Checklist For A Well Working Group

1. We are clear about our goals and how we intend to achieve them.
2. We know and respect each other well enough to feel very comfortable and attuned working together.
3. Our magick is ethical, designed for our growth and fulfillment and the benefit of those who request help, and never used to harm others.
4. We share the responsibilities of making the group work; every individual's
contribution is important.
5. We see each other socially outside the group, and support each other through difficulties.
6. We enjoy. There is fun and laughter at our meetings.
7. We work at Learning magick. We dig deep, compare different sources, try new techniques, ask pointed questions, do it until we get it right.
8. We keep ourselves healthy and fit in order to more readily channel power and receive insight.
9. We keep our Ritual Area and tools orderly and clean.
10. We constantly seek Knowledge From many sources -- people, books, workshops, other paths...
11. We do not make a virtue of authority and obedience, but treat each other as respected equals (regardless of the formal structure of the coven).

We raise genuine power and channel it; our rituals are not tame readings or rote gestures, but filled with energy, vitality, will and purpose.

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Leadership In A Mixed Coven

COVEN OFFICES



Leadership in a mixed coven:

1. High Priestess - Coordinates ritual leadership, counseling, teaching, and
administration duties, in company with the High Priest. Chief representative
of the Goddess energies at rituals. Badge of office: crescent Moon crown or
coronet of candles.

2. High Priest - See above. Chief representative of the God energies at
rituals. Badge of office: horned headdress or animal mask.

3. Maiden - Understudy to the High Priestess, and substitutes for her when
necessary. Badge of office may be a simple silver circlet or tiara.

4. Summoner - Understudy to the High Priest, who substitutes for him when
necessary. Main administrative deputy, passing out information, collecting
dues, letting people know when to meet and what to bring, etc. Also Called the
"Man in Black," "Black Rod," or "Verdelet." Badge of office may be a
blackthorn staff.

Leadership in an all-woman's coven:

One pattern: No hierarchy or titles at all: ritual leadership rotates, other
jobs are carried out by anyone capable and willing.

Another pattern:

1. Maiden - Understudy to the Mother, and chief administrative deputy (see
Summoner's duties above)

2. Mother - Coordinates ritual leadership and administration, guides coven
projects and activities. She does not necessarily do these jobs herself always,
but has the responsibility to see that they are apportioned fairly and done
effectively.

3. Crone - Chief counselor to the Mother, and does a large share of teaching
and individual counseling. May perform divination on questions of concern to
the coven. Possibly a former "Mother" or High Priestess, experienced and
skilled in magick, herbalism, etc.

For both mixed and single-sex coven:

Council of Elders - A gathering of all the higher-rank initiates in the coven.
They may function as advisors to the coven leaders, or may actually set policy,
establish the budget etc. In the latter case, coven leaders are essentially
executives responsible to the Elders.

Other possible officers in mixed or single-sex covens:

1. Scribe (secretary) - Keeps minutes of business meetings, handles
correspondence under the direction of coven leaders.

2. Pursewarden (treasurer) - collects dues, keeps accounts, makes
purchases, coordinates fund-raising projects.

3. Archivist (historian) - Keeps the coven book of shadows or "Witch Book" up
to date, keeps files of coven projects and activities, rituals. These
functions may be combined with the Scribe's job.

4. Bard (music director) - Collects songs and chants, leads the coven in
them, provides musical accompaniment; collects ballads and legends,
preserves the old lore and coven history in original songs.

5. Watchman (sergeant-at-arms) - Assists in initiation rituals; in charge of
safety & security at meetings and rituals. Indoors, checks locks and closes
curtains; outdoors, finds safe places for rituals and posts sentries to
warn off strangers approaching. Sets wards and arranges other magickal
protection. Knows laws regarding freedom of religion and assembly,
trespass ordinances etc.

6. Mistress-of, Master-of- (resource persons and teachers) - Any individual
who has achieved great competency in a magickal skill may earn this title. They
serve as a resource for the coven, and teach others. An initiate may choose to
apprentice with any Mistress or Master. Fields:

* Divinatory Arts (or sub-category, such as Tarot, Astrology, I Ching,
Lithomony, Dreamcraft, Scrying, Radiesthesia etc.)

* Herbalism (for healing, amulets/talismans, oils, incense)

* Healing Arts (including herbal healing, psychic healing, aromatherapy, Bach
remedies, polarity balancing, healing with stones, color therapy, chakras
etc.)

