I often see discussions around empaths, psychic attacks and curses and the usage of shields and wards. Commonly the person complaining about being attacked, cursed or overwhelmed asserts that they have shields up, they have their wards in place but whoever their assailant is can get around them.
The obvious answer is to change your system, it's clearly not working for you. But this seems to be met with a wall of "Wait, what? What do you mean change my system? It's a ward."
There isn't a single method. There isn't a single way of doing this that will always work every time. Attacks can take many forms and no single shield or ward will be infallible. If you give out information on how you've set your wards, you're effectively inviting someone to come and break them or get past them. I know people who would do it just for the practice.
So, in designing or reworking your wards, first you need to decide how you want them to work and what you're warding.
Do you want you or your property to be invisible? This can work, but you need to be specific about who it is invisible to and how that is determined. Does it require an invitation to find it? Does ordering pizza qualify as an invitation? I know that may sound silly, but I know of one person who went with this as an option and couldn't get anything at all delivered until they changed it. Is it invisible only to those with harmful intent towards you and yours? Many curses can be worked as blessings, will they sneak through?
Do you want your property to have the energetic equivalent of high fences with razor wire? This can also work, but again, you need to think of the specifics. Can anyone see through? How will the positive, wanted energies get through? The other thing to consider is that much like physical high fences and barbed wire, this kind of thing is like putting a big sign up saying "there's something worth protecting here". Have you ever paid attention to which houses get burgled most often? It's usually the ones with obvious security, these are the people who have stuff worth taking. Doing your energetic security in a similar way may attract all kinds of curious things. How strong is it really?
Do you want a solid impenetrable wall or bubble? I like this as a temporary measure now and then, but remember, if nothing can get in, then nothing can get out. And if nothing can get in, that means nothing at all, the positive will be excluded as well as the negative. Nothing moving in or out will make the environment inside stale after a while.
Do you want to set a guardian? A guardian can act as a warden or gatekeeper to monitor what comes in and allow access or block as needed. The type of guardian you choose and how you instruct them in their role will make a difference to the value they add. Will your guardian be an ancestor or spirit guide? Will it be a construct? How will you provide them with the energy required to fulfill their role? How will you maintain a good relationship with them? Are you wanting a single guardian or a team or the equivalent of a pack of guard dogs?
Will your wards be a single piece or different layers? Different layers will be more work and will take more thought in to what each layer will be comprised of. This isn't a bad thing. If your outside layer is something like "nothing to see here", it will deflect most of the frivolous types saving the serious juice for more determined attacks.
Will your wards be tied to an object or several objects? For personal shields, this can be a piece of jewellery. For a property, this could be charged items placed in the corners. Will your wards be affected if the item is moved or taken away altogether?
Do you have some sort of alarm or notification system built into your wards? Will you know if they're being tried? Will you know if they need more energy or a repair in a weak spot? Do you want to be advised as it's happening or would you rather do a check now and then?
I believe it's best to answer these questions for yourself, figure out what you want and work out a way to make it work from there. There are no right or wrong answers, there is only what works best for you in your particular situation. If you get it wrong for you, learn from it and fix it or change it to something else.
Experiment, make mistakes, learn from them. Rinse and repeat.
Blessings
Debbie
Showing posts with label Witchcraft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witchcraft. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 February 2020
Thursday, 7 March 2019
Self-examination and Doubt
Every so often, I get to wondering about the magic I have performed.
I wonder if the results I have gotten are real. Rather, I wonder if my actions and spells worked have had any effect at all to achieve the results that have occurred. I wonder if the ending would have been the same whether I did anything or not. Do I do these things as a way to fool myself that I'm actually doing anything useful? Am I using confirmation bias to justify the things I do?
Then I wonder if the results happen the way I wanted them, does it matter?
I am a firm believer in brutal self-honesty. I believe most magical journeys will include some aspect of this if the practitioner is to grow as a person, to be fair, most life journeys need this if anyone is to grow as a person.
The times when we look back over past events and ask ourselves how we could have done things differently, take responsibility for the times when we cast ourselves in the role of victim instead of perpetrator and the times when we realise that perhaps our own poor choices led us up that sorry path to an unpleasant event in our lives. Equally, it is important to recognise when things weren't your fault, when there was nothing useful you could have done and to forgive yourself for what you think you should have done but didn't.
There seems to be a popular idea that you should just let everything go, forget about it and move on. I dislike this concept intensely. It gives no closure, it gives no opportunity to learn from your mistakes or even to recognise that you made them and it gives no chance for you to grow into a better you.
The down side to doing this kind of work on yourself is that it can lead to doubts. Doubt in your abilities, doubt in your sense of self-worth and doubt in everything about yourself. As I started this talking about magic, let's also add doubt in your ability to create change in the world and perform successful magic.
Doubt is the magic killer.
Like the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear from the Dune series by Frank Herbert, doubt is destruction. For those unfamiliar with this classic work of science fiction:
Doubt is the magic killer. Doubt eats at your confidence to achieve results, doubt eats away at your purpose until the suggestions doubt makes replace your purpose. This isn't usually a conscious thing, this is the "what ifs" taking over. Doubt is failure. Facing your doubts and freeing yourself from doubts isn't necessarily as easy as allowing them to pass over and through you.
When I have a bout of self-examination and exploring past events I usually focus on the things that went wrong. The catastrophic and painful. I often forget about or gloss over my successes. This is where doubt is able to creep in.
Look equally at what went well. What do you think you did that made this event a success? How can you build that into more successes? Can you reasonably expect that to work again or will it need some tweaking to continue the momentum?
They don't have to be big successes. Some will seem like small ones until you weigh up what the opposite effect would have been. Any success is as valuable and equally a learning opportunity just as much as a mistake would have been.
So when I'm in my "what if all my magic is me using superstition to fool myself that I make a difference" headspace, I remember the time that every car in my street was broken into and siphoned for petrol except mine, which I'd foolishly left unlocked in my driveway overnight. I remember when a stalker suddenly seemed to forget about me altogether. I remember when a friend's father who was not expected to last the week surprised the medical staff in the hospital by getting well and is still going strong months later.
It genuinely might be purely coincidence, I accept that. But I got the results I wanted so does it matter?
Blessings
Debbie
I wonder if the results I have gotten are real. Rather, I wonder if my actions and spells worked have had any effect at all to achieve the results that have occurred. I wonder if the ending would have been the same whether I did anything or not. Do I do these things as a way to fool myself that I'm actually doing anything useful? Am I using confirmation bias to justify the things I do?
Then I wonder if the results happen the way I wanted them, does it matter?
I am a firm believer in brutal self-honesty. I believe most magical journeys will include some aspect of this if the practitioner is to grow as a person, to be fair, most life journeys need this if anyone is to grow as a person.
The times when we look back over past events and ask ourselves how we could have done things differently, take responsibility for the times when we cast ourselves in the role of victim instead of perpetrator and the times when we realise that perhaps our own poor choices led us up that sorry path to an unpleasant event in our lives. Equally, it is important to recognise when things weren't your fault, when there was nothing useful you could have done and to forgive yourself for what you think you should have done but didn't.
There seems to be a popular idea that you should just let everything go, forget about it and move on. I dislike this concept intensely. It gives no closure, it gives no opportunity to learn from your mistakes or even to recognise that you made them and it gives no chance for you to grow into a better you.
The down side to doing this kind of work on yourself is that it can lead to doubts. Doubt in your abilities, doubt in your sense of self-worth and doubt in everything about yourself. As I started this talking about magic, let's also add doubt in your ability to create change in the world and perform successful magic.
Doubt is the magic killer.
Like the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear from the Dune series by Frank Herbert, doubt is destruction. For those unfamiliar with this classic work of science fiction:
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.As an affirmation or mantra, this is not particularly useful. Fear is the main concept focused on and emphasised and this will build fear. So I'm not suggesting that this be reworded to use doubt instead of fear. But the way fear is talked about in this quote is useful for discussion purposes.
Doubt is the magic killer. Doubt eats at your confidence to achieve results, doubt eats away at your purpose until the suggestions doubt makes replace your purpose. This isn't usually a conscious thing, this is the "what ifs" taking over. Doubt is failure. Facing your doubts and freeing yourself from doubts isn't necessarily as easy as allowing them to pass over and through you.
When I have a bout of self-examination and exploring past events I usually focus on the things that went wrong. The catastrophic and painful. I often forget about or gloss over my successes. This is where doubt is able to creep in.
Look equally at what went well. What do you think you did that made this event a success? How can you build that into more successes? Can you reasonably expect that to work again or will it need some tweaking to continue the momentum?
They don't have to be big successes. Some will seem like small ones until you weigh up what the opposite effect would have been. Any success is as valuable and equally a learning opportunity just as much as a mistake would have been.
So when I'm in my "what if all my magic is me using superstition to fool myself that I make a difference" headspace, I remember the time that every car in my street was broken into and siphoned for petrol except mine, which I'd foolishly left unlocked in my driveway overnight. I remember when a stalker suddenly seemed to forget about me altogether. I remember when a friend's father who was not expected to last the week surprised the medical staff in the hospital by getting well and is still going strong months later.
It genuinely might be purely coincidence, I accept that. But I got the results I wanted so does it matter?
Blessings
Debbie
Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Bread magic
While doing some research for something else today, I came across a reference to Bread magic. There was one small example, but nothing more.
That example was blessed bread broken into quarters and placed in the corners of a barn to protect the stored crops.
There was so much more that could have been suggested under this heading, so many ideas that I have and things others have spoken about. Why was this not included? So I have chosen to address that lack.
Bread (in various forms) has long been used in ritual and religious ceremony as well as having strong cultural meanings. The word companion comes from Latin com - "with" and panis - "bread". In Central and Eastern Europe, offering guests bread and salt is part of a welcoming ceremony and has been written about in plenty of medieval culture fiction books as a way of ensuring guest rights and responsibilities.
The phrase "to break bread" with someone is commonly used to describe not just a meal shared but also a sense of camaraderie, of meaningful connection, of friendships formed or maintained.
In Abrahamic religions, bread has significance. From eating Matzo at Passover to the bread of the Eucharist, bread features strongly. In Islam, bread is representative of all food in general. In Ancient Egypt, bread was left as offerings to Gods and ancestors as well as being symbolic of all food.
In many Pagan Traditions, bread is a common offering for Gods, spirits and ancestors. It's sometimes part of the cakes and ale commonly at the end of ritual.
The process of making bread has so many opportunities for magical work. Getting the yeast started and frothy - a wish could be made or a purpose declared with the sugar and yeast and visualised as growing with the froth and bubbles.
I find kneading my dough to be quite a meditative process even when I'm not adding magic. So using it for raising energy seems like an obvious step.
Shaping the dough is where, for me, the magic really comes to life. Someone has hurt you? A bread poppet, possibly stuffed with other things, then left out for the birds to peck to bits. Want to draw something to you? Shape the dough into a sigil or representation of what you want to bring into your life. Consuming the bread is bringing it more literally into your life and yourself. The possibilities for this are limited only by your imagination. Make a protective sigil out of bread, varnish it and keep it stored forever. Create a blessing for your crops and bury it in your garden. Some healing magic? Add some beneficial (and culinary) herbs to your dough and eat your way to good health - or gift it to someone who needs it.
We can't forget Lammas, quite literally a Bread Festival as Lammas comes from Loaf Mass. Although it was originally tied to the first grain harvest, for many who are not in an agricultural setting, Lammas is all about baking bread and breaking bread. Many modern pagans have their own bread recipes and associated bread magic for Lammas.
There are often bread recipes offered for each Sabbat on many blogs, websites and in books. Many seem to have little association with the Sabbat except perhaps in some subtle way known only to whoever is publishing it. That said, I would still encourage trying the recipes and seeing if they work for you.
Have some fun with bread and use your imagination!
Blessings
Debbie
That example was blessed bread broken into quarters and placed in the corners of a barn to protect the stored crops.
There was so much more that could have been suggested under this heading, so many ideas that I have and things others have spoken about. Why was this not included? So I have chosen to address that lack.
Bread in History and Culture
Bread (in various forms) has long been used in ritual and religious ceremony as well as having strong cultural meanings. The word companion comes from Latin com - "with" and panis - "bread". In Central and Eastern Europe, offering guests bread and salt is part of a welcoming ceremony and has been written about in plenty of medieval culture fiction books as a way of ensuring guest rights and responsibilities.
The phrase "to break bread" with someone is commonly used to describe not just a meal shared but also a sense of camaraderie, of meaningful connection, of friendships formed or maintained.
In Abrahamic religions, bread has significance. From eating Matzo at Passover to the bread of the Eucharist, bread features strongly. In Islam, bread is representative of all food in general. In Ancient Egypt, bread was left as offerings to Gods and ancestors as well as being symbolic of all food.
In many Pagan Traditions, bread is a common offering for Gods, spirits and ancestors. It's sometimes part of the cakes and ale commonly at the end of ritual.
Making Bread
The process of making bread has so many opportunities for magical work. Getting the yeast started and frothy - a wish could be made or a purpose declared with the sugar and yeast and visualised as growing with the froth and bubbles.
I find kneading my dough to be quite a meditative process even when I'm not adding magic. So using it for raising energy seems like an obvious step.
Shaping the dough is where, for me, the magic really comes to life. Someone has hurt you? A bread poppet, possibly stuffed with other things, then left out for the birds to peck to bits. Want to draw something to you? Shape the dough into a sigil or representation of what you want to bring into your life. Consuming the bread is bringing it more literally into your life and yourself. The possibilities for this are limited only by your imagination. Make a protective sigil out of bread, varnish it and keep it stored forever. Create a blessing for your crops and bury it in your garden. Some healing magic? Add some beneficial (and culinary) herbs to your dough and eat your way to good health - or gift it to someone who needs it.
Lammas
We can't forget Lammas, quite literally a Bread Festival as Lammas comes from Loaf Mass. Although it was originally tied to the first grain harvest, for many who are not in an agricultural setting, Lammas is all about baking bread and breaking bread. Many modern pagans have their own bread recipes and associated bread magic for Lammas.
There are often bread recipes offered for each Sabbat on many blogs, websites and in books. Many seem to have little association with the Sabbat except perhaps in some subtle way known only to whoever is publishing it. That said, I would still encourage trying the recipes and seeing if they work for you.
Have some fun with bread and use your imagination!
Blessings
Debbie
Monday, 20 March 2017
Hexing, Jinxing, Cursing and Binding
The Mass Binding of Donald Trump came up on a local group that I'm in.
As you can probably imagine, all the usual pearl-clutching and wailing about the consequences of taking part followed. I patiently tried to explain the origins of threefold law, that it's not that simple and that it's a belief you need to buy into to have an effect. I received a terribly funny condescending response from a girl younger than my oldest daughter telling me that it didn't matter what I believed, it was a law and would happen whether I believed it or not.
Such things continued rather predictably, apparently they're entitled to their beliefs and I'm not entitled to mine if they're different and so on. Then one absolute gem of a respondent piped up. I should trust him, my soul is in danger and I need to do some serious cleansing, my soul will thank me for it. Blah blah blah.
Then I got a rather arrogant and terribly funny private message demanding I explain myself (because Hexing is Baaaaaaad) or he'd be forced to name and shame me and ban me from anything to do with their society.
It was the best belly laugh I've had in about a year. I am open that I will hex and curse and bind where I see it's needed. I have never had a backlash or bad consequences follow. I am also smart enough not to blame the slightest little bit of bad luck or misfortune on anything than what actually caused it. I don't see a hoofprint and expect to see a unicorn. So, since I am so open about it, just who is he planning to name and shame me to? What is this society that I'll be banned from? Who is this guy anyway and why should I change or edit myself to suit him?
