Basic Spell Construction

Anon

Because of the very nature of Magick, each working should be highly individualized and personal. Even if following a traditional spell, it should be tailored to your specific needs to be most effective for you. Understanding the basics of Spell Construction will enable you to formulate your own specific, effective spells for any purpose you desire.

Preliminary planning is necessary. The very first step is to decide precisely what your desired end result is to be. Before you can start, you must decide where you are going. You must be very explicit.

It is important, also, that you choose your time carefully. You should take into consideration all Astrological implications, energy currents and Moon phases.

The Moon is the astronomical body closest to us and, therefore, has a profound influence upon us, it is very important to choose a time when the Moon is in an astrological sign which is appropriate for your working. For example: Aries/Action - Enthusiasm, Taurus/ Renewal - Sensuality, Gemini/Communication - Curiosity, Cancer/ Emotion - Nurturing, Leo/Vitality - Determined, Virgo/Organizing - Studious, Libra/Balance - Cooperation, Scorpio/Sexual - Philosophical, Capricorn/Authority - Ambitious, Aquarius/Innovation - Social, Pisces/Sensitivity - Idealistic.

Bear in mind that magickal workings for gain, increase or bringing things to you, should be initiated when the Moon is Waxing (from Dark to Full); when the Moon is Waning (from Full to Dark), it is time for magickal workings of decrease or sending away.

The highest energy occurs at the Full Moon and, therefore, this is the most powerful time for magickal workings. The New Moon is the next most powerful time for Magick.

Whenever possible, follow Nature's natural Energy Currents. There is a natural time for starting things (a planting time), for maturing things (a growing time), for reaping things ( a harvest time) and, of course, a time for rest and planning.

Flowing with these currents will make your magickal work much easier.

Remember to plan your project for a time of uninterrupted privacy. It is important that you have no distractions. Generally speaking, it is best to work as late at night as possible. A time when there is less frantic energy is most appropriate. You might consider Midnight or later.

In choosing a place to do your magickal working pay particular attention to your needs, for you must be comfortable. Your place should be private, quiet and secure. If at all possible, set aside a special place for this purpose only. An unused room, a special corner of your bedroom, a quiet, secluded spot in your garden. A place that is yours. A place that you can come to whenever need arises and that is as free from intrusion of others as possible.

Prior to the night of your magickal working, gather together the things that you will need. All of the things used are tools. They have no inherent magick. They are to help you create a mood. If correctly made and used, they will trigger primitive responses from deep within you. They should be chosen with care. Consider the purpose of your ritual and choose your tools accordingly. If your magick is to be sexual, your candles, oils, incenses and so forth, should bring forth a sexual response. If the desired result of your Magick is Tranquillity, then the tools should make you feel calm, peaceful and serene. Any candles you might use should not have commercially added fragrances as these may not be appropriate for your working.

Prior to your ritual, prepare yourself and your equipment by any means necessary to clean and purify. Historically, people have fasted, followed meticulous and detailed bathing practices, practiced chastity and used many other methods.

Most often a Ritual Bath is the preferred method. A bath frequently utilizing candlelight, fragrant herbs, bath salts or sensuous oils. A sumptuous hot bath, special bathing preparations and appropriate lighting, combined, can create the soothing effect which will help in the very important step of relaxing and clearing the mind completely of all mundane thoughts and experiences of the day. Your ritual Bath should, also, begin to set the specific vibrations conducive to your purpose into motion. You must not only cleanse and purify but must, also, begin to create the type of energy necessary. Once your purification process has been accomplished, you are now ready to begin. Proceed to the special place you have previously chosen in which to perform your magick. If at all possible, you should make use of the primitive responses set into motion by a well chosen piece of music. Your music should start slowly and build to a rousing climax.

As you use your oils, light your candle or incense (or utilize any other tool you have chosen), you should begin to further intensify the energy that you have set into motion around you. A high degree of intensity is vitally important.

The Altered State of Consciousness that you must reach is not a meditative state. Anything that interferes with your ability to concentrate upon, reach and control the high energy state necessary to perform magick should be avoided. Such as, screaming children, a sink full of dirty dishes, use of alcohol or drugs, etc.

Do not scatter your energy by attempting to do more than one magickal working at a time.

Remember that Magick is the manipulation of energy, a thought is a form of energy and a visualization is an even stronger form of energy. Your visualization can be a method used to intensify further and direct your will. Your visualization can be the method by which you control the magickal energy you have produced. You must know what you want. You must see it. You must feel the high energy flow. You must direct it.

One of the most important elements in the practice of any form of Magick is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. This means that whatever you do (or don't do) you cause something to happen.

The most important consideration is the Universal Law of Retribution. This means that no matter what you do, it comes back to you in like kind.

It is the nature of things that as you send something out it gains momentum, so that, by the time it comes back to you, it is three times stronger. If you do something nice for someone, someone will do something nicer for you.

"As you weave and
spin your spell,
Three fold return
the tale will tell."

Binding a Spell

Classic version

Janet and Stewart Farrar & Doreen Valiente

Come ye as the charm is made!
Queen of heaven, Queen of hell,
Horned Hunter of the night
Lend your power unto the spell,
And work our will by magic rite!
By all the power of land and sea,
By all the might of moon and sun
I call the Earth to bind my spell.
Air to speed it well.
Bright as Fire shall it glow.
Deep as tide of Water flow.
Count the elements fourfold,
In the fifth the spell shall hold.

Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale 1983

Valiente, Doreen; "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"; Phoenix Publishing 1985

The Basics Of Magick

Amber K - Our Lady of the Woods

Ethics
1. The Wiccan Rede
2. The Law or Return (sometimes called the "Threefold Law")
3. Perfect Love and Perfect Trust (among partners in magick)
The Witches' Pyramid
1. Faith in your abilities and powers.
2. Imagination to vividly create in your mind that which you desire to manifest.
3. Will to achieve your goal despite all obstacles.
4. Secrecy to keep your magickal intention concentrated and pure.
The four Qualities of the Mage
1. To know
2. To will
3. To dare
4. To keep silence
Preparatory Skills (hatha and raja yoga are good aids to developing these)
1. Cleansing, clearing and stilling
2. Grounding
3. Centering
4. Concentrating ieving one-pointedness)
Defining the Goal: Form vs. Essence
Working with the Power
1. Confining it (casting the Circle)
2. Raising it
3. Sending it (channeling it)...for immediate effect or into storage
4. Earthing the excess (grounding it)
Systems and Techniques
1. Spellcraft
2. Words of Power and affirmations, charms and incantations
3. Dance, postures and mudras
4. Meditation, trancework and hypnosis, fascination
5. Stone magick
6. Candle magick
7. Amulets and talismans; power objects or "psychic batteries"
8. Healing
  1. Psychic (visualization, laying on of hands)
  2. Herbal
  3. Energy channeling with auras and chakras
  4. Color therapy
  5. Other systems listed above
9. Divination
  1. Scrying
  2. Astrology
  3. Tarot
  4. Runesticks
  5. Lithomancy (casting the stones)
  6. I Ching
  7. Other systems
  8. Pendulum or radiesthesia
10. Astral travel
11. Thought forms; wraiths, fetches, artificial elementals
12. Extra-sensory perception
  1. Clairsentience
  2. Clairvoyance
  3. Clairaudience
  4. Precognition
  5. Telepathy
  6. Telempathy
  7. Psychometry
  8. Telekinesis
  9. Teleportation
13. Sympathetic magic (poppets and such)
14. Runes
15. Mediumship, necromancy, and spirit guides
16. Philtres and Poteins
17. Cleansing, purification, protection and blessing; exorcism; ligature, binding
18. Power animals, totems and familiars; shapeshifting
19. Tree magick
20. Dreamcraft
21. Ritual tool magick
22. Invocation, evocation and going into aspect
23. Symbols, sigils and images; Tattvic symbols; numerology
24. Conjuration or summoning; banishing or exorcism
25. Commemoration or linking
26. Past life regression or recall
27. Pathworking on the Tree of Life
28. Ceremonial magic
Timing
1. The lunar cycle
2. The Wheel of the Year
3. Astrological conjunctions
4. Planetary hours and days
5. Individual biorhythms
Creating your own reality, following your True Will

Basic Spell Construction

Anon

It is important, also, that you choose your time carefully. You should take into consideration all Astrological implications, energy currents and Moon phases.

The highest energy occurs at the Full Moon and, therefore, this is the most powerful time for magickal workings. The New Moon is the next most powerful time for Magick.

Flowing with these currents will make your magickal work much easier.

Do not scatter your energy by attempting to do more than one magickal working at a time.

One of the most important elements in the practice of any form of Magick is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. This means that whatever you do (or don't do) you cause something to happen.

The most important consideration is the Universal Law of Retribution. This means that no matter what you do, it comes back to you in like kind.

"As you weave and
spin your spell,
Three fold return
the tale will tell."

Defining Chaos

Jaq D Hawkins, aka Mark Chao

Introduction

Chaos, according to the "Oxford English Dictionary", means:

A gaping void, yawning gulf, chasm, or abyss.
The "formless void" of primordial matter, the "great deep" or "abyss" out of which the cosmos or order of the universe was evolved.

There are a couple of additional definitions, but they are irrelevant to this discussion. When chaos is used in magic, there is no place for confusion or disorder.

Chaos is the creative principle behind all magic. When a magical ritual is performed, regardless of "tradition" or other variables in the elements of the performance, a magical energy is created and put into motion to cause something to happen. In his book, Sorcery as Virtual Mechanics, Stephen Mace cites a scientific precedent for this creative principle:

I quote:

'To keep it simple, let us confine our example to just two electrons, the point like carriers of negative charge. Let us say they are a part of the solar wind - beta particles, as it were - streaming out from the sun at thousands of miles a second. Say that these two came close enough that their negative charges interact, causing them to repel one another. How do they accomplish this change in momentum?
'According to quantum electrodynamics, they do it by exchanging a "virtual" photon. One electron spawns it, the other absorbs it, and so do they repel each other. The photon is "virtual" because it cannot be seen by an outside observer, being wholly contained in the interaction. But it is real enough, and the emission and absorption of virtual photons is how the electromagnetic interaction operates.
'The question which is relevant to our purpose here is where does the photon come from. It does not come out of one electron and lodge in the other, as if it were a bullet fired from one rock into another. The electrons themselves are unchanged, except for their momenta. Rather, the photon is created out of nothing by the strain of the interaction. According to current theory, when the two electrons come close, their waveforms interact, either cancelling out or reinforcing one another. Waveforms are intimately tied to characteristics like electric charge, and we could thus expect the charges on the two electrons to change. But electron charge does not vary; it is always 1.602 x 10^(-19) coulombs. Instead, the virtual photons appear out of the vacuum and act to readjust the system. The stress spawns them and by their creation is the stress resolved.'

Austin Spare understood this principle in regard to magical phenomena long before scientists discovered photons or began experiments in the area of chaos science.

Austin Osman Spare - Some History

Austin Spare was born at midnight, Dec. 31st, 1886 in a London suburb called Snow Hill. His father was a London policeman, often on night duty.

Spare showed a natural talent for drawing at an early age, and in 1901 - 1904 left school to serve an apprenticeship in a stained glass works, but continued his education at Art College in Lambeth. In 1904 he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art. In that year he also exhibited a picture in the Royal Academy for the first time.