* Familiar Arts (magickal work with animals, totems, elementals, shapeshifting)

* Talismanic Arts (designing & creating talismans & amulets)

* Ritual Toolcraft (designing & creating ritual tools)

* Runecraft (use of magickal alphabets)

* Necromancy (communication with, or evocation of, the dead)

* Psychic Skills (astral travel, telepathy, telempathy, clairvoyance,
clairaudience, telekinesis, teleportation)

* Incantation (Words of Power, charms, chants, mantras)

* Fascination (trancework, hypnosis)

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Aleister Crowley - Gilles De Rais The Banned Lecture

The Witchcraft Trial In Moscow

Book: The Witchcraft Trial In Moscow by Friedrich Adler

I predict that Behind the Moscow Trial will stand not only as a brilliant attempt to clarify the conftirm status of this particular trial, but also as a land in intelligent political pamphleteering in the American labor and revolutionary movement. I know of no other such w^ork w^ritten by an American in my time to match it for clarity, force, intelligence, and logic (JAMES T. FARRELL.)

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My Quest For The Magic Divine

Where does one begin the quest for the Ultimate? More importantly, when can one finally end it in fulfillment? I have struggled with these questions for all my relatively short life. I have always felt as though some transcendent force were tapping me on the shoulder, demanding my attention. Yet whenever I looked over my shoulder nothing tangible was there to greet me. What could I do, what path could I follow, that would lead me to the mysterious entity who so earnestly desired an audience with me?

I was born and raised in something of a Bible-Belt area. Churches of one type or another dominated the countryside. The different world religions, as far as I could discern, were Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and Catholic. We even had Mennonite and Amish in the general area. It was a veritable smorgasbord of Christian denominations and none of them ever satisfied me. I simply could not feel a connection to the Divine under their auspices. Spending my Sunday morning sitting in a pew, singing hymns to some executed carpenter from another time and place was not my idea of worship. Christ may have been an exceptional man in his day, but to me he was as dead as Julius Caesar.

Thus it was I ruled out Christianity as the vehicle that could deliver me to the Divine. From there it was a logical step to further exclude Judaism and Islam; they both pledged fealty to the same God as the Christians, a God whom I always considered too distant and aloof to worship. With the Middle East religions offering no inspiration, I studied the ancient wisdoms of the Far East. I found them much more invigorating and broad minded than Monotheism, but I still could not internalize their beliefs as my own. Buddhism tried teaching me that my own sense of uniqueness was an illusion, something I simply could not accept. Hinduism was colorful but not very focused, offering the believer far too many deities to choose as a patron. Taoism and Confucianism were on the whole fine philosophies, but they offered no insight on the Divine force that I still felt earnestly tapping me on the shoulder.

I was a year out of college and still left without a spiritual clue. It was then, however, that the Neopagan craze began penetrating into even my remote neck of the woods. I would walk into any bookstore and the New Age section was constantly expanding. I would surf the web for information on religion and eventually bump into a Wicca site. I decided to ascertain for myself just what all the fuss was about. At first it seemed kooky; people were trying to resurrect witchcraft and ancient nature worship? Surely this was the work of people with too much free time and too many acid trips.

The more I read, however, the more I became enthralled. I always loved noting the beauty of nature around me since my earliest years. The sun, moon and stars were ever-constant companions in my life in a way God had not been. What better deity could one have then Mother Earth herself, with nature and all the creatures that dwell within as her universal church? Here, finally, was a religion I could appreciate. Nature is something I need no external inspiration in revering; it comes naturally. Neopaganism, unlike most religions, embraces modern existence with all its recent discoveries in science, psychology, and social ethics. When I discovered this, I could safely say that I had found the worldview I had been seeking. I had come home.

Whatever happened to the man tapping me at my shoulder? That was the most startling discovery of all. I had been looking for some external force I thought had been hiding from me, which I would meet only after some arduous journey. Instead I have discovered the Divine is all around me, it is inside of me. It encompasses all of creation. It was always there right in front of me, trying to say hello. I was prepared to take the journey of a thousand miles to meet my maker; now I am learning to swim in an endless ocean of creation.

Does Neopaganism satiate all my cravings for understanding and happiness? Does it provide me with all the answers to the questions I have been asking for years? No, it does not. However, what Neopaganism does offer me is a light to guide my way as I continue to progress on my spiritual journey. It is one huge leap in the right direction. Neopaganism may not be the end of my quest for the Divine, but it is, at long last, a worthy beginning.

