FROM RAVEN'S NEST May 19, 2015

Effective Curse

Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D,

May 19, 2015

The Ethics, Theory and Practice of Cursing

1. Ethics

"Them that seek to entrap thee, to overthrow thee, them attack without pity or quarter; & destroy them utterly. Swift as a trodden serpent turn thou and strike! Be thou yet deadlier than he!"

Liber AL, III: 42.

Curses are not really in accord with the Wiccan Rede. Fortunately the Wiccan Rede is a moral pronouncement rather than a suggestion as to ethical behavior, and I have no truck with moral pronouncements, leaving me free to curse if I so Will. From an ethical point of view, I wouldn`t be inclined to curse anyone who had not wronged me or mine. Revenge, though, is one of our finest and most ancient pagan traditions, so anyone who does wrong me is fair game. I tend to be fairly lazy so it has to be a pretty serious wrong to motivate me to get the black candles and henbane out. Pagans wishing to get more cursing practice in may wish to take offence at more minor slights.

This brings me to another point on ethics - making the punishment fit the crime. It doesn’t seem entirely reasonable to hurl a death curse at somebody who forgot to pay you back fifty pence. What might be sounder is to put a temporary curse on their wallet or purse, to not hold any money for a week or so. Whatever. Make it up as you go along. I usually do. For example: a taxi knocked me off my bicycle, buckling a wheel. Though I recalled the registration, there were no witnesses, and so the driver knew I had no real case against him, though it had been entirely his fault as he had freely admitted at the time. He ignored the letters from my solicitor, knowing he could get away without paying up the paltry £25 or so I was asking for a new wheel. Since he had disabled my transportation (also occasionally my means of earning a living) it seemed only reasonable to curse his vehicle in response.

The more severe responses such as death magick should usually be reserved for out-and-out enemies, those whose ideas are wholly incompatible with one's own to the point that total war is the only way to resolve your differences. Examples of such techniques would be the niðing-pole of Norse tradition or the Cake of Light beetles from Thalamic tradition. Targets against whom they might legitimately be used would be born-again Christians, far-right politicians or others who deny our right to live as pagans.

One of the classic ideas from the Western Mystery Tradition (borrowed of course from the Eastern) is that of the Lords of Karma. These folks, allegedly, make sure that everybody, sooner or later, faces the consequences of their failures. In the system of magick I work with, such failures would occur when the magician was not true to his or her own Will, not necessarily when he or she wronged another. However if someone thwarts what you sincerely believe to be your Will, you`re probably justified in taking action against them, since they are unlikely to be doing their own Will in so affecting yours. That is when you might feel you want to give the Lords of Karma a bit of a helping hand. After all, we`re not a bunch of Christians here: we can safely ignore "Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord," and make our own justice. I see no reason why my curse should not be a part of the karmic punishment dealt out to the person who wronged me. I`m obviously not claiming to be an agent of cosmic justice here; it`s just that I firmly believe that the Lords of Karma are just as lazy as the next anthropomorphic personification, and if they can get their job done without lifting a finger, because some pagan fancies dealing out a little "Instant Karma", then they will do.

2. Theory

"Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!" Liber AL, III: 50.

The psychological theory of why curses work in primitive societies is that they are entirely psychosomatic: witchdoctor points bone, victim knows he or she is cursed with death and so obligingly gets on with it and dies within the week. This makes a certain amount of sense, though it fails to explain the many occasions when the victim is unaware of the curse. I think it`s largely a matter of personal style and specific application to determine whether you`d rather your enemy knew you`d cursed them or not.

The magickal theory of curses is very much like any other magickal working. The one thing many magicians still overlook is the magickal link. You may have written the most exquisite, poetic yet concise ritual, you may pour an enormous amount of energy into it, your intent may be clear... but if you have no link to your victim all your preparation will be for nothing. The analogy here is an electrical circuit- even the most powerful generator will not light up a bulb if you don`t link the two together in some way.

The classical theories used in creating a magickal link are described in Frazer's Golden Bough: the Law of Sympathy and the Law of Contagion. The Law of Sympathy is "Like affects like." So a "voodoo doll" or poppet can be constructed in the image of the victim, and what you do to it will affect the victim because of their similarity. The Law of Contagion is "Once together, always together." So you can make your voodoo dolly more effective by stapling a lock of your victim`s hair or swatch of clothing to it.

It will be noted that you do not need a magickal link if you have a physical link. Clearly you can affect someone Magickally through a touch. The entire magickal link is a way for you to complete the circuit at a distance. There will still usually be a physical link at one end or the other: e.g. you hold the voodoo doll, so there is a physical link between you and the doll, which in turn is Magickally, linked to the victim. I will explore some variants of this in the section on Practical Cursing.

One aspect of the magickal link that is often forgotten in cursing is that links work both ways. Otherwise they wouldn`t be links. So if you curse your enemy, and they become aware of it, they can strike back through the link. Conversely, if someone manages to set up a link with you, for their own ends, you can zap them in some way through that link- even if you don`t know what the link is.

Like any other act of magick, it is worth planning the timing of the working depending on day of the week, moon phase, astrological influences, season, and time of day/planetary hour. The obvious planets to use would be Saturn (for seriously nasty curses, usually fatal) and/or Mars (for that warlike destructive energy). The issue is not so cut-and-dried. Almost any planet might be appropriate depending on the effect you wish to cause: simply consider calling on the badly-aspected versions of their usual uses. One might do a Solar ritual that drained energy from the victim, rather than giving it; a Mercurial one to cause the victim`s possessions to be stolen; a Lunar one to make them prone to illusion; a rite to Venus to make them unlucky in love, or to Jupiter to make them unable to lead effectively, or cause them to appear a tyrant. Similarly almost any god or goddess might be appropriate. The main thing is to think it through: what effect do you want to create? and what is the nature of the victim? Crowley mentions a failed curse in Moonchild: the magician hurls enormous amounts of Martial energy at the victim, who just happens to be of a highly Martial nature, and loves every minute of it! "Fight fire with fire" is not generally an axiom to be applied literally in magick.

