A Little Wicked Wisdom

It is amazing to think…

I have been writing this blog, and a couple of others, for several years now. I write solely for myself, but really appreciate the readers I have. I don’t filter my writing to be politically correct, or socially acceptable. I believe both are a waste of time.

If we were to stand face to face and have a conversation; you would find I speak exactly the same as I write. I don’t change myself to suit others. This world is already way to full of people judging people. I don’t have the time, or the inclination to join the mass hysteria.

I am a small town, bible belt living, bi-sexual, Book of Shadows totting Witch. I stir up controversy the second I step out my front door. I fight multiple stereotypes every chance I get, but only with words. I don’t have a taste for violence – I wouldn’t be a Witch if I did. I am also not a pacifist. You hurt my family, kids, animals, or friends – anyone I care about and the hexes come out.

I know I will face the consequences of any negative actions I perform. Call it karma, the three-fold law, whatever you prefer. I try to keep my words soft, my actions softer, but I will not back down from a fight. Insults are just words. They generally don’t ruffle my feathers. And, if one wishes to discuss religion vs. spiritual beliefs I’m up for the debate.

However, I do not appreciate emails from bible thumping groups depicting me as the devil, and all that is wrong with society. I do not even tolerate such issuances in my daily life.

What is wrong with society, and the bible thumping crowd, can be defined in one word: Ignorance.

Infer I am a Satanist, Devil worshiper, purveyor of evil and I say, “Thank you!” I know a couple of Satanists, and a couple of Lucifarian’s – fantastic, caring, loving, completely non-evil people. To be counted among them would be an honor.

Call me Christian, or Catholic, and I take offense. I do not wish to be associated with religious belief systems which have spurned more death then any Satanic group. The foundation of these belief systems is solidly built on death. The historic deception, deceit, lies, and coercion used in solidifying the basis of these religions is sickening.

If the ‘faithful’ of these belief systems would truly research the foundation of their dogma…they would not blindly follow them any further. How do I know? I didn’t blindly follow.

To the group who so wisely emailed me. Who wanted to bring to my attention my short comings; how the devil was leading me astray. Who wanted to bring me to the light. Let me say this:

Your ignorance is showing, and it is shameful!

First, you know nothing about me. Second, you are not “the way, the truth, the light.” You are closed minded, deceived, and hopelessly lost to an idea. I feel sorry for you. You are what is wrong with this world today.

Since I dislike sweeping generalizations, and the last paragraph was full of them. Let’s begin with the first part – you know nothing about me.
I may be from a small town, but that does not make me ignorant. I did blindly follow your belief system….until I started questioning. I was told to “take it on faith,” but wasn’t a fool. So, I studied. Studied, ..and studied,.. and was ordained,… and questioned more,… and hated the answers I was given,… and was disillusioned by what I was being force fed. There is a reason they call it ‘Blind Faith.’

The bible…the lovely, fictitious book; culled by a council of corrupt, pagan influenced, self-righteous men with an eye on controlling the populous. Did only what their predecessors had done before them. They used existing religious practices to define your valued doctrine. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look.

The cross – the most ancient and exalted human ideograms of the Sun. SUN not SON. Recognized throughout the world, and celebrated as a symbol of life by Buddhists, Greeks, Amerindians, Egyptians, and Christians. The cross dates back to the Paleolithic era. That is pre-Neolithic….long before bible decide to use it.

The cross also represented resurrection of the Sun. Oh, there’s the spelling thing again! Sun, not son. Such a small thing – especially if you’re a group of men looking to control a populace. If you add in the representation of Egyptian Anhk, which is the Just-Man crucified. You start forming the picture of how they decided on the crucifixion.

Oh, and let’s not forget Osiris-Dionysus (1000 BC) – the pagan fertility god who suffered persecution, was nailed upon a crucifix, died, and later rose from the dead. It just happened to be the dominant belief system where Christianity first flourished. Coincidence? Artifacts portraying Jesus on a crucifix weren’t found until the 5th century. Prior to that time artifacts depicted Jesus as the fish, or shepherd, but never on the cross.

