The Modern Pagan Male

The Modern Pagan Male

Dr. Raven Dolick M.s.D.

The Pagan male today finds himself in a confusing position. In response to the highly patriarchal nature of the mainstream monotheistic faiths, the Pagan community as a whole tends toward a matriarchal, feminine-oriented system. In this system, the male aspects of Divinity are often greatly if not completely eclipsed by the female aspects. The “Great Mother Goddess” is often honored to the exclusion of the God, who is relegated to the status of her “Consort” when He is mentioned at all! We believe that even as a completely patriarchal system is unbalanced, so too is a completely matriarchal system - a positive, dynamic balance between the two is needed, not an aggrandizement of one gender over the other. Both genders have their own strengths and weaknesses, and each has much to teach the other. To this end, we are committed to exploring the men's mysteries, the spiritual aspects of what it is to be male. We do have an unashamedly men's group – for there are many women's mysteries groups in existence, and we consider ourselves neither unbalanced nor chauvinistic for wishing to explore the spiritual aspects of our own gender and be the Lord we were created to be.

What does community service have to do with men's spirituality?

We at RavenStar Enchantments Spiritual Awareness Center believe that in-service to the community is an important part of our spirituality - that a man can truly find the best in himself only in service to others. Sacrifice for the good of others is a traditional and integral aspect of men's spirituality - for example, the Pagan belief in the sacrifice of the Horned Lord at Samhain to be reborn at Yule and renew the fertility of the earth, or from a Christian point of view, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. All of us sacrifice in some form or another so that others may be better off, though for most of us this sacrifice is of our time and energy rather than our lives. As The Knights of Hern believe that with the power we are given comes the responsibility to help others. In fact, the word "knight" originally came from a Saxon word which meant "vassal" or "servant"; we take this to mean that we are servants of our community and of the greater good.

RavenStar Enchantments Spiritual Mens Group, The Brotherhood of Herne, will individually focus on your inner strengths and weaknesses with a very intense holistic approach to reconnect you with your true divine self and give assistance in self empowerment with modalities to balance the mind, body and soul in perfect union and pursue options to best empower you with in-service expressions of your talents and power. With one on one focused retreats offered also we reach many male figures that then take their personal empowerment to better their family structure, community, spiritual outlook and overall view of how they react to the world around them therefore effectively changing the world one male at a time.

Herne, from whom our Men's Circle focus takes its name, is a pre-Christian Saxon deity whose name is thought to come from the Latin "Cernunnos" which means "The Horned One". His image can be found on the Gundestrup Cauldron, an artifact found in Denmark and dating from about 2000 years ago. Herne is the Patron of our Retreat; for us, he represents the quintessence of manhood, all that we strive to be and to achieve as men. He is the sacrificial God, who gives of himself so that others may live. Though we do not all honor Herne as the face of our particular Deity, as men, we honor what he represents.

Concerning The Lost Rites

Be the full representation my kind sirs of what we were created to be as empowered pagan Male Spirituality.

My Heart to Yours.

Dr. Raven Dolick M.s.D.

June 24. 2012

All rights reserved

Concerning the Lost Rites

Before industrialization and the Patriarchal crippling of society, Pagan Males went through many Rites of Passage during their childhood and into manhood that rooted them deeply in their own self power. And so much more are they needed today to again center our children in who they really are and their individual power. Below you will see a descriptive of the many Rites bestowed and realize that as a pagan male we have in a whole missed the mark and need to reclaim that which has been relinquished.

The Rite of Naming

Given to a child at any age from three months to one year old, the purpose of the ritual is to formally accept the child as one of the tribe and to give him his name – and with it, his link to his ancestors (the past), his community (the present), and his destiny (the future).

The blessings of the Powers of the World are asked to be upon the child as he begins his journey. Four symbols (runes, Tarot cards, etc.) are drawn for the child, representing his progress through the stages of life – Boy, Man, Elder and Sage. These symbols, along with their possible meanings, are passed down to the child when he is old enough to understand them. If the child is to have godparents, the godparents will be asked to take the child’s hand during the Rite and to swear their oaths to watch over him and guide him.

The Rite of Understanding

Given at 5 years of age, the purpose of the ritual is to acknowledge a child’s passage from infant to boy, the first step along the path to manhood. The boy is given a gift to mark his passage from the hands of his father (or godfather or man closest to him, if the father is not present), usually a protective amulet on a chain. The Rite is of necessity short and fairly simple, to accommodate the child’s attention span.

The Rite of Responsibility

Given at 10 years of age, the purpose of the ritual is to acknowledge that a boy is ready to begin assuming an increased amount of responsibility for himself and his actions. If the boy in question is the child or close relative of a Knight of the Order, he may ask to become a page of the Hall at this time. The boy is presented with a small knife from the hands of his father (or godfather, etc.) as a sign of the trust that has now been placed in him. He may choose a new name to be known by in ritual, his boy’s name

The Rite of Maturity

Given at 15 years of age, the purpose of the ritual is to acknowledge that a boy has proven himself to be responsible, and is now ready to begin assuming some of the duties of manhood. If the boy in question is the child or close relative of a Knight of the Order, he may ask to become a Squire of the Hall at this point, with his father or relative as his sponsor. He must be at least 19 years of age, however, before petitioning for membership as a Knight- Probationer of the Hall. The boy is presented with a ritual dagger from the hands of his father (or godfather, etc.) as a sign of the increased trust that has now been placed in him.

The Rite of Manhood

Given at 20 years of age, the purpose of the ritual is to acknowledge that a boy has proven himself responsible, mature, and worthy to be called a man. At this point, if the boy has been accepted as a Knight-Probationer of the Hall and has fulfilled all necessary obligations, he may be Knighted. If he has chosen not to join the Order, he is not

Knighted, but is still presented with a sword from the hands of his father (or godfather, etc.) as a sign of his new status, and may choose a new name to be known by in ritual.

The Rite of Handfasting

The Rite of Handfasting is a marriage ceremony led by a qualified representative of the Hall. The purpose of the ritual is to bind two lovers in matrimony, ritually enumerating their duties to each other and acknowledging their oaths to abide by these vows. The two exchange rings as a sign of their pledging, and their hands are ritually bound together. They pass under an arch of swords held by

Knights of the Hall, representing the Hall’s promise to watch over and protect the couple.

The Rite of Elderhood

The Rite of Elderhood is given to a man upon reaching the age of 40. The purpose of the ritual is to acknowledge the contributions a man has made to the Order and to the community, and the honor he has gained in doing so. The man may be presented with a gift from the Order to mark his new status. He may also choose a new name to be known by in ritual, to reflect the lessons the years have taught him.