The major difference in between cursing and most other magick is the vastly enhanced effectiveness of purely psychic cursing, in comparison to other psychic powers. Anyone, with no magickal training whatsoever, can throw a curse that can get past many defenses, if only they hate enough. It is more usual, at least in ceremonial magick, to cultivate a state of profound disinterest, of no-mind. The only other style of magick in which strong emotion is called for is devotional magick such as Liber Astarte. The question of the magickal link arises once more and I can only assume that the psychic attacker is able to hold an image of their victim in mind sufficiently strongly as to be able to form a rudimentary link using the Law of Sympathy. I do not find this as effective as the other forms of link, so I tend to reserve purely psychic attack for occasions when I can look the victim in the eye and form a link that way: the old "evil eye," or "to look daggers at someone."

In folk tales, the power of curses often seems much more severe than in modern times. This is partly down to the exaggeration/boasting elements of folk tales. Another reason seems to me to be the confusion between the ideas of the curse and the geas. In Celtic myth a geas was a kind of constraint laid upon a specific person (usually by a magician at the time of the person`s birth), in the form "do not do x, or else y will surely come to pass," or, less frequently "be sure to do x, or else y will surely come to pass." This may seem at first glance to be a curse with a condition attached. However a careful reading of the literature suggests that a geas is more of a prophecy, or even a pronouncement of destiny: almost invariably, the geased person is forced at some point to break the geas and thus suffer the consequences, usually to prevent something worse from happening. This occurs however improbable it may seem: you kind of know that if, at birth, you`re geased to never ride round a particular hill three times deosil at sunset, some bizarre circumstance is going to come about which means you pretty well have to do just that.

The main distinction between a curse and a geas is that the magician/shaman/druid/ whatever who pronounces the geas has no personal interest in seeing it come to pass, no malevolence towards the target. They are acting far more as an interpreter of fate than a manipulator of it. I believe that the idea of the geas is the root behind many of the curses in folk tales, except that in the folk tale the more neutral magician has been transformed into an evil fairy godmother or the like. Echoes of the older role remain, as the curser tends to allow some kind of get-out clause: "I will curse you to never find happiness UNLESS you can..." This starts to shade over into the idea of quests as well... I tend to think this whole area is best left alone unless you`re damn sure you really are some kind of agent of cosmic justice.

3. Practice

"Bahlasti! Ompehda! I spit on your crapulous creeds." Liber Al, III: 54.

I'm going to start this section of by looking a couple of examples of occasions when the magician`s own magickal defenses appeared to take retributive action without having been explicitly instructed to do so. Obviously you need to have fairly smart defenses to do this. I believe we can get some good ideas as to how to operate our more deliberate curses by examining these incidents.

The first was some seven years ago. The pagan society at the university I was attending had gathered to perform the annual Exam-Passing Ritual. I was organizing this particular gathering, and I`d chosen to do a kind of group Runic ritual during which all the participants would inscribe a personal talisman. As I was performing the Hammer Rite as part of the opening ritual, a woman who had clearly attended with the sole desire of disrupting the proceedings, and had elected to remain in temple but not participate in the ritual, began to mimic each of the runes that I was vibrating. I ignored her and continued. She attempted to enter the circle and steal the offering of food we had placed on the altar, but she thought better of it. That evening, after the rest of us had completed the ritual (and, yes, we did all pass our exams that year) the woman crashed her car on her way home. I see no reason to doubt that the car had been knocked from the road by Thor's Hammer.

The other incident also involved a road accident (perhaps they`re easy to arrange or something). A witchy acquaintance of mine had been away, leaving the usual wards & guards over home & possessions. She returned to find that someone had stolen her bicycle. However, the thief only managed to get the bike as far as the next street, where it was found in a severely mangled state, clearly having been struck hard by another vehicle. History does not record the extent of the injuries sustained by the thief.

It will be noted that on both these occasions a clear magickal link is demonstrated: in the first case the woman was present during the banishing/protective ritual (and the forces evoked considered her a threat), and in the second the thief was physically touching a Magickally protected object. These examples thus demonstrate two effective magickal links that can be used in more deliberate workings.

A group might perform a ritual in which the participants recognize a penalty they will suffer if they betray the group in some way (as is so frequently done with initiations, magickal oaths).

A physical object might be used as a link. The example given above uses a personal possession which if disturbed without authority will call down a curse on the appropriate person; all ones possessions might be so charged, or just specifically magickal ones.

Norse magick has the idea of the yfelrun: this is a usually a letter which when opened is revealed to be a runic talisman devoted to cursing the victim. Usually the curse will be obvious to the victim, so this is one of those really malevolent ways to curse someone both Magickally and psychologically. Of course, if your target is another experienced magician, he or she will be alerted and more able to take specific countermeasures. In such a case one might need to be more subtle, and give them a gift which has been charged to a specific end without changing its appearance.

Magicians who have read their Machiavelli will ALWAYS look a gift horse in the mouth to see if one of its teeth is inscribed with Sparean sigils. To get round such sensibly paranoid foes, you may wish to borrow an idea from the Voodoo tradition. This involves sprinkling certain powders or smearing certain oils in such a position that the victim will be certain to step on them at some point, activating the curse. Obviously you should be careful to name the intended victim in your statement of intent, to ensure your curse doesn`t take out an innocent bystander.

