GA
       Fred McCandless      | si
       O'Dubhain            | Fred> Got a question?
       Wren                 | He's gone, O'd
   O'Dubhain   |   anyway   the    way   it   works   is   just    like   
that!<G> ok The files give you background on what we discuss. So the 
first question I would ask is....
       Jehana Silverwing    | hi odubh.
                   | ust 
       O'Dubhain            | Why are we studying these subjects?
                   | Hi Jehana!
                   | I mean what are we going to get out of this 
                   | study?
       Nan                  | cause we like to waste $$ on CI$? <GGG>
       O'Dubhain            | ANyone want to volunteer an opinion?
       Falcon               | !
       O'Dubhain            | Falcon>ga
   Falcon    |    I   study    things    because    they   are    there    
and I feel I should learn as much as I can
       Nan                  | !
       O'Dubhain            | Me too Falcon!<G>
                   | Nan>ga
      Nan      |       on      a       more      serious       note....I'm      
interested in  learning  about them  because  they are  part  of my  
heritage and the heritage of those around me
   O'Dubhain   |   That's   a   reason   I   study   them   too    Nan.   
When I asked myself these questions I came up with some answers. Why 
study Oghams?  The answer was because the Druids used them in Magick.
  David   Pfeiffer   |  To   add   more  to   that   Nan,  being   new   
here, I'd like to learn more about the history of the natural beliefs 
because they may be the only saving grace of this planet.
    O'Dubhain    |    They    are    symbols    of    Magick.     David>    
That's a good one too.
       David Pfeiffer       | Sorry to interrupt. <g>
  O'Dubhain   |   The   reason   I   study   Magick   is   just   that   
that's ok I study Magick of the Earth and of people and of the SPirit 
to find the keys to who I am How we relate to each other and to the 
Planet
       Jehana               | i agree with david.
  O'Dubhain   |   This   is   a   time   that   we  are   all   coming   
together to save ourselves and our Planet The ancient Wisdom shows us 
a Way to do this Jehana
   O'Dubhain   |   We   must    look   within   for   the   Power    of   
self-awareness For growth and harmony. The Oghams are the roadsigns  
on the Ways to this Wisdom
   David   Pfeiffer    |   But    the   whole    idea   is   not    for   
ourselves. We are just as important as individuals as a leaf is to a 
tree.  One leaf only holds so the tree may live.
   O'Dubhain    |    One    map    of    this    inner    journey    is    
Fionn's Wheel. Right again David. But we must start with ourselves.  
To have a tree one  must have leaves. and branches  and a trunk and  
roots as well as Life.  It's all got to  work together. The purpose  
of this workshop tonight is to determine the way that Fionn's Wheel 
shows us how to "Pathwork" to knowledge of ourselves.
       Nan                  | ?
       O'Dubhain            | To show how Druids did this Yes Nan
    Nan    |     i    think     i    know     what    you    mean     by    
"pathwork" but could you  please give a brief  definition so that i  
know we're thinking the same
   O'Dubhain    |    OK.   Pathworking    is    basically   an    inner    
journey to discover Truths within ourselves
       Falcon               | ?
       Nan                  | thanks
   O'Dubhain   |   It   allows   us   to   tap   a   "Higher"    wisdom   
To know our totems and our Spirit guides. Yes Falcon ga.
       Falcon               | What is Finion's Wheel?
   O'Dubhain    |    Fionn's    Wheel    is    a   representation    of    
the Oghams  laid out  in  Circles around  a center.  Like  a Native  
American Medicine  Wheel.  It is  pretty  much the  same  thing for  
shamanistic purposes I uploaded a GIF of it into Lib 16 as FIONNW.GIF
       Falcon               | thanks
   O'Dubhain   |   On    it   are   the    Ogham   symbols   for    our   
journey.
       Wren                 | ?
   O'Dubhain   |   Each   symbol    represents   an   ability   or    a   
knowledge to be gained or understood, Wren ga
   Wren    |    Is    there    a    book    with    the   diagram?    I    
can't see GIF's
   O'Dubhain   |   It's   in    the   following   books:   "The    Book   
of Ogham" by Edred Thorsson, "The Celtic Shaman" by John Matthews
       Jehana               | will capture the gif.
   O'Dubhain    |    "The    Book    of    Ballymote"    by    a    7th    
century Culddean Druid<G>, Jehana also in Religion lib.
       Jehana               | okay, odubh.
  Beth  Campbell   |  send  2   what's  Palyne?   Is  this  a   formal  
co?
   O'Dubhain   |   yes   Beth?    The   way   Druids   worked    Magick   
was by "becoming" or by actually changing reality A classic example  
of this is  The Song of  Amergin the Druid  who aided  the Gaels in  
defeating 
the Tuatha de Danaans.  I quote from his song:
                   | "I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
                   | I am the wave of the ocean.
                   | I am the murmur of the billows.
                   | I am the ox of the seven combats.
                   | I am the vulture upon the rocks.
                   | I am a beam of the Sun.
                   | I am the fairest of plants.
                   | I am a wild boar in valour.
                   | I am a salmon in the water.
                   | I am a lake in the plain.
                   | I am a word of science.
                   | I am a point of a lance in battle.
                   | I am the God who created in the head the fire.
                   | Who is it who throws light into the meeting 
                   | in the mountain?
                   | Who announces the ages of the Moon?
                   | Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
                   | If not I?
       Jehana               | I think this song is a teaching ballad.  
       O'Dubhain            | I invoke the land of Ireland!"
       Jehana               | by the way, whose translation is this?  
  O'Dubhain   |   Yes   it   teaches   and   it   invokes  the   power   
of the Land.  This was the translation by Douglas Hyde.
    Jehana     |     okay,     just     simply     because     it     is     
slightly different than the one i remembr.
   O'Dubhain   |   This    Spell   was   used    by   the   Druid    to   
overcome the winds raised by the de Danaans in their battle for the  
Land. It is  an example of  the way a  Druid would  work. There are  
other tales of shamanistic workings by Druids
       Freepowder           | ?
   O'Dubhain    |    Among    these    is    "How    the    Tain    was    
Recovered" Yes FP?
    Freepowder    |    you    spoke    of    becoming,    is     Amergin    
actualy becoming... those things or, has he been in the past?
       Nan                  | or is it a metaphor?
    O'Dubhain    |    He     is    actually    synchronizing     himself    
with the  spirit  that controls  these  items.  It is  a  series of  
symbols. It can  be viewed metaphorically.  But the fact  is it got  
results.  The wind died and the Gaels landed on Ireland.
        Freepowder         |        ok         GA        O'Dubhain         |         
Present day shamans do  the same thing.  The story of  the Tain was  
lost and had  to be  recovered. It  had been  written in  Oghams on  
sticks and sent  to Italy. None  of the bards  had a  memory of the  
entire story, so they sent two men to recover the Oghams, Senchan and 
Muirgen. No  one knew  where  to look  for these  Ogham  sticks. So  
Muirgen decided to ask Fergus  mac Roich (only one problem---Fergus  
was dead) So Muirgen  slept on his  grave and invoked  the ghost of  
Fergus to reveal the entire story. The Spirit of Fergus appeared in 
a cloud and for three days recited the entire epic. Muirgen was able 
to go back  to the Bards  and tell the  entire tale.  This tale was  
written down and  we have  it today.  This is  an example  of dream  
traveling to discover hidden knowledge
       Artemisia            | ?
       O'Dubhain            | yes Artemisia?
       Artemisia            | sorry...computer fart
       O'Dubhain            | hahahaha! ok
       Jehana               | <rofl>
       Sue Thornburg        | <snork>
       Freepowder           | <LTB>
       O'Dubhain            | mine was getting constipated!<G>
       Freepowder           | *maismic*
       Jehana               | LTB?  lettuce, tomato and bacon?
       O'Dubhain            | haha!
       Nan                  | lol
    O'Dubhain    |    gotta    be!    <wiping    eyes>    Anyway     the    
point is Druids did Magick in a lot of ways that has to be discovered 
again from studying these tales. Native Americans pass this kind of  
know-
ledge down from teacher to student. We are not so lucky. We have to 
dig it out of books and figure out the symbolisms!
   Sue   Thornburg    |   Unless    we   have    an   O'Dubh   and    a   
computer. :)
       Artemisia            | :-)
   O'Dubhain    |    <taking    a    bow>    But    not    for    speed    
typing!<G> or typos!:(To take a Journey on Fionn's Wheel, I suggest  
One study the Paths as outlined in Workshop #1 in Library 16 here as 
CLTWS1.TXT.
  Beth  Campbell   |  <g>  Does   this  mean   ...  those  who   don't  
respect the past are doomed to repeat it?
       Jehana               | only if it was a "bad" past <g>.
       Freepowder           | *maismic*
       Sue Thornburg        | <chortle>
   O'Dubhain   |   I   think   we    all   get   our   turn   in    the   
"barrel"!<G>
       Jehana               | sorry.
   O'Dubhain   |    The   first    Path   according    to   my    inner   
vision
  Beth   Campbell  |   wrong  choice   of  words   (sorry)  (must   be   
mercury) going to repeat it
   O'Dubhain   |   and   as   based   upon   the   Oghams   in    Nigel   
Pennicks "Magical Alphabets" is the Way of Protection. This Way has  
the Oghams B L  F S N  on it from  the outside to  the center. Each  
Ogham on this Path teaches us a Magickal ability. The first Ogham B  
stands for the tree Birch--The White Tree of Purity and Purification.
       Jehana               | B is birch in the norse runes, too.  
   O'Dubhain   |   It    is   used   to    protect   and   Purify    us   
before we start  our journey  within. It  was the first  Ogham ever  
used. It warned Lugh that his wife  was going to be abducted to the  
Underworld and it will serve to show us that we are protected. Life  
springs anew. To make such a journey one should meditate and cleanse 
oneself of all unclean and impure thoughts. 
      Beth Campbell        | (sounds like Eve and the Apple)
   O'Dubhain    |   Native    Americans    might   do    this   in    a    
"sweat lodge". more of a putting away of the mundane bagage of life. 
baggage that is !<G> Make an Out of Body (OOBE) type of Journey to a 
White tree shining against a totally  Black Darkness. Use its image  
to purge your mind of distracting thoughts and go to the next level  
---The Tree of Life.  Upon this tree one  learns to shield unwanted  
psychic energies and Magicks. This Ogham is "L" for Rowan. When one 
is floating in an OOBE one needs such shielding to travel safely.
       Freepowder           | ?
   O'Dubhain    |    The    next    symbol    in    our   journey    is    
--"The Red Man". FP ga
   Freepowder   |   sould   it    be   too   long   to   cover    their   
protection in a bit more detail?
       O'Dubhain            | It would take an entire workshop.
       Freepowder           | thought so, <G> GA
       Artemisia            | :-)
   O'Dubhain   |    I'll   cover    this   with    a   post   on    the   
Section 15 message board.
       Nan                  | 15 or 16?
   O'Dubhain   |   The   Red   Man    or   the   Fear   Dearg   is    a   
Supernatural being
       Jehana               | how about a library file?
    O'Dubhain    |    that    is    a    fire    entity.    That     too    
Jehana!<G> He sometimes will rescue us from the Other forces of the 
Underworld.  His Ogham is the Alder Tree.  Fp ga
       Freepowder           | the whistle tree!<G>
   O'Dubhain   |    Ah!   Perhaps    the   whistle    will   lead    us   
from the Underworld!?<G>
       Fea'dog              | it does me!
  O'Dubhain   |   Red   is   the   color   of   life  and   frees   us   
from conflicts and shields us in our lives. Once we are pure and can 
shield and have no inner  conflicts, it is time  to learn of Magick  
itself! The next step  or Ogham is  The Moon. It  is the letter "S"  
for the White Willow. This is a form of the Goddess and leads us in  
Divinations to guide our  future travels on the  Wheel. The last or  
inner Ogham on this  path is "N".  It represents the  Keys to inner  
Knowledge that we have gained.  It is the Black Ash.
       Rachel               | hello
  O'Dubhain   |   It   also   gives   us   the   insight   "as   Above   
so Below".
       Jehana               | hello.
       Rachel               | what is the subject?
   O'Dubhain   |    All   our   previous    insights   will   aid    us   
in the physical and the astral worlds. Rachel, this is a Workshop on 
Celtic Magick. These keys and knowledge must grow like seeds within  
us. In the  future, they  allow us to  work our  Power, the Earth's  
Power and  the  Power of  the  Spirit.  This completes  the  Way of  
Protection. I suggest that each  of you try such  a journey on your  
own, in a  Circle or  Safe quiet place.  Learn the  symbols for the  
Oghams from the tables  in the library  (there are about  7 there I  
think). Shamanistic journeys  are very  individualized. Use symbols  
that have meaning  to You.  To complete  the journey  around Fionns  
Wheel would cover the entire year and the Major festivals. 
     Nan      |     is      that     the      next     workshop,      the      
festivals? <g>
    O'Dubhain     |    Really     project     yourselves    into     the     
Wheel and you will find your own inner guide and Truth.
       Beth Campbell        | (sorry)
   O'Dubhain   |   Nan>I   think    that'd   be   a   good   one    The   
Major festivals are Imbolc Beltane Lughnasadh Samhain The Solstices  
and the Equinoxes Each of  these can be found on  the Wheel. I hope  
that I wasn't too sketchy on this!<G>
    Nan    |    this    medium    is    a    bit    slow    and     time    
consuming to cover this kind of stuff
       O'Dubhain            | I know my typing can stand improvement.
   Artemisia   |   You   were   very   good...<sigh>   but   I    don't   
think I'm ever going to get this. 
   O'Dubhain   |    John   Matthews    covers   shamanism   fully    in   
his Book
   Nan    |    can    you    pre-type    any    and    use   cut    and    
paste, that might help
   O'Dubhain   |   "Celtic   Shamanism".   I   could   but   then    we   
lose spontaneity and dialogue.
    Nan    |    we    could     still    be    spontaneous    in     the    
discussion, but the information portion we're all being quiet anyway
   O'Dubhain    |    Hey!   Ok!    Next    time    lends   itself    to    
uploading on the festivals.  <g> I would like  you each to consider  
making a shamanistic journey and messaging me about it.
       Pietra               | ?
   O'Dubhain   |    You   might   be    surprised   about   what    you   
find. Pietra ga
       Rachel               | I have a ?
    Pietra    |    Is    this     in    part    where    the     Masonic    
orders "get their symbolism? I noticed a lot of simularities
   O'Dubhain   |   Not   sure.   Not   a   Mason,   but   I    wouldn't   
be surprised.  I'll ask around.  <that's my homework>
       Falcon               | ?
       O'Dubhain            | Rachel ga ok Falcon ga
       Falcon               | What is a Mason?
       O'Dubhain            | Any answers from the group?
       Artemisia            | I know a little
       Pietra               | !
       O'Dubhain            | fire away
   Artemisia    |   My    papa    was   a    shriner,   very    similar    
They seem to be exclusive mens orders
   Maire    |    H'lo,    O'Dub,    et    all.    Just    peeking    in    
to see the conversation.
       Artemisia            | the women are part of the outer circle
    Pietra    |    Freemansonry    dates    itself    to    the     time    
of the pharohs
       O'Dubhain            | Maire>just about done here
   Artemisia    |    The   masons    did    a    consecration   of    a    
washington d.c. monunment
       Beth Campbell        | The masons were the brick layers 
     Artemisia      |     and      used     the      earth-air-fire-water      
symbols as part of consecrating the cornerstone
     Maire     |      O'Dub>     thx.      Still     monitoring      tho.     
Might see something interesting <g>
   Nan    |    isn't    there    a    Masonic    forum    or    section    
somewhere, maybe in religion?
   Pietra    |    and   even    before    According    to   them    the    
square and compass (symbols of Freemansonry) stand for the masons who 
built the pyramids
   O'Dubhain   |    Haven't   seen    one.   George   Washington    was   
a Mason.
    Nan    |     are    we    finished     for    the    night,     it's    
past my bedtime <g>
  O'Dubhain   |   And   the   Pyramid   with   the   Eye  on   it   on   
the Great Seal of the US is a Masonic Symbol.
   Pietra    |    They    are   a    one    God    belief   but    have    
lots of cabalistic degrees
       Artemisia            | rilly?
   O'Dubhain    |   I    declare    the   Workshop    over   for    the    
night!<G>
  Beth  Campbell   |  The  Masons   erected  a   monument  to  GW   in  
Alexandria VA
    Nan     |     look     for     it     on     the     dollar     bill     
artemisia
       O'Dubhain            | Let the games begin!<G>
   Artemisia   |   I   know   it's   there...just   didn't   know    it   
was masonic
    Nan    |    thanks    O'D'     i    didn't    wanna    leave     and    
miss anything :) bye all, see ya next week
       Artemisia            | night, nan
    O'Dubhain    |     It'll    be    in     the    library    16     as    
CLTWS2.TXT
       Mark A. Foster       | Did I just miss a conference?
       Artemisia            | hehehehe
       O'Dubhain            | Just finished Mark.
       Falcon               | Night Nan
       Mark A. Foster       | On what?
       Maire                | G'night, Nan
  O'Dubhain   |   But   we're   doing   another   next   week  at   10   
PM EST
    Pietra    |    They    have    associated    groups    for     women    
and adolescents.
       O'Dubhain            | It was on Druid Magick.
       Mark A. Foster       | What subject?
  Beth  Campbell   |  Folks   are  old   if  more   than  twice   your  
age.
       Mark A. Foster       | Druid magic. Sounds interesting.
       Pietra               | Falcom>> Are you confused Yet?
       O'Dubhain            | I think so!<g>
       Mark A. Foster       | I didn't see an announcement.
       Artemisia            | <G>, beth
       O'Dubhain            | It's in the Flash! check it out.
       Mark A. Foster       | Oh, ok. Where is that?
   O'Dubhain   |    We'll   be   here    everyweek   on   Mondays    at   
10PM
       Mark A. Foster       | Under "special"?
       Falcon               | Pietra>I will always be confused
    Artemisia    |    gosh...I    can    feel    my    visa     floating    
away! <G>
       O'Dubhain            | MArk>Are you running WinCim?
       Mark A. Foster       | 10pm Eastern?  DOSCIM
       O'Dubhain            | yep EST look under Special and Notices
       Mark A. Foster       | Okay.
   Pietra   |   O'dubh>.    yes   is   forum    group   --   but    the   
info you get there
       O'Dubhain            | Should be a news Flash there
   Pietra    |    will   not    tell    you    about   "secret    work"    
which is the real purpose of FreeMansonry
  Mark   A.  Foster   |  I   just  saw   it.  Never   knew  that   was   
there. Thanks.
       O'Dubhain            | Ta failte romhat!
       Mark A. Foster       | Nite, y'all.
       O'Dubhain            | Nite Mark Slan leat!
     Artemisia      |      Yes,      and      membership     is      very      
exclusive...even used to be limited by color and financial status
       Falcon               | Bye Mark
       O'Dubhain            | Pietra>I plan to find out
       Falcon               | bye all
       O'Dubhain            | I have my ways you see!<G>
       Pietra               | Still is
       O'Dubhain            | Bye Falcon!! Thanks for coming!
    Artemisia    |     yeah,    i     figured...just    didn't     wanna    
speculate
       O'Dubhain            | Artemisia>How did the healing go?
   Pietra    |   am    Member   of    Eastern   Star    and   Dad    is    
33rd degree (the highest)
       Artemisia            | great! very powerful
       O'Dubhain            | Great!!!
       Artemisia            | Thanks for all the encouragement!
       O'Dubhain            | I was pumping the energy your way!
   Artemisia   |   Thanks!   I    knew   I   could   feel   a    little   
ooomph!<G>
   O'Dubhain   |   Pietra>Show   your   dad   the   tables   and    get   
his thoughts please!:) Artemisia> Glad I could ooomph ya! <G>
       Artemisia            | hehehehehe
   Pietra    |   I    would   if    we   were    on   speaking    terms    
however I have the book
    O'Dubhain    |    Pietra>Good    enough.    Maybe    some     Druids    
hiding in there!?
       Artemisia            | I wouldn't doubt it!
       Pietra               | They would say so
   Artemisia   |    it   seems    like   they    take   from    several   
traditions
   O'Dubhain    |    Some    of    these    societies   formed    about    
the same time as a rebirth of interest in the occult and Druids.
   Pietra    |   It    is    interesting   that    along   with    some    
of the rest of  us the inquisistion  tortured and put  to death all  
Masons they could find.
       O'Dubhain            | Might have members in both paths.
       Artemisia            | hmmmm
       Pietra               | they certainly do --I am one
    O'Dubhain     |    Sounds     like    they     were    intent     on     
eliminating anyone that thought for  themselves. Might have to talk  
to my uncles about this.  They are Masons. But  those guys are very  
secretive ! Just like Druids!<G>
       Pietra               | Oh good
       Artemisia            | Yes, they are <G>                  
       O'Dubhain            | Anyway, Thanks to all!
       Artemisia            | Thanks to YOU!
       O'Dubhain            | Gotta sleep and catch a plane!<G>
       Pietra               | bye y'all
       O'Dubhain            | See you all tommorrow! Hugs all around!
       Artemisia            | tomorrow?
       O'Dubhain            | bye sure!
       Beth Campbell        | Nite O'Dubh!
       O'Dubhain            | just for chitchat!
       Artemisia            | Oh.
       O'Dubhain            | nite Beth Hugs
       Artemisia            | night, O'D night, everyone
    Maire    |    Night,    O'Dub.    Happy    landings,    and     hope    
your stewardess brings you lots of complimentary drinks<g>
       O'Dubhain            | <G> Thanks bye all!

CELTIC WORKSHOP 3 - CELTIC FESTIVALS

This an edited transcript of the Third Celtic Workshop presented by
Searles O'Dubhain. The topic for the evening was scheduled to be
the Major Celtic yearly festivals and their hidden meanings. Oghams
were used to attempt to discovery the magick and Mystery within each
festival.

(2-1,Freepowder) Dia duit
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Dia Dhuit!
(2-1,Freepowder) Hi KEN
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Welcome Kenneth 23!!
(2-1,Freepowder) Hi Nan!
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Hiya Nan!
(2-1,Freepowder) Hi bianca
(2-9,Bianca)     O'Dub, Wren will join us later
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Tonight we are going to do a Workshop.
(2-29,Nan)      'lo all :)  
(2-26,Wren)      Hi, guys
(2-2,STUART NICHOLSON) Hi, are you there bianca
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Dia dhuit Wren!
                 Yo Stuart!
(2-1,Freepowder) too bad CIM doesn't have macro's F10=HI <G>
(2-9,Bianca)     hi stuart
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Freepowder> An bhfuil Gaelige agat?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Hi all!
(2-1,Freepowder) K> no, I think, <G>
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Ta', beaga'inin!
(2-29,Nan)       what's the topic tonight?
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Tonight we are  going to discuss  the major Celtic  
festivals 
(2-1,Freepowder) ever try to learn gaelic  in Las Vegas? craps yes,  
but gaelic?
(2-17,Kenneth 23):)
(2-2,STUART NICHOLSON) Bianca are you still there?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)What?  You mean there's a "Luxor," and "Aladdin," 
                but no "Tara"?!? 
(2-11,O'Dubhain) Anyaway I'm the presenter  here and everone should  
listen up 
                while I do my pitch!<g>
                We are going into formal CO mode.
  What   will   follow   is   a   discussion   of   Celtic   Festivals   
and
                their meanings.
  (At   this  point   I   lost  my   telephone   connection  and   had   
to 
                log back in.)
(2-29,Nan)      must've gotten dumped
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Sorry got knocked off line!<G>
(2-1,Freepowder)He falls off occasionally, whiskey I think <G>
(2-17,Kenneth 23)O'Dubhain...I thought a renegade god ate you.
(2-7,O'Dubhain) hahahaha!
(2-2,STUART NICHOLSON) hello...
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Nope a phone call from a damsel in distress!<G>
(2-26,Wren)     He's baaaack!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) hahahaha ken!<G>
(2-17,Kenneth 23):)  Well a worthy cause, at least
(2-1,Freepowder)too much of the creatur?

(2-7,O'Dubhain) I'm back and let's get going before Mercury goes RX
(2-29,Nan)      can/did you turn off your call waiting O'D?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Now as I was saying I'll present then we discuss
                use a ? or a ! to ask a question or request 
                time to make a remark.
(2-30,Jehana Silverwing) hiya, can't stay for long.
(2-30,Jehana Silverwing) but bianca said hi, so here I am *g*.
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Hi Jehana
                here we go:
(2-30,Jehana Silverwing) hello odubh...
(2-9,Bianca)    hi pietra
(2-9,Bianca)    hi jehana 
(2-7,O'Dubhain) The Celts  celebrated 8 major  festivals during the  
year. Four of these festivals are  associated with the Sun and four  
are tied to the phases of the Moon.
 
I will briefly discuss the Lunar or Fire Festivals first.
 
The Celtic year is divided into halves marked by the two great fire  
festivals of Samhain and Beltane. The period from Samhain to Beltain 
is(2-9,Bianca) sid and mindy called "an Ghrian beag" or the "lessor  
Sun". The period from Beltain to  Samhain is called "an Ghrian mor"  
or the "greater Sun". The year is further subdivided by the other two 
yearly fire  festivals of  Imbolc  and Lughnesadh.All  of  the fire  
festivals are celebrated at night and are held during the Full Moon. 
They are primarily concerned with agriculture, nature, pasturing and 
livestock. 
 
(2-1,Freepowder)?  
                
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Samhain is the begining of the Celtic year and marks 
the time of the Cailleach and the  begining of Winter. The doors of  
the Sidhe are opened on this night and the veil between the Worlds is 
thinnest. This is the night that Druids offered sacrifices (usually  
the excess cattle  that would form  the basis of  the Winter's meat  
stores). This is the time that the Ancestors walk the Earth once more 
and cross  the  thin veil  to  visit  with the  living.  Samhain is  
associated with the province of Munster and the fortress of Tlachtga.
                 
Beltane marks the begining of Summer and is dedicated to the "Shining 
One:" or Bel. Two large bonfires were ignited and cattle were driven 
between the fires and into the fields for Summer pasturing. This was 
also done to purify them from their long Winter confinement. Men and 
women were known to leap through the flames for purification at these 
fire festivals. Usually the men first then the women (and after the 
flames had diminished!<g>). This  night is the  time when the Sidhe  
walk 
the land and mortals must  overcome their Otherworldly enchantments  
and temptations. Beltane was the time when divorces were granted in  
Ireland as well as a night of release from the Winter. This festival 
was associated with  the province of  Connacht and  the fortress of  
Uisneach.
 
In ancient Ireland an additional two fire festivals were celebrated: 
Lughnasadh and the feast of Tara (celebrated every 3 years).
 
Lughnasadh was the time of the first harvest and a time of games and 
competitions. It is associated with the Goddess of Sovereignty. The  
God Lugh  held  this  festival  to  celibrate  the  efforts of  his  
fostermother Tailtiu to clear the fields of Ireland for planting. It 
was also the time when couples  could enter into a "trial marriage"  
known as a Brehon 
wedding. The couple  would clasp  hands and  thrust them  through a  
circular opening in a special stone, while announcing to the Brehons 
(judges and lawyers) that they intended  to live together for a one  
year trial period. Either party could break the marriage by a public 
announcement during the feast of Beltane. This festival lasted for a 
month! The feast of  Tara was held every  three years to distribute  
laws and gather records.
 
An additional festival was added later. This is Imbolc and was held 
in Leinster to celebrate the Goddess Brigit. This festival marks the 
ending of Winter's grip and the passing of the influence of the Crone 
or Cailleach to the Maiden  of Spring. It is the  time of the first  
lambs and of  new beginings.  Brigit's sacred  flame was  tended in  
Leinster in a  sacred center for  female Druids.  This festival was  
usually one of the home and the hearth and was usually presided over 
by the female head of the house.
 
The Sun festivals are MidWinter and  MidSummer Solstices as well as  
the Spring and  Vernal Equinoxes.  These festivals  mark periods of  
greatest imbalance  between the  Sun and  the Moon  as well  as the  
periods of greatest balance. Not much  is known about how these Sun  
festivals were celebrated by the Celts,  if at all. One source I've  
read claims they 
are evidence  of Anglo-Saxon  influences on  later Celtic  life and  
practice. Most  authors state  that only  the lunar  festivals were  
publicly celebrated (at least by the Irish). Perhaps the Druids used 
the Solar days  for Magick and  Divination. I  am still researching  
these celebrations and am not prepared to discuss them in detail this 
evening.
 
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Perhaps we should discuss the previous presentation  
before we get to the Magickal meaning of the Lunar festivals?
 
FP>ga
(2-1,Freepowder)you answered it <G>
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Ok I  know this  was a  long spiel  but now  we can  
discuss it.
  The  following  pieces   are  much  shorter   with  more  room   for  
discussion
(2-1,Freepowder)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain)  FP>ga
(2-29,Nan)       ?
(2-1,Freepowder)the festivals  I have  herard  of samhain  etc. are  
solar?
(2-1,Freepowder)but not agreed upon?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) The Solar  festivals are not  really ancient Celtic  
public festivals.
(2-1,Freepowder)GA
(2-3,Pietra)     !
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Samhain is a lunar festival. But More research must  
be done on the Solar festivals. ga FP
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Are the Solar festivals mentioned at all in Greek or 
Roman chronicles as Celtic festival days?
(2-7,O'Dubhain)  Kenneth >Will get to that question in a minute.
                 Fp>done?
(2-1,Freepowder)GA
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Nan>ga
(2-29,Nan) two  questions, how  are  the lunar  holidays determined  
(dates) and what is the connection of 
(2-29,Nan)      the Sidhe with Beltane?
(2-29,Nan)      ga
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Nan>I'll answer those in the following presentation.
Pietra>ga       ok
(2-3,Pietra)    didn't the people also jump the bonfires?
(2-7,O'Dubhain)  Pietra>Yes  they  did.  And  sometimes  they  were   
sacrificed in them But that was  very long ago. The Human sacrifice  
was replaced by animal and agricultural sacrifices.
Kenneth>The Romans influenced the Britains and also the Vikings and  
Anglo-Saxons This is where the Sun festivals come from although they 
could have been Druid ceremonies closed to the public.
Kenneth>ga
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Hmmm...I see. So as  far as readily evident public  
festival information goes, 
(2-17,Kenneth 23)the Solar festivals are recent  -- at least in the  
sense of "post-Roman?"
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Yes I believe so. These festivals are part of 
the Wiccan year. Because  Wicca embraces soo  many diff backgrounds  
and deities. anyway I'm  going to talk a  little about the Magickal  
significance of these holidays  and festivals now.  We will use the  
Oghams from Fionn's Wheel to get an inkling of what was really going 
on during these festivals.  Any other questions before I start?

ok From the "Crane Bag" of Mannanan mac Lyr The Festival of Imbolc
(First Full Moon in Aquarius) The Feast of the Goddess Brigit.
 
                Ogham Symbol "EA":
                Koad or Eadha the Sacred Grove
                Death (Tarot).
                Unity of the Eight Festivals of the Year.
                The Wheel of the Year.
                forty shades of green.
 
 
                Interpretation and Meanings:
 
 This  is  the festival  of  new  beginings. This  is  the time  when  
most new life  came forth  (first shoots  of spring, lambs  and the  
childern that were sired  at Beltain). A  celebration of the Triple  
Goddess, showing the passage of winter and the advent of summer. The 
Time of the Maiden who  bridges the gap from the  Dark Queen of the  
UnderWorld to the Red Mother of Life and Plenty. The Mystery here is 
the unity of Death and Life through the Promise of the rebirth of the 
Green World as represented by Brigit, the Maiden of the hearth, the 
home, poets and the forge. Imbolc is the time of divination, augury 
and seeking of new directions for the year. I believe that Imbolc is 
a carry over from an earlier Goddess religion in Ireland.
                Discussion or questions anyone?
(2-1,Freepowder)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) FP>ga
(2-1,Freepowder)Brigit did poets, who did musicians? <G>
(2-1,Freepowder)GA
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Well the  Dagdha played a  mean harp.  And Lugh was  
multi-talented.
(2-1,Freepowder)LOL 
(2-1,Freepowder)no "patron saint" of musicians?
(2-1,Freepowder)GA
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Well Taliesin  was the  king of  Bards And  was the  
greatest of musicians as well. So he would be your God of Musicians.
(2-1,Freepowder)he was welsh! Amergin maybe? <G> 
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Amergin  was  also a  great  bard. He  seems  to be  
Taliesin's counterpart.  Ok on to Betaine!
 From the  "Crane Bag" of  Mannanan mac Lyr  The Festival of  Beltain 
(First Full Moon after the Hawthorne's  bloom) The Feast of Bel and  
the twin bonfires.
 
                Ogham Symbol "OI":
                Oir Spi'ona'n Eirinen Fair.
                Childbirth.
                The Spindle of the Wheel.
                White or Red.
 
 
                Interpretation and Meanings:
 
This is the festival of life. On this day, the sacred fires were lit 
on the hill of Tara. Fires were lit on hills across Ireland when the 
signal fire was observed until the land was surrounded in a circle of 
fire. Beltain marks the begining of  summer when the land is filled  
with plenty. This a time when the  ways between the worlds are open  
and the Sidhe are most likely to grant gifts to those who seek them 
early in the  morning. It  is also  a time  that is  central to the  
entire cycle of agriculture. It is now when the promise of spring is 
fulfilled. The  Maypole  symbolises  the  fertility  rites  of this  
festival. Strange that the  red and white  streamers of the Maypole  
should remind us of the DNA Helix  of Life. Life is the Spindle and  
Love is the weave. In Ireland
the people dance around a burning bush in a "serpent" dance. Beltaine 
is the time of our maturity and the fulfillment of desires.
 
                Questions or should I go on?
(2-1,Freepowder)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) FP>ga
(2-1,Freepowder)Bel was the god of the dead?...
(2-1,Freepowder)and this was a festival of life? GA
(2-1,Freepowder)<G> Ok
(2-7,O'Dubhain) There is controversy over whether Belenus is really  
the
God for whom  this festival is  named. But Belenus,  Bael, Bile and  
Beil are all names associted with this festival. Some of theses are 
Sun Gods eg  "Shining Ones"  Irish sources  say this  that Beltaine  
really means Great Fires!<G>
(2-29,Nan)      ?  Nan>ga
(2-5,JUAN)      HELLO EVERYBODY
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Juan Standby please Co in progress
(2-29,Nan) what  if there's  no Hawthorn  around?  how do  you know  
when this festival is?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Nan>It's commonly called May Day in Western Europe.
That's May 1 or the closet Full Moon to May 1.
(2-29,Nan) ok
(2-7,O'Dubhain) That's the first full moon in Taurus.
(2-17,Kenneth 23)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>ga
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Beltane  seems  to be  characterized  by masculine  
symbols -- was it a special day for men, such as entrance to manhood 
festivals, or such?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>It was a day of festivities for both men and 
women It's also associated with the  first Battle of Moytura. Women  
and men both fought in that battle.
(2-17,Kenneth 23)<nod> Was there any particular ascent to adulthood  
ritual in Celtic festivities?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)I see...
(2-7,O'Dubhain) All the festivals were  used as rites of initiation  
since this was a time  of gathering of the clans.  many times a boy  
would be initiated  by graduating  from warrior  training or bardic  
training he could then demonstrate his prowess.  
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Ah...I see. So  anything involving community could  
be done on those days (including Bhar Mitzvas :D)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Something  like that!  and also  lots of  games and  
competitions.

(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pressing on here  From the "Crane  Bag" of Mannanan  
mac Lyr
 
 
                The Festival of Lughnasadh
                (First Full Moon in Leo)
                The Feast of the God Lugh.
 
                Ogham Symbol "UI":
                Uinllean Fea' Ffawyddean Beech or Phagos.
                Chieftain.
                Magickal Hardness and Resistance.
                Ancient Wisdom as a foundation.
                Tawny or light roebuck.
 
                Interpretation and Meanings:
 
This festival  is  linked  to many  ancient  practices  in Ireland.  
Contracts, marriages and other binding agreements were made on this  
day. This is the day of the Marriage of Lugh. It is also the day when 
the performance of the clan chiefs  was evaluated and perhaps a new  
chief was chosen.  This is  the time  of the  great horse  fair and  
fittingly enough the marriage  of the King to  the land. This could  
sometimes involve a ritual  whereby the new  king was symbollically  
mated with a horse, Symbolizing the Goddess of Sovereignty. The first 
harvest had already been reaped.
 
                Ogham Symbol "IO":
                Pethbol Guelder Rose
                The step into the Inner Mysteries.
                Pink or Pale.
                The dance of life.
                The Crane Dance.
 
                Interpretation and Meanings:
 
Since this festival is linked to the young god Lugh that replaces the 
older god Nuada,  it is  also linked  to the  mysteries as  Lugh is  
"Samildanach" or "multi-talented". It is very possible that a series 
of  examinations  was  given  to  Druidic  students  on  this  day,   
corresponding to  the series  of  tests that  Lugh had  to  pass in  
competitions with the  other Gods before  he was  admitted to their  
company. One such contest  is in the throwing  of stones or chariot  
wheels that occurred during the weeks  of this fair. Another is the  
playing of board games at this time such as "fidchell", a game played 
with wooden pieces  (possibly Oghams)  and similar  we are  told to  
chess. My own opinion is that it was a kind of divination. The point 
here being  that just  as Lugh  proved himself  worthy to  join the  
company of the  Gods by  being "Samildanach",  so I  interpret this  
symbol to imply that new Druids were admitted to the inner mysteries 
and Circles by passing their tests during this festival.
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Questions?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth!>ga
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Sorry...just one little thing I've always wondered  
-- Fidchell, and games like it in other celtic groups, are mentioned 
frequently in  literature  and  legend.  Are  there  any  surviving  
fidchell sets?  How is information known about the game?

(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Not much is  known about the  game. No sets  
survive but it must have been something!  Everyone was playing it!<G>
more? ga
(2-17,Kenneth 23)No...that's all, thanks!
(2-1,Freepowder)O'D? GA
(2-7,O'Dubhain) ok
                From the "Crane Bag" of Mannanan mac Lyr
 
 
                The Festival of Samhain
                (First Full Moon in Scorpio)
                Ogham Symbol "AE":
                Amancholl, Mor, Xi, Pe'ine, The Scotch Pine.
                Shower of the Way.
                Marker of the Ley Lines.
                Bringer of Illumination.
                The Container of Wisdom,
                The Sacred Pine Cone, Buarci'n.
                Spirit.
                The Sea. Green or Black.
 
 
                Interpretation and Meanings:
 
There are  many  meanings to  this  symbol.  The first  is  the Sea  
representing the darkest depths and also the source of all life. The 
mystery here is that as life ends, so it begins in the same place and 
from the same  source, the  Sea (or  Otherworld for  which it  is a  
symbol). This celebration honored  the Night of  the Dead, when the  
ancestors walked the Earth once more and the ancient knowledge could 
be re-acquired. It also celebrated the mating of the Dagdha with the 
Morrigan, the Queen of Death and  Darkness, the Washer at the Ford.  
She gives the Dagdha the advice to assemble the Aes Dana or skilled  
ones and to advance upon the
Fomorians at Maige Turedh. The Goddess of War then goes to kill the  
King of the Fomorians (Indech mac De Domnann) in his tent at Scetne. 
The Second Battle of Maige Turedh (Moytura) is won by the De Danaans 
on  Samhain.  I  interpret  this  story  of  the  Dagdha  (The  All   
Father)with the Goddess of  Darkness (The Triple  Morrigan) to mean  
that the will of the One was united in the Power of Dark and Light to 
be used during this "gray time"  of twilight. The Spiritual aspects  
overcome the  Mental and  Physical aspects  (the Fomorians  and the  
Firbolgs, defeated in the first Battle of Maige Turedh) to claim the 
Land and ALL that is. The victory of the Spirit assures us that the 
Wheel will turn eternally and that the three aspects of humanity are 
forged together through the two battles of Maige Turedh. Please read 
Steve Blamires's excellent  interpretations in his  work "The Irish  
Celtic Magical  Tradition". This  last marriage  of the  Dagdha and  
Morrigan also represents the mystery of life from death. 
I believe that to be the Ultimate  Mystery of Druidism or any other  
religion.
(2-7,O'Dubhain) questions?
(2-1,Freepowder)?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Fp>ga
(2-1,Freepowder)did the Irish believe in reincarnation? GA
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Yes  they did.  They  believed that  when  you were  
re-incarnated, it would hold true to the bloodlines. Like maybe you  
are your great grandfather or grand mother re-incarnated!<G>
(2-1,Freepowder)not "karmic" then?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Not a great deal of karma there. They did hold each 
accountable for their life's actions.  
(2-1,Freepowder)what about if you are adopted? <VBG>
(2-7,O'Dubhain) he Irish also  believed in "fosterage"  so that you  
became "blood  brothers". So  I suppose  you could  re-incarnate in  
someone else that way!<G>
(2-1,Freepowder)LOL
(2-7,O'Dubhain) yep.
                More questions or What shall we discuss next time?
(2-1,Freepowder)?    
(2-7,O'Dubhain) FP>ga you devil!<G>
(2-1,Freepowder)was the Morrigan just death and destruction ...
(2-1,Freepowder)or had she redeeming qualitys?
(2-2,Pietra)    celtic Music (lol)
(2-7,O'Dubhain) HAhahaha! She might have played the bones perhaps!<G>
(2-1,Freepowder)ROFL! 
(2-2,Pietra) !                
(2-7,O'Dubhain) The Morrigan was  also the patroness  of Magick and  
WItches!<G> Pietra>ga
(2-2,Pietra) got another Cd  for you Great fire  away I declare the  
Workshop ended!  Thanks for coming you diehards!<G>
(2-29,Nan) thanks O'D!  great info see  ya next  week......if i can  
rent a 'puter on the road, sigh 
(2-1,Freepowder)good job, as usual! Next time?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)<clapping> Thanks for the presentation! I'm glad I  
had the recording option on!

(2-7,O'Dubhain) Ta failte romhat!(you're welcome)
                I will post it in the library in the next few days.
(2-29,Nan)      what's next week's subject?
(2-2,Pietra)    Amam by the Clannad produced by cbs records even has
(2-2,Pietra)    the lyrics in Gaelic printed
(2-1,Freepowder)P> ever listen to planxty or de dannan?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) I might touch on Sun festivals and stone circles as  
well as passage graves and the Underworld.
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Has human sacrifice been done as a workshop topic?  
Esp. symbolic/actual sacrifice of rulers? 
(2-29,Nan)      bye all, see ya later
(2-2,Pietra)    Free>no who does it?
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Bye Nan!
(2-1,Freepowder)Slan leat Nan
(2-1,Freepowder)P> that's the name of the groups <G>
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Not yet.  Slan Nan!
(2-2,Pietra)    Free>oops
(2-17,Kenneth 23)That might be  a fun topic. Well,  fun for us, not  
for whoever got sacrificed...
(2-1,Freepowder)P> older more traditional than Clannad...
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>It'll  take some  research  to dig  out the  
details
like the Wicker man and other good stuff.
(2-2,Pietra) free> I'm  nagging O'Dubh  into buying  Celtic Odyssey  
and
(2-2,Pietra)    then he'll thank me
(2-1,Freepowder)Enya was IN clannad before  she went solo, (useless  
trivia)
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Like torturing a volunteer to death to do a  
divination.
(2-2,Pietra)    free> it's traditional too
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pietra>I'm going for it just haven't found it yet.
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Enya is part of the Dunnan family, which is most of 
Clannad.
(2-1,Freepowder)Music in magick & vice versa, do that O'D!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) FP>Great idea!!
(2-17,Kenneth 23)I was lucky enough to  see Clannad in concert last  
year!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) <----needs to get his Pythagorian stuff from home.
(2-2,Pietra)    O'Dubh bbi griosghrua garth 'aicr'
(2-1,Freepowder)P> try the chieftains too.
(2-2,Pietra) ok thanks free
(2-17,Kenneth 23)O'D> I  would be  more than  willing to  assist in  
research regarding sacrifice, if possible.
(2-2,Pietra)    Kenneth >yep says so right here! (in my phamplet)
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Thanks I'll try outlining wwhat i need in a  
post to you.
(2-1,Freepowder)P> & the Bothy boys if  you like acordian <G>... or  
was that Boys of the Lough...hmmm
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pietra>What is that something about being glad I'm so 
sunny when you're near me?
(2-2,Pietra)    kenneth > Enya is solo now
(2-17,Kenneth 23)There  was a  concert w/  the Chieftains  and many  
famous country/western singers, including Willie Nelsen, Alabama, and 
others, which 
(2-17,Kenneth 23)showed Country music's Celtic roots.
(2-17,Kenneth 23)p > I know,  and I'm sick of  waiting for her next  
album to come out! (G)
(2-2,Pietra)    Thanks I wondered what it meant O'Dubh
(2-17,Kenneth 23)it's been a couple years!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) <_----Thinking about hitting Clancy's in Manhatten.
(2-1,Freepowder)Clancy's are Waaaay Coool!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pietra>Are you sure about the spelling?
(2-2,Pietra) O'Dubh >  I only  tease the  people I like  Now you're  
definitly
(2-2,Pietra)    on the way to Clancy's
(2-1,Freepowder)been teaching  my Boy  Scouts their  Irish drinking  
songs, will get me in trouble one of these days!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pietra>I'll work out  the translation later. FP>Yep  
Tom Clancy owns the place. What are those scouts adrinkin FP?<G>
(2-2,Pietra) bhi griosghura garth' aicr'  gus loinhir ina ciabh mar  
or Can see good now I turned the light on
(2-1,Freepowder)O'D how do you find the wood  u use in the US? same  
trees? close?
(2-7,O'Dubhain) FP>close to the same trees
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>I need to upload a file on the similarities  
and the locations. Also had a message about it as well.
(2-1,Freepowder)O'D > water but sometimes I wonder what their parents 
think when they come home singing Whiskey you're the Divil!
(2-1,Freepowder)>or wild rover no more!<G>
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Just tell them uisce is Gaeilge for water and sounds 
like WHiskey!<G>
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Pietra>will translate later.
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Folks>Gotta see a lady about some hugs!<G>
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Does anyone know of ritual use of intoxicants by the 
Celts, aside from alcohol?
(2-1,Freepowder)I can't even  find a  gaelic to  english dictionary  
here!
(2-2,Pietra) all>  i  like the  music  because it  strikes  a chord  
inside. but I don't know the lingo at all
(2-7,O'Dubhain) See you in the Forum; same time next week.
(2-1,Freepowder)K> isn't alcohol enough?
(2-2,Pietra)    I think this means we get the brush-off now
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Kenneth>Druids drank a lot of strange stuff.
(2-9,Blood Falcon) Hi all
(2-7,O'Dubhain) might post a few brews!<G>
(2-2,Pietra)    S'lain o'Dub
(2-7,O'Dubhain) now now Pietra.
(2-1,Freepowder)thanks again O'D!
(2-1,Freepowder)Slan leat!
(2-17,Kenneth 23)I'd love to hear of 'em!
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Slan leat, O'D!
(2-7,O'Dubhain) I do have to do my gentlemanly duties you know!<G>
                Slan Agat!
(2-9,Blood Falcon) Bye O'D
(2-7,O'Dubhain) Beannacht De' is Bande' leat!
(2-17,Kenneth 23)Slan abhaile!
                 CELTIC WORKSHOP #4 - CELTIC MUSIC 

This an edited transcript of the fOURTH Celtic Workshop presented by
Searles  O'Dubhain. The topic for the evening was scheduled to be
Celtic Music and Magick in general, the Role of Bards and Druids in 
Celtic Music, the Music Ogham - Aradach Fionn, Tree tones and their 
musical  associations  and  some  example   folk  songs  and  their   
interpretations.