In 1905 he published his first book, Earth Inferno. It was primarily meant to be a book of drawings, but included commentaries that showed some of his insights and spiritual leanings. John Singer Sargent hailed him as a genius at age 17. At an unspecified time in his adolescence, Spare was initiated into a witch cult by a sorceress named Mrs. Paterson, whom Spare referred to as his "second mother". In 1908 he held an exhibition at Bruton Gallery. In 1910 he spent a short time as a member of Crowley's Argentium Astrum. The association did not last long. Crowley was said to have considered Spare to be a Black Magician. In 1909 Spare began creation of The Book of Pleasure.

In 1912 his reputation was growing rapidly in the art world. In 1913 he published The Book of Pleasure. It is considered to be his most important magical work, and includes detailed instructions for his system of sigilisation and the "death postures" that he is well-known for. In 1914 - 1918 he served as an official war artist. He was posted to Egypt which had a great effect on him. In 1921, he published Focus of Life, another book of drawings with his unique and magical commentaries. In 1921 - 1924 Spare was at the height of his artistic success, then, in 1924 he published the Anathema of Zos, in which he effectively excommunicated himself from his false and trendy artistic "friends" and benefactors. He returned to South London and obscurity to find the freedom to develop his philosophy, art and magic.

In 1947 Spare met Kenneth Grant and became actively involved with other well-known occultists of the period. In 1948 - 1956 he began work on a definitive Grimoire of the Zos Kia Cultus, which is referred to in his various writings. This is unfinished and is being synthesized from Spare's papers by Kenneth Grant, who inherited all of Spare's papers. Much of this information was included in Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare by Kenneth Grant, but there are some unpublished works which Grant plans to publish after completion of his Typhonian series.

[Note: This has since been released as Zos Speaks by Kenneth Grant]

References for this section are mostly from Christopher Bray's introduction to The Collected Works of Austin Osman Spare (Sorcerer's Apprentice) and from Excess Spare, which is a compilation by the Temple ov Psychic Youth of photocopied articles about Spare from various sources.

The Magic of Austin Osman Spare

Spare's art and magic were closely related. It is reputed that there are messages in his drawings about his magical philosophy. One particular picture of Mrs. Paterson has reportedly been seen to move; the eyes opening and closing. Spare is best known for his system of using sigils. Being an artist, he was very visually oriented.

The system basically consists of writing down the desire, preferably in your own magical alphabet, eliminating all repeated letters, then forming a design of the remaining single letters. The sigil must then be charged. There is a variety of specific ways to do this, but the key element is to achieve a state of "vacuity" which can be done through exhaustion, sexual release or several other methods.

This creates a vacuum or "void" much like the condition described in the introduction to this discussion, and it is filled with the energy of the magician. The sigil, being now charged, must be forgotten so that the sub-conscious mind may work on it without the distractions and dissipation of energy that the conscious mind is subject to. Spare recognised that magic comes from the sub-conscious mind of the magician, not some outside "spirits" or "gods".

Christopher Bray has this to say about Spare's methods in his introduction to The Collected Works of Austin Osman Spare;

'So in his art and writing, Spare is putting us in the mood; or showing by example what attitude we need to adopt to approach the "angle of departure of consciousness" in order to enter the infinite. What pitch of consciousness we need to gain success.
'One must beware making dogma, for Spare went to great pains to exclude it as much as possible to achieve success in his magic; however a number of basic assumptions underpin chaos magic.
'Chaos is the universal potential of creative force, which is constantly engaged in trying to seep through the cracks of our personal and collective realities. It is the power of Evolution/Devolution.
'Shamanism is innate within every one of us and can be tapped if we qualify by adjusting, our perception/attitude and making our being ready to accept the spontaneous. Achieving Gnosis, or hitting the "angle of departure of consciousness and time", is a knack rather than a skill.'

There are other methods to utilise the same concept that Spare explains for us. Magicians since Spare have written about their own methods and expansions of his method quite frequently in occult magazines, mostly in Great Britain. Spare is certainly not the first person in history to practise this sort of magic, but he is credited with the first associations to magic, of the word chaos.

Chaos Since A.O.S.

Austin Spare died May 15, 1956, but his magic did not die with him. There have been select groups of magicians practising versions of Chaos ever since, especially in Northern England and Germany. In the late l970's, Ray Sherwin was editor and publisher of a magazine called The New Equinox. Pete Carroll was a regular contributor to the magazine, and together, due to dissatisfaction with the magical scene in Britain at the time, they formed the "Illuminates of Thanateros". They advertised in New Equinox and a group formed. Part of the intention of the group was to have an Order where degrees expressed attainment rather than authority, and hierarchy beyond just organisational requirements was non-existent.

At some point, about 1986, Ray Sherwin "excommunicated himself" because he felt that the Order was slipping into the power structure that he had intended to avoid with this group, and Pete Carroll became known as the leader of "The Pact". The IOT continues to survive and was identified as the only international Chaos organisation until early 90's.

There are smaller groups of Chaos practitioners, as well as individuals practising alone. Chaos since Spare has taken on a life of its own. It will always continue to grow, that is its nature. It was only natural that eventually the world of science would begin to discover the physical principles underlying magic, although the scientists who are making these discoveries still do not realise that this is what they are doing. It is interesting that they have had the wisdom to call it chaos science...

Chaos Science

Modern chaos science began in the 1960's when a handful of open-minded scientists with an eye for pattern realised that simple mathematical equations fed into a computer could model patterns every bit as irregular and "chaotic" as a waterfall. They were able to apply this to weather patterns, coastlines, and all sorts of natural phenomena. Particular equations would result in pictures resembling specific types of leaves, the possibilities were incredible. Centres and institutes were founded to specialise in "non-linear dynamics" and "complex systems". Natural phenomena, like the red spot of Jupiter, could now be explained. The common catch-terms that most people have heard by now - strange attractors, fractals, etc, are related to the study of turbulence in nature. There is not room to go into these subjects in depth here, and I recommend that those who are interested in this subject read Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick.