I've been active in our local community for most of the last 15 years. I ran coffee meets for about 10 years, I've run several Pagan Festivals and I've had the only Pagan and Witchcraft stall at the Body Mind Spirit Festival for 12 years - although to be fair, there was a new one at the last festival. I was part of a group that ran open sabbats and esbats in Christchurch.
As such, I know most of the people worth knowing in our local community. Before his arrogant assumption of group conscience, I had never heard of him.
I have met busybodies of his sort before, they believe they have some sort of responsibility for the "spiritual wellbeing" of a group, they are self-appointed in this role and are usually overbearing, filled with expectations of gratitude for providing a service that is neither needed or wanted. I have never seen it end well for the person concerned.
Anyway, because it was so politely requested (*eyeroll*) I have decided to "explain myself", just so that we're completely clear on my views.
I will hex, curse and bind where I see a need. However, that need must be genuine and not something I do lightly. A decent curse or binding takes planning and work, it takes my time and energy and for me to bother with one requires more than boredom and feeling a little offended. I am not going to throw down because someone insulted me on the internet or hurt my feelings in some way. I'm a big girl, I can cope without resorting to petty revenge.
I am specific in my curses and bindings. I make it clear exactly what outcome I am working for. Whether that is the target suddenly starts to take responsibility for their past deeds, or they are unable to speak falsehood or gossip regarding specific people or that they get horribly sick from their continued alcohol abuse or they see people they've been favouring for who they really are.
While I have worked on behalf of others and will continue to do so, that also requires an explanation of why it's needed and for me to believe that it's necessary. I don't do it for just anyone either, only people who are important to me in some way.
The only way a curse ever backfires or has a backlash is when you believe it will and you build it into your magic unconsciously. Or when you plan and craft your spell badly without proper attention to detail. There may be unintended consequences that come from poor planning and a lack of attention to detail, as with any spell crafting.
A well-planned and crafted spell cast with no guilt or expectations of backlash should cause no issues to anyone except the intended target. You have to mean it, you have to know (not just believe) you're doing it for reasons that are right to you and you need to be certain that you know what you're doing.
So to be clear, I do not and will not recommend firing off a curse whenever you feel a bit pissy, someone disagrees with you or for any real or imagined slight you suffer. Raping my daughter and claiming it was consensual - that will get you bound and cursed. Continuously attempting to sabotage my place of employment - that will get a lesser curse. Repeated stalking and harrassment of people who matter to me - that curse is ongoing and cumulative.
Blessings
Debbie
As you can probably imagine, all the usual pearl-clutching and wailing about the consequences of taking part followed. I patiently tried to explain the origins of threefold law, that it's not that simple and that it's a belief you need to buy into to have an effect. I received a terribly funny condescending response from a girl younger than my oldest daughter telling me that it didn't matter what I believed, it was a law and would happen whether I believed it or not.
Such things continued rather predictably, apparently they're entitled to their beliefs and I'm not entitled to mine if they're different and so on. Then one absolute gem of a respondent piped up. I should trust him, my soul is in danger and I need to do some serious cleansing, my soul will thank me for it. Blah blah blah.
Then I got a rather arrogant and terribly funny private message demanding I explain myself (because Hexing is Baaaaaaad) or he'd be forced to name and shame me and ban me from anything to do with their society.
It was the best belly laugh I've had in about a year. I am open that I will hex and curse and bind where I see it's needed. I have never had a backlash or bad consequences follow. I am also smart enough not to blame the slightest little bit of bad luck or misfortune on anything than what actually caused it. I don't see a hoofprint and expect to see a unicorn. So, since I am so open about it, just who is he planning to name and shame me to? What is this society that I'll be banned from? Who is this guy anyway and why should I change or edit myself to suit him?
I've been active in our local community for most of the last 15 years. I ran coffee meets for about 10 years, I've run several Pagan Festivals and I've had the only Pagan and Witchcraft stall at the Body Mind Spirit Festival for 12 years - although to be fair, there was a new one at the last festival. I was part of a group that ran open sabbats and esbats in Christchurch.
As such, I know most of the people worth knowing in our local community. Before his arrogant assumption of group conscience, I had never heard of him.
I have met busybodies of his sort before, they believe they have some sort of responsibility for the "spiritual wellbeing" of a group, they are self-appointed in this role and are usually overbearing, filled with expectations of gratitude for providing a service that is neither needed or wanted. I have never seen it end well for the person concerned.
Anyway, because it was so politely requested (*eyeroll*) I have decided to "explain myself", just so that we're completely clear on my views.
I will hex, curse and bind where I see a need. However, that need must be genuine and not something I do lightly. A decent curse or binding takes planning and work, it takes my time and energy and for me to bother with one requires more than boredom and feeling a little offended. I am not going to throw down because someone insulted me on the internet or hurt my feelings in some way. I'm a big girl, I can cope without resorting to petty revenge.
I am specific in my curses and bindings. I make it clear exactly what outcome I am working for. Whether that is the target suddenly starts to take responsibility for their past deeds, or they are unable to speak falsehood or gossip regarding specific people or that they get horribly sick from their continued alcohol abuse or they see people they've been favouring for who they really are.
While I have worked on behalf of others and will continue to do so, that also requires an explanation of why it's needed and for me to believe that it's necessary. I don't do it for just anyone either, only people who are important to me in some way.
The only way a curse ever backfires or has a backlash is when you believe it will and you build it into your magic unconsciously. Or when you plan and craft your spell badly without proper attention to detail. There may be unintended consequences that come from poor planning and a lack of attention to detail, as with any spell crafting.
A well-planned and crafted spell cast with no guilt or expectations of backlash should cause no issues to anyone except the intended target. You have to mean it, you have to know (not just believe) you're doing it for reasons that are right to you and you need to be certain that you know what you're doing.
So to be clear, I do not and will not recommend firing off a curse whenever you feel a bit pissy, someone disagrees with you or for any real or imagined slight you suffer. Raping my daughter and claiming it was consensual - that will get you bound and cursed. Continuously attempting to sabotage my place of employment - that will get a lesser curse. Repeated stalking and harrassment of people who matter to me - that curse is ongoing and cumulative.
Blessings
Debbie
Monday, 15 August 2016
Magic With Jars
I've always been a big proponent of use what you have and find what works. It never ceases to amaze me how often people feel hamstrung by not having the "right" things for the spell they want to perform.
Let me introduce the humble jar. It might be a preserving jar, a plastic peanut butter jar or a large fancy decorative jar. The uses for it are limited only by your imagination. Below I've provided a few ideas to stir up that imagination.
As with any spell, it's important to be clear and specific about what you want. Vague spells get vague (or no) results. Charging, empowering, energising (however you look at it or whatever you call it) is also absolutely essential. Otherwise, it's no different to the jar on the windowsill that all the little stuff (buttons, pins, paperclips) that might be useful one day gets stored in.
Any of these could be stand alone work or used in conjunction with any other type of spell.
Honey and Sugar Jars (or bowls or saucers) for sweetening people are common in Hoodoo, Rootwork and American Folk Magic.
Write the name of the person needing sweetening and place it in the jar. Alternatively, you can combine petition magic with this and write a letter or explanation of the situation that needs sweetening. Fill the jar with sugar, honey, molasses, syrups, jams - anything that is sweet can work.
Some dress a candle and burn that on top or beside the jar, some do this repeatedly until they get their results.
This can be used for a job spell to make the potential employer favour you, to attract someone to you, to resolve conflict in your favour, in court cases, to soothe someone who is upset at you or to stop or prevent abuse of any sort against you. Any situation where someone needs a little sweetening up.
This is a well-known and common jar spell used for personal (and family) protection.
Fill a jar with nails, broken glass, sharp and nasty stuff. Fill it with your own urine, add some blood or hair or other bodily fluids. Seal it and tuck it away hidden somewhere on your property. Under the floor, inside a wall or buried in the garden are popular places.
The personal links act as a decoy for you. Anything sent your way goes to the jar instead of you, then the sharp nasties trap it there and tear it apart.
Any money spell can work in a jar. Fill it with money drawing components, add a magnet and some coins. Be specific about how you want money to come to you. You could add your spare change to this when you think of it and have a magnifying component. You could write yourself fake cheques from the "Bank of Life". You could add a money powder or bank statements or something to represent goals that you need money for.
It might help to decorate the jar and leave it somewhere you can see it often.
Leave the lid off or you will block the money from coming to you.
A jar can work in place of both poppet and thing to contain or bind the poppet. Put the person inside the jar (photo, personal links, names or a poppet), you could bind the jar, or bind the links inside the jar.
This can also be used to calm someone down when they're a bit over the top in any fashion. I know a lady who "bottles" her husband when his exuberance gets to be too much.
The jar could be filled with sharp nasties as in the Protection Jar, poisonous or thorny plant matter, animal faeces, toxic or unpleasant insects or their houses (ant hills, wasp nests, spider webs) or any other unpleasant items you can think of. Add the person's name, photo, a personal link or sample of their handwriting. You could also add water collected during a thunderstorm or black water from a septic tank.
I'm sure by now, you can see a pattern. Put your spell components or sympathetic components into the jar, add your target or purpose, charge it up and seal. This list is only a few ideas that I see or use most commonly, use your imagination for any other uses.
Blessings
Debbie
Let me introduce the humble jar. It might be a preserving jar, a plastic peanut butter jar or a large fancy decorative jar. The uses for it are limited only by your imagination. Below I've provided a few ideas to stir up that imagination.
As with any spell, it's important to be clear and specific about what you want. Vague spells get vague (or no) results. Charging, empowering, energising (however you look at it or whatever you call it) is also absolutely essential. Otherwise, it's no different to the jar on the windowsill that all the little stuff (buttons, pins, paperclips) that might be useful one day gets stored in.
Any of these could be stand alone work or used in conjunction with any other type of spell.
Honey Jar
Honey and Sugar Jars (or bowls or saucers) for sweetening people are common in Hoodoo, Rootwork and American Folk Magic.
Write the name of the person needing sweetening and place it in the jar. Alternatively, you can combine petition magic with this and write a letter or explanation of the situation that needs sweetening. Fill the jar with sugar, honey, molasses, syrups, jams - anything that is sweet can work.
Some dress a candle and burn that on top or beside the jar, some do this repeatedly until they get their results.
This can be used for a job spell to make the potential employer favour you, to attract someone to you, to resolve conflict in your favour, in court cases, to soothe someone who is upset at you or to stop or prevent abuse of any sort against you. Any situation where someone needs a little sweetening up.
Protection Jar (also known as a Witches Bottle or Bellarmine Jar)
This is a well-known and common jar spell used for personal (and family) protection.
Fill a jar with nails, broken glass, sharp and nasty stuff. Fill it with your own urine, add some blood or hair or other bodily fluids. Seal it and tuck it away hidden somewhere on your property. Under the floor, inside a wall or buried in the garden are popular places.
The personal links act as a decoy for you. Anything sent your way goes to the jar instead of you, then the sharp nasties trap it there and tear it apart.
Money Jar
Any money spell can work in a jar. Fill it with money drawing components, add a magnet and some coins. Be specific about how you want money to come to you. You could add your spare change to this when you think of it and have a magnifying component. You could write yourself fake cheques from the "Bank of Life". You could add a money powder or bank statements or something to represent goals that you need money for.
It might help to decorate the jar and leave it somewhere you can see it often.
Leave the lid off or you will block the money from coming to you.
Binding Jar
A jar can work in place of both poppet and thing to contain or bind the poppet. Put the person inside the jar (photo, personal links, names or a poppet), you could bind the jar, or bind the links inside the jar.
This can also be used to calm someone down when they're a bit over the top in any fashion. I know a lady who "bottles" her husband when his exuberance gets to be too much.
Curse Jar
A curse jar can be a specific one curse only item or for repeated usage.The jar could be filled with sharp nasties as in the Protection Jar, poisonous or thorny plant matter, animal faeces, toxic or unpleasant insects or their houses (ant hills, wasp nests, spider webs) or any other unpleasant items you can think of. Add the person's name, photo, a personal link or sample of their handwriting. You could also add water collected during a thunderstorm or black water from a septic tank.
I'm sure by now, you can see a pattern. Put your spell components or sympathetic components into the jar, add your target or purpose, charge it up and seal. This list is only a few ideas that I see or use most commonly, use your imagination for any other uses.
Blessings
Debbie
Monday, 23 May 2016
Lenses and Filters
There's a person I've kind of known for some time now. Let's call them Fred. In the last few weeks, I've been talking with Fred more often and I have found myself realising that Fred is actually a good person and I really do like them. That might not sound like a big thing to realise, I know. But there is surprise with that realisation. I'm surprised to find that I like Fred. I am surprised to find that they're really a good person. This made me think.
It came to me that most of my interaction with Fred up until recently has been coloured by another person. We'll call them George. George has known Fred for longer than I have and doesn't have a particularly high opinion of them.
It shocked me that I'd only seen Fred through the lens of George's opinion. I had thought after being caught out by this sort of thing in the past, I'd learned from it. I had thought I'd be better able to recognise it.
It then occurred to me that seeing many things in life is often coloured by the lenses and filters provided by other people. This is a huge part of the conditioning we receive as children - our parents ideals and opinions shape the way we see the world, then the teaching we get at school, the books we read and the tv channels we choose to watch.
As an adult, I like to think that I'm past all that. Question everything is a huge part of my personal philosophy and I know I drive a lot of people a little bit nuts by questioning things they take as gospel. I play Devil's Advocate often when someone says something that I'm sure they haven't thought through very well. So it really did shock me when I realised that I'd allowed this to happen.
Why am I writing about this on a Pagan/Witchcraft blog? Because I feel it's relevant. Much of my frustration with the idiocies I have to deal with as an admin online comes from, I believe, the lenses and filters that people have. There are a heap of dreadful authors out there - this isn't news, I'm sure - many decent groups have a "recommended reading" section and a "books/authors to avoid" section. While we're busy bagging Silver RavenWolf, DJ Conway and Edain McCoy, there are still times when they were the first things we read and we still see our paths through the filters they initially provided.
This may be and probably is an unconscious thing for most of us. We haven't thought about where an aversion to something comes from, why we shy away from certain types of work or the way we still tend to think of Goddess as a generic all-encompassing Divine Feminine Cosmic Barbie Doll.
For me, much of my early days were Dianic. I found it unfulfilling and unbalanced and I found myself besieged by bestial masculine Gods who demanded Their share of my attention. But every now and then I still find myself seeing things from a Dianic point of view.
I think if we make a conscious effort to examine our ideas and beliefs every now and then we can take away the rosy tint, fuzzy focus or blinkers that our early learnings have placed over and around our vision. Make an effort to consider the whys and hows of what we think.
It can be brutal, I'm not going to lie to you. Any time you go through a process of honest self-examination, there are things you find that challenge the picture you have of yourself, that show you up to be not the person you think you are or aspire to be. The trick is to accept it, learn from it, change what needs changing and move on. If you allow yourself to wallow in self-loathing (which is easy to do), then it turns into a blame and punish situation rather than an opportunity to learn and grow.
Blessings
Debbie
It came to me that most of my interaction with Fred up until recently has been coloured by another person. We'll call them George. George has known Fred for longer than I have and doesn't have a particularly high opinion of them.
It shocked me that I'd only seen Fred through the lens of George's opinion. I had thought after being caught out by this sort of thing in the past, I'd learned from it. I had thought I'd be better able to recognise it.