(2-11,Nan)   hi!
(2-8,O'Dubh) I see you found a laptop!<G>
(2-11,Nan) I've got to get used  to translating to west coast times  
<g>
(2-8,O'Dubh) It's like 7 there right?
(2-11,Nan)   actually i rented a IIsi (mac)
(2-11,Nan)   yep
(2-11,Nan)   i decided to go for the color <g>
(2-2,Rilla)  Evening!
(2-8,O'Dubh) what sort of work are you doing?
(2-11,Nan)   hi n huggs rilla
(2-8,O'Dubh) Hugs Rilla!
(2-2,Rilla)  hugs!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Rilla.We are gathering up here.
(2-2,Rilla)  mind if I lurk?
(2-8,O'Dubh) No prob
(2-11,Nan) work? well......I'm  getting ready  to move  into my new  
house in June...
(2-8,O'Dubh) Hi LF!
(2-11,Nan)   making decisions like carpet, paint etc.
(2-9,Rose)   Rose?
(2-8,O'Dubh) Hi Rose!<G>
(2-11,Nan)   sorta work sorta not
(2-9,Rose)   Hi!
(2-4,Lord Falcon) <bow>Good evening all
(2-11,Nan)   hi rose
(2-20,Freepowder) Dia duit all!
(2-11,Nan)   hi falcom
(2-2,Rilla)  Hi all!
(2-9,Rose)   Yes, Hello!
(2-11,Nan)   hi fp
(2-8,O'Dubh) Dia duit, a Fhreepowder!
(2-20,Freepowder) oh yeahm hang on
(2-20,O'Ba'n) There, that's better!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Everyone here knows we are gonna do a Workshop, right?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Ta'
(2-8,O'Dubh) Slainte!
(2-8,O'Dubh) <=====Typing is getting worse instead of better.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) I have a dram o' the creatur right here too! Slainte"
(2-22,Wren)  Hi, folks.  Dia dhuit.
(2-2,Rilla)  Dia dhuit, Wren!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Dia Dhuit, a Whren!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) O'd how do you say hello to a bunch of folks, same way?
(2-22,Wren) Hey Rilla,  brought some  chocolate chips  cookies ....  
<g>
(2-2,Rilla)   ha!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  FP>yep!
(2-2,Rilla)   <swat!>
(2-2,Rilla)   no fair!
(2-2,Rilla)   I wont look!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ok.
(2-8,O'Dubh) well  boys  and  girls  shall  we  start  clearing our  
throats?
(2-22,Wren)   ahem
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ARRRGGGHHH, hack hack!
(2-8,O'Dubh) <======listening to the hackers.<G>
(2-9,Rose)   Hmmm. 
(2-2,Rilla)  hehe
(2-2,Rilla)  ahem!
(2-2,Rilla)  <how's that?>
(2-11,Nan)   cough cough
(2-8,O'Dubh) Ok let's get started!
(2-11,Nan)  <ptuie> 'scuse me <g>
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) Before I begin  let me say  a few words  about how the  
Workshop is conducted. We will first hear from a presenter, tonight  
that is me. If you have a question type in a ? and I will acknowledge
you by tyoing "ga" at and  appropriate time. When you have finished  
your question type "ga" to let me know that I may respond. When
we are finished I will acknowledge the next questioner in a similar 
manner. If you have a comment or additional information to provide
on a topic,  please use  the "!"  to signal  me. I  will also cycle  
through those with  comments in a  similar manner. If  their are no  
questions at this point I will begin tonight's presentation.
(2-5,Seanchai) ?
(2-8,O'Dubh) The topics I plan to cover tonight are:
 
                Music and Magick in general.
                Role of Bards and Druids in Celtic Music.
                Aradach Fionn, Tree tones and associations
                Some example folk songs and interpretations.
(2-8,O'Dubh)   Seanchai ga.
(2-5,Seanchai) Patience is a virtue I need to learn in a hurry.
(2-5,Seanchai) I was going to ask, what's tonight's topic.
(2-8,O'Dubh)   ok !<G>
(2-5,Seanchai) Ga
(2-20,O'Ba'n)  LOL!
(2-11,Nan)     lol
(2-9,Rose)     ditto

(2-8,O'Dubh) Anyone that has ever done Magick knows that it involves 
resonances and associations. Magick has  many color associations as  
well
as musical associations. We have all experienced the magick of music 
in contemporary music. Sometimes this can be in the form of attending
a concert, othertimes it can be when  we are alone and listening to  
our favorites tunes. Modern day religious services take advantage of 
the Magick inherit to music to enhance their worship services. This  
can be in singing hymns or hearing organ and choral anthems. I'm sure 
that we will  all agree that  music in such  sitruarions alters our  
state of being. We are uplifted and  changed by the ritual music we  
experience. It should  be no surprise  that the  ancient Celts used  
music in a similar manner. In Morgan Llwellyn's "Druids" we find an 
example of such a Druidic use of music in Magick. The chief Druid of 
a village would greet the Sun with song and lead the village each day 
in welcoming the  Sun back from  the Underworld. When  the Sun set,  
another farewell song was enjoined. This practice is still followed  
by some in Celtic lands to  this day. Examples of such incantations  
and greetings to the Sun
may be found in the "Carmenica Gadetica" a vast resources of ancient 
and rercent Celtic verse and song.
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) Please pardon  the typos!<G>  In many  Magick systems,  
Words of  Power using  the names  of  the Gods  are used  to create  
resonances within the Magical Circle so that the Magicians may attain 
a higher state of awareness. The use  of these words also serves to  
open the internal "Power Centers" or "Chakras" of the participants.  
These godnames are  constructed using  the letters  of the Magickal  
alphabets of the respective Magickal systems as well as the natural  
tones and the corresponding resonances that are associated with each 
letter or symbol.
             For example:
        
                YHVH Yud Heh Vahv He  
                (a Kaballistic godname)
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) An incantaion of a godname becomes a chant with its own 
inherent melody and  rhythm. Such  sounds generated  form an occult  
alphabet are thought  by Magicians to  have inherit  Power in their  
sounds and to generate Magickal  resonances within the Magician and  
the Circle. It is my belief that  the ancient Celts and Druids used  
music and sounds  from their secret  Ogham alphabet to  aid them in  
working Magick in a similar manner.  
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) Druidic Bards studied for 15  to 20 years to learn the  
epics, chants, spells and histories of their peoples and clans. These 
works were memorized exactly and were a requirement for advancement  
to a higher or inner level of the Druidic ranks. The works had to be 
rendered with feeling so that the listener would be spell bound and 
consequently could  relive  the  event. The  Irish  Druids  had the  
following classes of Bards:
 
                 Class          # of Epics
                 __________________________________________ 
 
                 Driseg         20   (the Beginner)
                 Foclaic        30   (Advanced beginner)
                 Cili           100  (Journeyman)
                 Anraid         175  (Master/Warrior)
                 Ollomh         175+ (Doctor/Judge)
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) Bards learned to play the pipes, the whistle, the harp, 
the lyre,  the  flute,  the  sistrum  and  the  bodrun among  other  
instruments.
According to Murry Hope these instruments, were used based upon the  
mood or tone that  the particular Bardic work  required. He gives a  
table of the following correspondences:
        
                    The Flute   -  Air   (later the Organ)
                    The Harp    -  Water
                    The Sistrum -  Earth (The Bells or Bodrun)
                    The Lyre    -  Fire
 
Poets and Bards carried branches with bells and amulets attached to  
them. A  beginner's branch  would be  bronze, journeymen  carried a  
silver
branch and the Master Bards carried a golden branch. The music of the 
bells  would  announce   the  Bard's  presence   and  an  impending   
performance.
(2-8,O'Dubh) Nan ga
(2-11,Nan)   what's a sistrum?
(2-11,Nan)   ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) It's a stringed  instrument that one  beats I believe.  
Anyone got an opinion?
(2-2,Rilla)  Ray confirms that.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ?
(2-2,Rilla)  Precursor of the lute maybe?
(2-8,O'Dubh) perhaps.
(2-9,Rose) I understand  that one shakes  it like Isis  does in the  
pictures.
(2-22,Wren)  Similar to a hammered dulcimer?
(2-8,O'Dubh) That's what I was thinking, Wren.
(2-11,Nan)   or a tambourine?
(2-9,Rose)   I have a picture of one...
(2-8,O'Dubh) Rose ga
(2-9,Rose)   it looks like a tennis racket.
(2-9,Rose)   with hooks.
(2-8,O'Dubh) And you beat it right?
(2-9,Rose)   I think so.
(2-8,O'Dubh) ok Nan any further questions?
(2-11,Nan)   got it, thanks
(2-9,Rose)   shake it.
(2-20,O'Ba'n)an ancient metal  frame with numerous  metal rods that  
jingle when shaken, websters.
(2-9,Rose)   bravo.
(2-8,O'Dubh) great! 
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ?
(2-11,Nan)    no, ga
(2-8,O'Dubh)  O'ba'n?
(2-8,O'Dubh)  ok let's roll!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) wait
(2-8,O'Dubh)  O'ban ga!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) are the instruments dedicated to...
(2-20,O'Ba'n) their various areas based on the tonal range they cover 
or...
(2-20,O'Ba'n) the quality of the sound?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) It's the  quality of  the sound  mostly. The  same way  
they would be scored in an orchestra for instance.  
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ok.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ga
(2-8,O'Dubh)  ga
(2-20,O'Ba'n) no, you ga!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <G>|
(2-8,O'Dubh) My own  belief is  that the  Bards usually accompanied  
themselves with the harp as they  recited their repertorie. Just as  
Oghams were  used as  keys to  memory with  verses being  linked by  
assonance and alliteration, I believe that  each Ogham had a unique  
tone or note associated with it on the harp. The tone or string was 
struck as the Ogham sound was spoken or sung two notes per line. The 
begining and ending notes serving to  connect each line to the next  
line in a continuing stream. In the world of my my imagination I can 
hear the tones and words of the  Bards echoing as they float upon a  
wave of melody  acroos the room.  The sound reminds  me of chanting  
monks or the  plainsong of worship  (similar to  modern Anglican or  
Roman Catholic Plainsong).
(2-8,O'Dubh) Sean O'Boyle, a late Irish scholar, made an attempt to  
interpret "Aradach Fionn" (Fionn's Ladder) as harp tabulature using  
Oghams. He suggested that the Irish  practice harp that has only 20  
strings has a 1 to 1 correspondence to the first 20 Oghams. As far as 
I know,no records survived to reach us verifying his theory. It seems 
to make sense to me but I only speculate.
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) A modern work "Trees for Healing" by Chase and Pawlik,  
reinforces this belief for me. This  book is all about trees, their  
lore and their spirits.  It describes techniques  for meditation to  
determine the harmonic resonaces for a  variety of trees. I believe  
that the ancient Druids also detected certain harmonic tones for each 
tree and used then in their Tree Ogham Alphabet. If we use the tones 
that have been rediscovered by Chase and Pawlik and combine them with 
the ancient chants, incantations and songs of Taliesin and Amergin,  
we may also be able to work  powerful Magicks. This Magick can take  
any form from enchanting an audience to calling the winds. The Greek 
Bard Orpheus was able to walk between the worlds in this manner and  
so  can  we.  I  list  the  trees  and  the  derived  modern  tonal  
correspondences below:
 
         Ogham  Old Irish       English         Musical Note
         ____________________________________________________
 
         B      Beith           Birch           F 
 
         L      Luis            Rowan           C
 
         F      Fearn           Alder           E
 
         S      Saille          Willow          F
                                
         N      Nuin            Ash             G
 
         ____________________________________________________
 
         H      Huathe          Hawthorn        B
 
         D      Duir            Oak             F
 
         T      Tinne           Holly           G
 
         C      Coll            Hazel           D
 
         Q      Quert           Apple.          D#
 
         ____________________________________________________
 
         M      Muin            Vine            G
 
         G      Gort            Ivy             G
  
         Ng     Ngetal          Reed            F
 
         St     Straif          Blackthorn      B
 
         R      Ruis            Elder           A
         ____________________________________________________
 
         A      Ailim           Silver Fir      A
 
         O      Ohn             Furze           E
 
         U      Ur              Heather         B
 
         E      Eadha           White Poplar    E
 
         I      Ioho            Yew             F
 
         ____________________________________________________
 
         Ch,Ea  Koad            Grove           F
 
         Oi,Th  Oir             Spindle         C
 
         Ui     Uilleand        Honeysuckle     D 
 
         Ph     Phagos          Beech           A
 
         Xi     Mor             The Sea         G
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) Some  of these  tones were  derived by  meditation and  
resonance, some are based upon the colors associated with the Oghams. 
My suggestion is to
(2-11,Nan)   ?
(2-8,O'Dubh) find such a tree yourself and to meditate under it. play 
a pipe, a whistle or a harp (even  a guitar will do in a pinch!<G>)  
until you find 
(2-22,Wren)  ?
(2-20,O'Ba'n)?
  the  correct   tone  for   the  tree.   Other  tones  will   reflect  
from the tree. The "soul tone" of the tree will be absorbed and you 
will possibly feel a tingle of energy that is released by the Spirit 
of the Tree. This experience is  somewhat akin to the common belief  
in Ireland (even today) that a particularily gifted musician, harper 
or piper has  been taught by  the Sidhe (famed  for their enchanted  
music). Celts believe  in harmony and  rightness in  all things and  
particularily in Nature.
(2-8,O'Dubh) Nan ga
(2-11,Nan) I  noticed  that  many  different  oghams  had  the same  
note...
are these the same notes or are they in differing octaves? ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) The table I presented is not cast in stone!<G>
(2-11,Nan)   or even in wood? <G> 
(2-8,O'Dubh) The first approach has each  ogham on a different tone  
For Fionn's ladder for instance. The second approach used meditation 
techniques to determine  the "soul tones"  of the  trees Some trees  
evidently have a similar feel to them. I think that the table needs  
some work myself. Perhaps one of  the more musically gifted members  
could undertake such a study!
(2-24,da Medic) ?
(2-8,O'Dubh) ?<G>
(2-8,O'Dubh) ga Nan
(2-8,O'Dubh) additional questions?
(2-8,O'Dubh) If not then Wren was next.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) !
(2-11,Nan)   no, i think wren had some though
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Wren ga
(2-22,Wren)   Already answered, thanks.  Gotta go, g'nite!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Sla'n Wren!
(2-11,Nan)    g'night wren
(2-8,O'Dubh)  O'ba'n ga
(2-20,O'Ba'n) need to have  the transmogrification of  what tree is  
which out west for me to do it...
(2-20,O'Ba'n) but with that I'd love to do the tree/tone thing!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Ok I'll put a table in the library this week.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) GA
(2-24,da Medic) does this  explain the prevalence  of willow/oak in  
celtic magicks?  ga.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Cool!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  da Medic ga
(2-24,da Medic) sorry, saw the ga.
(2-8,O'Dubh) Yes it  does to  some extent.  I have entire  books on  
nothing but healing properties of trees.  I'm sure Druids knew much  
more.
(2-11,Nan) ?
(2-8,O'Dubh) Nan ga
(2-11,Nan) could you  please post a  bibliography of  some of those  
books??? (pretty please?)
(2-11,Nan)   ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) Ok will do that as well this week!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) yes! yes!

(2-8,O'Dubh) Now to continue...
  Some  of  this   Magick  comes  down  to   us  today  in  the   form  
of folk songs still  sung in the  outer reaches of  Ireland and the  
British Isles. Such a song is  the "Padstow May Song" from Padstow,  
Cornwall (in part):
 
                "Unite and unite and let us unite
                For summer is acome unto day
                And whither we are going we will all unite
                In the merry morning of May."
 
                "I warn you young men everyone
                To go into the greenwood and 
                fetch your May home."
 
                "Arise up Mr. _______ and joy you betide
                And bright is your bride that lies 
                by your side."
 
                "Arise up Mrs. _______ and gold be your ring
                And give to us a cup of ale the merrier 
                we shall sing."
 
                "Arise up Miss ______ all in your gown of green
                You are as fine a lady as wait upon the Queen."
 
                "Now fare you well, and we bid you 
                all good cheer

                We call once more unto your house 
                before another year."

(2-8,O'Dubh) I interpret this song to mean this:
 
             This song is sung on Beltaine and is said to 
             charge the atmosphere of the festival. It 
             symbolizes the marriage of the youth with
             the land. (Unite and unite and let us unite)
 
             It also adresses 3 individuals: A man, a
             woman and a Maiden in a green gown
             (who represents Nature).
 
             This song is sung around the May Pole or   
             May bonfires in the evening (and prior to
             anyone escaping to the outer folds of 
             darkness for an evening of bliss <g>).

(2-8,O'Dubh) Another ancient folk song  that has hidden meanings of  
Magick is the song "Green Grow the Rushes":
 
             " One of them is all alone and 
             ever more shall be so.
             Two of them are lily-white boys 
             all clothed all in green Oh!
             Three of them are strangers o'er the 
             wide world they are rangers.
             Four it is the Dilly Hour when 
             blooms the Gilly Flower.
             Five it is the Dilly Bird that's 
             seldom seen but heard.
             Six is the Ferryman in the boat that 
             o'er the river floats, Oh!
             Seven are the Seven Stars in the Sky, 
             the Shining Stars be Seven, Oh!
             Eight it is the Morning's break when 
             all the World's awake, Oh!
             Nine it is the pale Moonshine, 
             the shining Moon is nine, Oh!
             Ten Forgives all kinds of Sin, 
             from Ten begin again, Oh! "
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) This song can be interpreted to mean:
 
             1. There is One Power.
 
             2. The God has two aspects (Light and Dark).
 
             3. The Celts are a wadering people with
                the sacred number of "3".
 
             4. The 4th Ogham is the Alder sacred to Bran
                the Blessed and his sister Branwen "the
                Gilly Flower".
 
             5. The Wizard Merlin as well as the sacred
                number of the Celtic Gods (not to mention
                the number of points on a Pentagram).
 
             6. Keridwen's Coracle that ferries us to
                the Underworld.
 
             7. The sacred number of sea gods and the stars
                in the crown of Arianrhod.
 
             8. The number of judgement or resurrection.
 
             9. The Triple Moon Goddess Thrice emphasized
                The number of Priestesses that guard the 
                Cauldron of Rebirth.
 
             10.The necessity to find our "True Selves"
                in order to understand the Inner Mysteries. 
                The endless cycle of death and rebirth.
 
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Everone still awake?<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ?
(2-2,Rilla)   <I am!>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  O'Ba'n ga!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) this is your interpretation? 
(2-20,O'Ba'n) GA
(2-8,O'Dubh) It is also Murry Hope's  interpretation. I have seen a  
different version of this song.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <patting self on back> suits me! GA
(2-8,O'Dubh) that is used by OATh  coven and had hoped that perhaps  
they would be here tonight.
(2-24,da Medic) !

(2-8,O'Dubh) da Medic ga
(2-24,da Medic) Cunningham also had summat similar ga.
(2-8,O'Dubh) Which book?
             ga
(2-24,da Medic) Not sure, will check & advise, methinks in Earth Air 
Fire water ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) Ok I  have that  one here will  check in  a min. let's  
finish up a bit first!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Perhaps some of  you have some  ancient or even modern  
Celtic folk songs that you would like to share with us this evening? 
You could enter them  here and we  could discuss them  in detail or  
maybe just take them to our hearts and embrace their inner messages 
(for Celtic Music is a music of the Heart and Soul). I know that many 
of you are  very into  Celtic Music.  I'd like  to have  each of us  
contribute the  names and  titles  of our  favorite  performers and  
songss.
 
(2-8,O'Dubh) My favorite  song is the  "Rising Of the  Moon" by the  
Clancy Brothers and Tommy Liam.
 
(2-24,da Medic) !
(2-8,O'Dubh) da Medic ga
(2-24,da Medic) Joe doughterty's lament, black 47
(2-24,da Medic) ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) ok ! Others?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <embarrased> all mine deal with young maidens getting  
taken advantage of or with  drinking, mostly poiti'n (e.g.Cruiscean  
lan)
(2-11,Nan)   !
(2-8,O'Dubh) hahaha LOL O'Ba'n !!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) !
(2-8,O'Dubh) O'Ba'n ga
(2-26,Adam)  ?
(2-11,Nan) there are sooooo many i  can't chose a favorite, but one  
of the more interesting is "the Tain" by Horselips ga
(2-8,O'Dubh) neat nan!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Do you know Ben phagin? I have it but no translation, 
also the well below the valley o!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Most  Celtic songs  I've  heard always  have  a hidden  
meaning
(2-20,O'Ba'n) GA
(2-8,O'Dubh) un minuto OB!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Adam question? ga
(2-26,Adam) OD, I lost some of your  send :P Which is your favorite  
song?
(2-8,O'Dubh) Adam> My favorite  song is the Rising  of the Moon. by  
the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Liam.
(2-24,da Medic) !
(2-20,O'Ba'n) O'flaherty's drake!
(2-26,Adam)  thanks  :)
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB>Have that one as well.
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB ga
(2-24,da Medic)  gotta go do the work thing-Blesed Be! ga
(2-20,O'Ba'n) that one is all about english occupation and resistance 
as related to a duck <G>
(2-11,Nan)    lol
(2-8,O'Dubh)  OB>I know it well (it's about a goose I thought)
(2-20,O'Ba'n) how 'bout 5 (or 7) nights drunk!
(2-11,Nan)    ?
(2-8,O'Dubh) But it's  really about  a man  that was killed  by the  
English.  They had to sing it in riddles to avoid being hanged.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) O'D> and how we has plenty of relatives to take up the 
fight!
(2-8,O'Dubh) That's right.  I am  reading Trinity  right now. about  
the fight for home rule.
(2-8,O'Dubh)  more favorites out there?
(2-4,Da Shad) OD, went to an Irish festival this weekend...
(2-2,Rilla)  <great book!>
(2-4,Da Shad) and was really shocked  at how strong a presense that  
the
IRA had there, several booths for signing petitions and sending money 
to the IRA.  Pledges even!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) "bad luck to  the savage to  grease his white cabbage  
that wantonly  murdered me  beautiful  drake" BTW  Drakes  are male  
ducks...
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Ganders are male geese <G>
(2-11,Nan) <---going to the Chieftans next w'end <VBG>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <green>
(2-8,O'Dubh) Da Shad>They need to do something settle the issues up  
there.
(2-8,O'Dubh)  OB>Yer right yer scoundrel.
              :P~
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Nan>great!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Any ideas about next week's Workshop?
(2-4,Da Shad) If the IRA really wanted to get the brits out...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Hint hint hint!
(2-4,Da Shad) they just  need to blow up  the shipyards in Northern  
Ireland.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) I spoke to an Irishman who was probably in the IRA 
              since he denied it...
(2-4,Da Shad)  Once there  is no  more  economic value  in northern  
ireland...
(2-11,Nan)    how about a workshop on stone circles etc.
(2-4,Da Shad) there  owuld be  no more need  for the  brits to keep  
troops there.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) his theory was for the Brits to just pull out, I said  
"bloodbath would follow", he said...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Nan> Great idea!!
(2-4,StonedAgain) Just call me stonie!  (g)
(2-20,O'Ba'n) yes for 3-5 yrs then it would settle down and achieve 
normalcy with the rest of Ireland
(2-11,Nan) is this wkshp officially  over? (loggin on long distance  
here)
(2-20,O'Ba'n) one would guess <G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  yes Nan we're done for the night.
(2-2,Rilla)   Nice job, Odie!
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Gee, didn't realize that there was a workshop going 
on, sorry.
(2-2,Rilla)  <impressed>
(2-8,O'Dubh) Thanks Rilla!<G>
(2-11,Nan)   thanks for another great one O'D', see y'all next week!
(2-8,O'Dubh) Sla'n Nan!
(2-11,Nan)   bye
(2-8,O'Dubh) Ta failte romhat!
(2-2,Rilla)  night Nan~!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) gabhaim buiochas, O'Dubh
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Slan nan!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) did I get that right O;d?
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB>A Gaeilge/Bearla dictionary is a dangerous thing to  
have!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) ROFL! TOO RIGHT!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) do you know the tune well below the valley?
(2-2,Rilla)   OB> are you a Bard?
(2-8,O'Dubh)  OB> no
(2-20,O'Ba'n) R> wannabe
(2-2,Rilla)   do you do music?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) I suspect that has all kinds of hidden meanings, 
              will send in msg so you can figger it out <G>
(2-26,Adam)   OD, I enjoyed sitting in on the workshop :)
(2-26,Adam)   it was my first in this forum.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) R> *I* play Feadog! (tinwhistle)
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Adam>Thanks for coming!
              Go raibh maith agat!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) pleased to have you Adam!
(2-2,Rilla)   oh!
(2-2,Rilla)   neat!
(2-15,SCOTT ZAGER) M
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB>  I bet  rising Of  the  Moon Is  great on  the tin  
whistle.
              My daughter plays it on her flute.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) R> AND it's a grand Irish voice I';m havin' <laughing  
hysterically>

(2-8,O'Dubh)  Rilla> Guess what?
(2-2,Rilla) I  saw all  kinds  of cool  stuff  in the  Lark  in the  
Morning catalog
(2-2,Rilla)   tin whistles and ancient instruments...
(2-2,Rilla)   they were really expensive though
(2-8,O'Dubh) At my daughter's Episcopal Church this weekend they are 
going 
              to have a shamnistic dancer!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) O'd, it's ok but fenian men is better
(2-2,Rilla) OB> voice???  I've never  HEARD it...so  I wouldnt know  
<G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  O'B>Methinks I like the Men of the West better.
(2-2,Rilla)   OD> really?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <singing> "the lark in the morning she whistles and she 
sings 
  and  she  flys   across  the  meadow  with   the  dew  all  on   her  
wings"
(2-2,Rilla)   cool!
(2-2,Rilla)   <smile> very nice!
(2-2,Rilla)   Now where's the TAPE?
(2-2,Rilla)   or WAV file?
(2-2,Rilla)   hehehe
(2-8,O'Dubh) Yep Rilla>She's gonna be raising a Christian Power Cone 
I guess!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) I have a tape, marty Burke, must make a copy & send it 
to you O'd
(2-2,Rilla)   OD> Power is Power <G>
(2-2,Rilla)   I learned all I know in High Mass <G>
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Hmmm,  OD, that's MUCH  too phallic  a symbol for  
christians 
                  to raise!
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) How high were you in mass, rilla?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Bonewits has a lot on that, rituals VERY similar
(2-8,O'Dubh)  I  must  be  there  to   make  sure  they  don't  fry   
themselves!<G>
(2-2,Rilla)   SH> heheheh
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) (snicker)
(2-2,Rilla)   o/~ memories o/~
(2-2,Rilla)   OD> make em ground!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  "O the risin o the Moon
              the risin o the Moon 
              Many a pike was a flashin"
(2-2,Rilla)   what are we doing for Beltaine?
(2-8,O'Dubh)  "by the Risin o the Moon!"
(2-26,Adam)   y'all, I got to leave the room now...
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Rilla, we be raisin a cone of power (g)
(2-2,Rilla)   SH> did Sz tell you that I am definitely coming to Fla?
(2-26,Adam)   I am talking with a very dear friend...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  I'm heading to OATh for Beltaine if they'll have me.
(2-2,Rilla)   SH> a raisin?
(2-2,Rilla)   <G>
(2-2,Rilla)   oh!
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Bye Adam!
(2-2,Rilla)   lucky you!
(2-26,Adam)   thanks again  :)    MP
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) No she didn't Rilla
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Sla'n Adam!! Next week and check library 16 out!
(2-26,Adam)   I have been, OD  :)
(2-2,Rilla) SH> thought we  could all stay  at the Hyatt..under the  
waterfall!
(2-2,Rilla)   <G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Great!!
(2-2,Rilla)   night Adam!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Beannacht leat!
(2-2,Rilla)   nice to see you again!
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Rilla, if you want, I can stay down all night....
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) I have my own scuba equipment (g)
(2-2,Rilla)   hahahahahahah....an extra set??
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB>BTW what was that first thing in that post you sent 
me?
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) I would bring an octopus for you.
(2-2,Rilla)   time for me to go too folks...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Sounded like "Quiet child"
(2-2,Rilla)   Odie> thanks!!!
(2-2,Rilla)   this was wonderful!
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Nite Rilla
(2-8,O'Dubh)  or listen up kiddies!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Rilla no prob. A labor of love!<G>
(2-2,Rilla)  <G>
(2-2,Rilla)   it shows
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Hugs!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) "Come and tell me sean o'ferrel, tell me why you hurry 
so..." 
              got me goin o'd, "is there a bathroom on this floor"
(2-8,O'Dubh)  no not that one
(2-20,O'Ba'n) (had to go change a diaper, yuck)
(2-8,O'Dubh)  the one where the arch Druid said 
(2-20,O'Ba'n) oh! hang on ...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  The reply was "He is the Father".
(2-8,O'Dubh)  "Hush me Buch all hush and listen and 
              his cheeks were all a glow!"
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Can't find  it right now,  was supposed  to say "hush  
children" 
              and "yes father"
(2-8,O'Dubh) "I bear orders  from the captain,  get you ready quick  
and soon, 
              for the pikes must be together"
(2-20,O'Ba'n) "I bear orders for the captain get ye ready wuicka nd 
soon...
(2-8,O'Dubh)  "by the Risin o the Moon!"
(2-20,O'Ba'n) wuicka? a new religion? <G>
(2-4,Shadow Hawk) Wuicka-Wombat wicca (g)
(2-8,O'Dubh) OB>Great I thought it said  "Quiet child and He is the  
Father!"<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) O'd >LOL!< do you know the wearin' of the green? same 
tune.
(2-8,O'Dubh) Yes!! "They're hangin  men and women  for the Wearin o  
the Green!"
(2-20,O'Ba'n) a gaeilge/bearla dictionary is a dangerous thing. <G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  hahahahaha!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) BTW how do you say Andrew jacob in gaelic?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) my eldest <G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  <=====not a clue.
(2-8,O'Dubh)  I'll ask in FLEFO!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) nuts.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) my middle is Michilene Og <G> (sp?)
(2-20,O'Ba'n) flefo?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) son that is
(2-8,O'Dubh)  BTW
  Conor  mac   Nessa  from   the  Tain   was  Called   Conor  son   of  
Nessa
              but Nessa was his Mother!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Really!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  yeppers!<g>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) were they matrilineal?
(2-20,O'Ba'n) :0
(2-8,O'Dubh)  They were bilineal!<G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Mostly the fathers side though!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) LOL!
(2-8,O'Dubh)  However they did marry the Picts
  and   made   them   agree  to   trace   lineage   on  the   Mother's   
side!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) I heard  somewhere they were  matrilineal, since they  
were 
              quite open sexualy
(2-20,O'Ba'n) <G>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  The women had a lot of different partners.
              and the men went both ways
              if you can believe a lyin Roman that is!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) yup, so how do you know WHO your father is? <VBG>
(2-8,O'Dubh)  Simple!!  Yer da's the one that wins the fights!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) the Romans were...uh...  a little...ethnocentric? <G>  
>LOL!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) have you got any music by planxty, or dedanan? 
(2-8,O'Dubh)  OB.No I wish I did though.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) Great stuff, traditional.
(2-20,O'Ba'n) or Shanachie records, mail order, HoHokus (?) NJ
(2-20,O'Ba'n) they have an excellent Celtic catalog
(2-8,O'Dubh)  that's Hoboken and it's close to me now!
(2-20,O'Ba'n) if you can't find them find a Ladysmith Black Mombasa  
record and ck the pub, that's them
(2-8,O'Dubh)  ok bro thanks!<G>
(2-20,O'Ba'n) those  are  the guys  that  backed up  paul  simon on  
graceland
(At this point we  all retired to  the VB&G for  some shots o Uisce  
Beatha!<g>)

                Celtic Worshop #5 - The Celtic Otherworld

This is the  transcript of the  fifth Celtic Workshop  - The Celtic  
Otherworld. We engaged in a brief period of socialization before and 
after the conference. I  include that here  to give an  idea of the  
spirit and atmosphere  with which  everyone approaches  the task at  
hand!<G>
......Searles

(2-2,Freepowder) Dia duit aNhan!
(2-2,Freepowder) Dia duit aShearles!
(2-5,Nan)        huh? <g>
(2-2,Freepowder) hello, in Ir. Gaelic
(2-5,Nan) ahhhh, thanks
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Dia Dhuir, a Shean!
(2-5,Nan)        hi O'D
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Hiya Nan!!
(2-5,Nan)  i'm  probably  gonna  be   a  pretty  quiet  participant   
tonight, 'cause i'm watching the oscars at the same time <g>
(2-2,Freepowder) SEE! I am psychic!
(2-2,Freepowder) oh, did you get  my translation <G>
(2-2,Freepowder) 'sok Nan, I'll fill in for you <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Close but no cigars!:)
(2-3,Wren)       Hi, guys.  Who's singing?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Hi Wren!!
(2-2,Freepowder) i figgered that <G>
(2-5,Nan)        hi wren
(2-2,Freepowder) Dia duit aWhren!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) FP will have to do the singin tonight.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I am the Seanchai tonight!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) "I left my  haaaaaaart in knockaknorra"
(2-3,Wren)       Ah, you're being serious.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) "Three things about the drink. "
(2-3,Wren)       FP> Looovely
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) "To have it. To Hold it, and to p[ay for it!"<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) hahahah!
(2-2,Freepowder) My wee phrase book is not up to the task, I guess.  
<G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Good evening SUZAN!<G>\
(2-3,Wren)       Alas, ald
(2-2,Freepowder) Dia duit aShuzan!
(2-14,SUZAN)     hello all... OD!
(2-3,Wren)       Alas, alad, that is
(2-6,O'Dubhain )  FP>Some  of  these  sayings  can't  be  literally  
translated.
(2-2,Freepowder) alad? thought that was alack?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Tonight we talk Cosmology!<G>
(2-5,Nan)        hi susan
(2-2,Freepowder) too right, uh....what do you call those?
(2-3,Wren) If  you're  going to  have  a  lass, you  should  have a  
lad
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL! W
(2-2,Freepowder) is cosmo here?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Yes!!! We have the Irish and Welsh Cosmos! Tonight  
only!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) For the sake of $$$$ Shall we begin?
(2-2,Freepowder) ok
(2-3,Wren)       <polite applause>

(2-6,O'Dubhain ) "Celtic Workshop #5 - The Otherworld"
 
Before I begin  let me say  a few words  about how  the Workshop is  
conducted. We will first hear from a presenter, tonight that is me. 
If you have a  question type in a  ? and I  will acknowledge you by  
typing "ga" at  and appropriate time.  When you  have finished your  
question type "ga" to let  me know that I may  respond. When we are  
finished I will acknowledge the next questioner in a similar manner. 
If you have  a comment  or additional  information to provide  on a  
topic, please use the "!"  to signal me. I  will also cycle through  
those with comments. If their are no questions at this point I will  
begin tonight's  presentation.
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I would also like to apologize for not producing
the list  of  tree correspondences  this  week that  I  promised to  
provide. Being on the road and away from home, I was not able to get 
to all my  references about  trees, herbs  and the like.  I haven't  
forgotten the promise however.  I will post  the list as  soon as I  
return to Virginia this weekend. This list can be used together with 
certain meditation practices to  determine the "soul  tones" of the  
Tree  Oghams.  I  did  locate   the  Ogham/musical  tone  table  of   
correspondences that I had mentioned in the Celtic Workshop #4. This 
table is by the Celtic scholar Dr. Sean O'Boyle:
 
                For the Treble Cleff (in descending order of tone):
 
                 Ogham  Old Irish       English         Musical Note
                 ____________________________________________________
 
                 B      Beith           Birch           E 
 
                 L      Luis            Rowan           D
 
                 F      Fearn           Alder           C
 
                 S      Saille          Willow          B
 
                 N      Nuin            Ash             A
 
                 H      Huathe          Hawthorn        G
 
                 D      Duir            Oak             F
 
                 T      Tinne           Holly           E
 
                 C      Coll            Hazel           D
 
                 Q      Quert           Apple.          C#
 
                 For the Bass Cleff (in descending order of tone):
                 ____________________________________________________
 
                 M      Muin            Vine            B
 
                 G      Gort            Ivy             A
  
                 Ng     Ngetal          Reed            G#
 
                 St     Straif          Blackthorn      F#
 
                 R      Ruis            Elder           F
 
                 A      Ailim           Silver Fir      E
 
                 O      Ohn             Furze           C
 
                 U      Ur              Heather         B
 
                 E      Eadha           White Poplar    A
 
                 I      Ioho            Yew             G
 
                 ____________________________________________________
                 (No corresponences were given for these Oghams).
 
                 Ch,Ea  Koad            Grove           -
 
                 Th     Oir             Spindle         -
 
                 Ui     Uilleand        Honeysuckle     - 
 
                 Ph     Phagos          Beech           -
 
                 Xi     Mor             The Sea         -
 
    In     addition     to     the     above    correspondences,     The     
following
properties of our beings were associated with tone combinations:
 
                        The Body - Single tones
 
                        The Mind - Two tone intervals
 
    The    Spirit     -    Three    tones     at    the    same     time    
(chords)
 
   For    more    information   on    this    subject,   I    recommend    
reading "The 21 Lessons of Merlin"  by Douglas Adams (Llewellyn) or  
the Original  work by  O'Boyle: "Ogham:  The Poet's  Secret" (1980,  
Gilbert & Dalton Ltd., Dublin).
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain   )   The   beliefs   of   the   Celts   and   their    
Magickal/Religious practices  cannot  be  fully  understood without  
becoming more  familiar  with  their  Cosmologies  and  Deities. In  
considering how to proceed  with the Workshop,  a variety of topics  
came to mind:
 
                        The Otherworld
                        The Gods and Goddesses
                        The Objects of Power
                        The Guardians of the Circle
                        The "Place Names" 
                        The "Totem Animals"
                        The Transmigration of the Soul
                        The "In Between Times and Places"
                        The "Need Fires" or Days of Imbalance.
     The      Portals,      Dolmens,      Stone     Circles,      Passage      
                    Graves
                        The Rite of Three Rays
                        The use of Herbs and Potions
                        The Gift of Awen
                        The Act of "Becomming"
                        The Charm of "Summoning"
                        "Walking between the Worlds"
                        "Journeys on the Wheel"
                        The "Outer Darkness"
                        The "Dragon's Eye"
                        The "Many Speckled Rainment"
                        The Charm of "Making"
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The  Subject of  tonight's Celtic  Workshop is The  
Celtic Otherworld.
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The topics I plan to cover tonight are:
        
                        The Otherworld
                        The Gods and Goddesses
                        The Objects of Power
                        The Guardians of the Circle
 
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Celtic Cosmology"
 
The number three was sacred to the  Celts and the Druids. It should  
come as no  surprise that the  Celtic Cosmos is  threefold: The Sky  
World, The Earth World and the  Underworld. Each of these realms is  
associated with
particular deities and Magickal acts or techniques.  
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain )  The Sky  World was  associated with  the heavenly  
bodies: the Sun, the Moon, the stars. This is the realm of the Gods 
and Goddesses and is associated with the cycles and patterns of the 
Sky (and perhaps also associated with The Megalithic Stone Circles). 
These visible objects  were used as  a basis  for performing Higher  
Magicks such as: Prophecy and Astral  travel. The cycles of the Sun  
and Moon also were used to determine the appropriate times for doing 
particular types of Magick. Festivals  were held during Full Moons,  
Dark Moons, the 6th nite of the New Moon, Sunrise, Sunset and the 4 
days of the Solar extremes; Mid Winter, Mid Summer and the Equinoxes. 
The heavenly bodies were not themselves considered to be Deities, but 
were thought to reflect or contain the types of Power associated with 
particular entities. The Fires of the  Sun were associated with the  
forge and with inspiration, possibly making Brigid (An aspect of the 
Irish Celtic Triple Goddess) also a Sun Goddess. Bel or Belenus was 
usually associated with the powers of the Sun as well. 
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The Underworld  is the realm  of the Ancestors, as  
well as former humans and a number of Gods and Goddesses associated 
with the mystery of  life springing forth  from death. This process  
could be as simple and mysterious as the life cycle of a seed. From 
old life, new life appears in a series of changes from planting and  
germination to growth and harvesting. The passage graves and burial  
customs of the Celts  also reflect this  expectation of rebirth and  
afterlife. Many tombs and burial sites  show that Celts were buried  
with objects that they could take with them into the Underworld to be 
used in battle,  in hunting  and/or for  nourishment. This practice  
appears to be similar to what was practiced by many ancient peoples, 
including the Egyptians. Celts did not fear death, they expected to  
live on and eventually be reborn in another life. The Underworld and 
the Sky world were linked in this Mystery, sharing many of the same  
Gods and Goddesses. The daily rebirth of  the Sun and the phases of  
the Moon are a good instance of this link between the World above and 
the one below.
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The Earth  World, occupied by  we the living, also  
contains reflections  and  influences  of  the  Sky  World  and the  
Underworld. These influences can be pictured as three zones (remember 
three is a  sacred number): the  upper zone is  associated with the  
weather, the flight  of birds,  sky augeries  and the  elements and  
powers of Air,  the middle  zone is  further divided into  the Four  
Directions or Quarters (each with  it's own Powers/Guardians of the  
Sacred Land), and the lower zone  containing the depths of the sea,  
caves, cairns, burial mounds, "hollow hills" and sacred springs. This 
zone is the home of the Sidhe
and the spirits associated with the Portals to the Underworld itself. 
The Celts in their life upon the Sacred Land expected to experience 
the influences of the Sky and Underworld in their life upon the Land. 
This attitude is demonstrated in  the many dindsenchahs (stories of  
place names) that are  told in Ireland  to this day.  Many of these  
stories are associated  with a  deity, an  elemental, an Underworld  
portal or a combat of the God/desses and/or Epic heroes and heroines.

(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The following is a listing of the major Irish Gods 
and 
                Goddesses:
                        Danu, Dagdha, Nuada, Lugh, Angus Og, Len,
                        Midir, Lir, Manannan, Ogma, Anu, Brigid,
                        Morrighan, Aine, Sinend, Macha, Diancecht,
                        Gobnui, Medb, Scatach, the Cailleach. 
 
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The following is a listing of the major Welsh Gods 
and 
                Goddesses:
                The House of Don
 
                        Manogan, Beli, Don, Math, Mathonwy,
                        Gwydion, Arianrhod, Llew, Dylan, Nwyvre,  
                       Amaethon, Govannan(the smith), Nudd, Gwynn,                            
Penardun, Nynniaw.
 
                The House of Llyr
 
                        Iweriadd, Llyr, Penardun, Euroswydd,
                        Bran, Branwen, Matholwch, Gwern, Mananwyddan, 
                        Rhiannon, Nissyen, Evinissyen,
                        Pwyll, Pryderi, Kicva
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) These two groups seem to relate to one another but 
sometimes the correspondences can get very confusing. I include the  
deities that most  closely resonate  with my  own Inner  Being when  
working with the Sky World and  the Underworld. My pantheon of Gods  
and Goddesses is both Welsh and Irish (as am I <G>). I include a more 
detailed description of them here:
 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Danu
                        The Red Mother of All,
                        Major Mother Goddess of Ireland,
                        Mother of the Gods and Patroness of
                        wizards, rivers, water, wells, prosperity
                        and plenty, Magick and wisdom.
 
                Dagdha
                        The All Father,
                        Eochaid Ollathair ( Father of All),
                        Ruadh Rofessa (The Red One, Lord of
                        Occult Knowledge),
                        Dagdha (the Good God)
                        Many talented and powerful,
                        Master of the harp and possessor
                        of a dread double ended club.
                        The Chief of the Tuatha de Dannan.
 
                The Goddess of Sovereignty (Banbha, Fodla, Eriu)
                        The Land and the King were wed through
                        many ceremonies. Essentually the fate of the
                        King and the fate of the land were One and
                        vice versa. The Favor of the Goddess could
                        be granted by some heroic act or bu being
                        Magickally chosen (The Lia Fail could do
                        this, more later). Women who held the 
                        Sovereignty of the land were often referred
                        to as the Goddess (Such as Medb, Boudicca
                        and Macha-Red Mane).
                Nuada
                        The King and battle leader 
                        of the Tuatha de Dannan,
                        Possessor of the Magick Sword of Findias,
                        Lost his sword hand in the First Battle of
                        Moytura, against the Fir Bolgs,
                        stepped down from the Kingship
                        (because the King could nave no blemish)
                        even though he was outfitted with a 
                        Magickal hand of silver. He eventually
                        had his hand Magickally restored to lead
                        the Tuatha de Dannans  against the Fomors
                        in the second Battle of Moy Tura. In this
                        battle he was physically killed so he 
                        returned the Lands of the Sidhe.
                Brigid
                        Breo saighead (Fiery Arrow or Power)
                        Often called the Triple Brigid or the
                        Triple Mother. Also Associated with
                        Danu at times. The daughter of the Dagdha.
                        Goddess of the Sacred Flame of Kildare.
                        Goddess of poets, feminine crafts, the
                        hearth, martial arts, healing and
                        inspiration. The White Maiden aspect of 
                        the Triple Goddess. Her Feast is the
                        Major Celtic Festival of Imbolc. She 
                        who gives hope and new beginnings. The
                        Celtic Church could not replace her, so
                        they absorbed her as the "foster-mother"
                        of Christ and as St. Brigit, the daughter
                        of the Druid Dougal the Brown. Brigid is
                        very like the Greek Goddess Athena.
                Lugh
                        Sam ildanach (many skilled). This is the
                        Celtic Mercury. The grandson of Balor 
                        (leader of the Fomorians and the son of
                        Cian and Ethniu, a Sidhe princess. His 
                        feast is Lughnasadh, a celebration of
                        the death of his "foster mother", Tailtiu.
                        He is the combination of the Tuatha de
                        Dannans and the Fomors. He replaces Nuada
                        as the King and battle leader of the Tuatha
                        de Dannan and leads them to ultimate victory
                        in the second Battle of Moytura. He is 
                        sometimes called the "Shining One" and/or
                        Lugh Lamhfada (of the "long arm"). 
                        He also has attributes of a carpenter, mason,
                        poet,Druid, physician and a goldsmith. He
                        can be considered the Irish God of just about
                        everything. He was also the father of the
                        great Irish hero, Cuchulain.

(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I see only the diehards are still with me!<G> (many 
more Deities to come folks)!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) wimps. leaving early!
(2-5,Nan)        :)
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) hahahaha!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Videotapers!
(2-5,Nan)        <---multitasking (watching & reading & reading)
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) More to come!..... <G>
                Mannan mac Lyr
                        Chief Irish God of the sea. Not a member 
                        of the Tuatha de Dannan. A happy-go-lucky 
                        gypsy type. Always carried "the Crane Bag",
        `               a kind of Magick "horn of plenty". He gave 
                        the last 5 Oghams to the Druids (also called 
                        the "Crane Bag"). He preferred to roam among
      the      people      in       disguise      and      aid       their      
exploits.He     could     change     his     shape     at     will.      
Despite his
                        antics, he was an extremely powerful God 
                        and was usually associated with fertility,
                        rebirth, weather, sailing and Magick. He also
                        had a Magickal ship that moved without sails
                        and was directed by the mind. Linked to the
                        Isle of Man.
                Gwynn ap Nudd
     The     Master     of      the     Wild     Hunt,     The      Welsh     
Guardian
    of     the     Dark     Portals     of     the    Underworld.     He     
rode
                        the Night in a flowing grey cloak upon a pale
                        horse following his Hounds called Cwn Annwn.
     (very     large,      white     with      red     tipped      ears).     
They
                        would seek out and collect souls.
                Arianrhod
    "of     the     Silver     Wheel",     A     star     goddess     of     
Wales,
                        Her palace was called Caer Arianrhod (Aurora 
                        Borealis), Goddess of time and karma. Mother 
     aspect      of      the      Triple      Goddess      in      Wales.      
Goddess
                        of beauty, the Moon, fertility and reincarna 
                    tion.  Also associated with the sea.
                Cerridwen
                        Welsh Goddess of Nature, associated with the
      Sacred       Cauldron       of       Wisdom       that       allowed       
Taliesin
      to      become      enlightened.      When      she       discovered      
that 
    Gwion    had     tasted    of     her    cauldron,    she     chased    
him
     through     a     variety      of     mutaual     shape      changes     
until
    at    last     she    caught    and     consummed    him    as     a    
grain
                        of wheat. This caused her to give birth to  
                    Taliesin.
                Cernunnos
   Known    to   all    Celts    as   the    "Horned    God   ".    God    
of
                        nature, virility, fertility, animals, sex,
      reincarnation      and       shamanism.      Known      to       the      
Druids
     as     Hu     Gadarn.     God     of     the     Underworld      and     
Astral
                        Planes. The Consort of the Great Goddess.
                Amergin/Taliesin
     The      two      greatest      Celtic      Bards     that      ever      
lived.
    Amergin     was    the     Chief    Bard     of    the     Mileseans     
and 
                        aided them in overcoming the Magicks of the  
                    Tuatha de Dannans to become the heirs to the                         
land ofIreland. Taliesin was the great Bard of                         
the Welsh, whose poetry and songs, Including the                         
Cad Goddieu, tell us most of what we know about                        
Druidry in Wales. He gained his knowledge from                         
the Cauldron of Cerridwen. They are both patrons                         
of Bards, music, Magick and poetry.
                Morrighan
                        The Dark aspect of the Celtic Triple Goddess.
                        The "Washer at the Ford" (seem washing bloody
    laundry    prior     to    battle     by    those    destined     to    
die).    The     Battle    Goddess,     also    Queen     of    the     
Witches    and    Goddess    of    Magick.    Could    appear    as     
a    Raven,    a    beautiful    Maiden    or    an    ugly    Hag.     
Marries    the    Dagdha    at     Samhain.    The    Goddess    of     
Death.
                Ogma
   The    "Sun    Faced"    One,    so    called    because   he    was    
a
   God    of    Wisdom    and    of    speech.    He    invented    the    
Oghams    and    was    also    a    great    Warrior.    Sometimes     
associated    with     the    Greek     Herakles.     Also    Irish     
God of music, spells, the arts and eloquence.
                Scathach
      "She      Who      Strikes      Fear".      The       Irish/Scottish      
Goddess    of     martial     arts.     The     Destroyer    aspect     
of   the    Dark    Goddess.   A    great    sword    warrior   and    
instructor.   Native    to    the    Isle    of    Skye.    Teacher    
of      Cuchulain.       Patroness      of       martial      arts,       
prophecy, blacksmiths and magic.
        
2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Objects of Power"
 
The Tuatha de Dannans are the  Children of the Mother Goddess Danu.  
They are the Gods and Goddesses of Ireland. Some say they come from  
the sky, others say the North. They were masters of Occult knowledge 
learned in the four great Magickal cities of Findias, Gorias, Murias 
and Falias. They were given a great  treasure by the Chief Mages of  
each city  (Uiscias from  Findias, Esras  from Gorias,  Semias from  
Murias and Morfessa from Falias). These gifts are the four treasures 
of Ireland: The Sword of Nuada, the  Spear of Lugh, the Cauldron of  
Rebirth and the Stone of Fal. We can use the Power of such gifts in  
our own  Magick by  invoking the  four Masters  of the  North. Once  
invoked, the Power of their gifts can once again be manifested in our 
very own Magickal Talismans.
 
 
2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Sword Of Nuada Argetla'm"
 
The first object of Power comes  from Findias. It is the invincible  
sword of Nuada  "of the silver  hand". It represents  the forces of  
insight and illumination.  It is  a representation  of the terrible  
Powers of creative energy. The drawing of such a sword is what gives 
us new and terrible  abilities (Atomic Power is  an example of what  
such inspiration can create). The wisdom  to not use or to maintain  
control such powers is what the use of this Sword is all about. Many 
times the wisest course of action is to keep the Sword sheathed and  
to resolve our conflicts peacefully.

Here is a description of this Magickal weapon's use in a modern day  
ritual:
  <I  walk  to  the  altar  and  pick  up  the  Sword.  Advancing  to   
the East, I raise the  Sword and say:> "Here is  the Sword of Nuada  
Argetla'm in its deady scabbard.
                        Heed the Magicks of Findias! 
                        Uiscias wrought this blade! 
                        He of the Silver Hand lives again!
                        Who will dare to grasp it and define 
                        the boundaries of our safety?"
        
  <After  the   sword  has   been  accepted   by  a   member  of   the  
Circle,  the   following  is   said   while  walking   three  times   
(deosil)       around the perimeter of the Circle :>
 
                        "Come forth Old One of the East!!!"
        
 <After  the  completion  of  the  three  circles,  I light  the  Red  
Candle of Life that sits upon the Eastern Quarter and say:>
 
   "Guard    us    well    so   that    our    lives    may   be    our    
own.
                        Dia is Bandia linn!
                        (So Mote It Be!)"
 
2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Spear of Lugh Lamhfadha"

 
The second object of Power comes from Findias. It is the iresistible 
Spear of Lugh "of the Long Arm". This gift represents the ability to 
act across a distance. It is represented by the Powers of fire that  
can also act across a distance, leaping between burning buildings yet 
also warming us  from within the  hearth fires.  This flaming spear  
always finds its target once thrown. It is no surprise that Lugh must 
defeat Balor "of  the Evil Eye"  allowing the Tuatha  de Dannans to  
conquer the Fomor. Today the ability to act across a distance might 
be better characterised  by the  telephone/communications networks.  
The free exchange of information has fanned the flames of creativity 
in the modern world.
 
2-6,O'Dubhain ) Here is a description of this Magickal weapon's use  
in
the same modern day ritual as before:
                 
                        <I walk to the altar and pick up the Spear.
Advancing to the South, I raise the Spear and say:>
 
          "In my Right hand I hold the Spear of Lugh Lamhfadha.
          Brought from Gorias and given by Esras.
          It contains the Wisdom of Many acting across the Ways.
          No batle can be sustained against us while we possess it.
          Who will wield this Power?"
 
2-6,O'Dubhain ) <After the spear has been accepted by a member of the 
Circle, the following  is said  while walking  three times (deosil)  
around the perimeter of the Circle :>
 
                        "Come forth Old One of the South!!!"
        
<After the completion of the three circles, I light the White Candle 
of Inspiration that is in the South and say:>
 
                        "Guard us well so that our ideas may burn
                        as does Thy eternal flame.
                        Dia is Bandia linn!
                        (So Mote It Be!)"
 
2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Cauldron of Rebirth"
 
The third object of Power comes from Murias. It is the "Cauldron of  
Rebirth". This gift has the Power to regenerate life and is usually 
associated with the Dagdha or Bran the Blessed. It can also be linked 
with portals to the Otherworld through which all life passes during  
the death/life cycle. Mannanan mac Llyr who rules the sea and who is 
the possessor of the "Crane Bag" (another symbol for the Cauldron) is 
another deity associated with this Magickal device. The Welsh Goddess 
Cerridwen is also a keeper of the Sacred Cauldron.The Spring of Life 
and wisdom flows forth from the depths  of the sea (another use for  
this cauldron).
  
2-6,O'Dubhain ) Here is a description of this Magickal device's use  
in our modern day rituals:
 
    <I     walk     to     the     altar     and     pick     up     the     
Cauldron.  I place it upon the West Quarter and say:>
 
                        "This is the Cauldron of Rebirth, 
                        by it's waters we are reborn.
                        Fashioned in the fires of Murias,
                        Forged by the will of Samias.
                        Life eternal is its gift.
                        We pass through Death with each use.
                        May the waters of rebirth ever flow forth!
                        Who will call us back 
                        from the deepest meditation?
                        Who will summon us from the Shadows
                        of the Sea?"
 
     <The     Cauldron      has     sea      salted     water      poured     
into it by a  member of the  Circle, This water  is sprinkled three  
times (deosil) around the perimeter of the Circle while the following 
is said:>
 
     "Make     thy     Presence     known     Old     One     of      the     
West!"
        
<After the completion of the three circles, I light the Gray Candle 
of Twilight that stands in the West and say:>
 
     "Keep      our      Spirits      safe      within     Your      soft      
embrace.
                        Dia is Bandia linn!
                        So Mote It Be!"
 
2-6,O'Dubhain )         "The Lia Fail"
This is  the Kingship  stone of  Ireland. It  was brought  from the  
Northern city of Fal by the Tuatha de Dannan. This stone represents 
the Land and it's Sovereignty. It  also represents the Power of the  
Earth to Judge all men. The  other portals to the Underworld (caves  
and raths) are represented by this Magickal object. The dark reaches 
of the Underworld hide the secret knowledge of Death and Life. It is 
into the earth that Celts are  buried to begin their journeys after  
death. Small wonder  it is  that the  Goddess guarding  this object  
should be the  dread Morrighan. She  represents the  Wisdom that is  
gained via the Dark Pathways, yet she is also the bringer of victory 
in battle  as  well  as  new life,  where  none  was  expected. She  
represents the stark reality of Life and Death.
 
2-6,O'Dubhain ) Here is a description of this Magickal device's use  
in our modern day rituals:
 
<I walk to the altar and pick up the  Stone. I place it in front of 
the North Quarter candle and say:>
 
     "This is the Lia Fail, let all here be sobered by its True  
Judgement. This is the Stone of Judgement, Solemn sacred One of  
Falias, grant our space your Sovereignty.  Morfesa has worked the  
Earth's Power within you.  Judge of Kings, Center of Earth, Speak  
and we shall listen!  Do not let us fail to heed your warnings!"
        
<I turn to face the members of the Circle and ask:>
        
                        "Who will Stand with the Stone of Destiny?"
 
<The One that has accepted the  challenge, steps upon the stone and  
crys forth:>
        
                        "Manifest your Power Old One of the North!"
                        "Open Your Dark Pathways
                        Give us True Judgement!
                        Bring forth Thy Hidden Knowledge!"
 
<I step back to the altar and face  to the North. I light the Black  
Candle of Darkness and say to all those who are gathered:>
 
                        "May our souls know the Truth of Eternity.
                        Dia is Bandia linn!
                        So Mote it Be!"
        
<Starting at  the East  with arms  open, I  turn deosil  around the  
Circle, stopping when I have come back to the East and say:>
 
 "My  Brothers and  Sisters  in the  One Power,  Hear  my Words!  Our  
Circle is complete!  We have  Perfectly Created  a Sacred  Space, a  
Place out of  Time. Let  none seek to  enter who  would violate our  
Purpose. Our will shall be  done and none shall  be harmed! May the  
Guardians of the Four Quarters keep Their Watch over this Circle and 
lend us Their Mighty Aid!"
 
 
2-6,O'Dubhain ) That pretty much sums up the prepared presentation,  
any questions?