What we are concerned with here is how all this relates to magic. Many magicians, especially Chaos Magicians, have begun using the terms, "fractal" and "strange attractor", in their everyday conversations. Most of those who do this have some understanding of the relationship between magic and this area of science. To put it very simply, a successful magical act causes an apparently acausal result. In studying turbulence, chaos scientists have realised that apparently acausal phenomena in nature are not only the norm, but are measurable by simple mathematical equations. Irregularity is the stuff life is made of. For example, in the study of heartbeat rhythms and brainwave patterns, irregular patterns are measured from normally functioning organs, while steady, regular patterns are a direct symptom of a heart attack about to occur, or an epileptic fit. Referring back again to "virtual" photons, a properly executed magical release of energy creates a "wave form" (visible by Kirlian photography) around the magician causing turbulence in the aetheric space. This turbulence will likely cause a result, preferably as the magician has intended. Once the energy is released, control over the phenomena is out of the magician's hands, just as once the equation has been fed into the computer, the design follows the path set for it.

The scientists who are working in this area would scoff at this explanation, they have no idea that they are in the process of discovering the physics behind magic. But then, many common place sciences of today, chemistry for example, were once considered to be magic. Understanding this subject requires, besides some reading, a shift in thinking. We are trained from an early age to think in linear terms, but nature and the chaos within it are non-linear, and therefore require non-linear thinking to be understood. This sounds simple, yet it reminds me of a logic class I had in college. We were doing simple Aristotelian syllogisms. All we had to do was to put everyday language into equation form. It sounds simple, and it is. However, it requires non-linear thought process. During that lesson over the space of a week, the class size dropped from 48 to 9 students. The computer programmers were the first to drop out. Those of us who survived that section went on to earn high grades in the class, but more importantly, found that we had achieved a permanent change in our thinking processes. Our lives were changed by that one simple shift of perspective.

Chaos science is still in the process of discovery, yet magicians have been applying its principles for at least as long as they have been writing about magic. Once the principles of this science began to take hold on the thinking process, the magician begins to notice everything from the fractal patterns in smoke rising from a cigarette to the patterns of success and failure in magical workings, which leads to an understanding of why it had succeeded or failed.

Defining Chaos Magic

Chaos is not in itself, a system or philosophy. It is rather an attitude that one applies to one's magic and philosophy. It is the basis for all magic, as it is the primal creative force. A Chaos Magician learns a variety of techniques, usually as many as s/he can gain access to, but sees beyond the systems and dogmas to the physics behind the magical force and uses whatever methods are appealing to him/herself. Chaos does not come with a specific Grimoire or even a prescribed set of ethics. For this reason, it has been dubbed "left hand path" by some who choose not to understand that which is beyond their own chosen path. There is no set of specific spells that are considered to be "Chaos Magic Spells". A Chaos Magician will use the same spells as those of other paths, or those of his/her own making. Any and all methods and information are valid, the only requirement is that it works. Mastering the role of the sub-conscious mind in magical operations is the crux of it, and the state called "vacuity" by Austin Osman Spare is the road to that end. Anyone who has participated in a successful ritual has experienced the "high" that this state induces.

An understanding of the scientific principles behind magic does not necessarily require a college degree in physics (although it wouldn't hurt much, if the linear attitude drilled into the student could be by-passed). Experience in magical results will bring the necessary understanding.

This essay is directed toward the increasing numbers of people who have been asking, "What is Chaos Magic?". It is very basic and by no means intended to be a complete explanation of any of the elements discussed. Many of the principles of magic must be self-discovered. My only intent here is to try to define and pull together the various elements associated with Chaos Magic into an intelligible whole. For those of you who wish to learn more about this subject, I have prepared a suggested reading list, however, I must emphasise that there are always more sources than any one person knows about, so do not limit yourself to this list. Chaos has no limits...

The Book of Pleasure by Austin Osman Spare
Anathema of Zos by Austin Osman Spare
A Book of Satyrs by Austin Osman Spare
Images and Oracles of Austin Osman Spare by Kenneth Grant
The Early Works of A.O.S., Excess Spare and Stations in Time are three collections which are available from TOPY.
Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick
Turbulent Mirror by John Briggs & F. David Peat
Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter J. Carroll
Practical Sigil Magick by Frater U.D.
Condensed Chaos by Phil Hine
For an expansion of the overview expressed in this essay: Understanding Chaos Magic by Jaq D Hawkins

The Fundamental Laws Of Human Ecology

Anon

We're all in it together. Everything is connected to everything else. You can't do just one thing. <Law of Inter-relatedness>
The Earth and its resources are finite. or You can't get something for nothing. <Law of Conservation of Energy>
As energy and other resources are used, there is an overall decrease in the amount of usefulness. (Second Law of Thermodynamics>
Everything must go somewhere-there is now away. <Law of Conservation of Matter>
Up to a point, the bigger the better; beyond that point, the bigger the worse. or To everything there is an optimum size. <Brontosaurus Principle>
Everything is becoming something else. <Law of Continuous Creation>
In most cases, the greater the diversity of a system, the greater its stability. <The Diversity Principle>
Nature frequently but not always "knows" best. Note: People use antibiotics to counter nature. <Nature knows best>
We shape our buildings <environment> and afterwards our buildings <environment> shape us. - Winston Churchill <Your Environment is You>
As human beings, one of our inalienable rights is the right to live in a clean environment. <The Environmental Bill of Rights>
Our environment does not belong to us alone. It was used by our forefathers, passed on to us, and we are charged with the responsibility of passing it undamaged to all future generations. <the Rights of the Unborn>
All persons must be held responsible for their own pollution. <the Responsibility of the Born>
All persons are created with an equal right to live in dignity and peace and to work out a meaningful existence. Everyone is entitled to a fair share of the world's resources-provided one is carrying one's own share of the responsibilities for maintaining an orderly world. <The Law of Equity>
Comfortable living, in harmony with nature, should be each society's goal. <the Goal of Society>
Our dependence on technology is, today, so strong and widespread, that we are compelled to use technology as a means for getting out of our environmental dilemma. <Technology-Part of the Problem, Part of the Solution>
No national purpose however urgent, no political or economic necessity however pressing can possibly justify the risk of bringing all human history to an end. <Give Earth a Chance>

The Laws

Lady Sheba

Your High Priestess

In the Magic Circle, the words, commands, and every wish of the High Priestess are law.

