October 2008

October 2008
1. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waning Moon- Birthdays of Isaac Bonewits, Druid and Witch- St. Therese of Lisieux patroness of Missons, Florists and the country of France.
2. Thursday- Color Green- Waning Moon- End of Ramadan- Feast of the Guardian Angels, patrons of Spanish Police officers.
3. Friday- Color Purple- Waning Moon
4. Saturday- Color Gray- Waning Moon- St. Francis of Assisi, patron of Italy, Merchants, Ecologists and Ecology.
5. Sunday- Color Gold- Waning Moon
6. Monday- Color Lavender- Waning Moon
7. Tuesday- Color Maroon- Waning Moon- St. Mary (BV) of the Holy Rosary, patroness of the Philippine Navy.
8. Wednesday- Color White- Waxing Moon
9. Thursday- Color Purple- Waxing Moon- Yom Kippur- Sts. Andronious/ Athanasia, patrons of silversmiths and St. Denis of Paris, patron of headaches and St. Louis Bertrand, patron of Colombia.
10. Friday- Color Pink- Waxing Moon- St. Francis Borgia, patron of Earthquakes and Portugal.
11. Saturday- Color Brown- Waxing Moon
12. Sunday- Color Amber- Waxing Moon- Mary, Our Lady of the Pillar, patroness of Spanish Police Officers
13. Monday- Color Ivory- Waxing Moon- Columbus Day- Jacques DeMolay and the French Templars are arrested 1306- St. Coloman, patron of Austria
14. Tuesday- Color Black- Full Moon- Sukkot begins
15. Wednesday- Color Topaz- Full Moon- St. Teresa of Avila, patroness of Writers and the Spanish Army.
16. Thursday- Color White- Full Moon- St. Gall, patron of Birds and St. Gerard Majella, patron of Mothers
17. Friday- Color Rose- Waning Moon
18. Saturday- Color Black- Waning Moon- St. Luke patron of Physicians, Painters, Craftspeople, Lacemakers, and butchers.
19. Sunday- Color Orange- Waning Moon- North American Martyrs, patrons of Canada
20. Monday-Color Silver- Waning Moon- Selena Fox birthday- Sukkot ends.
21. Tuesday- Color White- Waning Moon
22. Wednesday- Color Yellow- Waning Moon
23. Thursday- Color Crimson- Waning Moon- St. John of Capistrano- Military Chaplains
24. Friday- Color White- Waning Moon- St. Anthony- Weavers and Savings Banks
25. Saturday- Color Blue- Waning Moon- Sts Crispian and Crispin- Shoemakers, cobblers and Leather workers
26. Sunday- Color Yellow- Waning Moon-Sybil Leek dies 1982
27. Monday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- Circle Sanctuary established 1974
28. Tuesday- Color Red- Waning Moon- St. Jude- Hopeless Cases
29. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waning Moon- MacGregor Mathers names himself supreme leader of the Golden Dawn 1896
30. Thursday- Color Turquoise- Waning Moon
31. Friday- Color Coral- Waning Moon- Samhain- Martin Luther nails his 95 thesis to the church door, 1517

Saint of the Month
St. Jude, Apostle 1st Century
Jude Thaddeus was the brother of James the Lesser. He was one of the disciples and little is said of him scripture. It is believed he was martyred with St. Simon in Persia. He is the patron saint of lost causes because Jude is sometimes confused with Judas the betrayer and is the last saint one usually calls upon. His feast day is October 28

Herb of the Month
Red Clover

Used for cleansing and restoring health. It can be used to dissolve faerie spells, to find a lost love and consecration of magikal tools made of copper and the altar pentacle.

Zodiac signs

Libra (23 September-23 October) The adjuster, the reconciler, needs peace and harmony and enjoys beauty.

Scorpio (24 October- 21 November) The Transformer, death and rebirth, emotionally intense, interested in the occult and the mysteries

Spell of the Month
Blood on the Moon

To honor the deceased, excellent to perform as a part of your Samhain ceremonies. Also good for Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, or days that loved ones are passing over.

Purple Candle
Frankincense
Myrrh
Lavender
Evergreen (or other tree oil)
Simmer Cauldron
Pictures of loved ones (or list)
Wand
Athame
Salt
Anise Star herb
Incense (your choice)

Mix the oils and a crushed anise star in the simmer cauldron and begin warming. Take some of the oil and anoint the candle Light the incense and candle and with wand intone:

The Circle round the pearly moon
Pulls the spirits from their tomb
We invite you to our circle of live
From here on earth to heaven above.

Grands and parents, sisters and brothers
Gone before, we invite you to hover
Be our guardians and our guides
As we honor you tonight.

With Athame, intone:

Warriors, knights, soldiers and braves
For our freedom your lives you gave
We honor you for your sacrifice
And pray you have found your paradise

We honor you and hold you near
Join us now, the veil is sheer
Open your heart and receive us well
Blood on the moon, we cast this spell.

Welcome loved ones, friends and guests
Touch our hearts as you do best
Blessings and prayers we offer you
And thank you for these moments few

Blessed be and Merry Meet
So Mote it Be

Tarot of the Month
Eight of Swords

Though negative, if problems are taken care of as they arise, the difficulty will be resolved. Pay attention to your responsibilities and surroundings and the people you confide in. Losses will occur but this is a hard lesson for not paying attention.

What is Necromancy and why Christian Witches ( and any other witch) Shouldn’t Do It
By Bodicea Rain Fox

We are told that the dead go to the spirit realm, another plane of existence. It doesn’t matter if you call that place Heaven, the Summerland, Nirvana, the Green World or Valhalla or the Happy Hunting Grounds. Some spirits decide to stay in this plane for various reasons. Sometimes, the spirit seeks justice, sometimes it is meant to comfort those who are left behind, and sometimes they simply refuse to accept that they have died. This is what we call a haunting or spirit visitation and this is not necromancy. These beings are reaching beyond the veil of their own volition to communicate with you. This is natural and talking to these spirit people is simply interaction.

There are those who are especially aware of the spirits that walk around with us all of the time, most of the time without us even knowing. These folks are clairvoyant or sensitive. They see the dead without any special tools or rituals. These people are not necromancers.

Necromancy is the purposeful conjuration of the dead using a tool or ritual. By this I mean using a Ouija board or holding a séance. The use of the Ouija or séance is rooted in Victorian era European Spiritualism. The board becomes something of a doorway for spirit people to come through. So is a séance circle. The séance or Ouija session is the equivalent of spiritually kidnapping a spirit from their realm and forcing it to speak to us. It is also the equivalent of opening your door to a stranger and allowing them in your house. You simply never know who you are inviting into your home.

Demons and evil or unhappy spirits look for these openings to take advantage of our fears and weaknesses. We in essence give them permission to wreak havoc in our lives, our minds and our souls. Spirits left alone speak to us in their own time. Loved ones who have journeyed into the land of the dead come to us and comfort us, tell us their secrets, explain their lives and protect and guide us, but only in their own time.

But what if you have a spirit harassing you through no fault of your own? Then, an exorcism is definitely in order. This is accomplished by calling in a priest or pastor or an experienced witch to perform the ceremony to help them go on into the spirit realm. And whatever you do, stay away from séances and Ouija boards, the spirits will thank you.

Bodicea Rain Fox is a priestess with her husband Cerrunos of the Wand in Leeds, England. She is a Christo- Pagan and writes articles and papers about the occult and the Craft and the age of Spiritualism. She is also a psychic seer and clairvoyant.

Honoring Your Ancestors
By Sabrina Dawnangel

Samhain is the time to remember all of those who have gone before us. It is easy as we go along in our day to day world to remember the people who contributed to our being. We forget the strong people, the weak people, the sane people and the insane, the young people and the old people who came into our family lines and made us who we are and indeed what we might be. Ancestors become faded photographs, names in family Bibles and written in family trees. We have forgotten to honor them and thank them for being the beginning of who we are.

But, there are other people who are not our blood ancestors who influence us as well. There are historical people, races and tribes of people, nations of people who contribute to your innate sense of self, though you may not know where this comes from. These fragments of you both living and dead make up part of who you are.

At Samhain, we are called upon to honor those who have gone on to the next life. We celebrate their lives and they love and wisdom they have shared with us. The secular elements of Halloween comes to us from these ancient practices of hospitality and the gifts or treats we give are symbols of the plenty we have after the harvest and the generosity we return to those spirit people who still remain with us.

We may also wish to thank teachers and guides who have gone as well. These people taught us knowledge whether it be the teacher in the classroom who patiently taught us our numbers and letters to the first witch to ever teach you a spell or a potion. They too become our ancestors in knowledge and learning. They too deserve our remembrance.

To remember your ancestors, set up an altar or table and put pictures and symbols of who they were on the table. Before them, burn a purple or black candle and tell them that you honor their goodness and their love and their presence. Stand before it and let them speak to you in your heart and soul and thank them for all that you are because of them. Pray for their peaceful rest in the next world and commend them to the care of God and the angels. You will find yourself being blessed.

Sabrina Dawnangel is a priestess in the Holy Grail Christian Witch Grove in Portland, Oregon. She is a painter and maker of medieval costumes and accessories.


The Witches New Year
By Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk

I always loved secular Halloween and I loved going trick or treating. I had sort of a vague understanding of what Halloween was all about but came to understand it better when I began to study for the Catholic Church. That is something I have always appreciated about the Church, before you can join, you have to be educated, you simply cannot declare yourself a Catholic. Sort of like being a witch, you have to have that all important education.

But back to Halloween. I learned more about All Hallowed Eve from my adult ed class when I became a Catholic and the following All Saints Day. The notion of praying for and remembering the dead struck me as a wonderful thing to do. It was a way of recognizing them for the good they have done for us, making us the people we are.

Then when I became a witch, I learned that Samhain wasn’t just for remembering the dead, but it was the Witches New Year, a time to renew yourself, set goals, let go of regrets and look to and into the future. Gaelyn and I and my circle sisters always practiced divinations on Samhain so we can find out what the future may hold for us in the coming year. We crystal gaze, we do Tarot readings, we do dream walking and interpretations. We then have a fire ritual of sending forth. What we do, if we are outside, is take a cauldron out and spend a few minutes writing down our old regrets and we drop these in the fire we light inside the cauldron. Then we write down all of our hopes and goals and send them through the smoke and flame to the heavens. We let go of regrets and send our hopes and wishes to heaven, the most ancient of practices known to man.

So, remember, Samhain is about remembering those who have gone before us, but it is also about celebrating a time of renewal and letting go of the past.