Going back to the classic idea of the poppet/voodoo doll: there are a few twists that can be added to this. Adding hair or clothing associated with the victim by the Law of Contagion has already been touched on in the theory section. Other items you may wish to add are photographs of the victim, other possessions, or perhaps most useful of all, bodily fluids.

It is worth noting at this point that the more different magickal links you can build into a ritual, the stronger the link as a whole will be. There`s rarely any reason not to pile on as many links as possible, particularly since the victim may be aware of one of them and have already taken steps to break it.

What to do to the doll is largely dependent on your own twisted imagination. Pagans who watch a lot of B movies will probably want to stick pins in theirs. A more traditional method involves crafting the poppet from something which will waste away, so that your enemy will likewise waste away and eventually be consumed. The easiest materials to work with to form a poppet (at least before the invention of Plasticine) were clay, beeswax or tallow. By virtue of their malleability, it is very easy to destroy poppets made from these materials, and to allow a natural force to do that destroying. A clay poppet can be placed in a stream, so the water gradually erodes clay, and with it the life of your victim. Likewise with a tallow or beeswax poppet over a fire. By allowing the other forces to destroy your poppet, you call upon those same elemental powers to destroy your enemy. Sticking your poppet with pins, nails or knives seems to me to be more useful to neutralize their magickal potency, due to the traditional powers of iron.

An idea that seemed to be most popular during the big magickal wars earlier this century between the various Golden Dawn factions is to baptize the focus of your magick with the name of your enemy, then do nasty things to it. Usually the baptized object was animal or vegetable in nature, such as an egg, pea, or cockerel, though there is no intrinsic reason why you should not baptize a poppet. This form of magickal link seems to be more effective if the baptism is done by someone who at one time or another was ordained as a Christian priest. It still works for other magicians because it uses that powerful magickal idea: that if you can name an item you can control it.

I am now going to examine techniques of cursing based on Thalamic ideas, that being one of the major influences on my own magickal development. For a Thelemite the obvious starting point when researching any new magickal techniques is Liber Al, the Book of the Law, because we are told that "The Book of the Law contains the supreme spells" (). I often use phrases or techniques from Liber Al, as they provide a simple but highly effective basis for various acts of magick.

We are provided with an array of phrases suitable for use in cursing in the 3rd Chapter, since that is the one concerning Ra-Hoor-Khuit, Horus as "a god of War and of Vengeance." The clearest instruction as to curse magick is provided in the section on making and using Cakes of Light (III: 23-29). Verses 25 and 26 detail the use of the Cakes in magickal attack:

"25. This burn: of this make cakes and eat unto me. This hath also another use; let it be laid before me, and kept thick with perfumes of your orison: it shall become full of beetles as it were and creeping things sacred unto me.

26. These slay, naming your enemies; and they shall fall before you."

Obviously this requires a certain amount of experiment. It is uncertain whether it refers to the Cakes themselves or the mix from which one bakes them. What exactly "perfumes of your orison" refer to is not explicit, but has often been construed to mean a sex magick technique. The reader will note that again we have the idea of naming the representation of your enemy to create the link.

There is another lengthy section on cursing: chapter 3, verses 49-55. These verses refer specifically to attacking the established Old Aeon religions, e.g. "With my Hawk`s head I peck at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross" (III: 51). Perhaps the most widely used magickal phrase from this section is verse 54: "Bahlasti! Ompehda! I spit on your crapulous creeds!" This is a highly effective verbal curse, particularly when used face-to-face and accompanied by spitting in the direction of the opponent. The context seems to refer to its use against representatives of Old Aeon morality, though those "crapulous creeds" might be outdated political or philosophical beliefs as well as religions. The words "Bahlasti" and "Ompehda" were not in use until their appearance in Liber Al, and according to Crowley are Enochian words which seem to refer to blasting with thunder and lightning. They are also used in Liber Israfel (see Gems from the Equinox): "Bahlasti! Ompehda! In the Name of the Mighty and Terrible One I declare that I have banished the Shells unto their Habitations!" This calls on Horus to blast the Shells (i.e. the Qlipot of Qabbalistic tradition) away from the magician and into their correct places. Perhaps most relevant to this article are the gestures which accompany the phrase in Israfel, known as the Sign of the Enterer. This involves drawing the breath in and the hands up to the level of the eyes, whilst in a standing position, then shooting the hands and left foot and upper body forwards whilst blasting the breath out and speaking the phrase given above. Because this Sign is so directional, it can be adapted for use in magickal attack, facing the victim (or their known location or place of power if they are not in line of sight) and using a variant phrase beginning "Bahlasti! Ompehda!" and continuing with a phrase specific to the circumstance. The great advantage of the Enterer is the large amount of energy you can fire off with very little effort, making it quick and easy to perform but fairly suitable for even daily use if you have anyone you hate that much.

Only pups stay on the porch!

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FROM RAVEN'S NEST May 18, 2015

Egyptian Prosperity Magic for Beginners

The ancient Egyptians had a different spin on prosperity, and it requires a change in thinking. Prosperity was not individual, though they did have upper and lower classes. Prosperity was agriculturally-based, so if the crops thrived, everyone benefited; if they failed, it affected everyone. So, how can a modern practitioner approach Egyptian prosperity magic? Simply put, light a black candle.

Black, really? For the ancient Egyptians, black symbolized fertility and abundance. It was the color of the earth laid down by the annual inundation. Fertile soil meant abundant harvests; in ancient Egypt, that meant prosperity. Other colors appropriate for Egyptian prosperity: green and white. Green symbolized the lush vegetation that grew around the river and in the Delta. White was the skin of Osiris, god of the Underworld, and he was associated with rebirth and regeneration.

