Jenn's blog: ""I am a Witch""

A Witch's Rights In The United States Witchcraft is recognized in the United States as a legitimate religion. In 1985, Dettmer v Landon (617 F Supp 592) the District Court of Virginia pursuant to rule 52 (a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ruled that Witchcraft is a legitimate religion and falls within a recognizable religious category In 1986 in the Federal Appeals court fourth circuit. Butzner, J. affirmed the decision (799 F 2d 929) Since in most cases Federal law, even case law supersedes state law in this type of matter, the affirmation by judge Butzner clearly sets Witchcraft as a religion under the protection of constitutional rights. The Church of Wicca (or Witchcraft) is clearly a religion for First Amendment purposes. Members of the Church sincerely adhere to a fairly complex set of doctrines relating to the spiritual aspect of their lives, and in doing so they have ultimate concerns' in much the same way as followers of more accepted religions. Their ceremonies and leadership structure, their rather elaborate set of articulated doctrine, their belief in the concept of another world, and their broad concern for improving the quality of life for others gives them at least some facial similarity to other more widely recognized religions. While there are certainly aspects of Wiccan philosophy that may strike most people as strange or incomprehensible. The mere fact that a belief may be unusual does not strip it of constitutional protection. Accordingly the Court concludes that the Church of Wicca. of which the plaintiff is a sincere follower. is a religion for the purpose of the free exercise clause." Williams. J. 1985 Dettmer v. Landon Supra. ³We agree with the district court that the doctrine taught by the Church of Wicca is a religion." Butzner. J. 19864th Circuit. Dettmer v. Landon Supra. The first amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religious belief. The USCA states that a practice is a religion if it is for an individual a belief system for their whole life. The constitution does not wish to dictate what an individual should hold as a belief system or how it is practiced and will not enter into a ruling on that. "Court may not inquire into worthiness of parties' religious belief to ascertain whether they merit. First Amendment protection, but need only consider whether beliefs are 'religious' in parties' own scheme of things and whether their beliefs are sincere. USCA Const. Amend. I "To be a bona fide religious belief entitled to protection under either the First Amendment or Title VII, a belief must be sincerely held" and within the believers own scheme of things religious. USCA Const. Amend. 1: Civil Rights Act 1964 701 et seq., 717 as amended 42 USCA 2000e-16" The equal protection clause is guaranteed to all people and groups. If one group of people is entitled to equal protection than all groups are. Witchcraft is accepted as a religion, therefore, Witches are entitled to the same protections as al] other religious groups; under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. ³First and Fourteenth Amendments insures without qualification that a state may not forbid the holding of any religious belief or opinion, nor may it force anyone to embrace any religious belief or to say or believe anything in conflict with his religious tenets. USCA Const. Amend. 1, (14 Africa v. Anderson 542 F. Supp. 224.") (16 FPD 212-216) USCA ARTICLE VII # 2 states: "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be The Supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding." In light of the fact that Dettmer v. Landon supra, being a Federally Adjudicated case. it is thereby protected by the Constitution. No state can override this Federal adjudication. No Witch can be denied his/her civil liberty and right to be a Witch, open and free, in any state in the land; within the parameters of the Law. http://www.angelfire.com/on/wicca/Rights.html

Witchcraft on the go The latest fad in the realm of witchcraft publishing appears to be 'practicing witchcraft on the go'. At first, this may seem like a sign of the times but, looking back in history, witchcraft has nearly always been performed "on the go." Witches have always traveled to where they were needed, taking with them the barest essentials. There have also been times when witches were away from their home and they were summoned for immediate attendance. In such cases, all they could take with them was their knowledge of the craft. Everything else that they might need would have had to been acquired at the site. Do you, as a witch, have the ability to perform witchcraft at any given place without the need of a kit that you've brought from home? Test Yourself. The next time you are alone in the woods, look around. If someone came to you asking for a spell of protection, would you be able to perform that spell using the items surrounding you? Do you know tree correspondences? Is there water nearby? Could you make a circle of rocks? Think through the spell you would perform. Imagine yourself in a grassy summer meadow. Someone comes to you asking