Brightest Blessings Be

September 2008

1. Monday- Color Silver- Waning Moon- Labor Day- Doreen Valiente died, 1999- Greek New Year- St. Fiacre patron of Gardeners, VD sufferers, Taxi Drivers.
2. Tuesday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- Ramadan begins- St. Giles. Patron of crippled, beggars, lepers, nursing mothers.
3. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waning Moon- St. Basilissa patroness of nursing mothers and fevers and St. Gregory patron of music and plague
4. Thursday- Color Turquoise- Waning Moon- St Rita Viterbo patroness of florists and flower growers
5. Friday- Color Pink- Waning Moon- Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk becomes a witch of the Christian Tradition 1996
6. Saturday- Color Blue- Waning moon- Gaia Theory developed by Oberon Zell 1970- St. Magnus of Fussen- patron of crops
7. Sunday- Color Amber- Waxing Moon- Theosophical Society founded 1875
8. Monday- Color Ivory- Waxing Moon- Blessed Virgin Mary of Charity patroness of Cuba
9. Tuesday- Color Maroon- Waxing Moon- St Peter Claver patron of African Americans and Columbia
10. Wednesday- Color Topaz- Waxing Moon- St. Nicholas of Tolentino patron of dying, those in purgatory, fire, sickness, animals, and babies and mothers
11. Thursday- Color White- Waxing Moon- Patriot’s Day- Birthday of Raven SilverWolf, witch and author- Blessed Virgin Mary of Coromoto patroness of Venezuela
12. Friday- Color Rose- Waxing Moon- St. John Chrysostom patron of preaching, eloquence and Constantinople
13. Saturday- Color Grey- Waxing Moon- Phillip IV of France writes the warrant for the Knights Templar 1306- St. Venerius patron of Lighthouse Keepers
14. Sunday- Color Orange- Waxing Moon- Birthday of Henry Cornelius Agrippa 1486
15. Monday- Color Lavender- Full Moon/Harvest Moon- St. Catherine of Genoa patroness of nurses
16. Tuesday- Color Black- Full Moon- Death of Giles Corey in Salem MA. 1692- St. Cyprian patron of Algeria and North Africa and St. Ludmilla patroness of Czechoslovakia
17. Wednesday- Color Yellow- Full Moon- Bewitched debuts 1964- St. Robert Bellamire patron of catechists and catechumens
18. Thursday- Color Purple- Waning Moon- St. Joseph of Cupertino patron of students, flying and astronauts
19. Friday- Color White- Waning Moon
20. Saturday- Color Indigo- Waning Moon- St Eustace patron of hunters and those in difficult situations
21. Sunday- Color Yellow- Waning Moon- Death of Eleanor Bone, matriarch of British witchcraft 2001- St Matthew patron of accountants, tax collectors, customs agents and security guards
22. Monday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- Mabon- St. Maurice patron of soldiers and Austria, Sardinia, dyers and weavers
23. Tuesday- Color White- Waning Moon
24. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waning Moon- Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy patroness of armies and soldiers
25. Thursday- Color Green- Waning Moon- US senate tries to deny tax exempt status to Wiccan temples- St Joseph Calasanctus patron of Catholic Schools
26. Friday- Color Purple- Waning Moon- Sts Cosmos and Damien patrons of doctors, pharmacists, barbers and the blind
27. Saturday- Color Blue- Waning Moon- Vincent De Paul patron of charities, hospitals and prisons
28. Sunday- Color Gold- Waning Moon- St Wenceslaus patron of Czechoslovakia and brewers
29. Monday- Color Silver- Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael patrons of Police officers, Soldiers, and exorcists/ communications and diplomacy/ travel, young people and the blind
30. Tuesday- Color Red- Waning Moon- St. Jerome patron of those who study scripture

Saint of the Month
St. Fiacre
Born in 670 AD- Feast Day is September 1

It is said that St. Fiacre was born in Ireland and could grow anything under God’s heaven. In legends around him, he is said to have plowed his fields with the mere sweep of his walking stick. This is why he is the patron of gardeners. He is also thought of as the patron saint of those suffering from VD. This may have been because he was not only a gardener but an herbalist and curer. He is also the patron of taxi drivers. This appellation may have been accidental as it has been said that taxi drivers made the best tips when they parked in front of the St. Fiacre Hotel in Paris and there after he was invoked when a cabbie needed to make more money.

Herb of the Month
Cloves

Caryophyllus aromaticus

Cloves are used for healing, memory, protection and courage. It was used in antiquity as one of the herbs and spices for the preservation of the dead. You can make a clove pomander with a nice fresh orange and a box of whole cloves and a long barbeque skewer. Using the skewer, poke holes in the tough peel of the orange and in the hole place a clove. Do this over the entire orange,, then with a large darning needle, draw a piece of yarn through the top of the orange to make a hanger. Hang it in a room where you are working or studying or where you have had illness or arguing. Lasts about a month. Great for Yule and Samhain decorations.

Spell of the Month

To Pay Karmic Debt
After you have been through a rough patch

1 Pink and 1 white candle
Opium oil
Fave Incense
Sage
Water
Check (or a piece of paper)
Simmer Cauldron

Anoint and light candle and incense. Put a bit of water and sage and opium oil in the simmer cauldron and heat. Fill out your check:

Date: Date of Ritual
Pay to the Order of: Karmic Debt
Amount: All
Amount: Live, Learn, Love, and Grow
Memo: Truth and Peace
Signature

Burn Check and add ashes to cauldron. Stir cauldron while intoning:

Karmic Debt is a wonderful thing
Through this process, my soul takes wings
This check is now due
I can start anew
To live learn love and grow
Till truth and peace is all I know
So mote it be.

Sprinkle potion around the room


Signs of the Month

Virgo (23 August- 22 September)

Perfectionist, religious, pays attention to detail, enjoys helping others, dependable. Can also be moody and a bit of a loner.

Libra (23 September- 23 October)

Seeks balance and reconciliation of differences, is a consummate peace maker and strives for calm. Loves beautiful things.

Tarot of the Month
Ten of Pentangles

Ten pentangles are floating on a background showing a lovely city gate with people going in and out it.

You are experiencing success in life with feelings of confidence. Family matters on the upswing and a gift or money or inheritance is on its way.

Essays for September

Fatal Flaws: Could our selfish natures hamper our magikal work?
By Moonviolet

All of us are human and all of us are flawed. We all have weaknesses. Mine is anger and insensitivity with a dash of selfishness thrown in. One of the things that I have learned from the Craft is that because we live under the dual rules of the Witches Rede and the Golden Rule, our interior selves both the good and the bad, effect our ability to work within the Craft.

While it is impossible to be perfect, it is our duty to identify and understand our flaws and work hard to rid ourselves of them. Sometimes efforts are successful and sometimes our efforts are not successful. The goal is not to let our flaws defeat and define us. Magik and magikal practices can help us.

Witches who do not dedicate time to prayer and meditation are prone to magikal dryness. So too the witch who stops studying are more likely to experience magikal downtime. Growth is the key to magikal well being.

Moonviolet is a Christian Witch and Lawyer in Pennsylvania. She also writes poetry in the Japanese Haiku form and sews magikal pouches and paints Greek Orthodox Icons as a hobby. This short but sweet essay was a part of an email to Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk and used with her permission.

Who is Margaret Murray and Does She Matter to the Witch Community?
By Cassandra Dreamweaver

I must thank a couple of people before I begin. First, I would like to thank Aslinn with whom I had a great discussion about Witch hunts in particular and witchcraft in the Christian Tradition generally. Second, I would like to thank sacred-texts.com for having Margaret Murray’s text “The Witch Cult in Europe” on line and available to the serious occult student.

The first thing I would like to say about Margaret Murray is that she worked with what she had. When she began writing about the occult, there was simply nothing for her to work with. It is not like toady where one goes into Borders or Barnes and Noble and simply begins perusing the New Age/Occult or religion sections. Indeed there is so much written one must spend copious amounts of time checking one book against another to which are worth your 20 quid and which aren’t.

Murray primarily had to depend upon the extracts of witch trials to understand what witches may or may not do. The most glaring problem I see with this is that she is getting information from people who were being tortures and humiliated and these confessions were usually just what Inquisitors wanted to hear. Second, she doesn’t address much in the way of Celtic religion which has influenced so much thought on Wicca and NeoDruidism. This is simply because there is very little known about the Old Religion even during Christian times, the Romans who conquered much of Europe had mostly obliterated what was know about the Old Religion practiced by the Celts. What we see instead is Roman and Greek paganism. There are exceptions in Ireland and Wales and Scotland who held on to their Celtic religion to the time of Christian Missions through Celtic Lands. Many of these Celtic stories are melded with Christian symbolism and become our stories of Arthur, Gawain and the Green Knight and the tales of the Mabigon.

Her primary observation is that the confessions are extremely uniform therefore in her mind there is truth to them. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that the Inquisitors would lead the accused in their confessions, for example: “Isn’t it true that you and the man Jean were seen in the presence of the Black Man and was seen writing in his book (fornicating, kissing his “hidden face”, sacrificing a baby)” Of course they would scream yes as their arms were torn from their sockets. Another reason is that priests and preachers taught the ways of the witch in the pulpit. Which the members of the church as a captive audience, they would be exposed to the signs of the devil and the practices of the witch so often that even the illiterate among them would be lay experts in the ways of the devil.

But, in order to discuss her work in some form, I shall discuss some of the major topics from her work.

The Horned God- Murray is told in various court testimonies that witches met the god of the witches in the form of a man creature with dark or black skin, dressed in fashionable clothes. He would have on him cloven hooves and horns and sometimes a tail. This description comes straight from the descriptions of the god Pan the little goat legged demigod with small nub horns and flute and rather a lusty disposition. After being given the Christian treatment, the little wood fellow would become a full blown Satan.

Stories of Black Masses are simple perversions of Christian practice. If you wanted to shock the devil out of your congregation about 20 minutes before they take communion, tell them there are witches who worship the devil who celebrate “black masses”, as opposed to the white mass they would be celebrating very soon, where the consume hosts made of vile stuff and wine of even viler stuff. The priest would of course be delighted to see every soul in his congregation come up and take communion to not only protect themselves from evil but to show their faithfulness to God. The fact it, the eating and drinking of libation is millennia old.

The stories of initiations like the devils baptism, where the person is pissed on and the confirmation/pledge ceremony where the initiate signs the document and kisses the devil’s rear end, is simply further twisting of Christian practices.

If Murray is guilty of anything it is simply trying to investigate something without information. What she does for us, however is compiles these records and shows us how stereo types are formed and how they were used to murder people. Don’t simply disregard Margaret Murray out of hand. She may have gotten it wrong but it was because of her that writers like Gerald Gardner wrote their books. Every witch should take time to read her books and try to understand why and how she write them and how she effected others who would later write books about the Craft and contribute to those long shelves in the occult/New Age section at your local booksellers.

Blessed Be

Cassandra Dreamweaver is a second generation Christian Witch in Bristol, England. She is a botanist and herbalist and a freelance writer.

Mabon
From Aslinn Dhan’s Book of Shadows

Mabon is the second feast of gratitude. It is also a time of self examination. This is not only for your blessings but for your failings in life as they are lessons we learn to be better people and better Christians and better witches. Since we follow not only the Golden Rule but the Witches’ Rede we must consider our lives and how we impact each other.

Have we done all that we can to protect, honor and respect each other? Have we served God and the Craft? Do we harbor hatred and pettiness against others? Have we reached all of our goals? Have we honored ourselves with rest, good healthy food, and work and play in equal parts?

Mabon is that time to find balance, seek guidance, forgive others and ourselves and to ask for forgiveness, resolve conflicts, and dedicate ourselves to improving our lives for others as well as for ourselves. Remember, Harm None applies to all of us, even ourselves. Do not burden your soul with negativity.