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A Version Of The Wiccan Rede

We belief that sharing as much as we knew about the Rede would be helpful as well as checking out what others know. This is not a version of the Rede we use, as we follow the simpler one, but this is an interesting and enlightening poem. Blessed be

Bide the wiccan Laws we must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.
Live and let live.
Fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about
To keep the evil spirits out.
To bind the spell every time
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Chanting out the Witches' Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning moon,
Chanting out the baneful rune.
When the Lady's moon is new,
Kiss the hand to her, times two.
When the moon rides at her peak,
Then your heart's desire seek,
Heed the North wind's mighty gale,
Lock the door and drop the sail.
When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the wind blows from the West,
Departed souls will have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.
Nine woods in the cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder be the Lady's tree,
Burn it not or cursed you'll be.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
Let the Beltane fires burn.
When the Wheel has turned to Yule,
Light the log and the Horned One rules.
Heed ye Flower, Bush and Tree,
By the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
Cast a stone and truth you'll know.
When ye have a true need,
Hearken not to others' greed.
With a fool no season spend,
Lest ye be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law you should,
Three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is enow,
Wear the blue star on thy brow.
True in Love ever be,
Lest thy lover's false to thee.
Eight words The Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An ye harm none, do what ye will.


We would love to have your version or a link to the Rede, especially if you have one that has been passed down from person to person. Hope you enjoy!

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Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells

Book: Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells by Al Selden Leif

Spells are simply rituals used to perform magic. As discussed in Using Magic, the particular ritual is only part of what makes magic work. It can, however, be a very important part. rituals help to focus your mind on your goals. Certain items can help to focus the mind in particular directions. By combining particular rituals with particular objects, you can virtually force your mind to focus in the direction you desire.

Buy Al Selden Leif's book: Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells

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6 Questions On Wicca And Paganism

Book: 6 Questions On Wicca And Paganism by Al Selden Leif

Contemporary paganism is the restoration of indigenous religion, especially that of ancient Europe. Paganism has grown in popularity greatly during the last hundred years. The growth coincides with a decline in Christianity in Europe, and the increase in knowledge of past and distant cultures.

WICCA (sometimes called Wicce, The Craft, or The old religion by its practitioners) is based on an ancient religion of love for life and nature.

Contents of Book:

- History of Modern Paganism
- Why Paganism
- Pagan worship
- A Pagan Pledge
- Wicca Basics
- Teen Witches
- The Ancient Art

Download Al Selden Leif's eBook: 6 Questions On Wicca And Paganism

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A Charm To Gain Advantage Over A Stronger Person

This is a charm from The Long Lost Friend, the grimoire of Christian/Pennsylvania Dutch magic first appearing in the 1820s. It’s author, John George Hohman (or Hoffman depending on the publisher), was said to himself be a healer and folk-magic practitioner. Until recently the book was found mainly in religious stores that serviced Santeria or Voodoo practitioners. The book regained it’s popularity with occult publishing houses (no doubt because it’s exempt from copyright laws) and there are several versions of various quality available. I have heard good things about this Kindle edition.

This charm is an incantation used before confronting someone bigger than you if things may get physical. It needs no preparation or special tools except a practitioner who is in practice and can generate the energy and focus necessary for any magical operation. It’s aimed at a man in the book, but I suppose it will work just as well on a big, intimidating woman.

I (N.N.) breathe upon thee. Three Drops of blood I take from thee: the first out of thy heart, the other out of thy liver and the third out of thy vital powers; and in this I deprive thee of thy strength and manliness.

Hbbi Massa danti Lantien. I. I. I.

I copied this out of an old edition (Fulton religious Supplies) I’ve had for years and there may be slight variations in other editions. I have always assumed the final ‘I’s” were just spoken as it sounds, but some people have said it should be pronounced more like “EEEE” and others say it is a closing where a Christian may cross themselves. In most manuals the printers put a cross at the end of charms where you were expected to “cross” yourself but I suppose it’s possible this was a print mistake. But neither argument has ever swayed me. Do what feels right.