Items of great value to a desert people were water, wood, and tree resins. The Nile aided in trade and moving materials and people. Ebony and cedarwood were treasures few could afford. And, even the Bible attests to the value of tree resins; frankincense and myrrh were two of the gifts brought to the Christ child. What about gold? Gold was plentiful, as evidenced by the many artifacts found that were crafted in gold, though silver was a more scarce commodity.

Prosperity had nothing to do with money in ancient Egypt, since it had not yet been invented. The Greeks introduced coinage to the Egyptians during their occupation of the land. So, a wealthy man in Egypt did not possess caches of gold and silver, but he might show off his wealth with beautifully crafted jewelry and furniture of imported wood.

So, what does this have to do with prosperity today? If one wishes to practice Egyptian magic, one must understand where their spells came from. Approaching Egyptian magic is not like other traditional paths; Egyptian magic is more forceful, filled with threats and curses to the gods, and definitely, the spells are written from a great need.

That is not to imply that other traditions do not write their spells from the heart or from a need, but the spells of the ancient Egyptians reflect their love of their gods, their land, and their fellow man. Reading the literature, religious and secular, that has been left and meticulously translated really brings their beliefs to life, and proves they are just as relevant today as they were when they were written millennia ago.

Using this as a starting point, let’s look at some simple ways to use Egyptian magic for prosperity by today’s practitioner. Since the vast majority of ancient peoples were illiterate, all of the magical practices were performed by priests in the temples. Pagans today are cast in the role of high priest and are therefore responsible for their own worship.

The temples performed rituals to the gods three times daily, at sunrise, noon, and sunset. Offerings of food, grains, incense, and other items were presented to the gods, libations were placed in the sanctuary, and oil and incense pots were lit. In your role as high priest, you need to set aside a time, not necessarily three times every day, that will work for you to perform your spells and rituals.

Start with an appropriately colored candle, which will work nicely in place of an oil pot. The candle does not have to be anointed, though many practitioners do like to anoint their candles. Anise, cinnamon, sesame, and acacia are all good prosperity oils that would have been used by the Egyptians. Cinnamon was a favorite spice for the Egyptians, often offered to the gods in the temples and used heavily in preparing the dead for their journey into the Underworld.

Next, light an appropriate incense. Whether cone or stick or loose, it really is a matter of choice to the individual practitioner. Resinous incenses, frankincense, myrrh, galbanum, acacia, and copal would all be good choices. Frankincense and myrrh were two resins burned extensively in the Egyptian temples, as well as specific blends, and some of the recipes do survive to the present. Frankincense was considered the tears of Ra and acacia wood was used for sarcophagi.

The gods always appreciated a good libation and, surprisingly, beer would be an excellent choice. Though the upper classes did enjoy a variety of wines, locally produced, as well as from Cyprus, Kush, Canaan, and other Mesopotamian regions, beer was drunk by all in ancient Egypt. It was brewed in large quantities by the temples, but it was also brewed personally by the average citizen. Brewing beer was even considered an acceptable excuse to not report for work.

Acceptable libations to the gods would include beer, wine, and any number of fruit juices. Wines were fermented not only from grapes, but from dates, figs, plums, and pomegranates. A glass of grape or prune juice would be just as pleasing an offering as would an expensive wine. Water, though used in some rituals in other traditions, would have been too precious for use in rituals, preferring instead to use water in purifying the priests before entering into the presence of the gods.

Purity was strictly observed in the temples. All priests were circumcised, bathed four times each day, and shaved their entire bodies before they were allowed in the sanctuaries. Only the high priests were allowed in the inner sanctuary, where they tended to the statue of the god.

Offerings to the gods ran the spectrum from animals sacrificed specifically for the ritual to flowers, grains, spices, fruits, incense, resins, and vegetables. The choice is up to the practitioner. Obviously, slaughtering an animal is no longer a practice in Pagan religions, but there are plenty of offerings available that would be just as pleasing. A handful of sesame or pumpkin seeds, cinnamon sticks, a bunch of grapes, a pomegranate, a bunch of marigolds, all would be pleasing to the gods.

Now that all is in readiness to make your plea to the ancient gods—what do you say? The ancient Egyptians loved word play and, unfortunately, many of their intentions have been lost in translation. However, the ancients believed that the words themselves had a magic all their own. Spells and rituals did not have to rhyme or have a particular cadence; it was the words that carried the power of the spell to the god’s ear.

What does this mean to today’s practitioner? It means a little bit of work because you will be either writing your own spells or speaking off the cuff at the moment of ritual. You see, in Egyptian magic, there are no right or wrong words. The words should come from the heart and speak to the nature of the request. And, be specific. If you are in desperate need of a new job, then say so. Don’t use flowery language, just state the purpose of the spell.

Now, the next dilemma: which god to address? The gods associated with fertility would be the most obvious choice: Osiris, Min, Hapy, Ptah, Hathor, Renenutet, though there are others. And, the god Amun hears all requests, so he would be a good choice for the beginner. Amun was venerated throughout ancient Egypt, eventually being considered the state god. His temples and priesthood were almost as powerful as the king, to the point where the temples actually held more land and wealth than the ruler of the empire. Yet, he was the god of the common man, as well. Many Egyptians had a niche in their homes for personal devotion and Amun was quite popular. He may have been popular with the common man because Amun was an accessible god. Questions could be posed to the god’s statue during festivals, though the answer was conveyed by the priests. Amun was often called upon to settle disputes, bring blessings, and cure illnesses. So, for an all-around god, Amun would be beneficial to the beginner.

