Basic Principles Of The Craft

Book: Basic Principles Of The Craft by Anonymous

The Craft (Witchcraft - NOT to be confused with Satanism. A true witch has nothing to do with this, even though there are some Satanists who (unrightfully) call themselves "Witch".) contains a large number of groups with bonds to each other, for the most part, which are looser than those you will find between Christian churches. Each has it's own traditions, it's own beliefs, it's own panthion, etc. So just WHAT is it that, overall, a Witch believes in? The American Council of Witches was formed to determine what it was that all Witches have in common, belief-wise. In the early 1970's, a paper was released with their findings, and gives a good overall picture of it. The following is the text of that paper.

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Magic And Mystery A Popular History

Book: Magic And Mystery A Popular History by Alfred Thompson

Superstition in a nation depends very much upon climate, temperament, religion, and occupation. Notions entertained of supernatural beings or things, though generally based upon one broad feature common to all countries, differ so essentially respecting the form, character, habits, and powers of these beings that they appear to have been drawn from sources widely removed. The advance of knowledge and the truths of evolution have almost convinced us that belief in the supernatural (unrevealed) is nothing but the creation of the human brain, impressed upon the imagination of our Ancestors at periods when such impressions were likely to be strong and permanent, and transmitted within the ironbound certainty of the laws of heredity. Legends have forever been beheld through different prejudices and impressions. They have constantly changed with the media and vistas through which they have been viewed. Hence their different shape, character, and attributes in different countries, and the frequent absence of rational analogy with respect to them even in the same.

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Grimoire For The Green Witch A Complete Book Of Shadows

Book: Grimoire For The Green Witch A Complete Book Of Shadows by Ann Moura

The author of the popular Green Witchcraft series presents her personal Book of Shadows, designed for you to use just as she uses it-as a working guide to ritual, spells, and divination. This ready-made, authentic grimoire is based on family tradition and actual magical experience, and is easily adaptable to any tradition of Witchcraft.

This is an excellent compendium of basic (non-Gardnerian, non-trad) wiccan/ witch ritual, theology and symbology. I believe it will be especially helpful for solitary (that is, not aligned with a coven or other group) pagans who are further along their paths than absolute beginners - people who need access to well-organized, non-fluffy material to bolster their personal practice. It would probably be a bit overwhelming for beginners, but that's not a bad thing as there are already too many beginning pagan books and not enough intermediate and advanced.

One of the most attractive qualities about Moura's writing is that she makes no extravagent claims of ancient lineage and she doesn't attempt to distort history to fit her version of the Craft; many Llewellyn books in the past have been rendered nearly useless by this tendency. The material is offered as neutrally as can be, and therefore it is easily adaptable for an individual's tastes and beliefs.

Is it just me, or is the overall quality of pagan books going up recently? Kudos to Llewellyn for finally putting out a quality witchcraft reference!
Grimoire for the Green Witch offers a treasury of magical information- rituals for Esbats and Sabbats, correspondences, circle-casting techniques, sigils, symbols, recitations, spells, teas, oils, baths, and divinations. Every aspect of Craft practice is addressed, from the purely magical to the personally spiritual. It is a distillation of Green practice, with room for growth and new inspiration.

It is extremely thorough, well written as a ritual and spell book, and NOT a teaching book at all. If you are looking for a teaching book, get "Green Witchcraft III." This is the compilation of all the rituals and magical work from her earlier books, all written out and put into one manual. They are easy to find, easy to follow, flow together very well, and she includes a ton of extra information so it is right at your fingertips. No more hunting around and thinking "Where did I read that??" You will LOVE this book!

Born in 1947 and raised in a family oral tradition of at least three generations, Ann Moura began writing about her heritage as a Green Witch in 1993 when her mother passed away. Her maternal heritage is Brazilian/Celtic-Iberian through her mother and grandmother. From them she learned folk magics and Craft concepts that included Rules of Conduct, spiritism, herbal spells, candle magics, reincarnation belief, calling upon the Elementals, and working with “The Power.”Ann holds both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in History and writes from the perspective of her personal experience and family training. Her books are sold internationally in English, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and Russian. Ann is the author of Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore, & Herb Craft, Green Witchcraft II: Balancing Light & Shadow, Green Witchcraft III: The Manual, Green Magic: The Sacred Connection to Nature, Grimoire for the Green Witch: A Complete Book of Shadows, and Tarot for the Green Witch.

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Grimoire For The Green Witch A Complete Book Of Shadows
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Solitary Witch The Ultimate Book Of Shadows For The New Generation

Book: Solitary Witch The Ultimate Book Of Shadows For The New Generation by Silver Ravenwolf

INDEED! This is the ULTIMATE book of shadows! This book has everything a teen Witch could want and need between two covers: a magickal cookbook, encyclopedia, dictionary, and grimoire. It relates specifically to today's young adults and their concerns, yet is grounded in the magickal work of centuries past. This is an encyclopedia/dictionary of terms, ideas, celebrations, rituals and witchcraft in the Tradition of Silver Ravenwolf. She has put together a massive handbook for those who follow her path, and it is just a huge undertaking on her part.