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Some Things To Look For And Avoid In Wiccan Covern

Here are some things to look for:

* People you can respect, trust and love.
* Good people. How could anyone be spiritual without being at least honest and kind?
* Authentic people - people who seem to live in accordance with the values they espouse. If they claim to be able to teach you Nature spirituality, do they live lightly on the Earth? If they claim to be able to teach you magic, do they seem to be grounded, centered and empowered?
* Competent people - people who seem knowledgeable and skilled, people who are organized, who keep their appointments and are well-prepared for their classes.
* People who listen. People who ask the kinds of questions that encourage you to explore your own spirituality and your own ideas and feelings about traditional lore. People who are genuinely open to learning from their students, as well as teaching them.
* People who will respect your confidences. People who will neither gossip nor use information you share to manipulate or hurt you.

and some things to avoid:

* Authoritarians - stay away from anyone who tries to censor your reading or to isolate you from family or friends. Beware of those who get irritated when you ask challenging questions. Be even more wary of anyone who, when you ask a difficult question, either ridicules you or patronizes you ("let your elders worry about that one, dear, your job right now is just to learn what we teach."). If anybody tries to forbid you to express your opinions in the presence of your elders, run screaming out the door. (all these things have happened)
* Sexual predators - unfortunately a few of these creeps infest every religion. If somebody tells you that your magical or spiritual advancement depends on your giving them what they want, first spit in their eye, then get away fast.
* Hypocrites - those who say they love Mother Earth, and live carelessly and wastefully, those who say they love the Goddess and dominate or abuse human women, those who claim to be Spirit-led while their behavior is ego-driven.
* Exploiters - but they're not instantly identifiable. Any coven might ask students to take a turn bringing consumable supplies like candles or cookies. Teaching covens may have monetary expenses, such as photocopying or rental for a meeting room -- and it's entirely reasonable for them to charge dues and cover their costs from the common purse thus created. There is some debate in our community about whether a Craft teacher should accept payment for their time and work. This is a matter of opinion, but you can be sure that a teacher who takes payment is not practicing Traditional Witchcraft.
It's also fair for a teacher or coven to ask you to do your share of set-up and clean-up, or of ongoing coven projects. But if some coven leader expects you to work free in their profit- making business, or act as their domestic servant, run screaming out the door.
* People who order you to go against your values. Again, this involves some subtle issues. One of the major goals of spiritual development is to learn to hear the still, small inner voice. But some of our inner directives are actually cultural or familial programming. These prescriptions and prescriptions may also be wise, or they may be limiting, or actually evil (consider racial prejudice). They often drown out the voice of authentic Spirit. The best teachers will gently challenge their students to override outworn programming, but never to go against core values. The issue of readiness is also important. If you try to override even the nastiest old programming before you are ready, you might cause a painful backlash. This psychological trauma can actually retard your progress. Beware of insensitive autocrats who try to force all their students into the same Procrustean bed. Don't ever let anybody pressure into doing anything - in or out of Circle - that you believe is wrong. In ritual, we speak to our deepest minds, establishing the moods and motivations that shape our lives. Don't ever do in token what you would not do in truth.

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Lakes Area Pagan Fall 2008 Vol 2 No 2

Book: Lakes Area Pagan Fall 2008 Vol 2 No 2 by Anarchistbanjo

The Lakes Area pagan is published as a service to the local pagan and wiccan community. Contributors have been asked to use pen names or Craft names for security reasons. No profit is made on the publication of this magazine other than the small profit the bookstore makes for distributing it. There is no advertising. There is only the willingness to share. I have done minor editing of spelling and grammar to make the issue more readable.

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Anarchistbanjo - Lakes Area Pagan Fall 2008 Vol 2 No 2

The Enemies Of Our Enemies

Book: The Enemies Of Our Enemies by Isaac Bonewits

From:THE DRUIDS PROGRESS, Report #7. The DRUIDS PROGRESS is published seminannually (Gods Willing) and is sent primarily to the subscribing members of ADF. For Further information write: ADF, PO Box 9420, Newark, DE, USA 19714 (include a SASE). All Items acredited to "the Archdruid" have been written by and are (C) 1990 by P.E.I. Bonewits. All items created by other parties are (C) 1990 by them. All opinions expressed, save those specifically attributed to the Board of Trustees, are the opnions of the individuals expressing them and are Not official ADF policy.

Reprint Procedure: Neopagan, Druidic, Midievalist and all cultural publications may reprint any material written by P.E.I. Bonewits, but his copyright notice must appear in full. If more than 250 words are excerpeted, one cent per word should be donated to ADF.