advice on their future. You have none of your oracle kits with you. Would you be able to create an oracle from what the meadow has to offer? Does yarrow grow in the meadow? Do you know how to make an oracle from yarrow sticks? Are their pebbles on the ground? Do you know enough symbols to make an oracle from the stones using charcoal to mark them? Could you make unmarked oracles out of the stones? Can you interpret the meaning of the wild flowers growing there? What would you do to create the oracle needed to give advice on another's future? Go and visit a friend or family member. If this person suddenly asked your help in ridding the house of a negative spirit, would you be able to rid the spirit using what is available to you in the house? Finally... The next time you are grocery shopping, go through the produce aisle. Do you know the uses and correspondences of all the vegetables and fruits offered there? What spells or rituals would you use them in? Do the same in spice aisle. The Need for Kits Is there a need to purchase an "on the go" witch kit? If you can pass the above tests, the answer is no. Everything you need is exactly where you are. The Universe does provide and what you cannot find on the outside, you will find that it is within you. Taped Symbols? On a whim, not so long ago, I grabbed a roll of thin, dark red tape and taped a five-pointed star shape onto my kitchen counter where I tend to do alot of my spellwork. I don't keep an altar in this area but it's where you can almost always fnd me, baking or doing dishes or sitting at the table to read. So naturally, this is where I light my candles so that I can keep an eye on them while they burn. When taping the star-shape, I noticed that the center or belly of the star is the perfect place to burn the candle and, depending on how big I made the star, I can also add a few other trinkets to the star-belly as well. This includes items that would be used in charm bags and talismans. I found that using the taped symbol works very strongly and have been using it with the top-point of the star facing the directional point of a desired outcome (N,S,E,W). I have also begun using other symbols and encircling the symbols with a corresponding herb to further empower my focus and the results have been great! Masking tape that is colored with a crayon almost has the same effect, although I've found that tape that is already the color you need works best. Author Unknown

The Magic of the Dragon and the Phoenix Author: Wolf The sacred symbols of our various traditions act as touchstones or magical shorthand to remind us of the power that we as Witches can wield to shape our reality. Last year at SpiralHeart WitchCamp, I had the opportunity to explore what these two ancient symbols mean to me in a magical context. That these two symbols had been chosen at all was the result of a community shared trance. None of us had more than an educated person’s acquaintance with either, but they were clearly linked in that trance. From that work, the Dragon and the Phoenix came to inform and shape my magical understanding and practice. What has come to me is that Dragon magic is practical, tactile, rooted in the physical, and flows from the earth through our bodies, energizing and inspiring us. Phoenix magic is illusive, requiring imaginary constructs and imagined outcomes and derives its power through our trust in our abilities and the Mystery. Phoenix magic demands a leap of faith that shatters the apparently real barriers that keep us from our goals. I had the intuition that these symbols of power were linked, that their magic was complimentary, and that their power balanced and combined in a way that augmented each other. The Mystery provided the answer one day while my wife and I were fabric shopping at a local store. We had picked out a gorgeous scarlet fabric embroidered with gold dragons, and we were waited on by a Chinese woman. When my wife mentioned that she had been born in the year of the dragon, the woman replied that in China, girls born in the year of the dragon were referred to as a phoenix. Fascinated, I began to explore the relationship between these magical creatures in Chinese culture. What I found was astounding. In Chinese mythology, dual images of the Phoenix and the Dragon date back more than seven thousand years and are linked in a cosmic dance of peace and disharmony, creation and destruction, rest and action. They represent the fluid balance required for governance – governance of a state, a marriage or an individual. The mythological Phoenix and Dragon are elemental beings, literally composed of, and guardians over, the elements. Their bodies comprise all of creation. However, the Phoenix and the Dragon are more than just symbols. They are metaphorical entities, willful illusions manifested to help us understand and shape the world. Stories are told and retold of these creatures that teach and influence and inspire. Such stories can have real world consequences. For example, it is said that the Phoenix will only nest in a country that has a fair and just government. The mundane mind might see this as wishful