You have all the tools at your disposal to call upon the ancient Egyptian gods. Their appearances may be odd (gods with animal heads or bodies), but their appearances had a purpose in the Egyptian cosmology. Getting past appearances, the gods exist as they did thousands of years ago, just waiting to be called upon again. All they ask from you, the practitioner, is the respect that any deity should be shown, and a vessel of beer now and again.

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FROM RAVEN'S NEST May 11, 2015

Ten Activities for Pagan Kids

Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D,

May 11, 2015

For many Pagans and Wiccans, it's hard to find kid-friendly activities that celebrate our spiritual path. Believe it or not, sharing your beliefs with your kids is easier than you think. After all, you're the parent, so you can lead by example. Show your children what you do, and they'll emulate you in their own way. Teaching by doing is the key. By living a Pagan life, you'll show your kids what it means to be Pagan or Wiccan or whatever your family's path is.

These very simple activities are easy enough that you can do them with nearly any child, so have fun with them!

1. Make a Wand

What's not to love about making your own wand? Take your kids out in the woods for a nature walk, and ask them to keep an eye on the ground for the "right" stick. The wand should be about the same length as the child's forearm. Once your child has a stick, bring it home and decorate it with flowers, ribbons, glitter, even crystals. Hold a consecration ceremony so your child can claim the wand as his or her own.

2. Drumming

Everyone likes to drum, and the louder the better. If you don't have a professional drum, don't worry -- that's why the gods made coffee cans. Let your kids experiment with containers of different sizes and shapes, and see which ones make the most interesting sounds. Fill an empty water bottle with dried beans to make an impromptu rattle. Two thick dowels tapped together make a percussion instrument as well. Have a family drum circle night, and let everyone bang away to raise energy.

3. Meditation

Sure, the idea of teaching a toddler to meditate sounds crazy, but you'd be surprised what kids can do if they're interested. Even if it's just two minutes lying in the grass looking at trees, it's not a bad idea to start your youngsters meditating early. By the time they get to be adults with stressful lives, meditation will be second nature to them. Use breathing as a way of teaching counting to small children. Elementary-school age kids can usually handle a ten- to fifteen-minute guided meditation.

4. My Very Own Altar

If you have a family altar, that's great! Encourage your kids to have an altar of their own in their bedrooms -- this is the place they can put all the things that are special to them. While you may not want a tribe of Ninja Turtles on your family altar, if your son says they're his Personal Guardians, give him his own place to put them! Add to the collection with interesting things your child finds on nature walks, shells from trips to the beach, family photos, etc. Be sure that young children don't have candles or incense on their altar.

5. Moon Crafts

Kids love the moon, and they love to wave at it and say hello to it (my oldest claimed the moon as her own when she was five). If your family does any sort of moon rituals, such as an Esbat Rite or New Moon ceremony, have the kids decorate a mirror with lunar symbols, or make a Moon Braid to hang in a window, and use it on your altar during family moon celebrations. Bake a batch of Moon Cookies to use during Cakes & Ale ceremonies.

6. God's Eyes

These are an easy decoration to make and can be adapted seasonally, simply by using different colors. All you need is a pair of sticks and some yarn or ribbon. Make a God's Eye in yellows or reds for solar celebrations, green and brown for an earth ceremony, or in the colors of your family's household deities. Hang them on a wall or place on an altar.

7. Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough is one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you can create just about anything from it. You can follow any easy Salt Dough recipe, and use it with cookie cutters to make your own Sabbat ornaments. After your ornaments have cooled, paint them and decorate with your favorite Pagan and Wiccan symbols.

After you've painted them, seal them with clear varnish. If you're planning to hang them, poke a hole through the ornament BEFORE baking them. Then after you've varnished them, run a ribbon or thread through the hole.

8. Wheel of the Year Journal

Get your child a blank notebook, and have them keep track of the patterns of nature. Note the dates that the first buds appear in spring, when birds begin to migrate, and when the weather changes. If your child is old enough to surf the Internet, have him predict the weather for the next few days and then compare it to your local weather forecast -- and then see who's right! As the Wheel of the Year turns, your child can help you prepare for upcoming Sabbat celebrations.

9. Mythic Tales

Many parents aren't really sure how to incorporate their Pagan beliefs into their children's upbringing, so story time is a great way to do this. Teach your child the myths and legends of your pantheon. Storytelling is an age-old tradition, so why not use it to educate your kids about what you believe? Tell them tales of gods and heroes, fairies, and even your own ancestors.

10. Singing and Chanting

There are a ton of great songs out there for Pagan kids, and most of them are really simple. You can make up your own with some simple rhymes and a little bit of ingenuity. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and celebrate the gifts of the earth. If you want to find pre-recorded music for your kids, read some of the Pagan and Wiccan magazines; there are nearly always ads for Pagan musicians and their work.

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FROM RAVEN'S NEST May 10, 2015

Changelings Lore

Variants: stocks

It appears that fairy women all over Ireland find birth a difficult experience. Many fairy children die before birth and those that do survive are often stunted or deformed creatures.

The adult fairies, who are aesthetic beings, are repelled by these infants and have no wish to keep them. They will try to swap them with healthy children who they steal from the mortal world. The wizened, ill tempered creature left in place of the human child is generally known as a changeling and possesses the power to work evil in a household. Any child who is not baptized or who is overly admired is especially at risk of being exchanged.

It is their temperament, however, which most marks the changeling. Babies are generally joyful and pleasant, but the fairy substitute is never happy, except when some calamity befalls the household. For the most part, it howls and screeches throughout the waking hours and the sound and frequency of its yells often transcend the bounds of mortal endurance.