The Rite of Sagehood

The Rite of Sagehood, similar in many ways to the Rite of Elderhood, is given to a man upon reaching the age of 60. The purpose of the Rite is to acknowledge the contributions a man has made to the Order and to the community, and the honor, wisdom and respect he has gained in doing so. The man may be presented with a gift from the Order to mark his new status. He may also choose a new name to be known by in ritual, to reflect the lessons the years have taught him.

The Rite of Remembrance

The Rite of Remembrance is given to a man or woman at death, and serves to mark his or her passage to the Land Beyond the Veil. Those who knew the deceased are invited to share their memories, so that he or she may not be forgotten, and the Litany of Remembrance is spoken.

So here we can easily see how we, as modern Pagan spiritual males, have missed the mark and struggle to find our center. Now you can move to higher levels of consciousness with the self-empowering modalities you will now have available to you so wisdom can finish what Knowledge has started. Welcome to your Whole Self!

Cerrunnos/Herne

The Circle of Life

Dr Raven Dolick MsD

July 1, 2012

All rights reserved

Cernunnos/ Herne/ Green man ,The Great Horned God, The consort of the Goddess and symbol of male energy in the form of the divine is YOU!

Cernnunos, a nature and fertility God, has appeared in a multitude of forms and made himself known by many names to nearly every culture throughout time. He is perhaps best known to us now in his Celtic aspects of the untamed Horned God of the Animals and the leaf-covered Green Man, Guardian of the Green World, but He is much older. Cernnunos worked his magic when the first humans were becoming. Our prehistoric ancestors knew him as a shape-shifting, shamanic god of the Hunt. He is painted in caves and carved everywhere, on cliffs, stones, even in the Earth Herself. Humans sought to commune with Him and receive his power and that of his animal children by dressing themselves in skins and skulls, adorning themselves with feathers and bones, by dancing His dance. Yet He is older still. In the time of the dinosaurs, the great swamps and subtropical forests of cycads, seed ferns and conifers, and later in the time of the deciduous plants and flowers, when the pollinators came and the first tiny mammals were creeping up from beneath the ground, Cernnunos was the difference and diversity of life, the frenzy and ferment of evolution. But, He is much older still. He is oldest of the Ancient Ones, first born of the Goddess. At the time of First Earth, Cernnunos grew in the womb of the All Mother, Anu, waiting to be born, to come forth to initiate the everlasting, unbroken Circle of Life.

He provides for the tribe through the hunt and is honored or rewarded for his deed by being permitted to copulate with the Goddess through the Great Rite. The Horned God is the lord of life, death and the underworld. And is the Sun to the Goddess' Moon. He alternates with the Goddess in ruling over the fertility cycle of birth, death and rebirth

He has been associated with many deities throughout the world. Cernunnos, The Celtic God of fertility, animals and the underworld. Herne The Hunter, a Wood God of Britain. Pan the Greek God of the woodlands, Janus the Roman God of good beings. Nimrod and Tammuz , the Father and the son, lover and consorts to Ishtar and Inanna. Osiris, the Egyptian Lord of the underworld. also Geb the Egyptian Lord of the Earth Dionysus, the Greek god of vegetation and vine. The Green Man, the lord of vegetation and the woodlands.

The History Of The Horned One

Paintings discovered in the Caverne des Trois Freres at Ariege, France provides evidence of the first views of the Horned One. Depicted as a stag standing upright on hind legs with the upper body of a man, the figure is celebrating what appears to be a hunt and wooing a woman.

From some of the earliest myths come the union between the fertile Goddess and the triumphant phallus hunter, the Horned God. The more successful the tribal hunter in providing for his people, the greater his stature became. The more likely he would be the one chosen to impregnate the "Mother" of the tribe. Often seen as the High Priestess or at least a tribal woman who was touched by the goddess because of her prowess at becoming pregnant and extending the life of the tribe. Something that was needed during the days of ancient man, as life spans were short and death by illness or disease was common.

Many legends describe fertility celebrations occurring at the spring gathering and again in late fall. Each of these coinciding with a spring hunt to bring food to the tribe after a cold desolate winter. And in the fall to provide meat for the tribe during the winter months. The most successful hunter won the prize of sleeping with the "Goddess", most often before the Tribe watching. Something that is seen as repugnant today, in ancient times, it was a spiritual event and is revitalized in what we see as the Great Rite of today.

During these rituals, the Hunter would appear dressed or cloaked in the skin of his kill with the horns of the stag resting victoriously upon his head. Some legends describe the blood of the beast engulfing both the Horned Hunter and the Goddess, believing the life taken from the animal is transferred to the womb of the fertile Mother, thus providing life.

To the Celts as Cernunnos, the Horned God was more than just a fertile being. He is found throughout the Celtic lands and folklore as the guardian of the portal leading to the Otherworld. The name Cernunnos is known only through damaged carvings found at Notre Dame. In these carvings, a deity with short horns carries the incomplete inscription 'ERNUNNO'. In his earliest of days he was probably the fertility god to the Gauls. But as time progressed and his legends grew, he became associated with wealth and prosperity. He was such an important deity to the pagan Celts, that his image and prowess became a major target for the early Christian church. It is his image that is believed to have been adopted for their mythos of the Devil 'deo falsus' or the false god. His status as the god of Hell would coincide with the view of the pagan Celts as the guardian of the Otherworld.

As Herne the Hunter, the British version of the Horned God; he is seen as the leader of the Wild Hunt. As an antlered giant, he is rumored to still survive and live in the forests of Windsor Great Park. His longevity is owed to the cult of Cernunnos, who have also linked his generosity to provide for the tribe to the legend of Robin Hood. Some suggest that Herne was the father to Robin of Loxley; which is probably more an association since Herne is a much older figure in legend and myth. In this ability to provide for the tribe as the great Hunter of the wood, he is forever linked to the Horned God.

As the Greek deity of pastures, flocks and herds, Pan was half man and half goat. With the legs and horns and beard of a goat. He is the offspring of Hermes, but his mothers lineage is in question. Either he is the result of Hermes and Dryope daughter of King Dropys, who's flocks he tended. Or Hermes and Penelope. His cult is centered around Arcadia where he is reported to haunt the woodlands, hills and mountains. Sleeping at noon and then dancing through the woods as he played the panpipes, which he is credited with inventing. He is the lusty leader of the satyrs (woodland deities), and continually chases the nymphs (the beautiful nature goddesses). During rituals, his essence is invoked to for fertility of the flocks or for an abundant hunt. Associating him with the legends of the Horned God.

As Osiris the Egyptian god of the lower world, he is seen as the judge of the dead. Linking him to the concept of Cernunnos as the guardian of the gate to the Other World.

He is the brother of Isis, but he is also her husband. Isis as the goddess of fertility her status as the Mother is propagated by the services provided her by Osiris. Once again linking his image with that of the Horned One.