August 2008

August 2008

1. Friday- Color Rose- Lammas- Birthday of Edward Kelley, the seer of John Dee 1555- New Moon- Solar Eclipse- St. Alphonsus De Liguori Patron of Confessors and theologians.
2. Saturday- Color Brown- Waxing Moon- St Mary of the Angels Patroness of Costa Rica
3. Sunday- Color Gold- Waxing Moon
4. Monday- Color Silver- Waxing Moon- St John Vianney Patron of Priests and Teaching Clergy
5. Tuesday- Color White- Waxing Moon
6. Wednesday- Color Yellow- Waxing Moon
7. Thursday- Color Green- Waxing Moon
8. Friday- Color White- Waxing Moon- St Cyriacus Patron of the Possessed and St Mary, Queen of Hungary Patroness of Hungary
9. Saturday- Color Grey- Waxing Moon- Llewellyn Publishing under new management- St. Emygdius Patron of Earthquakes
10. Sunday- Color Yellow- Waxing Moon
11. Monday- Color White- Waxing Moon- Birthday Edain McCoy witch and author- St. Alexander Patron of Charcoal Makers and St. Claire Patroness of Embroiderers and Television
12. Tuesday- Color Black- Waxing Moon
13. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waxing Moon- Church of Wicca founded in Australia 1989- St Caspian Patron of Stenographers and St. Hippolytus Patron of Prison Guards
14. Thursday- Color Turquoise- Waxing Moon
15. Friday- Color Pink- Full Moon- Birthday Charles Godfrey Leland 1824- St Mary of the Assumption Patroness of Jamaica, France, aircrews, soldiers, South Africa, and New Caledonia
16. Saturday- Color Blue- Full Moon- Lunar Eclipse- St. Stephen of Hungary Patron of Hungary
17. Sunday- Color Amber- Full Moon- Scott Cunningham initiated into Wicca in 1973- St Roche Patron of Contagion, Plague, Doctors, Cattle and Prisoners
18. Monday- Color Black- Waning Moon- Fr. Urbain Grandier accused of bewitching nuns 1634
19. Tuesday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- John Williard and George Burroughs put to death in Salem Witch Trials 1692
20. Wednesday- Color Topaz- Waning Moon- Execution of the Lancashire Witches 1612- Birthday of Ann Moura witch and author- St. Bernard Claireveaux Patron of Gibraltar
21. Thursday – Color Green- Waning Moon
22. Friday- Color Purple- Waning Moon- Pope John the xxii orders Inquisition to seize the property of witches, sorcerers, and those who make wax images for the purpose of witchcraft 1320- Order of the Rosy Cross established 1623- St Mary Patroness of Africa, Angola and Ecuador
23. Saturday- Color Black- Waning Moon- St. Rose of Lima Patroness of Lima, Peru, South America, Philippines, India, Security Personnel and Nurses
24. Sunday- Color Orange- Waning Moon
25. Monday- Color Lavender- Waning Moon- St. Genesius the Comedian Patron of Comedians and Actors and St. Louis of France Patron of Marbles workers, soldiers and masons
26. Tuesday- Color Scarlet- Waning Moon- St Teresa Patroness of the elderly
27. Wednesday- Color Yellow- Waning Moon- St. Monica Patroness of Mothers
28. Thursday- Color Purple- Waning Moon
29. Friday- Color Coral- Waning Moon- Election of Pope Innocent VIII who issued the anti-witchcraft papal bull 1484- St John the Baptist Patron of the River Jordan
30. Sunday- Color Indigo- Waning Moon
31. Sunday- Color Gold- Waning Moon- Birthdays of Raymond Buckland author and witch and Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk Christian Witch and blog mistress of Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk Christian Witch and The Christian Witch Almanac- St. Raymond Nonnatus- Patron of Midwives, Children, Childbirth, Pregnant Women and the Falsely Accused


Saint of the Month
St Genesius
Martyr Date unknown

In a play given in honor of the Emperor Diocletian, Genesius sought to mock Christian Faith to entertain the emperor. However in the middle of his act, he was struck by the beauty of God and immediately converted. Diocletian was insulted and had Genesius brought before him. He challenged the man to give up his immediate conversion and he refused. He was tortured having his flesh torn from him with iron hooks and burned but still refused to give up his conversion. He was finally decapitated. His feast day is August 25

Herb of the Month
St. John’s Wort

Used for an anti-depressant and mood elevator. St. John’s Wort is Also picked by girls who wish to dream of their lovers, especially on St. John’s Eve. Be careful using St. John’s Wort. It causes enhanced emotional problems among those already using prescribed anti depressants and renders birth control pills ineffective. Always check with a physician before using any herbal supplements.

Signs of the Month

Leo- July 22- August 23- dramatic, selfish, high maintenance, but can be fun loving and loves to entertain.

Virgo- August 23- September 23- Organized to a fault, reserved and modest, practical and studious high strung and emotional.

Spell of the Month

Anger Stone

A small black stone and some sandalwood oil

Anoint the stone with sandalwood. Intone:

This stone is my anger
Black as Pitch
Harm none says the rede of the witch
I throw this stone far from me
As I will it so mote it be

This spell can be worked for worries, problems, and conflicts.

Throw the stone away.

Tarot of the Month

The Hierophant

This representation of a high Church official represents the querent’s faith, their church of birth but no real understanding of the wisdom beyond the teachings of dogma and catechism. This card suggests that the querent may be afraid they will be excommunicated from their congregation or they will lose faith in what they know if they follow a period of study and inquiry. They must break out of their fear and trust in their Sacred Spirit to guide them through what could be a rewarding spiritual quest.


Essays for August

The Way of Merlin
Boadicea Rainfox

We know Merlin through the legendary tales of King Arthur. Though we understand that the story of Arthur and his knights of the round table and the search for the grail is an allegory, many of us do not understand the significance of the tale in real history. Those of us interested in the Arthurian legend, try to see it in a historical context.

Historically, we do not know if Arthur really existed. We believe that Arthur may have been a regional or tribal king of questionable birth. As he gains power and his story is told and retold, this question of his birth takes a magical turn.

Arthur may simply be symbolic of the move from Celtic Paganism to early Christianity. We can suppose that Arthur may well have been a Pagan in his youth and childhood but later becomes a Christian. It may even be that he converted for the love of Guinevere, who may have been a cradle Christian. He may have converted to stabilize his claim of kingship, if he were chosen by the One God to be king who would oppose him and his rule?

But has Arthur become a Christian in name only? Or has he developed a sense of early Christo-Paganism? This question comes because of his close ties with Merlin, the Pagan counselor. If Arthur was a committed Christian, why didn’t he have a Christian priest as his counselor? This suggests that Arthur may have been clinging to the past of the Pagan culture and faith. This is further supported by the ill fortunes that strike Arthur and his kingdom, suggesting that his clinging to the Pagan past and the use of his wizarding counselor Merlin is the source of all the evil that follows.

But who is Merlin? Many scholars suggest that he was a real person, really two people. The Merlin we know from Arthurian legend may be an amalgam of these two historical men and a generous wash of mythology. Merlin is a Pagan, clinging to the old ways, tapping into the symbol of the source of magic: the earth, which in some Celtic cultures is said to be a great dragon, imbued with all of the elements and the powers of creation.

From the beginning of Arthur’s story, there is Merlin. It is said that Merlin possessed the power of the earth dragon and had the power of creation: the creation of earth and all of its creatures and energies. It is also the power of creation itself. According to the tale, Merlin called upon the dragon and caused Uther Pendragon to transform into Cornwall, his enemy and husband to Egraine, the most beautiful woman of the empire. Uther seduced Egraine in the form of her husband, even as he died on the battle field and that night conceived a son, who was promised to Merlin in exchange for the magic that killed Cornwall and made it possible for Uther to possess Egraine and the kingdom. The problem is, now he is a King of bad repute and bound to be overthrown. The magical sword Excalibur, the sword Merlin gave Uther to symbolize his kingship, was driven into the stone to keep it out of anyone else’s hands. At the moment of the act, Merlin casts a spell on the sword, keeping it imbedded until Arthur would have the opportunity to claim it as his birthright as heir to the throne of the kingdom.

To understand Celtic kingship, you must look to the tales of the Irish and Scottish kings who felt the pull of Christianity later. To be a Celtic king, you must have no blemish, physically or spiritually, even in battle or men who were whole and healthy replaced you. And the kingdom did not always pass through the blood from father to son, but rather to those who had proved themselves in battle and in wisdom.

But Arthur’s place as king is assured because of the sword. The sword was the king’s symbol of the right to rule in Celtic culture. It was only through might that the King had the right to claim his leadership. A king must not only be able to expand his kingdom but to protect it. This strength is endowed by the gods, and later by the Christian God who made kings and gave them “God given” rights to rule absolutely.

The sword, Excalibur, we are told was given to Merlin by the water nymph known as the Lady of the Lake. Merlin calls her out of the waters with his magical connection to the earth dragon. But how does Merlin access the earth dragon? He has a charm, the charm of making.

Let’s just think about the Charm of Making. What does its title mean? What are we making? He is not making anything in and of himself. Merlin is simply invoking the energies of the dragon to come out of the earth and opens a door to invite the energies of creation (the dragon) to come and dwell in the lives of human beings.

Was there a real charm of making? We may never know for sure. The writers of the early legends of Arthur and Merlin do not even speak of a charm like this. Early Celts did not write much in the way of their religion or practice. What little was written was destroyed or lost with first the conquering Romans and then the conquering Christians. Between Pliny and Venerable Bede Celtic religion was a vicious savage religion that was Satanic and evil. What we have a seed of imagination and inspiration. And that, after all is the power of the dragon, the art of creation. We also have a wonderful film called Excalibur.

Excalibur was a film by John Boorman and filmed in Ireland. Ireland, by the way may well have been the fabled Avalon, though some place it on the Isle of Man. In the opening scenes we see a gruesome battle scene with Merlin walking through the smoke and the chaos calmly, as though he walked through a quiet meadow. Uther quarrels at Merlin because he does not come when he is called. He takes Uther to receive the sword and then takes him to parley with Cornwall. The peace is made and they feast. At the feast, Uther sees Egraine and is enraptured with lust. He breaks the peace and calls to Merlin to use his magic to have a night with her. Merlin takes Uther to the standing stones, on top of the hill equal with the entrance of Cornwall’s castle fortress. There he speaks the charm: anail nathrach, ortha bhais is beatha, do cheal deamaimh. The charm is said in Irish and translates to: Serpent’s breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making.

The question I can hear you asking are: Is this real? Or is it just for the movies? Does it have any cultural facts or it just for entertainment? You can look at it like that. But remember what the charm is meant to do. It is the Charm of Making, calling the earth dragon of creation to release its earth magic to us and take the form of whatever creative project we desire.

For Christian Witches, what might the Christian Charm of Making look like in the Irish language? Dia nathrach, ortha bhais is beatha, do cheal deamaimh. God’s breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making.

Boadicea Rainfox is a Christo Pagan in London

The Other Red Riding Hood
Gump Brownjug

Rebecca lived in a deep forest in a little cottage. The forest was nestled in the deepest hollow and was inhabited by many creatures and plants and flowers. No one could want for food so long as they knew what plants and herbs they could eat. Few town people made their way into the wood but Rebecca was never afraid because she knew that the wise folk, people we call witches today, lived all around her. Though they lived far apart within the mountains and hollows, they always gathered at the new moon and the full moon to praise the Sacred Spirits and to celebrate the bounty they had from the forests and to teach the younger generation.

Rebecca was such a girl and was excited because on this full moon, she was to become one of the wise people, a witch. She had made a basket of cookies and cakes for the celebration and had also a jar of honey and a jug of wine. She put on her little red cap, the cap of the student and headed out to the meadow where the wise ones always met, where the moon in her fullest looked enormous and gave the innocent children of nature more than enough light for their frolic and worship.

She headed out and walked alone in the deep shadows of the forest. She was not afraid because she knew the forests well and she could see the dark cottages of other people as she made her way to the sabat. Along her way, she heard a noise and sensed some movement. Though she was not afraid, she knew that she must be very aware of the things around her because her teacher had told her that she would encounter a test and how she reacted would tell whether or not she was a good student of the Craft. Suddenly, walking along side her was a large old gray she wolf, loping along as if she had nothing better to do.