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Salem Witchcraft And Cotton Mather A Reply

Book: Salem Witchcraft And Cotton Mather A Reply by Charles Wentworth Upham

Charles Wentworth Upham (1802-1875) was a member of the Massachusetts State House of Representatives in the 19th century. He was the cousin of George Baxter Upham and Jabez Upham. A classmate and former friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Upham was an opponent of the burgeoning Transcendentalism movement and later engineered for Nathaniel Hawthorne to be dismissed from his job at the Salem custom house. He also arranged for Jones Very to be institutionalized at McClean Asylum. Senator Charles Sumner once referred to Upham as "that smooth, smiling, oily man of God." His works include: Life, Explorations and Public Services of John Charles Fremont (1856), Salem witchcraft (1867) and Salem Witchcraft and Cotton Mather: A Reply (1869).

Download Charles Wentworth Upham's eBook: Salem Witchcraft And Cotton Mather A Reply

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Charles Wentworth Upham - Salem Witchcraft And Cotton Mather A Reply

Choosing A Magickal Name

Choosing a Magickal name....

Many people have written me asking me how to come up with a Magickal name. This page is going 2 be short and sweet. So here's a little help 4 you. Well first of all... you can make up what ever name you so choose. Here’s some ideas....

* Medieval names

Look up old Medieval names on Google and you’ll find hundreds of names to choose from such as "Eadred" who was King of the West Saxons or "Cutha" who was another King of the West Saxons. The list goes on and on.

* Astrological names

One good method is to look up your Astrological Constellation. When you find a page that tells about that Constellation.... Look at the names of the Stars in it. Such as the Alpha Star which is the brightest Star of that Constellation. You can use that name or any of the other Star names. Simply find one that appeals to you. You can even change the spelling to fit you taste. For example.... The Aries Constellation.... "Hamal" is the Alpha Star or "Sharatan" is the Beta Star and of coarse "Mesarthim" is Gamma Star. Any one of these names would be great to use. This way you have a connection with that name. You could even use the Genitive name for Aries which is "Arietis".
But you can choose any Star name... even if it is not your Constellation.

* Dragon names

Yes you can look up Dragon, Serpent or snake names from novels or movies. Such as "Dracul" which is the Romanian name meaning Dragon or Devil. How about "Chua" which is a Native American Hopi name meaning Snake.

* American Indian names

Once again just as I already stated.... "Chua" which is a Native American Hopi name meaning Snake. There are allot Native American names to choose from.

* Mythical and folklore names

There and hundreds of these.... I'm not gonna type them out 4 you.... just Google it!

So you see there are so many ways to find a Magickal name to use in your Occult workings.
However you choose your Magickal name.... it does not even have to mean anything as long as it has a nice ring to it. This is about you and no one else.
You can make up a word that does not exist and use it for your name. Like I said.... This is about you!

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Highland Superstitions Connected With The Druids Fairies Witchcraft

Book: Highland Superstitions Connected With The Druids Fairies Witchcraft by Alexander Macgregor

The following pages on "Highland Superstitions" by the late Rev. Alexander Macpregor,' M.A., Inverness, first appeared as a series of Articles in Volume II. of the Celtic Magazine, and subsequently as an appendix to the second, third, and fourth editions of " The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer." They were published separately for the first time in 1891, and now reprinted, 1901.

This is lamentable that mankind in all ages of the world have been prone to the most degrading superstitions. The enlightened ages of antiquity were no more exenipi from them than the most ignorant We know from the Bible how difficult it was to restrain the Jews from the most idolatrous and superstitious observances, and to confine them to the worship of the only living and true God, This remarkable tendency of the Hebrew nation was caused, in all likelihood, by their sojourning for the loi^ period of 400 years among the Egyptians, whose system of religion was a mass of idolatrous observances. They had a number of ideal gods, to whom they erected temples of prodigious size and architectural splendour. Their principal deities, were Osiris and Isis, whom they considered typical of the sun and moon. But they had a great variety of other deities, animals of all kinds — (hence the golden calf of the Hebrews), the dog, the wclf, the hawk, the stork, the cat, and several other creatures. They also adored their great river, the Nile, personifying it in the crocodile, to which they erected temples and appointed priests to serve at their altars. The Egyptians also believed in dreams, lucky and unlucky days, charms, omens, and magic — in short, they were grossly superstitious !

Download Alexander Macgregor's eBook: Highland Superstitions Connected With The Druids Fairies Witchcraft

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Witchcraft Dictionary Of Craft Terms

Book: Witchcraft Dictionary Of Craft Terms by Athena Gardner

Athena Gardner is a High Priestess in the wiccan Tradition. She has been an active member her entire life. She has been writing on the Wiccan Tradition for 10 years.