Felix Marcus Minucius, one of the early Christian fathers even discredited the whole idea Christians worshiped the cross. Declaring:

“You it is, ye Pagans, who are the most likely to adore crosses. Your winning trophies not only represent simple crosses, but a cross with a man on it.”

That is only the cross. One small part. I haven’t even touched on the four gospels. Four gospels…four seasons…that one is hard to miss. Then there is the whole male dominant part. A male council decides the “God” of the bible is male – shocker!

To many early cultures, prior to the succession of Judeo-Christianity, the celebration of birth to death was key. Ceremonial figure heads were female. The Goddess was supreme through 3000-1100 BC. Christianity insists this cycle is reversed – a dead man literally came back to life.

Multitudes invented tales of resurrection to lead people astray. Pythagoras’ servant convinced the Scythians he had risen from the dead. Pythagoras himself did the same in Italy. What about Rhampssinitus in Egypt? Don’t forget Orpheus among the Odrysians, Protesiaus in Thessaly and Heracles and Theseus.

To Roman historians Christianity was seen as a new depraved and deadly superstition. The Sophist historian, Eunapius of Sardis, even described the destruction when literalist Christians came to power. He recorded that the Empire was being confounded by a “fabulous and formless darkness mastering the loveliness of the world.”
Before Christ, Jesus Christ, the original dying and resurrecting Solar gadman was known by many different names:

• In the Greco-Syriac myth, Adonis. Worshipped by women as the beautiful fertility god. Yearly carnivals called “Adonia” took place at Byblos and abroad to commemorate his demise and resurrection.
• In Egypt, it was the goddess Isis and the resurrected Osiris.
• In Anatolia, he was the youthful godman Attis, the Sun/Son of the goddess Cybele, who died, and three days later returned to life.
• In Babylonia, he was Tammuz worshiped by the goddess Ishtar. In the Old Testament, his disappearance is even mourned by the women of Jerusalem (Ezek. 8.14).
• In Greece, it’s the Thracian god Dionysus in honor of the goddess Demeter and Persephone. His fanatical priestesses were called Maenads. In Rome, they were called the Bacchantes.

I could keep going, but I think this post is long enough. I’m happy to talk with anyone via email, or otherwise. I am happy to listen to what you have to say. Just know that you will not convert me, or convince me. I am far too old, and have done far too much research.

That is why I do not follow a religion. I follow a spiritual path. I am polytheistic, no monotheistic. And I encourage everyone not to be blind followers. If you want some reading material pick up some of the following:

Pagans and Christians: Gus diZerega
The Christ Conspiracy: Acharya S
The God Gene: Dean H. Hamer
The God Delusion: Richard Dawkins
Beyond Belief, The Secret Gospel of Thomas: Elaine Pagels
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene: Jean-Yves Leloup

Do not let anyone, including me, tell you what to believe. Use that wonderful brain of yours and decide for yourself. Then do not expect others to believe as you do. Their life, their experiences, their surroundings, the events in their lives, are completely unique to them – and it is those things which have led them to the path they chose. Let them walk that path – judgment free!

Harm None and Blessed Be!

You Pray, I’ll Spell Away!

I love watching scary movies!

I love watching movies about magick, witchcraft, covens, and any number of other things. I watch them knowing full well I’m probably going to get irritated! Movie makers get it wrong…very, very wrong! They cave to stereotypes, and outdated thinking. It is a good thing I can’t reach through the TV screen and shake people!

A Solitary Witch works to start a coven. She’s portrayed as strong willed, ruthless, dark, dressed in black, and to be feared. Her goal is revenge on everyone around her. Her adversary is the local priest, and his followers. They pray, and throw holy water, and try to cast out the demon. Her evil cannot be allowed to go on. Her survival means the downfall of all humanity. The End of the World!