(2-5,Nan)        Whew!
(2-5,Nan)        I'm still absorbing
(2-2,Freepowder) bet your fingers are cramped <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) yep!  Well there is a lot more I could say!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) ok!
(2-2,Freepowder) <hehehehe>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Like We  could talk about  just where those cities  
were?
                 The Sky or the North?
                 UFO's maybe?
(2-2,Freepowder) ok, first tho, was the stone of fal...
(2-2,Freepowder) the same as the stone of scone?
(2-2,Freepowder) ga
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) That was what the Scots and the Sassanach would have 
us believe.
(2-2,Freepowder) you say?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) But the Irish tradition is that it is still inside 
of Tara.
(2-2,Freepowder) thought so. hrumph.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Why would we every give away one of the treasures of 
the Land?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Besides!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) stolen?
(2-5,Nan) what's  the  stone  of  scone?  (other  than  a very  old  
tea snack <g>)
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) If it really was stolen then it sits in Westminister 
Abbey!  And hasn't cried out in over 400 years!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) nahm, it's still in Tara, yup!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Meaning.....that the Sassanach are not the rightful 
kings of Ireland!!!!<GGGG>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The stone  of Scone was the  kingship stone of the  
Scots
(2-5,Nan)        ahh, now i remember
(2-2,Freepowder) N> Scotland  had a similar  legend to  that of the  
stone 
                 of Fal, it was taken to westminister abbey when the 
                 english took scotland
(2-2,Freepowder) And they niver give it back!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Fp>That's right....thieving Sassanch!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) rude!
(2-5,Nan) lol
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======Just finished "Trinity" and in a very 
                 unforgiving mood.
(2-2,Freepowder) the 4 cities, which world were they in?
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL!
(2-2,Freepowder) grand book! read it a few years ago.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Yes  it sure  makes one  think that  they'll never  
resolve                  the Problem of Northern Ireland.
(2-2,Freepowder) I met a fellow, prob IRA, said...
(2-2,Freepowder) the brits need to just pull out...
(2-2,Freepowder) I said ther'd be a blood bath....
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Fp>The  Four Cities were  in the North  but in the  
Spirtual Plane.
(2-2,Freepowder) he said for a few years then it would come right.
(2-2,Freepowder) sky or earth or underworld?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Fp>Sky types always associated with the Spirit and  
Big 
    Magick.    But    of    course    two    of    the    gifts     were    
associated 
                 with the Underworld. The Stone and the Cauldron.
(2-2,Freepowder) sounds like a commercial, 'Big,Big Magick!' <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Goes back to that dual nature of the Deities again. 
John Matthews has a great picture in his book, "Celtic Shamanism" of 
a World Tree that has roots in the Underworld and branches into the  
Sky World.  The two are connected by a Rainbow of colors , stars and 
Totem animals!
(2-2,Freepowder) you have more books than I have money <G> 
                 >sounds like Yggdrisll
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The Rainbow "brige" exists outside of the Physical  
World entirely.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Yes it does sound like  Yggdrisll! I have a GIF of  
this Cosmology at home and will upload it to Library 16 this weekend.
(2-2,Freepowder)  now,   where  have   I   heard  of   the  rainbow   
bridge....Jesse 
                 Jackson? <G>
(2-5,Nan) well,  i  should  be  on  my  way.....thanks  for another  
great workshop O'D. Looking forward to more :)
(2-2,Freepowder) cool!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Yes folks Jesse JAckson  is the new Celtic Rainbow  
God!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) Rofl!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Thanks for coming Nan!<G>
(2-5,Nan)        see ya next week.....bye (poof)
(2-2,Freepowder) bye nan!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Hey Fp>What do you think we should cover next time?
(2-2,Freepowder) I was heart broken, couldn't come up w/ ?s from last 
wk <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Think folks are just hanging back and uploading the 
                 transcripts?
(2-2,Freepowder) the rest of the stuff at the top of this.<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) yeah, it might help if the right rom was listed in 
notices
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Oscar night  is a tough night  to compete with the  
Tube!:( I did  mention that  to the Sysops,  but I  guess they have  
their hands full.
(2-2,Freepowder) as long as they are reading..'sok
(2-2,Freepowder) hey! I volunteered to get into sysopery <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======would like to get some additional opinions 
                 on some of this stuff.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) FP>You did? Great!
                 What was the response?
                 This workshop is closed! BTW!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) well, maybe if  you are in the  right place at the  
right time bla bla...
(2-2,Freepowder) I figured that out
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) LOL!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======just wanted it in the transcript!<G>

<We next engaged in some generalized Celtic discussion that I thought 
would be of interest to the offline class readers!<G> ...>

<Our discussion was joined by DRUID at this point>

(2-13,DRUID)     I'm a member of OBOD in southern England.
(2-2,Freepowder) OBOD?
(2-22,Grey Wolf) Gotta go, I've got School in the mornin, Be sure to 
write though
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) GW>Bye!
(2-8,Pietra) bye GW
(2-2,Freepowder) Slan leat Gdub!
(2-13,DRUID)     Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids.
(2-22,Grey Wolf) later
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Great Nice to have you here.
(2-2,Freepowder) Ah! heard of them! stop in next wk!
(2-13,DRUID)     I am working on my Ovate Initiation at this time.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>Do you recommend any books?
(2-2,Freepowder) we're gopnna re-create balor's eye! <G>
(2-13,DRUID) I  am also  a member  of the  F.O.I. located  in south  
eastern Ireland.
(2-2,Freepowder) FOI? sorry <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain )  FP>yeah !!!  Chunk  another hot  spear  into that  
Fomorian 
                 peeper!<G>
(2-13,DRUID)     Fellowship of Isis. Olivia Robertson
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Dia dhuit, a DhRUID!
(2-2,Freepowder) there is one referenct to lugh using a rock I think 
<G>
(2-13,DRUID)     as far as books, i have quite a few, would
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The FOI sounds Thelemic to me.
(2-13,DRUID)     not know what to recomend.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I read the Book of Druidry by Ross Nichols
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Found it to be based  upon the works of Davies and  
Morganwig.
(2-13,DRUID)     I saw that you were giving a workshop on Ogham.
(2-13,DRUID) I  have  seen  some of  the  origional  standing Ogham  
stones                  in northern England.
(2-13,DRUID) They are  standing in  remote fields,  not even marked  
very well.
(2-2,Freepowder) Must be nice to live on the ground so to speak ,less 
the economy, tho <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>It's my  belief that the  Oghams carved upon  
sticks                  have long since disintergrated.
(2-13,DRUID) They are weather  beaten, but you  can still make them  
out.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) BTW  They did  find some  Standing stones  in this  
country 
                 with Oghams upon them!<G>
(2-13,DRUID)     Yes i would agree, however these are stone, 
                 tall about 4 feet.
(2-2,Freepowder) OD> really?! where?
(2-13,DRUID)     I do not think so.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <=====looking in reference right now
(2-13,DRUID) On  an island  in northern  England,  the name  of the  
island escapes me,
(2-2,Freepowder) and don't say L.A.!
(2-2,Freepowder) the ones in the US, Druid
(2-13,DRUID) but i  could go look  it up if  you want.  I also have  
pictures of them.
(2-2,Freepowder) they have some in Ireland yet don't they?
(2-13,DRUID)     say it is highly possible.
(2-2,Freepowder) where  did  the  'key' to  the  oghams  come from,  
culdeans?
(2-13,DRUID) I have  that information, i  would need  to refresh me  
memory, but it was from the old Ogham alphabet, and religion.
(2-2,Freepowder) seems to me I read about some, in the south I think, 
no, ulster?
(2-13,DRUID)     from the old Ogham alphabet, and religion.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Druid>the  reference is "America  BC" by Professor  
Barry Fell
(2-13,DRUID)  Does  it  actualy  say   there  are  stones  in  this   
country.?
(2-2,Freepowder) well, yes but how did  the info survive, i.e. what  
was the 'rosetta stone' for oghams
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) FP>The key came out of the Book of Ballymote
(2-2,Freepowder) OD, Culdeans? or other?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>I was looking at a reference to a reference.
                 FP>Culdeans.
(2-13,DRUID)     Would you care to have me go and hunt up the info
(2-13,DRUID)     on what island it was.?
(2-2,Freepowder) no not online Druid <G>
(2-2,Freepowder) and where are the ones in the US?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Actual refernce was Celtic Gods Celtic Goddesses 
                 by R. J. Stewart
(2-2,Freepowder) post a msg at your convience <G>
(2-13,DRUID) Ok  i will  try to  join  next week  with the  info at  
hand.
(2-2,Freepowder) cool!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) great !!! Go raibh maith agat!
(2-13,DRUID)     I spent a month in Ireland & England last year doing
(2-13,DRUID) a  systematic search  of the  old  Pagan &  Druid Holy  
sites.
(2-2,Freepowder) WOW!
(2-2,Freepowder) <turning green>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>Pick up any strange sensations or Power?
(2-13,DRUID)     Got to join in a Autumn EQ. in the Catacombs of
(2-13,DRUID)     Clonigal Castle with Oliva Robertson. It was
(2-13,DRUID)     real intense.
(2-13,DRUID)     That was where i joined the FOI.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID> Is the FOI based upon Crowley's work?
                 What is it based upon?
(2-13,DRUID) Is  it  too  late  in the  course  to  join  and still  
benifit.?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) We are only scartching the surface
                 We still have a lot of "Works" to cover.
(2-13,DRUID)     No it is an open organization, all forms of religion 
                 are welcome.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Like "Making:, and "Dragon's Eye" and The Three Rays
(2-2,Freepowder) BTW, have you seen a little book called 'Irish Earth 
Folk' by Diarmuid Mac Manus, Devin Adair Co. 1959?
(2-13,DRUID)     Good, is there a listing of dates in the LIB.?
(2-13,DRUID) I  dont recall,  however  i went  thru a  lot  of used  
book
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>The Workshops have been uploaded into library 
16
(2-13,DRUID)     stores while i was over there.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) as CLTWS1.TXT TO CLTWS4.TXT
(2-13,DRUID) I  will try  and join  in next  week after  i download  
the List.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) CLTWS5.TXT should go in the nextfew days. In it we 
mention additional topics of discussion.
(2-2,Freepowder) and the tree list <G>
(2-13,DRUID)     Tree list?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) The list is in CLTWS5.TXT
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Druid>I'm generatiog a tree cross reference between
(2-2,Freepowder) a correspondence between  Irish trees and american  
trees
(2-13,DRUID)  I   run  a   Pagan   Based  BBS   called   Echo's  of   
Enchantments.
                 European/American/Eastern/Westen types of trees.
(2-2,Freepowder) where?
(2-13,DRUID)     Its been up for about five years.
(2-13,DRUID)     Here in southere Cal.
(2-2,Freepowder) Where in SoCal? <G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>ever yack with the ADF types?
(2-13,DRUID)  I  also   teach  Wicca   at  a   shop  in  LongBeach.   
O'Dubhain, I was impressed with your list of credits in the who's who 
list.  Congrat's for all your effort.
(2-13,DRUID)     Boy i need to type better.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>Thanks!<VBG> 
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======Thinks Magickal greats can't type!:)
(2-2,Freepowder) Druid> I'm going to play my whistle for some trees 
   and   see   what    happens(probably   get   sucked   into    Faerey   
and you'll never me again)
(2-13,DRUID)     Well better go will grab the files and jump out.
(2-2,Freepowder) Boy, I must be *really* magickal!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) FP>Better ground and center first<g>.
(2-13,DRUID)     Thanks for the time. Blessed Be! to all. Bye..
(2-2,Freepowder) still trying to work that out! <G>
(2-2,Freepowder) Slan leat Druid!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Or at least have a safety line!<G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) DRUID>Beannacht leat!
(2-2,Freepowder) now what is that?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) hey hey hey!
(2-2,Freepowder) a safety line?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======would  like to  conjure up  a room  full of  
DRUIDS!
(2-2,Freepowder) really!
(2-2,Freepowder) wonder where they all are?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) didn't you say that you were gonna play your whistle 
                 to the trees?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Fairies like music.
(2-2,Freepowder) I did do  a kind of minor  healing thing the other  
night 
                 on myself, worked!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) and We Celts are a real pushover!<G>
(2-2,Freepowder) cold much better today
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) good
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <======Hopes you took my advice to heart.
(2-2,Freepowder) yeah,  that thought  you had  a while  back really  
intrigues me.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Which one?
(2-2,Freepowder) yes, got modern magick, celtic magick (conway) 
                 >the one about playing ...
(2-2,Freepowder) music for trees to see what happens.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I think you'll get a response.
(2-2,Freepowder) have a Modesto ash in the back yard, gotta be kin to 
                 the irish ash, right?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) right!!
                 And that's a great Faery tree.
(2-2,Freepowder) BTW how come I don't see mulberry trees anywhere 
                 in those lists?<G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Faeries love Oak ASh and Thorn trees.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Shhhh!!!
(2-2,Freepowder) that book,Irish earth folk  talks about those, and  
...
(2-2,Freepowder) puca's
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Secret inner initiate stuff!:)
(2-2,Freepowder) yeah, right! lol
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) ROFL!
                 pucas!!! 
(2-2,Freepowder) will you be doing a full moon rit online the 27th?
(2-2,Freepowder) puca's, mostly dogs
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <=====Thinks Sasquatch is a Puca!
(2-2,Freepowder) LOL! might could be!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) We are doing a Spring Equinox thing in Religion on 
Wed
(2-2,Freepowder) open to the pub?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Think about it....Pucas and Sasquatch got a lot in  
common.
(2-2,Freepowder) <fishing for invitation>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) FP>Sure is... the Cyber Coven HPS was here a while 
ago 
                 advertising it!<G>
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Please come along with me
(2-2,Freepowder) yeah, but aren't pucas mostly horses and dogs 
                 and 4 legged in general?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) They can take any animal form.
(2-2,Freepowder) Super!
(2-2,Freepowder) what time?
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) It's at 10 PM EST in CO 8 over in the Religion Forum
                 On Wed Nite.
(2-2,Freepowder) ok!

<At this point DRUID rejoined us with some additional Information.>
(2-13,DRUID)     The island in nothern England was IONA...
(2-2,Freepowder) yeah, but I've read Llewellen, and she's no McAvoy!
(2-13,DRUID)     However the largest gathering of stones we saw
(2-2,Freepowder) that was one of the last outposts of the Druids 
                 during the roman times,
(2-13,DRUID) were in  fact in  Ireland on  the island  on Valentia,  
in
(2-13,DRUID)     northern ireland.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Did you write down the inscriptions?
(2-2,Freepowder) last retreat during the reign of Caradoc & Bodiciea
(2-13,DRUID) No,... it  was hand to  read, however i  did make some  
video, and stills
(2-13,DRUID) could look  them over  real well,  or have  them blown  
up.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <====remembers the tale "How the Tain was Recovered"
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) <==== two young Druids found the stone over Fergus  
MacRoy's grave "summoned" him and listened to his Shade
                 recite the TAin for 3 days!<G>
(2-13,DRUID)  Next  week  will  try  and  give  a  discription  and   
directions to the stones.
(2-2,Freepowder) Slan leat aDhruid!
(2-13,DRUID)     Later.
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) Slan!
(2-13,DRUID)     bye..
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) I'm gonna bag it too FP!
(2-2,Freepowder) ok, Slan leat! and thanks!
(2-6,O'Dubhain ) TA failte romhat!<G>

    "Celtic    Workshop    #6    -    Dindsenchas,    Totems    and     
Transmigration"
     
This  is   a   transcript   of   the   sixth   Celtic   Workshop  -   
Dindsenchas,Totems and Transmigration. The purpose of this Workshop  
was to investigate  the Celtic Inner  Spirit by  looking at beliefs  
about the Land,  the Family, the  Spirit and the  Soul. The stories  
about name origins as well as the practice of having totemic beasts 
seemed to  be  a  good  place to  start.  I  also  hoped  that such  
investigations would  give added  meaning to  understanding Druidic  
concepts of Being.

Before I begin  let me say  a few words  about how  the Workshop is  
conducted. We will first hear from a presenter, tonight that is me. 
If you have a  question type in a  ? and I  will acknowledge you by  
typing "ga" at  and appropriate time.  When you  have finished your  
question type "ga" to let  me know that I may  respond. When we are  
finished I will acknowledge the next questioner in a similar manner. 
If you have  a comment  or additional  information to provide  on a  
topic, please use the "!"  to signal me. I  will also cycle through  
those with comments in a similar manner. If their are no questions at 
this point I will begin tonight's
presentation.
 
(2-21,O'Dubh)   The Subject of tonight's Celtic Workshop
          is:
                Dindsenchas, Totemic Animals and 
                Transmigration of the Soul.
           
During the previous Workshop, we  studied the Celtic Otherworld and  
their God/desses. We saw  how Existence was  divided into a Higher,  
Middle and Underworld reality. The Spirit of the Celt would be tied 
to and  migrate  between  these various  worlds.  A  celt  was very  
connected to the land as well as having a strong belief in his "code 
of conduct'" and the  immortality of his  Being. Tonight's Workshop  
will attempt to  clarify how A  Celt arrived at  these strong inner  
concepts of connection to  his family, his Land  and his Eternal or  
Spirit life. In order to understand the Celtic Spirit, one must know 
the Dinseanchas,  the Totemic  Animals and  the Druidic  concept of  
Transmigration of the Soul.
 
(2-21,O'Dubh)  The  first   topic  to   be  covered   will  be  the   
Dinseanchas.
 
          Dinseanchas or "Place Name Stories"
 
The Dinseanchas or "Place Name Stories" are among the earliest tales 
of Ireland. This tract gives the etymology of the names of several of 
the more well known places of Erinn. The first such "place name" that 
we will discuss is  the origin of the  Names "Meath" and "Uisnech".  
These two  locations are  tied  into the  history of  the  Kings of  
Ireland. Meath is the "fifth" division of Ireland set aside for the 
Ard Reis to rule and 
Uisnech is the hill that represents the Spiritual center of Ireland. 

(2-21,O'Dubh)   This is the story of Uisnech:
 
"After the  Tuatha de  Dannans had  been conquered  by the  Sons of  
Milesius (Mileseans), Midhe the son of Brath, son of Detha, was the 
first to light a  fire in all  of Erinn. This  fire burned upon his  
hilltop for seven years and all the  fires of the land were lighted  
using this fire. Midhe and his clan were entitled to a sack of corn 
and a  pig  from every  house  in  Erinn each  year  in  return for  
maintaining this fire. Naturally the Druids were envious of this fact 
and they met together to conspire against Midhe and his clan. Midhe 
discovered the plot and attacked the Druid conclave, cutting out the 
tongues of the Druids so they could not speak against him. He buried 
these tongues in the earth  and sat upon the  spot while his mother  
exclaimed that it was "proudly" or "Uaisnech" you sit up there this 
night! This then is the derivation of the name of the hill, Uisnech  
and of the province of Meath "Midhe". BTW Uisnech is pronounced "ISH 
nuk".
 
Uisnech is the site also  of the "Well of  Life" where twelve major  
Magickal rivers flow forth  from the Underworld.  Could this be the  
Magick of the Druids tongues?
(2-10,Adam)     ?
(2-21,O'Dubh)   Yes Adam? ga
(2-8,O'Ba'n)    !
(2-8,O'Ba'n)    I've never heard this story
(2-21,O'Dubh)   Ok O'Ba'n a question?
(2-8,O'Ba'n)    GA
(2-21,O'Dubh)   This story is from the ancient Irish Writings. 
     You can find it in "A Celtic Reader" by John Matthews  It's 
source is from Eugene O'Curry
(2-8,O'Ba'n) GA
(2-21,O'Dubh)   ok
(2-21,O'Dubh)   Here is a story of the origins of the name "Tara":
 
"Another significant hill is Tara. This  hill had it's name changed  
five times. It was  first called Druim  Descuin or "the Conspicuous  
Hill", next it  was Liath Druim  after a Firbolg  chieftain who was  
first to clear it of  woods. The third name for  the hill was Druim  
Cain "the Beautiful Hill", then Cathar Crofinn, and finally Teamair  
(Anglicized Tara) from the name Te'a the  wife of Eremon the son of  
Milesius."
 
This story gives  us a mini  history of Ireland,  from the original  
names of the  hill through the  names ascribed  to various invading  
tribes until we see the name that it retains to this day "Tara". BTW 
this name is pronounced "CHOW irr" in Gaeilge.
 
(2-21,O'Dubh)  Another  Dindseanchas  is   the  story  of  Lughaidh   
Delbaeth "the  fire-producer",  a Dalcasian  Druid.  "Lugaid  had a  
considerable amount of land, while the husband of his daughter, Trad, 
though a king, had little land and a large family. Trad asked Lugaid 
for an  oracle to  find out  how  he could  gain more  land. Lugaid  
consulted his oracles and announced that if Trad would ask any man on 
that day to surrender his lands, that man would be bound to comply.  
Trad then asked Lugaid to surrender  his lands which he did. Lugaid  
took his six sons with him across the Shannon river where he started 
a fire by means of his Druid 
Power. This  fire had  five streams  issuing from  it. Each  of the  
eldest five sons  followed these  flames to  the site of  their new  
lands. Lugaid
remained behind with his youngest son, Nos, and eventually dies and  
was buried next  to a  lake, near to  Carn Fiacha  (now called Loch  
Lugh-phorta
or the Lake of Lugaid)."
 
(2-21,O'Dubh)   This story is important for a few reasons: 
 
  1.   It  is   an   instance  of   the  use   of   Druid  Magick   to   
create fire.
 
  2.   It   shows   the   the   use   of   oracles  to   determine   a   
course of action.
 
   3.   It    demonstrates   the    sanctity   of    one's   word    of   
honor.
 
  4.   It   shows   the  derivation   of   several   place  names   as   
well as the  family name of  "Devlin" (from  Dealbhna, derived from  
Debaeth).
 
A story of this sort  was used to establish  place names, to derive  
family traditions, to  demonstrate morality,  to show  the worth of  
cunning and integrity. It is also a good example of Druidic Powers. 
it was  from a  large wealth  and  variety of  such tales  that our  
ancestors remembered their past and learned their code of living.
 
(2-21,O'Dubh) This serves  a similar  function to  the new  book by  
William Bennett.....can't recall the title. But I think it's on the  
best seller list right now....anyone  know the book? Something like  
the Book of......?
(2-21,O'Dubh)   O'Ba'n ?  ah well continuing onward!<G>
(2-8,O'Ba'n)    dunno <G>
(2-4,Nan)       the book of o'ban????!!!! <vbg>
(2-21,O'Dubh)   I'll find the name and insert it!  Nan!!!!LOL!
(2-8,O'Ba'n)    great writer ain't I?
(2-10,Adam)     <g>
(2-21,O'Dubh) The next  topic to be  discussed will  be the Totemic  
Animals.
 
            "Celtic Totem Animals"
 
Celts and Druids held the belief that  each person and family had a  
special relationship with animals and animal Spirit Beings that were 
sacred to  ech  clan.  This belief  is  what  Patricia  Kennealy is  
referring
to in  her book  "Strange  Days, My  Life With  Jim  Morrison". MS.  
Kennealy is a member of an ancient clan of Irish "Wolf Shamans" whose 
tradition states that they are the Magickal leaders of their people. 
This association of  Spirit Animals or  "Totems" is  based upon the  
ancient Celtic belief that all life is related, the Land, the waters, 
the spirits of a place,  the trees, the flora  and the animals that  
they lived with  side by  side. Many  ancient stories tell  how the  
Druids could  "shapeshift"  into  animal  form  to  escape  or work  
Magick. To know your Inner Celtic Spirit, you must know your clan and 
your personal Spirit Animal.
 
(2-25,Denise H) I am here at last :)
(2-21,O'Dubh)   The following animals appear throughout Celtic tales
and Magick:
 
          The Salmon (Brionnfhionn)
 
This is the fish of  All Wisdom. It lives in  the depths of the Sea  
from which  all life  springs.  It is  said to  acquire  it's great  
knowledge from 
eating the  Nine  Hazels  of  Wisdom that  fall  from  the  Tree of  
Knowledge. This  fish was  said to  be among  the oldest  of living  
creatures. The great
Hero and Druid Fionn mac Cumhail  gained his wisdom by touching his  
thumb to a salmon that he was cooking for the Druid Fintan.
           
          The Deer or Stag (Abhach, Sailetheach)
 
The deer was said to be a fairy creature that could pass between the 
world's. This was  especially true for  a white  deer. Fionn's wife  
Sabha became a deer when she went to the Otherworld. Beautiful women 
frequently became deer in many tales while fleeing from hunters. The 
Druid Tuan mac  Carill is  the sole  survivor of  a group  of early  
Partholanian Irish settlers. He lives at  first as a wildman of the  
woods  eventually  becoming  a   stag,  an  eagle,   a  salmon  and   
eventually is reincarnated as himself at  a much later date to give  
the ancient history of Ireland to the more recent settlers.
 
          The Horse (Cab-all)
 
The horse was  one of  the most important  animals to  the Celts. A  
mare is  ritually symbolically  mated by  the King  in the  Rite of  
Sovereignty. White horses  are also mystical  beings. It  is a pale  
horse that is ridden by Gwynn ap Nudd the Master of the Wild Hunt in 
Wales while gathering souls. A huge horse shape is sculpted into the 
hills of Wiltshire called White Horse  Hill. This animal is another  
guide to the Otherworld.
 
          The Hawk (Seg or Aracos)

The most famous  Hawk is  the Hawk  of Achill  that can  riddle and  
discuss with the Druidic poet Fintan. This animal is also as old as  
time and
another storehouse of great knowledge.
 
          The Blackbird (Druid-dhubh)
 
This is yet another animal that can freely pass into the Otherworld. 
It is associated with the Druids and the Goddess Rhiannon. This bird 
has mystical arts and can sing one  into a trancelike state. It can  
give one access to the Magick of the Otherworld and is an excellent  
familiar. This is not the Crow or Raven but a songbird.
 
          The Hound/the Dog (Abach)
 
This is an  animal of  the hunt  and is frequently  associated with  
humanlike intelligence. The hounds  of Fionn mac  Cumhail, Bran and  
Sgeolainn, are actually transformed humans,  The Cwn Annwn, are the  
Gabriel hounds that accompany Gwynn ap Nudd during the Wild Hunt as 
well as guarding the gates to the Underworld or Annwn the kingdom of 
the God of the Dead, Arawn. Cuchulain the Champion of Ulster gets his 
name from replacing the Hound of Cuchul that he kills. He is called  
the "Hound
of Ulster" from this event. The hound is also his totem animal.
 
(2-21,O'Dubh)   <a slight pause>

There are many other Magickal totemic  animals in Celtic Magick and  
history: the Eagle (Iolair), Crow (Badb), Raven (Bran), Sow (Airc),  
Boar (Bacrie), Cat  (Caoit), Otter  (Balgair), Bear  (Arth), Badger  
(Breach) and the Eel (As-chu).
 
The Dragon is another mighty Magical animal that appears in British  
and Welsh stories. It is, of course, a creature of fire but is also 
related
to the Power of the Land. Another word for Ley Lines is Dragon Lines. 
Another name for raising Power is to invoke the "Eye of the Dragon". 
The whole Earth was viewed by the Druids as the body of the Dragon. 
Menhirs and stone  Circles were located  at great  Power nodes. The  
Celts called Dragons "Fire Drakes".
 
(2-21,O'Dubh) The importance  of these animals  is in  their use as  
Spirit Guides  in the  Otherworld and  their aid  as a  familiar in  
working Magick. To  find your  totemic animal  will require  you to  
experience a
shamanistivc trance. This is usually accomplished by "drumming" and  
meditation. (You'll need  someone to drum  or a  "drumming tape" to  
allow yourself a chance to really meditate). Open youself up to the 
God of the  Hunt as  you meditate  upon the  Tree of  Life. He will  
come to you while you are in trance (usually after 10 to 40 minutes 
of drumming). Your
totem animal will  apear running  from the  Great Forest.  When the  
animal appears, let its essence fill  you. Become your totem. Dance  
its dance and sing  its song until  you are one  in the Spirit. You  
should repeat this  ritual as  often as  necessary to have  a close  
rapport with your Spirit Animal guide. Much of what you are told and 
given will be from
the perspective of the  Animal and will  be difficult to understand  
unless you are truly One with it.  

(2-4,Nan) does  one  usually only  have  a single  totem  animal or  
is 
it possible to have more than one? ga
(2-21,O'Dubh) It's possible to  have more than  one. You might have  
a clan totem as well as a personal totem animal.

(2-21,O'Dubh)  Ok   I   have   one  more   topic   to   cover  "The   
Transmigration of the Soul"
 
I would like to start this  discussion by quoting an ancient Celtic  
Culdean verse:
 
               "Out of a Timeless World
               Shadows fall upon time.
               From a beauty older than earth
               A ladder the soul may climb.
               I climb by Fionn's Stair
               To a whiteness older than time."
           
The above verse  is referring  to Aradach  Fionn, a listing  of the  
Oghams. Each rung of the ladder or stair represents a lesson learned 
or a new life of continuing perfection. Such a series of lessons and 
rebirths  are  a  manifestation  of  the  Druidic  concept  of  the   
Tramsmigration of the Soul.
           
          A few quotes about Druids:
 
"The principal point  of their teaching  is that the  soul does not  
perish, and that after death it passes from one body into another." 
.....Julius Caesar.
 
"Among them the doctrine of Pythagoras prevails, according to which  
the souls of men are immortal, and after a fixed term recommence to  
live, taking upon themselves a new body."....Diodorus
 
According to some sources, this transmigration of the soul was done  
in an upward fashion, with each incarnation bringing the Being closer 
to the True Spirit.  According to others,  we are reincarnated into  
future lives of  our progeny...thus Mongan  is The  Spirit of Fionn  
reincarnated in the Seventh  Century CE (Fionn  himself was said to  
be Cumhail reincarnated). As we have seen previously, the Spirit of  
Tuan mac Carill is reincarnated several times as a variety of animals 
until he is reborn
in the sixth century and relates his history of Ireland from the time 
of Partholan forward, St. Finnen is the Irish monk to whom the story 
was
related. This story was eventually recorded in the Eleventh century  
manuscript, "The Book of the Dun Cow". No record exists to indicate 
that
the Druids believed in "karma", duality  (as seen in the concept of  
"good and  evil"), original  sin  (actually they  believed  man was  
inheritly good), nor a heaven and hell afterlife.
 
Where did one's soul reside then ? Many stories were told and written 
of the Otherworlds  that awaited  the Spirit  between incarnations,  
These 
stories are called immrama or  "wonder voyages" and usually involve  
taking ship to a Magickal Isle. The voyages of Bran and St. Brendan 
generally fit into these catagories.
           
When one arrives at an Otherworldly island, time can pass extremely  
slowly compared to the Physical world. Oisin the son of Fionn went to 
such a faery world for a few days only. When he returned for a visit 
upon one of  those Magickal White  Horses, he  discovered that many  
hundreds of years had passsed. Although he had been cautioned not to 
dismount during his visit, he did so and was immediately transformed 
into an extremely elderly  man. St. Patrick was  brought to him and  
heard his many stories of  the exploits of Fionn  and the Fianna as  
well as the 
lands of Tir na Og. Oisin was eventualy rescued by his Sidhe princess 
and returned to the Land of Eternal  Youth. Some of the other Lands  
are called:
 
               Tir fo Thuinn - Land under the Wave.
               Tir na mBan   - Land of Women.
               Tir na mBeo   - Land of Life.
 
These four Tirs or lands make  up the Celtic Underworld where Souls  
reside until reborn. There are also Plains above that are generally  
the habitations of the Gods.
          Thes are:
               Sen Magh      - Old Plain
               Magh Argetal  - Plain of Silver Clouds
               Magh Mell     - Plain of Delight
               Magh Ionganaidh - Plain of Wonder
          
The Irish Celts felt that the Being had the following attributes or 
divisions:
           
               Delph         - The appearance or Outer form
               Duile         - The Body Elements 
                         (flesh, bone, blood, etc)
               Ana'l         - The breath or anima
               Menma         - The Mind and the Will
               Cuimhne       - The Memory
               Fein          - The Self
               Pu'ca         - The shape-shifting Shadow
               Enaid         - The Soul.
 
I would like to finish my remarks on Reincarnation and Transmigration 
with another ancient verse. This verse is from the Fifth Century CE 
and is the translation by Kuno Meyer:
 
               "I invoke the seven daughters of the sea
               Who fashion the threads of the sons of 
               long life.
               May three deaths be taken from me!
               May seven waves of good fortune be dealt to me!
               May no evil spirits harm me on my circuit!
               In flashing corslet without hindrance!
               May my fame not perish!
               May old age come to me, may death not come 
               to me until I am old!"
 
               "I invoke Senach of the seven periods of time,
               Whom fairy women have reared on the breasts 
               of plenty.
               May my seven candles not be extinguished!
               I am an indestructable stronghold.
               I am an unshaken rock.
               I am a precious stone.
               I am the luck of the week.
               May I live a hundred times a hundred years.
               Each hundred of them apart!
               I summon their boons to me.
               May the grace of the Holy Spirit be upon me!"
 
That's the Celtic  view of  life! To live  but to  have variety and  
passion, while reincarnating over and over!<G>

                         Celtic Workshop #7 

 "In Between Times and Places", "Need Fires" or Days of Imbalance,
        Portals, Dolmens, Passage Graves and Stone Circles"

Tonight the Magickal nature of "In Between Times and Places" will be 
discussed and  examples will  be given  for  their use  in Magickal  
"workings". The Druidic concept of "imbalance" in Magickal workings  
will be introduced and  discussed. The nature and  use of the stone  
megalithic sites will also be presented and discussed.

Tonight we undertake  a journey to  the lands that  are between the  
worlds. This is the  same place where anything  can happen that Rod  
Serling referred to as the "Twilight Zone". The ancient Celts sought 
out this Magickal place to aid their Magickal Power and to seek the  
Otherworld. Before we can  undertake this journey  of the Spirit as  
well as  the Mind,  a  brief review  and synopsis  of  our previous  
discussions on the Celtic Otherworld and Magick are in order. 

                   "In Between Times and Places"

As we noted  previously, the  Celts believed  that Reality actually  
consisted of multiple worlds. As a minimum, they believed there was a 
World of  the Stars  or Gods,  a  Middle World  (the Earth)  and an  
Underworld. All these worlds were connected in some way, with events 
and Magicks from one affecting events occuring in a different world.
The Celts believed that these Worlds  were closer at certain times.  
These are the "In Between  Times" that we are  going to speak about  
tonight. It should  also be no  surprise that the  Celts and Druids  
practiced  their  most  important  Magicks  during  such  times  of   
transition as  the sunrise,  sunset,the  moonrise, moonset  and the  
transitions of the seasons (Beltaine and Samhain) and the extremes of 
the Sun (Mid-Winter and Mid-Summer)  or the great "Fire Festivals".  
Later during our discussions of stone circles and passage graves we  
shall see one way that this desire to do Magick at the optimal times 
was possibly implemented.

                "The Magickal Laws of Druidic Power"

Celtic tales of Magick are filled with events that are linked to "in 
between states". This could be a mysterious  fog, a time of dusk or  
next to the edge of water. All of these conditions have one state in 
common, they  represent  imbalance.  Any  student  of  the physical  
sciences can tell you, that all forces can be resolved into the sum  
total of the  individual forces.  One of  the factors that  must be  
overcome when moving anything  is inertia. During  times of change,  
when imbalance occurs naturally,  is the time  chosen by Druids for  
their  Magicks.  This  is  and  example  of  the  Law  of  Magickal   
Association, the Law of Similarity and the Law of Contagion as stated 
by Issac Bonewits in his  book "Real Magick". Here  is a listing of  
those three laws of Magick:

         Law of Association.

If two things  have anything  in common that  thing can  be used to  
control both,  and  they have  a  mutual influence  on  each other,  
depending on the size  of the thing  shared. The more  they have in  
common, the more they influence each other.

         Law of Similarity.

This is the  basis of "Sympathetic"  magic and  basically says that  
effects resembles causes. "Lookalikes are alike".

         Law of Contagion.

It states  that once  things come  into  contact, they  continue to  
interact after separation. "Power is contagious".

These three Laws  of Magick  basically say that  if you  want to do  
Magick pick a time when Magick occurs that is similar to the kind of 
Magick that you want to accomplish.  There is a very similar belief  
held by modern Wiccans. Wiccans  normally do creative or "positive"  
magick when the Moon  is in its waxing  phases. Banishing or "dark"  
Magick is done during the waning phases of the Moon. Druidic Magick 
took advantage of the times when the Sun or Moon "touched" the Earth 
(Sun/Moon rise/set). At such  a time, some of  the Power inherit to  
these heavenly  deities could  be "borrowed".  This  is the  Law of  
Contagion at  work.  At  Sunrise  and  Sunset  is  when  the  mists  
"Magickally" appear, making fog or mists a time of Magickal workings. 
The area of transition between states of matter such as the edge of a 
river or lake was also thought to be a Magickal location. This could 
have been due to the belief that all knowledge flowed forth from the 
Well of Segais  or Conla's  Well but I  believe it  is more closely  
associated with the belief that where different worlds met was also a 
place where  entry to  the Otherworld  was  the easiest.  This also  
explains why they  favored divination  by the  edge of  water. Fire  
scrying is another example  of this "Magick"  in transition states.  
Fire is the ultimate transitory state of matter and leads us to the  
next  topic of discussion, "Need Fires" and "Days of Imbalance".

                        "Days of Imbalance"
As you will recall, another time of greatest imbalance was when the 
change of the  seasons and  the extremes  of the  Sun. This  is, of  
course, Beltaine, Samhain, Mid-Winter's and Mid-Summer's Solstices.  
Great fires were kindled during these festivals for two reasons: To  
encourage and  enhance  the  energies  of  the  Sun  and to  create  
conditions favorable to Tramsmutation of Power.

These "need fires" were used to scry, to purify and to sacrifice as  
well. Animals and other offerings were  cast into the flames. As we  
have seen in  a previous Workshop,  cattle were  driven between the  
fires and
youths  engaged  in  jumping  through  the  flames.  (It  has  been   
conjectured that this practice of flame  jumping had its origins in  
earlier practices of human sacrifice. I  personally have not seen a  
single valid reference to Druidic human sacrifices.) The thought was 
also held that "like attracts like", so that the Power of the flames 
would also attract the Magickal Power of the Sun.

Being periods of imbalance,  the Druids also  took advantage of the  
flows of power to perform divinations. These great fires also served 
to signal the Power of the Druids to all people, as well as to unify 
their control over the minds of the Celtic nations.

                "The Otherworld, Portals and Domans"

Although the Celts  did not  build the  megalithic structures found  
within their  lands, they  were  certainly aware  of  them. Without  
exception these monuments were attributed to the God/dessess, heroes 
and/or to the Tuatha de Dannan. The many dolmens were thought to be  
passage ways or  portals to  the Otherworld.  Many myths  and tales  
surround trips made to and  from the realm of  the Sidhe by passing  
through a dolmen archway when the  Moon was full. Modern archeology  
has determined  that these  dolmens  are actually  neolithic burial  
sites.

            "Bru'gh na Bo'inne (Newgrange)"

One of the oldest structures in the Western world is found in Ireland 
upon the banks of the Boyne river. This is the Bru'gh na Bo'inne, the 
burial place of Irish kings and the legendary palce of the Dagdha and 
Angus mac Og. The area is also known, in English, as New Grange. This 
structure was erected by the original inhabitants of the land around 
3500 BC, predating Stonehenge and being contemporary with the Sphinx 
and the Pyramids  of Egypt.  The structure  was covered  with white  
stones in ancient times and would "shine' in the Sun when seen from  
great distances. This is very similar  to the way the Great Pyramid  
was also described when  seen in the  sunlight with it's reflective  
coating.

Many ancient  Irish  legends  and tales  are  associated  with this  
structure and the passage of time. Most of these tales are about time 
standing still  or seeming  to pass  without notice.  Their stories  
center around Angus mac Og (the Young God), his birth in a day, his 
attaining the ownership of the  Bruig for "only a  day and a night"  
(lasting forever  in endless  cycles), and  his arrangement  of his  
foster father Midir's marriage to Etain (who is the subject of many 
stories of shapeshifting and transformation). 


                  "Spirals, Symbols and Carvings"

This theme of timeless days and transformation is very important when 
one considers that one possible use of this structure was the taking 
of shamanistic journeys. (Angus himself was visited by an aisling or 
"dream woman" who played for him  upon a timpan and eventually they  
are transformed into white birds of enchantment).

Martin Brennan, an Irish-American, was the first person to note the  
relationship between the carvings at New Grange and the rays of the 
Sun. Using the discoveries of  Brennan and our previous information  
about Celtic Shamanism,  I am  going to  suggest that  the interior  
chambers of this structure were used for shamanistic ceremonies and  
journeys.

Let me describe  the geometry  of Bru'gh  na Bo'inne that  a Draoi'  
priest might have  encountered when  appraoching the  structure for  
religious/Magickal ceremonies. The first thing that would be noticed 
is a brillant white bowl or hemisphere shining amidst a sea of green. 
This mound is surrounded by 97 kerbstones and the entire structure is 
then encircled by a ring  of standing stones. At  the entrance is a  
stone that one walks around to enter the inner chambers. This stone 
is covered with spirals  that have been carved  into the stone. The  
stone is  divided by  a line  that is  aligned with  the Mid-Winter  
Sunrise, the right hand spirals being counter clockwise (tuathal or  
widdershins) and the left hand spirals going clockwise (deosil). This 
is exactly the  same type  of path through  the sky  that one would  
observe for the sun during the year. (In fact, if you take a lens and 
focus the Sun's light on a board and leave it in place for a year, a 
track will burned upon the board  in the shape of an interconnected  
double spiral.  This experiment  was done  in  the early  1970's by  
American artist Charles Ross.) The entrace to the interior chambers, 
beyond the entrance  stone, is 70  meters in length.  One must pass  
beneath three large stones  that are thought to  be symbolic of the  
Celtic Cosmology, the Sky World, the Middle World and the Underworld. 
Once past this Otherworldly entrance, one encounters a large chamber 
with four  smaller  side chambers  that  are oriented  to  the four  
cardinal directions (North, South, East  and West). The inner walls  
are covered with spirals and symbols,  among them is an eight-rayed  
sun symbol (depicted within  a circle). This symbol  as well as the  
rest are selectively  illuminated by  the Sun's  entrance through a  
small hole  in  the  roof  box that  is  oriented  directly  to the  
Mid-Winter sunrise. A finger of light would shine within the chamber 
to illuminate the carvings, shining in golden flecks upon the chamber 
walls. Within the  main chamber  were great  stone bowls  that were  
possibly filed with water and arranged to further enhance the solar  
display within  by  acting  as  mirrors.  The  seemingly hap-hazard  
arrangement of carvings upon the walls are organized and transformed 
by the rays of the Sun.

             "A Night with Angus mac Og"

Now that the  stage is set,  imagine yourself to  be a  seer of the  
fourth millenia BC. You have fasted for days and have spent the long 
dark night of  Mid-Winter meditating  within the  inner chambers of  
Angus mac Og. You  have performed your rituals  you have attained a  
trance-like state and you await the rising of the Sun, the new God of 
Light to return to the world.  What far journeys or estatic visions  
will be triggered within  your Sacred Space by  the new Sun's first  
rays? A sudden thin ray of white light pierces the blackness of the  
inner chamber with  an illuminating shower  of images  as the inner  
darkness explodes! Your mind reflects the brilliance of the new born 
Sun as your inner consciousness expands into infinity! Your brothers 
and sisters would follow the dark  shadow the standing stone to the  
carn's entrance to find you and the inner chamber reborn within the 
rebirth of the Mid-Winter Sunrise! What stories you could tell! What 
prophecies you could make! I sometimes think that Bru'gh na Bo'inne  
is really the Hyperborean " ...temple of the Sun..." mentioned by the 
ancient Greek writers, rather than Stonehenge. 

                   "The Land of the Hyperboreans"

Perhaps the British Isles are the  Islands of the Hperboreans after  
all? Where else is  found such a system  of large scale, megalithic  
structures all centered around the Sun  and the Otherworld? One has  
only to step within any of these raths to be transported to another  
time or another age. Bru'gh na Bo'inne  is only one among many such  
locations. Three great mounds exist in this area of the Boyne river, 
New Grange is the most elaborate but the nearby mounds of Dowth and  
Knowth are also fascinating. Dowth is  oriented to receive the rays  
of the setting Sun on Mid-Winter while Knowth has two passages and is 
oriented to  receive the  rays  of the  Equinoxes.  These chambered  
passages are not limited  to Ireland, but  are found throughout the  
British Isles and even in Brittany. Two noteable sites are located at 
Maes Howe in  the Orkney Islands  and at Gavrinis  in Brittany. The  
interaction of carvings and site orientation is also wide spread and 
not limited to just the  rays of the Sun. Many  sites also used the  
beams of the  Moon to  illuminate passages  and special formations.  
Although these sites  could be called  observatories by  those of a  
purely scientific viewpoint, that would be in direct contradiction to 
the aims and worldviews of their  creators. To fully appreciate the  
beauty, majesty and wonder of these Magick sites, requires us to use 
our entire mind.  Perhaps we  should now  consider the  other great  
location that has equal claim to being the Hyperborean Temple of the 
Sun?  That location is called Stonehenge.

                           "Faery Rings"

Who has nor heard of the mysterious lights that are seen within faery 
rings when the Sidhe  dance within the Moon  ways? Such lights have  
also been observed within Magickal Circles constructed by Wiccans and 
modern day Ceremonial Magicians. The crop circle phenomena has also  
been associated  with  light  displays  and  formations.  All these  
phenomena have been reported and seen by reliable witnesses (although 
, as with all such events, there have been cases of fraud as well). 
The fact is that such circlular formations have all been associated  
with light  displays  and  other unexplained  phenomena.  It  is no  
coincidence that all of the previously mentioned Magickal phenomena  
are also  associated  with  the oldest  such  locations,  the stone  
circles. Many hundreds of these sites are found in Britain, Ireland, 
Scotland and Wales.  The two greatest  of these  are Stonehenge and  
Avebury. I will discuss Stonehenge tonight. I may discuss Avebury in 
the future if it is of sufficient  interest to the other members of  
the workshop.

                            "Stonehenge"

Has there  ever  been  a  place to  fire  the  imagination  such as  
Stonehenge? What secrets does it hide as it sits amid the many other 
marvels to be found  upon the Salisbury Plains  ? This question and  
thousands more like it have passed through the minds of mortals for 
at least the last 3000 years. Why was it built? Who built it? How was 
it used? Can it be used again? I'm sure you many have a few questions 
of your own!<G> Before we get to  the questions, let's go through a  
few of the details we know about the site and some of the more recent 
discoveries that have been made regarding its possible uses.

               "Stonehenge I"

Stonehenge was built in three phases, starting with the construction 
of Stonehenge I around the  year 1900 BC. This  is about a thousand  
years after the Pyramids and the tombs of the Bru'ghna Bo'inne and a 
few hundred years before the fall  of ancient Troy and the Oddessy.  
The first phase of construction was a great circular ditch with banks 
being piled upon either side. The people building it were late Stone 
Age people,  Not much  is known  about them  except that  they were  
hunters. An opening was left on  the northeast side with four holes  
being left at the entrance that may have contained wooden poles. Two 
other holes inside  the enclosure may  have held  upright stones. A  
third hole was dug that still contains the "heel stone", over which 
the sunrise is observed. A variety of other features are associated  
with this  first  phase  of  construction.  I  shall  refer you  to  
"Stonehenge Decoded" by Gerald  S. Hawkins and John  B. White for a  
more indepth discussion of  these or other  Stonehenge details. The  
entire structure was about 320 feet in diameter and about 6 feet high 
by 20 feet wide with the heel stone and possibly two other standing  
stones being visible. The entire bank would have been glaring white  
since most of the surrounding surface region is composted mostly of  
chalk. The heel stone rises about 16 feet into the air and is about 8 
feet thick by 7 feet wide. Around the inside of the bank was a series 
of 56 holes called "Aubrey" holes.  These holes contain the created  
remains of men and women from that period. Even in its first phase,  
I'm sure you'll agree, it must have been an imposing structure.

                   "Stonehenge II"

Work upon the second phase of Stonehenge was begun about 1750 BC by  
another race of people  known as the  "Beaker People". These people  
built two concentric inner stone rings consisting of 82 bluestones on 
about a 70 foot diameter around the center of the mound. The entrance 
was widened in the ditch bank by about 25 feet and a double row of 10 
bluestones was placed in the entrance to the stone circles. This work 
was done during about a hundred  year period and was never finished  
due to some unknown interruption. With their departure, the Stone age 
closes in Britain and awaits the coming of the Bronze Age.

                   "Stonehenge III"

The third and  final phase  in the  construction of  Stonehenge was  
undertaken by the "Wessex People" in  about the year 1650 BC. These  
people were much more  highly skilled than  the "Beaker People" and  
carried on commerce with the peoples  of the Mediterranean area. So  
many artifacts are found from these areas that some scientists have  
developed the theory that Stonehenge was finished under the auspices 
of a "Master Builder" from the Mediterranean. Since this is the only 
large megalithic structure attributed to the Wessex People, they may 
well be correct. The previous double ring of bluestones were removed 
and set aside for later use. They  were replaced by a single row of  
huge sarsen stones coming from Marlborough Downs. A horseshoe shaped 
structure consisting of "trilithons" was placed inside of the sarsens 
and aligned upon  the northeast opening  and the center  of the new  
stone ring. These "tri-lithons" are not found in other stone circles 
and are further evidence of the sophistication of the builders. The  
cross pieces are held in place using a woodworking technique called  
"mortise and tenon"  construction. All  of these  stone pieces were  
hand-worked. The uprights are very close  together (about a foot or  
less). The outer circle is 97 feet  4 inches in diameter. The outer  
stones are about 14 feet high by 7 feet wide by 3 1/2 feet thick. The 
inner horseshoe is formed by stones ranging from about 20 to 25 feet 
high. A temporary structure  which was oval  shaped was constructed  
around the  sarsen  horseshoe  that  used  the  previously  removed  
bluestones. This oval was removed and the stones were later used to 
form a horseshoe  of bluestones inside  of the  sarsen horseshoe. A  
number of holes was also dug  outside the sarsen circles called the  
"Y" and "Z" holes.  These are in  a pair of  roughly circular rings  
around the entire structure. One stone  remains to be described and  
that is called the "altar stone" though no hole has been found for it 
and no use has been clearly defined.  It is of a different material  
from the sarsens or bluestones. It came from a quarry 30 miles away  
and is of fine grained green sandstone with mica flakes. If clean, it 
would glitter in the  sunlight. Stonehenge III  was completed about  
1600 BC and now we are left  with the Mysteries of its construction  
and use.

      "A Quick Word about Construction"

The construction techniques would take  an entire Workshop to cover  
and will  not  be discussed  tonight.  I refer  you  to "Stonehenge  
Decoded" for details. An  estimate was made  of the effort required  
using the conjectured techniques and  and estimate of 1,500,000 man  
days was determined  to be  the level  of effort required  to build  
Stonehenge. These techniques were demonstrated using modern day men  
to determine how many were actually required for each task. I believe 
the estimate to be realistic and accurate. The question remains, "Why 
undertake such a truly monumental effort  ?" Although the "Hows" of  
Stonehenge are fascinating, I am much more mystified by the "Whys"!

       "A Quick Word about Uses"

I can classify the "Uses" into five categories:
  1.  It  was  used  as  a  Calender  to  predict  the  seasons,  the   
phases of the Moon, and the times of the Sun Festivals.
  2.   It   was   used   as   a   site   for   performing   Ceremonies   
(everything from sacrifices to Season fesitivals).
 3.  It  was  used  as  a  Computer  to  determine  Solar  and  Lunar  
eclipses. (The use as a celestial observatory also fits in here).
 4.  It  was  used  as  a  place  to  work  Magick, take  shamanistic  
journeys (similar to a Native American Medicine Wheel), and was used 
to initiate new shamans or priests into the order.
  5.  It  was  used  for  some  other  purpose  that  is  subject  to   
conjecture and awaits the revelations of our own "illuminations".

I will attempt  to provide  details about  the site that  have been  
determined by  computer analysis  and let  each  of you  decide for  
yourselves what  you  think,  since  tonight  we  are  very limited  
timewise. We may return to these topics for additional details in the 
future.  

                 "The Computer Analysis"

How well did Stonehenge predict the Mid Summer/WInter sunrises and/or 
moonrises? When the  stone alignments  were analyzed  by Hawkins in  
1961, using a digital computer borrowed from Havard University. The  
analsis showed a TOTAL correlation of all major Sun alignments and an 
almost total correlation with  alignments of the  Moon as well. The  
accuracy  of  these  correlations  was   within  1.5  degrees.  The   
calculations were based upon the positions of the Sun and Moon circa 
1500 BC. When the various phases  of Stonehenge were considered, it  
was found that Stonehenge I had 11 key positions that pointed to ten 
of the twelve extremes of  the Sun and the  Moon and Stonehenge III  
pointed 8 times to 8 of the same key positions! Needless to say, the 
position and  day  of  the key  Solar/Lunar  days  could  be easily  
determined using Stonehenge  as a  calendar. (I  will construct and  
upload GIFs showing these alignments to Library 16). The computer was 
also used to determine a method where the 56 "Aubrey holes" were used 
to predict eclipses. (BTW 56  is also the number  of years that the  
moon takes to complete  its entire cycle  through the skies). These  
facts have been used to support the arguement that the priests using 
Stonehenge could have  reinforced their  apparant "power"  over the  
elements by not only predicting the  "dreaded" eclipses but also to  
"miraculously" cause them to disappear. I personally couldn't say if 
this speculation is valid.  It seems rather  cynical to me. Another  
very interesting fact about the location of Stonehenge is that it is 
almost EXACTLY at the right lattitude (51 degrees 17 to allow the Sun 
and Moon azimuths to be separated by 90 degrees. It would seem that  
the site was NOT chosen at random.  