thinking, but the magical mind knows the power of repeated affirmation. So, the wise ruler will wish to hear reports of sightings of the Phoenix nesting in her country during her reign. The more stories that I read, the more it seemed that the Phoenix and the Dragon being wedded symbols is contradictory. They are both depicted as guardians (of the south and east) , but said to be enemies. They can represent the male (Dragon) and female (Phoenix) in a happy marriage, but the Phoenix (fire) is often at odds with Dragon’s element (water) . Both are strongly identified with yang (male) energy, but they are considered mates. That the Phoenix and the Dragon should be so linked and so imagined is a paradox. To the mundane mind, paradox is merely an idle curiosity, not to be taken too seriously. To the magical mind, there is wisdom in paradox. A paradox is a challenge to look closer, to examine more thoroughly – to work harder. It is a call, not to see differently, but to accept the possibility that there is a different way to see. I meditated on what I had learned for months until, in an email, a friend mistakenly described her style of magic as “illusive” (meaning illusory) when she meant “elusive” (hard to pin down) . I was struck by this error, for it seemed to me that my friend’s magic was indeed illusive and that it seemed akin to that of the Phoenix. What came to me was a metaphorical extension of the Dragon and Phoenix mythos. It was to me a new way of understanding and using these sacred symbols. In a trance, I wrote my own versions of stories of the ancient and mythical creatures. From this exploration, my current understanding flowed. The Phoenix and the Dragon balance two apparently opposite ways of being in the world. The Phoenix is so sure that what she imagines is real, so positive that she will be reborn, that she will fearlessly burn herself away to ash. Her imagining is what inspires her. Her power flows from the divine source of creation. She conjures up the illusion, a creative imagining, of what will be. She acts decisively and then trusts in the outcome. The Dragon luxuriates in the physicality of incarnation and renews himself by shedding his old, worn out skin. He scrapes up against the granite and swims through the oceans of the world to gain his wisdom. His power flows from the living earth. Her magic might be said to be illusory, while his is practical. Her magic is illusory in the sense that the Phoenix must convince herself by repeated affirmation that she will be reborn, that the world of her imagining can be made manifest in spite of evidence to the contrary. The Dragon does not bother himself with notions of other worlds. He accepts what is and revels in the contact with stony ground to generate the delicious friction that will release his new self. Both beings are reborn, but in dramatically different ways. As Witches, we use magic to create the world we want – a world of beauty, balance and delight. Or do we? Those of us who would be like the Phoenix create realms of imagination and through repeated affirmation, live into them, willing the “real” world to fade. The energy required to do this can be like a self immolation. The Dragons among us insist that we be practical, and that our magic is in our cooking, in our sensuality, in our songs, in our dances, in our art, in our activism and in the million ways that we kneel and kiss the ground. The paradox of the Phoenix and the Dragon in dynamic, vibrant balance, teaches us that the world we want lies between our imagination and our senses. The Dragon is the ground of our being. The Phoenix is the fire of our imagination. The Dragon makes it possible for us to leap into the fire. The Phoenix holds the vision of the reward for our courage in leaping. Between the illusive and the practical is a magic that will manifest our desires.

Pagan Pride In darkness you paint us, but we will not hide. We're the light of the country in which you abide, we're fearless and strong, the protectors of life hidden in shadows, we conquer all strife. We come from the Old Ones, our lineage secure. We rise from the ashes, we always endure. It's time you remembered that we were here first. We healed your sick, yet suffered your worst. From time immermorial we've woven our lore cunning folk, healers, benandanti--there's more. We're black and we're white, we're brown and we're yellow. We're women and children, and mighty fine fellows. We're Her hidden children, the angels of light, our task is to teach and to help see things right. We conjure and cast, and whisper and pray so you can enjoy your freedom each. We've long been your army, protecting your back when you are in trouble, in secret we act. The Mother is watching--She hasn't missed much. She's gathered Her magick and given the touch to Witches and Pagans and Druids and such! The times are a' changing and one thing is clear the Lord and the Lady have now reappeared. Two pillars, three points, four quarters extend five is the number of magickal blend. By moon and by sun, by earth and by stars realize this day that the power is ours! Pagan pride--- Live it, breathe it, be it.