As the Green Man he is the God of the woodlands and vegetation. He is also known as 'Green Jack", "Jack in the Green" and "Green George". He represents the spirits of the trees, plants and foliage that has many powers over nature that promote growth. He has the power to make it rain and foster the livestock with lush meadows. As Green George he has been represented as a young man cloaked head to foot in greenery. In early depictions, the green vegetation emphasized his phallic symbol of fertility as he lead processions through tribal lands. As the Green Man he shares his woodland home with the forest fairies often called "Greenies" or "Greencoaties". What today we call Nature Sprites. The Green Man is depicted as a horned man peering out from a mask of foliage, connecting him to the image of Horned God.

in some traditions of Wicca, the cycle of seasons follows the relationship between the Horned God -- Cernunnos -- and the Goddess. During the fall, the Horned God dies, as the vegetation and land goes dormant, and in the spring, at Imbolc, he is resurrected to impregnate the fertile goddess of the land. However, this relationship is a relatively new Neopagan concept, and there is no scholarly evidence to indicate that ancient peoples might have celebrated this "marriage" of the Horned God and a mother goddess.

Because of his horns (and the occasional depiction of a large, erect phallus) Cernunnos has often been misinterpreted by fundamentalists as a symbol of Satan. Certainly, at times, the Christian church has pointed to the Pagan following of Cernunnos as "devil worship." This is in part due to nineteenth century paintings of Satan which included large, ram-like horns much like those of Cernunnos.

Christianity saw Paganism as a Competition so they Demonized Pagan Gods in An Effort to make people stop worshiping them.

Today, many Pagan and Wiccan traditions honor Cernunnos as an aspect of the God, the embodiment of masculine energy and fertility and power.

The Song of Amergin

I am a stag of seven tines,

I am a wide flood on a plain,

I am a wind on the deep waters,

I am a shining tear of the sun,

I am a hawk on a cliff,

I am fair among flowers,

I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke.

I am a battle waging spear,

I am a salmon in the pool,

I am a hill of poetry,

I am a ruthless boar,

I am a threatening noise of the sea,

I am a wave of the sea,

Who but I knows the secrets of the unhewn dolmen ?

Though horns adorn my head My spirit points to the moon’s sky.

Though my legs don’t end in hoofsI walk a cocksure prance ‘cross sacred Earth.

My body is hairy.I’m a proud-hung young buck.Behind sharp eyes my soul stalks wild.

Horned God–Horny As Hell God–Reviled by fundamental debasers of flesh sacredness–You still live in me.

I will drink red wine I will eat bloody venison meat And I will dance and sing and fuck and live So that you may be sacred still.

So that I may be sacred still.

So that life will be sacred still.

“You have given yourself to me… Fully… You surrendered… You’re mine! Your heart belongs to me, your soul, Your body, your breath, your everything! Mine! And you will run with me, Scream with me, and rut with me, Tremble in terror and desire of me, Dance that wild, frenzied dance with me, Journey to the dark, dank depths with me. And you will know sheer ecstasy, utter agony, And the intoxicating thrill of the hunt. And we will meet at the Crossroads together, as we always have. We will wander far and wide, with a fire raging in your head. And I will show you the way on those crooked and hidden paths I will tell you things no other could I will take you to places unknown, and unseen I will teach you. Guide you. Push you. Pull you. Rip you open. I will show you what it means to be my devotee I will break you and remake you, Over and over… And you will love me… And when I’m not with you…Remember… Remember… Remember...

About The Laws of Magick

The Laws of Magick are not laws as in rules or a code of ethics or behavior. They are the basic precepts, or ideas on which the foundation of magickal working is based. I found them interesting and informative. I work it as knowing that the entire Universe does work within its own Laws.

Let’s take the Law of Gravity for instance. You drop a coin what is going to happen every time?…… Dah, it hits the ground. K got it. BUT what makes it do that? That is a Law and when we learn the Law we then can control Gravity. Magick is the same. You haven’t been successful as a power magician because you ran instead of crawled in your upbringing. You didn’t learn the Laws that govern it.

Real magic-the magic which has been practiced and believed in for thousands of years - is based upon laws, if not fully believed by the practitioners, at least adhered to. These laws have been recognized as the governing structure which makes the magic at least seem to work, gaining for the practitioners the desired results, and making people believe in it.

One of the pioneers to achieve a classification of laws involved in magic is Sir James George Frazer in his "The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion." Many others have discussed such a classification including Isaac Bonewits, to whom this writer is indebted for his brief classification of the magical laws, and Richard Cavendish.

The following laws place one in a proper attitude to perform magic:

•The Two Main Laws of Magick

•The Law of Knowledge

•The Law of Names

•The Law of Words of Power

•The Law of Association

•The Law of Identification

•The Law of Opposites

•The Law of Balance

•The Law of the Finite and the Infinite

Today about every hour I will be posting several Laws of magick many claiming to practice never even thought about. Keep checking back as we expand our understanding and move Magick from the fantasy to the reality today.

Dev Leza Avlon. It is God who brought you.

Ja Develehi! Go with God

Two Main Laws of Magick

The two main laws in magic are:

1.Mind Over Matter

2.Belief.

Every good magician knows that it is the mind which controls the body, if it does not, he's in trouble. This is why the magician must know himself and his art. Without such knowledge he has no art, for knowledge gives control.

The second essential law of magic is belief. One must believe in what he does, for without belief there is doubt. To use magical power one has to feel it. This applies to everyone whether one is calling down a deity in a magic circle or praying for a miracle in a church. Doubt leads to failure, belief leads to success, perhaps not always physically, but always spiritually.

The Law of the Finite and the Infinite

The Law of Infinite Data states that there always new information for one to learn. The sources of knowledge are limitless if one wishes to tap them. This law can stimulate one to improve his capacities. It can also serve as a warning that one cannot learn or know everything, so it is best to limit one's visions at times, as new dangers can always appear.

The Law of Finite Senses states that one's senses are finite. They are limited to the amount of information which one can absorb and process at any given time. Simply put, one is pretty sure he does not have all data available on which to base a judgment.

The Law of Infinite Universes states that each person sees his universe or world a different way; therefore, no two people have identical views of the world. All people do not receive the same information or data; if they do, they view it differently, thus making for an endless number of universes.

Under this Law of Infinite Universes are two other laws: the Law of Pragmatism and the Law of True Falsehoods. The Law of Pragmatism simply states, "If it works, it's true." This is a very useful law because it avoids moral arguments with oneself and others. In this case, therefore, truth has a functional value since it works properly for the person. Such a law allows different responses to the same or similar situations which is the interplay of the Law of Synthesis.

The Law of True Falsehoods simply stated, "If it's a paradox, the paradox is probably true." This law will hold until a better answer or solution can be found.

The Law of Balance

The Law of Balance is simply a statement for conserving personal energy and achieving the greatest proficiency. One's energy or power level must be kept on an even keel, too much or too little will kill oneself.

