Hallows Everyday 5

Twas the Evening of Samhain

'Twas the evening of Samhain, and all through the place

were pagans preparing the ritual space.

The candles were set in the corners with care,

in hopes that the Watchtowers soon would be there.

We all had our robes on (as is habitual)

and had just settled down and were starting our ritual

when out on the porch there arose such a chorus

that we went to the door, and waiting there for us

were children in costumes of various kinds

with visions of chocolate bright in their minds.

In all of our workings, we'd almost forgot,

but we had purchased candy (we'd purchased a LOT),

And so, as they flocked from all over the street,

they all got some chocolate or something else sweet.

We didn't think twice of delaying our rite,

Kids just don't have this much fun every night.

For hours they came, with the time-honored schtick

of giving a choice: a treat or a trick.

As is proper, the parents were there for the games,

Watching the children and calling their names.

"On Vader, On Leia, On Dexter and DeeDee,

On Xena, on Buffy, Casper and Tweety!

To the block of apartments on the neighboring road;

You'll get so much candy, you'll have to be TOWED!"

The volume of children eventually dropped,

and as it grew darker, it finally stopped.

But as we prepared to return to our rite,

One child more stepped out of the night.

She couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen.

Her hair was deep red, and her robe, forest green

with a simple gold cord tying off at the waist.

She'd a staff in her hand and a smile on her face.

No make-up, nor mask, or accompanying kitsch,

so we asked who she was; she replied "I'm a witch.

And no, I don't fly through the sky on my broom;

I only use that thing for cleaning my room.

My magical powers aren't really that neat,

but I won't threaten tricks; I'll just ask for a treat."

We found it refreshing, so we gave incense cones,

A candle, a crystal, a few other stones,

And the rest of the candy (which might fill a van).

She turned to her father (a man dressed as Pan)

and laughed, "Yes, I know, Dad, it's past time for bed,"

and started to leave, but she first turned and said

"I'm sorry for further delaying your rite.

Blessed Samhain to all, and a magical night."

Copyright (c) 1999 by Cather Steincamp

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 4

Once upon a time, the witches rode

In sinister and ominous parade

Upon their sticks at night, and queer lights glowed...

Once Upon A Time, James W. Foley, 1905

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 3

Rune For Casting A Circle

Black Spirits and White,

Red Spirits and Grey,

Harken to the Rune I say:

Four points of the circle,

Weave the Spell,

East, South, West, North,

Your tale to tell.

East is for Red, for the break of the day.

South is White, for the noontide hour.

For the West, is twilight grey,

While North is Black for the place of Power.

Three times round the Circle's cast.

Great Ones, Spirits from the past,

Witness this and guard it fast!

Doreen Valiente

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 2

(vintage post card)

Besom, besom, Lady's broom,

Sweep out darkness, sweep out doom,

Rid ye Lady's hallowed ground

Of demons, imps, and Hell's red hound;

Then set ye down on Her green Earth

By running stream or Mistress' hearth,

'Til called once more on moon or Sabbath night

To cleanse once more the dancing site!

(author unknown)

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 1 - October Arrives

Witches' Sabbat by Arthur Rackham

Welcome October! I began the month by joining my Witch-kin for an evening of movie watching and dinner. We watched two movies before dinner, the original The Wicker Man, followed by The Wicker Tree. There was pop corn, chips, dip, and salsa while we watched. After the movies, we ate dinner. I prepared baked ziti and there was garlic bread to go with it followed by cannoli for dessert. Everything was delicious, the company wonderful, and the discussion stimulating.

Of course the original Wicker Man is a cult favorite and we all enjoyed it very much. All but one of us, I believe, have seen it before. We discussed sacrifice and how it has changed over the centuries. The Wicker Tree... well, I have to be honest, it was more of a horror movie. Yes, there were elements of the Old Ways, but it just didn't do much for me.

It is interesting how sacrifice, animal, human, and the usual food and beverages, were so much a part of Pagan religions, as well as the Abrahamic religions, long ago. Now, Pagans tend to distance themselves from animal, and most especially human, sacrifice. I made mention that I didn't think there was one person in the room who would perform any type of blood sacrifice, with the exception of offering one's own blood. There was only one person who said that if her goddesses required it of her, she would do it. None of us, though, has been called upon to do such sacrifice.

My own practice includes some blood sorcery, but it is my own blood that I use. This is the most powerful of offerings, gaining us the most potent results. It is not for everyone, and certainly not for every working; it would not be a good idea to feed the spirits one's own rich life elixir more than once in a while. I am sure there will be those that disagree with me and may, in fact, be horrified; by all means, you are free to believe and feel what you wish. However, I can say from experience, I know this to be true. Make of it what you will.

And so begins my daily posts with an image, poem, or what have I, for the season of Hallows. I didn't plan to discuss this blood, it just happened.  

Blessings nine!

To Be A Witch

To Be A Witch

by Robin Artisson

Witchcraft is a calling, from an unseen region of experience,

a place that is the source of our human legends and myths,

but is itself a non-human place and power.

Its calling is inexorable; it cannot be ignored long.

To be a witch is to sometimes be an outsider of the body,

but always an outsider of the soul.

To be a witch is to be in the grip of something that words cannot express,

but sometimes a storm or a tree can express it.

To be a witch is to feel more at home with animals

and trees and quiet places on the Earth

than with masses of humans and noisy cities.

To be a witch is to learn real magic - sorcery, more like -

first from books or the whispered stories of others,

later from faceless beings from the Unseen.

