Little Witch Magazine
Winter 2012
Flying Ointment Weather Magick Top Ten Pagan Bands Introduction to Druidism Wicca versus Witchcraft Spells, Chants and Verses
Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind As man’s ingratitude; Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friend remember’d not. Heigh-ho! sing!
William Shakespeare-Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind Act II, Scene 7, from ‘As You Like It’ (1600)
This Little Witch I
t’s been two years and change since I woke up one morning and realized I needed to make a magazine for the broader Pagan community. It needed to be free to read, a labor of love, and as inclusive as possible. I registered the domain name twenty minutes after waking up, got a logo done, put together a website and started asking my friends if they would like to help me out. Those I asked all wanted to help. In these two years, a lot has changed in my personal, religious, life, but Little Witch stays on course, improving every issue. Guest writers volunteer from everywhere, and those whom I asked to work with me in the beginning, are all still here. Every issue, they come up with fantastic topics and articles and I’m so very proud and thankful we get to create Little Witch every few months. As we enter a new cycle, we’re taking your feedback into
account and making some changes to the magazine. For one, we have extended our mythological section by another page and removed the ‘visiting’ column. We have also expanded the festival calendar by including festivals of many different Traditions. If there are festivals or Traditions you’re missing, do not hesitate to send them to me for next year, or the next issue. Contact details are in the colophon on the last page. Our writer Aurelia Bellis is still writing for us, but she’s decided to use her birth name. Heron Dawning is back, and we’ve extended the ‘discussions’ section, because we’ve noticed it’s hard to cramp two sides of the story into a single page article. This, combined with the extra page for the feasts, means that the magazine is two pages longer, effectively. We hope you enjoy this issue, and that we’ll see you again in March. Blessed be, Elani Temperance
In this issue: 4 5 6 8 9 10 12 14 15 18
The Goody Bag Top Ten Pagan Bands Examining the season Winter Pagan world Weather Magick Witchy Things Spells, Chants and Verses Merry Meet Else Christensen The Feasts Discussion Wicca versus Witchcraft Branching out Introduction to Druidism By the firelight Ki’ilua (Deceiver) Practical Pagan Flying Ointment
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The Goodie Bag Top Ten Pagan Bands - By Heron Dawning
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en artists with either a Pagan background or Pagan sound are gathered here for your enjoyment. Happy listening! 1. Björk Songs such as ‘Pagan Poetry’ and especially the new album: ‘Biophilia’ breathe Paganism. Björks music is often calm and enchanting, sometimes abstract but almost always beautiful.
landscapes and places are described that carry you off. Powerful and descriptive music, perfect for meditation. 5. Tearwave A bit dark, a little mysterious but with an appeasing choice of tones. The songs have a tendency to sound a bit similar, but if it is something that you like that presents no problem!
2. Faun Pagan and medieval folk music is how this German singing band describes their music. Tip: Isis.
6. The Chieftains Looking for something more traditional? The Chieftains make music out of traditional Irish folk tunes, songs, etc. Tip: Raglan Roads.
3. Within Temptation Dutch artists. Although their new albums receive a lot of criticism (but also praise), their old album ‘Mother Earth’ is lauded and listened to often within and outside of the Pagan community. Expect a lot of rock ballads.
7. Lisa Thiel Accompanied by flute or harp, Lisa Thiel sings (with a beautiful accent) about themes such as the Goddess, elements, animals and the eight Pagan holidays. A lot of the songs are (or can be turned into) chants that inspire.
4. Mike Oldfield In ‘Songs of a Distant Earth’ and ‘Music of the Spheres’
8. Corvus Corax Not Pagan. Not even folk. The only excuse we have to mention
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them here is that they headline at the Dutch festival ‘Castlefest’, where a lot of Pagans go to, and go wild upon listening to their music. Corvus Corax’ music is music that can bring you back to older, wilder, and more barbaric times. 9. Eddie Vedder Beautiful guitar, a beautiful voice. He did the soundtrack for the movie “Into the Wild”. No Pagan background, but he sings about themes a lot of Pagans can rejoice in. 10. Eluveitie A Swiss band who sing their Celtic folk music in Gaelic, combined with a heavy dose of death-metal. If death-metal, grunting, orcs and shouting people is your thing: this music is for you! Heron is an Eclectic and wonderfully stubborn Witch with a deep bond to the God and Goddess. heron.dawning@littlewitchmagazine.com
Examining the season Winter - By Linda Zoet
W
inter has arrived. Quickly, the world was covered with a warm, insulating, cloak of snow. December always seems to shine just a bit brighter than the other months. Magick lingers in the air, and nature seems to hold her breath, for three or so months, only to release it in a powerful burst of life and glory come Spring. Look at the children, playing merrily in the snow. They throw snowballs, built snowmen, and momentarily forget all about the digital toys waiting for them at home. Adults suddenly remember their love of long walks in the slowly falling snow, and to sit near the fire with a cup of tea or hot chocolate afterwards to ward off the chill. For a short period of time, it seems as if the times before the invention of the car lays over these days like a second layer; no noise, no stress, just deep enjoyment of nature’s wonders while enjoying the community you have created.