“Good evening little sister, where are you going this evening?” asked the Wolf.
“I am going to the sabat, Mother,” she answered the She Wolf.
“I see you have a red cap, are you being initiated this night?” asked the Wolf.
“Yes Mother, and I have brought good cakes and honey and wine,” answered Rebecca.
“You must have wonderful eyes to see through the darkness,” commented the Wolf.
“Not like your own large eyes Mother. Tell me, do all wolves have such eyes as yours?” asked the girl.
“Yes, for we see far into the future and understand the past,” answered the Wolf.
“And those claws, they must be very helpful. Do all wolves have such wonderful claws Mother?” asked Rebecca.
“Yes, for we dig deep for the knowledge of the world and the secrets of the earth,” answered the Wolf.
“And those wonderful teeth, Mother, like athames we use for directing energy and defense against evil. Do you use them that way as well?” asked the initiate.
“Yes, we care for all of the innocent children of nature and guard them all from evil and protect the wild things from disease as we hunt the weakest of them,” said the Wolf.

“You are very wise my Mother Wolf and have taught me much during my walk, for I have never thought of the wolves as one of the wise ones before. Is there nothing I can do for you?” asked Rebecca of the Red Cap.
“You can take me to sabat with you. I have been a witches’ familiar for these many long years and now the crone is dead. I was hoping that one of your teachers would appreciate my service to the wise one and make me human so I can be a teacher, too and live out my life a human,” answered the Wolf.
“I shall take you to sabat and be honored and take you before my teacher, for she is very wise and will surely know what to do in this matter,” said Rebecca.

They walked along in silence and came finally to the moon bathed meadow. The whole group was astonished to see the initiate in the company of such an enormous wolf. She walked quickly to her teacher and made her a little bow and said:

“Teacher, as I was walking to sabat tonight, I met this she wolf and she told me many things. She was the familiar of a wise crone and now her mistress is gone to the Summerland and she wishes to become a human now and live out her days as a wise one and teach her knowledge. Can we help her?” asked the young girl.

“I remember the wise one with the wolf companion and wondered what became of her familiar when she journeyed to the Summerland. You were very brave my little student and took the time to understand the Wolf. You have passed your test and will be initiated tonight. Sister Wolf, your wish will be granted. Brother will you help me?” the Teacher said, motioning to a large man who carried an axe on his belt. He nodded.

The Wolf wheeled around to face the man and stood up on her hind legs. In one swift motion, the man used his axe and opened the chest and belly of the Wolf and out came an older woman, peeling away the skin and standing in the moonlight. The wise ones came to her and led her to a stream and helped her bath and gave her clothes to wear. Rebecca’s teacher turned to the people and said:

“Our sister has no home and needs a place to live out her days. Who among you can take her to your hearth?” asked the wise woman.

“Teacher, I should like to offer my humble home to Mother Wolf if she will stoop to share it with me,” said Rebecca.

“I should be happy to share your home my daughter,” said Mother Wolf.

The night was a great one. Rebecca was initiated and given a black cap in place of her red cap, her cakes and honey and wine were considered superior and she had someone to share her life with and to learn from and the She Wolf got her wish and became a human and a wise one and found a home with a lovely young witch.

Blessed Be
Gump Brownjug is a Faery Witch in New Hampshire and collects old children’s tales and reinterprets them for Pagan Children.

Walking Between Worlds
Dreamwalking for the Practiced Witch.

Dreamwalking is an ancient practice, equivalent to the shamanic journey in its methods and its goals. For the witch, it is a tool that offers a doorway into the subconscious and an opportunity to tap into a deeper sense of personal power. In a practice so focused on balance, this is an invaluable resource. Just as a physician must heal himself before ever working with a patient, so much a witch face the dark reality of what may lie within the hidden corners of the mind in order to be attune with the natural energy.

In my experience with the dreamwalk, a certain level of knowledge regarding the nature of my spirit guides and the landscape of my inner sacred space served as a foundation. In my opinion, this sort of work is vital before ever preparing a dreamwalk. The lower levels of the self have had a reputation for being unpredictable in centuries past. Even when the necessary foundation has been laid, the unexpected will occur. However, to avoid something frightening or even dangerous, pathworking and spirit work are important. If the higher powers do have something important to say in regards to whatever may be asked of them, it helps to have an established line of communication beforehand. They will also act as protectors against personal demons and shadows.

Purpose is the next point to take into serious consideration before going on a dreamwalk. A specific inquiry will yield specific answers A general question will result in vague responses. Just as this is the same with people, this is very true of spirit guides. I suggest in taking at least three days to a week just to think about your true goals. A successful dreamwalk will have a detailed purpose, one that will not only motivate the walker to make preparations and meditate as long as necessary to receive answers, but will inspire spirit guides and possibly even the Divine to intervene with wisdom to aid this quest.

Physical preparations should be taken into account later on, but not forgotten. Clearing and charging a space for use of dreamwalking will aid in raising the level of one’s awareness and ensuring a solid focus for the duration of the meditation. Sacred stones, incense and a comfortable chair are necessities for me on a dreamwalk. I also meditate inside, so to change the mood dramatically from the mundane to the sacred, I shut off the electric lights and light my altar candles.

I am not a big advocate of fasting a great deal before a serious meditation, given my light weight body type, but for those who find it impossible to reach a higher level of consciousness with a heavy stomach, this is also something that should be done.

The dreamwalk itself should not last more than two to four hours. Mine lasted only two. When in a deep unguided meditation, there is a potential risk of “getting lost in your own head.” This is another point where interacting with guides is vital. If your spirit guides are with you on a dreamwalk, they should release you from the meditative state when your goals have been accomplished.

As for enriching what is found, the intuition and the imagination should act as compass points to anyone on this journey. When this two tools act in alignment, a guide or gateway or thoughtform may very well be created to get the process going. The initiator for me was a young faun who met me before I even set foot inside my inner temple.

The results should be vibrant and beyond what you expect. Try to avoid any preconceived ideas of what will take place. It is important to let go of your own will and submit to the Spirit.

When all is said and done, the wisdom gained will be priceless. Furthermore, there is a healing to be won from accomplishing this correctly. Once it is done right the first time, an open door will now exist for you to enter whenever you wish. The possibilities are endless.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Tanith LunaCrevan is a college student, free-thinker and writer from Arkansas. She is a Christo-Pagan, Christian witch and a student of Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk.

July 2008

July 2008

1. Color- Scarlet- Death of Nostradamus- Waning moon
2. Color- Yellow- Trial of Joan Prentice 1549. Waning Moon- Sts Processus and Martinian Patrons of Prison Officers
3. Color- Turquoise- Waning Moon- St Thomas the Apostle Patron of Builders and the Blind
4. Color-Coral- New Moon- American Independence- Great for freedom spells
5. Color- Blue- Conviction of Witches in Chelmsford, England 1589- Waxing moon
6. Color-Orange Scott Cunningham initiated into the Ancient Pictish Gaelic Way 1981. Waxing Moon. Blessed Maria Theresa Ledochowska Patroness of Polish Missions and St. Maria Goretta Patroness of the Children of Mary and Teen Girls.
7. Color- Gray- Waxing Moon
8. Color- White- Waxing Moon
9. Color-Brown- Waxing Moon- Birthday of Amber K, Wiccan author. - Blessed Virgin of Chevremont patroness of Peace and Sports People and Victims of War.
10. Color- Green- Waxing Moon
11. Color- Pink- Waxing Moon- Abbot Benedict Patron of Farm Workers, Engineers, Architects and the dying
12. Color- Black- Waxing Moon- St. John Gualbert patron of foresters and park keepers.
13. Color- Gold- Waxing Moon- Birthday of John Dee 1527. - St. Henry the Emperor patron of Finland
14. Color- Silver- Waxing Moon- First recorded appearance of Crop Circles 1988- St Camillus de Lillis patroness of Nurses and LPNs
15. Color- Black- Waxing Moon
16. Color- White- Waxing Moon- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel patroness of Spain and the Spanish Navy
17. Color- Purple- Waxing Moon
18. Color – Rose- Full Moon (the Blessing Moon)
19. Color- Brown- Full Moon- Rebecca Nurse hanged in Salem Ma 1691.
20. Color- Yellow Full Moon- Full Moon- Pope Adrian re-emphasizes the law to purge witches by fire 1523. St. Elijah patron of flying and St. Margaret patroness of childbirth and pregnant women.
21. Color- Lavender- Waning Moon
22. Color- Grey- Waning Moon- North Hamptonshire Witches condemned 1612- 1st Sighting of the Loch Ness Monster 1930
23. Color- Topaz- Waning Moon- St Bridget patroness of Sweden
24. Color- White- Waning Moon
25. Color- Purple- Waning Moon- Death of Pope Innocent who wrote the original Bull concerning Witches and Witchcraft 1492- St. Christopher patron of travelers and St. James the Greater patron of Guatemala
26. Color- Indigo- Waning Moon- Confession of the Chelmsford at 1st of 4 trials the last presided over by Matthew Hopkins, witch finder general- St. Anne patroness of childless women
27. Color- Amber- Waning Moon- Jennet Preston first Malkin Tower witch hanged 1612- St Pantaleon patron of doctors
28. Color- Ivory- Waning Moon
29. Color-Red- Waning Moon- Agnes Waterhouse Chelmsford witch hanged 1566- St Martha patroness of Housewives and St. Olaf of Norway
30. Color-Yellow- Waning Moon- St Abdon patron of barrel makers and St Sennen patron of coopers
31. Color- Crimson- Waning Moon- Birthday of HP Blavatsky 1831- Date of British gathering of witches to raise energy to protect Britain from an invasion by Germany 1940- St Ignatius Loyola patron of retreats and spiritual exercises or scruples


Saint of the Month
St John Gualbert

St John Gualbert founded the monastery of Vallambrosa in a deforested region, which he replanted and dedicated to the Lord. His devotion to recovering the forestlands was well known through Medieval Times. On January 12, 1951 Pope Pius declared him a saint. His feast day is July 12.

Herb of the Month
Oakmoss

A lichen used in many perfumes, it is very useful in prosperity and money spells. It may be burned on a briquette and used as an herbal wash or placed in mojo bag.

Signs of the Month

Cancer- (June 22-July 22) Nurturer, empathetic, sensitive to others, imaginative, the comforts of home.

Leo- (July 23- August 22) Loves to be the center of attention, dramatic, warm and generous, enjoys the good life, romance and play.

Tarot of the Month
XVIII The Moon

The moon represents the world we desire, the fantasy world we wish to achieve. Beware that you do not deceive yourself. Look before you leap.

Spell of the Month
In Honor of Nostradamus’ Death Day

Nostradamus Divination Spell
December 14- Nostradamus’ Birthday

Tarot cards
Two white candles
Bowl and water

Light the candles. Washing your fingers in the scrying bowl intone:

I wash myself of all confusion and distractions
I cleanse myself from selfishness
I come with pure intent

Hold your cards in your hand

Grant me clear vision
Let me see clearly through the veil
Give me strength to accept truth
Wisdom to make choices based on my vision

Perform the readings and record

May I gain wisdom from what I have seen
To serve others and help those in need.
So Mote it Be


Celtic Christianity: The Link between Christ and Craft
Stephen MacClaine

Christianity may be identified by the symbol of the Cross, but like a flower of a thousand petals, it is rich with variation and style. Even now Christianity is evolving, in ritual, in philosophy and in doctrine. From its primitive beginnings as a Jewish fringe cult to the Christianity we see today, its struggles, troubles, and triumphs prove its power to grow and reflect the diversities of its believers.