Choosing Your Karma The early years of your life tend to be the most karma-filled. Adolescence is often the most intense time of all in a life. The hormonal and developmental changes tend to accentuate the difficulties of that period and facilitate a climate wherein much karma can be played out. This is also the time when you experiment with the different chief negative features: self-destruction, greed, self-deprecation, arrogance, martyrdom, impatience, and stubbornness. Generally by about the age of 21 you select one of them to settle down with. After the age of 30, karmic intensity is greatly reduced. There are exceptions to this, as is the case with those people experiencing lifetimes at the sixth level of any stage (heavy karma balancing), and those with a goal of growth. How Karma Repayment Works Karma is supervised and organized by essence. Often the personality knows nothing of the purpose and impending unfoldment of the karma. There is good reason for this. False personality often operates out of fear. If your conscious personality knew that an intensely painful karma were about to occur with someone, it would run as fast as possible in the opposite direction, thus avoiding the repayment or the lesson that essence had in mind. Your personality usually feels like a victim in karmic situations. Essence planned the karma repayment without flinching. Even when you are an old soul you need this benevolent amnesia to meet your more difficult karma. As mentioned earlier, karma usually comes with no warning even though it is essence directed. It frequently comes like a freight train rounding the bend and coming down the tracks with inexorable speed. The train is upon you before you can run away. When you are in the midst of a karmic situation you feel foggy and unclear, and you may feel strangely unable to get out of the situation. You often wonder how this happened to you all of a sudden. You may walk innocently into a meeting and within minutes are insulted and humiliated by the new director on your job. You are instantly plunged into painful emotions and wonder what you did to deserve it. The answer is often that you didn't do anything this lifetime to deserve it. You simply showed up to balance the record sheet. Likewise you may be penniless and lost in a foreign country and a complete stranger suddenly appears on the scene and takes you in, cares for you, and gives you an airplane ticket home. When karma has been completed, a feeling of freedom and relief ensues. The fog clears and you gain insight into the preceding events. You become neutral about the issue that had so recently carried such intensity for you. You don't care anymore. You may even wonder how you could have been so upset about the issue. The purpose of karma completion is to get you neutral on the issue so that you can move on to new and more interesting lessons. You have reached the neutral position on the triadic experience and you are ready for something new. Karma as a Choice Remember again that karma is not fate. Fate is a notion of predestination. You choose karma specifically with the purpose of undergoing an emotional or learning experience. Think of karma as ribbons that draw together experiences and weave a distinct pattern that is the product of many lifetimes. Remember also that those ribbons cause you to be in specific places and to meet certain people, sometimes to your great surprise. If you have a karmic debt with another individual living in a foreign country you will suddenly find yourself drawn, sometimes almost magically, to travel to that other country where the debt can be repaid. Occasionally the obstacles in the path of meeting are too great and the karma must be deferred to another lifetime. For example, you may decide that this lifetime you will complete ten major karma, seventy-five medium karma, and one hundred and fifty minor karma. Typically you tend to bite off more than you can chew, so that if you complete most of these karma the lifetime will feel successful to you no matter how uncomfortable for your personality. Some karma will be judged too difficult to complete for now. Choosing Your Karma by José Stevens, Ph.D. Continued from Part I There is always free choice about when to complete a karma. The choice to complete it is made by essence at the time of initiation of the karma. It will always be completed. Let us say that you have karma with