Download Athena Gardner's eBook: Witchcraft Dictionary Of Craft Terms

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Watchtowers Spirits Elementals Guardians Or You Name It

In the tradition of the Church of Wicca, we call elementals in the four directions. To those we have added grandfather Sky, Mother Earth, and the Center. The Gardnerian tradition calls lords of the watchtowers. When we first heard this, we thought it was chauvinistic; to be quite honest, we still don't understand it. We don't know what a psychic watchtower is.

Nor do we understand people who think of themselves as Celtic calling such entitites as Raphael, Asasael, Gabrial, Michael ... and the rest of that set -- straight from Hebrew tradition. That's like saying 'Amen' when you could say 'So let it be.' But be that as it may. . . .

I hear that some groups are now calling 'guardians of the watchtowers.' We think that this being gender non-specific (inclusive) and being more in tune with what we are doing makes more sense.

But why just call guardians? If we are going to call guardians, why don't we give those guardians some attributes? Of course, that gets us back into thinking about the eastern blue sylphs (if you think air belongs in the east); about the southern fiery salamanders (if you think fire belongs in the south); about western watery undines (if you think water belongs in the west); and about Northern earth gnomes (if you think earth belongs in the north). Or you can quite happily switch north and west. Se we of the Church of Wicca put the worker gnomes in the west and the watery undines in the north -- which we personally are comfortable with. Anyone for a schism?

When we construct a circle, aren't we asking for the presence of guardians? We are not demanding the presence of a god-ess force. But we could select a deity for each of the directions and reverently ask for the protection of that deity while we work. If we want protection, should we then use the most powerful deity we can for each of the diretions? Perhaps a god from one panteon and a Goddess from another pantheon.

If all this confuses you, it confuses us too. If we could define some basic ideas about what we are trying to do, then maybe we could develop some underlying guidelines about what it is we are doing. Then we could decide what is most appropriate to call and to dismiss.

As usual, we invite your comments. We are not trying to offend anyone or scorn their tradition, so please be constructive. Our hope is that we all may arrive at a shared understanding of what we are doing. If you know a better way and the reasons behind it, please share that better way with the community at large.

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A Dialogue Concerning Witches And Witchcraftes

Book: A Dialogue Concerning Witches And Witchcraftes by George Gifford

To the Right Worshipfull Maister Robert Clarke, one of her Majesties Barons of her Highnes Court of Eschequer.

Certaine yeares now past, right Worshipfull, I published a small Treatise Concerning Witches, to lay open some of Sathans sleightes, and subtill practices, least the ignoranter sort should be carried awry and seduced more and more by them. The errors be farre more grosse, and the finnes much greater, into which by meanes of Witches he seduceth multitudes, then in common opinion they be esteemed. It falleth out in many places even of a suddaine, as it seemeth to me, and no doubt by the heavy judgement of God, that the Diuels as it were let loose, doe more prevail, then ever I have heard of. For when as men have set so light by the hearing of Gods voice to be instructed by him, they are justly given over to be taught by the Diuels, and to learn their waies. Sathan is now hearde speake, and beleeved. He speaketh by conjurors, by sorcerers, and by witches, and his word is taken. He deviseth a number of things to be done, and they are put in practice and followed. The high providence of God Almighty and soveraigne rule over all, is set forth so unto us in the Scriptures, as that without Him a Sparrow can not fall upon the ground. All the haires of our head are numbred. The devils would hurt and destroy with bodily harmes, both men and beastes and other creatures: but all the Devils in Hell are so chained up and brideled by this high providence that they can not plucke the wing from one poore little Wrenne, without special leave given them from the ruler of the whole earth.

And yet the Witches are made beleeve that at their request, and to pleasure them by fulfilling their wrath, their spirits do lame and kill both men and beastes. And then to spread this opinion among the people, these subtill spirites bewray them, and will have them openly confesse that they have done such great things, which all the Devils at any mans request could never doe. For if they could, they would not stay to be intreated. God giveth him power sometimes to afflict both men and beastes with bodily harmes: If he can, he will doe it, as intreated and sent by Witches, but for us to imagin either that their sending doth give him power, or that he would not doe That Which God hath given him leave to do, unless they should request and send him, is more absurd. There may be diseases in the bodies of men and beastes which he seeth will breake forth unto lameness or unto death, he beareth the witches in hand he doth them: He worketh by his other sort of Witches, whom the people call cunning men and wise women to confirme all his matters, and by them teacheth many remedies, that so he may be sought unto and honored as God. These things take root in the hearts of the people, and so making them afraide of the Witches, and raising up suspitions and rumors of sundry innocent persons, many giltles [guiltless] are upponmens othes [oaths] condemned to death, and much innocent blood is shed.