She is the earthly, living representative of our Gracious Goddess. She must be obeyed and respected in all things. She is Our Lady and above all others, a queen in the highest sense of the word.

All female coveners must curtsy whenever they come before her and say, "Blessed Be." All male coveners must bend the knee and give her a kiss on the right cheek and say, "Blessed Be."

Your High Priest

He is the earthly, living representative of the Great Horned God and in the Magic Circle, He commandeth the respect due to one who is a Magus, a Lord Counselor, and father.

The Laws

The Law was made and ardane of old.
The Law was made for the Wicca to advise and help in their troubles.
The Wicca should give due worship to the Gods and obey Their will, which They ardane, for it was made for the good of the Wicca, as the worship of the Wicca is good for the Gods. For the Gods love the brethren of the Wicca.
As a man loveth a woman by mastering her,
So the Wicca should love the Gods by mastering them.
And it is necessary that 0 (Magic Circle) which is the temple of the Gods, should be duly cast and purified that it may be a fit place for the Gods to enter.
And the Wicca should be properly prepared and purified to enter into the presence of the Gods.
With love and worship in their hearts, they shall raise power from their bodies to give power to the Gods.
As has been taught of old.
For in this way only may man have a communion with the Gods, for the Gods cannot help men without the help of man.
And the High Priestess shall rule Her Coven as the representative of the Goddess.
And the High Priest shall support Her as the representative of the God.
And the High Priestess shall choose whom She will, if he have sufficient rank, to be Her High Priest.
For, as the God himself kissed Her feet in the Fivefold salute, laying His power at the feet of the Goddess, because of Her youth and beauty, Her sweetness and kindness, Her wisdom and Her justice, Her humility and gentleness and generosity,
So He resigned all His power to Her.
But the High Priestess should ever mind that all power comes from Him.
It is only lent, to be used wisely and justly.
And the greatest virtue of a High Priestess be that She recognizes that youth is necessary to the representative of the Goddess.
So will She gracefully retire in favor of a younger woman, should the Coven so decide in council.
For the true High Priestess realizes that gracefully surrendering the pride of place is one of the greatest virtues.
And that thereby will She return to that pride of place in another life, with greater power and beauty.
In the old days, when Witches extended far, we were free and worshipped in all the greatest temples.
But, in these unhappy times, we must celebrate our Sacred Mysteries in secret.
So be it ardane, that none but the Wicca may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many and torture loosens the tongue of men.
So be it ardane, that no Coven shall know where the next Coven bide.
Or who its members be, save only the Priest and Priestess and the Messenger.
And there shall be no communication between them, save only by the Messenger of the Gods, or the Summoner.
And only if it be safe may the Covens meet in some safe place for the Great Festivals.
And while there, none shall say whence they come, nor give their true names.
To this end, that if any be tortured, in their agony, they may not tell if they do not know.
So be it ardane, that no one shall tell anyone, not of the Craft, who be of the Wicca, or give any names, or where any abide, or in any way tell anything which can betray any of us to our faces.
Nor may he tell where the Covendom be.
Or the Covenstead.
Or where the meetings be.
And if any break these Laws, even under torture, the Curse of the Goddess shall be upon them, so they may never be reborn on earth, and may they remain where they belong, in the Hell of the Christians.
Let each High Priestess govern Her Coven with justice and love, with the help and advice of the High Priest and the Elders, always heeding the advice of the Messenger of the Gods if He comes.
She will heed all complaints of all Brothers and strive to settle all differences among them.
But it must be recognized that there will always be people who will ever strive to force others to do as they will.
These are not necessarily evil.
And they oft have good ideas, and such ideas should be talked over in council.
But, if they will not agree with their Brothers or if they say:
"I will not work under this High Priestess."
It hath ever been the Old Law, to be convenient for the Brethren, and to avoid disputes.
Any of the third may claim to found a new Coven, because they live over a league from the Covenstead or are about to do so.
Anyone living within the Covendom and wishing to form a new Coven shall tell the Elders of their intentions and on the instant avoid their dwelling and remove to a new Covendom.
Members of the old Coven may join the new one when it is formed, but if they do they must utterly avoid the old Coven.
The Elders of the old and new Covens should meet in peace and brotherly love to decide the new boundaries.
Those of the Craft who live outside both Covens may join either indifferent, but not both.
Though all may, if the Elders agree, meet for the Great Festivals, if it be truly in peace and brotherly love.
But splitting the Coven oft means strife, so for this reason these Laws were made of old, and may the Curse of the Goddess be on any who disregard them!
If you would keep a book (your Black Book) let it be in your own hand of write, let Brothers and Sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out of your hands and never keep the writings of another.
For if it be in their hand of write, they may be taken and engaged.
Let each guard his own writings, and destroy them whenever danger threatens.
Learn as much as you may by heart, and when danger is past, rewrite your book when it be safe.
For this reason, if any die, destroy their book, an they have not been able to.
For, an it be found, 'tis clear proof against them.
And our oppressors know well: "Ye may not be a Witch alone."
So all their kin and friend be in danger of torture.
So destroy everything not necessary.
If your book be found on you, 'tis clear proof against you alone. You may be engaged.
Keep all thoughts of the Craft from your mind.
If the torture be too great to bear, say: "I will confess. I cannot bear this torture. What do you want me to say?"
If they try to make you talk of the Brotherhood, do not.
But if they try to make you speak of impossibilities such as flying through the air, consorting with the Christian Devil, or sacrificing children or eating men's flesh,
To obtain relief from the torture, say, "I hold an evil dream, I was beside myself, I was crazed.:
Not all the magistrates are bad; if there be any excuse, they may show mercy.
If you have confessed ought, deny it afterwards. Say you babbled under the torture, say you do not know what you said.
If you are condemned, fear not.
Fear not, the Brotherhood is powerful, they will help you to escape if you stand steadfast.
But if you betray ought, there is no hope for you in this life or that to come.
Be sure, if steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you, you will feel naught. You but go to death and what lies beyond.
To avoid discovery, let the working tools be as ordinary things that any may have in their houses.
Let the Pentacles be of wax so that they may be broken at once or melted.
Have no sword, unless your rank allows you one.
Have no names or signs on anything.
Write the names or signs on them in ink immediately before consecrating them, and wash it off immediately afterwards.
Do not engrave them lest they cause discovery.
Let the color of the hilts tell which is which.
Ever remember, ye are the "Hidden Children of the Goddess," so never do anything to disgrace them or her.
Never boast, never threaten, never say you would wish ill of anyone.
If any person, not in the magic circle, speak of the Craft say, "Speak not to me of such, it frightens me. 'Tis evil luck to speak of it."
For this reason: the Christians have their spied everywhere. These speak as if they were well affected to us, as if they would come to our meetings saying, "My mother used to go worship the Old Ones. I would I could go myself."
To such as these, ever deny all knowledge.
But to others, ever say, "'Tis foolish talk of Witches flying through the air. To do so they must be light as thistledown. And men say that Witches all be so bleary-eyed, old crones, so what pleasure can there be at a Witch meeting such as folks talk on?"
And say "Many wise men now say there be no such creatures."
Ever make it a jest and in some future time, perhaps, the persecution may die and we may worship our Gods in safety again.
Let us all pray for that happy day.
May the blessings of the Goddess and God be on all who keep these Laws which are ardane.
If the Craft have any Appendage, let all guard it, and help to keep it clear and good for the Craft.
And let all justly guard all moneys of the Craft.