This energy level is best maintained by avoiding extremes in thinking and action. One must be open minded, able to consider all alternatives, but strong enough to determine one's personal course in life. This requires the right amount of flexibility to be able to examine new ideas or concepts in order to keep the ones which would improve one's life and reject those that would not. In short, one never goes off on deep ends.

Note: Sometimes in magick, one must break the Law of Balance in order to tip the scales in your favor, and to achieve motion in a different direction. This will cause an expenditure of energy and a certain amount of chaos to be dealt with until a new balance is restored.

The Law of Opposites

The Law of Synthesis, or the Law of Opposites, states that the synthesis on two opposing or conflicting ideas or pieces of data will produce a new, third idea that will not be a compromise of the original two.

This law is used more in mysticism than magic. It allows one to simultaneously hold two opposing ideas without feeling anxiety or cognitive conflict.

The Law of Polarity says anything can be separated into two opposite parts with each part having its own essence. This law is essential to many mystical statements and arguments. Also, it is essential in denoting characteristics of objects. Examples of these are: white and black, up and down, right and left.

Dev Leza Avlon. It is God who brought you.

Ja Develehi! Go with God

See more about our worldwide collective here:

ravenstarenchantments.com

From Raven's Nest Nov 16, 2015

Skyclad Rituals
Going all natural is nothing new to modern paganism
Dr Raven Dolick MsD Nov 7, 2014
All rights reserved

The traditions followed by modern paganism are a mixture of global practices, including the long accepted practice of going sky clad. Many rituals and rites are accepted as traditional, but are not practiced by all pagans today. In modern Wicca and witchcraft, the American traditions have drawn greatly from the writings of Doreen Valiente, Margot Adler, Janet and Stewart Farrar, with a heavy influence also coming from the works of Gerald Gardener.
Without getting into a debate concerning the differences between the various traditions that stem from these authors, let me say that American witches owe much to these branches of paganism. These traditions taught observance of the annual cycles, preparation of rituals, casting of the sacred circle, calling of the four winds, festivals for the seasons, invocations for the God and Goddess, but also a less often practice known as going skyclad.

Skyclad, as a word is credited as coming from the religions of India.
It stems from the term Digambara, a word meaning 'sky-clothed'. As the founder of Gardnerian witchcraft in England, it was Gerald Gardner who made the term popular. He tells Wiccan practitioners to work their rituals skyclad, a practice that he probably picked up by watching the Digambara Jains while traveling India. This sect of monks practices many of their rites and rituals in the nude.
It is likely that Europeans practice ritual nudity due to influences from India, but the skyclad tradition comes from earlier texts.

Most scholars trace skyclad ritual traditions to a book by Charles Godfrey Leland in 1899. It is called Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches and is famous for this poetic reference to skyclad pagan rites...
“"Once in the month, and when the moon is full,
Ye shall assemble in some desert place,
Or in a forest all together join
To adore the potent spirit of your queen,
My mother, great Diana. She who fain
Would learn all sorcery yet has not won
Its deepest secrets, them my mother will
Teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.
And ye shall all be freed from slavery,
And so ye shall be free in everything;
And as the sign that ye are truly free,
Ye shall be naked in your rites, both men
And women also: this shall last until
The last of your oppressors shall be dead..."”

This pagan styled prose comes at the ending the first chapter of the book. It has become the source for numerous modern pagan revisions on it's original text. All modern works that instruct pagans in the practice of skyclad rituals, these at least reference Leland's text in their source material.

Followers of the Gardnerian and Protean traditions of Wicca tended to be dogmatic about going skyclad. It was not uncommon for these sects of Wicca to be practicing naturists or nudists. Their belief was based on going skyclad promoted good health. Going nude in Wiccan rituals also allowed for all coven members to meet as equals. They let their inhibitions, status, worries and illusions be left behind, as they stepped into the sacred space of the ritual circle. All things from their daily lives would come off, as their clothing fell from their bodies. It was a kind of ritualistic equality for witches, magicians and pagans.

“Modern Wicca has accepted the skyclad as tradition, but not as dogma. The American and Wiccan author Starhawk says in her book, the Spiral Dance, "The naked body represents truth, the truth that goes deeper than social custom."
“The practice of nudity helps men and women free themselves from negative social barriers, such as sexual prejudice caused by rape and gender stereotypes. She further says that ritual nudity, or going skyclad "...is a sign that a Witch's loyalty is to the truth before any ideology or any comforting illusions."”

In essence, going skyclad can be a liberating statement for anyone, but paganism has a long tradition liked to this in ritual practices.

Pagans and nudists are not synonymous, nor do they practice their rituals in the same places.

http://www.ravenstarenchantments.com/raven-dolick-doctor-of…

All About Holy Water
Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D. Nov 9, 2015
All rights reserved

Many assume that the term "Holy Water" indicates church-based water only. This is an oversimplification of a complex concept. The Roman Catholic Church did not invent the concept of Holy Water but adopted it from earlier Pagan use. Various Pagan shrines possessed virtually identical Holy Water fonts. Holy Water is a crucial component of many magical, religious and spiritual traditions, although what constitutes Holy Water and how it's made varies greatly.
Holy Water may refer to any one of a variety of products:
•Jordan River Water
•Church blessed water
•According to British folk tradition, rain falling on Holy Thursday - Ascention Day - may be gathered and used as Holy Water. Any other day held sacred to the spell caster may be substituted: Summer Solstice, May Eve, New Year's, Samhain, your birthday, a saint's day, etc.
•Holy Water may also be made via astrological correspondences. Some believe that waters synchronized with a lunar eclipse or a Full Moon are holy and charged with extra magickal power.
•Balinese tradition uses a variety of Holy Waters. These may include the water found within unripe coconuts or young bamboo. Ocean water is sometimes used as well.
•Modern Wicca has evolved the notion of Holy Water. Various formulas exist. At it's simplest, Witch's Holy water is spring water with salt added. Different covens may have personal recipes, including infused herbs (rosemary, thyme, and vervain are particularly popular), or cyrstals.
•Pow-Wow also features various recipes but the mainstay is water with salt and vervain added. Christian Pow-Wow may choose church-blessed waters instead.
Holy Water is most commonly used for:
•Cleansing and purification, both for individual bathing and for space-cleansing (sprinkle in corners).
•Altar cleansing and blessing.
•Healing spells. Holy Water is also believed capable of magically transmitting physical relief especially for headaches and tention. Use in compresses and massge.
•Cleansing and empowering materials and tools: annoint roots and crystals or let roots and minerals soak in Holy Water.
•Exorcism and banishing spells.
Balinese Holy Water, Church-blessed Holy Water and Wiccan Holy Water (among others) are consecrated via sacred ritual: the ritual activates the water. Other magical traditions consider that the sacred, magical power of Holy Water is such that no further ritual or consecration is needed and may in fact be interference. Obtaining Holy Water may thus be as simple a gathering rainwater or adding sea salt to spring water. Complex rituals may also be designed.