As a person of both Irish and French heritage, I have studied Celtic culture. Folks are tempted to identify Celtic culture as early British and Irish identity. The fact is, the Celtic people stretched throughout the European landscape.

The spread of Christianity was slow and steady and often Christian communities were established and then left to explore its Christian faith in isolation. Celtic Christianity creates a dimension of Christian practice that reflects earlier beliefs in creator and connects the Sacred with nature.
Though some would say this is simply a co-mingling of late Paganism with its mixture of Celtic Mythology and Roman Mythology, but the truth is, Celtic Christianity is far subtler. By the time Christianity comes to the Celtic people, the ancient Druid religion has been supplanted to the Roman Pagan religion. Druidry is a faint memory, as even the smallest bits of written history about the Druid religion are destroyed and practices are largely forgotten.

These later Romano- Celtic people remember small bits of the Celtic religion and practice it as well as they can with the Roman Pagan religion. As Christianity grows, under the guidance of the Pagan Constantine, the early Christians simply do what they have always done; blend the new religion with the old.

Nasty accusations about the ancient Christian Church being the church of domination simply are not true. Christians seeking friendly conversions used a form of syncretism, explaining dogma by using parallels from their own religion. The best-known example of this is the story of St. Patrick explaining the Holy Trinity by using the shamrock clover, a symbol of the Triple Goddess. These early Christians understood the Christian Gospel in the simplest terms and created their special brand of devotion to a church whose religious rituals were not well developed. There was no real regularization of ritual yet and each region of the new Christian world had its own cultural mixture to the worship and practice of the Christian faith. In Ireland, this Celtic Christianity is intact and offers a great contrast to the Catholicism practiced in other parts of the world.

This uniqueness leads its followers to seek God in the trees and forests, in the myths of the wee folk or faery people and the lingering Paganism contributes to the wonder and beauty of such tales as of King Arthur, the Mabigon and the tales of Gerald of Cambriesius and exists even today in the strong Marian devotion seen throughout Celtic countries.

This special brand of Christianity shows not a destruction of Pagan/Celtic pantheons but something of an evolution. Cerrunos and Cerwiden become Jesus and his Mother and the Fay into the angels and saints who serve them. What this shows us is the universality of images, of mythos and of faith and confirms a connection as religions evolve and take on new shapes and roles.

Stephen MacClaine is a practicing Druid and Bard and studies and teaches comparative religion in New York.

Come to the Freak Show
What to say to those who just want to watch
Sparrow Woodwitch

You have a circle of friends and you trust them with everything, including the fact that you are a witch. For the most part, you have their respect. They ask you curious questions and some even come to you for advice. Then you have one friend. You know the one. This is the friend who is a tad obnoxious, who blurts out: “Man, I would just love to watch one of your witch things, you know, one of your rituals.” Their eyes are all lit up and they are excited about the idea.

It is the same look when they know they are going to see something weird and little scary perhaps. It is the excited look of someone who likes to watch those really gruesome death movies that show gruesome car accidents, crime scenes and disasters. They are the first in line to freak shows and the tent exhibition of pickled punks, instruments of torture and deformed animals or people.

Suddenly you know. This person thinks you are a freak. Perhaps you are asking yourself if your other friends think the same way. You are the weird friend, the one who will entertain them and spook them a little. It hurts deep down.

Chin up fellow witch. First of all, you are not a freak. Friends who say these sorts of things say it because they have little or no knowledge about the craft except what they have heard from others and what they have seen on TV or in movies.

Ask the person what they expect to see in a ritual or gathering. It is usually some stereotype involving nudity or sex, blood letting or some extreme magik they have seen on The Craft or Charmed.

This is your chance to educate. Explain to them that it is very true witches sometimes do rituals in the nude and that yes there is a sexual ritual but these rituals are performed in private, out of view and hearing of the group. Most times, witch rituals do not look very different from an ordinary prayer meeting with readings, discussions and prayer and songs. Demystify, defreakyfy the practice of the Craft. You will see the light go out of their eyes and disappointment on their faces.

If they persist, ask them about their religion. Then ask if you can attend because you hear (insert stereotype here). They may not appreciate it but they will feel what it feels like for you. They will likely wander away angry and you may have lost their friendship, but that is okay. It is their loss.

Sparrow Woodwitch is a Christian witch, freelance photographer and Craft educator. The interviews for local newspapers and TV programs about the Craft all year long except in October. Witches, after all, are not freaks.

Wand Work
Is it all just swish and flick?
Daphne Moonowl

I remember the first time I used a wand. I was six and I was a fairy princess and my wand was a thin plastic stick with iridescent streamers and a star. Long after my costume died a death at the foot of my closet, my wand hung on my mirror. Believe it or not, I still have it, pack rat that I am, hanging on my wall in my home office.

When I became a witch some twenty years ago, I made the wand I still use today. It is an oak wand, taken from a tree that had been struck by lightening and was chopped down. I peeled off the bark and lightly sanded it and stained it and affixed a rose crystal. But once I made it, it took me a long time to use it.

I didn’t use it because I really didn’t know how. The Wiccan books spoke of “directing energy” and casting, but none told you how to use it. How does one use a wand? I felt sheepish handling it, more than a little foolish and then I met a sister witch and confided in her.

Wands are an extension of the hand. Think of the conductor of a symphony leading with his baton. Think of the professor with his telescoping pointer. As a Christian Witch, I was reminded of Moses and how this rod was elevated to bring the power of God upon the earth.

“Play with it,” I was told “Reach back into a time when you were the witch or the fairy at Halloween. How did you do it then?” So I went home and took out my wand and played with it. I pointed it, made circles with it, even thrust and parry with it. I resolved to work with my wand more.

A few years ago, my grandson and I were watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Hermione was encouraging Ron to “swish and flick” as Professor Flitwick had taught them. My grandson said, “See grandma, even Ron can do it…. just swish and flick”

Now I use my wand during all my spells, even if it is not absolutely necessary. I have fallen in love with this simple tool and though I am sure that Professor Flitwick would recommend that I go for remedial wand work, I feel closer to my wand than ever before.

Daphne Moonowl is a professional artist and book illustrator. She has been a witch in 20 years. She lives with her family in South Carolina.

June 2008

June 2008

1. Sunday-Color Yellow- Witchcraft Act of 1568 takes effect in England. Waning Moon- St. Justin Martyr Patron of Philosophers
2. Monday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- St Erasmus (Elmo) Patron of Sailors and Childbirth.
3. Tuesday- Color Red- Waning Moon- St. Charles Lwanga Patron of African Youth.
4. Wednesday- Color Yellow- New Moon
5. Thursday- Color Green- Waxing Moon
6. Friday- Color White- Waxing Moon
7. Saturday- Color Brown- Waxing Moon
8. Sunday- Color Orange- Waxing Moon
9. Monday- Color Lavendar- Waxing Moon- Shavout- Our Lady of Grace Patroness of Skiers and St. Colmcille Patron of Ireland
10. Tuesday- Color White- Waxing Moon- Bridget Bishop hanged in Salem as the first “witch” 1692
11. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waxing Moon- St Barnabus Patron of Cyprus
12. Thursday- Color Turquoise- Waxing Moon- St. Onuphrius Patron of Weavers
13. Friday- Color Pink- Waxing Moon- St. Anthony of Padua Patron of Lost Things and the Poor- Birthday of William Butler Yeats, Irish Poet, and member of the Golden Dawn and Gerald Gardner Father of modern Wicca
14. Saturday- Color Grey- Waxing Moon
15. Sunday- Color Yellow- Waxing Moon- Father’s Day- St. Vitus Patron of nervous diseases, dancers, actors, comedians, and snakebite
16. Monday- Color White- Waxing Moon- St. John Francis Regis Patron of Marriage, the Illegitimate, and Social Workers
17. Tuesday- Color Black- Waxing Moon- Birthday Starhawk, Wiccan author
18. Wednesday- Color White- Full Moon- Church of All Worlds established and recognized by the IRS 1970
19. Thursday- Color Purple- Full Moon- Juneteenth
20. Friday- Color Rose- Full Moon- Litha- Mary Our Lady of Consolation Patroness of Pensioners and the Elderly.
21. Saturday- Color Blue- Waning Moon- St. Aloysius Patron of Children
22. Sunday- Color Amber- Waning Moon- Final Witchcraft Laws repealed in England 1951- St. Vincent of Saragossa Patron of Winegrowers
23. Monday- Color Silver- Waning Moon- St Joseph Cafasso Patron of Prisoners and Clergy
24. Tuesday- Color Grey- Waning Moon- St. John’s Day Patron of Health Spas- Birthady of Janet Farrar Wiccan author
25. Wednesday- Color Topaz- Waning Moon
26. Thursday- Color White- Waning Moon- Birthday Stewart Farrar Wiccan author
27. Friday- Color Purple- Waning Moon- Mary Our Lady of Help Patroness of Haiti- Birthday of Scott Cunningham Wiccan author
28. Saturday- Color Indigo- Waning Moon- St. Basilides Patron of Prison Officers
29. Sunday- Color Yellow- Waning Moon- Sts Peter and Paul Patrons of Lay Preachers and Fishermen
30. Monday- Color Ivory- Waning Moon


Saint of the Month

Saint Erasmus, also known as Elmo, Bishop and Martyr AD 303

Patron saint of sailors. He is said to have continued preaching while lightening struck all around him. Sailors came to call upon him because they were in danger of lightening. They considered the ball-lightening phenomenon to be a sign of his protection.

He is also the patron saint of those who suffer from stomach pains and child birth because of his martyrdom. Erasmus was murdered by having his intestines drawn from his stomach.

Feast day June 2

Tarot of the Month
From the Rider Waite Deck

The Lovers
Description

A sun high in the sky shines on the central figure of an angel over shadowing a pair of nude lovers. The female figure is the Eve archetype complete with tree and serpent and the male is the Adam complete with the burning bush. A high phallic peak stands in the background between them.

Meaning:attraction, love, beauty and trials overcome. Reversed: Failure and foolishness and being deceived.

Herb of the Month

Rue

Rue is used for calming nerves, strengthening the conscious mind and over all emotional health. Can also be used to overcome regret, particularly in connection with the dead.

Signs of the Month

Gemini- (May 21- June 21) The talker, quick witted, restless, easily bored, enjoys travel and new ideas, constantly on the lookout for new experiences.

Cancer- (June 22- July 22) The nurturer, empathetic, sensitive to the needs of others, imaginative, enjoys home and family

Spell of the Month

Spirit Aid

No materials are needed. As you say the spell X3 make the sign of the cross in your palm with your wand hand and encircle it deosil (clockwise) while chanting:

Gather Spirits to this hour
To protect me with your power
Harm and fear are out to get me
In your love, I’m in your keeping
Thank you for your gracious aid
I’ll with blessings to you repay
Gird and empower against the force
As I go along my course
Blessings Be, oh benevolent ghosts
And Merry Meet o loving host
So mote it Be


A Warning Sign on the Path of Enlightenment:
A Word about Cults and Potential Cult Leaders

By Tanith LunaCrevan

Merry meet to all. Much has happened in my life since that first article, where I declared my insistence to remain nothing less than me. One such event brings to light an issue that not only has been sufficiently driven into the ground, but also one that has been overlooked and forgotten by the witchcraft community, I think, particularly among young witches. That problem is cults and their leaders.