The book is put together in five parts, covering 'Shadows of Religion & Mystery', 'Shadows of Objects and Tools', 'Shadows of Expertise & Proficiency', 'Shadows of Magick & Enchantment' and 'Shadows of Magick and Real Life'. Each section covers elements of the craft and discusses them in modern terms.

Information is arranged alphabetically and divided into five distinct categories: (1) Shadows of Religion and Mystery, (2) Shadows of Objects, (3) Shadows of Expertise and Proficiency, (4) Shadows of Magick and Enchantment, and (5) Shadows of Daily Life. It is organized so readers can skip over the parts they already know, or read each section in alphabetical order.

This is Silver Ravenwolf's Tradition and her version of the Craft. "Cakes and Ale" are described as "Communion" and Angels are included in "Spirit Guides". All the material echoes her previous works and is meant for the individual who follows this particular path.

Her approach in this huge work is to provide the Solitary practitioner with reference material to help them along on their spiritual journey. She has gone into great detail, amassing a huge volume of work. The work includes a good table of contents, a bibliography, and is indexed.

It is comprehensive, in depth and gives one profound insight into The Craft. Silver writes with her usual humor, sincerity and groundedness. As a purveyor of many different "Books of Shadows", and other Pagan and Wiccan authors, I give this one a A++. She goes into depth on many, mnay subjects related to the Craft. It is deep, yet understandable and not at all "wu-wu." The only thing I can't understand is why people think it's mainly for the younger generation. I'm 51 and very well read and I found this masterpiece truly enlightening!

Silver RavenWolf (Pennsylvania) is a nationally recognized leader and elder of Wicca, and through her writing has been instrumental in guiding the future of one of the fastest-growing faiths in America today. The author of seventeen books, she has been interviewed by The New York Times, Newsweek Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal, and her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Bust Magazine, the Baltimore Sun, the St. Petersburg Times, the National Review, Publishers Weekly, Body & Soul Magazine, and Teen Lit Magazine. Her many titles include the bestselling Solitary Witch, Teen Witch, To Ride A Silver Broomstick, To Stir A Magick Cauldron, To Light A Sacred Flame, American Folk Magick, Angels: Companions in Magick, Silver’s Spells for Prosperity, Silver's Spells for Protection, Silver's Spells for Love, Halloween, and the Witches’ Night Out teen fiction series.

Many thanks, kudos and blessings to Silver for helping us all on our individual and sometimes lonely paths!

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The Pagan Book Of Days A Guide To The Festivals Traditions And Sacred Days Of The Year

Book: The Pagan Book Of Days A Guide To The Festivals Traditions And Sacred Days Of The Year by Nigel Pennick

How absolutely fascinating. Two reviewers rate this book lower that they would have if the author had been of their religious preference for that reason alone and consider the author's religious preference a 'drawback'. No denial of the source of these "Christian" holidays, just lower ratings. Mr Pennick's brilliant-as-usual scholarship and fact-finding are of no consequence, just that unsurmountable fact that his religious preference isn't their own. Oddly, both reviewers are from California and both misspell Halloween in the same way, making me speculate that they are in fact the same person....

Beautiful tapping into Celtic, Roman, Egyptian, and other cultural traditions, Nigel Pennick explores the individual significance of almost every day of the year. Pennick reveals some of the mechanics, such as moon phases and equinoxes, underlying many important holidays, and he breaks the year into seasons, months, and even hours, offering a peek into the importance of even the smaller divisions of the year.

Nigel Pennick has produced a stunning little calendar filled with facts, annecdotes, and information useful to all. Extensively researched, cunningly illustrated, the Pagan Book of Days is bound to delight Pagans, scholars, the curious, and the general reader equally. A slim volume, it provokes thought by merely presenting a few simple facts. The curious will go on, the knowledgeable will smile in recognition, and the others will have gained a bit of lore they previously didn't have. (Did you know the grotto at Lourdes was a pagan shrine before the miracle of the "Blessed Mother's" appearance?)

Frankly, if more non-pagans read books of this sort and came to the stunning realization that the vast majority of their holidays were 'borrowed' from pre-Christian European beliefs and rituals, then we pagans would possibly experience less hostility and labeling of 'devil-worshipper' (my hopes however aren't high). Mr Pennick has authored another fine book that will educate readers without resorting to petty attacks upon the religious preferences of others, just good solid scholarship and the presentation of facts in an engaging text and accompanied by delightful illustrations. A fine job!