How subtilly he continueth these matters, I have to my smal skill laide open in this slender Treatise. I have done it in a way of a Dialogue, to make the fitter for the capacity of the simpler sort. I am bolde to offer it unto your Worship, not unto one as needeth to be taught in these thinges, being zealously affected to the Gospell, & so grounded in the faith of the high providence, that I have been delighted to heare and see the wise and godly course used uppon the seat of Justice by your Worship, when such have been arraigned. I offer it therefore as a testimony of a thankeful mind for favours and kindnesse shewed towardes me: and so intreat your Worshippe to accept of it. If it may doe good unto any of the weaker sort in Knowledge I shall be glad. If I erre in any thing being shewed it, I will be ready to correct it. Your Worships in all dueties to commaund. (George Giffard.)

Download George Gifford's eBook: A Dialogue Concerning Witches And Witchcraftes

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Summoning Spirits The Art Of Magical Evocation

Book: Summoning Spirits The Art Of Magical Evocation by Konstantinos

If you are interested in summoning up elementals,Planetary spirits, Angels and Goetic beings this is the book to get. Though I do a diffrent ceremony for goetic spirits. I do use the methods in this book for the other beings. The auther gives very good and solid information on the Elementals, Angels, Planetary spirits and Goetic beings. But dont be decieved sometimes evoking these beings are not very easy at all. Be prepared for successes as well as failures. This is a great book to get on the subject of evoking these forces. Now you can learn how to evoke and communicate with 50 spirit entities and make use of their abilities, when you get Summoning Spirits by Konstantinos.

Evoking spirits is one of the Most Powerful magical techniques you can use-but, until now, most of the material available on evocation has been virtually unusable because it was written by those with little practical evocation experience. Summoning Spirits was written by a practicing magician who has successfully performed many evocations. With his guidance and clear directions, performing evocations will be easy and safe for anyone.

- Learn to safely evoke powerful spirits to aid you with any task
- Create sigils charged with the energy of spirits to magnify the effects of your evocations
- Make an etheric egregore, a manufactured spirit that will perform the task of your choice
- Perform easy exercises to train your magical abilities and to develop clairvoyance and clairaudience
- Construct, prepare, and use special magical tools to aid your evocations

Summoning Spirits is a complete manual for evoking entities to effect positive changes in your life. Learn how the spirits that dwell on the other planes can be evoked to the astral and physical planes to help you obtain mystical abilities, locate hidden "treasure," and even command a spirit "army" to protect your home while you're away.

Summoning Spirits describes the specific attributes and abilities of 50 entities that you can evoke to uncover valuable knowledge, and who will help you succeed in nearly any task, magical or mundane.

Whether you need help to face life's challenges or to work a minor miracle, you will find the art of Magical Evocation a tremendously potent tool for change. Included are information and theory, as well as full instructions for all the rituals you will need to prepare for and then evoke spirits. No other book makes this ancient magical technique as easy to understand and use, as does this one. That's why you must get Summoning Spirits.

"Summoning Spirits" is the one of best books I have read so far in regards to the ancient and powerful art of magickal evocation. Although I have only just recently purchased this book, I have found it to be very informative, educational and interesting. As an individual aspiring to master this ancient magickal art, and science, I had found Konstantinos's advice and guidance quite beneficial about only working with benevolent spirits such as Angelic, Planetary and Elementary entities. However, I will be looking forward to summoning the Goetic entities as well, as I believe that a magician should have a 'magickal and spiritual balance' between both benevolent and malevolent entities, in addition to mastering them. All in all, a great book for a magician wishing to practice magickal evocation. In addition, I am especially looking forward to evoking the divine and beautiful Archangels and striving to unite and become 'one' with Divinity, which Konstantinos mentions is the 'true' defintion and purpose of magick. A truly magickal and spiritually inspiring book. I know that I will always enjoy and value keeping it as part of my personal magickal library to cherish, reflect upon, and treasure the ancient magickal wisdom and power within it.