The warmth our homes provide is appreciated more, the lights in their holders seem brighter. The tree has been decorated and the lights are on. Presents wait for eager children’s hands to be opened. Winter is nature’s time of renewal, a time to organize and prepare for the year to come. Humans would do well to heed her advice. Wat deserves your attention in the new year? As the light returns from this point forward, what in your life deserves a spotlight? Walking through nature, you can see that she has slowed to a crawl. The leaves of the fall are covered under a white blanket of snow. A flower looking to blossom in late fall is frozen in a state of partial bloom; a flower which has the hope of maturing in spring time. It’s a beautiful symbol for this month of the year. Every season has its own magic, its own beauty. The deafening silence when a thick blanket of snow has fallen, the crispness of sound and light on a day with sun and frost, the cracking of
virgin ice when stepped upon, the sounds of hungry birds when seeds are put out for them, and the whispering words of the wind that blows through cracks in the house or fireplace are part of the winter magick that returns every year, like clockwork. Winter is a time to make your own hot chocolate, and apple turnovers with a lot of cinnamon and raisins, to share with the people you love. How about making a garland with peanuts for the birds, having a winter-time campfire to celebrate the return of the light, or lighting your house with home made candles and/or candle holders? Winter is the perfect time to finish projects you couldn’t find time for during the rest of the year, and to tie up any loose ends before the frenzy of spring arrives. Winter is a wonderful time of the home, and family. How about making your own tree decorations as a family? What ever you do, remember to tell yourself to look out for the magick of the season; it’s everywhere when you take the time to find it.
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I
t’s as old as witchcraft itself; manipulating the weather to suit your needs, instead of praying to a Deity so They might fix the drought in your area or stop the rain from falling. The weather also provides one of the oldest signs of a witch in the community: rapid changes in weather, weather fronts that wreck the harvest or other noteworthy weather phenomenon were key signs there was a witch in the community who wished ill on the village and everyone in it. Although we have stepped away from these antiquated and false claims, weather magick is powerful and, indeed, very dangerous. If you’re not a trained magickal worker, you may want to avoid it for the time being, but for those who want to take that next step and are not held back from it because of the Rede or Threefold Law, weather magick may be just the thing. ‘The weather’—in magickal terms—is an umbrella term for
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a collection of chaos systems; anywhere conflicting energies mix, changes are forced. These fracture lines are easier to manipulate than the mass of Earth’s weather. Manipulating one chaos system, will impact others along the way, and in true chaos fashion, what that impact will be can’t be predicted. Your changes to one of the systems, will reshape others like a stone thrown in a river. There are immediate effects, but the stone also changes the course of the river forever. Think of the Butterfly Effect. Even if you aren’t ethically opposed to this, this is a fair warning not to mess with the weather unless you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions, and you’re skilled enough in your magical system to make it work. That having been said, lets get to the good part. The term ‘weather magick’ covers two forms of magick that have to do with the weather. The first one is only mildly invasive: to take energy from naturally occurring weather phenomenon and use that energy
to power spell work. This can be anything; if you take raw power, you can bend it and add it to your own energy supply, or you can use the weather directly. An example of the latter would be to use the energy a downpour creates to power healing magick and let illness (literally) ‘wash away’. On the opposite end of the scale, heavy rain can be used to curse the property of another by ‘flooding it’ with negativity or poisoning the rain so the ground becomes less fertile. Again, your own ethical code applies. Another common way to harness this raw power is to bottle it. Water and wind are easiest to bottle. Water you can bottle directly, and wind is easier ‘caught’ by standing in a windstorm and sealing the lid as fast as you can. These elemental powers can be stored for a little while and used later to power spells or provide the elemental powers to call corners. The second method of weather magick is to literally manipulate the weather: making it rain on your property during a drought, or making sure it doesn’t rain during
Pagan World
Weather Magick - By Elani Temperance
your outdoor ritual, for example. Manipulating the weather sounds difficult, but for a seasoned practitioner, it’s actually not that hard. Independent of your magickal system, weather magick in this form is about attracting or repelling. The easiest way is to make a focus object. Make one for every different action; a focus object that has been used to attract rain is difficult to turn into an object that repels a tornado, for example, and it’s even more difficult to change it into an object that repels rain. This advice is most likely moot for seasoned practitioners, but be sure to be specific when working weather magick (or any other type of magick). Make sure you specify conditions; when will the object be active? How much of the weather phenomenon will it attract/repel? Where, exactly, do you want the weather phenomenon to go to? Next will be two examples. There has been a terrible drought. Your farmlands are drying out, and your harvest is