It then occurred to me that seeing many things in life is often coloured by the lenses and filters provided by other people. This is a huge part of the conditioning we receive as children - our parents ideals and opinions shape the way we see the world, then the teaching we get at school, the books we read and the tv channels we choose to watch.
As an adult, I like to think that I'm past all that. Question everything is a huge part of my personal philosophy and I know I drive a lot of people a little bit nuts by questioning things they take as gospel. I play Devil's Advocate often when someone says something that I'm sure they haven't thought through very well. So it really did shock me when I realised that I'd allowed this to happen.
Why am I writing about this on a Pagan/Witchcraft blog? Because I feel it's relevant. Much of my frustration with the idiocies I have to deal with as an admin online comes from, I believe, the lenses and filters that people have. There are a heap of dreadful authors out there - this isn't news, I'm sure - many decent groups have a "recommended reading" section and a "books/authors to avoid" section. While we're busy bagging Silver RavenWolf, DJ Conway and Edain McCoy, there are still times when they were the first things we read and we still see our paths through the filters they initially provided.
This may be and probably is an unconscious thing for most of us. We haven't thought about where an aversion to something comes from, why we shy away from certain types of work or the way we still tend to think of Goddess as a generic all-encompassing Divine Feminine Cosmic Barbie Doll.
For me, much of my early days were Dianic. I found it unfulfilling and unbalanced and I found myself besieged by bestial masculine Gods who demanded Their share of my attention. But every now and then I still find myself seeing things from a Dianic point of view.
I think if we make a conscious effort to examine our ideas and beliefs every now and then we can take away the rosy tint, fuzzy focus or blinkers that our early learnings have placed over and around our vision. Make an effort to consider the whys and hows of what we think.
It can be brutal, I'm not going to lie to you. Any time you go through a process of honest self-examination, there are things you find that challenge the picture you have of yourself, that show you up to be not the person you think you are or aspire to be. The trick is to accept it, learn from it, change what needs changing and move on. If you allow yourself to wallow in self-loathing (which is easy to do), then it turns into a blame and punish situation rather than an opportunity to learn and grow.
Blessings
Debbie
Thursday, 10 March 2016
Warning Signs That a Leader or Teacher Might Be Unhealthy For You
I started to write a big long essay about warning signs in Pagan and magical groups (both online and in meatspace). Then I found Morgan Drake Eckstein's The top thirteen signs that a leader or esoteric group might be too rotten to bother with.
He covers it so much better than I would although I do want to add a few things to this. For a start, a perusal of :
The Advanced Bonewits' Cult Danger Evaluation Frame and see how it fits with the group that you're looking at. It can be scary how many facebook groups tick too many of these boxes, never mind offline groups that meet in person.
I'd also look at how questions are treated.
I ask a lot of questions. Sometimes it's because I don't understand how you managed to come to that conclusion and I'm trying to figure out the whys and wherefores. Sometimes it's to see if we're using the same word but have different meanings. Sometimes it's because I've never heard of what it is you're talking about and I'm always keen for a learning experience. And sometimes because by making you think about the questions I'm asking, I'm hoping you'll figure some things out for yourself.
The responses I get can be very telling of whether you're someone worth listening to, someone to just ignore or someone to run from. And I'm not just talking about the content of the response. I'm talking about the way in which the response comes.
Does the response seem angry? (As in "how dare you" rather than projected emotion). Does it seem to make them nervous? Does it get ignored or brushed off? Do you suddenly have a lot of others jumping in to tell you off for asking? Does it get treated as 'negativity' or 'being a smart arse'? Do you find your question has been deleted? Do you get a lot of waffly ramblings that skate around it but don't actually answer your question?
I treat all of these as warning signs. Sometimes it's warning you that they don't really know what they claim to know but won't admit it and sometimes it's a warning that you're dealing with a megalomaniac who's trying to control everyone. Sometimes it's a warning that there are mental health issues going on.
A worthwhile teacher or leader doesn't mind being questioned. As long as it's done with respect and not as a demand or expectation.
Another one that Morgan touches on but I wish to expand further is the following:
Morgan is speaking more of Ceremonial Lodges than the average pagan or witchcraft group, but this does carry over. The point I wish to highlight in this is the last part - all their knowledge comes from Secret Chiefs that only they are spiritually and magically advanced enough to meet. I've met self-appointed leaders who get all their information from "their guides" or "the Gods" or some special spirit they've channelled. Unless there is some way to verify the information, be very very careful.
A prime example of this type of thing is the Ramtha Cult.
One I've experienced claimed she had a channelled message from "the Goddess" for everyone at our ritual. I've never found the Gods shy about making their wishes known to me, they've never used the flowery "dear one" type language when talking to me and the instructions (and yes they were instructions) fit neatly in with what the channeller had been pushing for, but were completely against the direction my Gods had been pushing me. I left that ritual angry at her for her attempted manipulation of everyone present and for believing that we would be gullible enough to fall for it.
I'm sure there's more I've missed, I'm sure there's stuff that's become other people's personal red flags. These are just the main ones that I've experienced.
Blessings
Debbie
He covers it so much better than I would although I do want to add a few things to this. For a start, a perusal of :
The Advanced Bonewits' Cult Danger Evaluation Frame and see how it fits with the group that you're looking at. It can be scary how many facebook groups tick too many of these boxes, never mind offline groups that meet in person.
I'd also look at how questions are treated.
I ask a lot of questions. Sometimes it's because I don't understand how you managed to come to that conclusion and I'm trying to figure out the whys and wherefores. Sometimes it's to see if we're using the same word but have different meanings. Sometimes it's because I've never heard of what it is you're talking about and I'm always keen for a learning experience. And sometimes because by making you think about the questions I'm asking, I'm hoping you'll figure some things out for yourself.
The responses I get can be very telling of whether you're someone worth listening to, someone to just ignore or someone to run from. And I'm not just talking about the content of the response. I'm talking about the way in which the response comes.
Does the response seem angry? (As in "how dare you" rather than projected emotion). Does it seem to make them nervous? Does it get ignored or brushed off? Do you suddenly have a lot of others jumping in to tell you off for asking? Does it get treated as 'negativity' or 'being a smart arse'? Do you find your question has been deleted? Do you get a lot of waffly ramblings that skate around it but don't actually answer your question?
I treat all of these as warning signs. Sometimes it's warning you that they don't really know what they claim to know but won't admit it and sometimes it's a warning that you're dealing with a megalomaniac who's trying to control everyone. Sometimes it's a warning that there are mental health issues going on.
A worthwhile teacher or leader doesn't mind being questioned. As long as it's done with respect and not as a demand or expectation.
Another one that Morgan touches on but I wish to expand further is the following:
5. Does not cite sources – magical and spiritual knowledge does not grow in a vacuum. A leader or teacher who never mentions who taught them or the books that they have read is guilty of trying to conceal their past. If they try to conceal their past, then what else are they hiding? Especially troublesome are those who claim that all their knowledge comes from Secret Chiefs that only they are spiritually and magically advanced enough to meet.
Morgan is speaking more of Ceremonial Lodges than the average pagan or witchcraft group, but this does carry over. The point I wish to highlight in this is the last part - all their knowledge comes from Secret Chiefs that only they are spiritually and magically advanced enough to meet. I've met self-appointed leaders who get all their information from "their guides" or "the Gods" or some special spirit they've channelled. Unless there is some way to verify the information, be very very careful.
A prime example of this type of thing is the Ramtha Cult.
One I've experienced claimed she had a channelled message from "the Goddess" for everyone at our ritual. I've never found the Gods shy about making their wishes known to me, they've never used the flowery "dear one" type language when talking to me and the instructions (and yes they were instructions) fit neatly in with what the channeller had been pushing for, but were completely against the direction my Gods had been pushing me. I left that ritual angry at her for her attempted manipulation of everyone present and for believing that we would be gullible enough to fall for it.
I'm sure there's more I've missed, I'm sure there's stuff that's become other people's personal red flags. These are just the main ones that I've experienced.
Blessings
Debbie
Tuesday, 19 January 2016
UPG and Weather Magic
Yesterday, in a group I admin, someone posted looking for others to help them with controlling the weather. They rambled on about jet streams and that we're doing it unconsciously anyway, why not make conscious changes. It also became clear that we weren't talking about holding off rain for an outdoor wedding, we were talking about working on a global scale.
Aside from all the obvious "Why would you?" and "That's above my pay grade" type responses, there were also the expected smile, nod and back away slowly.
I'm sure we've all met someone who claims and possibly even believes that they can affect the weather on a grand scale. One chap I met a few years ago, rang me to tell me that he was responsible for the fine weather we had last week and seemed to honestly expect me to thank him and show some kind of homage. Most of the time, it falls under the heading of UPG - Unverifiable Personal Gnosis - they may be sure their work created that change, but there is no way to prove it and it is therefore impossible to know whether they did it or whether it's pure fantasy.
Thing is, this question and the initial discussion came just before I went out to milk my cow. As I slogged through the cold rain and mud to my leaky milking shed, it occurred to me that this is the wettest Summer I can remember.
Last Summer we had a crippling drought. We couldn't mow lawns for fear of hitting a stone and striking a spark, it didn't really matter because they dried out so much that they didn't grow enough to be worth mowing for a whole year. Animal feed and hay was like gold. Local farmers were destocking to the point of sending their prize breeding animals to the freezing works. This Summer was expected to be worse, with a prediction of a 95% chance of the worst El Nino Summer ever recorded.
I've had several friends from normally wetter parts of the country tell me they were working to send their nuisance rain down to our part where the drought was making national news. And the last few weeks have been mostly notable for the rainfall. Sometimes it's just light rain - the good sort that soaks into the ground and sometimes it's heavy downpours, but there has been more rain than dry weather.
It is possible that the last six months of drought predictions were wrong, or something in the natural weather patterns changed drastically - so drastically that the East Coast is getting all the rain expected for the West Coast, but part of me finds it terribly unlikely.
So at what point do I go from thinking of weather magic on a grand scale as being delusional fantasy and start being more impressed by their skills? How could I know that it is their weather magic and not the combined prayers of thousands of farmers? Is there any way to tell?
Thoughtful Blessings
Debbie
Aside from all the obvious "Why would you?" and "That's above my pay grade" type responses, there were also the expected smile, nod and back away slowly.
I'm sure we've all met someone who claims and possibly even believes that they can affect the weather on a grand scale. One chap I met a few years ago, rang me to tell me that he was responsible for the fine weather we had last week and seemed to honestly expect me to thank him and show some kind of homage. Most of the time, it falls under the heading of UPG - Unverifiable Personal Gnosis - they may be sure their work created that change, but there is no way to prove it and it is therefore impossible to know whether they did it or whether it's pure fantasy.
Thing is, this question and the initial discussion came just before I went out to milk my cow. As I slogged through the cold rain and mud to my leaky milking shed, it occurred to me that this is the wettest Summer I can remember.
Last Summer we had a crippling drought. We couldn't mow lawns for fear of hitting a stone and striking a spark, it didn't really matter because they dried out so much that they didn't grow enough to be worth mowing for a whole year. Animal feed and hay was like gold. Local farmers were destocking to the point of sending their prize breeding animals to the freezing works. This Summer was expected to be worse, with a prediction of a 95% chance of the worst El Nino Summer ever recorded.
I've had several friends from normally wetter parts of the country tell me they were working to send their nuisance rain down to our part where the drought was making national news. And the last few weeks have been mostly notable for the rainfall. Sometimes it's just light rain - the good sort that soaks into the ground and sometimes it's heavy downpours, but there has been more rain than dry weather.
It is possible that the last six months of drought predictions were wrong, or something in the natural weather patterns changed drastically - so drastically that the East Coast is getting all the rain expected for the West Coast, but part of me finds it terribly unlikely.
So at what point do I go from thinking of weather magic on a grand scale as being delusional fantasy and start being more impressed by their skills? How could I know that it is their weather magic and not the combined prayers of thousands of farmers? Is there any way to tell?
Thoughtful Blessings
Debbie
Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Cycles and Learning from Them
It never ceases to amaze me how many people seem to have the same dramas over and over in their lives and never realise that there is a single common factor each time. Surely, a simple examination of what has happened in those events would lead anyone able to tie their own shoes to the conclusion that the common factor is at least part of the cause.
Recently I noticed a facebook friend had frequent complaints of how people weren't there for her, she never had any money and was always sick with terrible migraines and what she was sure was a neurological problem. From a distance admittedly, I was having my suspicions about what the causes were, but they were confirmed when people who knew her better staged an intervention and made it public. She's an alcoholic who gets sick when going through withdrawals. She takes advantage of people who then get sick of her crap.
However, she's in complete denial. Everyone else is the problem and the world is against her.
A teenage girl of my acquaintance has the same sorts of things. It's always the same drama, just the supporting roles are played by different people. At what point will she realise that her choices and the types of people she surrounds herself with are the cause?
Now if you stick a fork in an electrical socket, you learn not to do that again. Why is it that when given the equivalent electric shock of having your choices or behaviour repeatedly called out doesn't ever seem to teach the same lesson?
It really doesn't matter how right you convince yourself you are, if the same dramas keep happening in your life, it's something you are doing. You are the common factor.
If you keep putting yourself out for other people, unsolicited, then you should expect that it's not going to be very well received and that you won't be respected for it. In my experience, most of the time, it's interfering, not even remotely being helpful, regardless of what you tell yourself. The people who do it might have the best of intentions on the surface, but there's usually also a sense of superiority that goes with it. For the most part, such 'help' is often rude and unwanted.
You might bleat about how you've made sacrifices and are disappointed because your expectations weren't met. If those sacrifices weren't requested or required, if you were just assuming that you knew best what other people wanted or needed, then that's all your own fault. This isn't people taking advantage of your generosity or good nature. I personally do not respond well to other people's expectations of me if I have made no commitment to meet those expectations - and often, I'm completely unaware of those expectations until I'm being bitched at about them.
This is just people, you might say. Silly people. And I'd agree. But this disappoints me more in Witches and Magicians.
Now I'm not saying that we're any better or different, we are human first with all the beauties and failings that go with that. However, with any serious magical path there is usually a lot of reflection, self-examination and looking for cause and effect. Self-honesty is important (in my opinion) to magic, because if you're not honest with yourself about your true deep down motivations and intent, then you're setting your work up for failure and unexpected results. It's something I heard early on in my Witchcraft journey and I took to heart at the time and have had no reason to remove it from my praxis. Witch, Know Thyself.
When patterns are repeating in my life, my first response is to see if there is something I am doing that may be causing it. Am I allowing people to push me into doing things I don't want to do? Do I need to say "no" more often? Have I been enabling things in other people? Am I that much of a bitch? Do I keep being hearing the same complaints from different unrelated people? Have I not learned the last two times I gave that person another chance?
It's not a pleasant process every time. Sometimes it's quite demoralising and depressing. Sometimes, although not often, it's heartwarming.
It's only after I can honestly say that the cause is not of my own doing that I look outwards for other causes. Is there a physical reason for these cycles and patterns? Is it repeated after a certain event or activity? Does it repeat at a regular time? Could it possibly be that someone else is just an arse?
In a magical setting, this kind of brutal self-honesty is essential. When you're planning a spell or working, if you're not truly honest and open with yourself about what your goals and motivations are, you could be working at cross-purposes with yourself.