a Mr. Chang who resides in China, and you live in Brazil. On an essence level you feel an urge to return the good deeds he has done for you in the past that will take a full year to repay. You however have not been able to travel to China and are heavily involved in completing and creating karma in your locality. Mr. Chang is able to visit Brazil for one week and you feel a pull to attend a lecture he is giving in a nearby city. You go out of your way to see him even though the topic is not of interest to you. You realize that although you are strongly attracted to him you will not be able to complete the karma in this life because of his short stay. Such flirting with karma is a common experience and happens all the time. On the other hand, if Mr. Chang announced that he would be in the vicinity for several years, the pull to complete the karma would be almost irresistible. Sexual attraction is one of the greatest facilitators of karma. When an imbalance exists between two people there is a strong essence-driven impetus to balance the record sheet. However, personality may sense a possible danger and wish to avoid the situation. Strong sexual attraction will make this avoidance less likely. For example, if you embezzled a large sum of money from Marsha in an earlier lifetime and you suddenly run into Marsha in this lifetime you may want to run and hide. You sense that she has come to collect. However if you are distracted by the fact that Marsha is now a beautiful blonde, your very type, then your lust will lead you directly into the karma. How convenient. You may later wonder how you ever could have gotten involved with her after she has divorced you and taken your house and car in repayment. Karma and Time How long does karma last? Is there a time limit or a way to speed it up? The answer is not a simple one. Sometimes karma lasts only for a few seconds, such as a short intense pain; other times karma can last a whole lifetime, such as having a benevolent aunt who constantly looks out for you for many years. In another vein, a foe can cause you the loss of your arm early in life, a handicap that can last for decades. The length of the karmic experience is directly in proportion to the length of the first incident. If you deprive someone of the use of their legs for twenty years then this becomes a twenty-year karma. If you cut short someone's life by one year then your own life will be cut short by one year in a later life. If you raise an orphan with kindness and generosity for twelve years then you will be repaid with a twelve-year kindness. Balance then, is the name of the game. However, you can drag karma on, escalate it or creatively manipulate it according to the experiences and lessons desired by all parties involved. In order for karma to be truly complete, everyone involved must acknowledge the completion of it at an essence level. Karma can be such a delicious source of growth and lessons that often all parties would rather refuse to recognize the repayment and generate more karma instead. The karma builds and becomes more intense lifetime after lifetime, until ultimately the lesson of forgiveness is learned. Sometimes a person will feel an intense tug to repay a karmic debt that they owe you. You may recoil at their appearance and try to avoid them based on past painful experience. This is like saying "Oh no! Not you again! I'm getting out of here!" So the chase is on until the debt is repaid. However, people are not always successful at repaying the karma. For example, Tom may owe Susan for abandonment one lifetime. Men they meet again the intention is to repay the debt. Nevertheless Tom may get cold feet at the prospect of being abandoned and instead repeat the original offense by abandoning Susan all over again. The karma then has just escalated. Small wonder then that some people get skittish when they see their old enemy show up. The question arises "Am I about to be repaid or am I about to be burned again?" The game of cat and mouse can go on for centuries. Again, in the end, all is forgiven, balanced, and completed. Occasionally you play the game of "Who can be the most generous?" lifetime after lifetime, by building karma of a positive nature with someone. On the other hand, old souls wishing to cycle off the planet become adept at completing karma efficiently and creatively, sometimes accomplishing several at the same time.