about to be lost. Tomorrow, there will be a minimal chance for rain, so you want to create an object that makes the most of those odds, since creating rain out of thin air is virtually impossible, and does so above your fields. As the base of your workings, you use a flat, smooth, rock. This will be your focal point. In your workings, you specify that, when this stone is unwrapped from its leather coverings, you want to attract rain clouds to it for a ‘gentile shower’. Once the stone is covered up again, the clouds may disperse. How you work this, is up to your Tradition. A second example: there is a tornado brewing, and to protect your property, you want to work weather magick. Perhaps you live in an area frequented by tornadoes, and you want this to be a permanent magickal defense. We’ll assume that for this example, you own a square-shaped piece of land. To repel possible tornadoes you will set up a perimeter with four poles, the height of fence poles, hammered into the ground at the
four corners of your property. In the workings, you will specify that the four poles will create a fence of energy between them that will keep out tornadoes, that this energy working needs only be active when a tornado approaches, and a way of keeping the fence powered. The method of lowest involvement is to tie it to something naturally moving, like the wind, but thats also incredibly hard to do. An easier option is to charge it yourself on a set moment in time, like every full moon or every first Monday of the month. If you live in an area frequented by tornadoes, you may need to charge it more frequently. Weather magick is powerful and terrifying; if done incorrectly, you can set a deluge off at your house, or worse, but if done correctly, it will keep you from ever getting wet when going out, or provide abundant rainfall when you need it most. Like all magick, weather magick is easy to abuse, so be careful and only delve into it if you can handle the responsibility.
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Witchy Things
Spells, chants and verses - By Elani Temperance
T
here are many ways to practice magick, but most forms of the practice involve the use of the spoken or written word. In some traditions, like hoodoo, the practitioner can draw from Christian texts to power spell work, in other—more eclectic—practices, one can use verses which are put together by the practitioner themselves, found in grimoires, Books of Shadows, or invented on the spot. The latter category of verses, we call ‘spells’. How, when, and if you apply spells in your practice depends greatly on your Tradition, and there are many variations of the same practice, even within Traditions. Some practitioners write their spells in rhyme or guided by certain poetic rules, others steer clear of this all together, and write spells in the form of short stories or meditations. Others, still, avoid any form of ‘prettying up’ in favor of raw sentences or a single or double lined chant.
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Another point of difference is in the use of a ‘cheat sheet’. Traditions with elaborate spells, often allow the practitioner to write down the spell and keep the paper close when practicing. Within these Traditions, power is often considered to be in the words being spoken, not in the emotion behind it. Other Traditions frown upon the use of a cheat sheet; if you can’t remember the spell and recall it by heart, it won’t work. For these Traditions, power is in the intention and not in the words themselves. Traditions also differ in the use of prepared spells. Some see no problem in thinking up a spell before hand, fine tuning it and eventually using it, while others feel this takes away the raw emotion behind the spell. For the latter Traditions, spells are often made up on the spot. In general, those who practice some form of ceremonial magick often prepare spells ahead of time, making use of ritualized words written by those before them. A cheat sheet is accepted,
and spells are rarely thought up on the spot, because one mistake could sabotage the entire ritual. Hedgewitches, Eclectics and other ‘home-based’ practitioners may still make use of a cheat sheet but generally prefer to make it up on the spot, to keep the emotions in them. Because rhyme makes spellcraft easier, these Traditions often make use of it, although that’s a sweeping generalization. There is a big difference in using pre-written spells and ceremonies from old tomes and grimoirs (including the Bible), and the hundreds of ‘Wicca 101’ spellbooks for sale in today’s market. Nearly everyone new to witchcraft invests in at least one of those in their first year, but the community at large advises against using these books for too long; while some are very well written and offer spells for any type of situation, the practitioners of Traditions these books are aimed at are usually better off writing their own spells and using these books as inspiration at best.
Merry Meet
Else Christensen - By Calandriel an Cuiileur
E
lse Ochsner was born in Denmark, in 1913. She was raised Lutheran but at fifteen, she considered herself to be an agnostic or atheist. Else said that if she wanted to feel religious, she preferred a walk in the woods, to feel the presence of the old Gods, rather than sit through a Lutheran service. After high school she became a professional hand weaver. She started her own workshop after finishing weaving school in ‘34. She met Alex Christensen in ‘37, whom she later married. After working in her own shop for a number of years, Else started to teach at a private institute for dyslexic people. In the late thirties, she also met a leader of the Syndicalist movement, Christian Christensen (no relation). She and her husband became activists before the war and were watched by occupation troops. The German Police heard that Else and her husband possessed firearms and they
were arrested as they were thought to be with the resistance. They were released, but toward the end of the war, Alex spent six months in a camp outside of Elsinore for his alleged syndicalist involvement. After the war the couple immigrated to Toronto, Canada in ‘51. In Canada, her husband continued woodcarving and she got a job in two hospitals, where she stayed until retirement. She heard about Alexander Rud Mills, the Father of the Re-Awakening movement, and learned about the idea of Odinism in the beginning of the sixties. Inspired, she contacted Mills’ his wife, as the man himself had died. In 1969, Else and her husband founded a group called ‘The Odinist Study Group’ which later evolved into ‘The Odinist Fellowship’. Alex died in 1971, and Else continued their work, moving to the United States. She started publishing ‘The Odonist’ in August 1971. Over time, the subscription base of The Odinist grew to over 800 individuals.