                "Shamanistic Flights of Imagination"

Before starting, I'd like to  quote the ancient Sicilian historian,  
Diodorus about Britain in 50 BC:

"The Moon as  viewed from  this island appears  to be  but a little  
distance from the Earth and to have on it prominences like those of  
the Earth, which are visible to the  eye. The account is also given  
that the god visits the island every 19 years, the period in wish the 
stars to the same place in the heavens is accomplished. ....There is 
also on this island both a  magnificient sacred precienct of Apollo  
and a notable temple.... and the supervisors are called Boreadae, and 
succession to these positions is always kept in their families."

(BTW the Moon rises farthest  to the North every 18  to 19 years as  
seen from the center of Stonehenge).

I would like to speculate upon some of the possible Magickal aspects 
of Stonehenge:

 1.  The  site  is situated  in  the  midst of  a  lot  of so  called  
"crop circle" activity. Could the energy of these verified phenomena 
also be harnessed by  Stonehenge? Could an  outbreak of crop circle  
like marks have  sparked the  neolithic people  to have constructed  
their own more permanent circles?

 2.  Is  there  an  Earth power  that  is  yet  to  be discovered  by  
modern science. Is this power related  to "orgone" as postulated by  
Wilhelm Reich  from his  work with  "bions"?  Reich said  that this  
energy could be seen spiralling into the air through tubes made from 
organic matter. His "accumulators" were like batteries for orgone and 
were made of alternating layers of organic and inorganic substances  
(like the roofs  of the great  chambers at Bru'gh  na Bo'inne). Guy  
Underwood was also a proponent of what he caled "earth force" (also 
described as being spiral in nature). Underwood used divining rods to 
locate pockets of such energy within Stonehenge.

  3.  Is  there   a  "Dragon"  or   "Serpent"  power  waiting  to   be  
harnessed within the Earth?  Many of the ancient  tombs have such a  
mark above their entrys.  The Druids certainly  believed it was so.  
Could ancient kings have married the land here as suggested in Marion 
Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon"? I know the area is surrounded 
by the burial mounds  of many ancient kings.  Is the "Dragon Power"  
awaiting a new infusion of energy from a group of dedicated Magickal 
practitioners. Does the Dragon sleep?

  4.  The  many  solar/lunar  occurences  at  Stonehenge  suggest   it  
may have been associated with shamanistic practices and initiations  
in a manner similar to  the areas of the Bru'gh  na Bo'inne. Such a  
practice is suggested in Douglas Monroe's "The 21 Lessons of Merlin". 
Is Stonehenge a portal to the Otherworld?

                       "Ley Lines"

One cannot discuss "earth force", "orgone" or the Earth Power nodes  
such as Stonehenge  without discussing  ley lines.  These lines are  
geometrically located  by standing  at  a Power  node  and sighting  
towards other power nodes. Using such techniques, "ley hunters" have 
determined that most of southwestern England is criss crossed by such 
lines. Are  ley lines  "power conduits"  between "power  nodes"? To  
answer this question I  read "Earth Memory"  and "Shamanism and the  
Mystery Lines" by  Paul Devereaux, the  editor of  the "Ley Hunter"  
magazine and the  Director of  the "Dragon  Project". Devereaux has  
embraced, investigated, evaluated and  rejected more theories about  
the "ley lines" than anyone else (as far as I know). He acknowledges 
that "death roads" do exist near many of these sites but rejects them 
as being solely responsible for all ley lines. (NOTE: death roads are 
straight roads  leading to  such  ancient centers  for  the express  
purpose of burials and funerary processions. They are well documented 
and universal to mankind). His own  personal theory is that the ley  
lines are the result of shamanistic OOBE conducted at the so called 
"power nodes".  The ley  lines are  the result  of marking  in this  
reality the patways that the shamans  take in their altered reality  
from one sacred site to another. He suggests that these "traces" of 
the Earth's Spiritual Pathways are the means by which we can become 
re-attuned to the Earth's Power and ancient knowledge.

Well there we have it, a discussion of Druid Power and Power centers. 
I know from my own experience that Magickal Power is stored within my 
own Solitary home Circle. How much greater can the True Power be at a 
site as special as Stonehenge or Bru'gh na Bo'inne?

 Celtic  Workshop  #8 -  The  "Rite of  3  Rays" and  the  "Gift of  
Awen"

As usual, we gathered slowly, in fact  I was late. After some brief  
initial hellos, we got started. Freepowder was still trying to live  
down an experience  with Coyote (the  Trickster) from  early in the  
day!<G> I discussed the book "The  21 Lessons of Merlin" by Douglas  
Monroe as an example of a work produced by "Awen". I wanted to give 
the Workshop members a perspective on the pluses and minuses involved 
with such works. I also went  over some formal and personal rituals  
and meditations I do to receive  "illumination". All in all, a very  
stimulating  evening  of   presentation  and  dialogue......Searles   
O'Dubhain

Tonight I would like to  do things a little  differently than I had  
planned. Before we  discuss the  "Rite of 3  Rays" or  the "Gift of  
Awen", let's talk about one of the  references that I have used and  
some of you may have read, "The 21 Lessons of Merlin".  
 
As we have previously discussed, not much was written down about the 
Druids by the Druids. The best we can get is the ancient writings of 
the Irish Celtic Culdean Monks who may have been Druids in disguise. 
Our next best sources are oral traditions found in Celtic families,  
legends and  Bardic lore.  Comparative  analysis between  the other  
ancient  Indo-European   traditions   of   the   Brammans,  Greeks,   
Persians,Egyptians and the Siberian  Shamans may yield  some of the  
hidden Druidic secrets. A lot of the time we are making some educated 
guesses based upon how similar peoples worked Magicks and conducted  
rituals. Sometimes we have biased  "eye-witnessed" accounts such as  
Caesar's or the  other Roman historians.  When a gap  exists in our  
knowledge of Druidic or Celtic practices we must do what the ancients 
did......we must ask that we receive the "Gift of Awen". I'll mention 
some ways that this can happen and what we can do to aid our quests  
for "illumination" a little later in our discussion tonight.
 
What does all this have  to do with "the 21  Lessons of Merlin" you  
ask? ..... The answer  is that this is  precisely the approach that  
Douglas Monroe seems to have taken in his book. He fills in the gaps 
with concepts that have come to  him as illuminations and also uses  
the illuminations of the "Bardic Mysteries" of Wales (also arrived at 
by the  aforementioned  methods).  Since we  are  all  humans, some  
mistakes can occur when we interpret our "illuminated" thoughts and  
concepts. This  is  precisely  why  ALL  SOURCES  should  be viewed  
critically and questioned (even as our very own Freepowder is prone  
to do!<G>). I know I constantly question and compare. Monroe's book  
has some very good concepts in it and some that I dispute. My primary 
dispute with him is over his concepts regarding the sexual polarities 
and workings of Magick. 
               
He states that  Druids were  segregated in  their Magickal workings  
because men and  women cannot work  together in  a symbiotic manner  
Magickally. He says that  women receive Magick from  men but do not  
return it when a
working is done. This is directly opposite my own experiences where I 
have found the presence of women to Powerfully enhance the working of 
Magicks. He also  states that  male Druids  did not marry  and were  
celibate. That may be  true in Wales, but  the Irish Druids married  
and had  many children.  Abstaining  from sex  would  have severely  
depleted the Magickal  "gene pool"! The  Druids were  not stupid! I  
doubt seriously if they abstained from sex or procreation! Sex Magick 
is Big Magick! (As I'm sure we  will all agree!<G>). So Monroe does  
make mistakes....so do it.<G> Time  and experimentation are the two  
best tools to evaluate any system and the systems of this book will  
be analyzed fully before we are done in this series of Workshops.
 
Now I would like to briefly summarize what is in "The 21 Lessons of 
Merlin": 
              1. The 3 Rites of Assumption
 
  This  lesson  refers   to  the  manner   in  which  a  student   can  
first develop the ability to tap  Power and to receive inspirations  
from the Higher Consciousness that exist around us. Monroe uses the  
"Song of Amergin", "The Song of Taliesin" and the "Song of Blue Star" 
to introduce us to Druidic imagery and visualization.
 
              2. The Pelen Tan
               
              In this lesson, Monroe says that the "Pelen Tan" or a 
kind of glass globe with a candle or light inside of it was used to  
create a lighted space under trees that literally caused the area to 
glow with a "blue light" (used by male Druids). He also says that the 
white robes of  the Druids emphasized  the "black  light" effect of  
these fire globes. He  says that the female  Witches of Avalon used  
"red lights' when performing  their ceremonies, giving  rise to the  
association of "red light" districts with prostitution in later ages.
 
              3. The 4 Symbols of Mastery
 
   This    lesson    is    concerned    with    the   development    of    
Magickal 
symbols, arch types  and correspondences. The  concept of "Mastery"  
over the elements  is introduced  and the  need to be  creative and  
original in all occult work is emphasized.
 
 
              4. The Summoning
 
   A    complete   rite    of   Magickal    evocation   is    described    
here. 
Monroe tells how to call the shades of the dead from their graves. He 
introduces the use of  herbs and incense  into ritual. The specific  
shade being evoked in this ceremony is that of Merlin.
 
              5. The 4 Signs of Portal
 
  This   lesson   shows   how   to   form   a   Magickal  Circle,   to   
call 
forth the Guardians of the 4 portals to the Otherworld. Symbols are 
given for each Quarter (Air, Fire, Water  and Earth) as well as the  
symbols for the "Sign of Three Rays" that represents Spirit or Akasha 
(similar to the Pentagram). The Old ones called are Uscias, Semias,  
Esras and Morfessa of the Magickal cities  of the North. The God in  
the form of Herne is also invoked.
 
              6. The 4 Sacraments of the Earth
 
  The   concepts  of   sacrifice  to   the  elements   upon  a   "Sun"   
day is presented. (Not human sacrifice BTW).

              7. The 8 Grove Festivals
 
   The   eight    major   grove    festivals   of   Samhain,    Imbolc,   
Beltaine, Lughnasadh as well as the Mid-Winter, Mid-Summer Solstices 
and the Equinoxes are described. Some of the special items associated 
with each festival are given.
 
              8. The 16 Leeches of Diancecht
 
              The use of herbs in Druidic ceremonies and practices is 
introduced. A discussion of  Reincarnation is given  and a Magickal  
journey is undertaken using these herbs.

              9. The Rite of 3 Rays
 
  A   means   of  achieving   protection   is   described.  The   rite   
is 
likened to the Ceremonial Magick rite of the Banishing Rituals of the 
Pentagram as practiced by the Golden Dawn.
 
              10. The Battle of the Trees
 
  The   Oghams  are   discussed  and   the  "Battle   of  the   Trees"   
is 
described. A battle  between wizards occurs  and the  Magick of the  
trees is used to defeat Merlin's adversary, just as the tree Magick 
was used to defeat invaders during the Cad Goddeu (circa 400 BC). One 
of the nine draughts of inspiration is described that will allow the 
Druid to commune more thoroughly with the spirits of the trees.
 
              11. The 8 Songs of Cycle
 
  The   correspondences  of   the  Oghams   to  music   and  the   use   
of music  in  Magickal  acts  is  presented.  The  use  of  musical  
instruments is described for the various elements and a tie between  
the Druids and Atlantis is suggested.
 
              12. The Herbs of Continence
 
              This lesson centers around Monroe's belief that Druids 
segregated by sexes for education, Magick and workings. He describes 
a concept called  "Duality". He  uses a  trip to the  Sisterhood of  
Avalon (Glastonbury) to present his case. He also advocates celibacy 
for male Druids but  not for the  Sisters (beyond Maidenhood). Four  
herbal concoctions are presented that enhance male sexual powers.
 
              13. The Gateway Rite
 
   A   visit   to   Stonehenge   is   described.   The   history    and   
lore 
of the site is mentioned with references to Atlanteans, Hyberboreans 
and even  the  Tuatha  de  Dannan. A  method  of  merging  with the  
consciousness of inanimate objects is also described.
 
              14. The Dragon's Eye
 
  The   act   of   creating  Druid   fire   is   mentioned  during   a   
visit to the Isle of Wight. The ley lines and the Power of the Land  
are called Dragon Power during this lesson. A rite that allows one to 
"call the Dragon" is presented and the symbol for the "Dragons Eye" 
is drawn.
 
              15. The Rite of Inspiration
 
  The   use  of   meditation   and  Magickal   Circles  is   described   
to allow one to receive enlightenment to the Awen (the inner spirit 
that is  illuminated). Two  rituals  are given  and  the connection  
between the Sun and Awen is given.
 
 
              16. The Wild Hunt
 
  The   use   of   the   Mandragon   herb   is   described  during   a   
shamanic contest between the Druid and the forces of Nature (usually 
done during Samhain). The gains and losses of such a competition are 
mentioned.
 
              17. The Life Board
 
              A Magickal symbol for the Three Circles of Existence 
(Ceugant, Gwyned and Abred) is  given. Fionn's ladder is discussed.  
The use  of  such  an empowered  Magickal  Symbol  for  makings and  
pathworkings is described.
 
              18. The Rite of Libation
 
              A  variety of Druidic draughts is given.

(2-10,Trailstalker) RE #16: I thought that Druids were in alignment  
with Nature.  What are they contesting?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) This  particular  lesson  is  about  being  in the  
Woods during the  Wild Hunt  of Gwynn ap  Nudd when  the raw primal  
forces of Nature heighten one's inner fears.

(2-22,O'Dubhain) It's a rite  of Mastery whereby  the young Druidic  
Initiate masters himself and faces the  power of Nature, the winds,  
the Darkness, the lightnings and such. So it's really a test to see  
how in tune you are with Nature.

              19. The Threshold Rite
 
  The   use  of   herbs  and   incense   to  enhance   a  journey   to   
the Otherworld is given.
 
              20. The Triscale Stones
 
  Divination   using   stones   is   presented.   A  pathworked   trip   
to the Otherworldly city of Caer Idris is made to show the origins of 
the technique. The suggestion is given to find one's personal "oracle 
tree" under which divinations will be optimized. 
 
              21. The Rite of the Active Door
 
  The   secrets   of   color   and   the   concepts  of   invisibility   
are given along with a ritual that opens all occult knowledge to the 
Druid. This Ritual is the rite of passage to the Inner Mysteries.

If you read this book, you'll see that the Druids are presented doing 
Magicks that  harm others  at  times. Some  of the  Druids  even do  
battle! This certainly violates the Wiccan Rede that states "Do what 
you will if you harm none"> The fact is that Druids were not Witches 
and they frequently  did battle as  well as aiding  their clans and  
kings in war. The great Druid  Amergin aided the Mileseans in their  
battles with the  Tuatha de  Dannan. Many  other examples  exist of  
Druids harming plenty, least of all none. Druids were definitely not 
Wiccans. Monroe's book follows this philosophy, so some may call it  
"unethical". He also advocates the use of a variety of naturals drugs 
to aid in Magicks, 
meditations and Illuminations. I personally think these practices are 
a matter of individual  judgement and neither  recommend nor reject  
them. Do what you will. The choice is yours.
 
                      "The Rite of Three Rays"
 
 This  Ritual  is  similar to  the  Lesser  Banishing  Ritual of  the  
Pentagram and the Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram performed during  
Ceremonial Magick and Ritual by the Golden Dawn as outlined by Donald 
Craig or Israel Regardie. Monroe gives his version of this ritual in 
his book "the 21 Lessons of Merlin". I haven't found any historical 
support for it in my Celtic references but it seems to be typical of 
what  I   think  a   Druid  might   do.   (The  Ritual   smacks  of   
Egyptian/Thelemic Magickal practice IMHO). Monroe likens the 3 Rays  
or gestures in this ritual to the first 3 Rays of the Mid-Summer Sun 
over the horizon (the Celts called this Awen as well).
 
 This ritual  is primarily used  to generate  Power within the  Druid 
for protection or receiving "illumination"  according to Monroe. It  
uses the vibratory energies of sound coupled with the physical act of 
deep
breathing and communing with  the Sun to  create an "altered state"  
within the Druid.
 
     Here's the basic steps of the ritual:
 
               1. Stand in direct sunlight (noon if you can do it).
 
  2.   Close   your   eyes   and   breathe   deeply   to   relax   and   
start the path to a meditative state.
 
  3.   Once  you   are  relaxed,   exhale  then   breathe  in   deeply   
as you raise your hands above your head.
 
   4.    Slowly    lower    your    arms    while   intoning    loudly,    
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" or "I" (The name of Isis in CM or Golden Dawn, this 
is the invocation  of the Goddess  Power). Bring your  arms to your  
sides.
     
   5.   Repeat    this   step    while   intoning    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"   
or "A" for Apophis the Destroyer. Monroe calls this the "Crystal Ray" 
or Ray of Balance and Separation. He says this represents both Male 
and Female energies and also neither (sounds a lot like the Book of  
the Law).
 
   6.    Repeat   again    while    intoning   "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"    or    
"O" for the Male God Osiris. This invokes the God Power to your aid.
 
  7.   repeat  the   arm  gestures   a  final   time  while   intoning   
"IAO" or "EEEEEEE-Ahhhhhhh-OOOOOOOO!" Then open your eyes.
 
 
 At this  point the  energy has  been raised  and the  work is to  be 
done. One could  shield from Magickal  attack or seek  the "Gift of  
Awen" or some other  Magickal act. Monroe doesn't  state this but I  
recommend "grounding" afterwards and if possible. Do this by eating  
and drinking a lite meal. (I never  recommend doing any Magick on a  
full stomach). Wiccans do similar  rituals using athames, wands and  
swords to draw Circles and/or Pentagrams for protection and Ritual.  
This ritual is nice
because the 3 movements are tied to the 3 Rays of Awen. (As with all 
Magick, ritual is very personal, if it feels right do it!<G>). Monroe 
says that one could reverse the  direction of the arm movements and  
the intonations to "banish"  energies that are  directed at you. He  
also says
that one could  only do the  "male", the "female"  or the "crystal"  
movements depending  on what  is  needed or  banished.  He suggests  
experimenting as do I.  I'd next like  to discuss some  ways that I  
achieve "illuminated states".
 
(2-24,Nan)     how     would     you     describe     the     basic      
differences/similarities between Wicca and Druidry? (25 words or less 
<g>)
(2-22,O'Dubhain) The  Druids  use the  Sun  and the  Moon.  And the  
Druids were more  political back  then. Nowadays  I'd say  that the  
Druids tend to be more left brained than the Wiccans and they tend to 
be more bilateral with their Deity worship.

(2-24,Nan)  a   point   of   clarification   for   me  .......Wicca   
doesn't use the sun?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Most  of the  major  Wiccan celebrations  are done  
under the Moon. The Sun  is also used but does  not play as great a  
role as in Druidry.

(2-6,Heather & Michel) We have both Wiccans & Druid here, so perhaps 
we can clarify...
(2-22,O'Dubhain)    good
(2-6,Heather & Michel) 
 Wicca  uses the  sun  as much  as Druidism.  Moon  is primarily  for  
esbats... Wiccans don't tend  to be culturally  specific with their  
worship, while Druids go  for mostly celtic stuff  and only share 4  
of... Wicca's 8 festivals.  (At least how we do it.) ... ga
(2-22,O'Dubhain) ok!!  seems  to  be a  diversity  of  opinions and  
practices as usual! thanks

(2-10,Trailstalker) Where would "shamanism" fit in with all of this? 
We do ceremony  under the Sun,  the Moon, the  Stars,... in swamps,  
forests, deserts, living rooms, ... you get the picture... and what's 
an "esbats"?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Shamanism comes  in when you  seek assistance from  
the Spirit world  or you seek  to control the  elements. Esbats are  
Full Moon Wiccan Rituals held every month Sabbats are Major festivals 
like we outlined previously 
(2-10,Trailstalker) I've  found  that  with  shamanism  if  you are  
seriously 
working the path, there comes a time when rather than you working it 
and using medicine items, you more or less become a medicine item for 
a Greater spirit power.  And it works through  you.

(2-17,Freepowder) I  remember,  Druids  are  left  brain  based  on  
Bonewits? or others too?
(2-22,O'Dubhain) Actually  Druids  are  both  sided.  I  think some  
Wiccans tend to reject the left side approach at times Bonewits seems 
to be left brain heavy!<G> IMHO!

(2-17,Freepowder)   modern druids, as previously cited?
(2-22,O'Dubhain)    yes.... Modern Druids.

 The  ancients  were a  lot  more  in tune  with  their entire  minds  
They didn't really draw a line as such. To receive the "Gift of Awen" 
requires us to achieve heightened or altered states of consciousness. 
First let's describe what an altered  state is. An altered state of  
consciousness is just  that, a different  state from  that which we  
normally experience. This can be anything from a heightened awareness 
of our physical surrounding to a totally different way of perceiving 
all of reality. I have basically recognized the following states in  
myself:
     
   1.   Sensing   the   mood    or   spirit   of   the   land    around   
me, the trees, the streams, animals, the wind, the soul of the Earth. 
This state is achieved by quieting the spirit and/or the mind. Being 
at peace allows the world around us to communicate and touch us. I do 
this by relaxing and releasing my thoughts and emotions. I float and 
accept. I observe what IS. Not what I expect to see. Reality is as it 
is and not filtered by my conditioning.
 
   2.   Having   access   to    the   Akasha   for   inspiration    and   
divination. (Usually coming in flashes.) I blank my mind in a manner 
similar to the above process but usually do this in a secluded room  
without light and external distractions. I fix my purpose in my mind 
and seek for an answer. I do not allow anything to distract me. When 
my answer comes, I can immediately recognize it.
  
   3.    Being    out   of    "time    sync"    with   others.    Being    
slightly in the future of what's  happening around me. This usually  
happens to  me  without  trying  and  sometimes  accompanies  other  
heightened states. It  also happens  when I've  taken anything with  
codeine in it.
 
   4.    Seeing    "visions",   things    that    are   happening    in    
the future or the past as if they are happening right now. This state 
comes on me when I  have a quest that requires  me to see through a  
different set of eyes or a different  point of view. I actually let  
myself just look into another  world or time through  the eyes of a  
native being (sometimes me  or a relative,  sometimes an artificial  
construct.)
 
   5.    Sensing    people    from    previous    lives.   I    usually    
have no control of this. It just happens and can be triggered by some 
familiar gesture word or  other similar event. I  just feel very at  
ease and comfortable (or hostile at times) with the person I've known 
before.
                  
   6.   Reading   minds.   (This   also   just   happens).   This    is   
not in words. It is in images and feelings. I just know what someone 
is thinking or feeling.
                  
  7.   Going   out   of  the   body.   I   have   to  relax   totally,   
isolate all external distractions. I start at my extremities and work 
inward. (Did I mention that I am  lying down on a comfy surface?) I  
release all the tension in  my physical body first.  I next calm my  
emotions, then my  thoughts. Once  I only  exist within my  head, I  
start releasing all  external inputs. I  shut down  all my creative  
centers. I turn off  all the monitoring  that goes on.  I relax and  
float. If Thoughts or emotions enter in, I sink them into the Earth  
away from me. I banish them. I float. Once I am completely isolated  
and floating in total darkness, I try to see behind me and in front 
of me at the  same time. This  is not possible  while embracing the  
normal physical existence. It 
can only be done in our Spirit forms. This takes total concentration 
and practice. Not force, just persistence and release. I liken this  
process to what happens when one is born. A long persistent pushing 
through the birth canal surrounding  us. The physical barriers thin  
out before our efforts and suddenly we  are born anew on the Astral  
plane. I can then see in all directions at the same time I am aware  
of all around  me. Physical barriers  are only thought  forms to be  
ignored at Will. I can go anywhere I desire to go. (However I am only 
a child in this existence and am also very aware of the far greater 
Powers around me).  I exercise  extreme caution  when traveling the  
Astral. It is very easy to be "noticed" and to become the object of 
unwanted attentions. My conscious mind distracts me continually as I 
maintain a hold on my physical existence. When i return to me body, I 
actually have to struggle back into it! Part of me wants to stay on 
the Astral. The barriers  that separate and  protect us from Astral  
Intrusions are tough  to penetrate even  when we hold  the keys! Be  
careful and cautious and you can learn a lot. Slip for a minute and 
you can be trapped, possessed or lost.
                  
                  8. Communing with the God/esses.
 
 I  commune with  the God/esses  in  several ways.  I recognize  that  
all things have  life and  Power within  them. I especially  feel a  
closeness to  trees,  plants,  rivers  and  lakes.  The  ocean just  
overwhelms me with it's Power. The clouds constantly change in their 
forms and interactions. Celts believe that places have Spirits. I am 
a Celt ,by birth but also because I feel this Oneness and connection 
to Nature. You can  be a Brother  or Sister the  same way. Birth is  
unimportant. Who we are in the  Spirit is very important. The first  
way to commune with the Spirits
is through  Nature.  When  in this  state  my  physical  senses are  
extremely heightened.
                  
The next way to  commune with the God/desses  is through Ritual. In  
Ritual we open  the Pathways  within us to  be filled  with the One  
Power. We invite It  within and share Its  Touch. Magick is nothing  
more than specialized Ritual and is a focusing of the Power. We can  
actually become the God or the Goddess or some Other at these times. 
They can have a physical  body through us. I have  sat back at such  
times and been amazed at the words pouring forth from my mouth from  
the Energy that  possesses me.  This Power  is benevolent  and will  
vanish anytime we reassert ourselves. I caution those who would try  
this to be  CERTAIN that  they are  within a  Sacred Space  and are  
Protected before opening up to a Spirit Entity. All Spirits are not 
benevolent and some  WILL try to  violate your  presence and assume  
complete control of your  body. It happens all  the time. Watch the  
news and see  for yourself.  When out  of the  body and  feeling no  
constraints,  it  is  possible  to  experience  the  touch  of  the   
God/desses. I  have felt  Their Wonderful  Presences filling  me. I  
usually feel Their approach as a feeling of tremendous anticipation. 
I sense that something monumental is going to occur. Something coming 
to me. The space around my spirit begins sparkling in golden 
crystals. Then I  experience a  thrill of  Joy and Happiness.  I am  
completed and embraced by the Knowledge of the Ages and The Love of  
my Fellow Spirit. It's beyond words but so very uplifting, comforting 
and 
peaceful. I feel that I am where I should be. My sense of my life's  
purpose and my need to finish my work on this plane pulls me back. I 
also feel that I  need to share  myself with those  on the physical  
plane I love. I  cannot yet abandon  the world of  form. I bid Them  
adieu in Perfect Love and struggle back into my body. I carry Their  
Blessings and Love  within. I  try to  share this  in my  life with  
others.
                  
                  9. Working with Power.
     
I always work within a Circle when using Power. This can be a Circle 
surrounding my person in an emergency.  I prefer to use traditional  
methods to  create  Circles  more formally.  Circles  tend  to hold  
residuals of the  Spells of Protection  that are cast  for them. My  
Circle at home is such a place.  Anyone can enter it but only those  
that are invited  may work with  Power there.  Sleeping within this  
Circle is guaranteed to  make you travel and  have the strangest of  
dreams!<G>
 
To use Power I merely open myself to it. No meditation is necessary, 
though it helps me to be more sensitive to the nuances of Power. All 
I really need is a  Magickally isolated place, a  Circle. Once I am  
open, I reach  for the Power  of the Earth  and the Sky.  I let the  
Energy flow through me. (It feels like it comes into my feet and out 
of my hands and head! This is similar to the way lightning flows.) I 
leave the stream open and charge myself as full as I can get. My hair 
usually stands up a bit and I get all "goose pimply"! I keep in mind 
the goal of my working and I release the Power I've stored. (At the 
same time the Power leaves me, I see it going as a beam of energy. If 
the Working is large or systemic, I tie the beam to the same source 
I've tapped. This permits it to continue after I've released it. (I 
actually visualize the beam remaining and pumping the energy out.) I 
leave the beam with a spell that allows it to quit when the Work is  
done. I release the Power  back to the Earth and  Sky and thank the  
God/dess for  their help.  It helps  to eat  or drink  or something  
equally grounded in Physical Reality after such an effort.
 
                  10. Dying.
 
This is the Ultimate altered state. I myself have never actually died 
in this lifetime yet. I have been  at the Portal many times. I have  
sensed the Ways to Tir na Nog. Always when I am close I sense a peace 
and a surrender within me to the call of the Guardian of the Door. I 
actually laugh from happiness.  I have been told  to return to this  
life because my Work is not yet done. I have spoken to members of my 
own family about their near death experiences and they are remarkably 
similar. A releasing and a faith in  what will come. A sensing that  
all is right and that the Ultimate Will Accomplishes Its Purpose. I 
have read many books and accounts  of the experiences of others who  
have gone through that door and returned. My belief in the Afterlife 
is strengthened by their revelations.  The ancient Celts and Druids  
believed so strongly in such an afterlife that they sometimes chose  
to voluntarily accompany their loved  ones through the Door. Druids  
would even borrow money to be repaid in another life! Needless to say 
their strong beliefs in another Life after this One caused the Celts 
to have no fear of Death!<G>
 
I have watched the Spirits  of those I love  leave their bodies and  
have seen the Light  that surrounds them in  Happiness. I have seen  
their smiles to have finished their Work and receive their New Lives. 
Death is no End, Death is an Accomplishment and a Release.
 
How do we tell when these states  occur? We don't have to!!! We are  
in them! They happen to us and  we react to them!! We can't mistake  
them!! They are beyond all Time and Space!
 
Seriously, If you are in one of these states, you feel very "charged 
up" and full of energy. You sense  an Exaltation of the Spirit. You  
are extremely "Alive"! You will know and You will enjoy!<G>
 
How do we induce altered states of consciousness? The answer to this 
is that we "open" ourselves up to them. We release our grasp on the 
Normal state of  Consciousness. We  expand ourselves  to the limits  
that are  actually there  and not  the ones  we are  conditioned to  
accept. Seeing  things that  can't  exist in  Normal  Reality helps  
sometimes. It shakes  us out  of our  conditioning. This can  be as  
simply as seeing a glorious Sunset or as strange as seeing a UFO or a 
Demon. I have  achieved altered  states through  meditation, drugs,  
Circles, Rituals, Drumming, Singing, Reading, Dreaming, Involuntary  
or accidental occurrences, sickness and by being Possessed. I don't  
recommend narcotics or heavy drugs, sickness or Possession. Incenses 
and herbal drinks are ok though. (We'll discuss these next week).
              
              "Practical Meditation for Awen"
 
I'll try  to  elaborate a  little  here  on the  practical  side of  
meditation. I usually meditate lying down with my head to the North 
and my body relaxed. If I am in Ritual I can Meditate while standing 
or kneeling. The most important aspect to remember is to relax each 
part of your body and mind. I usually start at my extremities (feet  
and hands). I tell myself, "Relax  your right foot, relax your left  
foot, relax your.... and so  on. I release all  the tension in each  
part and let it flow out. I do this several times until I don't feel 
my body any longer. Next  I start on my  breathing and my heartbeat  
until they are automatic and transparent.  Then I quiet my thoughts  
until only Darkness persists. Next I try to ignore the Darkness until 
I am floating. To go further requires additional techniques. At this 
point I  am a  blank  tablet and  can just  rest  or I  can receive  
"messages" from Others.  It's very  important to  be where  you are  
absolutely secure from  unwelcome intrusions  of the  Spirit or the  
Physical at this time. Without such a safe place, you will always be 
slightly on your  guard. It helps  if another Being  you trust will  
watch over you at this time. This can be anyone from an elemental, a 
totemic animal,  a  Spirit  Guide, a  person  to  a  God/dess. Just  
thinking about how it feels to meditate and then writing this answer, 
makes me  meditate.<G>  I guess  that  remembering how  it  felt to  
meditate makes it easier to meditate the next time you try! Practice 
makes Perfect!<G>
              
                             "Druidic Meditation"
 
Some of this material was covered previously but I repeat it here for 
clarity and  the  benefit  of  those that  may  no  have  seen that  
particular Workshop yet!<G> Druidic meditation was usually done for  
divination and foretelling the future. This was called by the names: 
Tenm Laida, Dichetal Do Chennaib and Imbas Forosna.
              
Tenm Laida  (Illumination  by  Song) is  an  altered  state usually  
achieved by chanting or  singing of a  repetitive pattern. This can  
also include drumming and dancing. These activities synchronize the  
body and mind  to an  external rhythm allowing  us to  cast off the  
chains of normal existence. This allows you to float at peace within 
the song (dance, beat, mantra, etc.)  This is a strictly Druidic or  
Shamanistic practice even though it may look like TM.
                  
Dichetal Do Chennaib (Cracking open the  Nuts of Wisdom) is a state  
achieved by relaxation and clearing the mind in a Ritual environment. 
It usually involved using some Magickal implement such as a knife, a 
sword or a staff to  touch a subject (usually upon  the head) or by  
handling an item  to discover  what secret  knowledge was contained  
within it. This  information could be  events from  a person's past  
life, a detailed history of who and what had happened to an object or 
how and why  the subject  was being hexed  or spelled.  I know this  
sounds like ESP but  it was enhanced  through Ritual and relaxation  
techniques.
              
Imbas Forosna (Illumination)  was a form  of altered  state used by  
seers and bards to create or see visions. The Druid would be totally 
isolated from all sensory inputs, sounds, lights and feelings. This  
was usually a very dark room or a covering of hides. The Druid would 
attempt to float and relax. When in the proper state he would signal 
for the hides to  be removed or he  would open the  door out of the  
Darkness. The sudden, instantaneous transition from Darkness to Light 
would cause them  to see visions  or to  spontaneously utter poems,  
prophecies or achieve a total Awareness  of the secret Knowledge of  
their Surroundings. This sensory deprivation  It was their Ultimate  
Meditation technique.
              
The Druids also used music, colors, trees and numbers to alter their 
consciousness. They were familiar with the Pythagorean Mysteries and 
may have actually been the source of them!<G>
              
Druids shared IndoEuropean roots with the Indian Brahmans but I don't 
have any hard data to support any similarities in their practices.
          
                                     "Drugs"
              
I have experienced Magickal states from drugs but I don't think the 
technique is  sufficiently  controllable or  repeatable.  It's like  
playing your Steinway with a sledgehammer. Sure you can play a song 
but at what 
cost to the instrument? Plus I find that the songs are usually more  
sophisticated if I don't use the sledge!<G>
              
I would caution anyone using drugs to know their track records, side 
effects and purity  before starting.  Then do  them under gradually  
increasing controlled and  supervised conditions.  Never experiment  
with drugs. 
There is always a documented lab record of their effects. Know your 
suppliers and don't get the wrong  ones! The best recommendation is  
don't do drugs. Your  Mind, Body and Spirit  can achieve better and  
more lasting results. (As I mentioned previously, some natural herbal 
drinks and incenses seem to aid meditation and ritual. We'll discuss 
those next week). Well there we have  it! All the different ways to  
achieve illumination to Awen!

(End of Celtic Workshop #8 - The "Rite  of 3 Rays" and the "Gift of  
Awen")
        "Celtic Workshop #9 -  The use of Herbs and Potions"
        
The role of herbs in healing, Magick, ceremonies and rituals as well 
as in mind alteration  were presented and  discussed in detail. The  
effects of the most popular Druidic herbs and potions were detailed  
and discussed.  Some reformatting  was done  on the  transcript for  
clarity's sake as  well. A  final note!!!!  Please exercise caution  
around most  of these  herbs!! Some  of them  are considered  to be  
POISONS! The effects of some of the others are very powerful in areas 
of "mind alteration".  The author  of one of  the texts,  used as a  
reference, presents his suggested  methods for how  the Druids used  
these herbs (they are ONLY used in a greatly dilluted state!). Once 
again I urge caution  and good judgement  before proceeding. All in  
all, the Workshop participants evidenced a very thorough respect and 
understanding of the use and effects of these herbs.

Entering Workshop/Seminar 1 room...

                      "Druidic Use of Herbs"
 
We must look at many sources to determine how the Druids used drugs  
and herbs. Some of these sources  are historical (such as the Greek  
and Roman historians). Other sources are the traditions of the Bards 
and Seanchai. Still others are the  folk remedies and fables of the  
major Celtic  areas  of  the world  (Ireland,  Scotland,  Wales and  
Britain). We  can  also look  to  information that  comes  from the  
inspired "Awen" of others (such as  Llewellyn Sion of Glamorgan and  
Douglas Monroe). Archaelogical  evidence is  also being  found (the  
bodies of sacrificial  or other  burial victims  have been recently  
discovered). Each of these types of sources will be matched against  
the others (where possible) to give us the best possible idea of how 
Druids worked with drugs and herbs.
 
A quote from one the ancients, Pliny, a Roman, referring to the Druid 
veneration of mistletoe:
 
"Seldom was the Mistletoe  found growing upon the  Oak, but on such  
occasion, the Druids gathered  it with due  religious ceremony, (if  
possible on the 6th day of the new Moon-when the influence of the orb 
was waxing, and  said to be  at its height.  Following an elaborate  
banquet, a white-clad priest cut the plant from the oak tree with a  
golden sickle, while another  Druid held out a  white cloak for its  
reception. They believed that the Mistletoe, immersed in water within 
a cauldron, would impart fecundity to barren animals, and that it is 
the antidote for all poisons - its name meaning 'all healing.'"
 
I recommend acquiring the  following books to aid  in your tree and  
herbal work:
 
     Scott Cunningham's "Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs".
                      Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 0-87542-122-9.
     Medicinal and Other Uses of North American Plants
            by            Charlotte            Erichsen-Brown.             Dover            
Publications,
                      ISBN 0-486-25951-X.
 
     Peterson's Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by 
                      Lee Allen Peterson, Ho0ughton Mifflin Co.,
                      ISBN 0-395-31870-X.
 
     The Book of Forrest and Thicket by John Eastman,
                      Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-8117-3046-8.
 
     Trees for Healing by Pamela Louise Chase and 
                      Jonathan Pawlik, Newcastle Publishing, ISBN
                      0-87877-157-3.
 
Many of the herbs can  be had from your local  health food store as  
well or can be ordered from the 
                      New Forest Gardens, 
                      P.O. Box 491, 
                      Westfield,NY 14787. 
                      (This is Run by Douglas Monroe I believe.)

(2-1,Freepowder) there  are  2 varietys  of  Mistletoe.... american  
and european, the effects  of them are  almost opposite... european  
lowers BP, american raises....  the *berries* of  either are deadly  
poisonous. GA

(2-11,Rhianna) Foxglove  is  another  example  -  Digitalis  (which  
comes from (foxglove) is a poison, yet it's used for treating heart 
patients.

(2-28,cherokee) my  gt  grandma  used mistle  toe  to  bring prople  
out of fevers and  unconsciousness. aspirin bark  is poisonous too.  
its all in how you prepare it
                      "The 16 Leeches of Diancecht"
 
Diancecht was the physician of the Tuatha de Dannan. He healed their 
wounded during and  after their  Battles with  the Fomorai  and the  
Firbolgs. He is the God of Herbs and Medicines.
 
The following  list contains  herbs listed  in  "the 21  Lessons of  
Merlin" and contains their correspondences  to the four elements as  
well as their  applications. How to  prepare a  suitable "store" of  
these medicines is  also given.  The recommended  dossages are also  
given. Note: Some  of these  herbs can  be considered  "POISONS"! I  
heartily recommend using extreme caution with them. I have attempted 
to identify those that may be considered harmful. Please proceed at  
your own risk.  I must  say that  generally Monroe stays  away fron  
poisonous herbs in topical or internal  medicines. He does use some  
very dangerous substances in some of his recommended incenses. a long 
list will follow please bear with me!<G>

                       "The 16 Leeches of Diancecht"
 
                      Spirit 
Mistletoe Uchelwydd  or  All-Heal  vertigo,  dizziness,  headaches,  
heart/problems/palpitations, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis,  
nervine.
 
                      Preparation
one ounce of dried herb, in a  jar with twice it's volume of vodka.  
Leave for two weeks, strain and place in labeled dropper bottles.
                      Dosages
1 drop for every 10 pounds of body weight every 3 hours.
 
                      Earth
Phu (Valerian)  sedative, cramps, pain, coughs.
 
Hoodwort (Skullcap) nerves, fevers, coolant
 
Nerve Root(Lady Slipper)  nervine, indigestion, headache
 
Absinthe(Wormwood) digestion, liver/gall  bladder, worms, topically  
for: insect bites,sprains, rheumatism, bruises.

                        Air
Golden   Pipes(Chamomile   family)   stomach   aches/digestion/gas,    
calamative vs insomnia in children, eye wash and open sores, kidneys.
 
Holigold (Calendula) Marigold. topical application for sores, burns, 
bleeding hemorrhoids  &  wounds,  in  oil  for  ear  aches, vaginal  
infections.
        
Eerie (Yarrow) internal bleeding (especially lungs), gas, diarrhea,  
fevers(measles, colds,flus). also antiseptic.
 
Brittanica  (Vervain)  colds,   flus,  coughs,   upper  respiratory   
inflammations, stomatic, insomnia, pneumonia, asthma.
 
                      Water
Catwort (Catnip/Catmint) digestion/stomach ache or cramps, calmative, 
fevers, headaches, bronchititis & diarrhea.
 
Beerflower (Hops) Sleep aid, liver/digestive/gas/cramps. externally  
for: boils tumors swellings & skin inflammations, refrigerant.
 
Withe  (Black  Willow)  pain,   fevers,  arthritis,  kidney/bladder   
troubles, antiseptic, gargle, tonsilitis, refrigerant.
 
Coneflower  (Echinacea)   antibiotic  (immune   system  stimulant),   
tooth/body abscesses, lymph node swellings, digestive aid.
 
                        Fire
Goldenruthe    (goldenseal)     Antibiotic,     general     purpose     
internal/external,  eye-wash,   female   infections,   sores,  skin   
conditions, colds/viruses/infections
        
Amber (St. John's Wort) nerves, bed-wetting, liver tonic, insomnia,  
mix with  olive oil:  use externally  for skin  conditions, tumors,  
wounds, ulcers, burns, swollen glands, bruises and muscle pains.
 
Sacred Bark (Buckthorne) Constipation/laxative, digestive stimulant, 
gas, liver, gall bladder/ stones.
 
Quercus (White Oak) internal bleeding, vaginal infections, antiseptic 
for all wounds/bites/skin conditions, poison ivy/oak, gum problems,  
lymph node swellings, varicose veins.

To activate these drugs, the Druids would include a small amount of 
Mistletoe preparation to each  before use. Since  it was considered  
"all heal".
 
                      "Draughts of Inspiration" (Only one is given)
 
These drinks  are  thought to  instill  the correct  state  of mind  
required for "Awen". According to Monroe, nine exist in total, though 
only one is given in his book. Perhaps we can discover the others? I 
suggest that the other tree  barks that were used  are from the red  
chestnut, white chestnut, Elm,  Beech, Larch, Oak  and Fir trees. I  
would guess these based  upon Hints contained  in "Practical Celtic  
Magick" by Murry Hope.  I also would  guess that ivy  was used in a  
draught based upon information from Scott Cunningham's "Encyclopedia 
of Magickal Herbs".
 
                          5 tablespoons of spring water
                          1 pinch Evening Primrose Flowers
                          1 pinch Black Willow Bark
                          1 pinch Thyme
 
sit in Glass bottle (closed in the Sun) for 3 days strain/ add 1 tsp 
apple cider vinegar before use add 1 tsp chlorophyll (alfalfa) take 3 
drops subligually prior to Magickal Workings with trees/plants.
 
                        "Threshold Smoke"
 
These concotions  are used  to aid  one  in having  an Otherworldly  
experience. They are cast upon the flames of a fire. Please note that 
some of the ingredients are POISON! and that another one of them is  
considered "illegal". The use  of these herbs  are indicated to aid  
solitary meditations in  the deep  woods. Be  aware that  they will  
induce "Dark  Visions" and  reveal your  inner fears.  According to  
Monroe, the Druids required one to master  such fears to be in tune  
with Nature and to achieve "Balance"..I recommend that none of them  
be tried when unsupervised and I also recommend extreme caution.
 
                      To make the incense:
 
         Blend          and          compound          the          following          
plants:
                              Neckweede (Hemp)
                              Nightshade (Belladonna) (poison) 
                              Ghostflower (Datura)
                      Keep in a dark (light free) box.
 
                      Burn as an incense to facilitate "threshold" 
                      and "traveling" works.
 
                     "The Spirit of the Mandrake"
 
This incense is used to attain a state of altered consciousness for 
resolving one's inner fears and becoming one with the Spirit of the 
Land and its animal Nature. I caution anyone considering using it to 
be aware that  Mandrake is considered  a POISON! This  herb is used  
during the Night of the Wild Hunt that we discussed last week.
 
Toss dried Mandrake (poison) root upon a bed of hot coals or embers  
and let the smoke  cause you to  travel within the  darkness of the  
night. May apple, Peony; Ginseng or Briony roots may be substituted  
(also considered poisonous!).
 
                     "The Song of Bluestar"
Another herb used to achieve altered states was the Bluestar flower  
or the Blue Morning  Glory. This plant  is considered poisonous! Do  
not eat or  drink anything  made with it  and handle  it with care.  
Monroe suggests drying the flowers and seeds to make an incense for a 
rite of assumption or tapping into Powers. This might also be called 
"mind expansion". (The same plants have  been used to create LSD in  
recent times, so I am not surprised that they are used here). I'm not 
advocating that anyone of you try this incense, but Monroe says the 
Druids did. I'm not surprised.
 
Here is the essence of the trip or rite of assumption:
 
"I will be  as a  Bluestar upon a  field of  Green, circling upward  
towards a golden Sun."
                      .... translation by D.W.Nash
 
The Druids believed all life was interrelated from the lowest forms  
to the highest.  This quote  from the  ancient Welsh  document, the  
Mathnawai,  shows their philosopy:
 
                      "I died as a mineral and became a plant,
                      I died as a plant and rose to an animal,
                      I died as an animal and I was a man.
                      Why should I fear?
                      When was I ever less dying?
                      Yet once more I shall die as a man,
                      to soar in the Blessed Realm;
                      but even from godhood
                      I must pass on...."

One further quote  from "The  Gorchan of  Maeldrew": "Each  atom an  
evolving life, each blade of grass a potential soul."

          "The Draughts of Oblivion"
 
I give here  the "fast" (meaning  quick to make)  version of Celtic  
drinks and libations from the "21 Lessons of Merlin" as well as the  
festivals at which they are used:
 
                              May Mead for Beltaine

Add a  half ounce  of each  of the  following to  1 gallon  of your  
favorite white wines:
                              heather flowers, meodowsweet, woodruff
      leaves.       Let      sit       for       about      6       hours.       
Filter
                              and chill before serving.
 
                              Midsummer Ale 
 
Add a  half ounce  of each  of the  following to  1 gallon  of your  
favorite red wines:
                              fresh oak leaves, chamomille, red rose
     petals.     Let     sit     for     about     24     hours.      Add     
9 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon  of
         vanilla.          Filter          and          chill          before          
serving.
 
                              Samhain Absinthe
        
Add a  2 teaspoons  of each  of the  following to  2 pints  of your  
favorite port wines:
            wormwood,            dried            apple/mint             leaves,            
dried
      pumpkin      blossoms.      Let      sit      for      about       1      
week.      Filter       through       muslin       and      bottle.       
Garnish      with       raisins       and       cloves       before       
serving.
 
                              Midwinter Mulsa
 
Add a  half ounce  of each  of the  following to  2 quarts  of your  
favorite   dry    white    wines:    crushed    juniper    berries,    
wintergreen,
      Elder       Flowers.      let       sit       for      about       6       
hours. 
         Filter          and          chill          before          serving.          
Garnish 
    with     a    sprigg     of     green    pine     or    hot     with     
a cinnamon stick

Now these are drinks I can get excited about! I think we can all see 
that Druids used a variety of herbs in their work....from "visions"  
to partying.

(2-24,Trailstalker) Before  we break  up  for our  "free-for-all" I  
wanted to share a couple of addresses.  
                      1)  Natural Labs in Sedona, AZ.  
They make great  herbal tinctures. Pure  and powerful.  The man who  
runs it is very knowledgeable about herbs and remedies. They can be 
reached at: 
                                602-284-9551.  
                                45 Castlerock Road, Suite 2, 
                                Sedona, AZ  86336.  
(2-24,Trailstalker) The  other  is Winter  Sun  Trading  Company in  
Flagstaff, AZ.  It is  run by  Phyllis  Hogan who  is the  ... head  
herbalist in AZ.  She's at: 
                                602-774-2884.  
                                18 E. Santa Fe, 
                                Flagstaff, AZ  86001.
(2-24,Trailstalker)   BTW the man's name is Don Hall.

Celtic Workshop  #10  - The  Act  of  "Becoming" and  The  Charm of  
"Summoning"
        
How to actually influence your surroundings. How to perform Weather  
Magick, to  call  animals to  you,  to  improve your  crops  and to  
influence the outcome of events. How to discover your past life, find 
your Inner  Teacher or  Self and  how to  summon "Spirits"  to your  
presence.

Our Cyber Tuatha gathered  upon the moors and  among the raths once  
more. This night was  a night of  Magick and the  Power of the Moon  
Goddess in her full glory. We engaged in some prelimenary greetings  
and then the presentation  begain .....

(2-8,O'Dubhain)         Celtic Workshop #10 - 
                   The Act of "Becoming" and The Charm of "Summoning"
        
Tonight's workshop is advertised to cover the following topics and I 
intend to give them  all my best  efforts at explanation. Tonight's  
topics are:

          How to actually influence your surroundings. 

  How  to  perform  Weather  Magick,  to  call  animals  to  you,   to  
improve your crops and to influence the outcome of events. 
  
 How  to  discover  your  past  life,  find  your  Inner  Teacher  or  
Self. 
  
          How to summon "Spirits" to your presense.

I am being ambitious in talking about these topics!<G> I trust we can 
cover them all tonight and I also hope to have many contributions by 
all of you regarding your own personal experiences in these areas. We 
will learn from our "Inner Druids"! <G>

The key words to  remember tonight are  "Becoming" and "Summoning".  
They along with "Will" and "Authority" are the basis of most Druidic 
and Celtic Magicks.

What do I mean  by "Becoming"? What  does this act  have to do with  
Magick? How did Druidsdo this? I asked myself all of these questions 
before  making  this  act  a  topic  for  tonight's  workshop.  The   
inspiration for the act of "Becoming" is the "Song of Amergin" from 
the  ancient  Irish  manuscript  the   Leabhar  Gabha'la  (Book  of   
Invasions). Hear now the words of the Druid Amergin:

                        "             The Mystery

                         I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
                         I am the wave of the ocean.
                         I am the murmur of the billows.
                         I am the ox of the seven combats.
                         I am the vulture upon the rocks.
                         I am a beam of the Sun.
                         I am the fairest of plants.
                         I am a wild boar in valour.
                         I am a salmon in the water.
                         I am a lake in the plain.
                         I am a word of science.
                         I am a point of the lance in battle.
    I    am    the    God    who    created    in    the    head     the    
fire.
                         Who is it who throws light into the meeting 
                         on the mountain?
                         Who announces the ages of the Moon?
                         Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
                                                          (If not I)"

This was the translation by Dr. Douglas Hyde from his work "Literary 
History of Ireland". This poem was once as well known in the Celtic  
world as the "Lord's Prayer" is in  today's world. It is said to be  
the first verse  made by the  Mileseans as they  arrived in Ireland  
(circa 1000 BC). This is also an incantation by a mighty Druid and is 
a good illustration of the act  of "Becoming". Amergin is using the  
Magickal Law of Identification that is given by Isaac Bonewits in his 
book "Real Magick":

"The Law of  Identification ...states  that by  maximum association  
between your metapattern and that of another entity, you can actually 
"become" that entity and wield its power."

Bonewits is a Neo Druid and the founder of the group A'r nDrai'ocht  
Fe'in (ADF for short though it really means "Our Druidic Magick" in 
Gaeilge). This  act  of  "Becoming"  is  one  that  is not  lightly  
undertaken. The  danger exists  of being  trapped within  the other  
entity (whether  natural, human  or spiritual).  I suggest  you not  
actually try  this sort  of  thing until  you know  your  True Will  
(exactly who you really  are without self  delusion). This was also  
true of the Greek and the Egyptian Mysteries. Their first and major 
requirement was "Gnothi  se auton",  literally "Know  thyself"! The  
ability to control and return to  one's being is linked directly to  
one's knowledge of Self. Sometimes this process goes the otherway as 
well, as when a Wiccan "Draws Down the Moon". The threefold Goddess 
actually Manifests  within  the  High  Priestess  (HPS)  in  such a  
ceremony. She who has no Name  is benevolent, usually, so that this  
possession results in the HPS afterwards being returned to control of 
her own body. "Becoming" is a two way street and a matter of "Will".  