There's a woman I've written about before. She was wanting me to do something to get rid of her ex-husband. I spent hours asking her questions (seriously, it was hours) and it seemed that she genuinely wanted him to be gone from her life and to leave her alone. It was the three weeks of phone calls that I got afterwards that showed her true motivation - she really wanted him to realise he'd treated her badly and that she really was the love of his life and to come back to her and treat her like a princess this time. It was never something she admitted to or even said, but it was clear in the way she talked about him, it was obvious in the way she hoped that if she called him for help with this thing, he'd feel some sense of honour or duty and choose to behave differently (this is something she actually did say).
I use this example because it's an easy way to paint this picture. Imagine if she'd been doing her own spell and working. She was adamant she wanted him to be gone from her life and just leave her alone. If she'd crafted a spell for that, but underneath she really wanted him back as her repentant shining white knight, how do you think that would have worked?
Even if it had been successful, how happy do you think she would have been with that result?
If you're trying to heal yourself but deep down you enjoy the sympathy and attention you get from being sick or injured, how well do you seriously think that's going to work?
If you're doing a spell to get a job, but really it's not a job you are truly interested in or you'd rather be at home collecting benefits, can you honestly say you'd put the required energy into the spell?
I personally believe that the cycles are lessons about yourself. I don't have any clear idea whether I believe there's some Oversoul or Cosmic Teacher guiding these things but I have noticed that in my own case the lessons are repeated until I learn from them. When I break the cycle, I stop being challenged in that way.
But it's always up to me to learn and break it.
Blessings
Debbie
Recently I noticed a facebook friend had frequent complaints of how people weren't there for her, she never had any money and was always sick with terrible migraines and what she was sure was a neurological problem. From a distance admittedly, I was having my suspicions about what the causes were, but they were confirmed when people who knew her better staged an intervention and made it public. She's an alcoholic who gets sick when going through withdrawals. She takes advantage of people who then get sick of her crap.
However, she's in complete denial. Everyone else is the problem and the world is against her.
A teenage girl of my acquaintance has the same sorts of things. It's always the same drama, just the supporting roles are played by different people. At what point will she realise that her choices and the types of people she surrounds herself with are the cause?
Now if you stick a fork in an electrical socket, you learn not to do that again. Why is it that when given the equivalent electric shock of having your choices or behaviour repeatedly called out doesn't ever seem to teach the same lesson?
It really doesn't matter how right you convince yourself you are, if the same dramas keep happening in your life, it's something you are doing. You are the common factor.
If you keep putting yourself out for other people, unsolicited, then you should expect that it's not going to be very well received and that you won't be respected for it. In my experience, most of the time, it's interfering, not even remotely being helpful, regardless of what you tell yourself. The people who do it might have the best of intentions on the surface, but there's usually also a sense of superiority that goes with it. For the most part, such 'help' is often rude and unwanted.
You might bleat about how you've made sacrifices and are disappointed because your expectations weren't met. If those sacrifices weren't requested or required, if you were just assuming that you knew best what other people wanted or needed, then that's all your own fault. This isn't people taking advantage of your generosity or good nature. I personally do not respond well to other people's expectations of me if I have made no commitment to meet those expectations - and often, I'm completely unaware of those expectations until I'm being bitched at about them.
This is just people, you might say. Silly people. And I'd agree. But this disappoints me more in Witches and Magicians.
Now I'm not saying that we're any better or different, we are human first with all the beauties and failings that go with that. However, with any serious magical path there is usually a lot of reflection, self-examination and looking for cause and effect. Self-honesty is important (in my opinion) to magic, because if you're not honest with yourself about your true deep down motivations and intent, then you're setting your work up for failure and unexpected results. It's something I heard early on in my Witchcraft journey and I took to heart at the time and have had no reason to remove it from my praxis. Witch, Know Thyself.
When patterns are repeating in my life, my first response is to see if there is something I am doing that may be causing it. Am I allowing people to push me into doing things I don't want to do? Do I need to say "no" more often? Have I been enabling things in other people? Am I that much of a bitch? Do I keep being hearing the same complaints from different unrelated people? Have I not learned the last two times I gave that person another chance?
It's not a pleasant process every time. Sometimes it's quite demoralising and depressing. Sometimes, although not often, it's heartwarming.
It's only after I can honestly say that the cause is not of my own doing that I look outwards for other causes. Is there a physical reason for these cycles and patterns? Is it repeated after a certain event or activity? Does it repeat at a regular time? Could it possibly be that someone else is just an arse?
In a magical setting, this kind of brutal self-honesty is essential. When you're planning a spell or working, if you're not truly honest and open with yourself about what your goals and motivations are, you could be working at cross-purposes with yourself.
There's a woman I've written about before. She was wanting me to do something to get rid of her ex-husband. I spent hours asking her questions (seriously, it was hours) and it seemed that she genuinely wanted him to be gone from her life and to leave her alone. It was the three weeks of phone calls that I got afterwards that showed her true motivation - she really wanted him to realise he'd treated her badly and that she really was the love of his life and to come back to her and treat her like a princess this time. It was never something she admitted to or even said, but it was clear in the way she talked about him, it was obvious in the way she hoped that if she called him for help with this thing, he'd feel some sense of honour or duty and choose to behave differently (this is something she actually did say).
I use this example because it's an easy way to paint this picture. Imagine if she'd been doing her own spell and working. She was adamant she wanted him to be gone from her life and just leave her alone. If she'd crafted a spell for that, but underneath she really wanted him back as her repentant shining white knight, how do you think that would have worked?
Even if it had been successful, how happy do you think she would have been with that result?
If you're trying to heal yourself but deep down you enjoy the sympathy and attention you get from being sick or injured, how well do you seriously think that's going to work?
If you're doing a spell to get a job, but really it's not a job you are truly interested in or you'd rather be at home collecting benefits, can you honestly say you'd put the required energy into the spell?
I personally believe that the cycles are lessons about yourself. I don't have any clear idea whether I believe there's some Oversoul or Cosmic Teacher guiding these things but I have noticed that in my own case the lessons are repeated until I learn from them. When I break the cycle, I stop being challenged in that way.
But it's always up to me to learn and break it.
Blessings
Debbie
Sunday, 23 August 2015
Learning to Walk Before You Can Run
One of the reasons I started writing was because of the sheer volume of rubbish that is available regarding Witchcraft and Paganism. Some of it is superficial, some of it is incomplete, some is very prejudicial and skewed towards or against certain paths, some of it is pure fantasy and some of it is completely incomprehensible.
It has always left me confused as to how some of it comes to be published. In some cases, it's clear that a person practices that way and possibly it even works for them (if they actually do most of what they talk about), but their tone or their words say that this is the only right way to do it or that.
In the last couple of weeks, I have watched the creation of a new website that first laid claim to being a Shaman's archive and is now claiming to be a Wiccan archive. The creator of this website, lets call him Mr. V, posts it up on his facebook group, now that he has decided to be a part of his group again, and asks for feedback. There follows generally a loop: Firstly, the experienced practitioners point out failure to cite sources, that this article has been scraped directly from another website or out of a book, going through the flaws in each article one at a time and suggestions that spellcheck is your friend and that an editor or proofreader would be a valuable thing. Then Mr. V says things like "You guys have opened up my eyes" and "Okay I get it" and removes all content from the website. He asks for suggestions and gets a lot of useful ones about learning to walk before he can run, getting some experience before trying to teach others and perhaps keeping a journal detailing this stuff he's trying rather than putting it up somewhere public where other beginners may assume that he knows what he's talking about. I can only assume that the next step is someone in the background blowing smoke up his arse and bitching about what a bunch of negative nellies those people are and he changes his mind and puts it all back up again and the cycle begins anew.
Normally, I would laugh and leave most of this alone. But some of the information he has put up has been dangerous. He claimed some things were safe to eat in small doses when really they are not. They are toxic if uncooked and/or unripe. Other completely toxic herbs had no warning about the dangers of ingesting them. On his facebook group there were recommendations for ingesting crystals. When this was thoroughly discussed including warnings from medical professionals, a PhD in Chemistry and others pointing out his failure to state which crystals and how they were prepared - it came way later that he was talking about only two specific crystals (which still remained unnamed) and making elixirs rather than grinding and eating the crystals as was first implied, he just told everyone that we have no idea how much he knows and what he's done successfully and finally he just deleted the thread.
The other concern about Mr. V is by his own accounts, he took a bunch of the herbs he claims are perfectly safe, to go on a Shamanic journey and ended up spending time in a Mental Health Facility after having a three month long psychotic break. He's only just come back into society from this event. We can't possibly know all the ins and outs of the story, but it doesn't inspire confidence in what he has to teach - especially as it doesn't seem like he wants to serve as a horrible warning or a "What Not To Do". He also believes that because he's in Canada, he won't be legally liable for an American teen coming to harm by following his herbal advice. This is completely fallacious by the way.
He claims he'd like "constructive criticism" this time, but what he means is a validation echo chamber. He doesn't want to hear what is wrong with his article, he wants his ego stroked and for all of us to suddenly recognise how wise he is and how wrong we were about him all along. We frequently hear complaints of "You don't know me, you don't know what I do or what I know" in petulant tantrums worthy of a terribly misunderstood teenager. He's right, we don't. All we can judge him by is what he posts and that is dreadful.
Although today that took a new turn. Apparently he's fed up with the women picking on him even though he expected it because such sexism is common in pagan circles. Somehow he's totally missed the men have been calling him on his stuff just as much as the women. For the most part, the women have been far more polite. But well, why pass up a chance to be a victim? And such a whiny pathetic victim he was.
None of this is new, many people before him have done the same things and I know that. It just scares me that there is this entire community of people basing their practices on this kind of website. I keep telling myself that I know the type, they won't hear the warnings from those who know better, but I try anyway. I keep feeling disappointed when they don't hear the warnings and resort to name calling, perpetual victimhood, flounces and bannings. But I still find it in me to hope that the next one will be different.
Disheartened Blessings
Debbie
It has always left me confused as to how some of it comes to be published. In some cases, it's clear that a person practices that way and possibly it even works for them (if they actually do most of what they talk about), but their tone or their words say that this is the only right way to do it or that.
In the last couple of weeks, I have watched the creation of a new website that first laid claim to being a Shaman's archive and is now claiming to be a Wiccan archive. The creator of this website, lets call him Mr. V, posts it up on his facebook group, now that he has decided to be a part of his group again, and asks for feedback. There follows generally a loop: Firstly, the experienced practitioners point out failure to cite sources, that this article has been scraped directly from another website or out of a book, going through the flaws in each article one at a time and suggestions that spellcheck is your friend and that an editor or proofreader would be a valuable thing. Then Mr. V says things like "You guys have opened up my eyes" and "Okay I get it" and removes all content from the website. He asks for suggestions and gets a lot of useful ones about learning to walk before he can run, getting some experience before trying to teach others and perhaps keeping a journal detailing this stuff he's trying rather than putting it up somewhere public where other beginners may assume that he knows what he's talking about. I can only assume that the next step is someone in the background blowing smoke up his arse and bitching about what a bunch of negative nellies those people are and he changes his mind and puts it all back up again and the cycle begins anew.
Normally, I would laugh and leave most of this alone. But some of the information he has put up has been dangerous. He claimed some things were safe to eat in small doses when really they are not. They are toxic if uncooked and/or unripe. Other completely toxic herbs had no warning about the dangers of ingesting them. On his facebook group there were recommendations for ingesting crystals. When this was thoroughly discussed including warnings from medical professionals, a PhD in Chemistry and others pointing out his failure to state which crystals and how they were prepared - it came way later that he was talking about only two specific crystals (which still remained unnamed) and making elixirs rather than grinding and eating the crystals as was first implied, he just told everyone that we have no idea how much he knows and what he's done successfully and finally he just deleted the thread.
The other concern about Mr. V is by his own accounts, he took a bunch of the herbs he claims are perfectly safe, to go on a Shamanic journey and ended up spending time in a Mental Health Facility after having a three month long psychotic break. He's only just come back into society from this event. We can't possibly know all the ins and outs of the story, but it doesn't inspire confidence in what he has to teach - especially as it doesn't seem like he wants to serve as a horrible warning or a "What Not To Do". He also believes that because he's in Canada, he won't be legally liable for an American teen coming to harm by following his herbal advice. This is completely fallacious by the way.
He claims he'd like "constructive criticism" this time, but what he means is a validation echo chamber. He doesn't want to hear what is wrong with his article, he wants his ego stroked and for all of us to suddenly recognise how wise he is and how wrong we were about him all along. We frequently hear complaints of "You don't know me, you don't know what I do or what I know" in petulant tantrums worthy of a terribly misunderstood teenager. He's right, we don't. All we can judge him by is what he posts and that is dreadful.
Although today that took a new turn. Apparently he's fed up with the women picking on him even though he expected it because such sexism is common in pagan circles. Somehow he's totally missed the men have been calling him on his stuff just as much as the women. For the most part, the women have been far more polite. But well, why pass up a chance to be a victim? And such a whiny pathetic victim he was.
None of this is new, many people before him have done the same things and I know that. It just scares me that there is this entire community of people basing their practices on this kind of website. I keep telling myself that I know the type, they won't hear the warnings from those who know better, but I try anyway. I keep feeling disappointed when they don't hear the warnings and resort to name calling, perpetual victimhood, flounces and bannings. But I still find it in me to hope that the next one will be different.
Disheartened Blessings
Debbie
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
What Does It Mean?
Within witchcraft and paganism there is plenty said about seeing messages in everyday things, finding meaning in the simplest of things.
While I agree that messages from higher powers can come in the simplest forms, I am often somewhat surprised by the lengths people will go to in order to find meanings in everything.
These two pictures are the kinds of things that commonly pop up in witchcraft groups. They are vague, filled with unnecessary woo and feed the rampant stupidity that is taking over.
When you discover a feather, it means that a bird has lost it. In my own case, the wind has probably blown through my chicken coop as I have birds of many different colours in there. There are also a multitude of wild birds around. They moult, they are caught by cats, hawks and magpies - all things that will cause them to drop feathers. Discovering a feather usually means nothing more than it's no longer attached to a bird.
If you were to discover a feather in a place where it shouldn't be - in your handbag or underwear drawer (assuming you don't have any reason to have feathers there) - then and only then I would consider it to be a message or have another meaning. First however, I would rule out all mundane options. Then I would ask that if it's a message for it to be repeated and be made clearer.
If a feather is posted to you, depending on the type of feather, it can mean that someone wants you to know they're cursing you. Or wants you to think they're cursing you.
As for candle flames, there are many reasons for a candle to have a strong or weak flame, for the flame to dance or jump or make noises or even for there to be two flames. A poorly trimmed wick, the wrong wick for the size of the candle, a cheap candle that has been badly made, dirt or other materials on the wick or in the candle sometimes at the time of manufacture or even a faint draft.
When I was fairly new to all of this and believed that every little thing held a message, I used to frequently use essential oils in a vaporiser - one of those ones heated by a tea-light candle under the dish. My vaporiser was round like a vase and had a teardrop shaped hole in the front for the candle. The shape of the vaporiser meant that every time I burned a tea-light in there the flame danced and turned in circles. But I do recall that I felt awestruck and filled with woo the first few times.
One time I was certain a candle was behaving oddly and there was a message in it was at a ritual for a specific Goddess. The altar and the room were filled with candles. The two on either side of the Goddess statue had flames standing strong, 4 - 6 inches high, while all the other candles were normal flames. Those candles with the extra tall flames also burned considerably slower than the others, despite being the same candles from the same manufacturer out of presumably the same batch. We took that as a sign that the Goddess was aware of being honoured and was pleased with it.
Another one I have come across:
"I got a double yolker egg this morning. What does that mean?"