In addition to consistently publishing her intellectual journal, Else networked to build Odinist religious communities. She also lobbied to make Odinism an official religion in state prisons in America allowing her to spread the Odinist. For several years Else’s Odinist was the only thing linking the scattered Odinist community across North America. She became known as Folk Mother. When she was convicted for transporting drugs, in 1993, The Odonist joined with Steve McNallen’s Runestone. She served her time in prison and is reported to have been very optimistic about it. When she was released, she was destitute and the Asatru community held a fund raiser to help her get re-established in British Columbia, where she resumed her involvement with The Odinist Fellowship and continued publishing The Odinist as The Midgard Page newsletter. In 2005, at the age of 91, she retired from running her organization, and died a few days later, on May fifth.
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D
ecember: 21: Yule (Litha, Southern Hemisphere) and the Celtic festival of Alban Arthan (Alban Hefin, Southern Hemisphere) 21-25: Egyptian festival of Isis, Goddess of magic and fertility 23: Lesser Dionusia, Greek festival of Dionysus, God of wine 23: Egyptian festival of Hathor, Goddess of joy, feminine love, and motherhood 25: Advent of Baal (Babylonian God), Baldur (Norse God of peace), Apollo (Greek solar God), Mithras (Persian solar God), Osiris and Horus (Egyptian Gods of the underworld, and the sun, respectively) 26: Advent of Sobek, God of Crocodiles 26-Jan 1: Egyptian festival of Thoth, God of wisdom and learning 28: Egyptian festival of Sekhmet, Goddess of healing 29: Greek festival of Zeus Horios, God of boundaries 31: Yemoya, African festival of
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Yoruba, primordial Goddess, mother of the Sun and Moon 31: Festival of Saturn, Roman festival of Saturn, God of time
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anuary: 2: Advent of Isis 2: Advent of Inanna Sumerian Goddess of love and war 3: Roman festival of Pax, the Goddess of peace. 5: Compitalia, Roman festival of the guardian deities of crossroads: most notably Mania and the Lares 5: Italian festival of La Befana 6: Egyptian festival of Kore’s return from the Underworld after six years 6: Egyptian festival of Ptah (God of craftsmen and architects) and Horus 7: Egyptian New Year 7-8: Egyptian festival of Isis as the Mother Goddess 8: Roman festival of Justitia, the Goddess of justice 8: Haloa, Greek festival of Demeter
9: Agonium, Roman festival of Janus, God of gates and doors, beginnings and endings 11 and 15: Carmentalia, Roman festival of Carmenta, the Goddess of childbirth 15: Egyptian festival of Ptah 16: Roman festival of Concordia, the Goddess of harmonious relations 17: Roman festival of Felicitas, the Goddess of good luck 17: African sacred day to Ogun, the masculine orisha of strength, stamina and determination 21: Celtic New Year 23: Egyptian festival of Hathor 23-28: Lenaia, Greek festival of Dionysus and the maenads 24: Egyptian festival of Amun, creator Deity of the Kemetic pantheon 24: Egyptian festival of Thoth 24-feb 1: Sementivae, Roman festival 26: Celtic festival of Cernunnos
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ebruary: 1-2: Advent of Nut, primordial Egyptian sky
The Feasts By Elani Temperance
Goddess 2: Imbolc (Lammas, Southern Hemisphere) 2: Februalia, Roman festival of Februa, mother of Mars, God of war 2: African festival of Oya, the Orisha of death and rebirth 5 Advent of Apophis, feared Egyptian God of darkness and chaos 6: Greek festival of Aphrodite, Goddess of love 6: Roman festival of Venus, Goddess of love 7: Theogamia, Greek festival of Zeus and Hera 11-13: Egyptian festival of Osiris 13-15: Lupercalia, Roman festival of Faunus, God of flocks and fertility 13-21: Parentalis and Feralia, the Roman festival of the Manes, spirits of the dead 14: Egyptian festival of Renenutet and Nepri, Goddess of snakes and protection, and her son 15: Norse sacred day to Siegfried, warrior hero 17: Fornicalia, Roman festival of Fornax, Goddess of bread 17: Quirinalia, Roman festival of
Quirinus, an earlier God of war 20: Egyptian festival of Min, God of Love 22: Concordia, Roman festival of Caristia, Goddess of good will 23: Terminalia, Roman festival of Terminus, God of boundaries and property lines 21-24: Anthesteria, Greek festival of Dionysus 26: Egyptian festival of Nut
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arch: 1: Matronalia, Roman festival of Juno Lucina, Goddess of childbirth 1: Feriae Marti, Roman festival of Mars 1: Roman New Year 2: Holy Wells Day, Celtic festival of Ceadda, Goddess of healing springs and holy wells 4: Egyptian festival of Ra, God of the Sun 2-9: Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries, Greek festival of Demeter and Persephone 5: Diasia, Greek festival of Zeus Meilikhios (kindly) 5: Egyptian festival of Isis as the