I found this letter in a wicca group that I belong to online. I thought it was very powerful and wanted to share it with you. Those of you who would like to add this to your book, feel free. Blessings. Author Unknown. (If anyone knows the author of this letter, let me know, as I would like to give credit where credit is due.) Thanks. I am a witch. I do not worship Satan; I am not interested in Satan. Satan was invented by the Christians. Satanism is a form of Christianity. I am not a Christian. I don't go to church on Sunday. Jesus is NOT my savior. He was simply a holy man who lived 2,000 years ago. I am not afraid of going to Hell because I don't believe in Hell any more than I believe in Satan. I believe in reincarnation; that I will come back to this world or another and live out another life. I am not evil. Telling people I am a "good witch" or asking me if I am a good witch implies that there are evil witches. There are evil people in the world, and there are people who chose to work with the forces of nature in a way that harms others; those people are NOT witches. The central law of being a witch is: "if it harms none, do as you will." Please don't ask me about sacrificing cats or desecrating churches. I love my cats. And I don't go into churches or synagogues unless a friend from that religion invites me to some special occasion. And if I DO enter a church, I am not struck by lightning. And if a Christian or a Jew or a Buddhist came to a pagan ritual, our gods would not strike them dead either. Isn't that something to think about? Wearing a pentacle is no different than wearing a cross, crucifix, or Star of David. If you want me to take off the symbol of MY religion (and Wicca is a religion, protected by the same First Amendment rights as other religions) because it's offensive, you need to make everyone of every religion do that. The five points of the star signify the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire & Water, and the fifth point is Spirit; encircled by the World. How that can offend anyone boggles my little pagan mind. An image of a tortured, dying man is more offensive, yet thousands of people openly wear crucifixes every day. Also, don't ask me if I'm in a "coven" in that half-horrified, half-fascinated tone of voice. If I want to talk about my coven, I will bring it up. If I am a solitary practitioner, I have no coven to discuss. In any case, our rituals have candles, food, drink, poetry, dancing...yes, there is a knife but it only cuts the air, not anyone's flesh. I don't drink blood. I am not some kind of vampire. I wear black because it keeps negativity away and because it looks better on me than orange and purple polka dots. If you want to ask me something related to MY religion, ask me when the next full moon is. Or the next blue moon. Or what a blue moon IS. Ask me about herbs. Crystals. Healing. Even ask me to make you a love potion. But I don't cast spells on other people and I won't cast a spell on you to make you prettier, thinner, more desirable. And I won't cast a spell on your quarry to make him/her love you. Trust me, you don't want that, you don't want the karma that involves, and neither do I! That's a form of manipulation, taking away someone's power, infringing on their free will. Not nice at all. And I also won't cast a binding spell to make someone STOP doing something to you. Spell work is about co-creation. A witch works with universal energy, with the gods, to tilt the engine of probability somewhat. Need money? Don't try to ensorcel your boss to give you a raise. Simply ask the universe to increase the flow of abundance in your direction. That infringes on NO ONE's free will. One last thing: giving me a book about the Burning Times is like giving a book on the Holocaust to a Jewish person. It's not funny and is rude. Yes, I do go to Salem, but not because any of those poor executed people were witches (I think the jury is still out on some of them), but because there's cool pagan shops there. If there were cool pagan shops in a town called East Cowflop, I'd go there. Please don't try to make me ashamed of who I worship and what I am. Please don't try to convert me or "save" me. Don't throw holy water on me. Don't leave little pamphlets on my desk or windshield. I don't need to be saved. Witches are proud of the fact that we don't recruit people to become witches. We simply ARE, and those around us see how we think, how we act, and our inner peace, and only when someone says "how do I become a witch?" do we take them into the fold with us. I will NEVER leave a religious tract with anyone. I don't have one, unless you count this letter. I am not asking you to convert. I am only asking you to understand. If you don't want to understand, just leave me alone.