And every second I’m steaming; getting angrier and angrier because it is not an accurate portrayal. Oh! Then there is the movie line where a group of Witches – insert teenagers wearing black clothes and not conforming to the norm – is terrorizing the town. Breaking into houses, stealing priceless objects, and kidnapping local children. An old abandoned house is found with pentagrams, and upside down crosses spray painted all over the walls. And I’m supposed to believe these children are evil! Cursed! Demon Spawn! All the while it is some local hick who has a vendetta against the local Sherriff, or mayor, or government official, or…. And they perpetuate a stereotype, and I’m not supposed to get angry?

If they started portraying Christians for what they really are, I’m sure every church in the nation would be up in arms. The whole movie industry would be turned on its heals to “set the record straight!” There would be news reports, and riots, and drunkin’ rednecks kicking and screaming about injustice!

I don’t know if it is just because the Pagan community is passive, or if they believe it is a fight they can never win. Whatever the reason, the chirping of the crickets is far louder than the voice being raised saying, “ENOUGH!”

Yes, horror movies sell. Yes, Witches and Satan and evil are themes from ages past. Yes, even Witches, and Wizards, and Satanists, and Pagans, will spend the money to go to the theater to watch these mind numbing stereotypical movies. We’re guilty of helping to perpetuate a stereotype we scream needs to be abolished. What if, though, there was a middle ground?

What if, we stopped remaining silent and started fighting…Pagan style! Knowledge is the greatest weapon ever created. We have the power to use our knowledge to educate people to what our world is really like. To show them we’re not scary…well, most of us anyway. To show them our job is to help heal humanity. To improve life, and the natural balance.

We are here to, borrowing a phrase from the Christians, love thy neighbor. We don’t sacrifice children, but we may brew you up a strong cold medicine. We won’t steal your boyfriend, or girlfriend, with a love potion, but we may send you a blessing for a lasting relationship. We’re not going to sacrifice your favorite pet to a god or goddess whose name you can’t pronounce. We might mix up a salve for the poor animals winter worn paws.

Yes, you may find us in the dark wood, around a bonfire, dancing and chanting. Nature is our favorite place to be. I’ve been to church camp and have done the same thing! Only there they call it singing hymns and praising god. Different words, same meaning. Christians will say a prayer for you. I’ll say a spell, or invoke the angels. Just because we use different words does not mean what we do is evil. It is just different.

I brush my teeth before I brush my hair in the morning. You may brush your hair first. I put my left shoe on before my right. If I was left handed I may put on my right shoe first. There is no wrong way. Yet we’ve taken the simplest of things – spell vs. prayer – and cast a dark cloud over them. Then we’ve made movies about those things which further corrupt reality.

I could rant about this for days! It has been, and always will be, my biggest pet peeve. If I knew the solution, I wouldn’t be here ranting. Then again, maybe the ranting is the solution? If you can make one person think then that one person could be the one to change the world. If I would stop ranting and start doing something…I could be that one person!

So, the question I’m going to leave you with, is the same one I’ll be asking myself: “What can you do to change the world?”

Be true to yourself my friends, and Blessed Be!

Brewing Up Some Witchy-ness!

I was thinking about rituals. Probably due to the Summer Solstice and the great celebration we had. Also because I had one of my favorite things: Witch’s Brew. Call me crazy, but there is just something about a warm cup of Witch’s Brew.

I don’t remember where I got the recipe, or even when. I know I’ve had it for a long time. I use it every chance I get. I don’t need a ritual or celebration to brew up a batch. It is helpful though, because I can never make just a small batch!

To make the Witch’s Brew, you’ll need:

1 Gallon Apple Cider
1 Orange
1 Apple
3 Cinnamon Sticks
1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Handful Fresh Rose Petals

Pour the apple cider into a large kettle on low heat. If you’re lucky enough to have a kitchen cauldron, it is just the right size. Peel the orange, reserving the orange peel for later. Squeeze the juice into the apple cider. Discard the pulp. I keep the pulp for smoothies later, or add it to the compost bin. Depending on whether my stomach is growling at the moment, or not.