Now that we know a little about  the act of "Becoming", I think you  
can appreciate just how great a Druid that Amergin was....he "became" 
multiple entities at the same time in his Invocation of the Mystery. 
He controlled all of these elemental  powers and made them his own.  
This act of Power allowed the Mileseans to land upon Eireann though 
they were opposed by the  Magicks of the Tuatha  de Danaan. He also  
lived to do other Magicks (though I must say that his invocation of  
Ireland is rumored to have caused him to marry and join the de Danaan 
within the 
spirit world of the Sidhe). We must remember that Amergin was a Druid 
and so had studied his  arts intensivly for anywhere  from 12 to 20  
years as a  minimum. He  was able to  return to  hinself after such  
Magical Working because he knew his True Self and Will. This strong 
connection is the  Way of Return  for us all.  I urge  that you all  
exercise due caution when "Becoming". Know yourself first.

Another saying worthy of note while discussing the act of "Becoming" 
is a common saying  of the ancient  world that I  quote from Doreen  
Valiente's book "Natural Magic": "Ten measures of magic were given to 
the world. Egypt took nine. The rest took one."

I include this saying here to establish one other connection....that 
of the Druids to the Egyptians. The lineage of Amergin and the Gaels 
includes his mother Scota (daughter of the Egyptian Pharoh) as well  
as Mile and Niall "of the Languages" a Scythian prince from Syria. No 
small wonder then that Pliny, a  noted ancient scholar, says of the  
Druids in his work "Natural History" that the Druids practiced Magick 
with such elaborate ritual that it  would almost appear that it was  
they "who had taught  the Persians". These are  none other than the  
Magi or "wise  men" from whom  the word Magick  is derived. Another  
ancient historian, Dio Chrysostum groups the Druids together with the 
Persian, Hindu  and  Egyptian priesthoods  regarding  their  use of  
magical powers. While I'm connecting Magical schools, I may as well  
say that Liber Al vel Legis (The  Book of the Law) is the channeled  
revelation of the  Egyptian dieties  Nuit, Hadit  and Ra-Hoor-Khuit  
(Otherwise known as  Isis, Osiris and  Horus) Horus is  two in one,  
Horus and Harpocrates or Set/Apophis). We have already seen the use  
of these three godnames in the "Rite of Three Rays" from a previous  
workshop. This was  the intonation  of the  sounds "IAO"  used when  
invokiing the One Power. In Thelemic Magick  the Book of the Law is  
the basis for the revelation  of a "New Aeon" or  "New Age". It was  
channeled in 1904 by Aleister Crowley  90 years ago this month. "Do  
what thou wilt is the whole of the Law". "Love is the Law, Love under 
Will". (caps are mine).

I have digressed quite a bit here but I think the time is well spent. 
Celtic Magick is tied  through the Druids to  the Egyptians and the  
Persians to a far older Magick arising out of Summeria and from there 
beyond time. It  is true  and powerful Magick  and I  give the same  
caution to you that I gave  about herbs last workshop....think long  
and hard and with great deliberation before undertaking this journey. 
Once the path is taken, the journey must be completed.

Now I finally get to my first topic of the night!  <G>:

           "How to actually influence your surroundings" 
    
The key to any act influencing the world around us is to be in tune  
and in touch with it  first. You must hear the  tune before you can  
change the music or  even write your  own song. I  suggest a lot of  
meditation in Nature. Find a spot that "speaks" to the Pagan within 
you. Be at Peace  and "feel" the  pulse of Nature,  the God and the  
Goddess. Once this  rapport has been  established, one  is ready to  
influence  the  surroundings.  The  Druids  left  us  few  writings   
concerning their  spells and  Magicks.  We must  "rediscover" these  
Works by looking at the Magicks that are done in the world today and 
by Using our "Druid filters" and "Celtometers"!! <G> I have included 
examples of  such "Natural  Magics"  from my  own  experiences, the  
experiences of other Witches and Druids as well as those that I found 
in the writings of Doreen Valiente, Bonewits and Scott Cunningham.

                   "How to perform Weather Magick" 

For weather Magickal examples I turned to our very own Thunder Being, 
Shadow Hawk, shaman and wizard extraordinaire!<G> He obliged me with 
a few examples:

 The  first  example  involves  the  control  of  weather fronts  and  
rain. Our favorite shaman uses the techniques of dancing and drumming 
to attain a higher state. He  invokes the Lightning beings and they  
join the dance with him.  By being so in tune  with them he can ask  
that they do his bidding.  If he must act  upon an existing weather  
front, he sends his "power animal", Dragon into the clouds. Dragon is 
a manifestation of  this Shaman  in the  power planes.  Dragon then  
interacts with the clouds and controls the storms. When the work is 
done, he is recalled to his shaman. The use of such a "power animal" 
or Magickal construct allows the wise shaman to "become" one with the 
elements of the storm and influence them without "losing himself" in 
their wild natures. The connection is retained with the Self (Shadow 
Hawk) back upon  the ground while  the power  animal (Dragon) works  
among the clouds. The use of such Power has its price.... Shadow Hawk 
suffers sever headaches for three days following these episodes.

The second example of how our Dark Shaman uses the weather for Magick 
is in charging his Magickal tools: his sword, wand and athame. During 
a 200 MPH hurricane, he faced the  Power of the storm, shouting out  
the invocation of the Quarters, forming a Magickal Circle and calling 
the storms Power into his  sword, his wand and  his athame. He also  
captured the storm's rain in a cauldron for later magickal workings. 
Can't you see him with the storm's winds lashing at his cloak? Sword 
upraised as lightnings crash all around him, exploding in sparks and 
reflecting in eerie blue lights off the  steel of his blade and the  
aura of  his Magick!!!  He has  used these  tools in  many Powerful  
workings.

                    "How to call animals to you" 

This is a matter of "becoming" the animal in your mind and "willing" 
it to come to you. Actually the "Beastmaster" movie illustrated this 
technique quite well. Most good  hunters do this subconsciously and  
naturally.
           
                    "How to improve your crops"  
          
In this Working, invoke no other spirits than your own. Burn no fires 
nor incenses. Carry four stones with  you that have been blessed by  
you in a previous ceremony. Set these stones to define the area that 
is to be planted. Cast a Magickal Circle within this field. Sit upon 
the ground and place both hands upon  the earth at your sides. Feel  
the earth, it's dampness, its fertility, its calm. Reflect upon your 
needs and the crops you are about  to plant. Next recite a suitable  
chant or poem. I like this one: 

                               "Go maith raibh agat, na mBande'.
                                Go maith raibh agat, na De'.
                                Go maith raibh agat, talamh me'ith.

                                Cuirim fad beannacht na greine thu.
                                Cuirim fad beannacht na gealai thu.
                                Cuirim fad beannacht mo chroi' thu.
        
                                Go me'adai Bhri'de do sto'r san 
                                         ba'isteach de earrach.
                                Go me'adai Danu do sto'r san 
                                        greine te de tsaamhradh.
                                Go me'adai Dagdha do sto'r 
                       san                       gaoth                        ple'isiu'rtha                       
fo'mhar."

As I sit and reflect  upon the bounty that the  Land has given me I  
give back to  the earth  of my own  personal Power.  I remember the  
blessings it has bestowed to me and  my pleasure in its well being.  
After a suitable amount of reflection and meditation, I arise to do 
my plowing and to plant my seeds for another turn of the Wheel.
      
              "How to influence the outcome of events" 

I try to create a feeling of Positive Magick within me. I banish all 
negative thoughts. I surround myself with a glow of positive golden  
energy. I tap the  flows of the  earth and the  sky and "project" a  
creative field all around me. I find that this works well in casinos 
and just  before having  important meetings.  It helps  to strongly  
visualize the outcome that is desired  and to see the results occur  
and not the actions that cause  them. Let events sort themselves as  
they may. Let the Magick work. Be patient and await the rewards.
                  "How to discover your past life"

Some people use  tapes and  hypnosis to  do past  life regressions.  
Perhaps some of  you have and  can share those  experiences with us  
tonight. I find that what works best for me is to read about a time  
to understand the events of that period and to set the stage for my 
Work. I then allow myself to "daydream" and reflect about that time 
and to see myself within  it. What usually happens  next is that no  
revelation comes to me immediately. I maintain my focus over perhaps 
as long as three days constantly checking to see if my "dream" search 
has produced any results. When I least expect it, sudden revelation  
will show me a scene from a past life  and my part in it. It's like 
seeing a photograph from an album for me.
      
              "How to find your Inner Teacher or Self"  
      
This is the start of all real  Magick, finding your True Will. Many  
techniques exist for doing  this in a  variety of books, everything  
from "the 21 Lessons"  to Donald Michael  Kraig's "Modern Magic". I  
will relate how it happened  to me. I studied  the works of Magick,  
Science and Religions (as many  as I could find).  I sought for the  
Truth that was external  to me. I  was a bulldog  chasing down many  
paths and wrestling with many concepts. The Truth eluded me, always  
constantly out  of  mu  grasp....the  fox  and  the  grapes. I  was  
incredibly frustrated. One night I gave it  all up. As I lay in the  
Silence of my  mind, I  left all  of the  mundane world  behind and  
suddenly I was surrounded by Spirit in  a place not a place. It was  
not within me...I  had ceased  to exist I  was the  student and the  
Spirit was the teacher. Since then, if  I have need of an answer, I  
create a sacred space for me to be silent and I await enlightenment. 
I listen  to my  Inner Guide.  Sometimes the  lessons are  easy and  
othertimes I have to learn the hard way. (Frequently I get off of My 
Path and am "guided back" with  many "object" lessons kicking me in  
the seat of  the pants<G>)!  I would  be interested in  hearing how  
anyone else found their True Will. Mine search was long and hard and 
I still stray in confusion at times!<G>

                     "How to summon 'Spirits'"

I will give an example of how to summon the Spirit of Merlin as found 
in the book "The 21 Lessons of Merlin" by Douglas Monroe. Before we  
begin there is a chant we must learn in old Welsh:

                                "Bedd Ann ap lleian ymnewais fynydd
                                      lluagor llew Ymrais
                                 Prif ddewin Merddin Embrais."

         the meaning:

                               "The grave of the nun's son on 
                                Newais Mountain:
                                        Lord of Battle, Llew Embrais, 
                       Chief                       Magician,                        Myrddin                       
Emrys."

        the pronunciation:

                                "BETH AHN ahp T-Lay'in, eem-NEW-ais
                                 FEEN-ith
                                    T-loo-AH-gor T-loo EEM-rais
                                 Preeve DEW-in MEER-thin EHM-rihs."

I find that using an  unusual language in a chant  helps me to free  
myself from the chains of the mundane and allows me to focus upon the 
Working. After memorizing  the above  chant one  must search  for a  
suitable site....a grave yard or burial ground that is isolated from 
prying eyes and situated upon  a hill. This sounds  hard but is not  
impossible to do.  I know  of such  a place  where my  great, great  
grandfather and grandmother are buried upon a hill beneath a copse of 
trees in a farmers fields. Many such spots exist... though work can 
find them (and hopefully also permission to use them). 

Pick a suitable night for the ritual, Samhain being the absolute best 
night. Gather nine pumpkins that are carved with faces (though candle 
holders will do...just  not as spooky).  Set the circle  up the day  
before the ritual as you don't want any distractions from your Work. 
Arrange the pumpkins with candles around you in a circle (about arms 
width) with the faces looking outward. Always light the candles from 
within the circle. Pick a suitably soulful dirge (for meditation and 
mood setting) from your favorite  songbook (Monroe suggests his but  
you know what you like better). Sing  this song as you meditate and  
reflect upon the Working. Place an  iron cauldron within the circle  
upon a bed of coals. Into this cauldron place a mixture of an herb, a 
flower and a tree  (Monroe suggests using 1  part wormwood, 2 parts  
Ghostflower (Datura) and  3 parts  Yew (juniper  or cypress)  as an  
incense mixture. (Store bought incenses work just as well and can be 
burned in an incense burner instead of a cauldron). Start the entire 
ritual at 30 minutes  before Midnight. At  precisely Midnight throw  
additional incense on the coals and recite the above invocation nine 
times without stopping. "Become"  one with the  chant! See into the  
Darkness! Expect the coming of Myrddin Emrys! Sit quietly and await  
the coming of the shade  of Merlin! You may ask  for the answers to  
three questions. Release  the shade  by extinguishing  the fire and  
incense completely,  then extinguish  the 9  circling fires  of the  
pumpkin  heads.  You  can  now  pack  up  and  leave.  The  key  to  
successfully working this Magick is setting the mood, performing the 
meditations and reflections and reciting the invocation properly. The 
ritual can be adapted to allow you to invoke other Spirits as well to 
equal effect.

The ancient Gaels would do similar  rituals to communicate with the  
dead. They would usually lay and sleep upon the grave of the person  
to be summoned while fasting, until the shade appeared. This process 
was not 
 lightly undertaken by them, as the dead could be quite dangerous to  
the living, wanting to regain the pleasures of the flesh (hence the 
need for the Magickal Circle of  pumpkins and light). In a previous  
workshop I told how the Ta'in Bo' Cuailnge was recovered by a young  
Druid sleeping upon  the grave  of Feargus  Mac Rioch. I'd  like to  
caution you all once more to do these rituals only when in dire need. 
That's why it's important to do two things...
                        1. Always work within a Circle.
    2.    Have     someone    there    that     can    aid    you     if    
things      get       out      of       hand.       This      means       
severingthe           connection            and           banishing            
the entity.
This is also why it's so important to know your True Will. When you 
have that anchor you can come back from anywhere. I know... because I 
have done it. It's like climbing a hill though...

(2-28,cherokee) Rhianna,  I  think  as od  said  it's  important to  
remember that you are working with very powerful energies. You must  
be pure and centered before doing the work. The indians believe it is 
not possible for an animal to take over a human because the animals  
are here as guides who keep us close to our source.


Celtic Workshop #11 - "Walking between the Worlds" and "Journeys on  
the Wheel"
        
We met on Tuesday evening because the online Bealtaine Ritual was on 
Monday. The topics of discussion were Out of Body Experiences (OOBE), 
Astral Travel and Inner Journeys. An  example of a "pathworking" on  
Fionn's Wheel was given.

Tonight's workshop  discusses Astral  Travel and  Inner Journeying.  
Tonight's topics are:
 
                                Out of Body Experiences
 
                                Astral Travel
 
         Example          Inner          Journey          on          Fionn's          
Wheel
 
Tonight we talk briefly about the subject of Out of Body Experiences 
(OOBE). Thisexperience  is the  means by  which  one can  effect or  
achieve Magick. It is central to the methods behind the Magickal Law: 
"As Above, So Below". A complete workshop will be offered here soon 
by another, so I touch briefly on these techniques tonight.

Three excellent books on these subjects are:
        
                                Astral Projection by Denning and
                                Phillips.
 
                                Journeys Out of the Body by
                                Robert A. Monroe.
 
                                Traveling With Power by Ken
                                Eagle Feather.
 
I will present the results of an Inner Journey later, using Fionn's 
Wheel as a guide to the Astral Archtypes within each of us.
 
The basic  techniques  of  OOBE  are  these:  "disassociation"  and  
"release".  Another  word  for  "disassociation"  is  "meditating".   
Meditating allows us to break free from the conditioning forced upon 
our thoughts by the  ever so mundane,  so-called "normal" world. It  
places our  mind  into a  rhythm  that  allows it  to  "vibrate" in  
resonance to other realities (some might say other dimensions or even 
other worlds). I achieve  this state by going  through a process of  
literally forcing myself to "relax".  I relax my extremities first,  
then my legs,  arms, trunk, head,  breathing, heart  and lastly, my  
mind. The body is calmed by physically lifting, then releasing a body 
part and "feeling" the  waves of relaxation flow  inward and up the  
body. This is done in succession until only the mind is active. 
 
Once totally within the  mind, relaxation of  thought must occur. I  
achieve mental quietness by visualizing a totally "Black" void into  
which all thoughts, feelings and  flickers of thoughts and feelings  
are fed.  This  process continues  until  all is  "black".  I float  
before a sea  of Darkness.  I see  nothing, I  feel nothing  , I am  
nothing. Once this state is achieved, one may proceed to "travel" or 
have an OOBE.
 
 
                         "Leaving the Body"
 
To leave the body requires an  additional two steps: an increase in  
the vibratory rate of the Spirit and a "pushing" out of the body. I 
am lucky  that I  seem to  have  discovered these  techniques while  
experimenting on my own. The proper level of Spiritual vibration or  
"ecstasy" is achieved by  further relaxation and  through belief or  
"Will". I totally believe that  my Spirit can leave  my body and do  
anything. This focused and concentrated  belief through Will is the  
essense of all Magick. It is absolutely necessary to achieve results. 
Some might  call  this process  "faith".  It is  the  stuffby which  
mountains are moved and with which entire worlds and even universes  
are created. It is  also the basis  of Love and  it is through Love  
that most of us discover  the Power that we all  have to create and  
perform Magick.
 
Everyone from Ahura Mazda  to Jesus to Crowley  says the same thing  
about this process. Love is Power. It is the fundamental requirement 
for creative Work. Let us soar upon  the wings of eagles and fly on  
the wings of doves into the Astral.  I "key" the process of leaving  
my body to  seeing in  every direction  at the  same time.  This is  
impossible for  me  to  visualize or  to  consider  in  my "normal"  
existence while contained within the physical shell of my skull and  
the confines of my body.  
 
The "Darkness" I have achieved by relaxation of the mind is seen as a 
balloon. I see  only one  side of  it. As  my Magick  squeezes this  
balloon, it expands toward me and through me until I am surrounded by 
the Darkness. While this process of transformation and metamorphesis 
occurs, I maintain constant contact with all aspects of the Darkness 
that I encounter when the passage is complete, I see the inside and  
the outside of the Dark Bubble. I see in two directions! This is one 
step. I take as many steps as are necessary, piling belief upon work 
and work upon belief until no direction is unseen. I see myself from 
without and myself from within. I float and I create. I "travel" and 
I do anything I can conceive. My existence is a "waking dream". I am 
the master of Reality. I am a  new creation! This is the essence of  
OOBE. Where one goes from  here is for a  more advanced workshop. I  
trust the New Age forum OOBE Workshop will be just such an experience 
for all of us. I plan to  be a part of it and  I trust you will all 
join me there.
 
             "A Journey Through the Veil at Bealtaine"
 
In the spirit of this  Bealtaine season and to  Honor the Mother of  
Summer and the Lord of the Greenwood,  I took out a copy of Fionn's  
Wheel to use as a  focus for my reflections and  musings. I found a  
quiet spot with no distractions and I gazed upon the Magickal Oghams 
of the Wheel. I sought
guidance about the world around us and clarity as to my purpose. As I 
gazed upon the symbols, a mist began  to form and I slowly began to  
journey. The veil between the worlds  is thinnest on the spindle of  
the
Wheel this night. What follows is the  story of my journey upon the  
pathways of the Wheel:  (A voice within my mind spoke to me.)
 
"Tonight is a night of Magick. Come with me into the rath ..enter the 
home of the Sidhe. Let us walk the moonways and take the path of the 
journey within:" 
 
                      "The Mists of Draiocht"
 
<The mists arise in the meadow and gather in whorls and spirals. The 
air is filled with mystery. A strange call sounds...
                        can you hear it?...shivers and silvers..
                        bells?... or ... harp strings and laughter?
                        We are called...called are we....called...
                        we must go....we must go...we must go...
                        Wrapped in wraiths of shimmering silver..
                        flowing, ever flowing from without..
                        time is not here...reality dissolves...
                        consciousness journeys within.
                        Into the night i must go...on spirit wings,
                        leaving this world behind!! I must go!
                        Billowing fog and music calls to me!
                        I have no legs...the mist rises! ...
                        I ride the waves...no arms..none! The
                        Power flows within always within.....
                        within...always......always..........
                        within......I float I float I float..
                        Only me in the silence and the drums...
                        Only me...the spirit me survives!
                        And my heart lives on in echoes! It 
                        calls to me across the void as I journey. 
                        Hear the beat of my heart's drum...hear
                        the beat of life's blood...my thoughts
                        are a rhythm...a drumming, a rhythm of
                        life and thought across the shimmering
                        moonways....come within .....within..
                        Feel the energy in waves as it comes 
                        ...in waves and we float..we float as
                        the waves...the waves...the waves...
                        come to us ..... we are...not 
                        we are not...we are not..we are not! Not!
                        It comes!! The darkness comes!
                        Darkness.

                        "The Point of Light"
 
                        One point of light...one point of life!!
                        Only that ...only that...and the drum...
                        the drum as we journey...mists of silver...
                        we are mist and we float to the light..
                        the Silver wheel turns on mists of...
                        mists of...silver and light...a moth...
                        drawn...the light beckons..to the wheel...
                        swirling in light and darkness....how
                        can this be? Where can we be? How?
                        How?  The Wheel turns and we turn as
                        we spiral....spirals of life within...
                        within....no drumming...the silence is
                        all...Nothing and ALL!! We are!!
 
                        Nothing.
 
                        The journey begins:
 
                        "The Hallway of Music"
 
                        (Who is it that speaks?)
 
                        "Come to me my children...come within!
                        It is time... your time..our time...all
                        of time...and no time...We are here!
                        We are! We rejoice!
 
                        Rejoice!!"
 
                        "Let us laugh and play the old songs!!
                        Let us sing and discover!! Dance the
                        dance and travel!"
 
                        <Arms surround me and sweep me across
                        a floor that was not there a moment
                        ago. Laughter fills the air. I am happy.
                        I smile with lips I do not have. I am
                        me but I am theirs as well!>
 
                        (How can this be?)
 
                        The colors are every color!! Multicolored
                        hues and rays abound!! They are many and
                        they are one !!! They are one and they are 
                        many! The colors! The colors are all one!
                        The signs of mystery...abound...the Mystery 
                        is in the signs ... The signs of Mystery!
                        All is Pefect ...all is Beauty...and...
                        I choose the first sign. ...."Huath"
 
                        <The flames engulf me!! I burn and I
                        am gone!! Into the Dark!! and the Light
                        beckons...Death and Life!! ....Love and
                        Sex!! I am steel!! I am a sword!!!
                        Goibhnui hammers upon his forge!!  I was
                        steel and now I am a sword!! I am a tool!!
                        I am a use!! Knowledge is upon me!! Waves of
                        sex lap upon the shores of death!! I am the
                        Crane walking the waters edge. I am Life
                        and Death .... endlessly ...  endlessly ...
                        until the Beginning. I must be shaped and
                        molded. I must burn the impurities! I must
                        sacrifice them to the Holy Fires! Purity!
                        Into the Twin Fires!!! Flames of Purity!!>
 
                        Purity!
 
                        <I have been remade!>
 
                        "The Endless Sea"
 
                        <The fires are gone!! The world is a Sea! 
                        Deep Waters! Holy Waters! Healing Waters!
                        Awash in cooling , soothing waters 
                        of forgetting and solitude...I am not here.
                        I am a wave upon a sea of stillness....
                        I am the reflection of the moon in
                        pathways of silver!! I am an endless sea.
                        A sea that flows around a Great Tree....
                        A Shining Tree of Light! A Tree within 
                        the Light...a Tree that has been and
                        is always. It is the way!! It is a doorway!
      A      doorway      to      purpose!!      A      purpose       that      
endures!! 
                        Enduring for all time!! A White Tree of many 
     branches...many      branches     of      life!     Each      branch      
a 
                        gathering of silver ... silver leaves in the 
                        moonlight. Moonlight and songs of Magick!
                        The music begins!!! The music of the
                        leaves sing to me! Each note...a lifetime
                        of purpose...attempted and tried....
                        gained and lost....melodies of song...
                        life's song....the call of the wren... 
                        each small note builds with the others!!
                        a symphony of souls...a multitude.... 
                        all the same...It is I!! They are me!!
                        I am them!!! I lust and I long for me!!
                        All of me....The sound gathers and the
                        music swells!! It is the call!! The call
                        is made and we/I/us/they/I gather to BE!>
 
                        The doorway is open yet the door itself 
                        is closed! Pass within with me:
 
                        "The Oaken Door of the Greenwood"
 
                        <I pass through the Oaken timbers of the
                        door itself! I step into a vast room...
                        the Great Hall of the God...the Grove!!
                        It is the Green Man...It is He!!
                        The forest is alive and sings the song!
                        He sits in Giagantic Majesty...humanlike 
                        in shape upon a living throne of evergreen 
                        and Holly!! His flaming eyes gaze upon a 
                        burning bush!!>
 
                        (Hear the words of the God:)
                        "Come sit at my fire!!! Look within and
                        SEE!! SEE!! SEE yourselves!!! See them all!
      Your      lives      and      your      deaths!!      See       your      
travels!
                        See your loves!!! I am HE! I am Lord of the
                        Greenwood!! I am life reborn from the womb
                        of the Mother. and You are a seed...you are
                        a forest!! You are remade!! Be One!! Be
                        a part of the All!! Live with me and my
                        children!! We are life...your life and
                        the forest...all souls in the green song.
                        We are verdent...green upon green...
                        upon green... Let us wed the Bride and be
                        ONE as we are always...you and I! We wed
                        the Land!!"
 
                        <I am a vine of flowers blooming upon
                        a canvas of green...painted against
                        a sky filled with grey...green birds
                        all flocking together...as one bird...
                        a giant creature of the Air... and I 
                        soar through the beams and boughs of
                        the Holly King's Hall and into the Sky!>

                        Join me upon the wings of Air:
 
                        "The Flight of the Starling"
 
                        A lush green earth spreads in fields
                        below me as I soar upon the winds.
                        I journey through and above a garden.
                        Many blooms...many flowers...many scents.
                        The air is filled with sounds and scent
                        and I see Forever across the World of 
                        the Living even unto the Hill in the
                        Center. The Center of all things. A great 
                        stone temple arises within a grove of hazel
                        and is framed against a golden light. White
                        and grey stones surround a crystal well
                        that sparkles within the mote of the always 
                        seeing eye! The Crystal Light shines forth!
                        It guides me to the spring!! The Waters
                        of Life!! The Wellspring of Knowledge!!
                        Crystal twinkles of light play music upon 
    my     mind's     eye     and     cascade     in    fountains     of     
joy!
                        The Song of the Ages of Man and Woman ....
                        so Many and so Right...the temple is filled
                        by the Song and the Dance ...step and sing!
                        Brothers and Sisters! Are we all here? What
                        is this place? Am I here? Are you here?
                        We are within... I am AWARE.
 
                        "The Fountain and the Field"
 
                        <I approach the fountain within the temple.
                        The roof is open to the sky and many birds
                        can be seen...yet only two are with me..
                        and they stand within the waters. One is the
                        white Crane from the Dead Sea.. I am speared
                        upon the point of his eye. I am pierced!!
    I     am     lifted     to     a     ledge     of     stone     that     
surrounds
       the       inner       temple...Here       ther       are        many       
artifacts.
                        The spoils of war...the fruits of labor...the
      ancient       Magicks      and       Alchemies!!      Tools       of       
                  Magick!!  Tools !!! >
 
                        "Choose wisely....do not waste this spin upon
    the    spindle     of    life!!     Now    is     the    time     of    
    change!!    One    choice    only    can    you    have!!     Choose    
wisely....  or be gone!"

 
      <A      rounded      shield      fashioned      from       hazelwood      
....
                        gilded and bronzed with a covering of symbols
                        catches my eye...and I choose...wisely...
                        wisely...wisely I trust!!! Guide me!! I cry
                        out....Guide me my Guide!!! Aid me now!!>
                        This is the answer that appeared:
 
                      "The Fruit of the Tree"
 
                        <A small voice croons to me..the voice of the 
                        querc....small and brown ...common....yet..
                        It is Beautiful!! and it sits in a tree of  
                        White.
                        White Blossoms above the Eternal Fountain.
                        Perfect Beauty and Promise!! I approach the
                        querc and the Tree.>

                        I ask,"What is this Tree that grows within
                        this Sacred Place oh small brown one? What
                        is this Tree and why am I here? Guide me!
                        Let your Spirit show me the way!"
 
                        <The bird hops along a branch to where a
                        fruit of greens and pinks swells forth in 
                        its ripeness.>

 
                        "Take...eat...SEE...and know life!!!Here
                        are the five points of Eternity!!! Here
                        are the seeds of Life itself!! Eat only 
                        if you are wise! Live only if you are pure!
                        Endure only if you are strong and return
                        to choose wisely once again!! Now is the 
                        time of the Five Pointed Star!! You must
                        become a Star child and grow!!! Be a
                        Point of Light in the Darkness!! Be the
                        Darkness and the Light!"
 
                        <I reach up and take the fruit. I split
                        it into two halves...one more pink than
                        green ... the other more green than 
                        pink. Within are the star shaped seed
                        chambers of life. The Star is born!!!
                        I bite into the Quert, the fruit of Life!! 
                        I am BECOME!>

                        The World Beckoned to me once more:
 
                        "The Light in the Darkness"
 

                        The point of light recedes rapidly into
                        the night, a shooting star across the skies.
                        I am alone once more looking at the wheel,
                        wondering about myself...Who am I? What
                        does this mean? What awaits me? What awaits
                        us all?  We are alone and the Wheel turns.
 
                        Once more I gaze upon Fionn's wheel...
                        and know my journeys continue....It's
                        knowledge is my shield. I am a sword and
                        the fires of summer beckon to us all.
 
Such is the  nature of  an Inner  Journey. I  continue to  see this  
journey and to reflect upon  its meanings to me and  to who I am. I  
recommend that  each  of  you  also  undertake  such  journeys  for  
yourselves. Go within  to your  Inner Guide  and travel  the Wheel.  
Journey the pathways  of Fionn  to Wisdom  and Knowledge. Beannacht  
libh!  That was my experience in an Inner Journey.

Celtic Workshop #12 - The "Outer  Darkness", the "Dragon's Eye" and  
the 
"Many Speckled Rainment"

This Workshop  was presented  and hosted  by Searles  O'Dubhain. We  
covered
the basis of Druid Magick or Drai'ocht. We discussed the "Dragon" or
"Serpent" Power that is inherit in the Land. We touched on the many
different areas of knowledge and discipline necessary to be a Druid. 
We
also  discussed  the  Mysteries  of  "Death"  and  "Rebirth".  Some   
preliminary
socializing soon gave way to the formal presentation and discussion:

Here is what I hope to cover tonight:
 
                             The Road to the Grove.
                             The Druidic concepts of Being. 
                             The use of the Power of the Land
                             in the Rite of the "Dragon's Eye". 
                             The "ley lines" and the "death roads". 
                             The attainment of Druidic enlightenment 
                             (Initiation to the Inner Mysteries) 
         Authority          and          the          "Many          Speckled          
Rainment"
        
                      "The Road to the Grove"
 
There are many paths to Magick though only One True Magick IMHO. The 
Grove is a home to this Power as is the Circle and the Temple. How do 
we attain  the Power  to do  Magick  for ourselves  and for  all of  
humanity? Let us look to see what the Pathways were for others.
 
                             "The Ancient Druidic Orders"
 
I have discussed the Ancient orders or levels of Druids in a previous 
workshop.  I  include  them  here  for  the  sake  of  our  current   
discussion. 
 
Druidic Bards studied for 15 to 20 years to learn the epics, chants, 
spells and histories of  their peoples and  clans. These works were  
memorized exactly and were a requirement for advancement to a higher 
or inner level of the  Druidic ranks. The works  had to be rendered  
with feeling  so  that  the  listener  would  be  spell  bound  and  
consequently could  relive  the  event. The  Irish  Druids  had the  
following classes of Bards:
 
                            Class          # of Epics
                         __________________________________________ 
                            Driseg         20   (the Beginner)
                            Foclaic        30   (Advanced beginner)
                            Cili           100  (Journeyman)
                            Anraid         175  (Master/Warrior)
                            Ollomh         175+ (Doctor/Judge)
 
It is to be expected that the lawyers, seers, scientists, judges, and 
clergy of the Draoi underwent similarly lengthy training periods.
 
                     "The Cloak of Many Colors"
 
In the Christian Bible, Joseph was awarded a cloak of many colors by 
his father because he was beloved among all of his brothers. Due to  
the jealousy and greed  of his brothers, Joseph  was also sold into  
slavery in Egypt  and suffered  a "death" to  his old  way of life.  
Because he was open to wisdom and could perceive the meanings within 
signs and dreams, he became the  chief counselor to the Pharaoh and  
rose above his death to "new life". Just as the history of the Gaels 
is tied to Egypt, so  the rites of Druids are  tied to this idea of  
"many colors" and rebirth. Please recall that the Mileseans descend  
from the Pharaohs of  Egypt and that  their Druids were  said to be  
better Magi than the Persians. To be as good a Druid as Joseph, one 
must learn the art of interpreting dreams, divination and eloquence. 
This is a mighty job and worthy of us all!
                      "My Own Personal Paths"
 
When I embarked upon the  quest for my roots and  for the nature of  
Drai'ocht, I was immediately impressed by two things: 
 
      1.      The      Druids       were      acute      and       patient      
observers
                        of Nature.
 
      2.      The       Druids      were       the      scholars       and      
scientists
                        of their day.
 
Using these two ideas, I created a color-coded series of educational 
levels for myself in my quest into the secrets of the Draoi.
 
I believe there are five areas of knowledge in the Mysteries: 
 
                                Knowledge of Self, 
                                Knowledge of the World,
                                Knowledge of the Spirit, 
                                Knowledge of Magick, 
                                Knowledge of the ONE.
 
The entire process of learning and growing never stops. As a minimum 
I have required myself to know the following:
 
                        Knowledge of Self  (The Blue Level)
                        __________________________________________
The Student must  be able to  meditate until he/she  can know their  
inner voice. The  Student must know  truth and  abstain from lying.  
The Student must be able to love and be loved. The Student must know 
the limits of self. The Student must identify their Sexuallity. The  
Student must know  their life  goals. The  Student must  know their  
bodies and how to 
maximize and maintain their health.
 
         Knowledge of the World (The Green Level)
        __________________________________________
 
The Student must know the physical world. The Student must know how 
the laws of Nature work. The Student must be Holistic with Creation. 
The Student  must  be  able  to shape  the  forces  of  Physics and  
Chemistry. The Student  must know the  ways of  Botany and Zoology.  
The Student must study animals, plants, insects, birds,fish,trees and 
rocks. The Student must hear the voice of the Waters and the Winds.  
The Student must SEE within the Fires, The Student must be connected 
with the Earth. The Student must  know the history of civilization.  
The Student must know the laws of man. The Student must learn Music. 
The Student must learn Poetry and Writing.
 
     The      Knowledge      of      the      Spirit     (The      Yellow      
Level)
                        
______________________________________________
 
The Student must know the Spirit within. The Student must study the 
Religions of Humanity. The  Student must make  a Spiritual Journey.  
The Student must leave the body and  walk the Moon Ways. (OOBE) The  
Student must see the origins and travels of the Spirit within. (PAST 
LIFE REGRESSION) The Student must Know the Spirit in Music, Colors,  
Symbols and Life.  The Student must hear the Akasha.
 
         The Knowledge of Magick (The Orange Level)
         __________________________________________
 
The Student  must  read  the Great  Works  (Cayce,  Crowley, Enoch,  
Fortune, Hermes, Jung, Ogham, Pythagorus, Qabalah, Science, Solomon, 
Thelema, etc.) The  Student must learn  to "See."  The Student must  
learn to "Divine". The Student must  learn to "Shield." The student  
shall learn  to "Speak."  The student  shall  learn to  "Heal." The  
student shall learn to "Travel."  
 
                        The Knowledge of the ONE (The Red Level)
                        __________________________________________
 
The Student must create  and lead a Ritual.  The Student must focus  
the three Powers (Earth,  Self, ONE). The  Student must perform the  
Great Rite.  The  Student  must change  Reality.  The  Student must  
perform the rite of "Making." The Student must be reborn and become 
ONE.
 
After passing  through all  levels  successfully, the  Student then  
becomes the Teacher and  can wear the  White, Multi-speckled or the  
Dark Robes of their choice. This is my path to Drai'ocht. You alone  
can choose  the proper  path to  your Inner  Light of  Whiteness or  
Darkness. All colors are one color. All Drai'ocht is ONE DRAI'OCHT!
 
              "The Druidic concepts of Being" 
              ------------------------------- 
I would like to quickly touch on some Druidic concepts about states 
of being. These states of being correspond to the previous cosmology 
that we discussed in workshop 5. (Time does not permit me to make a 
complete discussion  of these  topics  tonight. I  may  add another  
workshop to cover them more completely in the future.)
 
         "Barddas and The Circles of Being"
         ---------------------------------- 
The Welsh Bardic work "Barddas" contains a description of the three  
Circles of Being: 
          1.  Abred or the Realm of Matter
              (The physical world of form)
 
          2.  Gwynyd or the Realm of Blessedness
              (The Magickal Astral world of Spirits)
 
           3.  Ceugant or the Realm of Infinities 
               (That which is the home of the
                God/desses and the Blessed)
 
These states of  being are  separated by  three veils that  must be  
passed:
 
1.  Annwn or "Dark Forgetfulness"
 (This is the gap  or veil that must be  passed to achieve birth  and 
rebirth in the Physical World.)
 
2.  Cythraul or "the Ghost"
    (This is the veil that must be passed to achieve enlightenment.)
 
3.  Lyonesse or "the Isle of the Blest"
 (This  is  the final  veil  that  is passed  when  one has  achieved  
complete enlightenment and complete growth.)
 
"Awen" or "illumination" is like a lightning bolt that can come to us 
across these veils and bring us knowledge and understanding.
 
The key to our Power and true wills is how well we are able to pass 
between these  states  of  being.  I  will  discuss  some of  these  
techniques next.
 
        "Circles of Thought" or, "The Cyclatron of the Soul"
        
One of the marvels of modern science is the atom smasher or particle 
accelerator.  Another  name   for  these  powerful   devices  is  a   
"cyclatron". This is  basically a phased  arrray of electromagnetic  
devices that take charged particles and accelerate them to tremendous 
speeds around a circular field until  they approximate the speed of  
light or  at  least  they  approach  relativistic  velocities.  The  
particles are then  smashed into  a target  and the history  of the  
mutual destruction is  observed and  recorded so  that humanity may  
unlock the secrets of the Gods. I trust that most of us here tonight 
have experienced this acceleration effect  within the vortex of our  
thoughts and Spirits. We strive mightily to increase the relativistic 
mass of our thoughts so  that we may observe  their behavor as they  
approach God-like reality in their manifestions. Whirr and strive as 
we might,  we are  doomed to  the universal  restraints of  our own  
humanity in much the same manner as nuclear physicists are limited by 
the unvirsal  limits of  "C" or  light speeds  (warp Factor  1, Mr.  
Sulu!<G>). Such are the limits of thinking.
 
              "The Salmon Leap and the Shaman's Death"
        
I have gone through the process of questing for ultimate meaning in 
life many times. Most of this effort has been exhausting as well as  
futile. Only through extraordinary efforts have I actually attained  
results. These results came about through quantum leaps of the mind  
and spirit  across the  "void". Since  the salmon  is the  totem of  
knowledge, I call this leap the "Salmon Leap". It is very approprite 
to name it thus since the "void" is actually "death" and the salmon  
"leap" up the streams of it's birth to spawn new life from it's own 
death struggle.  The ancients  also refered  to  mighty feats  as a  
"Salmon Leap". We must experience the  "Shaman's Death" in order to  
attain our new life and knowledge. The "Salmon Leap" brings us to a  
New Reality and altered state of  Being. Included in the initiation  
rites to all of the  Great Mystery Schools was just  such a rite of  
Death and  Rebirth. Anyone  care  to reveal  their  secrets now?<G>  
OTO'ers? GD'ers?  Druids?  Wiccans?  AMORC?  Freemasons?  Templars?  
Illumatti? Assassins? Channellers?  Others? The floor  is now open.  
Let's hear the words  of Life and  the words of  Death. Josey Wales  
faces Ten Bears  in the  moment of  Truth. The gauge  is cast...the  
challenge is issued. The floor is open to all comers!
 
                          "Enlightenment"
 
Coming through the "dark night of the soul" or the "Shaman's Death" 
purifies and releases us so that we can experience illumination and  
enlightenment. Our "darkness' and ignorance  are burned away in the  
flames of the Phoenix as we are reborn into the Light! Such a wonder! 
The Akasha and all knowledge are there to be received! Our training 
and our quest are rewarded. We are a new creation!
 
                         "The Dragon's Eye"
 
The "Dragon's Eye"  is another word  for Earth Magick  or the Power  
inherent to the Land that is at the root of the Celtic Soul. This is 
the power of Excalibur or Caliborn, the  sword of Arthur. It is the  
"Dragon's Breath" that Merlin works with  to create a Magickal Mist  
while using the charm of "Making". We have already seen the "Eye of  
the Dragon" in a previous workshop ritual. I would like to now open  
the floor for a  further discussion by  everyone here as  to how we  
sense this Power in the Land and particularly how we sense it at many 
sacred sites such as  "Stone Circles", Raths,  Menhirs, Hills, "Ley  
Lines", "Stonehenge", "Avebury" or any other site of your experience. 
The floor is now open for Magickal discussion!

Anyone else have a good story for how they've sensed the Power of the 
Land? How it just is laying there waiting for the call?

(2-10,Freepowder)  Some  time,  when   you  can  be   alone  for  a   
while..
climb up into the moutains, my mountains are the Sierras get up high, 
above treeline, and sit there, find  a rock... where the wind blows  
all the time and just sit. it may take a while maybe an hour, maybe a 
day... but you will  feel it.. strength more  than power, but power  
just the same
coming up form the rocks... singing in the wind... when you have got 
it right.. the animals will come you may not see them, the conys and 
the birds but you will feel them too if you are lucky. they will talk 
to you not in  words but in  thoughts. if you  are ready your totem  
will make itself  known I have  found that no  great preparation is  
neccesary but for an open heart and mind it happens for me everytime 
I go there which is not nearly often  enough oh! don't do this in a  
lightning storm <G>

(2-8,O'Dubhain)         Beautiful Freepowder! A hymn to the Mother!
We can  all  sing the  song  of the  Health  of the  Earth!  She is  
beautiful still  in some  places  and will  be again  in  others as  
we....and I do mean we.... all get together to release the Power of  
the Dragon! THAT has been safeguarded for us by our ancient Shamans 
within the Earth. I sense that the keys for this Work are soon to be 
given to us all once more.

(2-15,Nan)  Well,   I   can   think  of   many   times   that  I've   
felt the Power  of the  Land but  I'll offer  just a  simple recent  
example:
Last week I gave my ankle a nasty  sprain, I knew that one thing it  
needed for healing was to walk barefoot on the land, so that's what I 
did <g> in general I find that  going barefoot on almost any ground  
allows me to feel the power of  the land......I don't do it long in  
the snow though <g>.

(2-8,O'Dubhain)  I'll   bet!!!<G>  Many   of  the   ancient  sacred   
sites are no longer in active use.  I think that the day is rapidly  
approaching where the  Land will  call us  to Work Magicks  at such  
sites. We will re-establish  the "ley lines" of  Power that are now  
just echoes  of  their  past.  These  lines  and  sites  require  a  
Human/Dragon magickal connection to re-Power the grids that exist all 
across this planet. Many events 
occur today that point to this Work.

(2-15,Nan)  I  just  wanted  to  comment   that  a  few  years  ago   
I visited a  more obscure  stone circle  and noticed by  items left  
behind that it had been recently used..... so not *all* the ancient 
sites are inactive and I'm glad!

(2-8,O'Dubhain) That's  true!  I  believe  Shadow  Hawk  told about  
feeling serpent lines of  Power beneath Avebury's  Circles during a  
visit there as  well, though  Stonehenge seemed  inert. He  told me  
recently that he  sensed that it  could come "alive"  again for the  
right combination of  persons working  there. If  that happened, it  
would have to be tended on a  regular basis. Too much of the Dragon  
sleeps at  that site.  Myrdin Emyrs  sleeps nearby  himself! Anyone  
else have a "Dragon" sense?

(2-17,cherokee/wwc1) Many  of the  american  indians have  the same  
legends only we call it the serpent my great grandmother taught me to 
go out at night and to feel the serpent move beneath my feet and to  
listen to the song it made in the wind. We believe the time for the  
serpent to rise is here [it is in the] spirit of the people and the  
land. I have been a healer in my past lives we used the crystals to  
awaken the serpent when it  was time. That time is  soon and I feel  
the serpent singing to me.

(2-8,O'Dubhain)  Thank  you   My  Princess!<G>   Some  legends  say   
that crystals were used at Stonehenge as well. They were placed upon 
the tops of the lentils there to provide a Power connection. Perhaps 
the crystal skulls  will provide  an answer. I  hope to  see one in  
Miami next month.

(2-15,Nan)   All   this   talk   of   serpents   reminded   me   of    
Australia, where the Aborigines have the story of the rainbow serpent 
(I think it may be part of a creation myth) there they call the ley  
lines songlines. Bruce Chatwin wrote a  wonderful book by that name  
that covers a lot about the Aborginal beliefs

(2-8,O'Dubhain) I  want  to check  into  that some  more.  Isn't it  
also amazing that everyone connects  the serpent to wisdom ....even  
the Christians do it!<G> Though I must say they try to make out like 
it was a bad thing to get smart!<G>

(2-17,cherokee/wwc1) All peoples  have stories of  serpents many of  
them have head cult legends where the skulls were used as resonators 
to focus  energy and  to  sing to  the serpent  to  wake it  up the  
aborigines believe this as did the mayans and the cherokees and other 
native peoples
(2-17,cherokee/wwc1)    ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain)         Thanks!! ok Trailstalker M'lady ga!
(2-1,Trailstalker)   Sorry...   I'm   coming   in   late   on   the    
conversation... 
                        are we talking about snake/kundalini power? 
                        ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain)         we are talking about the power in the Land
                        ga
(2-1,Trailstalker)  ok   I  just   needed  a   ref.  pt.   for  the   
conversation.
(2-1,Trailstalker)      ga
(2-8,O'Dubhain)         ok Freepowder ga
(2-10,Freepowder) The  serpents  are  everywhere,  but  watch  out!  
some of 
     them     are     snakes      <G>     couldn't     resist,      sorry     
<VBG>
         "The Many Speckled Rainment" "The Song of Amergin"
        
This translation by Dr. Douglas Hyde from his work "Literary History 
of Ireland" was as well known to the Druids as the "Lord's Prayer" is 
to todays priests.  It is a  perfect example of  the many different  
Magickal skills  used  by the  Druids.  It  is one  of  my personal  
favorites as  well!<G>  I  would  like to  use  it  to  discuss the  
"many-speckled" rainbow of Drai'ocht! Once again I give you the words 
of the Bard:
 
                        "             The Mystery
 
                        I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
                        I am the wave of the ocean.
                        I am the murmur of the billows.
                        I am the ox of the seven combats.
                        I am the vulture upon the
                        I am a beam of the Sun.
                        I am the fairest of plants.
                        I am a wild boar in valour.
                        I am a salmon in the water.
                        I am a lake in the plain.
                        I am a word of science.
                        I am a point of the lance in battle.
    I    am    the    God    who    created    in    the    head     the    
fire.
                        Who is it who throws light into the meeting 
                        on the mountain?
                        Who announces the ages of the Moon?
                        Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
                                                        (If not I)"
 
Let's just go down the line and list the Druidic attributes used in  
this one spell by lines and in order (I also assigned colors to each 
attribute):
 
                             Attribute                       Color
                             
_________________________________________
 
                             The Powers of: Wind,            (Red)
                                            Sea,             (Grey)
                                            Fire.            (White)
                             Persistence.                    (all)
                             Death in battle.                (Black)
                             The Power of the Sun.           (Golden)
                             The Power of the Green World.   (Green)
                             Courage in extremis.            (Red)
                             Infinite Knowledge.             (Yellow)
                             The resting place of the soul.  (Purple)
                             The Knowledge of Science.       (Yellow)
                             Focus through Discipline.       (White)
                             The Gift of Awen.               (Orange)
                             *Drai'ocht*.                     (White)
               
I could write an  entire page on  each of these  attributes but not  
tonight!<G> "Fire in the Head" is the  name of an excellent book by  
Tom Cowan on  the subject of  Celtic Shamanism. "The  21 Lessons of  
Merlin" by Douglas Monroe agrees with my assignments for most of the 
above colors. A true Druid worn the Cloak of many Colors for festive 
occassions, White or Black robes to conduct Magick and during ritual 
and a bull's hide when in battle.
 
                            "Authority"
 
This the source or result of working with Magick for Druids. It is a 
measure of their Power  and the strength of  their "True Wills". In  
the "21 Lessons" Monroe states that  the students of Drai'ocht were  
awarded colored  glass beads  (called Gleini  na Droedh)  that were  
strung on leather cords for necklaces. These multicolored necklaces  
were kept secret by each Druid and produced only to demonstrate their 
Authority to other Druids. Magick knowledge, discipline and practice 
determined the level of Authority thus attained.
 
                          "Into the Light"
        
Fionn's Wheel can also be multicolored. I  have made the one in the  
library that way!<G> (Make it so Number One!<G>) Seriously, to become 
a Master Druid, one must transcend the separation of colors and walk 
into the Light.  This involves knowing  the many fold  paths of the  
Wheel and primarily the Inner Mystery of the relationship of Life and 
Death, White and Black, Balance and Action, Being and Not being. The 
Initiations into most of the Great Mysteries included this Dualism of 
Transcendancy. (An  excellent  book  on this  topic  is  "The Great  
Initiates"by Edouard Schure, translation by Gloria Rasberry.)
 
                        What does this mean? 
                        What is this Initiation?
                        What is the Mystery?
 
 
What follows is what I envision  COULD have happened during such an  
initiation. Hear  the words  a modern  day Druid  might hear  as he  
achieves his full Knowledge:
 
<the Initiate will have been fasting and meditating within the total 
darkness of a cave or a dark room for at least a night. Just before  
the rising of the sun or the lighting of the fires he/she would hear 
a loud female voice cry out!>
 
 "I am  Arianrhod, Queen  of the  Heavens! You who  approach me  must 
now ask yourselves these questions: 
          How can you achieve the Inner Knowledge? 
          Where can you find the Signs that show you the Way? 
          Heed My Words! 
          I am Arianrhod, Queen of the Stars, 
          I am She of the Silver Wheel! 
          My crown spreads across the Vault of the Heavens! 
  Your  dreams  shall   be  filled  with   the  Secret  Ways  of   the  
Night!           It is I that will show you the Paths of Knowledge! 
 It  is  I  that  will fire  your  Spirit  in  sparkling crystals  of  
     Wonder! 
          I am Arianrhod! Come to Me My children!  
          Be filled with Expectancy for what is yet to come!"
 
<The chief  Druid  could  follow  these  words  with  the following  
caution.>
 
          "Hear the Words of the Ard Druis:"
          "You who seek the Ways of Power must dare to approach the  
     Queen of the Stars! 
  You   who   seek   the  embrace   of   Wisdom   must  approach   Her   
Presence       without fear! 
  You  that  seek  for  Love   must  first  know  your  True   Selves.  
What           is your Authority?
          Are you truly Human? Speak now if you dare!"
 
<Then the Initiates should ask for entry to the Inner Mysteries.>
 
                        "Oh Arianrhod of the Silver Wheel! 
                        Bless us in Your Mysteries! 
                        Fill us with Your Spirit! 
    Let     us     place     no     limits     upon     Your     exalted     
Being! 
                        You are Infinite! 
                        You are the Unknown! The Darkness!
                        Admit us into Thy arms!
                        Grant us Your Blessings!
                        Our speech is confounded! 
                        Chaos is upon us!"
 
<Once again, the Ard Druis would charge the Initiates.>
 
                        "Now is the Great Re-awakening! 
                        Now is the time of enlightenment! 
                        Those who are untrue shall be cast out 
                        into the depths! 
                        Cleanse yourselves through trials of fire 
                        and fasting! The way is long, 
                        Only the strong shall attain Knowledge!"
 
<A flame or beam of sunlight should be produced to shine upon an open 
doorway, admitting the Initiates into the Inner Sanctum.>
 
                        "Behold the Flaming Door!
                        Behold the Burning sword of Gorias!
                        Enter if you dare the halls of Lugh!!
                        Wear the many speckled cloak of Samildanach!"
                        "Hear the words of the Sun!"
 
<A male Druid dressed in  Robes of Gold and  bearing a torch should  
address the Initiates.>
 
     "I am Lugh Lamfadagh!!! I am Samildanach!
     I am thy burning desire for Knowledge! 
     I am the Power that illumes the Heavens! 
 Life  is  my gift  to  you, even  as  your Death  is  the Mother  of  
Life. 
     To know Me is to know yourself completely, even beyond Death!
     Enter if you dare!
     Approach the fires of Life!!!
     Die and live again!"
 
 "I,  Lugh  am the  focus  of the  Power  and you  My  Druid are  its  
Manifestation!
     Enter the Flaming Door!
          Cead Mile Failte! 
          Maith an Drui!" 
 
<At this point the Initiate should be robed in the multispeckled robe 
and presented with a  golden sickle and a  staff fashioned from the  
wood of  the tree  that  is his  "soul tone".  Standing  before the  
gathered assembly,He  should  recite  his  geneology  and  the many  
achievements of his necklace of Gleini na Droedh. The ceremony should 
then be completed by the conducting of the Initiate's personal ritual 
(from his work on the Red Level).>
 
                        Such is the end of a long journey.
                        An Fhi'rinne Roimh an Saol!
    We     must     awaken     the     Dragon     Power    within     us     
all!!
                        DRAI'OCHT LIVES AGAIN!
                        TA' ME' DRAI'OCHT!!