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The Pagan Book Of Days A Guide To The Festivals Traditions And Sacred Days Of The Year

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The Censer

The censer, or incense burner, represents the element of Air. It can be a big, swinging metal contraption like those used in churches or it can be as simple as a small wooden one. You can use both the stick holders and the metal ones for powdered incense. If you can't find a suitable censer, a bowl filled with sand, salt or kitty litter works fine. The sand or salt absorbs the heat from the charcoal, or incense sticks or cones can be pushed into it. I find that incense greatly increases my concentration and is especially useful in meditations

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What The Wiccan Rede Means To Me

The word Rede comes from Old English and it means a guide or advice. The Wiccan Rede is the principle by which many Wiccans live their lives, but it is not an immutable cosmic law, rather it is a guide by which to live, if you so choose. Humans are born with the gift of free will, and all have the freedom of choice in how they exercise that will.

The exact origin of the Wiccan Rede is uncertain. According to Gerald Gardner, the Rede is derived from the legendary Good King Paulsole, who declared, “Do what you like, so long as you harm no one.” and apparently was adhered to by a successive generation of witches. It has also been claimed that the Rede has its origin, at least in part, in the writings of Aleister Crowley, Lady Gwen Thompson, Francois Rabelais, and many others---though these claims have been disputed. Suffice it to say, the origin of the Rede cannot be clearly defined.

The Wiccan Rede has been a somewhat controversial subject among Wiccans, Witches, and Pagans. Some have theorized that the Rede’s true purpose was to assist in making modern witchcraft more acceptable to the public. Because the Rede is a concept that was generally believed to have been written by a living person rather than a strict commandment from a deity, it is not generally given the same weight as laws in other religions, such as the Ten Commandments.

Generally, witches do not believe that they should use their powers to interfere with another’s free will. They believe that it is unethical to use magick to harm or manipulate others in any way. Many witches believe that the Rede prevents them from casting spells on others without that person’s permission---even healing spells. This interpretation seems extreme, for it means that spells should not be cast against wrong doers—a witch could make no effort to stop a rapist, or murderer magickally because they would be interfering with that person’s free will. Conservative witches argue that they can instead cast spells to protect victims. Often witches get around the issue by casting binding spells, that is, spells aimed to prevent evil.

In the old craft laws, witches were taught that they could not attack another person maliciously; however, they have every right to protect and defend themselves if the necessity arose and to do so in a manner that they feel would most efficiently get the job done. Some witches practice cursing or other manipulative spells when they feel that it is warranted, but they do so with the knowledge that they must accept the consequences of their actions and keep quiet about their work. The poetic version of the Wiccan Rede states, in part, “Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.” To me this means that in the course of my life, that I should attempt to be fair with others and exercise patience as well as to resolve my problems with others on a mundane level, but should the time come when I feel the need to use magick against another individual, then I should let the punishment fit the crime.

For example, as much as we want to murder that person who cuts us off in traffic and exceeds the speed limit endangering others on the road that would be over-kill. However, in this instance it wouldn’t be uncalled for to magically ensure that that person gets detained by the authorities, their license suspended, or at the very least, get ticketed.

Another area of concern in magick circles is that of casting love spells. Generally speaking, casting spells to bring “an appropriate lover” to yourself are considered not harmful, as you are asking the universe to send someone to you who is compatible and who would be accepting of your attention and interest and who would return your affection in kind. However, many witches feel that casting spells to cause a specific person to fall in love with you to be inappropriate and a violation of the Wiccan Rede. However, it is my belief that casting a love spell is no more manipulative than having good hygiene, wearing enticing cologne, dressing to accentuate your physical form, or even flirting! In the same manner, casting a spell to get a specific job is no more wrong than dressing the part and presenting yourself as having the right attitude and qualifications for that job.

The Wiccan Rede is often cited along with the Threefold Law. Whereas the Rede provides us with a guide for living an ethical life, the Threefold Law represents the consequences of straying from the Rede. The Threefold Law says that an action is not returned in equal measure, but rather will be magnified three times, which defies the laws of physics. I personally do not believe in the Threefold Law, in this respect. Wicca, as a religion which draws its teachings from nature itself, should therefore reflect the law of nature. Science tells us that every action has an equal or opposite reaction. An object propelled upwards will descend at the same rate of speed at which it climbed. Therefore, I believe that “what is sent, comes back” in equal measure.

In summation, I believe that the Wiccan Rede to be an idealistic guide to the way in which a person can live their life. As humans, we have free will and we will not always exercise that will in accordance with the Wiccan Rede. The Wiccan Rede empowers me to find and pursue my true will, and it is not an excuse for inaction, or to be the world’s dormat. I believe that magick is a means to an end and that it is no more manipulative than other means that are used by those who do not use magick. I believe in treating people with fairness and consideration and in attempting to resolve my problems with others on a mundane level before resorting to magick. I have the right to protect and defend myself from harm, and I have a choice in how I will protect myself. When I choose to invoke the forces of magick against those that have or have attempted to bring my harm, or who are a threat to me and my well being, I choose to let the punishment fit the crime. If I violate the Rede, I do so with the knowledge that what I send out will eventually return to be in equal measure, not magnified thrice over. And this is what the Wiccan Rede means to me.

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