A changeling can be one of three types: actual fairy children; senile fairies who are disguised as children or, inanimate objects, such as pieces of wood which take on the appearance of a child through fairy magic. This latter type is known as a stock.

Puckered and wizened features coupled with yellow, parchment-like skin are all generic changeling attributes. This fairy will also exhibit very dark eyes, which betray a wisdom far older than its apparent years. Changelings display other characteristics, usually physical deformities, among which a crooked back or lame hand are common. About two weeks after their arrival in the human household, changelings will also exhibit a full set of teeth, legs as thin as chicken bones, and hands which are curved and crooked as birds' talons and covered with a light, downy hair.

No luck will come to a family in which there is a changeling because the creature drains away all the good fortune which would normally attend the household. Thus, those who are cursed with it tend to be very poor and struggle desperately to maintain the ravenous monster in their midst.

One positive feature which this fairy may demonstrate is an aptitude for music. As it begins to grow, the changeling may take up an instrument, often the fiddle or the Irish pipes, and plays with such skill that all who hear it will be entranced. This report is from near Boho in County Fermanagh.

"I saw a changeling one time. He lived with two oul' brothers away beyond the Dog's Well and looked like a wee wizened monkey. He was about ten or eleven but he couldn't really walk, just bobbed about. But he could play the whistle the best that you ever heard. Old tunes that the people has long forgotten, that was all he played. Then one day, he was gone and I don't know what happened to him at all."

Prevention being better than cure, a number of protections may be placed around an infant's cradle to ward off a changeling. A holy crucifix or iron tongs placed across the cradle will usually be effective, because fairies fear these. An article of the father's clothing laid across the child as it sleeps will have the same effect.

Changelings have prodigious appetites and will eat all that is set before them. The changeling has teeth and claws and does not take the breast like a human infant, but eats food from the larder. When the creature is finished each meal, it will demand more. Changelings have been known to eat the cupboard bare and still not be satisfied. Yet no matter how much it devours, the changeling remains as scrawny as ever.

Changelings do not live long in the mortal world. They usually shrivel up and die within the first two or three years of their human existence. The changeling is mourned and buried, but if its grave is ever disturbed all that will be found is a blackened twig or a piece of bog oak where the body of the infant should be. Some live longer but rarely into their teens.

There can also be adult changelings. These fairy doubles will exactly resemble the person taken but will have a sour disposition. The double will be cold and aloof and take no interest in friends or family. It will also be argumentative and scolding. As with an infant, a marked personality change is a strong indication of an adult changeling.

Changelings may be driven from a house. When this is achieved, the human child or adult will invariably be returned unharmed.

The least severe method of expulsion is to trick the fairy into revealing its true age. Another method is to force tea made from lusmore (foxglove) down the throat of a suspected changeling, burning out its human entrails and forcing it to flee back to the fairy realm. Heat and fire are anathema to the changeling and it will fly away.

FROM RAVENS NEST May 8, 2015

Using the Moon to Understand Your Own Cycles of Life, Love, and Work

Do you remember when the term "seasonal affective disorder" became more widespread? Most of us are aware of how the light from the Sun affects us; people affected by SAD have moods that are directly related to the amount of sunlight in the sky. During the winter, people tend to become more depressed when days are shorter, and the sun hangs at a lower angle. Yet, a planetary object even closer to the earth affects our tides, our body rhythms, fertility cycles, even mood changes, and is seldom considered in conjunction with our moods.

The moon has captivated poets, philosophers, songwriters, and lovers for millennia and is, by far, the most notable object in the night sky. This hardy, rocky satellite does a lazy do-si-do around Mother Earth every 29 ½ days, but always keeps the same face turned to our planet. Whether gibbous (around ¾), a thin crescent, or gloriously full, the moon commands our attention and our awe.

The phases of the moon are easy to understand once you remember that the moon is always either waxing or waning. The Waxing phase lasts from the New Moon (when the moon is hidden from our sight in a darkened sky) to First Quarter is about a week. Another week takes it from First Quarter to the Full Moon. After the moon is full, it wanes, getting narrower and narrower until the Last Quarter, and then diminishing to blackness for the New Moon. Each waxing/waning cycle takes about two weeks. The night before the New Moon is called "Dark of the Moon," and is considered to have magical significance. This is not considered an auspicious period for beginning a new project. Other Lunar phases include the extremely rare "Blue Moon," the second full moon in a month. We had one in August, 2012 and we'll have another in January, 2018—which gives you an idea of just how infrequently "once in a blue moon" occurs.

The moon rules Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac; its symbol is the crab. This sign is associated with the home and domestic life in general. If you know any sunsign Cancers, think about their attitude towards the home. Do they prefer not to travel? Are they exceedingly domestic—perhaps excellent breadbakers or cooks? Are they fiercely loyal and extremely sensitive? When you think about the moon, bear in mind these essential Cancerian qualities.

The English language has plenty of words deriving from our satellite neighbor. We associate the moon with craziness ("full moon madness") and sub rosa activity (someone who moonlights making moonshine would prefer no one knew about it!). Yet in astrology, the moon is considered to have many attributes, most of them positive. In your personal chart, the moon can represent your mother (and your attitude toward her), your emotional equilibrium, and the tendency for self-protection as well as moodiness.

The ancients were fascinated by the moon, so luminous and changeable. Early Romans gave the Moon her own sacred feast day, which we now call "Monday." Even our nursery rhyme about Jack and Jill can be traced back to a Scandinavian legend about a boy and girl, named Hjuki and Bila, respectively, who were fetching water from a well when the Moon demanded they serve her. She carried off the pair in a pail—thus their adventure relates to the waxing and waning of the moon ("Hjuki" means "increasing" and "Bila," decreasing). The Australian Dieyeries tribe believed that people were created by the moon, and in many Native American languages, the moon was regarded as having male gender.