But what can you expect? Anyone who is attuned to a higher consciousness on any level will desire higher knowledge and seek to unlock it by any means possible. The question to be considered is how to go about this quest safely. For my fellow youth and to those new to the Craft, I offer this word of caution.

Say you encounter a particularly talented individual at a bookstore or a coffee shop and discover that you share similar spiritual interests and goals. That is all well and good; however, do not be quick to trust them, even if their abilities and wisdom seem light years beyond your own. Accept their advice and accept their insight yes, but only at face value. To take any stranger’s words to heart is a dangerous game and you risk being manipulated. And absolutely, do not follow them home or to any ritual space. Again, you risk being manipulated and in the case of ritual space, even magickally. All of this may seem obvious, yet even today countless teenagers do fall prey to these men and women.

But how do you know if you are even dealing with a possible cult leader? For me, an apparent clue was this young man’s repeated insistence that I receive a certain tattoo like he had and one his girlfriend would be getting. He placed an almost holy emphasis on this marking. Secondly, be aware of how those around him or her are acting. In my situation, this young man’s girlfriend was extremely submissive, almost too much so. She hardly dared to speak when he did, whereas I had no hesitation to interrupt him. Thirdly, listen closely to what he or she says in regard to past experiences. The young man of my experience mentioned previous kidnapping charges. That raised serious doubts in my mind. Finally, this young man possessed a trait common among all cult leaders. He believed he had a direct link to a higher or divine power. This, more than anything else, is surefire sign that you might be dealing with a cult leader. To open yourself to the belief that anyone besides yourself has this sort of link makes you venerable to exploitation. This not only applies to cult leaders, but to church leaders and coven leaders. For anyone to make this claim outside the context of worship and to take it that seriously is something to be looked upon with distrust. This form of religious extremism is deadly.

When walking the path in search of Christ-consciousness or Divine oneness, the only one whom you can really trust is yourself. Listen to trusted teachers and mentors yes, but do not risk your physical and spiritual safety in the hands of a stranger. You may not know who or what you may be dealing with.

Remember, we all are enlightened. We all possess what the Hindu call, kundalini or divine energy. It is realizing this divine mind, this divine energy that is the journey. Tapping into the divine that we all possess is the true goal of any priest or priestess. As my father likes to say, you already have everything you need. Seek enlightenment and higher consciousness, but remember it should not lie beyond your own soul and the soul of Earth around you.

Blessed be and may the Lord and Holy Mother protect you on all your sacred journeys.


Tanith LunaCrevan is a free thinker, writer and college student from Arkansas. She is a first-degree Christian witch and a student of Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk.

Witchcraft and the Warrior Ways
A Christo-Pagan Perspective
Gaelyn Moonraven

These are troubled times. You know this, you read about it in the news papers and on the web and you see it on the TV. The war, regardless of who gets the top job next November, will apparently be going on for some time. Even when America leaves Iraq, the civil war will begin and war will likely go on for a much longer time
I have a wonderful friend who is serving his third tour in Iraq. He is a Christo-Pagan and a very bright and sensitive man. When he was between tours, he and I went to dinner and over steaks and brews, I got to talk to him about his role in the war and his Craft practice.

“I know there are many people who are in and out of the Craft who say this war is wrong,” he explained. “And to be entirely truthful, I think we were lied to by our government. But I am there to try to help people who are eventually going to be greater victims when we finally leave there.”

“What is your mission in Iraq?” I asked. “As a marine, my job is to protect indigenous personnel, secure the safe zones against insurgents and support the military mission in Iraq,” answered my friend. “As a witch I am trying to understand what constitutes the way of the warrior.”

“Come to any conclusions?” I asked. “Some will disagree and say the you can’t learn warrior ways because the war is unjust, but I say I can. Folks are basing their opinions on what they are seeing in the news. And like they always say the news is always the same, always bad. They don’t see the good we are doing there.” My friend looked at me, “I am not naive, I know exactly how bad things are. I have developed a real affection for the Iraqi people. I worked securing our hospital post and a group of tribal Iraqis, sort of like gypsies or nomads came to our hospital. We gave prenatal care to twelve women, inoculated babies and children and delivered two more over the two weeks they stayed near us. These people did not have this sort of care under Saddam Hussein. We help people, we build schools and hospitals. I haven’t met anyone who says they regret having us here.”

“So, how is this working with your Craft practice?” I asked. “Well, I am solitary and I practice in the broom closet. But I receive such blessings from these people by being a protector. You never get over the feeling of grabbing people, just ordinary people and pulling them behind you to shield them during a raid or a firefight, to feel their frightened hands at your back and you know they holding their breaths as you walk ahead of them. And I’m not just protecting civilians, I am protecting fellow Marines, fellow Americans. In the end of the shift I tend to end up being something of a spiritual advisor. It is as if they sense I get another kind of…positive energy from my work. They don’t know I am a Christo-Pagan and they don’t know I am a witch, but they pick up on the vibe. This really is about warrior ways. My mission is not to harm other people if I can help it.”

“Do you know if you have killed anyone?” I asked. “Yeah, I’ve killed people. I don’t know how many. I suppose my CO’s have my ratios. I regret having to do it but when I do it, it is protect fellow Marines, civilians, even POWs in our care.”

“Speaking of prisoners, how do you fell about Abu Graib?” I asked carefully. “That was so bad on many different levels. But I have to believe in the law of return and that justice will come to those who lose their humanity and do those unspeakable things. You can’t torture people, even if they are the enemy. Isn’t that like the Inquisition? And water boarding. Isn’t this just witch cradling and swimming the witch all over again? I know they will be repaid, “he answered.

My girl, Aslinn made you something. What was it and how does it effect you?” I asked. He smiled. “Aslinn made me a Christo-Pagan Scapular. She made a talisman with two patches on it, just like a Roman Catholic Scapular. On one patch she sewed a cross and the words “Be Not Afraid” and on the other patch, she sewed the pentangle with the words “Blessed Be”. It means a lot to me because she acknowledges my journey in this time and space and she acknowledges me as a warrior. It blesses me,” he said frankly.
Now my friend is in Iraq and Aslinn and I both pray and cast for his safety. My friend is a warrior, carrying on warrior ways and I have a profound sense of gratitude towards him.


The Christian Power of Three
By Chrystal Moonchilde

I am guilty. I loved the series Charmed. I loved it not because it was a bastion of Wiccan knowledge but because, as fictionalized as it was, there were some elements that were dead on and one of them was the notion of the power of three. I loved it when the girls at the last minute would come in chanting “The power of three will set us free!! The power of three will set us free!!”

Of course the power of three for them was the three sisters and their sisterhood and their unity. This of course harkens back to the maiden, mother and crone and the law of return that all we do comes back to us. Three is a sacred number in many cultures, especially in the Christian culture.

This led me to wonder if there was a power of three for us Christian Witches. There is of course the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost and that is the most important element. Then there are the three talents and abilities: To heal, to free, to comfort. Then there are the three common sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, and Confession.

To make these powers yours, think about them and how you use or interact with these powers. Who is God the Father to you? When was the last time you contemplated him and the wonder of the world he has created. How about God the Son? Have you taken advantage of you full siblinghood with him and invited him to be your guide and teacher and brother before God the Father? And who is the Holy Spirit? Do you commune with the comforter and the source of miracles and power? Is the Holy Spirit perhaps feminine to you, the Sophia? In order to create a closer bond with the Holy Trinity, you must have spiritual conversations with them through prayer and meditation and study. They will speak to you and guide you.

How about the second elements of the Christian Power of Three; the three talents? As a witch are you healing people around you? Are you trying to heal the earth? Are you learning to understand and appreciate differences in other people? How about freeing those afflicted by negativity? Those who come to you afflicted by demons, either of the underworld or the demons of abuse, addiction, troubles or worries or spiritual bondage? How about comforting people? When was the last time you gave someone a kind word, a bit of hope or encouragement? When was the last time you sat up with someone who was afraid or sick? How about the lonely person who needed to know that they were not alone?

And third element to our Power of Three: Are you close to a church or other spiritual community? Are you interested in your own spiritual growth? Have you received baptism? Holy Communion, either with a church or at your own hand? Do you speak to God regularly about your good deeds and bad? Do you seek guidance from the Bible or prayer group or minister or spiritual guide?

When you act on all of these elements and make them a part of yourself, your Christianity and Craft, then you truly have the power of three. And in the words of the Halliwell Sisters: The Power of Three will Set You Free.

Chrystal Moonchilde is a Christian Witch and artist and dance instructor in classical ballet in Virginia. She lives with her husband, incidentally named Cole and has two little Christian Witches in high school where they run the school’s Prayer Club.



The Symbol of the Tree in Christian Craft
Aslinn Dhan Dragonhawk

All cultures and faith systems have some connection with a tree. In the Craft the tree is symbolic of one’s inner connectedness with the earth and the sky and one’s historical, cultural, and Craft backgrounds. The tree has various titles based on tradition but it is universally known as the tree of life.

In the Christian tradition there are multiple ways in which the tree is figured in scripture, tradition and art. There are two very important trees figured in the Bible. They are first mentioned in Genesis in the Garden of Eden. One is the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This is the tree Eve is said to have eaten from bringing the downfall of man. To eat of this tree was to lose your innocence.

The second tree is the Tree of Life. To eat of this tree you would have immortality. This tree is also thought of as foreshadowing of the Cross of Christ. The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve are cast out of the garden, God sealed the garden and sets an angel at the entrance to keep humans from returning to it. When the flood occurred, the garden disappeared for all tie and we do not hear from it again until we read of it in the Book of Revelation 22:2 that the tree of life stands on either side of the river of life that flows before the throne of God.

As a Christian Crafter, the tree of life as a symbol is important, as it is the symbol of life renewing itself, reaching toward heaven and being in contact with the elements. Of course, just as all witches do of all traditions, we gather sticks as wands, seeds and leaves for talismans and visualize the tree in our castings and spells and charms and brew teas and potions.

Because we do not know the species of either tree (no, Eve did not feed Adam an apple, that is artistic symbolism) we Christian Crafters keep the sacred trees of witchcraft before us. The mighty oak, the wise old elder, the spiny hawthorn and holly, and many others witches keep as sacred in the Craft of the Wise.

So Christian Crafters, never forget that the symbol beloved by Wiccans and Pagans can and should be loved and respected by you. The trees are for everyone.


Balancing the Magikal and the Mundane
Michael Braveheart

Those who live with Magik in their lives love the lives they live. I personally love being a witch; it is a part of who I am. But I also live in the mundane world and there has to be a balance of magik and the mundane in the everyday world.

When I first became a witch, I wanted to live in a world of magik: intense, incredible magik. But it can distract you from the necessities of life. There must be a balance.

One of the things to keep in mind is that you do not have to be working magik to have magik around you. This is because you are magik, in and of yourself, bound to the forces of earth all around you. Magik is natural. When you become aware, awakened to the energy of the magikal world around you, it can have an intoxicating effect on the neophyte witch.

One of the ways you can balance your magikal life is to incorporate short rituals into your daily life. For example, when you shower or bathe, perform a magikal blessing on you and the day. Schedule regular full moon and new moon rituals through the month. If you attend church on Sundays, have a Saturday prayer and meditation session so you can do divinations, any casting and healing services or simply work with your herbs and oils.

Scheduling rituals and spell work helps you focus your energies, prepare in advance, gather materials, and organize group activities making rituals and spell work important, especially and truly magikal in a mundane world.