Ocean Star, guide of navigators at sea 11-16: Egyptian festival of Renenutet and Nepri 12: Advent of Marduk, Mesopotamian king of the Gods 15: Roman festival of Anna Perenna, Goddess of the circle of the year 12-16: Egyptian day of offerings to Atum, Horus, Osiris, Ptah, Ra, and Sokar 16: Egyptian festival of Khonsu, God of the moon 16-17: Roman festival of Bacchus, God of wine 17: Liberalia, the Roman festival of Liber and Libera, fertility God and Goddess. 19: Asklepieia, Greek festival of Asklepios, Apollo and Hygeia, Gods and Goddesses of healing 19-23: Mivervalia and Quinquatria, Roman festivals of Minerva, Goddess of war, wisdom, arts, and trades 21: Persian New Year 21: Ostara (Mabon, Southern Hemisphere) 21: Celtic festival of Alban Eilir (Alban Elfred, Southern Hemisphere)
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eople often ask about the differences between Traditional Witchcraft and Wicca. There is no easy answer, but we’ll try to explain the major differences in this issue of Little Witch magazine. Historically speaking, Cunning Folk (those who were healers, diviners, herbalists, crafter of talismans and amulets; village healers and knowledgeable men and women) never called themselves witches. Why would they? Witches were hated and persecuted for the longest time. They helped the community from a mostly Christian viewpoint, and would never identify with the modern witchcraft movement if they had known of it. Yet, their practices were adopted largely intact into modern witchcraft. It was Gerald Gardner who combined parts of ceremonial magick with the craft of the Cunning Folk to form contem porary Wicca. So what is Traditional Witchcraft? It would
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compare best to shamanism, combined with old-European customs. Here are some of the major differences between Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft: Ethics: Traditional Witchcraft doesn’t have an ethical code like the ‘Rede’ or ‘Rule of Three’. There is, however, a basic understanding of the principle of ‘action-’reaction’, as put forth by Newton. Every action puts to motion energy that triggers a reaction along the way. Because of this basic scientific principle, you’re never quiet able to predict the outcome of your actions. Traditional witches, furthermore, put a lot of stock in the intention behind the action. The individual decides how to approach a problem or challenge from the viewpoint of their own intention, vision and perspective. Issues like protection of the home, family, and yourself are issues that are close to our hearts, so when these things are threatened, it’s a witch’s prerogative to take certain measures to keep them safe.
As such it’s completely acceptable within Traditional Witchcraft to, when necessary, perform a curse or binding. Helpers: within Traditional Witchcraft, the practitioner is free to pick their own helpers within a ritual setting. Wiccans and Neo-Wiccans call on the guardians and cardinal points. Within Wicca, these guardians are called ‘watchtowers’ and they are placed and bound in the four corners or directions of the circle: east, south, west, and north. They are placed there to protect the circle and to guard it. The watchtowers were imported from Kabbalistic magick, and displays the OTO roots of Wicca. Calling watchtowers is not part of Traditional Witchcraft. Within this Tradition, personal helpers are asked to partake in the rites and keep safe the practitioners. These helpers are often entities the practitioner has a bond with or a direct relation. Ancestral spirits, for example, or an animal guide or other spiritual entity. Initiations: the concept of self-initiations is something only
Discussion Wicca versus Witchcraft - By Lunadea
found within Neo-Wicca or other Neo-Pagan Traditions, and does not exist in Traditional Witchcraft. Traditionally, ancient knowledge is gifted to the pupil during initiation or a rite of passage, and you can’t gift knowledge to yourself this way. Ritual clothing: traditional witches don’t perform skyclad rituals out of respect for the Gods and spirits. It’s seen as rude, while in Wicca, disrobing for ritual s seen as a mark of freedom. It’s become a matter of choice for both Traditions, although many hold fast to their roots. The notion of skyclad rituals may have been derived from from a Jainistic sect which calls itself the Digambara, which translates to ‘dressed in sky’ or ‘dressed in air’. Gardner was inspired by this sect during his lifetime and visited the monks on multiple occassions. Digambara monks do not wear clothes to show they have have renounced worldly possessions and have renounced emotional limitations like pride and shame. One of the anuvratas, or ‘little vows’ within Jainisme is ashima:
‘no violence’. This may have been adapted into the ‘harm none’ of Wicca. Written tomes: within Wicca, practitioners make use of a Book of Shadows. The first book with this name was written by Gerald Gardner (although it may have been Dorien Valiente who originally wrote it for him). It is used to note down rituals, serves as a journal, and is traditionally copied from your High Priest(es). Within Traditional Witchcraft these types of books are called grimoires, which isn’t it’s real name, but used to guard that actual name. Religious rites, adaption of rituals, and other religious notes are recorded in these books. Any issues related to witchcraft or magick are noted down elsewhere. A grimoire may never act as a journal, and most Traditional Witchcraft Traditions encourage individual practitioners to create their own instead of copying their teachers’. The rituals themselves are generally passed down orally in descriptions of rituals, traditions and even folklore.