But perhaps most significant is the moon's 29½-day cycle, which

relates very closely to the standard (but not always correct) 28-day fertility cycle in females. Why not always correct? Well, check your own menstrual records over a one year period, and see whether your "personal average" isn't closer to 29 days than 28. For female readers, consider getting a calendar that notes when New, Full, and first and last quarters of the moon occur, and whether or not there is a correlation to your menstrual cycle (menstrual from mens, meaning "month," and month from, of course, "moon!").

Full and New Moons

How many times have you noticed some wacky behavior on the part of a coworker and heard someone say, "Must be the full moon." Maybe you've even thought this yourself, but what does the moon have to do with mood? Well, the moon exerts a gravitational force on the earth's oceans, causing high and low tides. A high tide during a full moon is a higher tide than during a new or quarter moon. New England's famous Blizzard of '78 occurred during a full moon and a high tide—talk about excess! There are about six hours between high and low tide, and if you spend an afternoon at a beach with a sandbar or tidal inlet, you can actually watch the progress of the incoming tide.

The tide comes in, the tide goes out; a gentle, reliable rhythm. Now, consider that our bodies are mostly water. Isn't it natural to wonder whether the moon might not be having an effect on our own "internal tides," as it were? Have you ever felt frenzied or hurried, needing to finish a project for a deadline that came some time ago, and then noticed the moon was full? One client describes this feeling as if your "personal high tide washed over the seawall."

Or, take the opposite feeling: ennui. Have you had days where no matter what you did the overriding impulse was, "Why bother,?" or, "What's the point?" Call it temporary existentialism, but did you ever ask yourself what the moon was doing? Chances are that it's either new, or waning from the last quarter. If you can describe this feeling as a "psychic low tide," accompanied by a mild despair or hopelessness, just hang in there and see if your mood doesn't turn around after the New Moon passes and the Moon begins waxing again.

How to Use the Moon in Your Life and Work

If the preceding two paragraphs strike a responsive chord, think about at least being aware of the moon's rhythms as you plan your life and work. I've found that the Waxing Moon phase can be very helpful for sparking creativity, coming up with ideas for projects, beginning plans, and acquiring objects. The First Quarter to Full Moon phase just cranks up the intensity of those projects a notch. You might find yourself overwhelmed with "input" from sources you contacted during the waning moon phase, and might have that, "it never rains but it pours" feeling.

The Waning Moon phase is helpful for culling extraneous elements from your life—a good time for housecleaning, yardwork, filing papers, or any project that requires a critical and decisive eye. You'll find that your psychological insights might become more fine-tuned during this transit, especially during the Last Quarter to New Moon phase. But beware of creeping pessimism and inactivity, which is very alluring during the waning moon.

The New Moon and Full Moon are ideal for meditation and partying, respectively, and even if you don't spend your time in those pursuits, you'll feel like it!

The Signs and the Moon

It's a lot of fun to use the zodiac to understand lunar transits, but this will take some practice, patience, and record-keeping. The twelve signs of the zodiac each take about 2½ days to transit, and I've found that the world, as it were, often reflects qualities of the sign the moon is transiting through. Here are some examples for all twelve signs.

When the moon is in Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius (the fire signs): People might be feistier or more impulsive. This is a good time for people who are in sales or other occupations requiring persuasion. This is also a time when people who need a lot of attention will put themselves in a position where they get attention (for example, throwing tantrums, pounding fist on table, etc.)

When the moon is in Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn (the earth signs): This is a good time to deal with finance or practical concerns. Taking care of your house, your body, or you business comes more easily when the moon is in one of these sun signs. This is also a period where you may feel impatient because other people aren't moving quickly.

When the moon is in Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius (the air signs): Ideas come freely, and communication is easy. This is a great time for having meetings, or writing and editing, or doing something that requires a lot of intellectual concentration. This is also a period where you may find you (or others) lose interest very quickly in something that seemed so important not long ago.

When the moon is in Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces (the water signs): This is a sensitive time for many. It's excellent for listening to music, going to an art gallery, or any other kind of escapism. Procrastinating comes easily during this moon, as does one's need to nurture—or be nurtured. Cooking and domestic pursuits are consoling.

When the moon is in the same sign as your sun sign (this will happen once every 29 days or so, and will last about two and a half days), you may find your emotions or intuition (or both) are heightened considerably. Use this time to plan your next month of action-taking, and give yourself a break if you feel like you've been on the go.

Astrology On The Cusp

Astrology on the Cusp
Are You A Cusp Baby Too!

"Are you born on the cusp?" That is a very good question. Why would I be writing about people born on the cusp—those whose birthdays are at the very end of one sign and the start of the next.
So I wanted to do a write for those cuspy people who feel torn between identifying with some aspects of one sign, other aspects of the other sign, and feel squeezed in the middle. I had researched the field, and knew—both from what clients told me, and what I saw on book store shelves—that this astrological arena really wasn't covered.
And the more I thought about it, the more quirky the idea of cusps struck me. What do twins (Gemini) and crabs (Cancer) have in common? What do lions (Leo) and virgins (Virgo) share? And the goat (Capricorn) and the water-carrier (Aquarius)—do they have some special chemistry that conventional astrological archetypes just can't cover? The people I know who are cuspy—and those who spoke to me for Astrology on their Cusp—always identified with both signs, and frequently sounded a little harassed. Why do they have to accommodate attributes that have nothing in common (such as Cancer's sensitivity and Leo's pride or Sagittarius's sense of humor and Capricorn's stoicism)? And then I researched more and found some interesting famous people were cuspies.