Now, core the apple and cut into ¼ inch slices. Add them to the mixture. Break the cinnamon sticks in half before adding. Then add them, along with the nutmeg.

The original recipe I have says to tear up the orange peel into 1 inch strips and add after you squeeze the orange juice in. I’ve always found it to give the brew a bit of an after taste if the orange peel is added to soon. So, I wait until after I’ve added everything else and the brew has been on the stove for at least an hour. Then I add the orange peel and leave it to brew an additional hour. Whatever you do, do not boil the brew! If it starts to boil reduce the heat.

After it has been on the stove for two hours, and you’ve added all the ingredients; remove it from heat and let cool. Add a handful of fresh rose petals right before you serve it.

I’ve had the brew warm and cold. It is delicious either way. It started out as a special occasion drink, but became too much of a favorite to save for just a couple days a year. It is also something I like to mix up for people who are looking for love. Instead of doing a love spell for them. The brew is the perfect love potion in itself.

If you break the brew down: Orange, apple, cinnamon, and rose petals all signify love, and nutmeg adds the fidelity. Simple, but effective in a time crunch; especially if you don’t have time to do a divination, or full blown ritual.

Enjoy the Brew, and Blessed Be My Friends!

Serving the Community

I have been reading everything I can find about Pagan support in communities. What I’m finding is….very little. And I’m frustrated.

Did you know the majority of American hospitals and hospices do NOT provide a pagan “chaplain”? For pagans facing death, difficult decisions, loss of family, there is no one available for them. Oh, well, there are of course the Christian and Catholic chaplains. We can’t forget about them.

That scares me. I don’t want to be lying in a hospital, again, and have my faith left in the hands of a chaplain who doesn’t believe as I do. I don’t want to be dying and have someone trying to “save” me. I want someone there who understands my beliefs. Who believes as I do. Someone willing to light the candles, cast the circles, burn the incense, and say a blessing. I want familiar.

Where does one start though to become a “chaplain”? Other than going to seminary. Is it enough to say, “I am Pagan, hear me roar!” and volunteer? Somewhere in my “there are always more rules then sanity” mind I know there has to be more to it. Someone, somewhere has worked their hardest to make sure “evil pagans” are kept out of acceptable society. A world where only “serious” chaplains should be allowed.

Yes, my frusrtation is growing. I would apologize, and in part do, but when you’ve heard the biased rhetoric for the majority of your life….your optimism fails a bit. What is worse is I know how large the pagan community is growing around here. Our groups grow by leaps and bounds constantly. And we’re still considered small by most standards.

Another thing…. local law enforcement. Are they trained to deal with ‘alternative religions’? That is probably a question I should ask my brother-in-law. In fact, that is a great idea. I mean seriously, how would our local law enforcement react to an occult crime? Would they turn it into a “satanic” crime, not knowing any better?

As our group grows, and as we become more open with our practices, it is something we really need to start thinking about. Putting together an educational class would be a good idea. Who would listen though? Where do we start?

My fear is, we will be doing all of this wonderful stuff for our pagan community and the outside world will start making our lives difficult because they don’t understand. I have read the transcripts of interviews conducted by police professionals. In fact, here is a short transcript of one interview:

Police Officer: “Do know anyone else who, or have you heard of anyone else who, practices the occult?”
Pagan Follower: “No. I don’t know of anyone who practices that kind of religion.”
PO: “Have you any knowledge of the use of statues in practicing the occult? What about the ritualistic killing of animals? Ritualistic dress, as in gowns, that type of thing? Do you have any books about witchcraft?”
PF: “Umm, Wicca witches and things like that? Yes in the kitchen?”
PO: “Wicca witches? What’s that?”
PF: “Well paganism, you don’t know about paganism?”
PO: “I don’t.”
PF” “It is not against the law. Paganism is basically about people who believe in mother Earth. It’s not witchcraft as in, you know, flaming voodoo sort of things.”
PO: “I have information that you were involved in devil-worshipping ceremonies. Have you ever been into devil worship?”
PF: “Not at all.”
PO: “The information we have is that it has taken place and that you did use it to dress up in a long white gown and wore masks, as did your wife, and that you carried out some sort of ceremony during which there was dancing, and that your children were dressed up in a similar manner to yourselves and there was music being played, described as Indian music. And also that during this, some form of chanting and praying took place. Further to that, there was information given to us that whilst this was being conducted, it was being videoed on a camcorder. Have you been in a position of seeing any videos which would depict serious sexual abuse? People being killed, and I’m not talking acting here? Have you ever drank the blood of a chicken? Have you ever witnessed anybody else doing that? Ever drink the blood of any other animal?”