Celtic Workshop #13 - The "Charm of Making" 

This Workshop  was presented  and hosted  by Searles  O'Dubhain. We  
covered
some concepts touching  upon the beginings  of all  things. We also  
covered how symbols  are used  to describe  reality and  Magick. We  
discussed the necessity for *belief* in  performing Magick. I led a  
discussion about a  ritual that  was centered  around the  Charm of  
"Making". The arch[e]types and the Quarters used in Celtic Magickal  
systems were also discussed. Some preliminary socializing soon gave  
way to the formal presentation and discussion:

                          Opening Remarks
 
Tonight I  attempt to  tie  together the  beliefs of  the  Celts in  
Cosmologies and Magick or Drai'ocht to what we know of the world and 
reality through the study of modern science and more recent Magickal 
systems and their resulting Cosmological models. It is my hope that  
all of this discussion will clarify the history of the Celts and the 
workings of the Druids. The highest form of Drai'ocht was the Charm 
of "Making". This is the essence of creation by the use of the Will. 
It is into the Cauldron of Primodial Creation that I plunge tonight 
as a Midwife to Magick. Drai'ocht shall live again! The Dragon will 
once again be reborn!
 
                              "Chaos"
 
In many mythologies and  some philosophies, Chaos  is the void that  
existed in the begining of all  things before even time existed and  
from 
which all things have arisen. 
 
"The notion  that creation  came from  nothing (creatio  ex nihilo)  
appears in  several accounts  of  creation. The  biblical  story of  
creation contained in the  Book of GENESIS  begins with a formless,  
watery chaos that  God shapes into  the ordered world.  The hymn of  
creation from  India's  epic  Rig Veda  (see  VEDAS)  describes the  
primordial situation as one of neither existence nor nonexistence and 
further states that no one, not even the gods, knows who produced the 
universe. In marked contrast is an Egyptian myth attributing creation 
to the deity khepri. In  this myth Khepri states  that when he came  
into being, being itself came into being; all other beings were then 
produced from his actions and his body; but before him there was only 
nonbeing. Among  the  Polynesians,  creation  myths  emphasize  the  
dimensions of  void  space and  the  qualities of  darkness  as the  
primordial structures of creation. In these myths, the initial state 
of darkness and void in which the deity dwells is later transformed 
and the  forms  of  the  universe  then  emerge.  Creation is  thus  
predicated on a void or  a nothingness--a reality totally different  
from any form or  substance of the created  order. In addition, the  
deities who create from nothing or emerge from this void are given a 
new and special kind of power; for though creators of the world, they 
remain distinct from  it in their  originative form." .......quoted  
from The Online Edition of GROLIER'S ACADEMIC AMERICAN Encyclopedia, 
Copyright (c) 1993, Grolier Electronic Publishing.
 
Magick is the ability to cross the void of Chaos and to create order 
in the universe  that surrounds us.  The primary way  in which this  
creation occurs is through the focus of our own Wills.
 
                    "The Void was without Form"
        
"Chaos theory,  a modern  development  in mathematics  and science,  
provides  a  framework  for   understanding  irregular  or  erratic   
fluctuations in nature. Chaotic systems are found in many fields of  
science and engineering. The study of their dynamics is an essential 
part  of  the  burgeoning  science  of  complexity--the  effort  to   
understand the principles of order that underlie the patterns of all 
real systems, from ecosystems to social systems to the universe as a 
whole." ..quoted  from  The Online  Edition  of  GROLIER'S ACADEMIC  
AMERICAN  Encyclopedia,  Copyright  (c)  1993,  Grolier  Electronic   
Publishing.
 
The BIG  BANG theory  of  the creation  of the  universe  is widely  
accepted by astronomers. "It holds that the universe began with the  
explosive expansion of a single, extremely condensed state of matter. 
A further development of this  model, known as INFLATIONARY THEORY,  
describes the original  condensed matter as  arising from virtually  
empty space. Whether  the universe will  expand forever,  slow to a  
halt, or contract again and continue to oscillate indefinitely from  
one big bang to the next is the subject of ongoing speculation....." 
Charles Long  .......quoted from  The  Online Edition  of GROLIER'S  
ACADEMIC  AMERICAN  Encyclopedia,   Copyright  (c)   1993,  Grolier   
Electronic Publishing.
 
 
                              "Order"
 
Out of Nothingness was Reality formed.  The diversity of Reality is  
due to the two great forces of separation: projection and reception  
(the male and the femine aspects of Power). From this duality of all 
things, the rest of Creation is manifested. This manifestation can be 
described and modeled in  many ways. I have  chosen to limit myself  
briefly to two such descriptions during tonight's workshop. The first 
such model or  description is  the science  of "quantum mechanics".  
According to this area of science,  everything is composed of waves  
and the  interaction  between  wavefronts.  With  two  primary  and  
distinctly different  sources  of  waveforms,  we  get interference  
patterns. These lines of  intersection have their  own "nature" and  
give rise to other "quantum effects" in their own localized area of 
the space/time continuum.  This ongoing process  of interaction and  
manifestation can create Infinite Combination in Infinite Diversity  
(IDIC). I will discuss this concept later.
 
The other way  in which two  differing states can  create their own  
"reality" is  through the  laws of  Boolean  Logic and  Algebra. In  
digital design and simulation techniques, this fact is well known. I 
work in such areas and can reduce any system to a series of "min" and 
"max" terms of inputs and "truth tables". This Boolean discipline of 
using "min and max terms" has given birth to the CyberSpace that we  
currently inhabit. I suggest that our  present existence is no more  
than a  "real-time" simulation  in a  greater  system and  that our  
creative/destructive  interactions  are   constantly  birthing  new   
realities and new creations. We are  each a "star" as some Magickal  
systems teach. 
 
All Physical and Magickal systems have hidden controls that operate  
from outside the program flow (another  word for this flow might be  
called "life"). This outside intervention  might be what appears in  
the form of  "Magick" to an  internal observer of  that system. The  
operating system for the host platform, such as DOS, determines the  
form of  the relationships  between all  programs, files  and other  
processes. A magickal way  of stating this might  be, "As Above, So  
Below". Tonight, I have discussed only two ways that some realities  
are postulated and  created. In  the wide  variety of  the Infinite  
Cosmos, Diversity is carried to the extremes. Anything CAN and DOES  
happen!
 
                             "Symbols"
 
One way man has attempted to understand and quantify his universe is 
through the use of symbols. The most often used symbols are numbers, 
letters and sigils. The  Jewish Kabbala, the  Celtic Oghams and the  
other Magickal alphabets are good examples of the use of such symbols 
to order  and  understand  most  physical,  spiritual  and Magickal  
relationships. I have talked about Oghams and Fionn's Wheel/Ladder in 
previous workshops. I have also  talked about the Celtic Cosmology.  
Tonight I will briefly touch on numbers and math. Please refer to the 
previous Celtic Workshops #1, 2, 3,  5 and the Online Wicca Kabbala  
Threads for more information in those areas. Another kind of symbol  
that can describe our reality is a relatively new form of mathematics 
called Fractals.
 
                             "Fractals"
 
"A modern mathematical theory that radically departs from traditional 
EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRY,  fractal  geometry describes  objects  that are  
self-similar, or scale symmetric. This means that when such objects  
are magnified, their parts are seen to bear an exact resemblance to 
the whole, the likeness continuing with the parts of the parts and so 
on to infinity. Fractals, as these  shapes are called, also must be  
devoid of translational symmetry--that is, the smoothness associated 
with Euclidean lines, planes, and  spheres. Instead a rough, jagged  
quality is  maintained at  every scale  at which  an object  can be  
examined. The nature of  fractals is reflected  in the word itself,  
coined by mathematician  Benoit B.  Mandelbrot from  the Latin verb  
frangere, "to break," 
and the related adjective fractus, "irregular and fragmented."
 
The science of fractals has been found to exist within many natural 
formations . Fractals are found everywhere we look, from the shape of 
coastlines to  the  geometry  found  in  cellular  divisions.  Most  
dynamical systems that change their behavior over time become CHAOTIC 
in nature and  can also be  described using fractals.  The reason I  
mention fractals  tonight  is  twofold.  First,  fractals  show  us  
mathematically how  reality  and  life are  manifested.  As  I said  
earlier, fractal  geometry  and  mathematics  are  a  fairly recent  
discovery. One important type of Fractal that is found in nature is 
called a Mandelbrot  set. This  particular set  of fractals becomes  
inheritly unstable as one looks  closer at it's component fractals.  
What is so interesting about this fact and study is that FRACTALS in 
the FORM OF MANDELBROT SETS have  been appearing as CROP CIRCLES on  
the Salisbury Plains. This is the same area that is located close by 
both Stonehenge and Avebury.  What is the  source of these symbols?  
Where is this information coming from?  Are these crop circles some  
sort of Magickal alphabet  or symbols? Are  they communicated to us  
across time and space from other Magicians or other Entities? If they 
are such symbols, has this phenomena occurred before in the past? Did 
the Druids observe, record and  understand this type of information  
during their times? 
 
My second pointis  that our  knowledge of  Magick is itself  like a  
fractal. With each piece of information we receive from our searches 
into the nature of Magick, we discover more and more questions. This 
gives rise  to more  and  more associations  and  consequently more  
questions and disorder. Our attempts to totally understand Magick by 
close inspection 
consequently results in chaotic thinking. We see fractals everywhere 
when we  look at  the  world. This  world  seems to  be  a fractal.  
Everything from shorelines, earthquakes, cell structure to computer  
graphics have been found to obey the laws of fractals. Perhaps Magick 
and the heavenly cosmologies are fractals of the Higher Will? Perhaps 
our True Will is a fractal? Maybe fractals are the new Ogham, the new 
Wheel of Fionn?
        
                         "Transformations"
 
If an idea can be reduced to mathematical or Magickal symbols, then 
it can also be manipulated or transformed. These relation-ships are  
called "veils" or "pathworkings" in Magickal works. In mathematics,  
such
transformations occur frequently. What is  complex in one domain is  
simple in another.  Engineers use such techniques as vector and
tensor analysis to handle complex systems all the time. Magicians use 
the principle, "As Above , So Below" to aid their Magickal Workings. 
Sometimes this Magickal work is also done while using symbollic logic 
to aid in the act of manifesting or "making" a new creation. We will 
next discuss how some of these Magickal transformations are done.
        
                         "Vibratory States"
 
The addition of external energy to a molecule or the introduction of 
additional  molecules   into   a  solution   causes   its  electron   
configuartion to  change.  The electron  "jumps"  across  an energy  
barrier to  obtain  a  different orbit  or  geometry.  The Molecule  
changes its behavior, sometimes with amazing results. This change in 
electrons through levels or states of energy is directly analogous to 
the levels or states  of vibration that a  Magician goes through to  
"resonate" with other spiritual forces. These principles of resonance 
and vibration are  the keys  to the  techniques of OOBE  and energy  
transfer   in   Magickal   systems.   To   discover   how   we   as    
Magickal/Spiritual entities can go through these types of transformed 
states, I looked at my own experiences, once again.
 
                       "Personal Experiences"
 
The keys to working Magick are BELIEF, DISCIPLINE and FOCUS. Focus is 
a matter of personal ability and  is sharpened through practice and  
effort. Discipline  is  inherit  to  our  very  natures.  Belief is  
absolutely necessary to any Magickal Work. I have had three types of 
personal experiences that are the foundation of my BELIEF in MAGICK.
 
                      "The All from the None"
 
This experience I have discussed before.  It is the first veil that  
must be passed to obtain BELIEF in Magick and the resulting Powers. 
Briefly stated,  I  was able  to  detach from  the  ordinary (while  
conscious)  and  encounter   Spirit  and   Magickal  Beings.  These   
experiences  have  reinforced  my  ability  to  work  Astrally  and   
Magickally. The secrets  to this  experience are  meditation, inner  
quietness and  the increased  vibrational  level of  the  spirit or  
"ecstasy".
 
By going into the "void" of Nothingness, I was touched by the Power  
of the Akasha! Anyone can do this, if they are willing to put in the 
time and effort to meditate to achieve inner "quietness". The "Void" 
is the place  where the  Will can focus  to create  and produce all  
Magick!
 
                      "The None From the All"
 
These are  experiences I  have had  from  "lucid dreaming".  I have  
basically been able to go anywhere and  do anything in my dreams. I  
have had  many revelations  and Super  Normal experiences  in these  
dreams. I  guess the  most  outrageous experience  was experiencing  
"death". Some deaths were just an abrupt end to one existence while 
manifesting into another body and another existence. One particular  
"death" was  at the  center  of an  exploding  sun or  bomb.  I was  
literally blown into Nothingness and Non-Existence. I "floated" there 
in endless time without thought or being.  I just was. Only my Will  
still existed and  through the  exertion of my  Will I  was able to  
awaken into my body once more. This  was not and ordinary dream. In  
fact, I'm not really sure this is the Reality I started out in! <GGG> 
A Powerful incentive to learn more  about Magick (to prevent such a  
thing from ever happening again)!!!!!
 
                               "IDIC"
 
IDIC is borrowed from the Vulcan, Mr. Spock. It stands for Infinite 
Diversity in Infinite Combinations. This basically means the Universe
is filled with possibilities and that anything can (and will) happen. 
This is all those strange events that can be dismissed if taken one  
at a time  but will  stagger you if  you keep  a log of  them. This  
includes such things in my life as: Flying or "floating" in the air  
by myself, reading minds, seeing  the future, seeing creatures that  
are in another plane, hearing the music of the Sidhe and incredible 
feats of strength and speed (that could not possible have happened). 
All these many events taken together point to a variety of techniques 
that people can do. The secret is in remembering how we did it!!! Or 
maybe in  finding a  really excellent  teacher. I  am the  worst of  
students but I am very persistent!<GGG>
 
                       "The Charm of Making"
 
The following is the merest sketch of an outline for performming the 
Charm of Making, the very same chant that Merlin was heard to use in 
the movie "Excalibur". Much of this ritual comes from the following  
works:
"The 21  Lessons of  Merlin", "Celtic  Magic', "Witta",  "The Irish  
Celtic Magical Tradition" and  the "Sacred Cauldon".  Some of it is  
changed to suit my personal (*Irish*) preferences!<G>
 
                      "Circles of Drai'ocht "
 
Druids' Circles are  very similar  to other  Magickal Circles. Each  
direction should have a candle and color associated with it. (I use 
Red for East, White for South, Grey  or Blue for West and Black for  
North). I also have candles for the  God and the Goddess. these are  
usually Green  and Red  respectively. I  light  the candles  as the  
Spirits are invoked.
 
                          "The Guardians"
 
                               "Air"
 
The Guardian of the East Quarter is Esras associated with the Power 
of Air. The sacred city of this Spiritual realm is Gorias. The Celtic 
Deities usually associated with this Quarter are Nuada and Scathach. 
The sacred treasure or weapon is the invincible sword. The Magickal  
Deity for the elemental  Powers or the wind  singers and sprites is  
Paraldas, ruler of the Sylphs, Zyphyrs and the Winged Sprites. This  
direction is most often associated with ideas, thoughts, inspiration 
and psychic powers. Ritual work for this direction is associated with 
dawn, sunrise,
Spring, harmony, travel and  freedom. A suitable  invocation of the  
Guardians might be:
                        "Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de Soir!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Gaoth!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Esras de Gorias!"

                        Translation:
    "I     give     invitation     to     the     Guardian    of     the     
East!
     I     give     invitation     to     the     Element     of      the     
Winds!
                         I invite Esras, Master of Inspiration!"

                        Pronunciation:
                        "TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu SKULL!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu GWA!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu ES-rah gu GOR-ah!

                                   "Fire"
 
The Guardian of the South Quarter is Uscias associated with the Power 
of Fire. The  sacred city of  this Spiritual realm  is Findias. The  
Celtic Deities usually  associated with  this Quarter  are Lugh and  
Bridgit. The sacred  treasure or weapon  is the  flaming spear. The  
Magickal Deity for 
its elemental Powers or Salamandes and Firedrakes is Djinas, ruler of 
the Consciousness and flames. This direction is most often associated 
with Action, Passion and Change. Ritual  work for this direction is  
associated with Summer, noon, sexuality and purification. A suitable 
invocation of the Guardians might be:
                        "Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de O'Dheas!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Tine!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Uscias de Findias!"

                        Translation:
    "I     give     invitation     to     the     Guardian    of     the     
South!
    I     give     invitation     to     the     Elements     of     the     
Fire!
                         I invite Uscias, Master of Conscious Action"

                        Pronunciation:
                        "TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu OWE-yass!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu CHIN-e!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu ISH-kah gu FIN-jah!"

                              "Water"
 
The Guardian of the West Quarter is Semias associated with the Power 
of Water or  the Sea.  The sacred city  of this  Spiritual realm is  
Murias. The Celtic Deities usually associated with this Quarter are  
Mannanan and the  Cailleach. The sacred  treasure or  weapon is the  
cauldron. The Magickal Deity for its elemental Powers or Nymphs and  
Undines is Niksas, ruler of the depths of the Sea and the spirits of 
the waters. This direction is  most often associated with Emotions,  
healing and Marriage. Ritual work  for this direction is associated  
with Fall,  sunset, plants,  the  subconscious mind  and  dreams. A  
suitable invocation of the Guardians 
might be:
                        "Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de Siar!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Muir!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Semias de Murias!"
 
                        Translation:
    "I     give     invitation     to     the     Guardian    of     the     
West!
    I     give     invitation     to     the     Elements     of     the     
Mystical Sea!
    I     invite     Semias,    Master     of     the    Mind's     Deep     
Waters!"

                        Pronunciation:
                        "TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu SHEER!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu MWIRR!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu SEM-ahs gu MUR-ahs!"

                                   "Earth"
 
The Guardian of the North Quarter  is Morfessa, associated with the  
Power of Earth. The sacred city  of this Spiritual realm is Falias.  
The Celtic  Deities usually  associated with  this Quarter  are the  
Morrigan and the Dagdha. The sacred treasure or weapon is the Stone 
of Fal. The Magickal  Deity for the elemental  Powers or Gnomes and  
Dwarfs is Ghobas,ruler of the inhabitants of the Earth and a crystal 
spirits. This  direction  is most  often  associated  with Destiny,  
Prosperity and  Fate  as  well  as  Magick.  Ritual  work for  this  
direction is associated with Winter, night, midnight, self will and  
treasures.  A suitable invocation of the Guardians might be:
                        "Tugaim cuireadh do Garda de O'Thuaigh!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Talamh is Cloch!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Morfessa de Falias!"
 
                        Translation:
    "I     give     invitation     to     the     Guardian    of     the     
North!
    I     give     invitation    to     the     Elements    of     Stone     
and Earth!
     I      invite     Morfessa,      Master      of     Destiny      and      
Magick!"

                        Pronunciation:
                        "TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu owe HOO-ee!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu TA-loo is KLOKH!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu MOR-fes-ah gu FAL-ah!

                                  "Spirit"
 
The Center of the Circle is protected by the Power of the God and the 
Goddess and the balance  and diversity that  They each manifest and  
control. This is the province of the Goddess of Sovereignty, Macha,  
and the Horned God or the Hunter, Samhan. The center is protected by 
the combined Powers of  the Quarters and  their Masters. A suitable  
invocation of the Spirit might be:
                        "Tugaim cuireadh do Ana'l Fein!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Duile de Anam!
                         Tugaim cuireadh do Grian agus Geala!
                         Beannachtai' DE' agus mBANDE' againn!"

              Translation:
              "I give invitation to the Souls of our Ancestors!
              I give invitation to the Element of All Spirits!
              I give invitation to the Sun and the Moon!
              The Blessings of the God and Goddess be upon us!"
                        Pronunciation:
                        "TUG-im KIR-oo gu GAAR-du gu AN-aal FINN!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu DOO-li gu AN-um!
                         TUG-im KIR-oo gu GREE-un AG-us GYAL-a!
                         BAN-uck-ta JAY AG-us BAN-jay UG-een!"

                             "The Words of Power"
 
After the Guardians have  been called, then the  Words of Power Are  
Spoken and the Rite or Sign of  Three Rays is performed for each of  
the Quarters.
 
                                   "IAO"
 
This is the name of the God/dess  of All and is intoned three times  
while making the appropriate hand gestures,
 
                                "EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
                                "EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
                                "EEEEE-Ahhhhhh-OOOOO".
 
                           "Threshold Experiences"
 
If a portal  to another  plane or  place is  to be  opened then the  
following Charm of Making is to be said three times (this Charm uses 
the Power of Sea and Stone):
 
                              "A ELFNTODD DWYR SINDDYN DUW
                               CERRIG YR FFERLLURUG NWYN;
                               OS SYRIAETH ECH SAFFAER TU
                               FEWR ECHLYN MOR, NECROMBOR LLUN"
 
                                    "Dragon's Breath"
 
If something  is  to be  caused  to  happen or  prevented  then the  
following Charm of Making is intoned three times (this charm invokes 
the Powers of Fire and Air):
 
                                    "ANAIL NATHROCK
                                     UTHVASS BETHUDD
                                     DOCHIEL DIENVE"
 
At this point  the Power  has been raised.  The Will  of the Draoi'  
should be directed and stated forcefully in the direction of greatest 
Power using the sign for that Quarter. Once the work, is completed, 
the God/desses and Guardians should be thanked and the Power Earthed 
by 
lowering both hands  to the  ground while  kneeling. The  Circle is  
opened in the reverse of its creation and the bounty of the Land and 
Tuatha
should be enjoined and enjoyed by all.
 
This is  the  end of  the  prepared  presentation on  the  Charm of  
"Making". This and "Pathworking" are the two most powerful abilities 
of a Druid.

      Celtic Workshop #14 - "The Wheel of Elements or Seasons"

Forum member Freepowder noted similarities between the Plains Indian 
Medicine Wheels and Fionn's Wheel from Celtics sources. His analysis 
and presentation on these topics led into a discussion of other cross 
cultural similarities.  I  added  some info  from  a  study  of the  
indigenous peoples of the world as well as Celtic topics. 

Tonight our man of  many names, Freepowder,  O'Ba'n,John White, Sir  
Freep, etc. will give us his thoughts on the wheel and the directions 
as compared between the Plains Indians and the Celts. It looks to be 
good!<GGG> I may have a few comments of my own. I also have some info 
on thses  directions compiled  by  a noted  anthropologist, Angeles  
Arriens,
for the indiginous peoples of the world.  I hope we can discuss the  
use and meanings of directions to all of us in our magical work.
 
                     "The Wheel of Elements or Seasons"
 
The world over, aboriginal religions have used the circle as a symbol 
of the world, the cosmos  and the spirit. Tonite  I will attempt to  
draw some parallels  between the  Celtic version,  Fionn's wheel or  
window and the Plains  Indian version, the  Medicine wheel. Both of  
these wheels are  pictured as a  circle bisected by  two lines, one  
vertical and one horizontal. In Plains Indian (PI from here on) the 
circle represents the cycles of the earth, of learning and of life. 
 
The  lines  represent  the  'roads'  one  must  travel  to  achieve   
enlightenment. The points at  which the lines  intersect the circle  
signify the four directions, east to the right, south at the bottom, 
west to the  left, and  north at the  top. There  are qualities and  
totems (animal spirit guides) assigned to each direction. The totems 
and qualities
vary somewhat, tribe to  tribe, and the following  is an attempt to  
combine several, mostly Lakota (Sioux) and Tsisistis (Cheyenne)   .
 
                     East: 
red, illunination, child, the sun, spring, the source of life, 
eagle, hawk and birds generally

                        South: 
yellow, innocence, youth, daylight, summer, fullness of life, snake, 
lizard, mouse, horse, elk

                        West: 
black or blue,  introspection, maturity, sunset,  autumn, waning of  
life, thunder beings, Bear, buffalo

                        North: 
white, wisdom, old age, night, winter, death, wolf, raven, buffalo
 
The PI speak of the guardians  of the quarters as 'Grandfathers' or  
'Grandmothers'. Animals in mundane  life are refered  to as 'Little  
Brother or Sister.' At the center of the wheel is,in Lakota, 'Wakan 
Tanka', the Great Mystery. The source of  all life, of all that is.  
Although Wakan Tanka is refered to as Grandfather, it has no sex, no 
body, it is at  once the creator  and all of  creation. Also at the  
center
is White Buffalo  woman (or  Sweet Medicine  to the  Cheyenne), the  
personification of the earth, and the female aspect of Wakan Tanka.
 
The cycle of life as illustrated by the Medicine Wheel starts at the 
east. The PI believe that  as an infant a  person knows all things,  
thus the connection with enlightenment. As you grow into youth these 
things are forgotten so you may  learn, and grow, symbolised by the  
south and innocence. When you  are mature you move  to the west and  
introspection. Here you take your vision quest. As you approach old  
age you achieve wisdom in the north and, if you survive you return to 
the enlightenment of the east.
                        On to the Celts!
 
The Celts use either a four spoked wheel, identical to the medicine 
wheel in apearance or enhance the image with 'cross quarters' making 
an eight spoked wheel.  One differnce in the  Celtic version of the  
Wheel, is probaly due to the  variation in weather patterns between  
the Britsh Isles and the Great  Plains. The Britsh Isles are around  
1000 miles north of the Plains causing several things to happen. The 
sun, even at midsummer will rise far further to the north in Britain. 
Britain's proximity to the trade winds cause the prevailing winds to 
come from  differnt  directions. Therefore  the  Celts  start their  
journey of  life  in  the  north.  The  qualities  of the  quarters  
areremarkably similar if somewhat skewed as to direction. (Note: the 
animals assigned to quarters and cross quarters are approximate and  
individual impressions  as  to  what  animal  goes  where  are most  
important IMHO)   
 
                     They are:
 
                        North: 
black, winter,  wisdom, clarity,  death, earth,  animals, minerals,  
fallowness, darkness, winter solstice, salmon, wolf, the Morrigan, 

                        East: 
red, spring, inspiration, life, birth,  renewal, air, birds, smell,  
dryness, germination, spring equinox, otter, crow

                        South: 
white, summer, spirit, humanity, change, power, fire, sun, light,
vegatables, summer solstice, bear, hawk,

                        West:  
grey, autumn,  creativity, ripeness,  fertility,  compassion, love,  
emotions, hearing, water, moon, twilight, fish, autumn equinox, stag,
hound
 
The cross  quarters mark  the  seasonal festivals,  have associated  
animals and are used to represent the ages of mankind:
        
                                Imbolc: 31 Jan, child, eagle
                                Beltaine: 30 Apr, youth, sow
                                Lughnasadh: 31 Jul, adult, horse
                                Samhain: 31 Oct, elder, heron
 
The Celts assign  Gods and Goddesses  to the quarters  as well. The  
following  courtesy  of  O'Dubh,  and  subject  to  interpretation.   
God/esses are directional <G> as follows:
 
                        North: 
Master Morfessa  of Falias,  The  Morrighan, Goibhniu,  The Dagdha,  
Epona, Eriu, Macha (The Land, the Lia Fal, Magick, Soveriegnty)   

                        East: 
Master Uscias of Findias  Danu, Anu, Lir,  Lugh, Bridget, Scathach,  
Ogma, Nuada (The Invincible Sword, Wisdom, Strength, the Winds)   
                        South: 
Master Esras from Gorias The Dagdha, Lugh, Bridget, Danu (The Flaming 
Spear, Action, Fire, the Sun or Shining One)   

                        West: 
Master Semias  from  Murias,  Manannan  mac  Lir,  The  Dagdha, The  
Cailleach, Cerridwen, Danu, Dianecht, Arianrhod (Rebirth, the Undry, 
the Sacred Cauldron, the Sea, Water)   
 
Many of these  God/desses are assigned  to more  than one direction  
because they have more than one  aspect (The Dagdha, Danu, Bridget,  
Lugh, the  Morrighan).  The  best  way  to  associate  them with  a  
particular direction is to base their  direction upon their role in  
your Working or upon their use of the magickal tool involved.
 
The Celts  have  this  multi-faceted diversity  in  the  nature and  
directions
of their God/desses  due to their  travels across  Europe and their  
incorporation of  the  local  Deities  into  the  Deities  of their  
respective clans. When  they finally  stopped their  travels, these  
Deities were  then more  fixed in  their associated  directions and  
attributes. As modern day  Celts, we have  the use of  all of these  
Archetypes to aid or worship and to enrich our Magicks!

(2-21,cherokee)  the  cherokee   say  that   all  ancient  cultures   
descend through the plieades  and that the  druids and the cherokee  
have origins in atlantis the cherokee calendar as are most medicine  
wheels are based on the mayan system of time. The Dogon of W. Africa 
say the  same. which  is very  similar to  the celtic  most ancient  
cultures say they got the wheel from the stars

Also some of the first sailors to come in contact with North American 
Indians were Welsh and they could converse with some of the tribes! 
Seemed the Indians were speaking Welsh!<G>

(2-21,cherokee)  the  cherokee   also  claim   twelve  tribes  came   
out of atlantis when it was destroyed and populated the areas of the 
earth bringing this  ancient wisdom to  other cultures  like the 12  
tribes of israel  there are 12  clans in  the cherokee matrilieage.  
There was contact betwweeen the nordic vikings and the indians after 
contact with the celts too.

(2-9,M&J)   As   to    the   NA    Indians   speaking    Welsh,   I    
attended a Celtic League symposium a year or two back, and this was  
one of the talks. I'll have to go back and review my notes, but as I 
recall this is  heavily debated.  The accounts  go back to  a Welsh  
prince who supposedly sailed to America. Whether or not this is true 
is highly uncertain.

(2-8,Freepowder)        The Welsh Prince was Madoc, and I believe...
he was supposed to  have sailed in the  11th century.... there were  
records of  his  sailing away....  but  nothing on  where  he ended  
up....he most certainly  never returned  to wales....  One possible  
explanation for the 'Welsh' Indians is the occurance of grey eyes in 
some of the southern tribes, notably... the Choctaw and Cherokee.... 
There are some similarities in the  languages, but it is possible..  
that this is due to some wandering  Celt .... heading east from the  
orient. <G>

Ok Thanks FP!<G>  There are  many other  similarities...notably the  
common
belief among both sets of peoples, the Cherokees and the Celts, that 
springs were doorways  to the  Underworlds and  possessed their own  
spirits. There are other similarities... The Irish have legends about 
the first settlers coming from the west after a flood.

  This  was   later  Christianized   to  be   the  daughter  of   Noah  
Ceasir....but it was first thought to be Atlantis. Also some of the 
alignments of the
stone circles are on the Pleides. In fact, The two major hubs of the 
Celtic year are connected to when the Pleides first ascend into the 
constellation of Taurus That is when Bealtaine and Samhain actually  
occur.
 
As to use in  your magickal workings, given  the eclectic nature of  
most American Mages, introduction of the Plains Indian version of the 
attributes of the quarters is allowable. Perhaps even justified given 
our geographical location. I  personally use the  Indian colors and  
animals in conjunction with the Celtic God/esses. As they used to say 
in the Toyota comercials, 'It just feels right.' <G>

Ok I  have  another set  of  values  for directions.  Then  a brief  
discussion of future topics. I know  everyone is suffering from too  
much Holiday!!!<GGG>

Here's my  blurb  on directions:  The  "Four Fold  Way"  by Angeles  
Arrien a survey  of sacred directions  and paths  of the indigenous  
peoples of  the world  gives the  following characteristics  to the  
directions:
 
                        North:
The Way of the Warrior, Direction  of Power, Element is Air, winged  
creatures, Standing Meditations, Right Actions, Dancing, instrumrnt  
is the rattle and season is the Winter.
 
                        East:
The Way of  the Visionary,  Direction of  Vision, Element  is Fire,  
dessert and no legged creatures, Walking meditations, Truth telling, 
Singing, instrument is the bell and season is Summer.
 
                        South:
The Way of the Healer, Direction of Love, Element of Earth, All four 
legged creatures, Meditating while laying down, Right Speech is the  
way of living, Paying  attention, Story telling,  instrument is the  
drum and the season is Spring.
 
                        West:
The Way of the Teacher, Direction  of Wisdom, Element of Water, All  
Water creatures,Sitting meditations,RightTiming  in life's actions,  
Being Open
  minded to outcomes, Silence is the best wisdom, instruments are 
  sticks and bones and season is Autumn. "HOW TO USE MAGICK with a 
                          Straight Face" 
(C) 1989 by Scot Rhoads, all rights reserved
MYSTIC MOON Metaphysical Books, NEW MOON RISING journal & BBS
8818 Troy St., Spring Vly, CA 91977 (619) 466-8064; BBS: 466-5403 

             "People that eat blowfish are stupid. 
        People that do not eat blowfish are also stupid."
                                        --Japanese proverb


   With  the advent of the New Age,  many people are airing great 
new  ways  to change your life for the better.  These  ideas  are 
based  on the premise that we have total control of our lives  on 
some level.  All we need do is reach that level with our desires. 
This is,  of course,  the big challenge. You can read millions of 
words on that subject.  Why is there so much information? Because 
achieving this kind of control is a very individual thing.  There 
are  so many different ways that each person could write his  own 
book.  To succeed,  each must find his own path. The reason there 
are  instructions  at  all,  though,  is because  each  can  find 
guidance in the successes of others.  Magick is one of these many 
guides.
    
   This  file is relatively short because it concentrates less on 
the  myriad  details of magick and more on how to find  your  own 
path.  The  task  is never as easy as it sounds,  but it  is  not 
complex,  either.  With straight forward exercises (good,  honest 
work on your Self) you will achieve whatever you desire.  We  all 
have  this  power.  The  way we use it is not by  gaining  a  new 
ability,  but by getting out of the way of the ability we already 
have. This book outlines the basic blocks and the kinds of things 
to  do about them.  But,  as with any advice,  it is up to you to 
honestly  assess your own situation and discover what works  best 
for you.  Remember,  achieving your personal Power is  everyone's 
path  in life.  You will succeed,  it is only a question of when. 
This  book  is designed to bring that success more  quickly  and, 
overall, more easily.

   Many  people  these  days still appeal  to  the  "booga-booga" 
aspect of magick:  "We will grant you incredible powers to use on 
whomever  you please if you send us money." As we enter into  the 
New Age of understanding,  people are learning that occult powers 
are actually a natural part of everyone's life. It is our goal to 
help  this process along.  We hope to teach newcomers what magick 
is about.  This book is written not only to inform,  but also  to 
circumvent  the  psychological  barriers set up by  living  in  a 
mechanistic society. The mechanistic paradigm (the idea that each 
person  and  object  is  totally separate from the  rest  of  the 
universe except  through  physical  interaction)  precludes  magick  
(non-physically   affecting one's  environment).   The  magickal 
paradigm  states  that your beliefs  create  your  reality.  This 
choice  is like contemplating eating blowfish-- when  you analyze 
it,  you  can  conclude that adopting either paradigm is  stupid. 
Since you can't please everyone else,  pick the one that you like 
best. If (and only if) the magickal paradigm appeals to you, then 
choose it. Then the trick is to get out of the mind-set that says 
that  magick  is  impossible.  We hope that  you  will  try  some 
exercises  to prove to yourself that magick works.  Once you have 
done  so,  then  you  are on the way to  achieving  anything  you 
desire.
                       
                              POWER

   Power can be a very misleading term.  The way most people mean 
it is in the sense of "power-over." People recognize power as the 
ability to get others to do what you want,  especially when these 
others  have different ideas.  This is not Power (with a  capital 
'P')  at all.  When you rely on someone else to do something  for 
you,  you  give  your Power to him.  This is very different  from 
doing something *with* someone,  then both parties gain.  But, to 
believe  that you must force or trick another is to say that  you 
need this person to do something that you cannot.  You may  steal 
their power (lower case) but you give away your Power. 

   Power  is,  among  other things,  the innate ability to  bring 
whatever you truly desire into your life.  When you "make" others 
manifest them for you,  you create blocks in your own mind. These 
blocks say "I cannot do this myself," which obstructs your Power. 
This is "giving away your Power." 

   When you "take your Power," you accept responsibility for your 
life.  This  is not guilt or martyrdom,  it is honestly assessing 
your  life  and recognizing your  successes  and  failures.  Give 
yourself  credit for even the smallest success and recognize that 
you  can overcome every obstacle.  Then you allow your  Power  to 
express  itself.  What you need comes to you;  projects work  for 
you.

   We  often  think  of many  obstacles  as  insurmountable.  For 
instance,  many  believe  the lottery to be their only  desperate 
hope of escaping poverty.  Such people give away their Power. And 
why  shouldn't they?  Everything they've experienced  tells  them 
this.  Our  whole  society is rooted in the mechanistic  paradigm 
(all causes and effects have a physical link),  which precludes a 
belief in Power.  How is one to know that this concept works? How 
can  this be real when it is so different from what we  are  used 
to?

   Our  society  has  a  concept of  "Reality"  as  an  objective 
existence  of  which  we are all a part.  When  two  people  have 
different  ideas of the nature of some detail,  then at least one 
is Wrong. We all have a fear of being Wrong. When we are Wrong we 
miss out on things and people don't like us as much. Therefore we 
desperately strive to be Right.  It turns out that Right is  what 
ever  those around you happen to feel that it should be.  It's as 
if  they  all  took a vote when you were out  of  the  room.  But 
"Right" changes all the time: from preservatives are harmless, to 
preservatives  cause cancer;  from Stalin is a great  leader,  to 
Stalin  was a monster;  from Ptolemy explains the forces  of  the 
universe perfectly, to Newton explains the forces of the universe 
perfectly,  to  Einstein  explains  the forces  of  the  universe 
perfectly.  The  philosophy  of science this calls this  evolving 
better  (or at least different) explanations.  Yet,  while  these 
ideas hold sway, people call them "Reality."

   Just how reliable is Reality?  We all live our lives using our 
individual concepts of Reality to get along. We update them as we 
see fit. But few will fundamentally change their concepts. We are 
sure  that,  although we may not have the details,  we  certainly 
have  a  feel  for  the basics.  Anyone who  disagrees  with  the 
mechanistic paradigm,  for instance,  must be missing at least  a 
few  marbles.  Such a person is irrational in a universe that  we 
know to be rational.

   But  is the universe truly rational?  Science has pursued the 
mechanistic  paradigm  down  to  the  smallest  scale,   particle 
physics;  here  it fails to explain the  universe.  The  building 
blocks  of Reality do not behave rationally.  If you drive a  car 
from one side of a mountain to the other and you have a choice of 
two  tunnels,  you  will drive through one of them.  If a  single 
electron has a choice of two holes in a plate to pass through, it 
will go through both. You can plot the speed and position of your 
car  to the limit of the accuracy of your  instruments,  but  you 
will never be able to do both to that electron. 

   When you observe this mythical car,  it is a solid object.  If 
it were not,  it would not be a car. If you drove it around, then 
tested  to  see if the car were not solid and discovered that  it 
wasn't,  what  would you think?  Around the turn of the  century, 
scientists figured out that light acts like a wave when you  test 
for a wave, and like a particle when you test for a particle. In the 
regular world it must be one *or* the other.  The two are as 
mutually exclusive as a non-solid car that you can none the  less 
drive.  Mysteriously,  light was behaving like both.  Eventually, 
scientists concluded that light doesn't work like the universe we 
are  used to.  The act of observing light defines its  character. 
This  is  called  wave-particle duality.  Later in  the  century, 
scientists  found that atomic particles,  the building blocks  of 
all matter, behave this way, too.

   Now  imagine  that  you  can find no evidence  that  this  car 
crosses  the space between where you see it and where you saw  it 
last.  Suppose  the  car isn't actually "there" when  you're  not 
looking--  the  act of looking brings it  into  "existence." What 
would you think if noticed that your expectations seem to have an 
effect on where it turns out to be?  This is awfully strange, but 
it  is  the  kind  of universe  that  particle  physicists  find. 
"Looking  at"  a subatomic particle "brings it  into  existence." 
Also,  scientists are finding that whatever kind of particle they 
expect  to  find in an experiment,  tends to be  there.  This  is 
starting  to  look less like brilliant theory and  more  like  an 
effect  of the observers.  They are no longer separate from their 
experiments. It turns out that the universe doesn't actually work 
the way we've always assumed it does.

   This  is  the nature of matter on the smallest scale,  and  it 
doesn't make sense in every day life.  This does not mean that we 
should abandon our present ideas of how to live.  Keep what works 
("If  it  ain't broke,  don't fix it").  Particle  physics  won't 
affect how you drive through tunnels,  for instance.  But, if you 
accept  physics,  the epitome of the mechanistic  paradigm,  this 
means  that our mechanistic ideas of how the universe  works  are 
fundamentally  incomplete.   In  other  words,   the  mechanistic 
paradigm is not the whole story. 

   Big deal.  What does this mean in a practical sense? The world 
seems  to  work  just  the same as it did  when  the  mechanistic 
paradigm was unchallenged. But what if our preconceptions dictate 
what we are aware of?  It is a common trick to set up a group  of 
people  for  startling  event and see how many  will  overlook  a 
strange inconsistency.  In one instance, a teacher took a student 
off  into an adjoining room on a pretext.  There was the sound of 
an argument and a crash and the student ran out through the room. 
One of the other students suspected a set up and she was the only 
one  who  noticed that the teacher's accomplice  was  carrying  a 
bone.  A much more dramatic example is the story of Magellan's ships. 
When the explorer landed on a particular island, the natives, who 
had never seen europeans before, recognized them as funny looking 
men  in funny looking little boats.  But Magellan soon found that 
the  natives  were unaware of the large ships that  carried  them 
there,  though they were impossible to overlook.  The natives had 
seen men and small boats before,  but they had never seen a large 
ship.  Such a thing was outside of their experience and therefore 
outside  of their comprehension.  Their eyes must have  seen  the 
ships,  but their brains did not.  The natives gathered to try to 
see them, staring intently at where they supposed to be anchored. 
Soon  the local shaman could discern the barest outline which  he 
described  to  the  others.  Eventually they could  all  perceive 
ships.
   
   Who  can  say what we make ourselves unaware of?  It  is  only 
after  we've expanded our perception that we learn how limited it 
was  before.  But we can't go around indiscriminately  "expanding 
our  consciousness."  What we choose to believe is based  on  our 
desires. If you are happy with what you believe, the is no reason 
to  change.  "If  it  ain't  broke,  don't  fix  it."  Change  is 
challenging and even if you succeed,  it may well be  unpleasant. 
But  if  you feel unable to overcome obstacles in your life  (and 
you *really*  want to),  then you have nothing to  loose.  Magick 
will only expand possibilities.  If it's all a crock, you've lost 
nothing. If it's true, you can do anything you're willing to work 
for.  It is a draw-win situation. The only way you can lose is to 
make  your choice out of fear.  Don't let the opinions of  others 
influence what you choose to believe. Don't give away your Power. 
Everyone else is in the same situation you are,  so when it comes 
to your own life, there is no greater authority than yourself. If 
you're  interested in magick,  try it and see for yourself if  it 
works for you.                         WHAT MAGICK IS

Magick is a way of using your Power.  More technically, magick is 
the  process of non-physically affecting your environment through 
messages consciously impressed on the subconscious with a  system 
of symbols.  (This will become clear later.) This is the broadest 
definition and it can include such things as prayer,  meditation, 
chanting,  positive thinking,  subliminal tapes,  programming and 
hypnotism.

Some think that magick is unnatural and evil.  It is no more evil 
than  any  tool.  A  knife,  for instance,  is "good"  or  "evil" 
depending  on its use.  It can be invaluable in  many  beneficial 
projects,  yet  it  can also harm.  Nothing is immune to  misuse. 
People even try to use prayer against others.  Such potential  is 
not a reason for fear,  but for respect.  The idea that magick is 
unnatural is a modern misconception. Magic has only recently come 
to  mean Hollywood special effects or pulling rabbits from  hats. 
It  is often spelled magick in order to distinguish it from  this 
new   meaning.   For   millennia  magick  has  been  a  path   to 
enlightenment  and  self mastery or just plain getting  what  you 
want.  It is nothing supernatural. Magick uses natural powers and 
the  natural flow of the universe to bring about the changes  you 
desire. We are so immersed in magick that, like still air, we are 
unaware  of  it.  We all use this  power  without  thought,  like 
breathing. Magick is using these powers with awareness.

Magick  involves  placing  a message of your choosing  into  your 
subconscious.  This is all that is necessary to achieve any goal. 
The power of the subconscious is awesome.  When you unite it with 
your  conscious will,  you can do anything you want.  Remove  the 
internal barriers and the external barriers melt  away.  Oriental 
philosophy would call this "following the Tao." Achieving this is 
the challenge of magick.

                        HOW MAGICK WORKS

   How  can programming the subconscious affect the world  around 
us?  What  are the mechanisms involved?  According to the  occult 
view, it works because that is the nature of the universe.

   In the West,  we use the mechanistic paradigm. A paradigm is a 
pattern  or model,  in this case describing the way the  universe 
works.  We  use  paradigms  to  function,  usually  without  even 
realizing  it.  The mechanistic paradigm is one of the most basic 
that  underlie our culture.  This model states that there  is  an 
objective  reality  in  which  objects  interact  solely  through 
physical contact. Science has updated this to include fields like 
gravity and magnetism,  but the principle is the same. The result 
is  a universe in which the individual is nearly  powerless.  You 
can only make real change through physical action.  Magick is the 
act of making such changes non-physically,  so it does not fit in 
with the mechanistic paradigm.

   Most   westerners  are  unaware  that  the  magickal  paradigm 
represents a majority view among the world's cultures. Basically, 
it  is  the antithesis of the mechanistic view.  It  states  that 
there is no objective universe,  only subjective universes. These 
universes  are the perceptions of each individual.  You  couldn't 
possibly  do any experiment that would show your universe  to  be 
either subjective or objective. You must be an objective observer 
in  order  to  tell  the  difference.  You  are  automatically  a 
subjective observer because you are in the universe. That's life. 

   At this point,  there is no practical difference between these 
views.  The universe looks the same either way.  But the magickal 
paradigm  also states that the universe is an expression of  your 
perceptions  and your perceptions are that part of yourself  over 
which  you have control.  When you change your own attitudes  and 
preconceptions,   the   universe  will  follow.   This  gives  an 
individual  as  much  power  over the universe  as  he  has  over 
himself.

                           Metaphysics

We  obviously  don't exercise infinite power.  There is  more  to 
magick than merely having a desire or belief.  That is because we 
have  many conflicting desires and beliefs on many levels.  There 
is  a level called,  among other things,  the Little  Self.  This 
roughly  corresponds to the subconscious and the super  ego.  The 
ego,  the  part of ourselves which we think of as "I," is  called 
the Middle Self. The Little Self is the gateway to the High Self, 
our connection with godhead and the universe. Infinite power lies 
with  the High Self,  but our access is through the  Little  Self 
which has its own ideas.  The Little Self is aware of and accepts 
everything around it and everything you think,  even when you are 
not  aware.  These perceptions build up very strong ideas in  the 
Little Self.  When these ideas are different from yours (those of 
the Middle Self),  your ideas loose.  To succeed,  you must unify 
your will. 

   Of  course,  people  rightfully  complain that even if  we  do 
create our universe,  it's still tough to make changes.  That  is 
because  there is quite a bit of inertia to ideas that have  been 
strongly  supported  since childhood (or before,  if  you  accept 
past-lives).  In an extreme example, the original "Peter Pan" had 
to  be  changed to keep from harming children.  In  the  original 
version,  the  characters  flew  because  "they  believed."  Many 
children  attempted to fly and discovered the hard way that their 
Little Self did not agree. Things like a belief in gravity may be 
possible  to overcome,  but no one will argue that it's  commonly 
done. 

   This example sounds silly because our experience of gravity is 
so  compelling  that  it seems ridiculous to consider  it  to  be 
"merely  a thought construct." But another belief that is  nearly 
as  widespread is that of poverty.  This is a significantly  less 
daunting belief which many have overcome.  As long as you believe 
you  are poor,  you will be.  This is often a very strong belief. 
Many  cannot even genuinely imagine themselves as being  wealthy. 
But,  because  it is not beyond reasonable comprehension,  it  is 
possible  to reprogram your Little Self-- much  as  it's possible 
for  left-handers  to  learn to be  right-handed.  Magick  is  an 
effective way to do this.

   If you are unconvinced,  consider how many little messages you 
heard  when  growing  up,  which you now believe on  some  level. 
Frequent messages, especially with children, usually become true. 
If  you  have heard all your life that you are poor  or  dumb  or 
unsuccessful, eventually you believe it and eventually it's true. 
You  probably  know many people with an unjustifiably  poor  self 
image.  This  is  an  image which their Little  Selves  accepted, 
probably during childhood when they couldn't protect  themselves. 
That is how messages to the Little Self work against you. And the 
Little Self is aware of everything,  even when you are asleep. It 
also believes everything it hears. So the next time that you hear 
that  you're not good or that you need to buy a product that  you 
don't really want,  consciously give your Little Self a different 
message. Talk to it and tell it what you want to believe. This is 
what  makes your universe,  so make it the way you want it.  When 
you  have a particularly powerful belief to  overcome,  then  you 
must send a powerful message. That is the role of magick.

                            Religion

   The religious rendition of magick is prayer. Although they are 
different things, the principles are similar. Techniques that are 
effective for one will work very well in the other. In fact, they 
use  many  common symbols.  One could say that magick is  secular 
prayer.

   Prayer  works when "God answers it." This is entirely in  line 
with  the metaphysical explanation.  You can say that the  Higher 
Self is God or your connection to God. This is simply a different 
way  of expressing the same ineffable principles.  You can  adapt 
anything  here  to fit into your views.  Don't let the way  these 
concepts are phrased put you off.  Feel free to interpret this as 
much  as  you like in order to make it acceptable and  usable  to 
you.

                           Psychology

   The  explanations so far require new way of thinking about the 
universe,  but those entrenched in the mechanistic paradigm  need 
not miss out. Psychology has enough respect as a science to offer 
hope. If you replace Little Self with subconscious, the principle 
is  the  same.  Although there is no longer a source of  infinite 
power or non-physical change. But influencing the subconscious is 
the next best thing in a mechanistic world. 

   Psychologists   would   say  that  magick  directs  all   your 
unconscious  efforts toward your goal.  It also eliminates  those 
unconscious  efforts  keeping you from your goal.  This  may  not 
sound like much, but it is primarily these efforts that determine 
success or failure.  It is easy to overlook because, for the most 
part,  the  conscious will is the same as the  unconscious  will. 
Thus,  we succeed at endeavors such as waking up, getting to work 
on  time and fixing dinner.  This may seem silly,  but when  your 
subconscious  doesn't  share  a  goal,   even  simple  tasks  are 
exceptionally difficult. The power of the subconscious can either 
fight  you  or  help you.  Where ever you  succeed,  it's  almost 
certainly  helping.  Where ever you fail,  it's almost  certainly 
fighting.

   The  subconscious represents everything the mind does that  we 
do not think about.  This involves a most of what we do. When you 
are  driving  on a familiar freeway in good conditions,  you  are 
usually  thinking  about  the  music  on  the  radio  or  salient 
problems.  At such times it is your subconscious driving.  If you 
notice  something strange in the road,  it was your  subconscious 
that brought it to your attention. This is very helpful, but that 
isn't  necessarily the case.  The subconscious can throw  up  all 
kinds  of barriers,  preventing even the simplest tasks.  It  can 
make  you late for work when it doesn't feel like going-- you can 
wake  up  late,  feel  ill,  misplace car keys or  even  have  an 
accident.  This influence sometimes goes to the extremes.  People 
can even be paralyzed by hysteria, a condition that lies entirely 
within  the  mind.  Pathological fears are  another  example.  An 
agoraphobe,  for instance,  can have such an extreme reaction  to 
being outdoors that he cannot leave his house no matter how badly 
he wants to.

   The  subtle  action  of  the subconscious  can  be  almost  as 
profound.   Even  when  the  influence  of  the  subconscious  is 
indistinguishable  from  chance happenings,  on larger scale  the 
effect is dramatic.  Psychologists try to ensure that experiments 
are  "double  blind"  for  this  reason.  They  must  set  up  an 
experimental group and a control group.  In the latter,  there is 
only the single element,  the target of the experiment,  that  is 
different. 
 
   In  drug  testing,  experimenters  use placebos on  a  control 
group.  The act of administering a substance can have a  profound 
mental effect, even when that substance is inert, a placebo. When 
they expect effective drugs, people can have great results with a 
placebo.  But  the "placebo effect" is purely  psychological.  If 
either the experimenter or the subject think that they know which 
is  being administered,  that is enough to throw off the results. 
The  subconscious  of  the subject reacts  to  what  the  subject 
expects. If the experimenter knows what he is administering, then 
the subject's subconscious reacts to cues from the experimenter's 
subconscious.  This  is sometimes called the "Clever Hans effect" 
after  a horse which seemed to be able to do  math.  In  reality, 
clever  Hans but was reacting to cues from the people around him. 
When someone near him knew the answer, the horse could sense that 
person's  expectation.  It was sometime before  researchers  even 
considered   these   nearly  invisible   clues.   Although   such 
subconscious  actions  are  very subtle,  they  can  dramatically 
change the results of an experiment.