Michael Braveheart is an elementary school teacher and practicing Christo-Pagan. He’s also very shy and living in Salem, MA

Investigating Tarot Manuals
By Brian Johnson

I do not think of myself as an expert on reading or understanding Tarot, but through trial and error, I have investigated several decks and interpretation books and web sites. It was a little over a year ago when I started my readings with an ordinary deck of playing cards. I talked with my mother and told her that I was learning how to read fortunes with cards, and then she showed me a Rider Waite Deck her husband had found. He gave us permission to do a few practice readings with the deck and my mother became very interested in Tarot. About a month or two later, her husband had bought her a deck of her own, called The Cachet Deck, an updated version of the Rider Waite deck, which sparked the beginning of this entire review. The deck was beautifully rendered. There was a slot underneath the box that held a little 48 page booklet that was as beautiful as the cards. I went out and purchased my own deck.

When I finally had the chance to sit down and read the booklet that came with the Cachet Deck thoroughly, I was very disappointed. As I said before, the booklet only has 48 pages in which to describe, as fully as it can, each of the 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Cachet Booklet, while brightly colored and very beautiful, only had one or two sentences for the descriptions for the upright positions, and only one or two words for the reversed positions. And that was just the Major Arcana. The four suits in the Minor Arcana had absolutely no meanings for their reverse positions. It gave me the impression that the Minor Arcana either have no reversed meanings, or they mean exactly the same whether reversed or upright. I give the Cachet Booklet 4 Pentacles because it is useful for a quick reminder of what a certain card means, but it certainly is not a book for a novice.

After gaining what I could from the Cachet Booklet, I went to the internet to continue my search. I first went to the internet looking to find what the cards meant upright and reversed. When I first started my search, I didn't have much of a clue what I wanted to know about Tarot, but that would come in time with trial and error. Eventually, I found a site called "The Mystic Eye". Like I did with the Cachet Booklet, I took my time in studying this site. I keep all my readings in a little notebook, and I would often use this site to define what the readings meant. In the beginning, I did like the site and would visit it every time I gave a reading, but after some time, I became somewhat annoyed with the way the site portrayed the cards. For example: The Devil Reversed means despair, this, that, the other thing. After so long, I just became very annoying with this site. Call me crazy, but I don't like pulling my readings from a list of one word answers. In my opinion, the author of this site simply has no enthusiasm for his or her Tarot section. This site only gets 3 Pentacles from me for its lack of creativity and effort.

After using The Mystic Eye for a while, I remembered a site I had visited once before when I was randomly searching for sites about Tarot. Before I found The Mystic Eye, it didn't seem to have what I was looking for, but since I knew what I was looking for this time around, I decided to glance over it once more. The site I found was called ATA-Tarot and seemed to have almost exactly what I was looking for in working with Tarot. What I had decided I was going to look for after my encounter with The Mystic Eye, was a background story, so to speak, about each individual card. Although the site had nothing to do with everyday readings, it did provide a solution to my problem. I did try implementing this site in some of my readings, but as I said before, the site's sole purpose was to help you understand what each card means and why it is in the deck rather than help you do readings. The site has this nice, very organized list on the side where you can just click on the card you want to know more about and it will give you three to four paragraphs about that card. While I would not use this site in my readings, I would visit it from time to time and do a little research. I give this site 8 Pentacles because the site was created to educate but it is rather difficult to infuse this site with everyday readings.

Every once in a while I would go back to ATA-Tarot, but after I visited the site and obtained the information I had been looking for, I decided to find a site that has real meanings for the cards. I gave a reading for a friend one day who happened to stumble onto a site that I appreciate almost as much ATA-Tarot. It is called Bewitching Ways. Though this site was only half of what I was looking for, I really like it and still use it today. The layout of the site is very organized which is why it gets very high marks from me, and I also like how each card is represented in its entirety, or at least as much as it can be. For example: if you want to know what the 7 of Cups means in a reading, I would suggest using this site. However, if you wanted to know the reversed of this card, this would not be the place to look. It gives that annoying little one word depiction list that, as I stated before, I simply do not like. Although, as opposed to The Mystic Eye, not everything on that list, I found, is completely useless. I have found at least one reasonable description for the reverse of every card represented in both the Major and Minor Arcana. I give this site 7 Pentacles because it has been increasingly useful to me, yet in the way of reverse cards, I have to look elsewhere.

I am still on the search for more sites and short description booklets and would be very happy if you had any suggestions on something I could look at. You can e-mail me at BrianJ626@hotmail.com if you know of something that you would like to suggest to me or would like me to review. I doubt I can give you a next day response on anything you want me to review, but I promise to give an efficient response.

Brian Johnson is an eclectic Eastern Mystic and an enquiring occult student.

May 2008

May 2008
1. Thursday-Color Purple- Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary- Beltane- Order of the Illuminati formed in 1776- Waning moon- Feast of St. Peregrin Laviosi- patron of cancer suffers
2. Friday- Color White- DJ Conway born- Waning moon- Kite Day (Japan)
3. Saturday- Color Black- Holy Cross Day- Waning moon- Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland and James the Lesser, patron of the dying and St.s Philip and James, patrons of Uruguay.
4. Sunday- Color Yellow- New York woman brought up on charges of witchcraft by her neighbor 1895. Waning moon. St. Florian patron of Firefighters
5. Monday- Color Ivory- Cinco de Mayo- Waxing moon
6. Tuesday- Color Scarlet- Waxing Moon- Martyr’s Day (Middle East)
7. Wednesday- Color Brown- Waxing moon.
8. Thursday- Color Turquoise- Waxing moon- French Liberation
9. Friday- Color Rose- Joan of Arc canonized 1920. 1st day of the Feast of Lemuria, the feast of the dead in Ancient Roman Culture. May have been the forerunner of Samhain. Waxing moon.
10. Saturday- Color Blue-Birthday of singer and activist Paul Hewson aka Bono of U2. 1st day of the feast of the birds celebrating the beasts of the air. Waxing moon. St. John of Avila- patron of clergy and St. Cathal- patron of hernia sufferers.
11. Sunday- Color Orange- Mother’s Day- American colony Puritans ban Christmas as a Pagan holiday. Waxing moon. St. Gengulf, patron of unhappy marriages.
12. Monday- Color Silver- Waxing Moon- Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
13. Tuesday- Color Grey- Waxing moon- Pilgrimage to Fatima
14. Wednesday- Color Topaz- The widow Robinson of Kiddermunster arrested for using magik to try to stop the return of King Charles II 1660.
15. Thursday- Color White- Feast of St. Dymphna, patroness of the mentally ill and the possessed. Waxing moon.
16. Friday- Color Copal- St. Honoratius, patron of millers, baker, and cake makers. Waxing moon
17. Saturday- Color Indigo- Waxing moon.
18. Sunday- Color Amber- Waxing moon.
19. Monday- Color Lavender- St. Celestine, patroness of book binders. Full moon.
20. Tuesday- Color Red- St. Bernardino of Siena, patron of advertisers. Full moon.
21. Wednesday- Color White- Gwyddion Pendderwen, Pagan Bard born 1946. Full moon.
22. Thursday- Color Green- St. Rita of Cascia, patroness of parenthood and infertility. Waning moon.
23. Friday- Color Pink- Waning moon.
24. Saturday-Color Grey- St. Mark patron of cattlemen. Waning moon.
25. Sunday- Color Gold- Scott Cunningham initiated into Wicca 1981. Waning moon.
26. Monday- Color White- Memorial Day- John Dee begins experimenting with crystal ball gazing 1581. Waning moon.
27. Tuesday- Color Black- Isobel Gowdie final confession to witchcraft without torture 1662- Waning moon.
28. Wednesday- Color Yellow- Ouija Board is patented by Elijah Bond. St. Germaine’s Day and St. Bernard’s Day- patrons of mountaineering and the Alps.
29. Thursday- Color Crimson- St. Bona, patron of flight attendants. Waning moon
30. Friday- Color Purple- Death of St. Joan of Arc, patroness of France. St. Ferdinand III of Castile, patron of persons in authority. Waning moon.
31. Saturday- Color Indigo- Mary Our Lady of Grace, patroness to military chaplains. Waning moon.

Zodiac Signs of the Month

Taurus-(April 20-May 20)- The Bull- The builder, practical and patient, steadfast, enjoys physical comfort, and well being, ruled by Venus. Loves art, beauty and music and creates deep friendships and love bonds, seeks harmony, cares for money and resources of people and things.

Gemini- (May 21-June 21)- The Twins- Magikal communication, adapting to change, new ideas and inspiration to writers.

Herb of the Month

Ginseng- the master of confidence, love, protection, and attracting love. Stimulates sluggish senses. Sovereign for recovering from illness. Use as a root, a powder or an elixir.

Tarot Card of the Month

The Ace of Wands

A hand in the heavens holding a large wand over a valley with a small white building in the background and a small stream in the foreground.

A new phase of life. Be confident and forge ahead.


Saint of the Month

ST. Joan of Arc
Feast Day May 30

St. Joan was born at Doremy in 1412 to a peasant farmer family. When she was 14, she had an aural visitation, which became an actual vision of saints Michael, Catherine, Margaret and other holy people. They revealed to her that she must show herself to the French forces and predict a loss. When the loss happened, Joan was given royal escort to present herself. There she requested the king give her a detachment of soldiers for the relief of Orleans, which was besieged. With much disbelief, the king did as she requested and even provided her with her own standard, the fleur de lis with the words Jesus and Mary. On the 8th of May, Joan and her men marched into Orleans and won it in battle and was herself wounded. She won further victories at Patay and Troyes. On July 17, 1429, Charles VII of France (the Dauphin) was crowned with Joan at his side.

Sadly this was the end of her victories and her visions began to fail her. The king of England captured her May 23, 1430. King Charles VII abandoned her to the English who tried her on February 21, 1431. She was accused of witchcraft and sorcery and for wearing men’s clothes. She was condemned as a heretic and on May 29, 1431 she was burned at the stake. She was eventually canonized May 16, 1920.


Spell of the Month

With the up swing of youth gone awry, this spell may help you deal with the more rowdy elements in the home or the neighborhood.

No More Delinquents
Paper Poppet
Incense (your choice)
4 Red Candles dressed in Myrrh

If known, write the name of the delinquent on the poppet. Surround the poppet with the red candles. Light a candle deosil after each verse

These candles I light do symbolize
The troubled soul thus inscribed
God give them strength to change
And become better each day

Here is love to guide their life
And keep the young one from strife
Hoping one day they will lead
A life of serving other’s needs

Understanding comes their way
Beginning now, this very day
For this child cannot manipulate
Nor will they be led astray

Now give me patience with this child
Because I can teach them to be mild
I can in straight paths this child lead
And guide them care for humanity

Child, grace and courage has come to your side to resist negativity in your life. For good you live and strive and a good name you take pride. Only that which is right stays forever in sight. A leader you will be for all humanity. Doing what’s right for the entire world to see.

Blessed Be and Merry Meet
As I will it, so mote it be.

Herb of the Month

Ginseng

The root of love, confidence, protection, and wisdom. Can be used as an aphrodisiac and as a stimulant. Known for its healing properties. Can be substituted with ginger.

May Essays

The Meaning of the Broom
Mother Meave Stardancer

I remember my mum used buy a new broom every year. The local blind school made them. What I loved the best about these brooms was what the brushes were round, bound with hemp cord with neatly cropped wheat straws. The old brooms would go to my uncle who would cut off the brush, sand stain and varnish the stick and put a rubber cap on them to use as canes. Most of the ladies of the neighborhood would give him their old broom and mop sticks that he would sell for 2 pounds.