Elemental Holy Water
You can use the power of the elements to create holy water. Here's how:
Take a large, clean, open-top contaner and put it outside on the ground when you know there is going to be a thunder storm. The water you collect will be "blessed" by the four elements.
•Air, the wind
•Fire, the lighting
•Earth, there will always be a bit of dirt from the ground.
•Water, the rain
Note: The water will also take on additional properties. For example, if the sun comes out after the storm, there will be a solar influence, if the moon reflects into it - a lunar aspect, and special blessings if the reflection of a rainbow is seen with it.

A Different Kind of Holy Water
•2 oz vodka
•1 oz triple sec
•1 oz light rum
•fill with tonic water
•1 dash grenadine syrup
Combine alcohol in a rocks glass over ice. Fill with tonic water, then add one dash of grenadine. Be sure the drink is served with the tonic still bubbling.
Latin Holy Water
Ingredients:
•sea salt
•water (not bottled - tap water is fine)
•Cross or Crucifix
•Latin Prayers (see below )
Add your salt to the water - 2 parts water to 1 part salt. Place your cross beside your water. Now pray over your water using these prayers. Say them in latin, the translation is provided so that you will know what you are actually saying..
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen
( In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. )
PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
(OUR FATHER, Who art in heaven hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.)
AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Domini nostri, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
(HAIL, MARY, full of grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.)

Charging Holy Water
1.Collect rainwater, ideally within a stone vessel.
2.Prepare yourself prior to preparing the water; bathe in Fiery Wall of Protection, Dragon's Blood, or lots and lots of salt, while reciting psalms and/or sacred verses.
3.Prepare the water sky-clad (nude) or in clean ritual clothing. Where ritual clothing is not used, fresh, clean clothing, preferably white and made from natural fabrics is favored.
4.Ladle the collected rainwater into a glass or crystal bowl.
5.Place it between two white candles.
6.Light incense first (frankincense, copal, benzoin, and/or white sage) and then the candles.
7.Pass the bowl of water through the incense smoke.
8.Visualize why you're preparing this water. Visualize the results this water will bring.
9.Return the bowl to its place between the candles and leave everything in place until the candles burn out.
10.Bottle the water.

This Week Under The Moon No v 9, 2016

This Week Under The Moon

For the week of November 8 through 14

Sunday, Monday: the Moon is in Libra

Juno & Venus are the only planet & asteroid wandering around in the same sign as the Moon right now. Juno rules committed partnerships and Venus is all about love relationships. Therefore, the spotlight is on ... you guessed it - love, love, love. Now Juno insists on equality in any love commitment and Venus feels better when there is harmony present. So if anything needs to be discussed or adjusted in this area, this is a good time to do just that.

Tuesday, Wednesday (New Moon), Thursday: the Moon is in Scorpio

Take some time out from the world and be reclusive while anticipating the New Moon in Scorpio. Ponder higher level mysteries or secrets and your own inner psychology, with a special focus on transformation and regeneration..

Friday, Saturday: the Moon is in Sagittarius

The planet Saturn is currently transiting (traveling through) the sign Sagittarius. Usually Saturn throws a damper on things by insisting on being serious all the time. Sagittarius is not a sign that includes 'serious' in its rulership (keywords that are associated with it), which means that Saturn just may lighten up somewhat each month that it meets the Moon in this sign. So no matter if you are involved in an important, earnest project or if you are taking part in something lighthearted & playful - you'll still be in tune with the Moon, Saturn, and their shared sign.

Check your astrology chart to find which house (section of your chart) has the current Moon sign on the cusp (the beginning edge) & apply forecast information to that area of your life as well.

For example, the Moon is in Leo and one of the suggestions is to entertain - however Leo is located in the 12th house of your chart, which is an inward energy place...then have a small, quiet gathering. By contrast, if Leo is located in the 1st house of your chart, an outward energy place...have a party!

It is interesting to note when the current Moon is in the same sign as your birth Moon and to see how the flavor of that day carries through the following 30 days.

Current Planet Positions:

Sun - Scorpio until Nov. 23

Mercury - Scorpio until Nov. 21

Venus - Libra until Dec. 5

Mars - Virgo until Nov. 13, then Libra

Jupiter - Virgo until Sept. 9, 2016

Saturn - Sagittarius until Dec. 20, 2017

Uranus - Aries until Mar. 6, 2019

(Taurus - May 16, 2018-Nov. 7, 2018)

Neptune - Pisces until Mar. 30, 2025

Pluto - Capricorn until Nov. 20, 2024

Current Asteroid Positions:

Ceres - Aquarius until Jan. 29

Pallas - Capricorn until Jan. 23

Juno - Libra until Dec. 11

(and again June 9, 2016 - July 9, 2016)

Vesta - Aries until Mar. 9, 2016

Chiron - Pisces until Apr. 22, 2018

(Chiron usually stays in one sign for about a little over two years, very similar to Saturn's travels. However this time it is making an extended visit to a sign.)

Current Asteroid Transits:

Ceres - Alternatives and offbeat ideas may be more viable than you think.

Pallas - Check out what resources your ancestors used when they were faced with projects or challenges.

Juno - Love relationships that are based on fidelity are the focus.

Vesta - Seek out activities that relate to your basic belief system.

Chiron - Transcend wounds and negativity through compassion.

Note: Timeframes for Moon signs, void-of-course periods, and current planet & asteroid positions are noted for Eastern time zone (USA). Please adjust according to your own location. Times are not given if the void-of-course Moon occurs for a very short period or if it occurs during the night (based on same Eastern time zone).

▪ v/c = Void-of-Course - When the Moon is void-of-course, spend time working on projects already in progress, creative endeavors, or self-improvement. Void-of-course simply means that no planets are aspecting the Moon as it gets ready to change signs; there won't be a configuration of astro energy available to utilize. It's best not to start new projects, sign important agreements, or go shopping when the Moon is void-of-course because the result will probably be unsatisfactory in some way.

From Raven's Nest Nov 5, 2015

That Old Black Magic: Getting Specific About Magical Ethics

Dr Raven Dolick M.s.D.

Nov 6, 2015

Sometimes a cliche just wears out. It loses meaning or, worse, begins to say things we never meant. I think it's time to retire the phrase "black magic."

Saying "black" when we mean "evil" is nasty nonsense. In the first place, it reinforces the racist stereotypes that corrupt our society. And that's not all. Whenever we say "black" instead of "bad," we repeat again the big lie that darkness is wrong. It isn't, as people who profess to love Nature should know.