   The  subconscious  similarly affects results in your  life  as 
well.  Magick programs the subconscious to work for you.  This is 
not  as potent as the metaphysical concept,  but it will make you 
as  effective as you can possibly be in a  mechanistic  world.  A 
unified  will directs all your efforts,  conscious and otherwise, 
toward   your   goal.   Since  the   subconscious   can   present 
insurmountable  barriers,  working  out these barriers is all  it 
takes to be on the road to success.

   Some   may   be  disturbed  to  think  that  magick   may   be 
misrepresenting  how it works,  but that should not be a problem. 
In  one  experiment,  scientists  gave placebos  to  a  group  of 
subjects.  After  the  placebos  "took  effect,"  the  scientists 
explained what they were.  Even when the scientists made it clear 
to the subjects that the placebos had no biochemical action, many 
subjects  still  wanted  a prescription for them.  (It  would  be 
interesting to see how much more effective prescription  placebos 
are  versus over the counter placebos.) Were these people stupid? 
Or were they wise to stick with something that worked? 

                           New Science

   Those  that  cannot extricate themselves from old  mechanistic 
views  need an excuse to allow the placebo effect to  bring  them 
success.  Ironically,  the  same discipline which made magick  so 
difficult  can now provide this excuse.  Scientists are exploring 
some  new  ideas  which  depart  from  the  founding  mechanistic 
paradigm.  Ideas consonant with the magickal paradigm show up  in 
Jung's  synchronicity,  quantum physics,  the Gaia hypothesis and 
the morphogenetic field hypothesis (see Rupert Sheldrake's "A New 
Science  of  Life").  When these views  obviously  challenge  the 
traditional mechanistic paradigm,  they are a source of hostility 
or  amusement.  When the challenge is more subtle,  people ignore 
it.  Never the less,  the West is gradually turning toward a view 
more  in tune with magick.  With greater  frequency,  people  are 
willing  to consider the idea that we affect our universe on more 
than just a physical level. 

   Scientific  evidence  now supports the idea of  non-physically 
affecting  your  environment.  Quantum physics suggests  that  an 
experimenter's  goals  seem  to  create  whatever  particle  he's 
looking  for.  The morphogenetic field hypothesis  suggests  that 
actions   affect  all  other  actions  to  the  degree  that  the 
circumstances are similar. This explains why it becomes easier to 
grow  a  certain  type of crystal over time and  how  new  animal 
behaviors "jump" from one isolated population to another. Science 
is  continually  finding support for things  that  metaphysicians 
have said for millennia. 

   If  your  respect  for science is such that  you  cannot  take 
magick seriously,  do some research into these areas.  If you can 
find an acceptable explanation, then you can respect magick. This 
respect  is essential for success.  But don't look for  "proofs." 
The  concept of magick is nebulous.  It's designed to explain the 
way  things  are.   "Contrary  evidence"  only  shows  that   you 
misunderstand.   Change   your  definition  to  include  the  new 
evidence. 

   Magick  can  never be proven wrong because it can't be  pinned 
down.  Since  it explains a subjective reality,  it can never  be 
proven  right,  either.  The magickal paradigm will  confirm  any 
preconceptions,  so  the mechanistic paradigm will look "true" if 
that  is  what  you expect.  Since it  also  postulates  so  many 
unknowns  in the mind,  this paradigm states that what you get is 
what you expected.  As with so many things,  you will believe  if 
you  want to and you won't if you don't want to.  But when you're 
on  the  fence,  the right explanation can help  you  accept  the 
possibility.  Only  then  you  can honestly try  magick.  If  you 
experiment with a negative attitude,  it is the nature of  magick 
to confirm this.  Magick works best for those practical enough to 
be skeptical, but open minded enough to give it an honest try. If 
a  part of you is genuinely interested in magick,  work to become 
comfortable with it.  Start with simple and harmless work.  Leave 
the embarrassing stuff for later,  after you've seen it work  and 
you don't care so much if your friends find out. 

   Avoid  getting too involved in the "explanations." If you need 
one,  pick whichever you like. It doesn't have to be any of those 
here.  Each  has to build his own models.  In any  case,  reality 
transcends  the  understanding of  waking-consciousness,  so  any 
expressible  explanation  is "wrong" in  the  traditional  sense, 
anyway.  For  a  good  illustration,  try to  "understand"  wave-
particle  duality  in  any but  a  mathematical  sense.  It's  as 
impossible to picture as a four dimensional cube.

   However  the  universe "actually is," always act in  a  manner 
that  is responsible in an objective universe.  If this were  not 
essential,  people  would  have abandoned the objective  universe 
long ago. Objective or subjective, there are many empirical rules 
of behavior that we all know.  Magick doesn't change these rules. 
Don't drive crazily because you've done a protection spell. Don't 
spend unwisely because you've done a prosperity spell. Don't jump 
off a building because you've done a flight spell.  Remain within 
these  rules  and  you  loose nothing by  acting  as  though  the 
universe  is  subjective.  You should not be doing  anything  you 
don't  want  to  do in the first place,  because  such  acts  are 
pointless in either universe.  If the universe is objective, then 
you  have had some harmless fun.  If the universe is  subjective, 
then  you  have  the chance to get  anything  you  want.  If  you 
approach it properly, you can't lose.
                  THE EMPIRICAL RULES OF MAGICK

                     Karma, the golden rule

   So far you have read a few possible explanations of how magick 
works.  This is to open your mind to the fact it *can* work.  But 
any   explanation  puts  a  limit  on  the   possibilities.   The 
possibilities  which a model rules out are much harder to achieve 
while   you  use  that  model.   Please  don't   limit   yourself 
unnecessarily.  But  remember,  no matter how much you may try to 
believe  that you can fly,  it's not likely you'll  succeed.  The 
obvious  lesson  here is,  be careful:  test the waters  of  your 
subconscious, act responsibly (but not over cautious). Don't jump 
off a cliff after your first flight spell.  Don't quit work after 
your  first job spell.  Start slow and find out how  your  Little 
Self works before you do any life changing work.

   There  is  a hazard so universal that you should treat  it  as 
fact:  Karma.  This is the old saw of,  "what goes around,  comes 
around."  You  attract  things of a similar nature  to  what  you 
concentrate  on (similar to morphogenetic fields).  And remember, 
when  you concentrate on something,  your Little Self does so  at 
least  as  much.  The  mechanistic reason for this  may  be  "the 
subconscious  mind  directing  subtle  actions  to  bring   about 
circumstances  in  tune with its thoughts." Metaphysicians  often 
explain it as "like vibrations attracting like."

   Everything has a "vibration." This is similar to the vibration 
of musical notes,  though obviously not the same. As with musical 
notes,  one  vibration  can start a  sympathetic  vibration.  One 
vibrating  piano  string  will start similar  strings  vibrating. 
Karma  is  the  word for this principle in  magick.  There  is  a 
certain  vibration associated with any act.  If you hit  someone, 
the  emotions  and actions involved are of a  certain  vibration. 
This  will  tend  to  attract  things  of  a  similar  vibration, 
primarily violent acts.  You will tend to attract someone to  hit 
you.   It  turns  out  that  everything  you  do  to  others  you 
essentially also do to yourself, and vice versa. It sounds trite, 
but  being  nice to others and yourself truly makes the  world  a 
better place for everyone.

   It  doesn't  matter how you understand karma,  or even if  you 
believe in it-- you are warned.  Many people  don't  believe. The 
action of karma,  particularly on such people,  is often too slow 
to  notice.  It  can  easily take lifetimes for a  soul  to  work 
through karma.  But the soul will, so avoid bad thoughts. This is 
impossible,   but  you  will  get  better  with  practice.   Each 
unpleasant thought has a negative effect on you and others.  This 
brings negative things into your life. This is pretty rotten, but 
remember that each positive thought brings positive things-- that 
can  be pretty good.  In any case,  you needn't respect karma  to 
find yourself a happier person for trying to live this way.
 
   If  you are just learning about karma,  you will probably find 
that it is now a little more obvious in your life.  But sometimes 
it's difficult to figure.  If you do a spell to heal someone, you 
would  expect  to  be  attracting  good  things.   But  what   if 
immediately  afterward  you receive a transfer back home to  live 
near your scummy relatives?  Hardly fair!  Yet that's the kind of 
result  you  can expect if you do anything to  a  person  without 
permission.  People  have enough difficulty with their own Little 
Selves,  it's  nearly impossible to divine the desire of  someone 
else's.  The most beneficent act could violate someone's will  on 
some  level.  If the person asks you,  then you are free to  act. 
But,  even  if you are absolutely sure that the person would want 
it, if he hasn't asked you, don't do it. 

   Another  fantastic  example is the love spell.  Do a spell  to 
attract  the  kind of person you want,  not  a  specific  person. 
Exercising  your  will on others without their consent is  always 
nasty--  doing  so  magickally has  an  even  higher  cost. Watch 
yourself.   Many  people  working  with  magick  do  so  under  a 
"threefold law." This means that any karmic response is  tripled. 
This  is  to  keep people particularly scrupulous when  they  are 
fooling around with this stuff. Take it seriously.

                          Know Thyself

   Karma is best described by the golden rule, "Do unto others as 
you  would have them do unto you." The other major rule of magick 
is  just  as  common place,  "Know thyself."  This  is  essential 
because of the Little Self.  Magick is the science of  expressing 
your  will.  Because  there  are many aspects to  your  will,  it 
follows  that  you must be aware of all these aspects  to  be  an 
effective magician.

   "Know  thyself" means be aware of the thoughts and feelings of 
your Little Self.  Learn how it feels about the things you  want. 
Learn  it's  beliefs.  You  must  know  your  starting  point  to 
effectively change negative beliefs.  To do this, you have to pay 
attention  to  all  the subconscious cues that your  Little  Self 
gives you. Explore your feelings, keep track of your dreams, look 
at  your past.  One of the best clues is your own  life.  If  you 
create  everything on some level,  then part of you "wants"  each 
thing in your life. You must not deny this, but work with it. The 
goal is healing because destruction is at best temporary. 

   Different   desires  on  other  levels  interfere  with   your 
conscious desire.  Your Little Self picks them up everywhere. You 
must be aware of this so that you can counteract it.  Every ideal 
commonly  in  the  mass media  impresses  itself  strongly.  When 
Madison  Avenue  spreads  the word that young and  thin  are  the 
ideal,  your Little Self will accept this if you are not careful. 
If you are not young and thin, this message undermines your sense 
of  self worth.  The resultant sense of undeserving works against 
your success. There is so much exposure to these messages that it 
is a real battle to avoid them.  Particularly in childhood,  when 
we can't protect ourselves,  others deeply ingrain ideas that can 
be  with  us  for life.  You must work  hard  to  discover  these 
feelings and counter act them.  If part of you feels undeserving, 
genuine success seems impossible.

   There  are other aspects to this problem.  Not only might  you 
feel  undeserving,  but you could even desire failure.  There are 
many reasons for this,  usually based in childhood.  Whatever the 
cause,  you  must look at your failures to see if there might  be 
some  reward.  Many people are subject to  chronic  illness,  for 
instance,  because  of  the attention they get or  an  unpleasant 
situation  they avoid.  If you really want to succeed,  you  must 
consciously release your desire for the rewards of failure.

   You  must also look at the fear of success.  Many times we  do 
not  consider  the problems associated with what we are  striving 
for,  but  the  Little  Self  does.  It  may  be  afraid  of  the 
responsibility  of a better job or a new  spouse.  Think  through 
your  goals  very carefully.  What would life be like if you  had 
what  you  desire?  You will have to address any  new  tasks  and 
responsibilities.  You  will have to be aware of any  sacrifices. 
Once  you  are  sure that you want not only your  goal,  but  the 
sacrifices  and responsibilities that go with  it,  then  release 
your fears.  People fear change,  because it is unknown. You must 
be aware that you are taking a leap and welcome it. Have faith in 
your Self.  When you know your Little Self well enough,  you will 
be able to trust that it will bring you what you desire. When you 
don't know it that well,  work on that. If you fail, it's time to 
work harder.

   When  you  and your Little Self have the same goals,  and  you 
have healed all the blocks to your success,  you *know* that what 
you want is coming.  When you know, you do not feel desperate. If 
you are feeling desperation, you are blocking. In that case, back 
to work! When you have worked hard enough, then you are ready for 
the  easy part,  the spell or ritual.  When you enter ritual  you 
should  know what you want and why you want it.  You should  have 
healed  all  feelings of failure and undeserving and  you  should 
know  that  your  spell will bring it.  Work  to  cultivate  this 
feeling of calm expectation,  it is an important key. When you do 
a ritual, you will release all the power you have built to do its 
work on the universe.  You should not even have to think about it 
again.

   Once you achieve this,  though,  there is another caveat. Many 
people  have  something  unpleasant  happen  to  them  and  later 
realized  that  they had asked for it.  "Be careful what you  ask 
for,  you  just might get it." Always think carefully about  what 
you  want and how you ask for it.  Once again,  solid  background 
work is the key.                          USING MAGICK
    
   Magick  is a field with many different disciplines.  There  is 
sympathetic,  Earth,  Ceremonial,  Enochian, Celtic, Egyptian and 
Kabbalah  magick just to begin.  These are occasionally different 
in their basic techniques,  but mostly they differ in the symbols 
they  use to achieve their goals.  The principles are  the  same, 
however.  Whichever form you prefer,  it is how you observe these 
principles that determines your success.  Beyond that, it is only 
personal preference. 

   Preference is very important, too. It is your Little Self that 
you  are  addressing,  and it is as individual as you.  You  must 
learn what works best for you.  The first clue is what appeals to 
you most.  Once you find the best methods for you, you build your 
own  personal  magickal system.  It is up to you  to  find  these 
methods,  through research and experimentation.  There is so much 
information  that  it  is impossible to give more than  a  sample 
here.  The information in this book is enough to get started.  It 
is  your work that will complete it.  If you are happy with  what 
you get on your own,  you need never open another book.  But  you 
must  at  least pay constant,  careful attention to your work  to 
fine tune it.  As with anything,  the more work you put  in,  the 
better your success.

   The  first  principle  is  to  take  what  you're  doing  very 
seriously.  This  is  not  so easy when  you're  struggling  with 
society's  negative attitudes.  Ignore any intrusive thoughts you 
might have. Concentrate on what you are doing. You must passively 
avoid  any distractions.  Do not try to actively avoid  them  for 
that  usually becomes an even bigger distraction.  As long as you 
enter with the right attitude, the rest will come with practice.

   Magickal ritual is a very special thing. You must set it apart 
from your ordinary functions.  When you do this, your Little Self 
is aware that you have that an important message to give it.  Not 
only  is  the message less cluttered by stray  thoughts,  but  it 
proceeds  more  directly  to the Little Self.  The  more  special 
things  you have surrounding your ritual,  the more effective  it 
is. (As long as you don't have so much that these things become a 
distraction in themselves.)

   Pick  a time when you are relaxed and awake and not under  the 
influence  of any drugs (e.g.,  alcohol or medication).  Take the 
phone off the hook and see that you are not disturbed.  Create  a 
"sacred  space"  that  is only for ritual.  If you can set  up  a 
regular  time  or  place which you use  for  nothing  other  than 
ritual, this is ideal.

   Before you begin,  take a bath or at least wash your hands and 
use  this  to  symbolically  wash away  all  other  thoughts  and 
distractions  in  your mind.  Relax your body  and  mind.  Remove 
watches  and tight clothes.  Make sure the time of the ritual  is 
clearly  separated from your usual day.  Use a symbolic act  like 
knocking three times to open and close the ritual.  Anything that 
you  can add to the ambience will help:  incense,  special or  no 
clothing,  candle light, silence or meditative music (or whatever 
music  is appropriate to the spell-- be careful of  any lyrics!). 
If  you  know a second language that you don't ordinarily  speak, 
such as hebrew or latin, you may want to use this. Alternatively, 
you can use the Thee's and Thou's of archaic english.

   During the ritual,  concentrate on your goals.  Make sure that 
your ritual is not so long that you can't keep your mind focused! 
It  is better to repeat a ritual over days or weeks than to  have 
an  enormously  long  one in which you spend most  of  your  time 
thinking  about balancing your checkbook.  Know what you will  do 
before  you  start.  You  may ad lib,  but your purpose  must  be 
completely clear before you start.  Don't be surprised,  however, 
if  a  ritual  goes  differently  from  expected.  You  may,  for 
instance,  gain  an insight as you work that seems  unrelated  to 
your goal. It is important to consider this! It may be the key to 
what you are trying to achieve.  It may also be a distraction, so 
be aware.

                          The Attitude

   Since  magick  is the science of controlling  your  Self,  the 
entire  key is in attitude.  Not only must you take it seriously, 
but you must also cultivate the right feelings. You must want and 
expect your goal.
   
   Wanting seems easy, but this is deceptive. That is because the 
many  facets  of a personality often want different  things.  You 
must unify your desire just as you must unify your will. A person 
who grew up abused may learn,  on some level,  to associate  this 
with  love.  That person's Little Self will seek out abuse as  an 
expression  of  love.  It will want abuse even if the  individual 
does not.  Changing the desire of the Little Self to that if  the 
individual is the challenge.
  
   An even bigger challenge is that of expectation.  According to 
the  magickal paradigm,  you not only get what you want,  but you 
get it in the way that you expect it. Thus, if you do a spell for 
money  and  you  think "I'll never win the  lottery,"  the  money 
cannot  come that way.  If the spell is to work,  the money  must 
come from another source, such as finding a better job. Too often 
we rule out all possibility.  When you do a spell,  you know that 
has already worked.  If you do not know this,  it has not worked. 
This is the ideal.  It may well take some time before you work up 
to this point.

   For  these reasons it's usually best to start slow.  Remember, 
to be completely successful, you have to want and expect on every 
level. Begin with a project easier than levitation! Work your way 
up  to  something  life  changing  only  after  you  have  proven 
yourself.  And don't look for dramatic results.  Don't rule  them 
out, of course-- you can win the lottery or even have ET hand you 
a  suitcase of money.  But remember,  this is dealing in what you 
believe,  and  people  rarely believe that  dramatic  things  can 
happen to them. 

   Look at magick as an extra push-- something to make the random 
events break your way.  In addition to magickal means, strive for 
your goals on the earthly level. Preliminary results usually tend 
toward  things  like improved success in your ordinary  pursuits: 
business picking up,  a bonus,  getting that job interview. Also, 
the energy you put into these mundane efforts also supports  your 
magickal work.  Even if you concentrate on winning a lottery, you 
must  at  least  buy a ticket.  All your efforts  help  to  build 
expectation and gives a very strong message to the Little Self. 
                                                                   
                           Affirmation                               

   The message you give to your Little Self is the most important 
aspect  of Magick.  The whole process is communicating the  right 
message.  Desire  and  expectancy  are  the  two  most  important 
messages.  But often these do not get across. The Little Self has 
the  understanding  of a child.  There are certain messages  that 
work well and quite a few that work disastrously.  You must learn 
how to talk to your Little Self.

   The  Little Self understands images and feelings;  it does not 
understand negatives or time. When you say "I will not fail," the 
image  in your mind is that of failure.  The message  to  another 
person  would  be  what you mean,  because  they  understand  the 
negation,  "not."  The  message  to the subconscious is  "I  will 
fail." Never,  never,  never use a negative when talking to  your 
Little Self. 

   If  you  change your message to,  "I will succeed," you  still 
have a problem. Since the Little Self does not understand time as 
we  do,  it will perpetually see success as being in the  future. 
Success  will  never arrive.  The proper  message  would  be,  "I 
succeed." This is not the way we are used to thinking,  but it is 
necessary for magickal work. Always formulate your goals this way 
when you begin a ritual or spell. In addition, the more you think 
in  this  way  in everyday life,  the more powerful will  be  the 
positive messages to your Little Self.

                          Visualization

   The  images  which  you give your Little Self  are  even  more 
important.  It  is  the  images  which your  words  conjure  that 
actually  do the communicating.  When you choose your  goal,  you 
should  try  to choose one or more images to  represent  it.  The 
image must include you in it,  either see yourself in a scene  or 
picture  it  as  if looking out of your eyes.  The  scene  should 
represent to you exactly what you desire.

   The  more  you imagine in your  scene,  the  better.  Details, 
smells,  sounds  and textures all help enormously.  The scene  is 
most  effective when it brings up all the emotions that you would 
feel if you were actually there.  A drawing or picture is a  good 
aid. Surround yourself with as many things you can find that make 
you  think of your goal.  Imagine you have what you want and know 
you have what you want. That is a successful ritual.

                             Symbols

   Over the millennia, people have discovered symbols which speak 
to the Little Selves of nearly everyone.  Various sets of symbols 
form the foundation of the many different schools of magick. They 
are often culturally oriented. Because our culture is far removed 
from its magickal symbols,  each must discover his own. There are 
myriads  of occult books that offer as many different symbols  as 
you could want.  If you are interested, research them. Look first 
to your religion or ethnic background for your symbols. Mythology 
and astrology are also good sources.

   One  kind of symbol is the magickal tool.  This is a  physical 
object which you have consecrated for magickal work. If you have, 
for  instance,  a  cross  or  star  which you  want  to  use  for 
protection,  you  must empower the object for that purpose  in  a 
ritual.   You  will  direct  you  will,   through  statement  and 
visualization,  into  to  object.  From then on it is a  constant 
tangible reminder to you and your Little Self.  Treat it with the 
greatest respect.

   When you want to use a symbol,  first explore your feelings as 
you  look at it.  If it conjures the feelings you want,  then use 
it.  With symbols from a source, try do this before you read what 
the "authentic" meaning is. Sometimes you can get new information 
by  not prejudicing yourself.  Be careful if the meaning is  very 
different,  though.  If  you are not entirely in tune  with  your 
Little Self (and few beginners are), you may be missing something 
that will affect your spell.

                             Chakra
   To  give you an idea of what to look for and a sample to  try, 
here  is  a simple set of symbols based on  the  Chakra.  Chakrum 
(singular)  is  Sanskrit for wheel,  although vortex would  be  a 
better  word.  Chakra refers to points in the body where  certain 
energies  localize.  These  types of energies correspond to  many 
different things: herbs, stones, times, planets, moods, political 
beliefs.  It  is possible to relate anything to a  chakrum.  This 
chart gives points on the body, one of the many color schemes and 
how one experiences these energies.  This becomes useful when you 
seek a reinforcing energy. You can use this chart to decide where 
to  apply a magickal oil or what color is best to use in a  given 
project.

RED       ROOT            Physical Health and Energy
ORANGE    SPLEEN          Sexual and Reserve Energy (Second Wind)
YELLOW    SOLAR PLEXUS    Mental and Emotional Energy
GREEN     HEART           Love, Prosperity, Fertility, Growth
BLUE      THROAT          Command, Creation, Will, Expression
INDIGO    BROW            Magick, Psychic Energy
LAVENDER  CROWN           Spirituality
WHITE     Positivity, all colors combined, the Universal Deity (God)
BLACK     absorbs negativity
PINK      Filial Love, "Agape" (look it up)
BROWN     Earthiness, Grounding, Hearth & Home
GOLD      Wealth
          TEMPLES         Thoughts, mind

The blue is  a very light  blue. Indigo is  a very  dark blue, like  
navy blue. Lavender is a mixture of  the colors and the energies of  
red, indigo and white. It is a  very light color which you might be  
able to see at the edge of a gas  flame. The root chakrum is at the 
base of the spine.  The spleen is  a few inches  higher and to your  
left or  along the  spine (your  choice). The  Solar Plexus  at the  
navel (there is a  major nerve nexus  here). The Brow  or Third Eye  
Chakrum is associated with the pineal gland. On the skin, the point 
is on the brow between the eyes. The  crown is the top of the head,  
associated with the  fontanelle (soft  spot). If  you use something  
black (like  obsidian) to  absorb negativity,  be  sure to  wash it  
occasionally to get  rid of the  negativity. When you  burn a black  
candle,  this  creates  a  vacuum.  This   may  be  filled  by  for   
negativity unless you also burn a white candle to bring in positive 
energy. 
                            EXERCISES

   Magick  is  not just an occasional exercise to bring what  you 
want,  it  is  a  way of life.  It requires  a  certain  kind  of 
relationship  with your Self.  This does not preclude any kind of 
life style or religion,  it is entirely separate.  It isn't  what 
you  do but why and how you do it.  Magick demands that you  love 
and respect your Self and that you accept your Power. This is the 
goal. "Getting what you want" is a small bonus.

   Building  a magickal relationship with your Self is much  like 
building one with a best friend.  You learn all you can about its 
beliefs  and  feelings.  You help heal it and it helps  you.  You 
achieve  this through communication and love.  You  love  through 
learning acceptance. You communicate by learning and listening to 
the language of the Little Self.

                             Dreams

   The  Little Self expresses itself most clearly in dreams.  You 
should  keep a regular dream diary.  Have a journal handy by  the 
bed.  As soon as you wake up in the morning,  write down as  many 
details as you can.  If you scribble down notes,  transcribe them 
into  a clear,  coherent text.  If you remember no dreams,  write 
this down. You should have an entry for every day that you sleep. 
It is best to record them in present participle (e.g.,  "I  dream 
that I am writing in my journal").

   Once  you  have a dream recorded.  Consider it and write  down 
your  impressions.  How does it make you feel?  To what  does  it 
pertain?  What  symbols  are there?  What does it tell you  about 
yourself and your life?  After you have considered these  things, 
you  may  choose  to  look up the possible  meaning  in  a  dream 
dictionary.  It  is  best  to do this afterward  because  someone 
else's interpretation could prejudice your own.  The advantage is 
that  many dreams are "contrary." Such dreams actually  mean  the 
opposite  of what they seem to on the surface.  A dictionary  can 
help jog your awareness.  Once you've tried on your own, it's not 
a  bad  idea.  Remember,  though,  your impressions are the  most 
significant.

   You  can make great progress during your dreams as  well.  The 
more control you have in your dreams,  the more Power you have in 
your life. Try to develop this control. Remind yourself each time 
before  you  go  to bed that you will remember  your  dreams  and 
exercise your will in them. The ideal is called a waking or vivid 
dream.  In  this you are consciously aware that you are  dreaming 
and  everything,  especially  color,  is  very  clear.  The  most 
important  thing  to remember in a dream is to defeat  everything 
that attacks you. Attackers represent those things afflicting you 
during the day.  Don't let them beat you in your dreams.  If  you 
need help,  call for it.  When victorious, make the attacker give 
you  a gift.  The gift is the benefit that you can gain from  any 
situation.  Defeat your dream monsters and you gain power to face 
your real monsters.

   From  your dreams you can learn what your Little Self  desires 
and  fears.  You  can also gain powerful symbols for  your  work. 
These  are all highly personal and it is up to you to divine this 
information.  But,  don't try to interpret too much. Much of what 
you  dream is reviewing the events of the day and other items  of 
no great insight. Look at all your dreams and discover which ones 
hold meaning for you. Don't worry when you don't understand. Your 
Little  Self will keep trying when it has something important  to 
tell you. As long as you keep listening, you will progress.

                              Diary

   You should also keep a daily diary.  It too, is a line to your 
Little  Self.  Use this to record the events of the day and  your 
thoughts and feelings. These will reflect what is going on inside 
you.  Use  it also for introspection.  You must do a lot of  soul 
searching to learn about your Little Self, this is most effective 
when written. 

   It  is  even  more  important to track the  progress  of  your 
magickal  work.  Each time you do a spell or ritual  record  your 
goal, your feelings before and after and your methods. Before you 
get  to  this  point,  you  should also have  explored  all  your 
feelings  associated with it.  Then pay careful attention to  all 
that  happens  to you (part of the reason for the  daily  diary). 
Often, a spell will work and we will not even notice.

   Since magick works with what we believe,  things come to us in 
the way we expect or allow.  When you do a healing,  it will tend 
to  look entirely natural,  rather than miraculous.  If you do  a 
prosperity  spell,  receiving  a tax refund check  the  following 
month  could be the universe's response.  Keep an eye out for any 
hint  of possible results.  Even the weakest indication  is  very 
positive.  It may not be enough to satisfy, but it means that you 
are  being effective.  If you keep working,  you will be able  to 
improve  until you achieve the result you desire.  When you  give 
yourself  credit  for even the smallest success,  you  build  the 
relationship between you and your Little Self.

                            Pendulums

   Another  good  way of communicating with your Little  Self  is 
through pendulum work. You can use any object on a string, but if 
it holds significance for you,  so much the better. Hold your arm 
steady and think about the pendulum swinging forward and back. It 
should eventually begin to do so without you *consciously* moving 
your arm.  Next change the movement to left and right by thinking 
about it. Once you can do this with facility, assign "yes" to one 
direction  and "no" to the other.  If you choose forward and back 
as "yes," alternate thinking the direction and thinking the word. 
Eventually,  even  when you start cold,  the pendulum will  swing 
forward and back when you think "yes." Repeat with the word  "no" 
for  the opposite direction.  Now you have a way of talking  with 
your Little Self. You can ask it questions directly.

   Eventually,  you  can even get your Little Self to spell words 
by  holding the pendulum over a semicircle with the  alphabet  on 
it.  The  direction of swing will indicate each  letter.  Another 
method  is automatic writing.  With this you hold a pen and relax 
and let "it" do the writing. (This may sound like an Ouija board, 
but  it is not.  Do not try to use one for this purpose  or  vice 
versa.)  Whatever method you use,  be careful.  Your Little  Self 
wants  to  please you.  It will tend to give you the  answer  you 
want.  Make  sure  you want the truth and that your  Little  Self 
understands this.  Always be friendly, as you would with a child. 
Praise  success and don't berate failure.  After all,  it is only 
trying to please. As usual, this requires regular work over time, 
but  eventually you can have such a good understanding  that  you 
need no tools. You will simply "know" how your Little Self feels. 
This is the ideal.

                           Meditation

   Another  way to achieve this awareness is through  meditation. 
This  is  a  method of calming the  conscious  mind.  There  many 
physical benefits from the stress reduction alone. It also allows 
your  inner thoughts and feelings to express themselves.  All the 
skills  you learn in meditation are very useful  in  magick.  Not 
only  is it a line of communication with the little self,  but it 
teaches  you  to quiet the conscious mind which is  essential  in 
ritual.  You  would  do  well take instruction  in  a  meditation 
technique such as yoga or self-hypnosis.

   If  you  are learning this on your own,  observe these  rules: 
Relax  your  body consciously and completely.  You must be  in  a 
comfortable,  calm environment to do this properly.  Starting  at 
your  feet,  think about each part of your body and let it relax. 
It may help to tighten the muscles first.  Use a cue to tell your 
mind  to relax.  This can be something like mentally  going  down 
stairs  or  counting backwards.  [Do not use a  common  cue.  For 
instance, "three, two, one" is something that you might encounter 
on the radio while driving.  This could be dangerous. It would be 
better to use,  "three,  three,  three,  two, two, two, one, one, 
one."  This is less likely to cause a problem.  It is dangerously 
easy  to get into a meditative state during automatic tasks  like 
driving.  This  you must avoid.] Once relaxed,  you can use  this 
state to allow subconscious thoughts to float to the surface,  or 
you  can  use  it in ritual to give a powerful  message  to  your 
Little Self. This mental state is another key to magick.

   You  will  find  that  it  is very  difficult  to  focus  your 
conscious  mind at first.  See how long you can hold one word  or 
picture in your head without any other thought. It is probably an 
astoundingly  brief  time.  Watch  commercials to  see  how  many 
seconds  they  show one unchanging  scene.  This  represents  the 
average attention span. This is one of the reasons that magick is 
so difficult,  you must remain focused for the entire ritual.  Be 
aware of you concentration span. While it is short, you should be 
working  short  rituals.  It is better to have three  five-minute 
rituals than one half-hour ritual if you spend twenty minutes  of 
the latter thinking of other things.

   In  order to improve your concentration,  spend some time each 
day trying to hold a word or picture as long as possible. Another 
good exercise is to pick a word and try *not* to think of it  for 
a week.  Count how many times you think the word in your head, if 
you  think it again when counting it,  count that instance,  too. 
This is very difficult,  but eventually you will even be able  to 
hear or see the word without thinking it.

   These  skills immediately become useful in communicating  with 
your Little Self.  You will want to hold positive thoughts,  such 
as "I am a loveable,  successful person." You will want to dispel 
negative  thoughts,  as  when the T.V.  tells you,  "I  was  very 
unpopular  until I started using Crealm Toothpaste!" When you are 
trying to reprogram your Little Self,  feel free to use aids such 
as  subliminal tapes.  Another good one is colored  cards.  Place 
your simple,  direct message,  such as "I succeed," on a  colored 
card where you will see it each day. Put small pieces of the same 
color where you will encounter them throughout the day. Each time 
a bit of card comes in your field of view,  your Little Self will 
notice and remember the message, even when you don't.

   Symbolic acts are also very powerful.  When you clean out your 
house  and get rid of everything that you don't *need,* you  make 
way  for new things to come into your life.  This is a good thing 
to  do  in concert with a major change  in  your  life,  quitting 
smoking or graduation, for instance. It helps to tell your Little 
Self  that your old life is over and your new one has begun.  The 
more you can eliminate the symbols of your old life, the more you 
can shape your new life to your liking.  Be aware of all that you 
do, for you can use ordinary acts to give messages to your Little 
Self. Your morning shower can be a ritual to "wash away" all your 
stress or yesterday's mistakes. If you do this, however, you must 
*make*  it  a ritual.  Develop a routine and concentrate  on  the 
purpose  of  the act throughout.  This is true  of  all  magickal 
works.

   Once you have begun this work to focus your conscious mind and 
reprogram  your Little Self for success,  then you can begin some 
small  works  of magick.  You want to start  small  because  most 
people have difficulty accepting a great success on a deep level. 
If  start with a spell to win one million in the lottery and  you 
are not ready for this, your failure will set you back. If you do 
prosperity  spell  and  you get a small raise or win $10  in  the 
lottery, that is a start that you can build on.

   One   of   the  better  starting  goals  is   manifesting   an 
insignificant  object.  Manifesting  means bringing it into  your 
life.  Things  tend to manifest in unremarkable ways,  so keep  a 
look out. The blue feather is a classic. Set up a ritual in which 
you concentrate on a blue feather.  See it,  feel it,  smell  it, 
want  it,  then let it go.  Then pay attention for the  following 
week  (and  keep  track in your journal).  You may  find  a  blue 
feather  on the side walk.  You may notice one for the first time 
on a billboard that you pass every day.  You may see one on  T.V. 
All of these are successes. 
   
   It  is  best to start with insignificant,  uncommon  (but  not 
rare) objects.  An uncommon object gives you a good indication of 
success.  A  rare  object is a challenge you can work up  to.  An 
insignificant   object  is  easier  because  you  do   not   have 
interfering  desires  or  fears.  You  have  to  be  relaxed  and 
confident  and let go of your desire as you complete the  ritual. 
You  should be able to manifest such an object before you proceed 
to  a greater challenge.  It is valuable to repeat this  exercise 
every so often in any case.

   Another good spell to start with is a spell to do good spells. 
That is,  you can use magic to help remove blocks and fears.  For 
instance,  if  you have discovered that you feel  unworthy,  this 
will  seriously  impair your ability to manifest what  you  want. 
But,  you  can use your desire for self worth to empower magickal 
work  toward  feeling  worthiness.  You can also do  a  spell  to 
support your ability to concentrate on your goal. This is just an 
extension  of all the other methods of getting messages  to  your 
Little Self.

   When you discover blocks and fears,  when thoughts intrude and 
your  mind  wanders,  or when you find yourself thinking  exactly 
what you're supposed to avoid,  don't worry!  This happens as you 
learn  to  control  your will.  The idea is not  to  avoid  these 
problems,  but  to *learn* to avoid them.  You can't do  this  by 
trying to force yourself.  There are no instructions on how to do 
this,  only  exercises.  Just  do  your stuff and the  rest  will 
follow.  When problem surfaces, recognize it and go on. Don't try 
to  stop it and don't dwell on it,  just continue.  You may  know 
that  you  have  "spoiled" a ritual with  a  stray  thought,  but 
complete it anyway-- it's a good exercise. Sometimes you can deal 
with stray thoughts by *trying* to think about them.  Concentrate 
on these thoughts and let your mind tire of them, then go on with 
your work.

   Work  steadily,  but not overly hard,  on these exercises  and 
make magick a part of your life.  Unify your will. Take and prove 
your  Power.  Only  after you have done this are you ready to  do 
magick.  When  you feel you are ready,  develop the messages  and 
visualization which will be the most powerful for you. Decide how 
you  are  going  to  set up your ritual area  and  how  you  will 
orchestrate your spell.  Whatever you feel best with is what will 
be  the  most  powerful.  If you need an idea of  how  to  start, 
consider the examples that follow.

                             SPELLS

   Once  you have discovered and addressed your blocks,  you  are 
ready  to do a spell.  This is only a little different from  what 
you have already been doing.  In a spell you do nothing new,  you 
do it differently.  A spell is a ritual, an act carefully planned 
to have the greatest effect.  You must do the planning,  for only 
you  know what will be the most effective ritual.  Plan carefully 
and completely. You may want to use a script (it would be best to 
memorize  it).  You can ad lib once you're more  experienced.  At 
this point,  you have enough information to develop more powerful 
rituals  than you are likely to encounter in any  book.  However, 
since this is so different from what most of us are used to, here 
are some samples to give you a starting point.  Feel free to  use 
and change these rituals as you please. They are here to give you 
an idea of how you may want to approach things. 

   The  ritual starts in a special place.  It could be out in the 
woods  or in a special room.  Ideally,  you would never use  this 
place for anything but ritual,  but this may be impossible. If in 
the  home,  choose a quiet time and unplug the phone.  Make  sure 
that you are not disturbed.

   Before  the ritual,  carefully clean and arrange the area  and 
take a bath or wash your hands. Think about washing away the days 
thoughts and cares. You are now ritually purified. You should not 
engage in any mundane activity until after the ritual. Enter your 
ritual  area and knock three times,  to mark the beginning.  From 
this point all your thoughts are on the ritual. Don't do anything 
automatically.  No matter how familiar,  think about every action 
and what it means. 

   Light  candles  and  incense (only if there is  no  danger  of 
fire!).  Imagine  the ritual area surrounded in a circle of white 
light.  You  may  physically trace this circle to  reinforce  it. 
(Traditionally,  all  such movements are clockwise when  invoking 
and   counterclockwise  when  dispelling.)  Repeat  an   act   of 
purification.  This is like the bath only more symbolic.  You can 
hold your hand in the incense smoke and touch water from a ritual 
cup to your forehead, for instance. Next, relax and aum-- that is 
chant  the  mantra "ohhmmm" (or whatever works for you) to  bring 
your  mind  to the proper state of alert  relaxation,  ready  for 
work.

   At this point you will state your will. Tell your Self and the 
Universe   how  you  choose  it  to  be.   This  is  not   merely 
verbalization,  during ritual your word is law. What you say, is. 
Feel your statement with your entire being, with every sense. Use 
all the techniques that you have found effective.  Then,  let the 
feeling go. It is going out into the universe to do its work. End 
your  expression with a statement like,  "According to free  will 
and  for  the  good of all." This helps to  avoid  problems  with 
karma,  as  long as you mean it.  Do not allow other thoughts  to 
intrude at this point, it is now time to close the ritual. 

   Imagine  removing  the white light circle  (counterclockwise). 
Knock three times to end the ritual.  Put out the candles,  clean 
each  item  and put it carefully away in  a  special  place.  The 
ritual  is  only  finished once you have completed all  of  these 
steps. Only then can you resume thinking about what's on the T.V. 
and how big a jerk your boss it. As a beginner, you should always 
be prepared to go through this entire procedure before you start. 
Even in an emergency, you should at least remove the white circle 
and knock (very quickly,  perhaps, but do at least this much when 
possible).  Nothing in a ritual is mundane, so it must be clearly 
delineated from your mundane actions.  Otherwise you will  dilute 
your spell and give the wrong messages to your Little Self.  When 
ritual is obviously separate,  your Little Self will know when to 
pay close attention.

   Once finished, do not talk about your work. Silence is another 
important key to magick. If you discuss it with anyone else, they 
cannot  help  adding  their  thoughts.   This  is  almost  always 
detrimental.  It is fine to work with people,  then your energies 
multiply.  But  never  talk about specific spells that  you  have 
done.

                     Destroying Your Enemies

   This  is one aspect of magick that attracts many.  It is a big 
mistake! Karma will get you every time. Don't try to rationalize. 
Though you may be able to put it off,  you will not escape karma. 
In the mundane world,  you might justifiably do violence in order 
to  defend yourself or another from physical attack.  In  magick, 
this justifies only defense, never attack. Don't imagine yourself 
to  be  an agent of karma or a martyr saving others at  your  own 
expense.  Who  ever  has  done  you  wrong  will  get  his.  It's 
frustrating to wait and we all want to be there when it  happens, 
but it is never worth trying to make it happen. 

   When  you  have  any  kind  of  relationship,  particularly  a 
magickal  one,  you develop a karmic tie.  You will want to avoid 
such ties with people you don't like. Even if you get the best of 
such  a person,  he will still drag you down.  It's difficult  to 
resist when you feel that the person owes you.  If you have  been 
swindled  and left with no legal recourse,  it's tempting to  use 
magick to get your money back.  Trying to get even will develop a 
tie  with this person and probably set you up for some bad karma. 
Don't  worry  about the money,  either.  You can  get  that  from 
anywhere (see "Prosperity"), In seeing this swindler as your only 
source  you  give your Power to him.  If you are brave,  you  can 
demand justice in such a situation.  This incurs no karmic  debt, 
but you,  too, can expect justice. Not very many people genuinely 
want  this.  Most prefer mercy because we have all done plenty of 
things  that  we would rather not have to pay for.  If  you  want 
mercy,  you must extend it to others.  When you ask for  justice, 
all your debts present themselves.  If you survive, great, but it 
won't  be  fun.  There are much safer ways of dealing with  nasty 
people.

                           Protection

   Psychic  attack  can  be  a  real problem  because  it  is  so 
prevalent.  When you make someone angry,  the person is attacking 
you.  Simply directing angry thoughts is a psychic attack.  (This 
incurs bad karma,  so learn to avoid this yourself!) We all  have 
natural defenses,  so these attacks seldom have an effect. But if 
someone has ability,  or if he concentrates a lot of energy,  you 
are likely to suffer. Psychic attack usually comes in through the 
neck  and  manifests  as  a headache.  As  you  become  a  better 
magician,  you will be more sensitive to the energies around you. 
You  become  more vulnerable to psychic attack.  You also  become 
better able to defend yourself as long as you remain alert.  This 
work  will also help protect you from physical threats.  Keep  in 
mind that, though magic may help, you must still act responsibly!

Affirmations:  I am now safe and secure.  All negative influences 
are  reflected off me into the Earth to be healed.  I allow  only 
the positive into my life.

Visualizations:  See  an egg of white light around  you-- because 
this  keeps  in negative energy,  also see it filled with  violet 
light,  which  will turn the negative to positive.  Another  good 
visualization is three concentric circles around you (or whatever 
you wish to protect) of white (outside),  blue (middle) and  pink 
(inside).  Also, you can imagine a mirror at the back of the neck 
or encasing the whole body, reflecting outward.

Other: Religious symbols are especially good for this work. 

                          Purification

   Remember  that the things you have in your life are those that 
you have drawn to you.  When someone upsets you, he usually has a 
lesson to teach you. If you can learn this lesson, you can escape 
the situation. If you escape without learning your lesson, you'll 
probably be in a similar situation soon.  Sometimes people  often 
make us angry by reflecting a part of our personality that we are 
unhappy with. Also, the negative vibrations we pick up during our 
everyday lives attract negative things. The purpose of the ritual 
bath  is to remove such influences.  It is also a good idea to do 
an entire spell for purification.  This is not only good to do on 
yourself,  but  also your home and wherever else you  spend  much 
personal time.

Affirmations:  The  white  light  cleanses  me  of  all  negative 
thoughts  and energies.  Only positive feelings remain in  me.  I 
release all negative vibrations into the Earth to be healed.

Visualizations:  See  yourself  being  washed clean by  white  or 
violet  light  from above you (your High  Self).  Each  time  you 
inhale,  take in pure white light.  When you exhale,  release all 
your negativity. See this negativity go down into the earth to be 
healed.

Other:  Place a piece of rock salt under your tongue. Use incense 
smoke or water to cleanse yourself.  Again, religious symbols are 
very effective.

                              Love

   You  must take love spells very seriously,  for they are quite 
dangerous.  Never, never, never do a love spell on an individual. 
This  is  often  a great temptation,  but  don't  even  risk  the 
possibility of imposing your will on another.  The karmic results 
are  severe.  Even  if you succeeded,  you would still lack  real 
love,  for you would have to continually renew the spell to  keep 
the person. What you want, among other things, is someone to help 
express your love for yourself.  As you will often hear, you must 
love yourself first.  This isn't a problem,  for you already love 
yourself-- that is the main reason you are alive.  The problem is 
when you block that love.  Eliminating these blocks is the Soul's 
goal. But don't despair, you needn't actually remove them to draw 
love  to  you.  Just beginning the work can attract that  special 
someone who will help. 

Affirmations:  I  am  a perfect manifestation of love and I  draw 
love  to me.  I now allow love to come into my life.  I feel  and 
express perfect love and draw other loving people into my life.

Visualizations: Picture yourself as a magnet, feeling and drawing 
love.  Imagine  yourself bathed in green or pink or orange light, 
depending on your goals.  Pink is for filial love (agape) and for 
that  of  a  lover.  Orange  is for  the  sexual  aspect  (spleen 
chakrum). Green is for both (heart chakrum). But the distinctions 
are somewhat blurred, for love is a combination of all of these. 

Other:  Friday is the day of Venus and the waxing to full Moon is 
a  time  of increase,  so these are good times  for  ritual.  The 
ubiquitous heart symbol can be useful.

                           Prosperity

   Money is not all there is to prosperity.  What do you want the 
money  for?  What kind of life do you want to live?  What do  you 
want to have?  Keep these goals in mind. You may get them instead 
of the money.

   As  you  work  though  your blocks  to  prosperity,  you  will 
probably  find  that one of the biggest  is  guilt.  Our  society 
functions under the assumption that a person can only gain at the 
expense  of  others.  Don't  try to get money by taking  it  from 
others through force or fraud,  magickally or otherwise.  That is 
giving  your Power away.  In the magickal paradigm,  you  create. 
When you understand this,  there is no greed because you can have 
whatever  you desire and without taking from others.  It  is  not 
money that is a root of evil,  but the love of money.  It doesn't 
matter  how  much  you get,  but how you get it.  When you  do  a 
prosperity  spell,  it  should  be a  joyful  expression  of  the 
infinite  supply available to you.  If you are begging or hopping 
to be rescued, you have more background work to do.

   Another aspect to remember is that money, like all other kinds 
of energy, flows. In order to get it, you have to spend it. There 
must  be  an outflux for there to be an influx.  This is  not  an 
excuse  to  be irresponsible!  It is easy for the flow to be  too 
much in either direction (especially out!).  Don't be miserly  or 
wasteful,  remember the flow. Use each bill you pay to remind you 
that  you've  drawn the money to pay it and that more money  will 
come to take its place.

Affirmations: I allow prosperity to manifest itself in my life in 
great abundance.  I draw from the infinite source all the money I 
need and more.  In my life,  I now express the infinite supply of 
wealth around me.

Visualizations:  Imagine  yourself  bathed in green light  (heart 
chakrum).   This   is  a  situation  where  visualization   works 
particularly well,  because it's a tangible object.  You can even 
use a picture or model of the new home or car you want.

Other:  Good times for a prosperity ritual are Thursday,  the day 
for  increase,  and during the waxing Moon.  The $ (or approriate 
regional symbol) has a great deal of power-- consider using it.

                    Health & Self Improvement

   Your  body is the most direct expression of your Little  Self. 
It  is  one  of the most accessible,  yet challenging  things  to 
change.  If  you can find and address the root causes  of  health 
problems,  like  heat disease,  it is often relatively easy to do 
something  about  them.  But  self image  problems  can  be  very 
difficult because of the way our society approaches the subject. 

   Over weight is a good example of a self image problem. Madison 
Avenue  bombards  us  with  an ideal  of  beauty.  It  is  almost 
impossible to escape. If you are over weight and unhappy about it 
for other than health reasons, you are probably a victim of this. 
It  is dangerously easy to make self love or approval  contingent 
upon  losing  weight.   Until  you've  lost  it,   you  may  feel 
undeserving  and  thus fail.  You may succeed,  only to have  old 
habits  or new crises can throw you back into old eating  habits. 
You  have  made no fundamental change,  so the  cycle  reinforces 
itself. So many different problems manifest this way.

   You  will  certainly  want  to deal  with  eating  habits  and 
exercise,  but this is often insufficient.  People have different 
metabolic  rates  and different body types.  Do not  make  liking 
yourself  contingent upon your having a different body  type!  If 
you  dislike your body,  you dislike your Little Self.  You  must 
love  yourself  unconditionally.  This is the  same  transcendent 
spirit expressed in wedding vows:  for better or worse, richer or 
poorer,  in sickness and in health.  Love yourself not regardless 
of how you look,  but because of how you look. Wanting to improve 
doesn't  mean that you must dislike yourself as you are.  If  you 
were given $900, you wouldn't despise it because it wasn't $1000. 
Rejoice  in your Little Self's expression of being  alive.  Until 
you do, this lesson will hang over your head. Ironically, you are 
most able to change your looks when it matters to you least. 

   Remember to be responsible.  Always get good health care. When 
trying to lose weight,  follow a sane plan under a doctor's care. 
But  in addition,  work to love yourself unconditionally.  Strive 
constantly to fight the messages from the media and those  around 
you.  You  are a loving,  loveable person and your looks  reflect 
this.  Make  yourself aware of that.  When you succeed,  you  may 
eventually look like your ideal,  but even if you don't, you will 
see  the  beauty  in yourself.  You will be more able  to  defend 
yourself from those small minds unhappy enough to attack you  for 
not  conforming to their ideal.  You will also draw those who can 
see  your beauty.  As an extreme example,  anorexics always  feel 
that  they are too fat.  They cannot lose more weight,  for  that 
would kill them. The answer lies with truly seeing themselves. 

   Any  time your goal is self improvement,  the principle is the 
same.  In order to better yourself,  you must first realize  that 
you are loveable, now and always. Never try to better yourself to 
become loveable-- it doesn't work.  The goal of magick is to heal 
those things you do not like in yourself,  not destroy them.  You 
better  yourself by first bettering your self image.  You  change 
your  behavior by healing the hurts that cause you to do  harmful 
things.  Recognize  that  all unhappy things are in  response  to 
pain.  Your Little Self can hurt you,  much as a favorite pet may 
bite  you because it is in pain.  Do not feel anger or misery but 
love and healing.

Affirmations:  I love myself completely as I am now.  I surrender 
to  love.  I know that I am a loving and loveable person.  I heal 
all  hurts.  I  now express perfect health in my  life.  I  bring 
complete health into my life. My body is now a beautiful, healthy 
expression of my Self.

Visualizations: Imagine yourself so close to the sun that you can 
see  nothing else.  Visualize the area you want to heal bathed in 
blue-green light.  Listen to or imagine the note F#.  Concentrate 
on  the heart and throat chakra (green and  blue,  respectively). 
The  root chakrum (red) is another good focus for  physical  well 
being.  When  healing someone not present,  put a photo next to a 
candle. Put the name of the subject on the candle and use this to 
focus your concentration. 

Other:  Rituals  to increase energy and health are most effective 
during the waxing moon and at high noon.  Rituals for eliminating 
disease  or losing weight are best done during the  waning  moon. 
The  five pointed star (symbol of Man) might be a good symbol (if 
you do not have any negative associations with it).
                                    

                           Good Luck!

   At this point you are on your own. It takes forty days to make 
or break a habit, so you should concentrate on daily exercise for 
at  least this long.  Magick is not a quick,  easy way of getting 
what  you  want.  It is a long,  hard  road.  Though  it's  quite 
possible  to  have  instant success,  visible  results  can  take 
months.  Real rewards can take years. But we all must travel this 
road  some time.  Be cautious of those promising an easier  path. 
Though  it may appear slow,  magick is one of the fastest ways of 
taking your Power.  The difficulty lies not in feats of  physical 
or mental prowess,  but in steady diligence. Do not try too hard, 
or you will not last long. If you are not happy with the way your 
life is going now and you desire to take your power,  then commit 
to  the life changes which magick demands.  If your commitment is 
genuine,  then everything will fall into place over  time.  Above 
all, be patient.

               Best of luck and stay on the path.
________________________________________
"HOW TO USE MAGICK with a Straight Face"
(C) 1989 by Scot Rhoads, all rights reserved
MYSTIC MOON Metaphysical Books, NEW MOON RISING journal & BBS
8818 Troy St., Spring Vly, CA 91977 (619) 466-8064; BBS: 466-5403 

                         Nine Noble Virtues 
   (Written by Lewis Stead from the Raven Kindred's ritual book)

The Odinic Rite lists the 9 Noble Virtues as Courage, Truth, Honor,
Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality,  Industriousness, Self-Reliance,  
and
Perseverance.

It would be hard to get much argument on any of these values from
anyone.  They simply and briefly encapsulate the broad wisdom of our
Gods and ancestors.