This is where a little local law enforcement education might have came in handy. Movies and superstitions have made our lives complicated. We have to combate it with truth and education. The question becomes….where do we start?

It is something we need to be figuring out.

If anyone has ideas or suggestions, please feel free to email me. I will be more than happy to listen to anything you may have to add. I’m always glad to help and different view points.

For tonight though, I’ll continue in my reading and mayhaps do a quick inspiration ritual.

Blessed Be my friends, Blessed Be!

Enduring Evil Stereotypes

I have a bone to pick with the Movie and TV industry. A rather big bone. When they make movies, or TV shows, depicting Witchcraft as evil they perpetuate a stereotype. A stereotype many of us have been fighting hard to change.

I watched a show the other night where they blamed Satanism for a haunting and possession. It only showed their ignorance. The same show, the next night, brought in a “White Witch” to aid in a haunting.

First off let me clear something up – there is no such thing as a White Witch. There are those who claim to be White Witches but a true Witch is neither black nor white. A true Witch is many shades of grey. Magick, like people can be “tainted.” They can lean more toward good, or toward evil. Don’t believe me? Watch the news!

Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.

I’ve never liked the distinction of “good” or “evil.” Everyone has a dark side. Even I do, as much as I hate to admit it. When it comes to Magick and the craft though, I tend to the good side. The “Perfect Love and Perfect Trust” side. Any true Witch will tell you that you never enter a circle without perfect love and perfect trust. Add to that our mandate of “Harm None,” and evil doesn’t enter the equation.

You’ll find that I also defend the Satanic and Luciferian belief systems. Because I believe in the devil? No. I defend it because I know people of both belief systems. I also know what they believe. Their belief system, much to the chagrin of the Christian and Catholics, is much like their own. Most people don’t realize it simply because it is easier to watch a TV Show, or Movie, and believe the propaganda.

We make things we don’t understand evil. We perpetuate stereotypes out of ignorance. We are our own worst enemies. I blame Christianity! Oh I know I will receive hate mail with that statement. Before you send it though listen to my reasoning.

What are the two largest belief systems in the United States? Christianity and Catholicism. So, if they are the largest, with the most followers, what is the likelihood that they’re the executives of the large corporations making films and TV series? How many of them likely follow the inaccurate part of the bible which says, “Do not suffer a Witch to live?” And, what is the largest, better known, and commercialize stereotype there is? The depiction of a Witch as evil.

Granted I may be a bit biased but history shows me I have good reason to be. Sometime we’ll discuss that statement in detail. Of course, Christians would say, “The devil made me do it!” Thank goodness there is no devil in the Craft! There are only people who misrepresent the Craft, and lean toward the dark side. Every belief system has fanatics and black sheep. If you take them to represent the whole you’ll never give yourself to form your own opinion. You will lose out on some of the most fantastic and loving people.

One last thought –

The person next to you may just be a Witch, Druid, Shaman, Wiccan, Luciferian, or Satanist. Many of them are doctors, lawyers, dentists, pilots, administrative assistants, friends, family, and activists. They’re more than likely afraid to tell you what they truly believe. Their silence saves them from the ridicule they have encountered when they have shared their beliefs. Their fear will keep you from truly knowing them. No one should have to hide the biggest part of who they are.

So, the next time you watch a Movie/TV show depicting evil, remember it is your choice if you believe the stereotype or believe the neighborhood Witch.

Blessed Be my friends and neighbors!