Darkness can mean the inside of the womb, and the seed germinating within the Earth, and the chaos that gives rise to all truly new beginnings. In our myths, the one who goes down to the underworld returns with the treasure. Even death, to the Wiccan understanding, is well-earned rest and comfort, and a preparation for new birth. Using "black" to mean "bad" is a blasphemy against the Crone.

But even if we no longer speak of magic as "black" or "white," we still need to think and speak about the ethics of magic. Although black is not evil, some actions are evil. It simply is not true that anything a person is strong enough or skilled enough to do is OK, nor should doing what we will ever be the whole of the law for us. We need a clear and specific vocabulary that enables us to choose wisely what we will do.

We need to replace the word "black," not simply to drop it. Some Pagans have tried using "negative" as their substitute, but that turned out to be confusing. For some people, "negative" means any spell to diminish or banish anything. Some things - tumors, depression, bigotry - are harmful. There's nothing wrong with a working to get rid of bad stuff. "Left-handed" is another common term for wrongful practice, very traditional, but just as ignorant, superstitious and potentially harmful as the phrase "black magic" itself. So in Proteus we tried using the word "unethical." That's a lot better - free of extraneous and false implications - but still too vague.

Gradually, I began to wonder whether using any one word, "black" or "unethical" or whatever, might just be too general and too subjective. Perhaps all I really tell a student that way is "Judy doesn't like that."

I won't settle for blind obedience. If ethical principles are going to survive the twin tests of time and temptation, people need to understand just what to avoid, and why. Even more important, they need a basis for figuring out what to do instead. Especially when it comes to projective magic.

Projective magic means active workings, the kind in which we project our will out into the world to make some kind of change. This is what most people think of when they use the word magic at all. Quite clearly, magic that may affect other people is magic that can harm. This is the basis of the proverb "a Witch who can't hex can't heal." Either you can raise and direct power, or you can't. Your strength and skill can be used for blessing or for bane. The choice - and the karma - are yours.

Just as some people feel that strength and skill are their own justification, others feel that any projective magic is always wrong - that it is a distraction from our one true goal of union with the Divine or a willful avoidance of the judgements of Karma. I think these attitudes are equally inconsistent with basic Wiccan philosophy.

We are taught that we will find the Lady within ourselves or not at all, that the Mother of All has been with us from the beginning. We can't now establish a union that was always there. All we can do, all we need to do, is become aware. Knowing what it feels like to heal and empower, again and again till you can't dismiss it as coincidence, is one of the most powerful methods for awakening that awareness. It makes no sense to say that the direct experience and exercise of our indwelling divinity distracts from the Great Work.

Indeed, it is this intimate connection between our magic and our self-realization that our ethics protect. Wrongful use of magic will choke the channel. No short term gain could ever compensate for that.

The karmic argument against practical workings seems to me to arise from a paranoid and defeatist world view. Even if we assume that the hardships in this life were put there by the Gods for a reason, how can we be so sure that the reason was punishment? Perhaps instead of penance to be endured, our difficulties are challenges to be met. Coping and dealing with our problems, learning magical and mundane skills, changing ourselves and our world for the better - in short, growing up - is that not what the Gods of joy and freedom want from us?

One of the most radically different things about a polytheistic belief system is that each one of us has the right, and the need, to choose which God/desses will be the focus of our worship. We make these choices knowing that whatever energies we invoke most often in ritual will shape our own further growth. Spiritual practices are a means of self-programming. So we are responsible for what we worship in a way that people who take their One God as a given are not.

Think about this: what kind of Power actively wants us to submit and suffer, and objects when we develop skills to improve our own lives? Not a Being I'd want to invite around too often!

So it will not work for us to rule out projective magic completely; nor should we. Total prohibitions are as thoughtless as total permissiveness or blind obedience. Ethical and spiritual adults ought to be able to make distinctions and well-reasoned choices. I offer here a start toward analysing what kinds of magic are not ethical for us.

Baneful magic is magic done for the explicit purpose of causing harm to another person. Usually the reason for it is revenge, and the rationalization is justice. People who defend the practice of baneful magic often ask "but wouldn't you join in cursing another Hitler?"

For adults there is no rule without exceptions. If you think you would never torture somebody, consider this scenario: in just half an hour the bomb will go off, killing everybody in the city, and this terrorist knows where it is hidden....

It's a bad mistake to base your ethics on wildly unlikely cases, since none of us honestly knows how we would react in that kind of extreme. Reasonable ethical statements are statements about the behaviors we expect of ourselves under normally predictable circumstances.

We all get really angry on occasion, and sometimes with good cause. Then revenge can seem like no more than simple justice. The anger is a normal, healthy human reaction, and should not be repressed. But there's no more need to act it out in magic than in physical violence. Instead of going for revenge - and invoking the karmic consequences of baneful magic - identify what you really need. For example, if your anger comes from a feeling that you have been attacked or violated, what you need is protection and safe space. Work for the positive goal, it's both more effective and safer.

The consequences of baneful magic are simply the logical, natural and inevitable psychological effects. Even in that rare and extreme situation when you may decide you really do have to use magic to give Hitler a heart attack, it means you are choosing by the same choice to accept the act's karma. Magical attack hurts the attacker first.

The only way I know how to do magic is by use of my imagination, by visualizing or otherwise actively imagining the end I want, and then projecting that goal with the energy of emotional/physiological arousal. All the techniques I know either help me to imagine more specifically or to project more strongly. So the only way I can send out harm is by first experiencing that harm within my own imagination. Instant and absolute karma - the natural, logical and inevitable outcomes of our own choices.

I would think, also, that somebody dumb enough to do such workings often would soon lose the ability to imagine specifically, as their sensitivity dulled in sheer self-defense. That callusing effect is the reality behind the pious proverb that says "if you abuse it, She'll take it away."

But not every other magician is ethical. Psychic attacks do happen. Should we not defend ourselves? Of course we should. Leaving ourselves open to psychic attack is no good example of the autonomy and assertiveness our chosen Gods expect. But first, how can we be sure what we are experiencing really is psychic attack?

The fantasy of psychic attack is often a convenient excuse that allows us to avoid looking at our own shortcomings. When lack of rest or improper nutrition is the cause of illness, or a project isn't completed on time because of distraction, it's a real temptation to put the blame outside ourselves. Doing this too easily betrays our autonomy just as badly as meek submission to attack does. Then, to compound matters, projected blame becomes an excuse for unjust revenge -- and that is baneful magic without excuse.

Once in a rare while, some fool really does try to throw a whammy. It's hard to predict when you might be targeted. Passive shields are always a good idea. Like a mirror, these are totally inactive until somebody sends unwelcome energy. Then a shield will protect you completely and bounce back whatever is being thrown. You may not even know consciously when your shield is working, but the result is perfect justice.

Perfect justice; elegant and efficient. You won't hurt anybody out of paranoia or by mistake. And perfect protection, even though we do not have perfect knowledge.