I have hens of my own and I work in an egg farm. Double yolkers are nothing particularly unusual or special. It means that either a pullet (young bird just starting to lay) didn't finish yesterdays egg and you ended up with two eggs fused together in one shell or an older bird was interrupted partway through the egg formation process and didn't finish it until the next day and you ended up with two eggs fused together in one shell. You can often tell a double yolker by looking at the shell. There will sometimes be a raised line about a centimetre wide or less where the two eggs meet. Less common, but it still happens is an egg inside an egg. This is usually when the hen was interrupted earlier in the process - sometimes this tiny egg (without a yolk) is laid as a tiny egg of it's own.
It isn't a sign of good luck (well, except that you were lucky to get two eggs when you were expecting one) or anything else.
Driving to my nearest city one day, I passed a field that had three horses standing in a row. They looked like some kind of sculpture. They were almost nose to tail, in a straight line, with the same stance, size and identical in their position. The front one was black, the middle one was brown and the last one was grey. I had never seen horses do that before. I thought it was odd but didn't think any more of it until I saw the same thing again in another field 50 kms away. Another three horses with the same colouring, same order and same positions. I asked then if that was supposed to be a message and if it was, could it be repeated and made clearer. I didn't see anything like that again, so I have to chalk that one up as strange coincidence. Perhaps that's a response to a weather pattern that I just hadn't seen before - I learned at a young age, when you see all the animals in all the paddocks facing in the same direction there's usually a storm coming from the direction they're facing away from.
I have never found these pictures and woo-filled memes to give an accurate representation of what the message might be, yet people persist in copying them down, repeating them to others as "ancient wisdom" and worst of all (to me) discouraging people from thinking for themselves.
When spirits or Gods or Higher Powers are sending you a message, it's in their own best interests to be sure that the message is clear to you and make sure you get it. It doesn't make sense for them to give you obscure messages and then you have to rely on going on the internet to ask a bunch of self-styled wise folk what your message means. Think about it. There's the popular saying, ask 12 witches and get 13 different answers.
When a message is for you, it is for you and will be symbolic only to you. If you're not sure whether something is a message, ask! Ask for it to be repeated to be certain it's a message, ask for it to be made clearer because you don't understand. If it's a message and not a random happenstance, then it will.
Just because there's magic afoot doesn't mean there's no place for common sense and logic. Think, rule out the mundane options and only then look for something supernatural. Darwinism still works in witchcraft - the stupid and gullible don't tend to last long.
Blessings
Debbie
While I agree that messages from higher powers can come in the simplest forms, I am often somewhat surprised by the lengths people will go to in order to find meanings in everything.
These two pictures are the kinds of things that commonly pop up in witchcraft groups. They are vague, filled with unnecessary woo and feed the rampant stupidity that is taking over.
When you discover a feather, it means that a bird has lost it. In my own case, the wind has probably blown through my chicken coop as I have birds of many different colours in there. There are also a multitude of wild birds around. They moult, they are caught by cats, hawks and magpies - all things that will cause them to drop feathers. Discovering a feather usually means nothing more than it's no longer attached to a bird.
If you were to discover a feather in a place where it shouldn't be - in your handbag or underwear drawer (assuming you don't have any reason to have feathers there) - then and only then I would consider it to be a message or have another meaning. First however, I would rule out all mundane options. Then I would ask that if it's a message for it to be repeated and be made clearer.
If a feather is posted to you, depending on the type of feather, it can mean that someone wants you to know they're cursing you. Or wants you to think they're cursing you.
As for candle flames, there are many reasons for a candle to have a strong or weak flame, for the flame to dance or jump or make noises or even for there to be two flames. A poorly trimmed wick, the wrong wick for the size of the candle, a cheap candle that has been badly made, dirt or other materials on the wick or in the candle sometimes at the time of manufacture or even a faint draft.
When I was fairly new to all of this and believed that every little thing held a message, I used to frequently use essential oils in a vaporiser - one of those ones heated by a tea-light candle under the dish. My vaporiser was round like a vase and had a teardrop shaped hole in the front for the candle. The shape of the vaporiser meant that every time I burned a tea-light in there the flame danced and turned in circles. But I do recall that I felt awestruck and filled with woo the first few times.
One time I was certain a candle was behaving oddly and there was a message in it was at a ritual for a specific Goddess. The altar and the room were filled with candles. The two on either side of the Goddess statue had flames standing strong, 4 - 6 inches high, while all the other candles were normal flames. Those candles with the extra tall flames also burned considerably slower than the others, despite being the same candles from the same manufacturer out of presumably the same batch. We took that as a sign that the Goddess was aware of being honoured and was pleased with it.
Another one I have come across:
"I got a double yolker egg this morning. What does that mean?"
I have hens of my own and I work in an egg farm. Double yolkers are nothing particularly unusual or special. It means that either a pullet (young bird just starting to lay) didn't finish yesterdays egg and you ended up with two eggs fused together in one shell or an older bird was interrupted partway through the egg formation process and didn't finish it until the next day and you ended up with two eggs fused together in one shell. You can often tell a double yolker by looking at the shell. There will sometimes be a raised line about a centimetre wide or less where the two eggs meet. Less common, but it still happens is an egg inside an egg. This is usually when the hen was interrupted earlier in the process - sometimes this tiny egg (without a yolk) is laid as a tiny egg of it's own.
It isn't a sign of good luck (well, except that you were lucky to get two eggs when you were expecting one) or anything else.
Driving to my nearest city one day, I passed a field that had three horses standing in a row. They looked like some kind of sculpture. They were almost nose to tail, in a straight line, with the same stance, size and identical in their position. The front one was black, the middle one was brown and the last one was grey. I had never seen horses do that before. I thought it was odd but didn't think any more of it until I saw the same thing again in another field 50 kms away. Another three horses with the same colouring, same order and same positions. I asked then if that was supposed to be a message and if it was, could it be repeated and made clearer. I didn't see anything like that again, so I have to chalk that one up as strange coincidence. Perhaps that's a response to a weather pattern that I just hadn't seen before - I learned at a young age, when you see all the animals in all the paddocks facing in the same direction there's usually a storm coming from the direction they're facing away from.
I have never found these pictures and woo-filled memes to give an accurate representation of what the message might be, yet people persist in copying them down, repeating them to others as "ancient wisdom" and worst of all (to me) discouraging people from thinking for themselves.
When spirits or Gods or Higher Powers are sending you a message, it's in their own best interests to be sure that the message is clear to you and make sure you get it. It doesn't make sense for them to give you obscure messages and then you have to rely on going on the internet to ask a bunch of self-styled wise folk what your message means. Think about it. There's the popular saying, ask 12 witches and get 13 different answers.
When a message is for you, it is for you and will be symbolic only to you. If you're not sure whether something is a message, ask! Ask for it to be repeated to be certain it's a message, ask for it to be made clearer because you don't understand. If it's a message and not a random happenstance, then it will.
Just because there's magic afoot doesn't mean there's no place for common sense and logic. Think, rule out the mundane options and only then look for something supernatural. Darwinism still works in witchcraft - the stupid and gullible don't tend to last long.
Blessings
Debbie
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Debbie's Rules for Magic Use (And Life in General)
These are my rules. They apply only to me. These are not rules for anyone else unless you find them of value - that's up to you. They change from time to time and I'm not perfect at following all of them all of the time.
1. Own Your Shit.
Take responsibility for your actions. If you can't take responsibility for something, then don't do it. Take the time to consider the potential consequences first, so that there are no (or few) surprises when it comes time to be taking responsibility.
2. Own Only Your Shit.
You are not responsible for other people's shit. There are almost no circumstances when it's necessary for you to apologise for, explain or justify anyone else's bad behaviour. Unless it impacts upon you personally, there is likewise no reason for you to fix it for them. This is enabling their shit and isn't healthy for anyone.
3. Obey The Laws of the Land (Or Your Workplace) - Everything Else is Your Choice.
When there are rules for the use of a thing or a building or for your continued employment etc, follow those rules. This includes going into a pub, driving on the roads or joining a facebook group. This means traditions - if you're going to use a tradition name to describe your practice, make sure you understand what their rules are and that you actually understand what they mean. This also includes if you live under someone else's roof.
You don't get to decide whether a rule is sensible or stupid, unless it's one you made for yourself. This also means that what you view as your religious right doesn't trump the laws of the land or a festival. If an athame is classed by law as an offensive weapon, you don't get to claim religious discrimination when told you're not allowed to wear it on your belt.
If something is not covered by rules or laws, things like simple morals, ethics and values, these are your choices to make and live by. It's important to understand that these choices only apply to you (Rule One) and that it's not really any of your business what morals, ethics or values anyone else lives by (Rule Two).
4. You Will Never Know It All or Question Everything.
My Father has always said "the day you don't learn something new is the day you die". I've found it a rule worth living by. There is always something new to learn and researching things that you think you know very well is still a valuable thing to do.
5. It's Okay To Not Have An Answer.
When someone shares something huge or says something way out of left field. It's okay to say "I don't know what to say to that" or "I don't understand what you mean/where you're coming from". It's better go away and process it or make the effort to understand what they really mean than to jump to a conclusion based on a knee-jerk reaction. As the saying goes, it's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
6. Truth is Not Constant.
The world was flat and that was the truth, until it was proved that it wasn't. The Earth was the centre of the universe and that was the truth until it was proved that it wasn't. The atom was the smallest building block and that was the truth until it was smashed open.
Our entire concept of truth is based on assumptions - if a then b. There is never a solid truth that holds for everything. What is true for you, may not work for someone else. See Rule 4.
7. Fairness and Justice Are Human Constructs.
You have no right to expect life to be fair. It's not. The Universe doesn't care. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. Suck it up and carry on. Revenge does not equal justice.
8. Everyone Is Entitled to An Opinion.
They're like arseholes - everyone has one. It's not okay to state your opinion as fact and then fall back on "I'm entitled to an opinion" and it's not okay to expect your opinion to count for anything more than an opinion - it doesn't trump anyone else's feelings, beliefs, choices or their own opinions.
9. You Don't Need to Be Liked By Everyone.
Not everyone is going to like you. According to something I learned in a psychology/philosophy course, one third of the people you meet will like you on sight. One third will dislike you on sight. One third won't care either way.
If someone doesn't like you, it's not necessarily a failing in you. Don't waste energy trying to change their like or dislike of you. Remain polite if you can and let it go. In certain situations (supervisory positions and parenting come to mind) if they all like you all the time, you're not doing your job properly. If you need to be liked in those situations, you are going to make poor choices and not be able to do your job properly.
10. If Shit Needs Doing, Then Do It.
This isn't just about procrastination. If you need to justify an action, even to yourself, then some part of you thinks it's wrong. If it needs to be done, then do it. If you're not sure, work out why you're not sure - then do it or don't. If it doesn't need to be done, then don't do it unless there's a valid 'improvement' type reason for it but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How does all of this relate to magic?
Run anything magical you might be considering through these rules and think about it some more.
For example: I'm thinking of doing a prosperity spell.
Rule One: I own it. If I do it, then I did it.
Rule Two: Someone else's poor choices might mean they need the money more - but that's not mine to fix.
Rule Three: I choose to do it in a place that doesn't ban it. I have no moral issue with using a spell to gain money.
Rule Four: Is there a different or better way to do it? Have I considered everything? Define what I mean by prosperity.
Rule Five: Isn't relevant in this case.
Rule Six: My truth is that I need money, others may see it differently.
Rule Seven: Prosperity isn't owed to me, I'm not doing anything because it's fair.
Rule Eight and Nine: Others may have a problem with my spell. That's their problem not mine.
Rule Ten: It's needed so I'll do it.
1. Own Your Shit.
Take responsibility for your actions. If you can't take responsibility for something, then don't do it. Take the time to consider the potential consequences first, so that there are no (or few) surprises when it comes time to be taking responsibility.
2. Own Only Your Shit.
You are not responsible for other people's shit. There are almost no circumstances when it's necessary for you to apologise for, explain or justify anyone else's bad behaviour. Unless it impacts upon you personally, there is likewise no reason for you to fix it for them. This is enabling their shit and isn't healthy for anyone.
3. Obey The Laws of the Land (Or Your Workplace) - Everything Else is Your Choice.
When there are rules for the use of a thing or a building or for your continued employment etc, follow those rules. This includes going into a pub, driving on the roads or joining a facebook group. This means traditions - if you're going to use a tradition name to describe your practice, make sure you understand what their rules are and that you actually understand what they mean. This also includes if you live under someone else's roof.
You don't get to decide whether a rule is sensible or stupid, unless it's one you made for yourself. This also means that what you view as your religious right doesn't trump the laws of the land or a festival. If an athame is classed by law as an offensive weapon, you don't get to claim religious discrimination when told you're not allowed to wear it on your belt.
If something is not covered by rules or laws, things like simple morals, ethics and values, these are your choices to make and live by. It's important to understand that these choices only apply to you (Rule One) and that it's not really any of your business what morals, ethics or values anyone else lives by (Rule Two).
4. You Will Never Know It All or Question Everything.
My Father has always said "the day you don't learn something new is the day you die". I've found it a rule worth living by. There is always something new to learn and researching things that you think you know very well is still a valuable thing to do.
5. It's Okay To Not Have An Answer.
When someone shares something huge or says something way out of left field. It's okay to say "I don't know what to say to that" or "I don't understand what you mean/where you're coming from". It's better go away and process it or make the effort to understand what they really mean than to jump to a conclusion based on a knee-jerk reaction. As the saying goes, it's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
6. Truth is Not Constant.
The world was flat and that was the truth, until it was proved that it wasn't. The Earth was the centre of the universe and that was the truth until it was proved that it wasn't. The atom was the smallest building block and that was the truth until it was smashed open.
Our entire concept of truth is based on assumptions - if a then b. There is never a solid truth that holds for everything. What is true for you, may not work for someone else. See Rule 4.
7. Fairness and Justice Are Human Constructs.
You have no right to expect life to be fair. It's not. The Universe doesn't care. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. Suck it up and carry on. Revenge does not equal justice.
8. Everyone Is Entitled to An Opinion.
They're like arseholes - everyone has one. It's not okay to state your opinion as fact and then fall back on "I'm entitled to an opinion" and it's not okay to expect your opinion to count for anything more than an opinion - it doesn't trump anyone else's feelings, beliefs, choices or their own opinions.
9. You Don't Need to Be Liked By Everyone.
Not everyone is going to like you. According to something I learned in a psychology/philosophy course, one third of the people you meet will like you on sight. One third will dislike you on sight. One third won't care either way.
If someone doesn't like you, it's not necessarily a failing in you. Don't waste energy trying to change their like or dislike of you. Remain polite if you can and let it go. In certain situations (supervisory positions and parenting come to mind) if they all like you all the time, you're not doing your job properly. If you need to be liked in those situations, you are going to make poor choices and not be able to do your job properly.
10. If Shit Needs Doing, Then Do It.
This isn't just about procrastination. If you need to justify an action, even to yourself, then some part of you thinks it's wrong. If it needs to be done, then do it. If you're not sure, work out why you're not sure - then do it or don't. If it doesn't need to be done, then don't do it unless there's a valid 'improvement' type reason for it but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
How does all of this relate to magic?
Run anything magical you might be considering through these rules and think about it some more.
For example: I'm thinking of doing a prosperity spell.
Rule One: I own it. If I do it, then I did it.
Rule Two: Someone else's poor choices might mean they need the money more - but that's not mine to fix.
Rule Three: I choose to do it in a place that doesn't ban it. I have no moral issue with using a spell to gain money.