But if any brother truly wrought it, 'tis right they have their pay, and it be just. And this be not taking money for the Art, but for good and honest work.
And ever the Christians say, "The laborer is worthy of his hire" but if any brother work willingly for the good of the Craft without pay, 'tis to their greatest honor.
If there be any quarrels or disputes among the brethren the High Priestess shall straightway convene the Elders and inquire into the matter and they shall hear both sides, first alone, then together.
And they shall decide justly, not favoring the one side or the other.
Ever recognizing there be people who can never agree to work under others.
But at the same time, there be some people who cannot rule justly.
To those who ever must be chief, there is one answer.
Void the Coven, or seek another one or make a Coven of your own, taking with you those who will go.
To those who cannot rule justly the answer be, "Those who cannot bear your rule will leave you."
For none may come to meetings with those with whom they are at variance.
So, an either cannot agree, "Get hence, for the Craft must ever survive."
In the olden days, when we had power, we could use the Art against any who ill-treated the Brotherhood. But in these evil days, we must not do so! For our enemies have devised a burning pit of everlasting fire, into which they say their God casteth all the people who worship Him, except it be the very few who are released by their priest's spells and masses. And this be chiefly by giving moneys and rich gifts to receive His favor, for their God is ever in need of money.
But as our Gods need our aid to make fertility for man and crops, so it is the God of the Christians ever is in need of man's help to search out and destroy us. Their priests ever tell them that any who get our help are damned to this Hell forever, so men be mad with the terror of it.
But they make men believe that they may escape this Hell if they give Witches to the tormentors. So for this reason, all be forever spying, thinking, "An I catch but one of the Wicca, I will escape this fiery pit."
So for this reason we have our hidels, and men searching long and not finding say, "There be none, or if there be, they be in a far country."
But when one of our oppressors dies, or even be sick, ever is the cry, "This be Witches' malice," and the hunt is up again and though they slay ten of their own to one of ours, still they care not. They have countless thousands.
While we are few indeed.
That none shall use the Art in any way to do ill to any.
However much they injure us, HARM NONE and now times many believe we exist not.
That this Law shall ever continue to help us in our plight. No one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use the Art in any way to do ill or harm any. But they may, after great consultations with all, use the Art to restrain Christians from harming us or tax others, but only to let or constrain them.
To this end, men will say: "Such a one is a mighty searcher out and a persecutor of old women whom they deemeth to be Witches, and none hath done him skith, so they be proof they cannot, or more truly where be none."
For all know full well, that so many folk have died because someone had a grudge against them, or were persecuted because they had money or goods to seize, or because they had none to bribe the searchers. And many have died because they were scolding old women. So much that men now say that "only old women are Witches."
And this be to our advantage, and turns suspicions away from us.
In England and Scotland, 'tis now many a year since a Witch hath died the death. But the misuse of the power might raise the persecution again.
So never break this Law, however much you are tempted, and never consent to it being broken in the least.
If you know it is being broken, you must work strongly against it.
And any High Priestess who consents to its breach must immediately be deposed. "For 'tis the blood of the Brethren they endanger."
Do good, an it be safe and only if it be safe.
And strictly keep to the old Law.
Never accept money for the use of the Art. For money ever smeareth the taker. "'Tis sorcerers and conjurers and priests of the Christians who ever accept money for the use of their Arts. And they sell dwale, and evil loves spells and pardons, so let men escape from their sins."
Be not as these. If you accept no money, you will be free from temptation to use the Art for evil courses.
All may use the Art for their own advantage, or for the advantage of the Craft, only if you are sure you harm none.
But ever let the Coven debate this at length. Only if all be satisfied and none be harmed may the Art be used.
If it is not possible to achieve your ends one way, perchance the aim may be achieved by acting in a different way, so as to harm none. May the Curse of the Goddess be on any who breaketh this Law.
'Tis judged lawful if any of the Craft need a house or land and none will sell, to incline the owner's mind so as to be willing to sell, providing it harmeth it not in anyway and the full price is paid, without haggling.
Never bargain or cheapen anything whilst you live by the Art.
'Tis the old Law and the most important of all Laws that no one may do anything which will endanger any of the Craft, or bring them into contact with the law of the land, or any of our persecutors.
In any disputes between the brethren, no one may invoke any Laws but those of the Craft.
Or any tribunal but that of the Priestess, Priest and Elders. And may the Curse of the Goddess be on any who do so.
It is not forbidden to say as Christians do: "There be Witchcraft in the land," because our oppressors of old make it heresy not to believe in Witchcraft, and so a crime to deny it, which thereby puts you under suspicion.
But ever say "I know not of it here, perchance there may be, but afar off - I know not where."
But ever speak of those as old crones, consorting with the Devil and riding through the air.
But ever say: "But how many men may ride through the air an they be not light as thistledown?"
But the Curse of the Goddess be on any who cast any suspicion on any of the Brotherhood.
Or who speaks of any real meeting place where any abide.
Let the Craft keep books with the names of all herbs which are good for men, and all cures, so all may learn.
But keep another book with all the Bales and Apies and let only the Elders and other trustworthy people have this knowledge.
Remember the Art is the secret of the Gods and only may be used in earnest and never for show or pride, or vainglory.
Magicians and Christians may taunt us saying, "You have no power. Do magic before our eyes. Then only will we believe." Seeking to cause us to betray our Art before them.
Heed them not. For the Art is holy, and may only be used in need. And the Curse of the Gods be on any who break this Law.
It ever be the way with women, and with men also that they ever seek new love..
Nor should we reprove them for this.
But it may be found to the disadvantage of the Craft.
As, so many a time it has happened that a High Priest or High Priestess impelled by love, hath departed with their love, that is, they have left the Coven.
Now if a High Priestess wishes to resign, they may do so in full Coven.
And this resignation is valid.
But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if they may not return within a few months.
So the Law is: If a High Priestess leaves her Coven, but returns within the space of a year and a day, then she shall be taken back and all shall be as before.
Meanwhile, if she has a deputy, that deputy shall act as High Priestess for as long as the High Priestess is away.
If she returns not at the end of a year and a day, then shall the Coven elect a new High Priestess.
Unless there be a good reason to the contrary, the person who has done the work should reap the benefit of the reward.
If somebody else is elected, the deputy is made maiden and deputy of the High Priestess.
It hath been found that practicing the Art doth cause a fondness between aspirant and tutor, and it is the cause of better results if this be so.
But if for any reason this be undesirable, it can easily be avoided by both persons from the outset firmly resolving in their minds that if any such ensure, it shall be that of brother and sister, or parent and child.
And it is for this reason that a man may be taught by a woman and a woman by a man and that woman and woman and man and man should never attempt these practices together.
And may all the Curses of the Mighty Ones be on any who make such an attempt.
Order and discipline must be kept.
A High Priestess or a High Priest may and should punish all faults.
To this end: all the Craft must receive their correction willingly.
All, properly prepared, the culprit kneeling, should be told his fault, and his sentence pronounced.
Punishment should be the $ followed by something amusing such as several S S S S, or something of this nature.
The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the punishment by kissing the hand of the Priestess and by kissing the $ on receiving sentence; and again thanking for punishment received.