And that's when real sorcery is born in you.

Sorcery is the merging of the Seen and the Unseen,

using you mind and body as the vehicle of that merging.

When everything comes together, anything seems possible.

But everything has a price, too.

To be a witch is to be fascinated by life,

while always holding inside

a fascination for your own death -

"thus comes the mystery."

To be a witch is to know the hidden messages

in folklore and so-called superstitions,

and to know what humans really should fear.

To be a witch is to feel like an animal, 

sometimes as much as you feel like a human,

and to feel like something neither human nor animal,

at other times.

To be a witch is to exist without an easy explanation

for who or what you might be

or where you came from,

or where you are going.

Robin Artisson is the person who introduced me, via the internet and his wonderful writings, to a more traditional witchcraft than ever I had known. Considering that I had been taught something very non-Wiccan, older and more traditional, that says something about him. He opened portals, introduced other writers, made me think and go off across the hedge. He taught me so much and I am forever grateful. He also introduced me to Robert Cochrane, and very different ways of the workings of this arte. Robert Cochrane made as much an impression upon me as Robin himself; unfortunately Robert Cochrane died in 1966, but his small collection of writings has inspired many. Strange, you may think, for someone who has long considered herself a Dianic Feminist witch, to be so influenced by men. Of course, they are not the only ones; the Hidden Company, the trees, the stones, the Land, the Spirits of these, all tend to my education. However, I am a smart witch, I take my wisdom from wherever it comes.

 Robin has been around for many years now, controversial, loved, worshiped, and despised. He is human, with all that carries, but he is a mystic, a cunning man, a wise man, herbalist, healer, seer, a witch. I have watched him grow into his wisdom, always there, but needing the tempering that time would bring; and so it has.

Robin has published a number of books; I highly recommend them each one; they are all in my own library, well used. His websites overflow with articles free for your perusal. Take advantage of his generosity, learn, think, take flight.

www.robinartisson.com  - click on works, you will find a list of his books. Scroll down to "Works Online" - click on "here" and you will find a wonderland.

http://www.robinartisson.com/scarespite/hallpage.htm - more articles.

And, my most favorite place:

http://www.robinartisson.com/wy/elfhame/meadows.html

Robin, like most of us, can be found on Facebook, as well.

https://www.facebook.com/sonofnicneven

Many thanks to Robin for allowing me to share "To Be A Witch" on my blog.

For the month of October, I will post, almost daily, a collection of poetry, images, both magickal and mundane, spells, perhaps, and whatever else catches my fancy, that is relevant to this mystical season. I hope you enjoy the posts and share the thoughts they inspire.

Blessings nine!

Time of Change

The season marches on and we enter that time where we walk between the worlds more than usual, without conscious intent to do so. We are carried away, not against our wills, but perhaps without consent. Visions, dreams, the gathering of the harvest of wisdom, these things are more fully realized now, during this season. That is the way of the witch, the sorceress, the priestess.

I am experiencing changes beyond what I had thought possible. While I have always considered myself to be a Dianic/Feminist witch - when I have had to label myself - I find now that this label may not be an accurate one.

Apollon, who has always maintained a presence, be it distant, in my life, has stepped forward, no longer willing to remain in the background of my spiritual practice. Along with Him, Ares and Hades, have reached out, into my mind, making Themselves known. And those Goddesses I am dedicated to, They are there, beckoning more strongly than ever.

A spontaneous journey brought all of this to my attention. Hekate, standing there, nodding Her head, speaking without words, telling me this is my path now, a branch from the old tree, a way through the forest that I must take. Hestia has given me a new flame to merge with the old, I cannot turn away from it, refuse it. It is not in my nature to refuse the gifts of these Artes.

All of this is causing change in the mundane world. Old acquaintances are becoming new friends; old friendships that have grown stale are drifting away like crumbs in the wind, without regret. Ideas are forming, coming together into creation; thoughts run madly all the time while sleep evades me. Of course, I know that things will fall into place, smooth out. I also know this is what must be endured if I am to make progress. I must let myself be taken, it is the way of the priestess.

Tis the time of the Season.

Blessings nine.  

Frog Energy!

Very interesting! Today I pulled one of the Amulets of the Goddess to post on my LadySpell Artes facebook page. What did I choose? The Frog amulet!

If you read my post about our Ops ritual, we had a frog chorus raising voice through the invocations and then a frog jumped and clung to the glass terrace doors during the ritual.

Last night, actually early this morning, I was playing on Pinterest - love that - and I kept coming across frog and toad images! So I added a new board, Frogs & Toads.

Now, here frog is again! Time to speak out, my sisters. What have we all to say?

Blessings nine! 

Happy Birthday Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Happy Birthday, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Born August 30th 1797

At the tender age of 19, Mary wrote Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. I am told the 1818 version is the one to read as opposed to the "sanitized" 1831 version. This was a time when women generally used "By A Lady" instead of their real names when publishing. Mary went on to write other novels, short stories, biographies, and travel books.

Born in 1797, she is the daughter of the early feminist, Mary Wollstonecraft, author of AVindication of the Rights of Women, who died from complications of Mary's birth. Mary eloped with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1814, and married him in 1816, after his wife committed suicide. They had four children, three of whom died in infancy. After Shelley's death, she went on, in 1830, to edit a collection of his poems, among her other writings. She began a biography of her famous husband, but died in 1851, of a brain tumor, before finishing it. 

I wonder if she had any idea how famous Frankenstein would become.

Blessings nine!