Often they include personal nterpretations of rituals. Very rarely, the content of a personal grimoire has been copied from a family grimoire. Secrecy: Guarding secrets and traditions is a vital part of Traditional Witchcraft. Some things will never be written down; these pieces of priceless information and power are only gifted to a practitioner during a rite of passage or initiation. Within Wicca, very few secrets are left, although some Inner Court material might have been saved from the mass marketing of Neo-Wicca. Triple Gods: The concept of triple Gods exists in both Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft Traditions, but Traditional Witchcraft is unfamiliar with the Maiden, Mother, Cronearchetype. This is a modern creation of Wicca and other Neo-Pagan religions. Hopefully these examples clarify some of the major differences between (Neo-)Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft.
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Branching Out
Introduction to Druidism - By Linda Zoet
T
he druids are easiest to picture as Panoramix from the comics about Astrix and Obelix; old men with white bears who live in houses filled with jars, books, herbs and an eternally bubbling cauldron hung over a comfy fire, and who have an answer to any question and a life lesson for every occasion. Modern day bards, ovates and druids differ a tad bit from that mental image, mostly because everyone is free to mold their practice in a way that pleases them. Druidism’s most famous organization, the ‘Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids’ (OBOD), distinguishes three separate branches of druidism: bards, ovates and druids. Bards are the guardians of tradition, the memory of their tribe, the musicians and the poets. Ovates are diviners and healers of a tribe or area, and the druids are the advisors, mentors, judges, teachers, and the leaders of rituals and celebrations.
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The three degrees are separate from each other; none of them is hierarchically higher than the other. They are different specialties, although those new to druidism always start out as bards, then ovates, then druids. Evidence of druidism has been found dating back to the time of the Romans, around the first century before Christ. The Celtic culture and druidism have long been linked, yet little of its history has withstood the test of time: back then information was passed down orally, mostly by druids. In modern times, you don’t have to be of Celtic decent to practice druidism. The Tradition is about respecting nature and all that lives. Following the cycle of the seasons is therefor an important part of the Druidic Tradition. Like Wiccans and NeoWiccans, druids observe eight yearly festivals: Alban Arthan, Imbolc, Alban Eiler, Beltane, Alban Hefin, Lughnasadh, Alban Elfed, and Samhuinn. Because Wicca and Wicca-like religions borrow heavily from druidism, the
purpose of the feasts resemble each other closely, even though alternate names are used for the equinoxes. Within druidism, there’s very little prejudice towards other religions and it’s acceptable to combine monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, animism, or any other ‘-ism’ with druidism. Some druids have their own Gods, who watch over their families and ancestors, their house and their lands. Others view the elemental beings of wind, rain, rivers, oceans, rocks and storms of fire and lightning as their focal point for worship. Due to its history, there are a few Gods and Goddesses tied closely to druidism, especially from the Welsh (Arianrhod, Gwyddion, Cerridwen) and Irish (Dagda, Lugh, Danu) pantheons. Cernunnos, God of the woods and wild animals, is also important. Faith in Gods isn’t a requirement for a druidic practice; it is more important that you practice with reverence, respect and love towards everything that grows, blooms, and lives.
By the firelight
Ki’ilua (Deceiver) - By Ragnild
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he time has come for another story to be told, and you may not believe this one, young ones, if you have not visited the warm islands it takes place at. I have been there once myself, and a chieftain told me this and I am passing on his story to you – I hope that you will sit here, warm and comfortable by the fire as for us it is quite chilly outside, and that you may enjoy it,” the old man said, his voice slightly scratchy from the period of silence before, because when he was not telling stories, he was a rather quiet man. “The islands my tale is set on are rather warm, all year ‘round, there is no snow where the people live, but on their mountains, there live four snow Goddesses, and this is the tale mainly of one of them…” he trailed off a little, sitting in silence, thinking for a moment about the way he would tell his story this time. Slowly he began speaking again, sketching out the vivid landscape to his listeners
and with a few words, they were lost, listening to the old man in rapt attention. “The sun was burning hot on the island on this particular day, and while it was blessedly cool on Poli’ahu’s part of the island, she felt that holua sledding with her sisters would be far more enjoyable than sitting on her mountain top. She sent Kanoa, her pet ‘lo, to her sisters, because they would likely enjoy the thrill of the he’e holua. The blissfully cool water in which they would swim afterwards was a true reward as well and Poli’ahu was already looking forward to spending time with her sisters, whom she had not seen in a while. Her sisters, Lilinoe, Waiau and Kahoupokane where already there, waiting for her with their own sleds, when Poli’ahu arrived at the slope they had agreed to meet at. They greeted one another excitedly and chatted for a bit, as it had been a while since they had seen each other and in that time, many exciting things had happened, it seemed.