Rule Four: Is there a different or better way to do it? Have I considered everything? Define what I mean by prosperity.
Rule Five: Isn't relevant in this case.
Rule Six: My truth is that I need money, others may see it differently.
Rule Seven: Prosperity isn't owed to me, I'm not doing anything because it's fair.
Rule Eight and Nine: Others may have a problem with my spell. That's their problem not mine.
Rule Ten: It's needed so I'll do it.
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
Pagan Unity and Councils
Yet again there has been a Council formed to represent Pagans and Witches. Another American Council, planning to revisit the 13 Principles of Belief that was the only outcome of the 1973 Council before it fell apart due to internal divisions.
This one didn't make it that far before imploding it seems.
You can see all the drama on this blog. There is also a good discussion about it on The Wild Hunt I particularly recommend reading through the comments, although take care not to be drinking anything while using a screen that won't tolerate having liquid sprayed over it. Repeatedly. I also feel a need to share this blog because it's awesome and sums up many of my own personal feelings.
History has shown that such a venture is doomed to failure. Any group that tries to speak for such a varied and disparate collection of individuals would make cat-herding look like child's play.
Not so long ago, there was an attempt to form a Council of Elders in New Zealand. I received a call from a then-friend and was told I "needed to get on board so I could look after the South Island". What was meant by "look after" was attempt to control. I didn't really understand the purpose of such a group and didn't trust the motives of those who were trying to create it so I never got involved. It never got past the discussion stage, it would seem because I wasn't alone in my reservations. I think this is no different from what has been happening in America - just theirs is on a far larger scale.
Pagan Unity has been presented as a reason for this Council, or a justification for why it's believed to be needed by some. I'm afraid it just sounds like a cliched catch-phrase to me.
When Pagans cannot even agree on what 'Pagan' means or what it means to be Pagan, how can any kind of Unity be achieved? Then let's throw in Witches - many of them aren't Pagan for a start - how are you going to gain Unity when we also can't agree whether Witchcraft is a religion or a skill set?
Personally, for all I'm both Pagan and a Witch, I reject unity in any form. I frequently tell people off for referring to me as their Pagan Sister because that is something that's earned with me, assuming that kind of familiarity based purely on a shared label is something I find to be presumptuous and rude.
"Unification through Diversification" is the oxymoronic catchphrase of United Pagan Radio. They claim "We CAN be unified as pagans and hold onto our unique diversity." How exactly is that supposed to work? Many bash anyone who disagrees with their own narrow view - be it harming none, karma, the Burning Times Myth, Christianity or whether self-initiation is valid - most of the time, agreeing to disagree isn't an option as both sides seem to think that the other has disrespected their path. When rampant sexism (misogyny and misandry) is treated as a virtue in some paths, racism in others and paedophilia in others still, how can we want to achieve any kind of unity with these people. I certainly have no wish to be associated with any of those groups, but I would be if this vague ideal were realised. I have to question the values of anyone who would want that kind of association.
It is also my personal belief that even without the 'fringe elements', unity would mean a kind of homogenisation of belief. A watering-down and dumbing-down that would render it meaningless.
Now don't get me wrong, I've run coffee meets and festivals, I am not against Pagans coming together, but there is a major difference. In coffee meets and festivals, there is a place for people to meet and discuss ideas, to learn about each other and perhaps organically form connections with like-minded people. There is no forced unity, there is no expectation of agreement or over-riding requirement to get along. There is a requirement for manners, but if you don't like someone's path, you don't interact with them.
For some people, this lack of unity is seen as a failing and one of the major flaws in the Pagan Community. I choose to see it as a strength and a beautiful thing.
Blessings
Debbie
This one didn't make it that far before imploding it seems.
You can see all the drama on this blog. There is also a good discussion about it on The Wild Hunt I particularly recommend reading through the comments, although take care not to be drinking anything while using a screen that won't tolerate having liquid sprayed over it. Repeatedly. I also feel a need to share this blog because it's awesome and sums up many of my own personal feelings.
History has shown that such a venture is doomed to failure. Any group that tries to speak for such a varied and disparate collection of individuals would make cat-herding look like child's play.
Not so long ago, there was an attempt to form a Council of Elders in New Zealand. I received a call from a then-friend and was told I "needed to get on board so I could look after the South Island". What was meant by "look after" was attempt to control. I didn't really understand the purpose of such a group and didn't trust the motives of those who were trying to create it so I never got involved. It never got past the discussion stage, it would seem because I wasn't alone in my reservations. I think this is no different from what has been happening in America - just theirs is on a far larger scale.
Pagan Unity
Pagan Unity has been presented as a reason for this Council, or a justification for why it's believed to be needed by some. I'm afraid it just sounds like a cliched catch-phrase to me.
When Pagans cannot even agree on what 'Pagan' means or what it means to be Pagan, how can any kind of Unity be achieved? Then let's throw in Witches - many of them aren't Pagan for a start - how are you going to gain Unity when we also can't agree whether Witchcraft is a religion or a skill set?
Personally, for all I'm both Pagan and a Witch, I reject unity in any form. I frequently tell people off for referring to me as their Pagan Sister because that is something that's earned with me, assuming that kind of familiarity based purely on a shared label is something I find to be presumptuous and rude.
"Unification through Diversification" is the oxymoronic catchphrase of United Pagan Radio. They claim "We CAN be unified as pagans and hold onto our unique diversity." How exactly is that supposed to work? Many bash anyone who disagrees with their own narrow view - be it harming none, karma, the Burning Times Myth, Christianity or whether self-initiation is valid - most of the time, agreeing to disagree isn't an option as both sides seem to think that the other has disrespected their path. When rampant sexism (misogyny and misandry) is treated as a virtue in some paths, racism in others and paedophilia in others still, how can we want to achieve any kind of unity with these people. I certainly have no wish to be associated with any of those groups, but I would be if this vague ideal were realised. I have to question the values of anyone who would want that kind of association.
It is also my personal belief that even without the 'fringe elements', unity would mean a kind of homogenisation of belief. A watering-down and dumbing-down that would render it meaningless.
Now don't get me wrong, I've run coffee meets and festivals, I am not against Pagans coming together, but there is a major difference. In coffee meets and festivals, there is a place for people to meet and discuss ideas, to learn about each other and perhaps organically form connections with like-minded people. There is no forced unity, there is no expectation of agreement or over-riding requirement to get along. There is a requirement for manners, but if you don't like someone's path, you don't interact with them.
For some people, this lack of unity is seen as a failing and one of the major flaws in the Pagan Community. I choose to see it as a strength and a beautiful thing.
Blessings
Debbie
Monday, 16 February 2015
Charging for Services
Recently there was a discussion (read argument) started about charging for magical services - tarot readings were included in this.
The person who started this discussion claimed that if someone comes to you in need, you have an obligation to do what they need and not charge for anything more than materials. She did also go on to say that anyone who charges in that situation is an asshole and not a Real Witch. Someone else said all people who charge are fakes.
The inevitable back and forth between several people followed. There were several points raised though that I would like to explore further.
There seem to be a few firmly held beliefs regarding the morality of using magic for personal gain. Some seem to believe that there's some Universal Rule against this and that using magic for (any) gain is black magic or dark and evil. However, their idea of what constitutes personal gain seems to be limited to monetary gain, love spells or power over someone.
Others hold that no personal gain is like a selfless act - there is no such beastie. No matter what you do, you will be gaining from it in some way and that to tell yourself that you're against it is delusional. They often also go on to point out that this "rule" has come from the tv show Charmed.
The Wiccan Ordains or 161 Laws based on Gerald Gardner's Old Laws was raised. Specifically numbers 119, 120 and 121. They read as follows:
119. Never accept money for the use of the art, for money ever smeareth the taker. 'Tis sorcerors and conjurers and the priests of the Christians who ever accept money for the use of their arts. And they sell pardons to let men escape from their sins.
120. Be not as these. If you accept no money, you will be free from temptation to use the art for evil causes.
121. All may use the art for their own advantage or for the advantage of the craft only if you are sure you harm none.
A commentary on the provenance and validity of these Rules can be found at Wicca: For the Rest of Us .
Interestingly, using it for your own advantage is not a problem - just money.
I learned that even Gardnerians don't necessarily agree fully with them or follow them - that comes down to each individual coven. But even if they did, these Ordains or Laws apply to Wiccans and cannot be assumed to cover all who use the word Witch.
It was pointed out that Cunningfolk and Traditional Witches (Pre-Wicca) would expect payment. If you didn't pay, you didn't get the work done.
A further point in this discussion was about what constitutes as payment for services - trade, barter, gifts, donations (or koha as we'd call it in NZ). No real answer was given from the Soapbox shouter.
Someone raised using spirits, Gods or ancestors in magic or calling upon them for help. In many traditions, the spirits demand payment - in some, they set the price. That payment may take the form of specific foods or beverages as offerings, some valued item as sacrifice or time spent in praise and worship. They may require that you charge $X and that half of that is to go to a certain charity.
As many wise folk have said repeatedly, it is foolish to constantly beg for favours from your Gods and Spirits and do nothing in return.
In the case of the person who raised this topic and used it to insult everyone who charges, she gets paid in warm fuzzies for having helped someone, testimonials and a sense of moral superiority. These are all still payment for services rendered. She benefits from her acts.
Frequently raised by those defending their right to charge was placing value on yourself and your work. This was countered by asking for payment "cheapens" or "prostitutes" magic.
For some people, tarot readings and magic for others is their livelihood. This is what they do so that they can afford to live, eat and have choices in their lives.
For others, charging separates those who seriously have issues from those who are just time-wasters. I know someone who will now only take a booking with a deposit. She's had too many people make a booking and not turn up for it. She is turning others away because she is booked at that time.
In my own experience, I have learned that generally people don't value what they can get for free. There have been a rare few that have valued and appreciated the things I've done purely out of the goodness of my heart. More commonly, it becomes an expectation that I'll keep doing it whenever and wherever they happen to need it again. I had a friend who asked for a reading on a fairly regular basis. It got to the point that she'd come and visit me or I'd go and see her, we'd have coffee and a chat and I'd time how long it would be before she asked for a reading. I was also always having to rescue her from some magical drama. After a while, I said I couldn't read for her anymore because I knew too much and didn't trust that I wasn't just projecting my own crap into it. I haven't seen her in a few years now. I guess my friendship was all about doing things for free.
There is another woman who calls me every so often. She almost demands (in an emotional blackmail, terribly desperate, so much drama way) that I drop everything and do what she needs. She ties up my phone line for ages, not hearing me when I tell her I can't talk right now, or that I can't do anything at the moment. She seems to have no concept of boundaries either - she's even asked if I had a spare room she could stay in. She treats me as if I have nothing better to do with my life than step in and solve her latest drama. Now to clarify, I've never actually done anything to help her in any of her dramas except listen to them a couple of times - it's not an expectation that has any basis in historical actions by me.
Another chap used to ring me up with some drama. I did a couple of readings for free and offered some simple and common sense advice for his issue. I found out he'd done the same with a friend who offered the same advice and gave him the same answers in a reading. He called me about a month later to rave over a reader he'd paid who gave him this wonderful advice - which was exactly what he'd been told for free by me and the other friend. He didn't listen to anyone but the one he paid.
I choose to place some value on myself and my abilities. I value the wisdom I have gained and the time it has taken to get there. I believe that anyone else can get to the same place with time and a little effort. All the knowledge is out there, it just takes work to turn it from theory into practice. I will not be treated as a doormat by someone who believes it should all be free.
I don't know why the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is still so hard to understand for so many people. One of the arguments in this discussion was that knowledge should be free. Knowledge is free. Wisdom is different - no one can give you wisdom, you need to understand the knowledge before it becomes wisdom.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting tomato in a fruit salad.
This argument is also used as justification for illegally pirating books. But it misses that in the back of those books is usually a bibliography - effectively a list of sources ie. where the knowledge came from. However, the author took those sources and created something new and different with their own wisdom and bothered to make that wisdom available for others. That effort deserves compensation.
Doing Tarot readings or magical work for people is no different. Anyone can pick up a tarot deck and tell a story. Anyone can learn all the book meanings for the cards and how laying the cards out this way means x, y and then z. Most tarot readers take this to a deeper level. Their experience in reading is not something you can just pick up from a book. You aren't just paying for someone to flip over some cards and recite an arbitrary memorised meaning - you are paying for the wisdom and experience that recognises this card in this position with that card over there has usually meant something deeper. You are paying for their talent and abilities to hear other messages, to recognise patterns and to relate that to you.
Another point raised by the poster was how she'd never turn away anyone in true need. When someone knocks at your door absolutely beside themselves, crying, shaking, hurt, scared and so on, you'd be a cold-hearted person indeed to demand payment before doing everything you could to help them.
At no point however, was she able to give us an example where a spell is needed as a first response over say, Police, Ambulance or some other form of professional help. Only after a lot of questioning did she say that she recommends counselling or does any form of divination, digging or fact-finding to find the truth of the matter. It had been directly asked enough times for me to wonder if this is true or if it was something she said to shut some of her detractors up. She just said over and over that she'll do her spells for free for people in need and that anyone who turns away someone in this state is an asshole.
I have had close friends and family come to me in this state. I will always do what I can for them. Unless they're always in this state and it's time for a harsh life lesson about standing on your own two feet and not needing to be rescued repeatedly. I think that's a completely different thing from having a random stranger knock at my door wanting or needing my help.
Still, I can't think of a single situation that would require a spell first or in which a spell would be a good idea. I can think of situations where I have called in magical help but only because I knew the back story and it wasn't a sudden out of the blue random visit.
Apparently, in the eyes of several, anyone who does ask for payment is a fake, is scamming you or is purely in it for the wrong reasons.
No one disputed that there are fakes out there, there are people who'll take your money for little to no real work done. However, to tar all who charge with the same brush is unfair and ill-informed.
I certainly wouldn't pay anyone online to do any work for me even if I wasn't perfectly capable of doing it for myself, unless they had come with strong recommendations from people I trust. I've seen one crazy lady share photos of a curse that she was allegedly casting on our group. Funnily enough on her blog, the description of the curse her husband was casting on another group altogether fit the pictures she sent to us. Wow, multi-purpose curse, that's some talent. And I certainly hope it had any effect on the other group because none of us have noticed anything at all. My point is, how could you know that the work you'd paid for had been done? If a photo is sent to you, how would you know that it isn't the same photo sent to every other sap who's paid for work? There can be no guarantees, there is no way of separating the real from the fake.
Just as in any case when you are spending money on something you can't get a guarantee for, use your common sense. If someone does a reading and then tells you they'll remove this curse/bad energy/negative spirit/some other terribly scary sounding affliction from you that you'd never previously noticed for a sum of $X - you're being scammed.
At the end of it all, the Original Poster claimed it was just a troll, lots of laughs and she learned a lot. Thanks to everyone for handing her her ass on a plate. Still somewhat cynical about this sudden back-down, but hey, it gave me food for thought.
The general consensus was that if you want to charge, then charge. If you don't, then don't. If you're willing to pay, then go to someone who charges and if you're not then go to someone who doesn't.
Blessings
Debbie
The person who started this discussion claimed that if someone comes to you in need, you have an obligation to do what they need and not charge for anything more than materials. She did also go on to say that anyone who charges in that situation is an asshole and not a Real Witch. Someone else said all people who charge are fakes.
The inevitable back and forth between several people followed. There were several points raised though that I would like to explore further.