Bindings, according to some, are completely defensive. They do not harm, only restrain. But imagine yourself being bound - perhaps by someone who believes themselves justified - and notice the feeling of impotence and frustration. Binding is bane from the viewpoint of the bound.

Even if restraint were truly not harm, bindings are just plain poor protection. They target a particular person or group. What if you suspect the wrong person? Somebody harmless is bound and your actual attacker is not bound. Shields, which cover you, not your supposed enemy, will cover you against any enemy, known or unknown.

So, baneful magic, besides being painful in the short run and crippling in the long run, is never necessary. There are better ways of self protection, and retribution is the business of the Gods.

Coercive magic is magic that targets another person to make them give us something we want or need. When most people think of the "Magic Power of Witchcraft," this is what they have in mind.

The spell to make the teacher give you a good grade, or the supervisor give you a good evaluation, the spell to make the personnel officer or renting agent choose you, the spell to attract that cute guy, all are examples of coercive magic.

So, what's wrong with high grades, a good job, a raise, a nice apartment and a sexy lover? There's nothing at all wrong with those goals. An it harm none, do what ye will. As long as nobody is hurt, go for it! But don't strive toward good ends by coercive means.

Although there is no deliberate intent to do harm or cause pain in coercive workings, other people are treated as pawns. Their autonomy and their interests are ignored.

For Pagans, to do this is total hypocrisy. We profess to follow a religion of immanence, one that places ultimate meaning and value in this life on this Earth, here and now. We claim to see every living thing, humans included, as a sacred manifestation. To do honor to this indwelling divinity, we place great value on our own personal autonomy. How can we then justify treating other people as objects for our use?

Nor is it harmless. Forcing the will, controlling the independent judgement of another human being, is harm. Once again, empathy leads to understanding. Just imagine you are the person whose will and judgement is being externally controlled. How does puppethood feel? From the viewpoint of the target, the harm is palpable.

The Pagan and Wiccan community as a whole is also hurt by coercive magic. One of the main reasons people fear and hate Witches is our reputation for controlling others. This is an old, dirty lie, created by the invading religion in an attempt to discredit the indigenous competition. Today, that reputation is mostly perpetuated by people who claim to be "our own," who teach unethical coercive magic by mail order to strangers whose ethical sensitivity cannot be evaluated long distance. May the Gods preserve the Craft!

People who are connected to the situation, but invisible to us, may also be seriously hurt: the cute guy's fiancee, the other applicant for that job. What you think of as a working designed only to bring good to yourself can bring serious harm to innocent third parties, and the karma of their pain will be on you.

That isn't the only way an incomplete view of the situation can backfire. There's a traditional saying that goes, "be careful about what you ask for, because that's exactly what you will get." What if he is gorgeous, but abusive? What if the apartment house is structurally unsound? Better to state your legitimate needs (love in my life, a nice place to live) and let the Gods deal with the details.

Finally, remember this: asking specifically limits us to what we now know or what we can now imagine. But I remember a time when I could not have imagined being a priestess. What if the cute guy in the office is perfectly OK, but your absolutely perfect soul-mate will be in the A+P next Wednesday? The more specifically targeted your magic is, the more you limit yourself to a life of tautology and missed chances.

And beyond all the scenario spinning lies the instant karma, the natural, logical and inevitable consequence of the act. It's more subtle than in the case of baneful magic, since you are not trying to imagine and project pain, but the damage is still real.

Every time you treat another human being as a thing to be pushed and pulled around for your convenience and pleasure, you are reinforcing your own alienation. The attitude of being removed from and superior to other people takes you out of community. As the attitude strengthens, so will the behavior it engenders. The long term result of coercive magic, as with mundane forms of coercion, is isolation and loneliness.

Are you beginning to think that magic is useless? Did I just rule out all the good stuff: love charms, job magic, spells for good grades? Not at all. It is not only ethical but good for you to do lots of magic to improve your own life. Whenever it works you will get more than you asked for - because along with whatever you asked for comes one more experience of your own effectiveness, your power-from-within.

Work on yourself and your own needs and desires without targeting other people. Then feel free! Ask for what you want. Visualize it and raise power for it and act in accordance on the material plane. "I need a caring and horny lover with a good sense of humor." "I want an affordable apartment near where my coven meets with a tree outside my window." "I need to be at my best when I take that exam next week." Fulfill your dreams, and sometimes let the Gods surprise you with gifts beyond your dreams.

Manipulative magic is magic that targets another person for what we think is "their own good," without regard for their opinions in the matter. In the general culture around us, this is normal. As you read this, you may have some friend or relative praying for you to be "saved" from your evil Pagan ways and returned to the fold of their preference. These people mean you well. By their own lights, they are attempting to heal you. We work from a very different thealogical base.

As polytheists, we affirm the diversity of the divine and the divinity of diversity. If there is no one, true, right and only way in general, do we dare to assume that there is one obvious right choice for a person in any given situation? If more than one choice may be "right," how can one person presume they know what another person would want without asking them first?

No life situation ever looks the same from outside as it does to the person who is experiencing it. Are you sure you even have all the facts? Are you fully aware of all the emotional entanglements involved? Perhaps that illness is the only way they have of getting rest or getting attention. Perhaps they stay in that dead end job because it leaves them more energy to concentrate on their music. How do you know till you ask?

And, to further complicate the analysis, it's possible that the person you are trying to help would agree with you about the most desirable outcome, but fears and hates the very idea of magic. They have as much of a right to keep magic out of their own life, as you have to make it part of yours!

Our religion teaches that the sacred lives within each person, that we can hear the Lady's voice for ourselves if we only learn to listen. "... If that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without." In behavioral terms, when you take another person's opinion about their own life seriously, you are reinforcing them in thinking and choosing for themselves. The more you do this, the more you encourage them to listen for the sacred inner voice.

Conversely, whenever you ignore or override a person's feelings about their own life, you are discounting those feelings and discouraging the kind of internal attention that can keep the channels to wisdom open. Although well-intentioned meddling may actually help somebody in the short run, in the longer run it trains them to dependency and indecision. Few intentional banes damage as severely. This is especially true because even the untrained and unaware will instinctively resist overt ill-will, but in our culture we are trained to receive "expert" interference with gratitude.

Check by asking yourself, "who's in charge here?" The answer to that will tell you whether you are basically empowering or undermining the person you intend to help.

And, as usual, the effects go both ways. The same uninvited intervention that fosters passivity in the recipient will foster arrogance in the "rescuer." It's control and ego-inflation masked as generosity. It's very seductive.

If you make this a habit, you will come to believe that other people are incompetent and powerless. Then what happens when you need help? Your contempt will make it impossible for you to see what resources surround you. Manipulative magic is ultimately just as alienating as coercive magic - and it's a much prettier trap!

The way to avoid the trap is to do no working affecting another person without that person's explicit permission. Proteans are pledged to this, and I think it's a good idea for anybody.