Courage

In virtually every statement of values applied to Asatru, Courage is
listed first.  As Stephen McNallen has said, courage and bravery are
perhaps the values which the Vikings are best known for.  However,
despite our history, few of us face such turmoil as a literal battle
for ones life.  In fact, I believe it might be easier to manifest
courage in such a situation than to do so in the many smaller day to
day occurrences in which courage is called for.

The most  common of  these occurrences  for  modern Pagans,  is the  
courage
to acknowledge and  live ones beliefs.  It is also,  sadly, the one  
that
we most often fail at.  While we may often be full of the type of
courage that would lead us to face a shield wall, many of us quake at
the thought of the topic of religion coming up at the office or a
friend asking what church  we attend. We  won't offer easy answers,  
but
we ask this: if you toast the courage of your ancestors to fight and
die for what they believed in, can you trade away your religious
identity for a higher salary or social acceptance?

In an essay on values there is also the question of moral courage.
The way of Tyr is difficultto lose ones hand for ones beliefsbut,
Tyr thought the price worth paying.  In a million ways modern society
challenges our values, not just as Asatruar who are estranged from
mainstream religious practice, but for religious people in an
increasingly not just  secular, but  anti-religious culture. Values  
are
also not in favor in modern society.  Breaking or getting around the
rules is encouraged to get ahead.  Living honorably is simply too
inconvenient.  I think most people, Asatru or otherwise, find this
repugnant, but the only way to change it is to have the courage to
refuse to take part in it.

Truth

The second virtue,  that of  Truth, is  the one  that most  led our  
kindred
to embrace the Odinic Rite's statement  of values as our own. Early  
in
our discussions, we decided that no matter what values we chose to
hold out as our own, truth must be among them.  It is a word that
holds so much in its definition, and includes such a wide variety of
moral and philosophical beliefs that we were all drawn to it as a
simple statement of what we stood for.

At least one of  the reasons we  wanted to adopt  it was the simple  
issue
of honesty.  As Bill Dwinnels said at a recent sumbel while toasting
truth and honesty: if you don't want people to know about something,
don't do  it.  Truth, in  the  sense  of honesty,  is  essential to  
personal
honor and also to any system or morality that is not based on rigid
legalism.  If one is to uphold an honor code, one must be brutally
honest with oneself and with others.

Truth is also the Truth that comes with a capital Tthe kind of Truth
that one talks about in terms  of religion or morality. It's common  
to
talk of different peoples having different "truths," but it's equally
important to remember that while we acknowledge that each person or
people has their own belief as to what Truth is or where to find it,
there finally is a single Truth.  This is not the Truth as we believe
it, but ultimate Truth.  While we may respect other people's truths
and seek our own,  we must never  forget our search  for The Truth.  
Like
the Holy Grail of Christian legend, it  may never be ours to reach,  
but
when we cease to search we perish.

Honor

Honor is  the  basis  for the  entire  Asatru  moral  rationale. If  
anything
comes out in the Eddas and Sagas it is that without honor we are
nothing.  We remember two types of peoples from ancient times: those
whose honor was so clean that they shine as examples to us and those
who were so  without honor that  their names are  cursed a thousand  
years
after they lived.  Good Asatruar should always strive to be among the
former.

However, honor is not mere reputation.  Honor is an internal force
whose outward manifestation is reputation.  Internal honor is the
sacred moral compass that each Asatruar and God should hold dear.  It
is the inner dwelling at peace which comes from living in accordance
with ones beliefs and with ones knowledge of the Truth of what one is
doing.  It is something deeply personal and heartfelt, almost akin to
an emotion.  It's a knowing that what one is doing is right and
decent and correct.

In many ways while the most important of all the virtues it is also
the most ephemeral in terms of description.  It is all the other
virtues rolled together and then still more.  The best way I have
found to describe honor is that if you are truly living with honor,
you will have no regrets about what you have done with your life.

Fidelity

Fidelity is a word that is far too often defined by it's narrow use 
in
terms of marital fidelity.  By the dictionary it simply means being
faithful to someone or something.  In marriage this means being true
to ones vows and partner, and this has been narrowly defined as
limiting ones sexual experience to ones spouse.  While I have found
this to be great practical advice, many treat fidelity as if there
were no other ways in which one could be faithful or unfaithful.

For we Asatruar fidelity is most important in terms of our faith and
troth to the Gods.  We must remain true to the Aesir and Vanir and to
our kinsmen.  Like marriage, Profession (the rite in which one enters
the Asatru faith, similar to Christian confirmation or Wiccan
initiation) is a sacred bond between two parties; in this case an
Asatruar and the  Gods. In order  for such a  relationship to work,  
both
must be honest and faithful to each other.

Asatru, although currently being reborn, is at its roots a folk
religion and we also uphold the value of fidelity to the ways of our
ancestors.  This is why historical research is so important to the
Asatru-folk: it is the rediscovering of our ancient ways and our
readoption of them.

Discipline

In any discussion of the values of Asatru, discipline is best
described as self-discipline.  It is the exercise of personal will
that upholds honor and the other virtues and translates impulse into
action. If one is to be able  to reject moral legalism for a system  
of
internal honor, one must be willing to exercise the self-discipline
necessary to make it work.  Going back to my earlier criticism of
society, if one rejects legalism, one must be willing to control ones
own actions.  Without self-discipline, we have the mess we currently
see in our culture.

Looking at  discipline  in  terms  of  fidelity,  we  see  a  close  
connection.
Many Pagans go from faith to faith, system to system, path to path.
Asatruar are much less likely to do this.  The discipline of keeping
faith with our Gods and the ways of our ancestors is part of our
modern practice. In this way, we  limit ourselves in some ways, but  
we
gain much more in others.

Hospitality

Hospitality is simply one of the strongest core values at the heart 
of
virtually every ancient human civilization.  In a community/folk
religion such as our own, it is the virtue that upholds our social
fabric.  In ancient times it was essential that when a traveler went
into the world he could find some sort of shelter and welcome for the
night.  In modern times it is just as essential that a traveler find
friendship and safety.

In our modern Asatru community, we need to treat each other with
respect and act together for the good of our community as a whole.
This functions most solidly on the level of the kindred or hearth
where nonfamilial members become extremely close and look out for
each other.  It can mean hospitality in the old sense of taking in
people, which we've done,  but in modern times  it's more likely to  
mean
loaning someone a car or a bit of money when they need it (that's
need, not want).

Part of  hospitality  is  treating other  people  with  respect and  
dignity.
Many of  our Gods  are known  to wander  the world  and stop  in at  
people's
houses, testing their hospitality and generosity.  The virtue of
hospitality means seeing people as if they were all individuals with
self-respect and importance.  Or perhaps from time to time, they are
literally the Gods in human form.  This has profound implications for
social action in  our religion.  Our response  to societal problems  
such
as poverty (that's poverty folks, not laziness) is in many ways our
modern reaction to this ancient virtue.

In terms of our modern community as a whole, I see hospitality in
terms of frontier "barn raisings" where a whole community would come
together and pool their resources.  This doesn't mean we have to
forget differences, but we must put them aside for those who are of
our Folk, and work for our common good.

Industriousness

Modern Asatruar must  be industrious in  their actions.  We need to  
work
hard if we are going to achieve our  goals. There is so much for us  
to
do.  We've set ourselves the task of restoring Asatru to it's former
place as  a mainstream  faith and  by  doing so  reinvigorating our  
society
and culture.  We can't do this by sitting on our virtues, we need to
make them an active part of our behavior.  Industry also refers to
simple hard work in our daily vocations, done with care and pride.

Here's a few concrete examples.  If you are reading this and don't
have a kindred, why not?  Stop reading now.  Go and place ads in the
appropriate local stores, get your name on the Ring of Troth, Wyrd
Network, or Asatru Alliance networking lists, and with other Pagan
groups.  Put on a workshop.  Ok, now you're back to reading and you
don't agree with what I'm saying here?  Well, be industrious!  Write
your own articles and arguments.  Write a letter to the editor and
suggest this material be bannedbetter that than passivity.  Get the
blood moving and  go out and  do it. That's  how it  gets done. The  
Gods
do not favor the lazy.

The same holds true for our non-religious lives.  As Asatruar we
should offer a good example as industrious people who add to whatever
we're involved in rather than  take from it. We  should be the ones  
the
business we work in can't do without and the ones who always seem to
be able to get things done.  When people think of Asatru, they should
think of people who are competent and who offer something to the
world.

This doesn't just apply to vocational work, but to the entire way we
live our lives.  It is just as much a mentality.  The Vikings were
vital people.  They lived each day to its fullest and didn't wring
their hands in doubt or hesitation.  We should put the same attitude
forward in all that we do whether it is our usual vocation, devotion
to the Gods, or leisure time.

Self Reliance

Industry brings us directly to the virtue of Self-Reliance, which is
important both in practical and traditional terms.  Going back to the
general notion  of this  article,  we are  dealing with  a  form of  
morality
that is largely  self-imposed and  thus requires  self-reliance. We  
rely
on ourselves to administer our own morality.

Traditionally, our folkways have always honored the ability of a man
or woman to make their own way in the world and not to lean on others
for their physical needs.  This is one of the ways in which several
virtues  reinforce  and  support  each  other.  Hospitality  cannot   
function
if people are not responsible enough to exercise discipline and take
care of themselves.  It's for those that strive and fail or need
assistance that hospitality is intended, not for the idle who simply
won't take care of themselves.

In terms of our relationships with the Gods, self-reliance is also
very important.  If we wish the Gods to offer us their blessings and
gifts, we must make ourselves worthy of themand the Gods are most
pleased with someone who stands on their  own two feet. This is one  
of
the reasons for the Asatru rule that we do not kneel to the Gods
during our ceremonies. By standing  we acknowledge our relationship  
as
striving and fulfilled people looking for comradeship and a
relationship, rather than acting as scraelings looking for a handout
from on high.  It takes very little for a God to attract a follower,
if worship simply means getting on the gravy train.  We, as Asatruar,
are people who can make our own way in the world, but who choose to
seek a relationship with the Gods.

In mundane  terms  being  self-reliant is  a  simple  way  to allow  
ourselves
the ability to live as we wish to.  In simple economic terms, if one
has enough money in the bank one doesn't need to worry as much about
being fired due to religious discrimination.  We can look a bigot in
the face and tell him just where he can put it.  It's also nice to
have something in the bank to lay down as a retainer on a good lawyer
so we can take appropriate action.

On the other side  of this is  self-reliance in the  sense of Henry  
David
Thoreau, who advocated a simple lifestyle that freed one from the
temptations of materialism.  Again, here we are able to live as we
wish with those things that are truly important.  Religious people
from all faiths have found that adjusting ones material desires to
match one's ability to meet them leaves one open for a closer
relationship with deity and a more fulfilling life.  While our
ancestors were great collectors of gold goodies, they didn't lust for
possessions in and of themselves, but for what they stood for and
could do for them.  In fact, the greatest thing that could be said of
a Lord was that he was a good Ring Giver.

Being self-reliant also means taking responsibility for ones life.
It's not just about refusing a welfare  check or not lobbying for a  
tax
exemption, but also refusing to blame ones failures on religious
intolerance, the patriarchy, or an unfair system.  The system may, in
fact, be unfair, but it's our own responsibility to deal with it.

In societal terms, we have become much too dependent on other people
for our own good.  As individuals we look to the government or to
others to solve our problems and as a society we borrow billions from
our descendants to pay for today's excesses.  Most problems in this
world could be solved if people just paid their own way as they went.

The final virtue is Perseverance which I think most appropriate
because it is the one that we most need to keep in mind in our living
of the other values.  Our religion teaches us that the world is an
imperfect place, and nothing comes easy.  We need to continue to seek
after that which  we desire. In  this imperfect world  there are no  
free
lunches or easy accomplishmentsespecially in the subjects we have set
before ourselves.  If we truly wish to build an Asatru community that
people will hold up as an example of what committed people can do,
then we must persevere through the hardships that building our
religion is going to entail.  We must be willing to continue on when
we are pushed back.  If one loses a job for ones religion, the answer
is not  to go  back and  hide, but  to continue  until one  finds a  
vocation
where one can more forward and live as an Asatruar should.

Finally we must  persevere when  we simply  fail. If  one's kindred  
falls
apart because of internal strife, one should go back and start over.
Pick up the pieces and  continue on. If nobody  had done this after  
the
disintegration of the Asatru Free Assembly, this would probably never
have been written. We must be willing  to continue in the hard work  
of
making our religion strongnot just when it is convenient and easy to
do so, but when it gets hard, inconvenient, or just plain boring.  To
accomplish without striving is to do little, but to persevere and
finally accomplish a hard fought goal brings great honor.

                   DARK MOON 
                   by Magus and Ariel



Chanting before and  while entering  circle. Soft  background music  
when ritual starts.

Priest: We  are  gathered  here  in  recognition  of  the dark,  to  
celebrate the dark mother, the crone of time, grandmother of us all!

All ears hear!  The circle is about to be cast, let none be present
  but of their own free will!  Be it known that we are in the
                  presence of the dark Goddess.

Priestess: circles deosil with the salt, casts the first circle.
 I  cast the  circle  thus! With  salt,  deep from  the  womb of  the  
mother!
 From oceans deep and cold! I consecrate this space!  So mote it be!

Priest: circling deosil with water.
       I cast the circle thus!  With water, ancient and old; with the
 life  blood  of the  world!  I  consecrate this  space!  So mote  it  
be!

Priest: circling deosil with censor.
       I cast the circle thus!  With fire and air, clean and hot!
       I consecrate this space!  So mote it be!

Priest: And ever it was thus!

All: So mote it be!

Calling of the quarters:

Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Air!  I call and summon thee by  
name!
Raphael of the wide ranging air!  Sylph of the endless skies! We
bid you come!  Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast.
So mote it be!


All:      So mote it be!

Priest: Ancient one of  elemental Earth! I call  and summon thee by  
name!
Oriel of the fertile plain!  Gnome of forests deep! We bid you
come!  Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast!
So mote it be!

All:            So mote it be!

Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Fire! I call and summon thee by 
name!
Michael of flickering flame!  Salamander of scorching  fire! We bid  
you come!
Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast! So mote it be!

All:            So mote it be!


Priest: Ancient one of  elemental Water! I call  and summon thee by  
name!
Gabriel of oceans and streams!  Undine of pools and ponds!
We bid you come!  Stand in our presence and guard our circle cast!
So mote it be!

All:    So mote it be!

Priest stands in the east, Priestess stands in the west.
Together with outstretched arms begin chant   A U M !
<invoking Spirit pent>

All:            So mote it be!

Priestess:   And ever it was thus!  From the beginnings of the world,
air and earth, fire and water weaved together with spirit and love!

All CHANT
        We all come from the Goddess
        And to her we shall return.
        Like a drop of rain,
        Flowing to the ocean.***

        Isis, Astarte, Diana,Hecate,
        Demeter, Kali, Inanna **

Priest: Dark Mother!!  Crone of time!!  We ask your presence and your
blessing!  All things to you must go, though darkness and death
are your domain, you promise peace and rest!  Thy gift is life!
Yours is the hand that turns the wheel and cuts the thread.
Be with us this magickal night!  Give each of us your wisdom
and bless our rite!  So mote it be!

All:            So mote it be!

Priest and Priestess circle while chanting:
        Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
        Dark Mother, Dark Mother come in power.
        Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
        Dark Mother, Dark Mother crone of time.

While Priest and Priestess chant, everyone else can chant
also if the mood strikes.

Each person will take a sheet of parchment paper and write down
that which they have outgrown and want removed.
They will keep the paper with them until later when
this petition will be burned and tossed into cauldron.

Priest and Priestess:
        And ever it was thus!

Priest:      As God

Priestess:   To Goddess

Together:
        So woman to man
        From the beginnings of the universe
        The energies joined and co-mingled
        whereby we are sustained and carry on.

Priestess takes chalice:

Dark Lady, Mother of night, we thank you for your presence and
wisdom. (pouring liquid into libation bowl) as the fruit of the
vine was plucked and pressed, it came to know the touch of death
and thereby we are sustained and carry on!

Priest takes cakes:
   Likewise as the grain of the field ripened and fell beneath the

   scythe it came to know the touch of death, whereby we are

   sustained and carry on!

While cakes and wine are passed around all will chant:
    <in retrospect this works better if you've got the music.
Hebrew is hard>

        Hine matov umanayim
        Shevet akim gom yokad
        (Happy are they that dwell
        together as brother and sister)

Priestess: And ever it was thus!

All:            Blessed be!

Priestess stand in the west with cauldron in front of her.

Priest kneels and silently draws down .  While still kneeling
Priest says:
      Dark Lady of the waning moon!
      We thank you for your presence
      and your blessing, and in silence we turn within
      and willingly offer
      to thy realm that which is old and outdated,
      that which no longer has life and no longer grows.
      We offer to thy Blade that which
      we no longer need.
      (Priest stands and lights cauldron)

Priestess draws invoking earth pentegram in front of Priest saying:
      Of the Mother darksome and divine
      Mine the scourge, and mine the kiss;
      The five-point star of love and bliss -
      Here I charge you, with this sign.

Priest: Here ye the words of the Dark Lady; we who of old was called
among men Hecate, Persephone, Kali, and many other names.

Priestess: Worship me as the Crone! Tender of the unbroken cycle of 
death
       and rebirth.  I am the wheel, the shadow of the Moon.
       I rule the tides of women and men and give release
       and renewal to weary souls.
       Though the darkness of death is my domain,
       the joy of birth is my gift.


Everyone in turn ignites their petition off the cauldron and
tosses it into the cauldron.

Priestess embraces each person as they go by.

Priestess: And ever it was thus! That which falls to the hand of the 
crone finds regeneration and new life!

All circle and CHANT:
        She changes everything she touches and
        everything she touches changes!

Priestess: Grandmother!  Blessed thou be!  Depart to thy realms .
Thank you for the lessons learned this dark night! Blessed be!

All:            Blessed be!

Priestess: Ancient one of  elemental Air! Thank  you for your vigil  
here!
Leave with us a renewed mind as clear as air!   Blessed be!

All:            Blessed be!

Priest: Ancient one  of elemental Earth!  Thank you  for your vigil  
here!
Leave with us steadiness and patience!  Blessed be!

All:            Blessed be!

Priestess: Ancient one of elemental Fire!  Thank you for your vigil  
here!
Leave with us swiftness and action, a flaming soul to always do
what is right!  Blessed be!

All:            Blessed be!

Priest: Ancient one  of elemental Water!  Thank you  for your vigil  
here!
As you depart leave with us the fluidity of water that we may
have compassion for our fellows as well as our selves!
      Blessed be!

All:            Blessed be!

Priestess: Let  all  ears  hear! The  circle  is  open  but remains  
unbroken!
   Brothers and sisters, we are children of the Lord and Lady!
May they always dance within our hearts.
Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!


All: Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!
                   Blessed be!

                         Prayers to Brighid 
These are some prayers to Brighid that I adapted from prayers to the
Irish Saint Brigid.  Comments are welcome.

"KINDLING THE FIRE"

This morning, as I kindle the flame upon my hearth, I pray that the 
flame of Brighid may burn  in my soul, and the  souls of all I meet  
today.

I pray that no envy and malice,  no hatred or fear, may smother the  
flame.

I pray that indifference and apathy, comtempt and pride, may not pour 
like cold water on the flame.

Instead, may the spark of Brighid light the love in my soul, that it 
may
burn brightly through the day.

And may I  warm those  that are lonely,  whose hearts  are cold and  
lifeless, so that all may know the comfort of Brighid's love.


"COVERING THE FIRE"

Brighid, preserve the fire, as You preserve us all.

Brighid, may its warmth remain in our midst, as You are always among 
us.

Brighid, may it rise to life in the morning, as You raise us to life.
                          House Cleansing 
                          By: David Piper

**********************************************************************
**
              _Banishing And Sealing Ritual For The Home_

To be performed during at the New Moon, but may be performed at any 
time
in need.

You will need a new white Candle (any size with holder), small bowls 
for
Water and Salt, and a large bowl of water as well, and the censer and 
an
appropriate incense. (Choose one that brings to your mind qualities  
you
wish to have in your home.)


Banishing Ritual:

Meditate for a  few moments  on the task  ahead; then  make a brief  
invocation to the Goddess and the God, asking for Their Aid and Power 
in the Work you will do.

Light the white candle in its holder, and charcoal in the censer (or 
an
incense stick may be used instead).

Consecrate Water and Salt in the usual way.

Consecrate the water in the bowl in the same manner, but do not add 
Salt; place this bowl in the center of the room.

Take the consecrated Water, elevate it to North, and say,

        "In the name of (Goddess) and (God)
         I banish with Water and Earth."

Sprinkle the Water lightly widdershins  around the perimeter of the  
room.

Bless the incense,  then elevate the  censer (or  incense stick) to  
North,
and say,

        "In the name of (Goddess) and (God)
         I banish with Fire and Air."

Cense the perimeter of the room widdershins.

Take the Candle and cast a Banishing Earth Pentagram at North. (Draw 
the Pentagram with the  censer or incense  stick, starting from the  
bottom left point up to the top point, and so forth.) As you cast the 
Pentagram say,

        "With this Sign I banish ye, foul shades of the (Quarter)!
         Let this home be freed of your baneful influences!"

Then go widdershins  around the  perimeter of  the room,  casting a  
Banishing Pentagram at each Quarter beginning at the West and ending 
back at North, repeating the above at each Quarter. (Do not repeat it 
again at North.)

Now turn and face the  center of the room, where  the bowl of water  
sits.

With your hands, draw any  negative energy or vibrations remaining,  
and
cast them into the water  in the bowl by  flicking or snapping your  
fingers at it. Repeat this action  until you are satisfied the room  
is cleansed. Do  not touch the  water in the  bowl, as  it is being  
filled with the negative forces you are eliminating.

Move the consecrated Water, the Salt, the Incense, the Candle, and
the bowl of water (being careful not to spill it) into each room in
your home and repeat this ritual.

After banishing every room in the home (including bathroom, closets,
pantry, etc.) you have finished.  Empty the large bowl of water into
running water (a sink or toilet will do).  Wash the bowl thoroughly
with cold water, scrubbing with some of the consecrated Salt.


Sealing Ritual:

Take all the Elemental substances used in the Banishing Ritual (Salt,
consecrated Water, wax drippings from the Candle, and ashes from the
Incense) and mix them into a paste.

Using your forefinger,  use the  mixture to  draw an  Invoking Fire  
Pentagram at each opening leading outside the home (the doors and the 
windows - and even  the water pipes,  if you should  feel the need)  
while concentrating on the  Intention of protecting  your home from  
outside influences. (Draw the  Pentagram from the  top point to the  
bottom right, and so forth. Form the Star so that it is point up, or 
point out, as appropriate.) You may  make two Stars at each opening  
if you wish - one on the sill or threshold, and the other on the door 
or window itself.

Remember that  Intent is  the key  to  success in  this, as  in all  
magickal
operations; going through the motions without Will brings no results.

                     The Center Point (Celtic) 
                             By: Airmid


The methods that I use involve putting oneself in the center of the
Three Realms, constructed as a triskele. The first is a movement
meditation that I call "The Center Point." It involves both movement 
and
a breathing pattern used to time the movement. Breathing is, ideally,
timed to the  heartbeat. Three  each beat  is one  count. Breathing  
pattern
is to inhale for 3, hold for 1, exhale for 3, hold for 1.

Movement is slow, rhythmic and deliberate. Each movement has its own
meaning.

Start standing erect, arms relaxed at your sides.

Close your eyes and relax. Clear your mind, concentrating on your
breathing, and listening to your heart  beat. Breathe in and out in  
the
3-1-3-1 pattern three times as you allow yourself to relax.

As you breathe in the fourth time, raise your hands from your sides  
and
cover your heart with your palms, one  over the other -- you are at  
the
center of the world.

Exhale, moving smoothly to one knee, placing your palms on the ground 
in front of you -- you stand firmly upon the Land.

Inhale as you rise to your feet. As you stand, move your hands behind
you as far back as you can comfortably reach at waist or hip height.
Your hands should be cupped as though you are holding liquid.

Breathe out, moving your hands in an arc around you until they meet  
in
front of you at about the level of your navel -- the Sea always
surrounds you.

Breathing in,  move your  hands back  to  your sides,  holding them  
slightly
away from your hips with your palms flat, facing forward and your
fingers spread open.

Exhale as you raise your arms above you in a smooth curve over your 
head
until the tips  of your  thumbs and  index fingers touch  --the Sky  
spreads
itself above you.

Inhale again, lowering your hands in front of you until they are once
again cupped over your heart -- you are at the center of the Three
Realms.

                          CANDLE BLESSING
                          ===============
                        Coven of New Gwynedd

Blessings be upon thee, O creature of light!  Thrice blessed
little herb!  Herb o' grease, with thy waxen stem and thy blossom
of flame!  Thou art more potent against spells and terrors and the
invisible menace than fennel or dittany or rue.  Hail! antidote to
the dealy nightshade!  Blossoming in the darkness, thy virtues are
heartsease and quiet sleep.  Sick people bless thee, and women in
travail, and people with haunted minds, and all children.

<to be spoken when a new candle is annointed with oil, or when
candles are being made -- when wax is being poured or the candle
dipped -- preferrably on Candlemas>

                            Blessed Be,
                              Gwydion

                             The Coven 
                         By: Julia Phillips

Greetings All!

This article was written by me several  years ago, but I thought it  
might be of interest here, as it discusses several issues relevant to 
modern Witches.  Any  thought  or  feedback  most  welcome!  Please  
remember, that although the historical stuff is pretty general, the  
other parts of  the article are  my own ideas,  and not necessarily  
applicable outside of my own tradition :)

                         Covens and Witches

In 1662, Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne made four separate confessions of 
being a Witch,  and in  the process, gave  the word  "Coven" to the  
world. Although there is no other historical evidence for this word, 
it has proven to be one of  the most lasting facets of Witchcraft -  
ask anyone  today  what  Witches do,  and  the  answer  will almost  
certainly include the fact that they meet in groups, called "Covens".

So given that a number of modern Witches do, in fact, either run, or 
belong to, a Coven  - just what  is its purpose  in 20th (and 21st)  
century Western  Civilisation? Why  has this  word of  such dubious  
historical veracity survived over  three hundred years?  Is there a  
place in our modern  world for a  social group which,  as far as we  
know, occurred only in 17th century Scotland?

The very fact of  its survival for over  three hundred years argues  
that there is a place for such a group. In my own case, I have been a 
member of, and run, Covens of Witches for a number of years, and it 
is a social model which fits extremely well within modern society.

The structure  of a  coven  varies, but  generally has  one  or two  
leaders, and a number of members of varying levels of experience. In 
a sense, the modern  Coven has replaced the  tribal family, and its  
members often fulfill familial roles, which are no longer available  
to them in the family in which they were born.

Some researchers have commented that many modern Witches come from a 
background which was disrupted; i.e., did not provide a safe family  
environment during their  formative years. As  I know  a great many  
Witches for whom  this was  not the  case, I  think this  is only a  
partial reason, and only for some people.

Humanity itself  seems to  be  inherently tribal;  any  common bond  
between people  will  generally  result in  the  creation  cults or  
sub-cultures, where those of  a like-mind will  bond together. They  
will evolve their  own social order  (generally hierarchical), have  
their own  common language,  and  often are  identifiable  by their  
demeanour and appearance.

Witches gather together in  Covens for very much  the same sorts of  
reasons; we are apart from general society by virtue of our beliefs 
and practices. Meeting with others who  think and feel similarly to  
ourselves gives us the opportunity to share ideas and skills, as well 
as being able to practise our Craft.

A modern  Coven  provides  a  family-style  environment,  where the  
"Elders" can, by  virtue of  their experience,  give encouragement,  
support, and advice to those seek to learn about Witchcraft. As with 
all families,  Covens  have  very  unique  and  individual  ways of  
approaching this. Just as no two families are the same, neither are 
any two Covens.

Some Covens are run by people with an academic bent, and as would be 
the case in any  family, this characterises the  way in which their  
"children" are brought up. Other groups are oriented towards a more  
simple approach, and the oral traditions  play an important role in  
the way in which the Coven is structured. Some combine the these two 
approaches, and the variations upon the basic themes are endless.

For any "family" to  exist harmoniously, everyone  within the group  
must feel a part of the group, and wish to learn and grow within that 
group environment. With a path such as Witchcraft, with its emphasis 
upon personal growth and development, it is likely that individuals  
who may at one time have been happy within their family group, will  
change, and wish to move away. This is a perfectly natural process, 
and the wise coven leaders will send those people off with their love 
and blessing. Trying to keep them would be like trying to keep your  
sons and daughters tied to your apron strings forever!

Ultimately, and despite  the popularity of  the word  "coven", I do  
believe that most Witches are solitary in nature, and will generally 
spend at least part  of their lives  without being a  member of, or  

running, a coven. I think the inward exploration during these periods 
is vital to self-development, just as we believe it is important to 
encourage social-awareness in children. However, I also believe that 
at some stage it is important  to learn the practices of Witchcraft  
from another person; to be an  apprentice, if you will; because the  
act of  passing  knowledge from  one  person to  another  cannot be  
replicated by books, correspondence courses, or be self-taught. This 
may seem an almost impossible  task to some people,  but as all the  
magical traditions teach: when the student is ready, the teacher will 
appear! What's more, it's true!

B*B Julia

             Group Ethics Rules:  Opening Suggestions! 
                             By: Raven



Too often I had seen the Craft used as a personal power-trip, or with 
a disregard for the effects on others.  This time it happened in my  
home.

I introduced two guests, acquaintances of  mine, to each other. One  
was
interested in learning about the Craft;  the other offered to teach  
him.
The would-be  teacher  went  on about  his  skills,  describing the  
would-be
student's aura and psychic shields; leaned back in his chair, said,
"I really shouldn't  do this,  I really  shouldn't" --  then leaned  
forward
and, with  no warning  or other  preliminary, SLICED  the student's  
shields
"open" (as he said), leaving the student feeling naked and exposed.

To prove a point, I suppose, but what point I can't guess.

I was outraged.  Guests in my home are not to be abused -- by anyone.
Even to a complete materialist, it  would be clear that the student  
had
had his personal space invaded,  his emotional consolation removed,  
with
no  informed  consent  involved,  and  with  no  feeling  of  other   
protection.

I already knew the would-be teacher himself was taught by people of
no great  concern  for ethics.  His  was  chiefly a  fault  of poor  
training,
added to which he had never stopped to think that "occult" dealings 
with
people might involve the same ethical issues as "mundane" dealings.

One of the  several outcomes  of that  event was  that I  wrote the  
following
guidelines for those two specific people, and suggested (NOT ordered)
that they adopt these -- if they did still decide to work together.
After that, well, several other people did express an interest.


Note! This was written  as a PROPOSAL;  no-one has enacted  it as a  
LAW.
The hope is  for it to  be used by,  and among, those  who like the  
ideas.
(Really, all  it does  is  put the  concept  of "Harm  ye  none" in  
practice.)


                         RULES OF THE CIRCLE

    THE RULES OF INFORMED CONSENT:

1.  Tell everyone participating what to expect, before the circle is
    closed or anything else begins.
2.  Give everyone participating the chance to say NO and to withdraw,
    before the circle is closed or anything else begins -- and then
    respect that decision.
3.  Be open, honest, and fair:  spring no surprises, trip no traps;
    NEVER use what you learn or do in circle to manipulate or compel
    any other person, or diminish anyone's dignity and free will.

    THE RULES OF PRIVACY:

4.  Encourage people not to wander in and out of any session between
    its beginning and ending, or cross the circle while it is closed.
5.  Protect every session from interruption by (or intrusion on) any
    outsiders -- by closed or locked doors, a fence, or some other
    clear marking outside the circle.
6. While proceedings  may not be  secret, they  ARE always private;  
keep
    silent about who and what you see or hear in circle, unless you
    have each other participant's specific consent.

    THE RULES OF SHIELDING:

7.  ALWAYS, ALWAYS close the circle and raise your wards before
    beginning, or continuing after a break.
8. ALWAYS,  ALWAYS dismiss  your wards  and  open the  circle after  
ending,
    or to allow passage across the circle.
9.  Conduct yourself with mutual respect and due courtesy, without
    malice or ill will toward anyone, or else ask that the circle be
    opened and that you be dismissed from the session.



                              COVENANT

    THE TEACHER PROMISES THE STUDENT:

1.  I will abide by the Rules of the Circle.
2.  I will ask from you no more than you can give.
3.  I will not expect you to read my mind.
4. I will not  hide from you my  limits or gaps  in knowledge; if I  
just
    don't know, I'll tell you so.
5. I will explain, to  the best of my ability,  not only what to do  
and
    how, but also why.
6. I  will  not push  you  beyond  your ability  or  willingness to  
proceed.
7. I realize that I may be tempted to become dominating, a "leader"  
--
    and I will do my best to resist this temptation.
8. Because I received  from others without payment,  I will give to  
you
    without payment.
9.  As I can, I will learn from you in turn.

    THE STUDENT PROMISES THE TEACHER:

1.  I will abide by the Rules of the Circle.
2.  I will ask from you no more than you can give.
3.  I will not expect you to read my mind.
4.  If I have questions about what you show me, I will ask you.
5.  If I fail to understand anything, I will mention it.
6.  If I feel unready to proceed, I will tell you.
7. I realize that I may be tempted to become dependent, a "follower" 
--
    and I will do my best to resist this temptation.
8.  Because I receive from you without payment, I will give to others
    without payment.
9.  As I can, I will teach you in turn.

       A CIRCLE IS NOT A LINE:  IT HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO END.
       A CIRCLE IS NOT A PYRAMID:  IT HAS NO TOP AND NO BOTTOM.
   A CIRCLE IS NOT AN ASTERISK:  IT IS NOT RUN FROM JUST ONE POINT.

                 Wiccan Ethics And The Wiccan Rede 
                By: David Piper, Sat 21 May 94 12:16

                   Part I:  What Sayeth The Rede?
                         =====================

The "archaically worded" construction "An it  harm none, do what ye  
will," rendered into modern English is literally, "if it doesn't harm 
anyone, do what you want."
Many modern Wiccans "reverse" the construction, however, taking the  
first part and putting it after the second to read: "Do what ye will 
an it harm  none," or  in modern  English "Do  what you  want if it  
doesn't harm anyone."

Many people give the  word "an" or "if"  a value of  "so long as" -  
which is  acceptable  substitution, because  it  doesn't  alter the  
meaning of the Rede  itself. However they then  proceed to read "so  
long as" as "only if," and  that is *completely different*, because  
the Rede  has ceased  to be  a "wise  counsel" [anyone  checked the  
meaning  of  "rede"  in  the  dictionary  lately?]  and  become  an   
injunction: prohibitive commandment, rather than permissive advice.

In other words, the original archaic construction actually says "if  
it is not going to hurt anyone, it is ok to do" - this is *not* the 
same as "if it hurts anyone it is *not* ok to do."

What is the significance of the change? A larger one than you might  
see, at first glance.

The "actual construction  Rede," or  AC Rede, says  it is  ok to do  
something that won't  harm anyone, but  it *does  not say anything*  
about those things  which do cause  harm, except to  set an ethical  
standard of harmlessness as the criteria to judge by.

The "modern reconstruction Rede" or MR Rede, explicitly says that any 
and all actions that cause harm are forbidden.

The two constructions do *not*  mean the same thing  at all. And it  
should be obvious that  this has implications  on our thinking, and  
discussions of the possibility of "obeying" the Rede.

Most of you will have  heard or read, as I  have, people saying the  
Rede is something to strive to live by, even though mundane reality 
makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to do so to the letter.  
*This is only true of  the MR Rede, not the  AC Rede!* As examples,  
they cite situations  such as  self-defense; *this  violates the MR  
Rede*.  Period.  But it does *not* violate the AC Rede.  Period.

Earlier, I stated that the AC Rede does not rule on actions that do 
cause harm - and this is true. It only rules on those actions which 
do not, by  saying that  they are  acceptable. This is  relevant to  
"victimless crimes" for  example -  civil "crimes"  may in  fact be  
"ethical," by the judgment of the AC Rede.

What the AC Rede *does* do, in terms of actions that cause harm, is 
state an ethical value by which an individual must judge the results 
of her/his actions before acting. In other words, by stating that a 
harmless action is  ethical, the AC  Rede sets  harmlessness as the  
criteria for evaluation. Acting to prevent greater harm - but in the 
process causing lesser harm -  may then be ethical,  if there is no  
harmless, or more harmless, method of preventing that greater harm - 
because *not* acting to prevent harm is to *cause* it, by an act of 
*omission* rather than *commission*.

In short the difference between the AC Rede, and the MR Rede, is that 
the AC Rede is a perfectly-obeyable ethical standard, but the MR Rede 
is not, as so many people have pointed out. Do we take as our ethical 
standard  a  "counsel"  which   *can*  be  obeyed,   or  one  which   
*necessitates rationalizing in  some instances*? Which  is truer to  
the Wicca, and to the *real* Rede?

 "rede:  n.  [Middle  English  rede <  Old  English  raed  < base  of  
raedan, to  interpret]  [archaic]  1. counsel;  advice  2.  a plan;  
scheme
           3. a story; tale  4. an interpretation"
                                (from Webster's New World Dictionary)


Part II: "Do good, an it be safe..."  (from the Ordains)
         ===========================

The MR Rede is the most common interpretation in Wicca today; so much 
so, that not only do many Wiccans not realize there's a difference in 
the two constructions, but they *deny* it when it is pointed out to  
them, holding firmly to the MR Rede as what the original has always  
meant.

At first the change  of language was  only an attempt  to bring the  
language up  from archaic,  to modern  English; but  in doing  so -  
especially with the  public relations campaign,  to convince people  
that Wiccans are "not black magick/not devil worship/not evil nasty  
curse-casters" the "harmlessness" aspect of  the Rede was stressed,  
over the  personal responsibility  aspect.  And in  essence Wiccans  
became the victims of their own PR campaign.

An additional result is the injunction that one may never work magick 
for others, even to  heal, without their  knowledge and consent. Of  
course, we are allowed  by this injunction  to ask "Can  I pray for  
you?" as a means of obtaining the consent. From "a love spell aimed  
at one particular person is unethical because it violates their will 
only to serve our lust" we've moved to an extreme: to the prohibitive 
injunction against  ever  doing  any  magick  for  another  without  
permission, since it violates their free will. Does anyone *really*  
believe the Gods will judge them ill, for attempting to heal someone?

What of  the  case of  an  unconscious accident  victim  and family  
unavailable to ask - are we forbidden  to work? No, of course we're  
not - but we  *do* have to  accept the karmic  consequences of such  
acts. Do you really think that a  neurotic who uses an illness as a  
crutch wouldn't be  better healed of  that neurosis as  well as the  
illness? Of course that may call up  some karma if the person isn't  
strong enough  to give  up  that crutch  yet. Once  again  the real  
criteria is  *personal  responsibility*  and  consideration  of the  
consequences of one's actions *before* one acts rather than the "thou 
shalt not" prohibitive commandment.

There is however another reason for the "prohibitive form" of these  
redes - one  which has  some validity.  The teacher bears  a karmic  
responsibility for the  student. There  was a  group whose teaching  
was, "No magick may be done for another, even to heal, without their 
consent; any exceptions may be decided only by the High Priestess and 
the High Priest." The  point of this  is that a  student is not yet  
experienced enough, not yet wise enough (since wisdom is the harvest 
we reap  of our  experience and  knowledge), to  have that  kind of  
decision, and the resulting karmic burden,  left to rest fully upon  
her/his shoulders - hence, some teachers and some Trads do not allow 
neophytes to have responsibility for that kind of decision-making.

It is  far  better,  however,  to  teach  a  student the  essential  
importance of personal responsibility,  the need to  look ahead for  
possible consequences before they act, than to lay "thou shalt not's" 
upon them despite Wicca's insistance that we have none.

I received a comment about the last sentence in part I, paragraph 3, 
that said "Ack!  Welcome to the  One Wiccan  Commandment! Any 'thou  
shalt nots' lurking around?"  Food for thought,  my fellow Wiccans!  
Food for thought!

                        Charge of the God 1 
                            By: Siobhan 
                        Tue 12 Jul 94 10:33

Here's something I picked  up recently. The  writer felt that there  
should be a Charge of the God to go with The Charge of the Goddess.
                *****
 Listen the  the words  of the Great  Father, who  of old was  called 
Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos,  Herne, Lugh and by may  
other
names:
 "My  Law  is  Harmony  with all  things.  Mine  is  the secret  that  
opens
the gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the earth that is 
the
body of Cernunnos that is the eternal circle of rebirth.  I give the
knowledge of life everlasting, and beyond death I give the promise of
regeneration and renewal.  I am  the sacrifice,  the father  of all  
things,
and my protection blankets the earth."
     Hear the words of the dancing God, the music of whose laughter
stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:
 "I who  am the  Lord of the  Hunt and  the Power of  the Light,  sun 
among
the clouds and the secret of the  flame, I call upon your bodies to  
arise
and come unto  me. For  I am the  flesh of  the earth and  all it's  
beings.
Thru me all things must die and  with me are reborn. Let my worship  
be
in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are 
my
rituals.  Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and
peace, awe and longing within you.  For these too are part of the
mysteries found  within yourself,  within  me, all  beginnings have  
endings,
and all endings have beginnings."
So Mote It BE!

                        Charge of the God 2 
                            By: Siobhan 
                        Tue 12 Jul 94 10:33

This is the second Charge of the God I have.
                ****

THE CHARGE OF THE GOD

Listen to the words of the God, who is the son, brother, lover, and
consort of the Lady:

I am the fleet deer in the forest, I am the beach which receives the
waves, I am the sun which warms the earth. I am the Lord of the
Spiral Dance of Life, Death and Rebirth, the gentle reaper, the
Winter stag and the Spring fawn. All things are of me, for I am of
the Goddess, opposite, yet not opposing. I bring birth forth from the
womb that is a tomb, for I am the seed which fertilizes. I am
abundant Life, for I am the grain that grows and I am death, the
harvest in the Fall. And I am rebirth after darkness, for I am the
seed that springs forth anew.

I am fertility, the spreader of Life, and I am the Lord of Death,
which adds value to life.

I am the Guardian of the gate between Life and Death. I am King of
the Underworld, where no living being may venture, but I am also
the King of Rebirth, turning the tomb into a womb.

I bring love and strength, peace and passion, hope and joy, for I am
the gentle lover in the night.

All that I am comes from the Great Mother, the Divine Star
Goddess, who is Mother of us all.

                **********

Feel free to use this one as is, or to adapt it in whatever way feels
right to you.

Blessed Be!


                -- PattiMom --
            The Crazy Lady in the Wheelchair

(Pattimom and Ariadne wrote this one)
If you like it, snag it and use it. :-)
            Blessed Be!
            Siobhan

                        For a Few Myths More 
                              by Aries

"...Aries shows us  how modern images  (albeit set  in 19th century  
America)..." Julia, Web of Wyrd No. 7. 

For me, that "albeit" sounded like a gauntlet being slapped down. Can 
we show the presence of myth in films other than Westerns? We don't  
plan to go on in great detail, but we suspect that what we're trying 
to get across is the suggestion that  maybe "The Mythic" is not the  
stories or
rituals, but the substrate out of which our tales and trials grow.

When we  talk  about  myths we  are  really  referring  to ancienct  
stories, and not every ancient tale  grew out of "The Mythic". More  
than enough were for entertainment, propaganda, satire or pornography 
_ to see everything that is old  as also being venerable is to fall  
into the  Confuscian  Heresy.  In  much  the  same  way our  modern  
literature/film culture produces works serving as varying purposes as 
moral tales,  epic adventures,  pulp  and hardcore  porn,  but also  
produces work that grows direct from "The Mythic".

In the  rubric  of  science,  "The Mythic"  can  be  seen  as being  
non-local; it stands outside  of space-time, being  here, there and  
everywhere; now, then, and everywhen. Our  tales do not grow out of  
the ancient tales/myths, but draw afresh from the same wells as they 
did (do/will?).

In the  printed  media a  good  many  SF novels  are  based  on the  
inner/underground journey; all that Phillip K Dick and Edmund Cooper 
wrote seemed based on this theme, in the same way "Metropolis" is of 
the "descent" type story. One of the great advantages of film is the 
way it can make the sensations of the "descent" seem "real"; possibly 
by a species of autohypnosis into  a state that Robert Anton Wilson  
refers to as virtual reality in his  book, Cosmic Trigger 2. For us  
other examples of the descent theme are Orson Welles' films; Touch of 
Evil and The Trial (based on Kafka's book), giving a long shot of the 
journey.

The classic "Casablanca" we  suggest is the  story of the "descent"  
from a viewpoint inside the underworld itself. That Casablanca is the 
place of death is always suggested by the comment that Rick makes to 
Elsa when she says that Victor Lazlo will die in Casablanca; "What of 
it? I'm going to die in Casablanca. It's a good place for it." Full 
of refugees (lost  souls). Rick exists  in his  own emotional limbo  
awaiting the descent of his own Inanna to set him free.

"Apocalypse Now" and  the Conrad  novel it  is based on,  "Heart of  
Darkness", gives a great example of the same story set at both ends  
of the  century;  the  parallel of  the  inner  and  outer journey,  
especially as Conrad went through  his inner journey whilst writing  
the book, and Francis Ford Copolla and crew went through theirs while 
making the film. I would strongly suggest that "The Mythic" emerges  
into our lives first and formost; through tales we make sense of the 
patterns, and warn those who follow on from us.

Another great advantage of film is its ability to show us inside the 
underworld in  such a  way  that we  may  lose track  of  where the  
boundaries lay, and  become uncertain of  what is real  and what is  
illusion. If the previous films can be seen as "descent" themes, the 
following, we suggest, can  be called "Chapel  Perilous" themes. In  
"The Maltese Falcon" we have the characters chasing the elusive bird, 
crossing and double-crossing each other, unconcerned by anything but 
possession of the miraculous object, which  we discover at the very  
end is nothing but; "The stuff that dreams are made of".

With "The House of  Games" _ Mamet's  six year-old cult  movie _ we  
enter the image  of the labyrinthe,  a subterranean  night world of  
confidence tricksters, who lead a lady psychiatrist along until she, 
and us (the viewer) have problems distinguishing between what is real 
and what isn't, until it all becomes part of the game.

That is the nature of "Chapel Perilous", its existence can be denied, 
we can believe we're somewhere else (watching a movie?), but all the 
time we're trapped in it, unable to discern what is really going on.
Another cult  movie that  gives  a beautiful  experience  of Chapel  
Perilous is Orson Welles' film "F for Fake", except this time we are 
the targets of the con. A documentary film about two fakers, itself 
really a clever montage of existing film clips put together to give 
the impression of  a series of  interviews. At some  point the film  
moves into the realm of total fantasy, and the beauty of it is that 
we don't notice _ that is the Chapel Perilous experience. From here 
it is logical to move onto the  ascent, or what could be called the  
"Promethean" theme. The film "Frankenstein" is the classic promethean 
film, but is full of timid,  anti-Luciferan morality; i.e. to steal  
the "fire" from the  gods instantly incurrs  punishment; as a myth,  
that is no longer useful to us.

All of the above examples are tales based in the twentieth century. 
For a promethean theme we feel we should be looking forward; "2001 A 
Space Odyssey" is wonderfully  symbolic in that it  is based in the  
first year of the next millenium. There are four stages in the film: 
the first is "The Dawn of  Man", taking place in prehistoric Earth,  
where "the slab"  appears _ the  promeathean gift, but  what is the  
gift? fire? tool  use? weapon  use? the  ability to kill?  We would  
suggest that it is the gift of imagination; the apre man looks at the 
bone and "sees" a weapon; he has the ability to manipulate images in 
his mind.

In the film the image cuts instantly to a space craft on its way to  
the Moon. This journey between the worlds we feel signifies that we 
have entered mythic space. In the next stage of the film, "The Moon", 
we meet "the  slab" again,  where it  dispenses its next  gift, the  
awareness of something beyond.  In Qabbalistic terms  we have moved  
from Malkuth to Yesod; the following stage of the film, "Journey to 
Jupiter", has us ascending the sephiroth to Chesed.

On the  approach  to Jupiter,  Dave  has to  disconnect  the higher  
functions of the computer, Hal. We would suggest this can represent a 
distrust of reason; a return to child-like ways, or a stepping away 
from the constraints of language. As Hal closes down, it is language 
that deteriorates; i.e. it is language that constructs the world we  
perceive. So to go into the infinite beyond, to take the Next Step,  
we have to go beyond language, hence all the descriptions of mystical 
experiences end up sounding like gibberish.

For the final stage of the film, "Jupiter and beyond to Infinity", we 
have the leap  across the Abyss  to the  Supernals; Chokmah, Binah,  
Kether. Because  language fails  us at  this point,  Kubrick relies  
solely on the  visual image;  the sequence  seems baffling,  but we  
wonder if he is trying to explain something that is also suggested by 
Ken Wilber in  his book,  "The Atman  Project"; i.e., we  evolve by  
changing how we translate the incoming information of our senses. We 
go from looking through to looking at each developmental stage. For  
most of us,  we construct the  world by looking  through a semantic  
framework or grid; when we transcend this stage, we will be able to  
look at our semantic structure. Likewise in the film, Dave sees the 
next stage  from outside  and then  becomes  it: the  outsider, the  
astronaut, the urbane man, the old man on the death bed, and finally 
rebirth as the Star Child.  Or as Crowley puts  it in "Magick" when  
describing the grade of Adeptus (Exemptus); "Completes in perfection 
all these matters. He then either (a) becomes a Brother of the Left  
Hand Path or, (b) is stripped of all his attainments and of himself  
as well, even his  Holy Guardian Angel,  and becomes a  Babe of the  
Abyss, who having transcended the Reason,  does nothing but grow in  
the womb of its mother."

So we contend that "The Mythic" is everywhere, everywhen, and despite 
our cultural estrangement  from myths,  "The Mythic"  still emerges  
through our  media  in  many guises,  which  includes,  but  is not  
exclusive to, Western movies.

                          Handfast Ritual 

This is adapted  from "Magical Rites  from the Crystal  Well" by Ed  
Fitch and is  a combination of  their handfast  ritual and american  
indian ceremonial prelude. I'll skip over the consecration as it is a 
standard one  and  get straight  to  the  ritual itself.  We  had a  
Priestess only, so  this was  written with  that in mind  but could  
easily be adapted for a Priest and Priestess.

At this time and in this place
Do we call upon the Spirits of the Land
As well as the Mighty Ones of the Skies.
We call upon the Gods of our own distant past
From lands far away.
We call upon the Gods of our spiritual brethren
Who once called this place
Their own.
Witness and rejoyce with us in this moment
As love is affirmed.

__Groom's name__ and __Bride's name__ step forward
Stand before the Gods and those who witness on Earth

__Groom's name__, if it is your wish to become one with this woman
Will you pledge your love through all that may come
As long as love shall last?

<Groom replies: I so pledge>

__Bride's name__, if it is your wish to become one with this man
Will you pledge your love through all that may come As long as love 
shall last?


<Bride replies: I so pledge>

Does any say nay?

As the Gods and the Old Ones are witness
With those of us present now,
I now proclaim you man and wife1
Thus are thy hands fasted...
The Two are now One,
This work is done
And joy is yet begun!


There is also a portion for the rings using a wand that was left out 
of ours but is normally placed immediately after the vows and is as  
follows...

The rings are placed upon  the wand before the  ritual and the wand  
upon the  altar.  (This is  written  for bot  Priest  and Priestess  
present)

 The priest picks  up the wand  and holds one  end before him in  his 
right hand, the priestess likewise holds  the other end in her left  
hand.

Place your right hands
Over this wand...
And your rings...
His hand over hers.

Above you are the stars
Below you are the stones
As time passes, remember...
Like a star should your love burn brightly,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Be free in giving of affection and of warmth.
Have no fear, and let not the ways or words
Of the unenlightened give you unease.
For the Gods are with you,
Now and always!

The rings are exchanged during the vows.

 Handfasting (Celtic) 

This is a copy of a Celtic handfasting I found in the book _Finn Mac 
Cool_  by Morgan Llywelyn.

Bride and Groom repeat the following together:

You cannot possess me for I belong to myself. But while we both wish 
it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me for 
I am a free person. But I shall serve you in those ways you require  
and the honeycomb will taste sweeter  coming from my hand. I pledge  
to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night, and the 
eyes into which I smile  in the morning. I pledge  to you the first  
bite from my meat and the first drink  from my cup. I pledge to you  
my living and  my dying, each  equally in your  care. I  shall be a  
shield for your back, and you for mine. I shall not slander you, nor 
you me. I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel, we 
shall do so in private and tell no strangers our grievances. This is 
my wedding vow to you.  This is the marriage of equals.

The Priest or Priestess says:
These promises you make by the sun and the moon, by fire and water, 
by day and night, by land and sea. With these vows you swear, by the 
God and Goddess,  to be  full partners, each  to the  other. If one  
drops the load, the other will pick it up. If one is a discredit to  
the other, his own honor will be forfeit, generation upon generation, 
until he repairs  that which was  damaged and finds  that which was  
lost. Should  you  fail to  keep  the  oath you  pledge  today, the  
elements themselves will reach out and destroy you.