I loved those brooms, I innately understood them. I knew they were more than simple housekeeping implements. They were powerful tools, weapons and symbols. Even long before I became a witch, I knew they were instruments of wise women and had their own energies hidden in the stick and the broom.

I remember watching the film “Bed knobs and Broomsticks”. Angela Landsbury played an apprentice witch in England at the beginning of World War II. I remember how excited she was when her broom arrived by post. When I went to university the first thong I ordered for my flat was a blind made broom. It arrived by post in a long box.

I became a witch in college. This was of course during the heady days of the 60’s. Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders had come screaming from the broom closet and there were a lot of debates about what was “witch” and what wasn’t. Many witches ignored the sweet broom for the sword and Athame and wand and staff. Brooms were far too annexed by Hollywood and secular Halloween. Few witches had a real ritual broom.

The first Brooms were simple bundles of sticks, twigs and straws to brush out the debris of daily living. As the simple brush evolved so did housing. Shelters became more permanent homes and cleaning needed to be more efficient. By simply adding a stick to the brush, the woman could be upright and sweeping could be a faster more thorough chore. Many superstitions began to evolve:

Sweep the house from the back to the front and you’ll sweep away bad luck.
If a lazy girl allows another woman to sweep around her, she will never marry.
Never bring an old broom (domestic, that is) to a new house.
If a broom falls, company is coming.

In some communities, a woman set her broom by her back door to tell her friends she was not at home. A broom by the back door with its brush up signaled she was home and open for visits and gossip.

In earlier times, villagers came together for mutual support. If defense was necessary the men might have a few swords among them but they also had pitchforks, axes, sickles, and scythes and staffs and clubs and hand knives. Women too had their weapons and her broom became her staff or club to fight with. The broom is a symbol of domesticity. If the man was the king of his castle, the woman is the queen of the hearth. The broom is her scepter.

How does the broom then become symbolic of the witch? Well there is an awful lot of codswallop about priaptic wands hidden in the brush and hobby horses and squeamish little details about witches flying brooms to black masses and murdering babies and doing things with the fat. The truth is, brooms are associated with witches because they are associated with women and the world of women. To demonize women is to demonize their tools: witness the cauldron filled with cats heads and toads, where once the cauldron was where the food came from, the recipe book which becomes the devils black book of spells, the hen party which turns into a coven. Why not the broom as well?

But, imagine the woman with her broom, sweeping her house, deep in thought over her family: Her worries over the harvest and her husband who sometimes works too hard, her child who may be ill, her friend with a difficult pregnancy. As she ponders deeper and deeper, as she sweeps she feels the tension flowing out, down to the floor, under the broom and out the door. Perhaps she prays as she sweeps. Then the broom becomes magikal.

Well, that’s the way I think it happened, anyway. You are free to disagree. In the meantime, I order my broom every year from the blind school and I have my ritual broom, decorated with symbols, ribbons, flowers and bits and pieces by my hearth. No witch should be without one.

Mother Meave Stardancer is a ritual toolmaker, herbalist and yoga instructor. She has been a witch for forty years. She lives in London with her husband and her dog Shelby.

Handfasting
By Sybil Greyraven

As spring comes thoughts of love bring us to the topic of Handfasting, the witch’s wedding ceremony. On of my first acts as a priestess of my Christo Pagan coven was to officiate a Handfasting ceremony. It was a lovely ritual in a public park for a lovely gay couple that wished to have their relationship solemnized.

Though not considered a legal ceremony (yet) it is a popular service or ritual. Surprisingly, I and other Crafters can confirm that it is popular among gay couples who still seek a religious wedding ceremony. This is despite the fact that no state or federal government regularizes same sex unions. These matters are of no concern for the witch priest or priestess (regardless of your tradition) Even Christian and Christo-Pagan priests and priestesses do not judge these couples that stand before us. We are taught; after all, that we are not to judge any man, that judgment is dangerous and thoughtless and goes against Christian and witchcraft philosophy.

There is no one set ritual for a Handfasting. The couple can write their own vows. Elements like music, flowers, candles, and other details can be added to a basic ritual. The format should include a processional or presentation, an introductory explanation of what Handfasting is, the exchange of vows and or rings, the lighting of a unity candle, the tying of wedding cords, stepping over the broom and final presentation of the couple.

Handfasting can be made for a year and a day and can be used to solemnize an engagement prior to a church/ legal wedding service. There may also be lifetime bindings. Some people celebrate periodic Handfastings throughout the relationship. The couple may Handfast for the traditional year and a day and at the five-year mark, the fifteen-year and the twenty-five-year mark, celebrating each phase in their relationship. Regardless of what you wish, the Handfast is a generous ritual that accommodates the need of each couple.

In the matter of money, the priest or priestess should not set a dollar amount but allow the beloved couple to make their own free will offering. There just simply is nothing like a wedding in the spring.

Sybil Greyraven is a Christo-Pagan and Python magician and illusionist performance artist. She makes Celto-Norse leather accessories. She lives in San Diego with her partner Nicodemus Starstag


Psychic Vampires
How to be your own Abraham Van Helsing
Isaac Littleowl

You have this friend you dread to see coming because you know that by the time they leave you will feel exhausted while they feel energized. They always say things like: “You always make me feel better” and they make you feel like the flu is coming on by the time you close the door on them. You may have even said something like “They would suck the sun from the sky” And you’d be right. You’ve just met a psychic vampire.

Sometimes people don’t know they are psychic vampires. This is usually because they are more than a little self-centered. They have very little sense of apathy and are never on hand to help anyone else in their time of need. To them, it is all about them.
They swear they hate the waves of trouble that wash over them, but we know they are drama queens and kings. They come for advice and ignore it because they love the trouble they are going through.

Magikally they want constant tarot readings, ask for charms and take no heed to your warnings. In short all they do is tire you out.

What should you do? Obviously you must rid yourself of the vampire. The most complete way is to cut yourself off, make yourself unavailable to them. I know you want to help them, but the thing is there is no helping them. They do not want your help. It may even take the drastic step of you telling them you cannot be their friend anymore. Keep in mind that the psychic vampire feigns emotions to their own purpose but the truth is the only honest emotions the psychic vampire feels is the self-motivated, self serving ones.

Then clean your house. Make a simple alcohol spritz with alcohol, garlic, salt and pepper and vinegar and spray it lightly around the house especially at doorways, windows, and even on the favorite chair of the psychic vampire. You may smell the faint scent of garlic around your house for a few days but as the scent dissipates, the residues of the psychic vampire do as well.

Isaac Littleowl is a Kabala teacher and Jewish Mystic in New Jersey.


The True Holy Grail
Marc the Wise

I remember the furor caused by Dan Brown’s book The DaVinci Code. Let me say on the outset there is no Priory of Sion, there are no bones of Mary Magdalene, and the person sitting on the right of Jesus in the DaVinci painting The Last Supper is not Mary Magdalene. If that figure is Mary Magdalene, then where is John the Beloved? Why aren’t there fourteen people sitting at the table?

The first remark I want to make is that Brown does nothing that a good episode of In Search Of or Mysteries of the Bible has done in the past. The legend that Christ married at Cana (some say this is why Mary tells him that there is no more wine) and lived an ordinary life including fathering children is an old one that has floated around for centuries.

The second remark I wish to make is Dan Brown’s book is pure fiction, drawing upon Judeo-Christian mythology, various anti-Catholic conspiracy theories and fractured art theory and his own imagination. The book isn’t even very articulate.

Mythology of the Holy Grail is the progression of ancient mythologies about cups or cauldrons of plenty, healing, and wisdom. These stories evolved as Christianity was thrown into the mix. It is a natural progression of the early religions to the Christian religion.

The story of the Holy Grail, that is the cup of the Last Supper, are romantic medieval tales where the knights bold and true and pure of heart went out to find the thing that would heal the king and country. It may be a moot point but I would like to point out Celtic kings could have no blemish, no wounds, no disease, no defect of mind and as pre-Christian Celtic become Semi Christian Celtic kings (like the archetype of Arthur) where Christian images and themes begin to mix and eventually supplant ancient Pagan themes.

Legendary stories of the Christ and his marriage to Mary Magdalene were a part of medieval mythos and this is where this mythos seems to begin. The myth seems to reflect the growing Christian supremacy and the lingering Pagan imagery.

These tales float around for centuries and are the subjects of early religious art and story telling and as this is happening the Church goes through periods of both peaceful and violent transformations with the reformation and the counter reformation and periods of Inquisition and witch hunts and Jew baiting and Crusades. It is from these periods of turmoil within the Church that the stories are the most pervasive.

Something incredible then happened in the twentieth century. In the late 1940’s a young boy found a collection of scrolls that seem to suggest there is more to the New Testament than the orthodox religions would like to admit. They are intriguing and capture the imagination but are worthless unless you can read them in the original languages. They have special insight into the lives of early Christians who heard not only the gospels we are familiar with but heard mythos that were already forming even during Christ’s life. Remember, Christ even asks the disciples “What do they say of me, who do people say that I am?” But these writings which may have been very important to read for people of the Christian faith except that their authenticity is compromised by the attempt to translate into Elizabethan English to seem a part of the King James version of the Bible.

In the 1960’s and the rise of feminism there was a sudden surge in interest in the old Jesus and Mary Magdalene are married theory.

But what about Jesus’ blessed Mother? Mary of Nazareth was a direct descendant of King David. According to Church Theology Mary was preserved from the stain of original sin, “Full of Grace” she is called. When she was 15 and 16 years old she is betrothed to Joseph who may have been considerably older than her and may have had children from a previous marriage (women often died in childbirth was not uncommon). This would account for Jesus having brothers and sisters in the Bible. At about the same time, Mary of Nazareth is visited by an angel and told she would be the mother of the Son of God. Then we are told that the Spirit of God overshadowed her and she conceived a child. The church then teaches us that she remains a sexual virgin all her life. (A fact argued by Protestants all over)

Feminists also ignore Mary, the mother of Christ. She is, they contend, a prisoner of God, prisoner of her grace and her virginity and her submission to a patriarchal system. I’m glad God didn’t have to depend on modern women to have the Son of God. We’d still be waiting for his birth.

Mary Magdalene reflects the woman of liberation. She was the woman possessed by the Devil (no, she was never a whore, the Church confused her with the woman taken into adultery and the woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.) She traveled with Jesus, preached in her own ministry and saw Jesus on the day of resurrection.

But was she Jesus’ wife? Very doubtful. Jesus would have been allowed to marry according to Jewish Law, this is very true, but Jesus also knew his mission on earth was not to have a family and begin a dynasty. He was sent to preach and to die an ignoble death and to be resurrected.

We are tempted to humanize Jesus but we don’t wish to embrace the human Jesus we see as revealed in his Passion. We know that we are the reason he is suffering. And it is his physical self that is suffering, the flesh that is suffering, the flesh that he has from his mother. From the Woman of Grace comes a Son of David. Jesus royal bloodline comes from his mother, who is of the direct line of King David,

Do you wish to find the true Holy Grail? And I do not speak of some supper cup lost to the ages in the dust of time. It is found in the womb of a woman. Not the womb of Mary Magdalene, but in the womb of Mary of Nazareth, the Virgin Mother of the Son of God.

Marc the Wise is a twenty-five year Pagan witch who teaches theology in Oklahoma. He believes that Christianity is simply a natural progression of the Pagan religion and is excited to see how Christianity changes fifty years from now.