So Be It Ardane.

The Riddle Of The Trickster

A Cross-Cultural Overview

Thunderspud Of Dragonfhain

Who is this trickster archetype, the one who inspires such mixed feelings and brouhaha? Trickster has been with us from the beginning. Trickster will be there at the ending. (If there is an ending, Trickster will probably trigger it). Trickster is a creator, a transformer, a joker, a truth teller, a destroyer.

Whoever has created a dance, a song, written a ritual, tailor-made a job, birthed a child or invented a game has partaken of a controlled Trickster energy. After all, in Northwest Native and Inuit tradition, Raven created the world; Loki is known to the Norse as a co-creator (and the bringer of Ragnarok); Anansi the spider-trickster among the Ashanti of Ghana and Nareau the spider in Micronesia; Coyote among the Southwest Natives -these are the creator aspects of this wild and uncontrolled energy. Trickster often begins in the void, desiring to bring Order out of Chaos; once Order is imposed, however, Trickster represents the breaking free of negative power from the Universal Order of things.

As a shape-shifter, Trickster is all things to all people, at one time or another, and often simultaneously. Of course Trickster is a creator and a destroyer. Sure he's a family man and a vagabond. Naturally he gives fire to humans and then steals their food before they can cook it. This is his style; when he acts out of selfishness, everyone benefits - Maui of the Thousand Tricks might snare the Sun to slow it down, making life easier for humans, but he did it so his mother would have more time to cook for him. When he acts out of altruism, there's most always a negative effect -Marawa, a Lou Costello prototype from Banks Island carved human figures from wood and put them in the ground so they would grow and be strong; however, they merely rotted and death came into the world of humans. This shape- shifter not only moves from shape to shape, but from world to world. Number Eleven suffered at the hands of death to free his brothers; his brothers then took his lifeless body away and revived him. In the Winnebago cycle, Trickster dies three times and returns to life three times. In just one collection of Coyote stories, Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With His Daughter, Coyote dies of a snake bite, a gunshot, an arrow wound, a broken heart, a rock-fall and a drowning; this resembles nothing so much as a Roadrunner cartoon.

Trickster fuzzes the lines between Male and Female, between cunning and stupidity (in one story Coyote steals a horse, in another he almost drowns trying to eat some berries reflected in a stream), between wisdom and stupidity. Trickster tells us the truth about our selves, showing us with truth and wit the sides of our nature that we may be more comfortable not acknowledging; he's the one who points at the Emperor's nakedness, he's Lenny Bruce and Ashleigh Brilliant, Ken Kesey and Uncle Remus, Opus, Geech, Tom Robbins, Abbie Hoffman, Don Becker, Weird Al Yankovich and David Letterman, holding up a skewed mirror of reality for us to look into. Among the Aztecs, as serious a culture as this continent has ever seen, Ueuecoyotl, a funny and outrageously unacceptable clown figure; in the Southwest, at serious rituals, he's the Koshare speeding around the circle with tickling feathers and rattle, being ignored completely by the priest.