Magic For Personal Gain
There seem to be a few firmly held beliefs regarding the morality of using magic for personal gain. Some seem to believe that there's some Universal Rule against this and that using magic for (any) gain is black magic or dark and evil. However, their idea of what constitutes personal gain seems to be limited to monetary gain, love spells or power over someone.
Others hold that no personal gain is like a selfless act - there is no such beastie. No matter what you do, you will be gaining from it in some way and that to tell yourself that you're against it is delusional. They often also go on to point out that this "rule" has come from the tv show Charmed.
The Wiccan Ordains or 161 Laws based on Gerald Gardner's Old Laws was raised. Specifically numbers 119, 120 and 121. They read as follows:
119. Never accept money for the use of the art, for money ever smeareth the taker. 'Tis sorcerors and conjurers and the priests of the Christians who ever accept money for the use of their arts. And they sell pardons to let men escape from their sins.
120. Be not as these. If you accept no money, you will be free from temptation to use the art for evil causes.
121. All may use the art for their own advantage or for the advantage of the craft only if you are sure you harm none.
A commentary on the provenance and validity of these Rules can be found at Wicca: For the Rest of Us .
Interestingly, using it for your own advantage is not a problem - just money.
I learned that even Gardnerians don't necessarily agree fully with them or follow them - that comes down to each individual coven. But even if they did, these Ordains or Laws apply to Wiccans and cannot be assumed to cover all who use the word Witch.
It was pointed out that Cunningfolk and Traditional Witches (Pre-Wicca) would expect payment. If you didn't pay, you didn't get the work done.
What Constitutes Payment?
A further point in this discussion was about what constitutes as payment for services - trade, barter, gifts, donations (or koha as we'd call it in NZ). No real answer was given from the Soapbox shouter.
Someone raised using spirits, Gods or ancestors in magic or calling upon them for help. In many traditions, the spirits demand payment - in some, they set the price. That payment may take the form of specific foods or beverages as offerings, some valued item as sacrifice or time spent in praise and worship. They may require that you charge $X and that half of that is to go to a certain charity.
As many wise folk have said repeatedly, it is foolish to constantly beg for favours from your Gods and Spirits and do nothing in return.
In the case of the person who raised this topic and used it to insult everyone who charges, she gets paid in warm fuzzies for having helped someone, testimonials and a sense of moral superiority. These are all still payment for services rendered. She benefits from her acts.
Value and Worth
Frequently raised by those defending their right to charge was placing value on yourself and your work. This was countered by asking for payment "cheapens" or "prostitutes" magic.
For some people, tarot readings and magic for others is their livelihood. This is what they do so that they can afford to live, eat and have choices in their lives.
For others, charging separates those who seriously have issues from those who are just time-wasters. I know someone who will now only take a booking with a deposit. She's had too many people make a booking and not turn up for it. She is turning others away because she is booked at that time.
In my own experience, I have learned that generally people don't value what they can get for free. There have been a rare few that have valued and appreciated the things I've done purely out of the goodness of my heart. More commonly, it becomes an expectation that I'll keep doing it whenever and wherever they happen to need it again. I had a friend who asked for a reading on a fairly regular basis. It got to the point that she'd come and visit me or I'd go and see her, we'd have coffee and a chat and I'd time how long it would be before she asked for a reading. I was also always having to rescue her from some magical drama. After a while, I said I couldn't read for her anymore because I knew too much and didn't trust that I wasn't just projecting my own crap into it. I haven't seen her in a few years now. I guess my friendship was all about doing things for free.
There is another woman who calls me every so often. She almost demands (in an emotional blackmail, terribly desperate, so much drama way) that I drop everything and do what she needs. She ties up my phone line for ages, not hearing me when I tell her I can't talk right now, or that I can't do anything at the moment. She seems to have no concept of boundaries either - she's even asked if I had a spare room she could stay in. She treats me as if I have nothing better to do with my life than step in and solve her latest drama. Now to clarify, I've never actually done anything to help her in any of her dramas except listen to them a couple of times - it's not an expectation that has any basis in historical actions by me.
Another chap used to ring me up with some drama. I did a couple of readings for free and offered some simple and common sense advice for his issue. I found out he'd done the same with a friend who offered the same advice and gave him the same answers in a reading. He called me about a month later to rave over a reader he'd paid who gave him this wonderful advice - which was exactly what he'd been told for free by me and the other friend. He didn't listen to anyone but the one he paid.
I choose to place some value on myself and my abilities. I value the wisdom I have gained and the time it has taken to get there. I believe that anyone else can get to the same place with time and a little effort. All the knowledge is out there, it just takes work to turn it from theory into practice. I will not be treated as a doormat by someone who believes it should all be free.
Knowledge and Wisdom
I don't know why the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom is still so hard to understand for so many people. One of the arguments in this discussion was that knowledge should be free. Knowledge is free. Wisdom is different - no one can give you wisdom, you need to understand the knowledge before it becomes wisdom.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting tomato in a fruit salad.
This argument is also used as justification for illegally pirating books. But it misses that in the back of those books is usually a bibliography - effectively a list of sources ie. where the knowledge came from. However, the author took those sources and created something new and different with their own wisdom and bothered to make that wisdom available for others. That effort deserves compensation.
Doing Tarot readings or magical work for people is no different. Anyone can pick up a tarot deck and tell a story. Anyone can learn all the book meanings for the cards and how laying the cards out this way means x, y and then z. Most tarot readers take this to a deeper level. Their experience in reading is not something you can just pick up from a book. You aren't just paying for someone to flip over some cards and recite an arbitrary memorised meaning - you are paying for the wisdom and experience that recognises this card in this position with that card over there has usually meant something deeper. You are paying for their talent and abilities to hear other messages, to recognise patterns and to relate that to you.
A Need for Magical Intervention
Another point raised by the poster was how she'd never turn away anyone in true need. When someone knocks at your door absolutely beside themselves, crying, shaking, hurt, scared and so on, you'd be a cold-hearted person indeed to demand payment before doing everything you could to help them.
At no point however, was she able to give us an example where a spell is needed as a first response over say, Police, Ambulance or some other form of professional help. Only after a lot of questioning did she say that she recommends counselling or does any form of divination, digging or fact-finding to find the truth of the matter. It had been directly asked enough times for me to wonder if this is true or if it was something she said to shut some of her detractors up. She just said over and over that she'll do her spells for free for people in need and that anyone who turns away someone in this state is an asshole.
I have had close friends and family come to me in this state. I will always do what I can for them. Unless they're always in this state and it's time for a harsh life lesson about standing on your own two feet and not needing to be rescued repeatedly. I think that's a completely different thing from having a random stranger knock at my door wanting or needing my help.
Still, I can't think of a single situation that would require a spell first or in which a spell would be a good idea. I can think of situations where I have called in magical help but only because I knew the back story and it wasn't a sudden out of the blue random visit.
Frauds and Scam Artists
Apparently, in the eyes of several, anyone who does ask for payment is a fake, is scamming you or is purely in it for the wrong reasons.
No one disputed that there are fakes out there, there are people who'll take your money for little to no real work done. However, to tar all who charge with the same brush is unfair and ill-informed.
I certainly wouldn't pay anyone online to do any work for me even if I wasn't perfectly capable of doing it for myself, unless they had come with strong recommendations from people I trust. I've seen one crazy lady share photos of a curse that she was allegedly casting on our group. Funnily enough on her blog, the description of the curse her husband was casting on another group altogether fit the pictures she sent to us. Wow, multi-purpose curse, that's some talent. And I certainly hope it had any effect on the other group because none of us have noticed anything at all. My point is, how could you know that the work you'd paid for had been done? If a photo is sent to you, how would you know that it isn't the same photo sent to every other sap who's paid for work? There can be no guarantees, there is no way of separating the real from the fake.
Just as in any case when you are spending money on something you can't get a guarantee for, use your common sense. If someone does a reading and then tells you they'll remove this curse/bad energy/negative spirit/some other terribly scary sounding affliction from you that you'd never previously noticed for a sum of $X - you're being scammed.
The Conclusion of this Discussion
At the end of it all, the Original Poster claimed it was just a troll, lots of laughs and she learned a lot. Thanks to everyone for handing her her ass on a plate. Still somewhat cynical about this sudden back-down, but hey, it gave me food for thought.The general consensus was that if you want to charge, then charge. If you don't, then don't. If you're willing to pay, then go to someone who charges and if you're not then go to someone who doesn't.
Blessings
Debbie
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Modern times and Paganism
There is a thing I am struggling with somewhat, bear with me, I'm finding it a bit of a challenge to adequately put words around.
In our modern world, we have this tendency to find amusement in old fashioned things. Old ways of doing stuff. Well, some stuff. I am rather old-fashioned in my crafts, I don't just knit and crochet (which has my husband referring to me as a Nana) but I also spin and weave. What I'm talking about though is different.
Medicine for example. While herbalism has a fairly steady following, we'd fall about laughing if someone suggested bleeding us to cure a headache, flu or any other illness.
Technology is another, who writes letters any more? Remember the old dial phones that were hard wired into the wall wherever the installer decided to put it when the house was built. And having to wait up to a month for a line to become free when you moved somewhere. I'm not quite old enough to remember party lines, but I do remember growing up on an Air Force base where we had to dial 2 before calling anyone off base and had to add three digits to our four digit phone numbers for anyone outside to call us. Two tv channels and they finished at 10pm when you got either static or a test picture after that.
In so many ways, the old ways of doing things are met with a fond nostalgia, but little interest in returning to that way of life for any length of time.
Except Pagans.
It seems that for anything in Paganism to have value, it has to be old. It requires some amount of antiquity and tradition to be right or valid.
Technopagans are a source of amusement and ridicule.
Fairly recently, I saw someone saying not to bother with any occult book written in the last 50 years. And it was widely agreed with.
I'm trying though, to understand why this is. Why is it that Pagans who will happily spend hours on the internet doing their research will scorn LED tea-light candles? Anyone doing anything overly new, or trying to create something new is met with derision and snark.
There is a woman I know online, I won't refer to her as a friend, who swears by The Egyptian Secrets of Albertus Magnus, an old spell book of vague provenance. It is available here for anyone who is interested by the way. She claims to use the medicinal spells from it as her "go to" quite frequently. I have been left wondering how she's getting along with all the white lead and mercury and praying over wounds although maybe that would explain a few things.
I mentioned to someone that I've been reading a number of these old spell books and their eyes lit up, "Oh, I would be very interested in reading that", right up until I tell them the websites where they are freely available and public domain. As if being available to everyone who knows how to use Google somehow tainted them.
Suggest a modern spellbook and most of them roll their eyes. They assume someone is making all sorts of crap up to cash in on beginners and new agers.
Many of the Witchcraft histories that I've also been reading suggest that Cunningfolk used whatever worked. When something new came along, they'd learn and incorporate it if it was useful - not sneer at it as being "not traditional". This is why circle casting is now such a core part of modern pagan practise - even though it came from Christian Ceremonial magic.
I don't understand this. I don't get it. Why does something have to be traditional to have value?
In our modern world, we have this tendency to find amusement in old fashioned things. Old ways of doing stuff. Well, some stuff. I am rather old-fashioned in my crafts, I don't just knit and crochet (which has my husband referring to me as a Nana) but I also spin and weave. What I'm talking about though is different.
Medicine for example. While herbalism has a fairly steady following, we'd fall about laughing if someone suggested bleeding us to cure a headache, flu or any other illness.
Technology is another, who writes letters any more? Remember the old dial phones that were hard wired into the wall wherever the installer decided to put it when the house was built. And having to wait up to a month for a line to become free when you moved somewhere. I'm not quite old enough to remember party lines, but I do remember growing up on an Air Force base where we had to dial 2 before calling anyone off base and had to add three digits to our four digit phone numbers for anyone outside to call us. Two tv channels and they finished at 10pm when you got either static or a test picture after that.
In so many ways, the old ways of doing things are met with a fond nostalgia, but little interest in returning to that way of life for any length of time.
Except Pagans.
It seems that for anything in Paganism to have value, it has to be old. It requires some amount of antiquity and tradition to be right or valid.
Technopagans are a source of amusement and ridicule.
Fairly recently, I saw someone saying not to bother with any occult book written in the last 50 years. And it was widely agreed with.
I'm trying though, to understand why this is. Why is it that Pagans who will happily spend hours on the internet doing their research will scorn LED tea-light candles? Anyone doing anything overly new, or trying to create something new is met with derision and snark.
There is a woman I know online, I won't refer to her as a friend, who swears by The Egyptian Secrets of Albertus Magnus, an old spell book of vague provenance. It is available here for anyone who is interested by the way. She claims to use the medicinal spells from it as her "go to" quite frequently. I have been left wondering how she's getting along with all the white lead and mercury and praying over wounds although maybe that would explain a few things.
I mentioned to someone that I've been reading a number of these old spell books and their eyes lit up, "Oh, I would be very interested in reading that", right up until I tell them the websites where they are freely available and public domain. As if being available to everyone who knows how to use Google somehow tainted them.
Suggest a modern spellbook and most of them roll their eyes. They assume someone is making all sorts of crap up to cash in on beginners and new agers.
Many of the Witchcraft histories that I've also been reading suggest that Cunningfolk used whatever worked. When something new came along, they'd learn and incorporate it if it was useful - not sneer at it as being "not traditional". This is why circle casting is now such a core part of modern pagan practise - even though it came from Christian Ceremonial magic.
I don't understand this. I don't get it. Why does something have to be traditional to have value?
Friday, 5 December 2014
Intent is All You Need
I keep seeing this said in comments on spell requests.
Intent is everything or If you have pure intent then that's the best you can do.
I find myself wondering if the people who say this have ever really performed successful magick. Because quite simply, this isn't true. This is very similar to Wishcraft or Begcraft as some friends like to refer to it. Using prayer instead of spells and not understanding the difference.
Prayer is asking for something else, Gods, Spirits or some Higher Power to do it for you. What is missed is that it is at Their discretion.
Spellcrafting is taking matters into your own hands and doing it yourself. This may or may not include the guidance or assistance of a Higher Power, but it is not relying purely on Them to bring about the change you are asking for.
I often get a picture in my head when someone talks about how much they've prayed for something or over something. It's a picture of their Gods looking down on them and saying "Again?! I've given you the tools, grow up and deal with this stuff yourself!"
Intent is the purpose for a spell. It is what you mean to achieve and the change you are creating. It goes deeper than "meaning well" or "thinking positive" or "trying to help". It is all your true motivations, emotional need, whim and fancy that goes into the reason you are casting a spell.
If intent is all you need, then you should just sit back on your chuff and assume that your every wish will be provided for. How do you think that will work for you? Let me assure you it won't.
It may be your intent to get a job. But until you actually do the work - like applying for some and putting your cv or resume out there - it's not going to happen. No one goes out of their way to find a person they've never heard of to hire them with no knowledge of their experience, personality or work skills. The people who get headhunted for jobs are the people who are already showing brilliance in their field or are well known to the employers.
Intent is what you mean to do. This is a world away from actually doing it.
Everything takes work. Intent is a great beginning, but that is all it is - a beginning.
Blessings
Debbie
Intent is everything or If you have pure intent then that's the best you can do.
I find myself wondering if the people who say this have ever really performed successful magick. Because quite simply, this isn't true. This is very similar to Wishcraft or Begcraft as some friends like to refer to it. Using prayer instead of spells and not understanding the difference.
So what is the difference you may ask?
Prayer is asking for something else, Gods, Spirits or some Higher Power to do it for you. What is missed is that it is at Their discretion.
Spellcrafting is taking matters into your own hands and doing it yourself. This may or may not include the guidance or assistance of a Higher Power, but it is not relying purely on Them to bring about the change you are asking for.