After this, the four sisters inspected the holua track, and checked to see if the grass on it was good and their sleds were properly oiled. While even this part of Mauna Kea was Poli’ahu’s home, she could not help but feel that it would be fun to use the sleds in the snow as well, but it was easier to meet up here and if others happened across them, if they felt like it, they could join her little group in a sledding competition. The sisters took their turn, one by one, to slide down the slippery slope. It was an exhilarating experience, as always, and by the time all four of them were at the top of the track again, they were laughing and giggling, the thrill of the danger and speed of using the holua sleds still fresh. They travelled down the slope many times, each and every time laughing and joking, having more fun than they had had in a while. It was after their fifth time of going down the slope that a stranger was waiting for them at the top of the trail.
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“Aloha kakou!” the stranger greeted them all, “I saw that you were sledding and I could not help but notice how extremely good you are at it.” The last comment was aimed at Poli’ahu, and she smiled at the stranger for the lovely compliment she had just received. “I am quite fond of sledding,” the woman continued, “could I challenge you to a race?” The last question was asked eagerly and Poli’ahu laughed brightly at the woman’s exuberance. “Of course you may! But I see that you do not have a sled. Perhaps one of my sisters would be so generous as to lend you one?” At Poli’ahu’s words, Lilinoe smiled and handed the stranger her sled, which the stranger thanked her for graciously. “Now, if you and I are to race together, it would be nice to know who it is that I am racing.” The stranger smiled at that before she answered. “They call me Keahilele,” she said, still smiling. “Now, perhaps you could go down the slope first, and then I shall follow you.”
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Poli’ahu nodded, and readied her holua. She took her sled down the slope with great speed and grace, easily winning the race with Keahilele. “You are very good!” Keahilele said again, “But I can do better, let us make this a best out of three, if that is alright with you?” Poli’ahu did not mind; she was quite enjoying herself after all. “Very well,” she said, and they walked back up the slope. At the top, again she readied her holua, though this time she did not go first. “Perhaps you can go first this time,” she told the other woman, who smiled and did just that. The four sisters watched as the other woman sailed down the track gracefully and so fast that it seemed as though there was fire coming from the runners of her sled. It definitely made the woman live up to her name – flying fire – and it only served to excite Poli’ahu even more; she loved a good competition. They raced a few more times, but Poli’ahu was always just the slightest bit faster. Poli’ahu’s sisters had stood as judges
and they could confirm this, but Keahilele was having none of it. “You are biased!” she accused them, and the sisters gasped in shock at her audacity. “I was faster than Poli’ahu, but you are her sisters, so I should have known it would end this way.” Her words were angry and her actions hot with rage. She took Lilinoe’s holua sled and slammed the back of it in the ground, the runners opening great big cracks in the earth. The sisters gasped and Poli’ahu and her sisters now knew who they were dealing with; this woman in front of them, she could be none other than Pele, Goddess of fire. “Pele, you wretched being,” Poli’ahu called out, “you are always so jealous and even when I best you in honest competition and you still cannot stand it.” Pele did not listen to Poli’ahu’s words though: they only made her angrier, and she made the surface of the very earth split open and caused hot streams of air to burst forth from chambers below it. Poli’ahu knew that the lava would soon follow.
By the firelight She and her sisters ran and ran and ran, they needed to reach the top of Mauna Kea, because then Poli’ahu could spread her soft, white kikepa over the mountain to summon all the snow she would need to cool down the hot stream of lava, and Pele, both of which were now following them. Not only Poli’ahu would be able to do something though; Waiau and Kahoupokane released the frozen waters of their underground lakes onto the surface to help cool the molten rock, and Lilihoe made it mist and rain. When the sisters reached the peak of Mauna Kea, Poli’ahu spread her kikepa and summoned all the snow she could. It had not snowed like this in many years and the snow was so thick and fell so fast, that it was hard for her to see her sisters. The snow did its work though, together with the water and mist, and Pele was beaten. “It is said that Pele still occasionally tries to throw her molten rocks at Poli’ahu or her sisters, but she never succeeds
from the mountain she lives on,” the old man told the children, who were sitting and listening with their mouths slightly open and clinging to each other in excitement. “Pele’s attack is what formed the land of Laupahoehoe and Onamea, and that is the only good thing that came from her envy, as envy usually does not pay off. So, my children, do not be envious, but rather work together with those you live with. It makes our world a far better place.” He smiled at them and stretched a little. “Now, off to bed with you, younglings, for the hour has grown late and my bones have grown weary.” He watches them go with a content smile, hoping that his words will stay with them for some time to come. His old bones creak and groan as he stands up. It has been a long day and after such an exciting tale he could use a little sleep himself. He was already looking forward to his next tale though, but that would just have to wait a little while longer.