"I AM A WITCH" RIBBON CAMPAIGN FOR 2007 "I AM A WITCH" When I stand up for myself and my beliefs, they call me a "Witch". When I stand up for those I love, they call me a Witch. When I speak my mind, think my own thoughts, or do things my own way, they call me a Witch. Being a witch entails raising my children to be strong people Who have a solid sense of personal and social responsibility Who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in Who love and respect themselves for the beautiful beings they are. Being a witch means that I am free to be the wonderful creature I am, With all my own intricacies, contradictions, quirks and beauty. Being a witch means I won't compromise what's in my heart. It means I live my life MY way. It means I won't allow anyone to step on me. When I refuse to tolerate injustice and speak up against it, I am defined as a witch. The same thing happens when I take time for myself instead of being everyone else's maid or when I act a little selfish. I am proud to be a witch! It means I have the courage and strength to allow myself to be who I truly am and won't become anyone else's idea of what they think I "should" be. I am outspoken, opinionated and determined. By Goddess, I want what I want and there is nothing wrong with that! So, try to stomp on me, try to douse my inner flame, try to squash every ounce of beauty I hold within me. You won't succeed. And if that makes me a witch, so be it. I embrace the title and am proud to bear it. I love this, I can call myself a witch now and not feel bad about it! SO MOTE IT BE The Mission Statement of the WOTC is to spread the truth and beauty about Witchcraft. So everyone will know our true history, our true practices and our true beliefs. To stop prejudice, begotry and hatred towards and against all Witches and any others that may share our similar beliefs. The WOTC has started the "I AM A WITCH" campaign for 2007 in an effort to start to fulfill our Mission Statement to our brothers and sisters of the Craft. We want to spread the truth about Witchcraft in order to bring the Craft back to its proper place in today's mainstream religions. We want to abolish ignorance, banish hatred and most of all have our fellow practitioners stand up and loudly & proudly proclaim, "I AM A WITCH!" Please let us know you are joining us in our "I Am A Witch" campaign by copying and pasting our ribbon into your post. Also save the ribbon to your harddrive and proudly display it on the net. Group managers, please feel free to copy and paste this entire post in your group(we do ask that you leave the credits intact). "It takes all of us working for one common goal, to make a difference. Make the difference, if not for yourself then for your children and our future generations." "I Am A Witch" Poem by Sandi Thomas "I Am A Witch" Ribbon is registered to the WOTC, Witches Of The Craft. Assembled by "Laine " @ Unicorns Promotions

I am a Pagan. I am a part of the whole of Nature. The Rocks, the Animals, the Plants, the Elements, are my relatives. Other Humans are my sisters and brothers, whatever their races, colors, or sexual preferences. The Earth is my Mother and the Sky is my Father. The Sun and the Moon are my Grandparents, and the Stars my Ancestors. I am a part of this large family of Nature, not the master of it. I have my own special part to play and I seek to play that part to the best of my ability. I seek to live in harmony with others in the family of Nature, treating others with respect not abuse. I am a Pagan. I celebrate the changing seasons, the turning of the Wheel of the Year, with music, feasting, rituals, and celebrations. Samhain, or Halloween, is a time for paying homage to my ancestors and friends who have passed into the Spirit world and a time for gazing into the future. Yule, the Winter Solstice, is a festival of Peace, Light, and the Celebration of the new Sun, and my home is filled with lights and Holly, Mistletoe, Evergreens, and other herbs sacred to the season. Candlemas, Imbolc, or Groundhogs day at the beginning of February, is a festival of purification, a time for clearing away blockages to prepare for the coming of Spring and new growth. At Ostara, the Spring Equinox, I celebrate the greening of the Earth by dressing in green myself and sharing colored eggs with friends. Beltane, May Eve, is a festival of fertility and creativity, and I decorate myself with bright colors and flowers and dance the Maypole to bless gardens and projects in the growing season. Summer Solstice, Litha, is a grand gathering time when I meet old friends and greet new ones, and celebrate the change of the Sun by burning the Yule wreath made six months before. Lughnassad, Lammas, is a celebration of the height of Summer, and I give thanks for the herbs and other blessings that are starting to come to fruition and pray for the continued abundance. Fall Equinox, Mabon, is the time of Thanksgiving for all the harvests