Let's start with Capricorn, cusp of Aquarius (but definitely Capricorn). And just look at musicians. We have: Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, Phil Everly, and Simon Rattle. Unusual harmonies are one trait these four share—so is genre-crossing. In fact, you'd expect anyone with a trace of Aquarius to be a path-setter, and that's what we have here.

Look at writers born June 20, which is Gemini, cusp of Cancer. This birthday will always have intellectual curiosity and extreme sensitivity, and for those who live by the pen, the following folks definitely qualify: Francoise Sagan, Jean-Paul Sartre, Mary McCarthy, and Rockwell Kent (yes, Kent is much better known as a painter and print-maker, but writing was an integral part of his craft).

Now, I'm sure we have readers saying, "But what about MY birthday?" For that, you'll need to read the book—and I include a lot of birthdays! Each cusp is grouped into three categories: before the cusp, on the cusp, and after the cusp. I wrote about birthdays for a few days in either direction. Other astrology books hew to a stricter interpretation, but I have always found that people within three or even four days of a cusp (versus one or two) will always identify with both signs.

Look at it this way—you can feel like you're a diminished version of the sign that you are, or you can feel quietly superior, because you can take the best of both signs!

Astrology on the Cusp also includes careers and vocations. Knowing when you're at your best is very helpful information. And knowing when the planets are definitely not favoring your activities will also assist cuspy folks when making plans, either personal or professional.

I've been thinking about this topic for years, so, just for fun, here is a "short take" on the twelve cusps.

Aries-Taurus: The ram meets the bull, and everyone else—look out! These are two powerful signs that can foster momentum and endurance in the person with this cusp. At your best, you have leadership ability, as well as the ability to lead quietly, or subtly. This is a sign that can lead, and keep a secret, and also look down the road to see what's coming.

Taurus-Gemini: Here the twins try to ride the bull—and sometimes get tossed off! Taurus's consistency meets Gemini's proclivity to vacillate or waffle. There is huge artistic ability with this cusp—but do you have faith in yourself to explore it? Taurus can be a "care-taking" sign, so you may be someone upon whom others rely to get the job done (even when it's not your job). This cusp favors jobs in finance and/or communication.

Gemini-Cancer: The twins meet the crab, and the crab just wants to hide. You're sensitive and emotional, but you can also sublimate this trait in favor of curiosity about the world—or even a fascination with people who live on the edge. This cusp favors writing, and the careers that involve analysis of others' motivations.

Cancer-Leo: The crab and the lion don't seem to have much in common—and what people with this cusp may find is that others don't see their depths. Instead, these cusps may have such a dynamic and interesting personality that the sensitive side of your nature is submerged. These cusps have to be careful not to be annoyed at others' thoughtlessness. This cusp favors performance, teaching, persuasion, and helping others.

Leo-Virgo: The lion meets the virgin. The "Strength" card in the tarot deck shows this image: the beautiful maiden taming the lion. These cusps can be all over the place: private and public, nit-picky and able to corral a lot of disparate talents. This cusp could be a director or a producer, or someone who manages different departments. And this cusp loves to perform—even if just for a dinner table of companions.

Virgo-Libra: The virgin meets the scales. Pretty and perfectionist, this cusp can see both sides, and still not be able to make a decision. This is a cusp that can listen to anyone and everyone. Smart and usually well-dressed, Virgo-Libra is able to plan ahead—but doesn't always know what they're going to do today! This cusp favors working with others, or with data management.

Libra-Scorpio: The scales meet the scorpion. What's fair? What's not fair? These are issues that preoccupy this cusp. At its best, people with this cusp can be "all things to all people"—able to utilize Libra's chameleonic side. At its most difficult, this cusp has a fondness for, if not revenge, at least payback. This cusp is a fighter, and favors jobs that require emotional or physical toughness.

Scorpio-Sagittarius: The scorpion meets the archer, and the archer really, really wants that scorpion to lighten up and have a good time! The issues of "justice" that characterize Sagittarius definitely help Scorpio to "get over themselves." This cusp is less likely to take setbacks personally. It favors careers that involve finance, travel, judicial fairness, analysis and personal courage, as well as humor.

Sagittarius-Capricorn: The archer meets the goat— and at Yuletide, which means folks with this birthday often get "short shifted" on the presents! At their best, they won't care—this cusp is powerful, with executive ability as well as charisma to get their way. People born on this cusp can have wildly varying interests and may have trouble "settling" on any one career. They have multiple talents and should look for work that has variety as well as complexity and perhaps travel. Routine doesn't cut it.

Capricorn-Aquarius: The goat meets the water-carrier. People born under this cusp like routine, up to a point, but always want to look ahead. What's happening next? Who should I cultivate? This is a social sign, and work should include interactions with a lot of people as well as unpredictability. Having a career where you have leeway to "invent" or make up procedures would be satisfying.

Aquarius-Pisces: The water-carrier meets the fish. Nature-loving, fond of art and music, this cusp can be slow-moving and cautious about committing. There's a huge capacity for nurturing, and careers that favor teaching or working with those with disabilities would be appealing. Again, imagination and unpredictability is a theme—don't tie these cusps down!

Pisces-Aries: The fish meets the ram, and there is little compatibility in the environments these two animals favor. Fish live in water, and like to go with the flow. Rams enjoy rocky landscapes, and difficult terrain. Careers for this cusp would include "unfamiliar territory." Routine isn't as important as feeling like they are helping others.