I often get a picture in my head when someone talks about how much they've prayed for something or over something. It's a picture of their Gods looking down on them and saying "Again?! I've given you the tools, grow up and deal with this stuff yourself!"
How does Intent fit into this?
Intent is the purpose for a spell. It is what you mean to achieve and the change you are creating. It goes deeper than "meaning well" or "thinking positive" or "trying to help". It is all your true motivations, emotional need, whim and fancy that goes into the reason you are casting a spell.
If intent is all you need, then you should just sit back on your chuff and assume that your every wish will be provided for. How do you think that will work for you? Let me assure you it won't.
It may be your intent to get a job. But until you actually do the work - like applying for some and putting your cv or resume out there - it's not going to happen. No one goes out of their way to find a person they've never heard of to hire them with no knowledge of their experience, personality or work skills. The people who get headhunted for jobs are the people who are already showing brilliance in their field or are well known to the employers.
Intent is what you mean to do. This is a world away from actually doing it.
Everything takes work. Intent is a great beginning, but that is all it is - a beginning.
Blessings
Debbie
Saturday, 22 November 2014
The Colour of Magic
This is a subject that rears it's head with far too much frequency. Putting colour to the type of witchcraft that people are drawn to or like to label themselves.
Always there are arguments about what constitutes each colour, as though the world should conform to such a narrow view and those who, like me, reject this classification completely.
White magic is most commonly seen as good and selfless. It is positive and constructive and involves healing and harming none and yoga and tantra and all sorts of feel good positive self-esteem stuff.
People who claim to only use white magic or be white witches often spout platitudes regarding karma, threefold law, personal gain is bad and not using magic to affect the free will of another.
This is the nasty stuff. This is doing magic to destroy or harm - binding, cursing and hexing primarily. In some texts, a black magician is not a real witch because they only do good things.
Sometimes this is also referred to as Dark magic or Shadow magic. The people who like to claim this will often also try to convince you of how twisted, tortured and terribly gothic they are.
This is a balanced place. Using both sides of the polarity as needed. It's a middle path that sometimes seems to have one foot on both of the other paths.
Grey magicians will use phrases like "harm none but take no shit" or "I do only positive magic unless you threaten me or mine".
Each of these colours are completely vapid ways to categorise and classify witches and magicians in such a way that the person doing the labelling comes out in a morally superior position. It is nothing more and nothing less than a way to sit on your high horse and look down your nose at someone you feel is less than you.
Doing only White Magic means you do no magic. None at all. In fact it means you do nothing in your life.
Harm None - in modern popular usage, not it's traditional meaning - is a completely impossible rule to live by. You may choose a vegetarian diet for this, but plants have feelings too, the rainforests of Sumatra are being stripped for palm oil plantations which has made the native tigers endangered and severely harmed the survival of other species of rainforest flora and fauna. Where were your shoes made? Under what conditions were the materials obtained? Do you drive a car? Do you have any idea of the worldwide damage that comes from fossil fuels? Not just climate change, but wars for control of oil fields, the damage to the land from roads (the road itself, the emissions and the volume of animals killed on the roads) and the thousands of people killed and injured every year in normal vehicle use.
Free Will is one of my favourites. I think that not affecting the free will of another is the same as a truly selfless act - there is no such beastie. If you do magic to protect your property from theft, burglary or unwanted intrusions, you are restricting the free will of the thief, burglar, the Jehovah's Witnesses or your mother-in-law. If you look deeply into any spell, there is nothing you can do that will not affect the free will of another.
Doing only black magic means you build nothing in your life. I also believe it's like true anarchy or chaos - it doesn't really exist except as an abstract concept. An order will arise regardless - growth and patterns will emerge and there will be constructive elements and not just destructive.
Grey magic is a difficult one for me. It describes how I feel for the most part, but I still don't like the colour application. I frequently say that I have two hands, why would I tie one behind my back and not use all the tools at my disposal?
I also feel that while polarities can be useful to partition up the world around us, balance must come from more than two points (black and white). When casting a circle, you are creating a crossroads of north and south and east and west, but also your place between upperworld and underworld. There, you are at the centre of six directions made up of three polarities. Those polarities are also symbolic of states of mind or being - active and passive and logic and intuition among many others.
I've heard it said recently that white and black magic came from racist roots - that the implication was that white magic was tied to white folk and black magic to black folk. I personally think this is a superficial look at the origins of the terms. I believe that in the black vs white usage regarding magic white is tied to light - to daytime when most things are visible and seen, when we are made to be active and doing things to improve our lot in life. Black is tied to dark - to night-time, to sleep and dreaming and shadows. To the times when most things are concealed by the darkness and our fears come out to play.
But then we have other colours of magic now coming into popular usage. People are describing themselves as purple witches and red witches and all colours of the spectrum. I can cope with Green Witchcraft - that is less of a colour descriptor and more of the colour of the things they work with. Green Witchcraft concerns a lot of plant work, herbcraft in particular. But the rest don't seem to make a lot of sense to me.
There are spells that use colour correspondences for a specific area of life. I suppose it can be turned around to say that an emotional spell is blue magic or warlike spells are red magic but it feels rather contrived and simplistic to me. I am aware that Isaac Bonewits used this system of classification in his book Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Light. I haven't read the whole book, but I have read the excerpt in which this system is described and can only hope that the content improves.
While it may be a useful (or not depending on your viewpoint) way to classify different spells, I still struggle with taking that "colour of magic" and turning it into the colour of the practitioner. Does this mean that a red witch will only do magic for anger, sex and the things they're passionate about? Are they unable, unwilling or does it not fit their path to do magic for wealth or healing? How does that work? It seems terribly limiting and to be honest, rather childish to narrow your options down in such a way.
I know that some people like or need to categorise the world to make it easier to understand. To be able to file things in little boxes in their minds and have everything cross-referenced from there. I don't get it. I like to try and see the whole picture, rather than cut it up into small chunks.
Blessings
Debbie
Always there are arguments about what constitutes each colour, as though the world should conform to such a narrow view and those who, like me, reject this classification completely.
White Magic
White magic is most commonly seen as good and selfless. It is positive and constructive and involves healing and harming none and yoga and tantra and all sorts of feel good positive self-esteem stuff.
People who claim to only use white magic or be white witches often spout platitudes regarding karma, threefold law, personal gain is bad and not using magic to affect the free will of another.
Black Magic
This is the nasty stuff. This is doing magic to destroy or harm - binding, cursing and hexing primarily. In some texts, a black magician is not a real witch because they only do good things.
Sometimes this is also referred to as Dark magic or Shadow magic. The people who like to claim this will often also try to convince you of how twisted, tortured and terribly gothic they are.
Grey Magic
This is a balanced place. Using both sides of the polarity as needed. It's a middle path that sometimes seems to have one foot on both of the other paths.
Grey magicians will use phrases like "harm none but take no shit" or "I do only positive magic unless you threaten me or mine".
What These Really Mean
Each of these colours are completely vapid ways to categorise and classify witches and magicians in such a way that the person doing the labelling comes out in a morally superior position. It is nothing more and nothing less than a way to sit on your high horse and look down your nose at someone you feel is less than you.
Doing only White Magic means you do no magic. None at all. In fact it means you do nothing in your life.
Harm None - in modern popular usage, not it's traditional meaning - is a completely impossible rule to live by. You may choose a vegetarian diet for this, but plants have feelings too, the rainforests of Sumatra are being stripped for palm oil plantations which has made the native tigers endangered and severely harmed the survival of other species of rainforest flora and fauna. Where were your shoes made? Under what conditions were the materials obtained? Do you drive a car? Do you have any idea of the worldwide damage that comes from fossil fuels? Not just climate change, but wars for control of oil fields, the damage to the land from roads (the road itself, the emissions and the volume of animals killed on the roads) and the thousands of people killed and injured every year in normal vehicle use.
Free Will is one of my favourites. I think that not affecting the free will of another is the same as a truly selfless act - there is no such beastie. If you do magic to protect your property from theft, burglary or unwanted intrusions, you are restricting the free will of the thief, burglar, the Jehovah's Witnesses or your mother-in-law. If you look deeply into any spell, there is nothing you can do that will not affect the free will of another.
Doing only black magic means you build nothing in your life. I also believe it's like true anarchy or chaos - it doesn't really exist except as an abstract concept. An order will arise regardless - growth and patterns will emerge and there will be constructive elements and not just destructive.
Grey magic is a difficult one for me. It describes how I feel for the most part, but I still don't like the colour application. I frequently say that I have two hands, why would I tie one behind my back and not use all the tools at my disposal?
I also feel that while polarities can be useful to partition up the world around us, balance must come from more than two points (black and white). When casting a circle, you are creating a crossroads of north and south and east and west, but also your place between upperworld and underworld. There, you are at the centre of six directions made up of three polarities. Those polarities are also symbolic of states of mind or being - active and passive and logic and intuition among many others.
I've heard it said recently that white and black magic came from racist roots - that the implication was that white magic was tied to white folk and black magic to black folk. I personally think this is a superficial look at the origins of the terms. I believe that in the black vs white usage regarding magic white is tied to light - to daytime when most things are visible and seen, when we are made to be active and doing things to improve our lot in life. Black is tied to dark - to night-time, to sleep and dreaming and shadows. To the times when most things are concealed by the darkness and our fears come out to play.
All Colours of the Rainbow Magic
But then we have other colours of magic now coming into popular usage. People are describing themselves as purple witches and red witches and all colours of the spectrum. I can cope with Green Witchcraft - that is less of a colour descriptor and more of the colour of the things they work with. Green Witchcraft concerns a lot of plant work, herbcraft in particular. But the rest don't seem to make a lot of sense to me.
There are spells that use colour correspondences for a specific area of life. I suppose it can be turned around to say that an emotional spell is blue magic or warlike spells are red magic but it feels rather contrived and simplistic to me. I am aware that Isaac Bonewits used this system of classification in his book Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Light. I haven't read the whole book, but I have read the excerpt in which this system is described and can only hope that the content improves.
While it may be a useful (or not depending on your viewpoint) way to classify different spells, I still struggle with taking that "colour of magic" and turning it into the colour of the practitioner. Does this mean that a red witch will only do magic for anger, sex and the things they're passionate about? Are they unable, unwilling or does it not fit their path to do magic for wealth or healing? How does that work? It seems terribly limiting and to be honest, rather childish to narrow your options down in such a way.
I know that some people like or need to categorise the world to make it easier to understand. To be able to file things in little boxes in their minds and have everything cross-referenced from there. I don't get it. I like to try and see the whole picture, rather than cut it up into small chunks.
Blessings
Debbie
Saturday, 1 November 2014
The New Modern Super Powers.
I've come to the conclusion that reading comprehension and critical thought are fast becoming super powers. Rare gifts that only the few special people possess.
Quite frequently, it seems that knickers get knotted, tempers rise and people everywhere get themselves worked up into a right old state over a non-issue that could have been avoided simply if they bothered to read the source properly.
The event that has brought this up for me is not a new thing. A pseudo-news site (although not noticeably a satire or troll site) took a fragment of an article out of context and turned it into something totally different.
I think it's probably best if you begin with the original article. Time Magazine's article about the surge in popularity of the TV Witch. I found it to be an interesting piece about how witches are currently film and tv winners. The fascination with witches and a bit of history and opinion about why this is.
A quote from a book, explaining some of the hysteria around witch-hunts (specifically the Salem Witch Trials) became the basis for this piece of ... well, I can only call this trolling. Actually, a number of words leap to mind, but I'm not going to use them. This little shit-stir article that is doing the rounds of facebook and getting the "more persecuted than everyone else" brigade all up on their high broomsticks.
It's even led to this piece of head-deskery.
I found a great blog post that summed up my issues. It can be found here.
Sadly though, there will be people who think that Time has given Witches and Pagans a Bad Name. Most either will not bother to go and read the original, or if they do, they'll skim it to find the bits they can be offended by.
What they don't seem to realise is that their whining, hand-wringing pleas of "an offensive portrayal of a positive religion" actually do far more damage to paganism and witchcraft than what they think the article said could ever do.
Simple reading comprehension - reading through an entire article and concentrating enough to absorb what is really being said - shows that such a reaction is completely unfounded. Nothing in the Time article had any relevance at all to modern witchcraft or paganism. But who cares right? Who lets the truth or reality get in the way of a good tantrum and moan.
Let's make all witches and pagans seem like a group of ignorant whiny little bitches who can't read properly. That's so much better.
Even sadder, it seems to be a trend. I made the mistake of not going back to read the original for a similar type of shit-stir "this big reputable media outlet just said something really offensive" article a few months ago. I felt a bit of a twat when I realised what I'd done.
I applaud the writer at The Inquisitr for misrepresenting the original so badly. As I know from personal experience, the writers get paid by page views and she'll be laughing all the way to the bank from this one.
There are writers making money from taking snippets of articles, twisting them into something attention grabbing and playing mind games with readers. They'll keep doing it too, because reading the original without buying into the bias placed on it by the muck-raking article takes critical thought, it takes the ability to comprehend what you read and as I said at the start, they seem to be extremely rare super powers.
Blessings
Debbie
Quite frequently, it seems that knickers get knotted, tempers rise and people everywhere get themselves worked up into a right old state over a non-issue that could have been avoided simply if they bothered to read the source properly.
The event that has brought this up for me is not a new thing. A pseudo-news site (although not noticeably a satire or troll site) took a fragment of an article out of context and turned it into something totally different.
I think it's probably best if you begin with the original article. Time Magazine's article about the surge in popularity of the TV Witch. I found it to be an interesting piece about how witches are currently film and tv winners. The fascination with witches and a bit of history and opinion about why this is.
A quote from a book, explaining some of the hysteria around witch-hunts (specifically the Salem Witch Trials) became the basis for this piece of ... well, I can only call this trolling. Actually, a number of words leap to mind, but I'm not going to use them. This little shit-stir article that is doing the rounds of facebook and getting the "more persecuted than everyone else" brigade all up on their high broomsticks.
It's even led to this piece of head-deskery.
I found a great blog post that summed up my issues. It can be found here.
Sadly though, there will be people who think that Time has given Witches and Pagans a Bad Name. Most either will not bother to go and read the original, or if they do, they'll skim it to find the bits they can be offended by.
What they don't seem to realise is that their whining, hand-wringing pleas of "an offensive portrayal of a positive religion" actually do far more damage to paganism and witchcraft than what they think the article said could ever do.
Simple reading comprehension - reading through an entire article and concentrating enough to absorb what is really being said - shows that such a reaction is completely unfounded. Nothing in the Time article had any relevance at all to modern witchcraft or paganism. But who cares right? Who lets the truth or reality get in the way of a good tantrum and moan.
Let's make all witches and pagans seem like a group of ignorant whiny little bitches who can't read properly. That's so much better.
Even sadder, it seems to be a trend. I made the mistake of not going back to read the original for a similar type of shit-stir "this big reputable media outlet just said something really offensive" article a few months ago. I felt a bit of a twat when I realised what I'd done.
I applaud the writer at The Inquisitr for misrepresenting the original so badly. As I know from personal experience, the writers get paid by page views and she'll be laughing all the way to the bank from this one.
There are writers making money from taking snippets of articles, twisting them into something attention grabbing and playing mind games with readers. They'll keep doing it too, because reading the original without buying into the bias placed on it by the muck-raking article takes critical thought, it takes the ability to comprehend what you read and as I said at the start, they seem to be extremely rare super powers.
Blessings
Debbie
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