You don't need to wait passively for the person to ask. It's perfectly all right to offer, as long as you are willing to sometimes accept "no" for your answer. For the person who believes s/he is unworthy or who is simply too shy, offering help is itself a gift. Taking their opinion seriously is an even greater gift: respect.The rule is that whenever it is in any way physically possible to ask, you must ask. If it's not important enough to pay long distance charges, it certainly isn't important enough to violate a friend's autonomy. If asking is literally not possible, then and only then, here are a few exceptions:

Sometimes an illness or injury happens very suddenly, and the person is unconscious or in a coma before you could possibly ask them. If you know that this person is generally comfortable with magic, you may do workings to keep their basic body systems working and allow the normal healing process the time it needs. If they are opposed to magic, for whatever reason, back off!

Traditionally, an unconscious person is understood to be temporarily out of their body. Maintaining their body in habitable condition is preserving their option, not choosing for them. Doing maintenance magic requires a lot of sensitivity. At some point, the time may come when you should stop and let the person go on. Be sure to use some kind of divination to help you stay aware.

This is a hard road. It may be your lover, your child, lying there helpless. Any normal human being would be tempted to drag them back, to force them to stay regardless of what is truly best for them, regardless of what they want. Don't repress these feelings, they do no harm, even though your actions might. It takes great strength and non-possessive love to recognize that your loved one knows their own need. You may be calling them back to a crippled body, to a life of pain. You may be calling them back from the ecstasy of the Goddess. And this is no more your right than it would be to murder them.

If a person is temporarily not reachable, you may charge up a physical object, such as an appropriate talisman or some incense. When you present it to them, give them a full explanation. It is their choice whether to keep or use your gift. By interposing an object between the magic and the target in this way, you can work the magic in Circle, with the coven's power to draw on, and still get the person's permission before the magic is triggered.

With all these rules about permission, perhaps it would be safer to work only on ourselves? Safer, yes, but not nearly as good. If you have permission, you may do any working for another person that you might do for yourself. Coercive magic is just as unacceptable when somebody else asks for it, and you may not do manipulative magic on your friend's mother, even at your friend's request. The permission must come from the magic's intended target and from nobody else. With proper permission, working magic for others is good for all concerned.

Every act of magic has two effects. One is the direct effect, the healing or prosperity working or whatever was intended. The other is a minute change in the mind and the heart of the person who does the working. Everything we experience, and especially everything that we do in a wholehearted and focused way - the only way effective magic can be done - changes us. Each experience leaves its tiny trace, but the traces are cumulative. They mold the person we will become. Our karma is our choice.

Instant karma can also be good karma. Logical, natural and inevitable outcomes can be desirable. When you send out good, what you send it with is love. Love is the driving force. When you let love flow freely, the channel down to love's wellspring stays clear and open. When you send out good, you direct it along the web of person-to-person connection, and awareness of that web is reinforced. The totality of that web is the basis of community.

When you send out good it feels good. In the same way that sending out bane requires imagining pain, sending out blessing requires imagining pleasure, strongly and specifically. And, when you send out good, just the same as when you call it to yourself, you reinforce your sense of effectiveness in the world. Blessings grow in the fertile ground of mutuality, to the benefit of all.

A pattern is becoming visible. In baneful magic, the magician intends to harm the target. In coercive magic, the intent toward the target is neutral. In manipulative magic, the magician actually means the target well. But no matter how different the intent may be, in all three cases magic is done to affect another person without that person's permission. In all three cases, the target, the practitioner and ultimately the community are all hurt. And in all three cases, there are safer and more effective ways to reach the valid goals that we mean to aim for.

So, perhaps there is a descriptive word that covers all wrongful magical workings after all. How about "non-consensual" or "invasive" magic?

There's one thing left to examine: the paradox of making rules to protect personal autonomy.

If we make some of our choices as a community, by discussing things together and arriving at a common understanding about what magical behaviors are acceptable among us, then we choose and shape the kind of community we become.

Or we could give up our right to choose, because we feel we shouldn't tell each other what to do. Some people believe that a refusal to set community standards promotes personal autonomy. It never has before.

Appeals to individual rights can be real seductive. None of us wants Big Brother looking over our shoulders, telling us what to do "for our own good." For Witches in particular - members of a religious minority with bad image problems - this is a very legitimate fear. But make sure when somebody talks about "rights" without specifying something like "religious practice rights" or "the right to consensual sex," that you find out just what "rights" they mean.

Rhetoric about "rugged individualism" has been used in recent history to fast talk us into letting the rich or strong dominate all our lives. Without anything to stop them, they can destroy the forestland, or deny jobs or apartments to "cultists." Personal autonomy for most of us is diminished when we allow that.

Magic can be used for dominance, just the same as muscle or money. There is no difference, ethically, between the magical and the mundane. We are not obligated to tolerate power trippers among us. We are not obligated to run our own community by the slogans and groundrules of the dominator culture.

Thinking about "rights," or about "laws" for that matter, in the abstract leads to "all or nothing" thinking - immature and slogan driven. I don't think we should ever "just say" anything. We need a deeper and more mature analysis. We need to ask questions like "right to do what?" and "law against what?" We need to get away from absolutes and to look in practical terms at the advantages or disadvantages of our choices.

Once more, our religion itself shows us the way to steer between the false choices. "An it harm none, do what you will." What a person does that affects only herself - magical or mundane - is truly nobody's business but her own. For example, consensual sexual behavior affects only the participants. But toxic waste dumping affects everybody in the watershed.

As long as we look at behavior in terms of private choices or individual will, we obscure the distinction that really makes a difference. If we're serious about wanting to give each of us the most possible control over our own lives, then decisions should be made by all the people affected by the behavior - not just by the people acting.

As soon as another person is magically targeted, that other person is affected. If we allow such targeting without consent, we are not supporting personal autonomy, we are subverting it!

When the behavior begins to affect us all - for example when real estate development threatens the salt marshes, and ultimately the air supply - or, very specifically, when invasive magic erodes the trust we need to work together - then we have a right to protect ourselves as a community. No ideology should turn us into passive victims when something we hold precious stands to be destroyed.

Invasive magic hurts the target first, and soon the actor, but in the long run it hurts all of us. It's been so long since we've been able to meet together, share our knowledge, help one another in need. Pagan community is very new, and still very fragile. It can only grow in safe space.

The People of this Land forbade skirmishes around the pipestone quarries, keeping that sacred source open to all. Otherwise, no sane person would go there, and the Old Ways would wither. For much the same reason, we cannot tolerate poppets in our council meetings.

An atmosphere of coercion and manipulation and magical duels does not nurture community. Eventually, for self protection, the gentle will either change or go away. We could lose what we have misguidedly refused to protect.

As within, so without: our karma is our choice.

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