Buy Konstantinos's book: Summoning Spirits The Art Of Magical Evocation

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The Prophecies Of The Brahan Seer

Book: The Prophecies Of The Brahan Seer by Alexander Mackenzie

"Kenneth Mackenzie, also known as Coinneach Odhar or the Brahan Seer, was a legendary Scottish clairvoyant. Tradition dates his birth to the early 17th century in Uig, on the island of Lewis. This is the northernmost island of the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands to the west of Scotland's Northern coast. Legend has it that he came into his talent after napping on a fairy hill and finding a small stone in his coat, which allowed him to view the future. Predictably, legend has it that he was eventually burned to death as a sorcerer by being immersed in a barrel of burning tar. Before his death he forespoke the doom of the noble Mackenzie family who had him executed: the last male heir of this line would be deaf. In the 19th century this came true, as the last of the Mackenzies lost his hearing in his youth.

He is inevitably compared with Nostradamus. However, unlike Nostradamus, many of predictions attributed to the Brahan Seer are very straightforward and literal, instead of being cloaked in word games, riddles and allegory. For instance, a typical prediction is that a specific Church roof would collapse when a magpie made a nest in it for three years running. There are predictions of the birth of a two-headed calf, a boulder falling over, and the plaintive death of a French expatriate in the Isles, mourned by a local woman. Other reputed predictions were of "a chariot without horse or bridle", and "fiery chariot[s]" which could interpreted as a premonition of railroads or automobiles (p. 35), and "hills strewn with ribbons", (p. 10) which sound like powerlines, but this is about as futuristic as he gets. Unlike Nostradamus, none of his predictions are about geopolitics, global war, or the distant future.

The problem with the Brahan Seer is that there is no contemporary or historical record of any such individual ever existing. This is not surprising given the paucity of Scottish written sources from that period. This book, written by the noted Scottish folklorist Alexander Mackenzie, is the primary source for the Brahan Seer legend, and it was written in the late 19th century. The fact is, there are no Brahan Seer manuscripts or old editions with known provenance which could be used to back-test his predictions, as with Nostradamus. These accounts are oral tales which doubtless 'grew in the telling.' Given the Scottish fascination with 'second sight' and story-telling, it is not impossible that the Seer's best predictions were invented after the fact to match up with events, and a generation or two later ended up as being accepted as fact. Indeed, it appears that people are still creating Brahan Seer lore. Some of the material you will find elsewhere on the Internet about him doesn't appear in this book: draw your own conclusions.

However, the narrative is a gripping tale with a punchline delayed by two centuries. There is definitely a subversive subtext in the story arc of a man of humble origins who gains magical powers, and foretells the doom of the landed nobility before his brutal execution. Whether or not he was 'The Scottish Nostradamus,' the tale of the Brahan Seer can be a source of national pride for Scottish people everywhere." (Quote from sacred-texts.com)

Download Alexander Mackenzie's eBook: The Prophecies Of The Brahan Seer

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Wicca Magic

Is wicca magick Real? Magick is not only real, it's the only thing that is! wicca magick is just one form of the mysterious and infinite Creative Power of the Universe. Life is full of real magick. But we've been trained not to notice it, even when it's right in front of our noses. Making Magick is your birthright - a personal gift from the Divine. Learn how magick works and how to work magick, and nothing can stop you from creating the life you dream of. Helping you understand how real magick works, and how to make it work for you, is the purpose of this article.

Magick is another word for transformation, creation, and manifestation. Wicca magick is a tool we use to act on the subtle - or energy, or quantum - level of reality. The quantum level is the causal realm. It is the subtle influences at the quantum level that decide which way reality will go. So if you want to manifest something into ordinary reality, you start by stimulating the quantum realm to favour that potentiality. That is real magick in action. Science has known since early in the last century that the material world is made up not of matter, but of energy. And while matter is fairly stable, energy is very fluid. So it is difficult to build a house or job or lover with your bare hands if the causal realm hasn't already foreseen these things, but it is much easier to create an energy wave that will lead to a house or job or lover coming to you. (Of course, you still will need to use your body to manifest them.) That's what real magick is all about. In magick we transform our reality, and ourselves, to match our choices. And of course, Wicca Magick is a key component to the Wiccan religion.

Working magick is what witch craft is all about. What would Wicca be without Magick? In fact, the standard explanation for the origins of the words witch and Wicca is that they are derived from "wic," which means to shape or bend. (As in wicker furniture.) While anything claiming to be historical is doubtful, the fact that we explain the word this way tells us a lot about Wicca - that its essence is transformation. Magick is at the heart of Wicca.

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