Pagan agenda Activities by the Silver Circle (NL) http://tiny.cc/SilverCircle Activities by the Cirkel van de Godin (NL) http://tiny.cc/CirkelvandeGodin Festivals and fairs (NL) http://tiny.cc/MagicalFeeling
(Your Neopagan schedule or activity here? Contact us!)
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Practical Pagan Flying Ointments - By Elani Temperance
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f the many stories of the witches of old, on that speaks to the imagination most is the witch flying to the sabbat on her broom. To accomplish this, the witch brewed and applied a magickal salve known as witches’ flying ointment. While no one knows the exact recipe, and ingredients like bat’s blood and the fat of babies were added to the list of possible ingredients with shuddering fear, researchers and scientists have discovered quite specifically what this flying ointment is:
Warning! Flying ointments are made out of various plant materials which are poisenous to the point of being lethal. If you don’t know what you are doing, do not try to make the ointment yourself, and if you use the ointment someone else made, make sure they know their way around plants!
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a mixture of essential plant oils worked into a base of animal fat and applied to the skin to induce a powerful hallucinogenic experience. Once the user passed out due to the toxins and poisons found in the mixture, their mind was free to roam the earth and ‘fly’ to the meeting, or simply imagine the whole thing. In modern times, witches tend to frown upon the use of these strong and dangerous hallucinogens, but on most Pagan festivals, there is at least someone who sells small containers of ointment to those wanting to try out the experience for themselves. While many of the ingredients in flying ointment are extremely dangerous, and others downright illegal to own, it’s possible to create flying ointment. We would greatly advice against doing so, however, and we won’t list measurements for the ingredients, just to be sure. Please, read the blue box to the side. Flying ointment generally includes a number of poisonous plant ingredients, often ones that have adverse reactions to each
other. Named as prime flying ointment plants are: hemlock, aconite, hemp, mandrake, tobacco, opium, nightshade, saffron, poplar leaves, poppy seeds, datura seeds, vervain, and parsley seeds. Aconite and belladonna (nightshade) are the primary ingredients of most flying ointments. Aconite brings the body and mind into a state of excitement, while the deadly toxins in belladonna produce delirium. Research has shown that applying these toxins to the skin is just as effective as ingesting them directly. If you ever get your hands on a jar of flying ointment and you want to try it out, start with a very small dose, applied to the armpits and/or back of the knees. Wait half an hour, at least, to see how strong it is and then apply more if necessary. Make sure you’re not alone, so someone can calm you down and assist you if it goes wrong. If your body is telling you to call a doctor, do so. This is not stuff to mess about with, but the experience can be very enlightening.
Next in LWM Colophon Little Witch magazine was launched in November 2010 as an initiative to bring a personal and universally Neopagan magazine to Neopagans and those interested in the Neopagan paths in both the Dutch and English language. Little Witch magazine intends to be a grounded, modern take on a life with Neopaganism and hopes to inspire and enlighten. Feel free to contact us with any questions, tips, remarks, or to just let us know what you think. CONTACT US AT: www.littlewitchmagazine.com Twitter.com/LWMag http://tiny.cc/lwmfacebook Contact@littlewitchmagazine.com
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nce more, an issue of Little Witch magazine comes to a close. There were a lot of changes, but all in all, we feel all of them made the magazine stronger and better. We would love to hear your opinion on these changes; you can reach us at the e-mail addresses on the left. Next issue, the format won’t change, but we will be back with brand new content. Amongst others, we will look at the importance of representing the
ethnicity of deities in art, delve into the life of Salem Witch Laurie Cabot, discuss the importance and relevance of the ‘Pagan’ label and you’ll get to read a story about the Sidhe. We wish all of you good luck in the cold of winter, a lot of fun playing in the snow and warm feet near a hot fire. We hope you get to spent the coming days with family—biological or not—and get fully recharged for the spring time. You will need the energy, then! We’ll see you on March 21 for a new issue of Little Witch magazine
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Elani Temperance (Elani@littlewitchmagazine.com) Art DIRECTION: Elani Temperance ARTWORK: Maaike Kramer (www.maaikekramer.nl) All images copyrighted WRITERS: Calandriel an Cuiileur (Calandriel@littlewitchmagazine.com) Ragnild (Ragnild@littlewitchmagazine.com) Vlinder (Aurelia@Littlewitchmagazine.com)
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