I've reaped during the growing time. At Samhain, the Year starts again. I am a Pagan. I pay attention to the seasons within myself And others. --- of beginnings, growth, fruition, harvest, endings, rest, and beginnings again. Life is a Circle with many cycles. I am a Pagan. I work magick by the Moon to help and to heal myself and others. I activate beginnings in the Waxing, energize manifestations at the Full, clear away obstructions with the Waning, and experience the wisdom of transformation at the Dark. I take part in Circles at the New and Full Moons, and I know that my Circles are part of the whole web of Circles that meet at these times around the Planet. I am a Pagan. With every Death there is a Rebirth. For every problem there is a solution and an opportunity for growth. I create my own reality with my thoughts, feelings, and actions. Whatever I send out always returns. I seek to abide by the Rede: An It Harm None, Do What You Will. When I work magick, before I raise and direct energy I seek always to look at the larger picture of which my needs are just a part. When problems come my way, I seek to understand their cause and messages as part of my finding a solution. In doing healing work, I seek to correct the underlying cause, rather than just treat symtoms. I am a Pagan. I acknowledge that the Divine is everywhere in the energy of life. I am Animistic. I sense the life force in the Oak tree on the hill, in the Herbs in the garden, in the Birds singing at my window, in the Boulders on the hill, in myself, and yes, even in things such as my car and computer. I understand that everything has its physical and non physical aspects, The physical and spiritual are deeply intertwined, not separate, and one is not better than the other. I am a Pagan. I know that Divinity has many facets and I Experience this through a variety of Goddesses and Gods. I also honor Divine Oneness, the Unity of All. My personal encounters with Pagan Goddesses and Gods have transformed and enriched my life. Hecate appeared at a Death to teach me of Release and Rebirth, As a young child, Artemis flowed through me to scare off a rapist, Selene of the Bright Moon brings me visions and my name. I have heard Pan play his pipes in the glade, and Cernunnos has appeared to me in the forest as a young stag. I've experienced the union of Goddess and God while making love to my mate in the fields on Beltane Eve. Bast has helped me deepen my connections with my cat friends. Isis has spoken to me in bursts of radiance in the deep of the night and in flows of energy through my hands in doing healings. I am a Pagan. My worship is one of communion, not groveling. I share my views with others when I sense it is right, but I do not proselytize ---- there are many ways, not one way, of spiritual growth. My holy places are under the open sky ------in the Stone Circle, in the Oak grove, on the top of the mound .------ on the Vision Rock on the high cliff ------- in the Garden, in the fields ------ in the Sweatlodge by the Stream------by the clear pool of the Sacred Spring ------ in the Rainbow Cave in the valley. Yet my worship can be anywhere ------- my magick circle is portable. I can call to the four quarters, to the Earth and Sky, and to the central Spirit point wherever I may be. I am a Pagan. I journey into the Otherworld in my dreams, My Meditations, my Rituals. I use magickal tools to aid me in my journeys and my magicks - - incense, cauldron, candles, chalices of water, pentacles of salt, crystals, feathers, bells, rattles, drum, wand, staff, blade, and mirror. I fly with my consciousness through time and space. I return with insights. I go between the worlds for healing, growth, and transformation. Psychic perception is a natural, not supernatural, part of my daily life. I am a Pagan. I attune myself to the four elements of Nature - - Earth, Air, Fire, Water - - and to the fifth element, Spirit, which is the force that connects all. I see these elements as parts of my Self - - my physical Body is my Earth, my Intellect, my Air, my Will, my Fire, my Emotions, my Water, and my Inner Self is my Spirit. I endeavor to keep myself healthy and in balance in all these parts of Self. I am a Pagan. I hear the cries of Mother Earth. I see the pollution of the air, the soil, the waters. I see the games being played by nations with the fire of nuclear weapons. I see the spiritual pollution, too - - selfishness, hatred, greed for money and power, despair. I sense these things, but I sense, too, a cleansing, healing energy manifesting on the Planet at this time. I know that I can help bring the Planet into greater balance by seeking balance in my own life. I know that my attitudes and my way of living can make a difference. I endeavor to be a channel for healing and balance. I am a Pagan. ~Author Unknown~ (If any of you recognize the Author of this piece, please let me know so I may give credit where it is due. Thank you.