Trickster shines on as a culture bringer: Prometheus steals fire for his poor stunted creations, and pays a terrible and eternal price for his philanthropy. Loki also steals fire for humans, as do Anansi, Raven, Coyote, Maui; so far I have found no less than seventeen stories from different cultures on this theme. Anansi tricked Nyankopon the Sky-God out of his stories and gave them to the humans. Clat, from Banks Island, taught humans how to sleep.

In the stories of the Ashanti, Anansi invented the tar-baby as a ruse to trap an elemental spirit, but in the Native American stories, Coyote is trapped by a tar-baby set up by a farmer. Actually the farmer had caught a rabbit with his tar-baby, but Coyote happened along and asked Rabbit what he was doing there. "The farmer who owns this field got mad at me because I wouldn't eat his melons, so he stuck me here and said he'd come back and make me eat chicken." Rabbit replies, "But I told him I wouldn't do it." Of course, greedy Coyote extricates Rabbit and wraps himself around the tar-baby where he still his when the farmer comes out and shoots him.

So this is the Trickster, the energy that allows us to break out of our stereotypes, whether they've been imposed by ourselves, our families, our culture. This is the energy that opens the world of limitless possibilities and it behooves us all to work with it before it destroys us, to touch the Trickster as he touches us.

from RMPJ, Oct.'86

The Ways of Making Magic

Janet and Stewart Farrar

The [eight pointed asterisk] sign on the Athame is said to represent, among other things, the Eight Paths which all lead to the Center and the Eight Ways of Making magic, and these are:

Meditation or concentration.
Chants, Spells, Invocations. Invoking the Goddess, etc.
Projection of the Astral Body, or Trance.
Incense, Drugs, Wine, etc. Any potion which aids to release the Spirit.
Dancing
Blood control. Use of the Cords.
The Scourge.
The Great Rite.

You can combine many of these ways to produce more power.

To practice the Art successfully, you need the following five things:

Intention. You must have the absolute will to succeed, the firm belief that you can do so and the determination to win through against all obstacles.
Preparation. You must be properly prepared.
Invocation. The Mighty Ones must be invoked.
Consecration. The Circle must be properly cast and consecrated and you must have properly consecrated tools.
Purification. You must be purified.

Hence there are 5 things necessary before you can start, and then 8 Paths or Ways leading to the Centre. For instance, you can combine 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 together in one rite; or 4, 6 and 7 together with 1 and 2, or with 3 perhaps. The more ways you can combine, the more power you produce.

It is not meet to make offering of less than two score lashes to the Goddess, for here be a mystery. The fortunate numbers be 3, 7, 9 and thrice 7 which be 21. And these numbers total two score, so a less perfect or fortunate number would not be a perfect prayer. Also the Fivefold Salute be 5, yet it be 8 kisses; for there be 2 feet, 2 knees and 2 breasts. And five times 8 be two score. Also there be 8 Working Tools and the Pentacle be 5; and five eights be two score.

(Note: 8 plus 5 equals 13. 8 multipled by 5 equals 40.)

Wiccan Tool List Master

Anon

Equipment:

a Pentacle
6 candles; 1 for each direction, 2 for altar
chalice of wine
wand
scrounge of silken cords
small bowl of water
small bowl of salt
3 cords, one red, one white, one blue, 9' long each
white handled knife
individual athames
incense burner and incense
small hand bell
dish of cakes
sword
chalk
altar cloth any color
cauldron
tape recorder and tapes of appropriate music
veil for Great Rite of a Goddess color blue, green, silver or white

For New or Dark Moon Esbat: (For Samhain Sabbat replace wine with hard apple cider)

extra incense
an apple and a pomegranate
cauldron with a fire in it and/or a bonfire
crystal ball or other scrying tools
white tabard with hood for Priestess

For Winter Solstice (Yule):

cauldron with candle or oak bonfire
wreaths, 1 of holly and 1 of mistletoe crowns, 1 of oak and 1 of holly
blindfold
sistrum
animal skull filled with salt

For Spring Equinox

cords as described in preparations
hard boiled eggs
a bonfire ready to ignite or a taper in the cauldron
flowers

For Beltane Sabbat:

bonfire

For Initiations

anointing oil
tub to bath the candidate in
towels
salts, herbs and oils to add to the bath
a blindfold
a shirt or other clothing that can be cut
a length of string to measure the person
two lengths of cord to bind the hands and feet
bonfire for warmth if needed

For Blessings

anointing oil, wine

The Backwoods Breakdown

15.6.12

links ;P

Not the Follower, Not the teacher either - The Constant Reality Creator.

6.6.12

Various information I have aquired online (Spiritual Type Info)

Basic Spell Construction

Anon

Binding a Spell

Classic version

Janet and Stewart Farrar & Doreen Valiente

The Basics Of Magick

Amber K - Our Lady of the Woods

Basic Spell Construction

Anon

Defining Chaos

Jaq D Hawkins, aka Mark Chao

Introduction

Austin Osman Spare - Some History

The Magic of Austin Osman Spare

Chaos Since A.O.S.

Chaos Science

Defining Chaos Magic

The Fundamental Laws Of Human Ecology

Anon

The Laws

Lady Sheba

Your High Priestess

Your High Priest

The Laws

The Riddle Of The Trickster

A Cross-Cultural Overview

Thunderspud Of Dragonfhain

The Ways of Making Magic

Janet and Stewart Farrar

Wiccan Tool List Master

Anon

About Me

Virgo Personality Profile

Blog Archive