Albert Gallatin Mackey: The Symbolism of Freemasonry

My Sol Day Holy Water, Revisited...

A Holy Water Ritual (Part I)
By Dr. Kheti A. Sahure

I. Ingredients Needed:
1-1/2 cups of spring, well, river, creek, tap or distilled (both as a last resort) water

1 sterilized glass measuring cup (for dispensing the completed Holy Water later)

1 or more small sterilized glass storage bottles

3 tbsp. Kosher rock salt or sea salt

1 sterilized earthenware vessel (bowl)

1 sterilized earthenware pot

1 sterilized tablespoon

1 sterilized teaspoon

2 tsp. of Rose Water

1 small moon mirror (for reflecting the moonlight upon the water if the Full Moon is not in an optimal position especially if working indoors or for scrying)

Note A:
Holy Water can be prepared by anyone but it does need to be blessed. Traditionally in many religions and spiritual practices, Holy Water has been and can be blessed by a Witch, Clergy, Priest, Priestess, Shaman, or someone with spiritual wherewithal and then energized by the light of the Full Moon and the Moon Goddess. The ritual part of this endeavor varies. Making Rose Water can be a bit tedious as well as time consuming; so it is suggested or optional that you obtain some from someone you know, temple or church, or purchase some from a metaphysical shoppe that actually makes its own Rose Water from natural, organic ingredients starting with white roses.

For the best results, it is preferable to get spring water from a "clean" moving body of water such as a river, stream, ocean, or creek; lake or natural well water will do just fine also. Since many natural bodies of water are so polluted, it is suggested that the water is boiled at first.

Note B:
The storage bottle or bottles you use should be dark in color--blue, brown, green, purple, or clear (as a last resort) to maintain the Holy Water's magical properties. The bottled Holy Water can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated for later use.

Note C:
If you are unable to perform the consecration of the water outdoors, then improvise and perform this indoors at your altar or someplace you deem sacred; place the vessel of or decanted bottled water in a window where the midnight moonlight will shine upon and energize it.

II. Time & Place of Day:
Preferably, outdoors at Midnight during a Full Moon or indoors at your altar if you are unable to be out of doors.

III. Preparation:
1. Cleanse and sterilize the vessel, glass measuring cup, and storage bottles with boiling water or in a dishwasher.
2. Add 3 tbsp. sea salt or Kosher rock salt to the pot of 1-1/2 cups of spring water; bring to a boil while stirring the salt until it dissolves in the water.
3. ALLOW THE LIQUID TO COOL DOWN TO ROOM TEMPERATURE then add 2 tsp. of Rose Water, stirring it into the salted water.
4. Decant the Holy Water into the vessel then perform your ritual.

About the Author:
Dr. Sahure is a practicing Alternative Spiritualist, ordained Kemetic Wiccan minister and Spiritual Counselor, traditional herbalist, senior researcher with the Antiquus Research Group and the author of many noteworthy essays and articles about a variety of topics and subjects, including herbalism, ancient history and mythology, ancient Egyptian religion (Kemeticism), metaphysical sciences, ancient religions and theology, astrology, tarot, and other divination systems. Dr. Sahure holds doctorate degrees in Metaphysical Science (Msc.D., D.Met.), Theology (Th.D.), and Divinity (D.D.). Visit his Applied Occult Metaphysics eGroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Applied_Occult_Metaphysics and his online Mystic Owl Curio shoppe at http://www.mysticowlcurio.com


Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Kheti_A._Sahure

http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Holy-Water-Ritual-(Part-I)&id=3723739 

Sahure, K. A. (2010, February 8). A Holy Water Ritual (Part I). Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?A-­Holy-­Water-­Ritual-­(Part-­I)&id=3723739

Post Scriptum:
Part II (The Ritual) is available upon request...and as a warning, not for the squeamish or faint of heart! ~ Dok Kheti

Cosmic Planetary Spheres

Cosmic Planetary Spheres
Below are just some of the components which make up the Cosmic Planetary Spheres according to the spiritualistic and ritualistic workings of the Temple of Kemetic Wicca:

Avenging Angels & Spirits
Avenging & Warlike Divinities
God/dess-forms (which are present in each of the planets)
Great Mother Goddesses & Great Father Gods
Healing Deities, Spirits & Angels
Holy (Indigo Rainbow Spirited) Children
Illuminous, Illuminator, Illuminati Deities & Spirits
Love Deities
Lunar Deities - The Moon
Messengers & Minions of the Spirit Realm
Sacrificial Deities & Sacrificed Divinities
Solar Deities - The Sun
Underworld God/desses

Paganism: Suggested Reading

A Short List of Wicca - Witchcraft Suggested Reading: 1. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham (November 1990) 2. Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland (December 1986) 3. The Book of Spells II: Over 40 Charms and Magic Spells to Increase You Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Well-Being by Marian Green (September 2001) 4. Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Millennium by Vivianne Crowley (January 1996) 5. Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation by Silver Ravenwolf (February 2003).

A Brief List of Authors: Aleister Crowley, Alfred Métraux, Amber K, Anna Riva, Chief FAMA, DJ Conway, Doktor Snake, Doreen Valiente, Gavin and Yvonne Frost, Gerald Gardner, Heike Owusu, Irete Lazo, Isaac Bonewits, Israel Regardie, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Jeanine De Oya, K.A. Sahure, Laënnec Hurbon, Margaret Murray, Marie Laveau, Margot Adler, Migene Gonzalez Wippler, Milo Riguard, Moustafa Gadalla, Muata Ashby, Ra Un Nefer Amen, Raven Grimassi, Robert Tallant, Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf, Starhawk, Sybil Leek, and Vivianne Crowley. There are many writers and contributors to all aspects of African Traditional Religions, Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganism, Pagan Theology, and Ancient Egyptian Religion (Kemeticism).

The literary works of these authors can be found at Barnes and Noble.

Pagan | Wiccan Spiritual Counseling & Leadership

Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Counseling & Leadership

The following is an update regarding the Temple of Kemetic Wicca's focus, agenda, and action items:

Pagan ▫ Wiccan Business Development, Leadership & Mentorship
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Crisis Counseling
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Ministerial Leadership & Development
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Counseling
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Counseling and Care
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Counseling Ethics
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Personal Deliverance
Pagan ▫ Wiccan Temple Formation & Operation
The Pagan ▫ Wiccan Spiritual Counselor
The Pagan ▫ Wiccan Ministerial Leader
The Pagan ▫ Wiccan Ministerial Leader's Mindset

To learn more, contact the Temple directly.

Em Hetep,
Ankh ▪ Udja ▪ Seneb!

Dr. Kheti A. Sahure, DD, MscD, ThD
Elder High Priest ▪ Arch Hierophant

© 2009 Temple of Kemetic Wicca

A History of Witchcraft and Magic

The history of witchcraft and magic
An historical overview of how modern-day magic evolved from the beliefs and customs of the Celts and other ancient, Indo-European peoples.

The roots of magic come from the Celts, a people living between 700 BC and 100 AD. Believed to be descendants of Indo-Europeans, the Celts were a brilliant and dynamic people – gifted artists, musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, expert farmers and fierce warriors. They were much feared by their adversaries, the Romans, who eventually adopted a number of their customs and traditions.

The Celts were a deeply spiritual people, who worshiped both a god and goddess. Their religion was pantheistic, meaning they worshiped many aspects of the "One Creative Life Source" and honored the presence of the "Divine Creator" in all of nature. Like many tribes the world over, they believed in reincarnation. After death, they went to the Summerland for rest and renewal while awaiting rebirth.

The months of the Celtic year were named after trees. The Celtic new year began at Samhain, which means "summers end," and was the final harvest of the year. This was also their "Festival of the Dead," where they honored their ancestors and deceased loved ones. Many contemporary Halloween customs come from Samhain.

Next on the wheel of the Celtic year was the Winter Solstice, celebrating the annual rebirth of the Sun. Our Christmas customs today are similar to this ancient celebration. Around the beginning of February came Imbolg, a time when domesticated animals began to give birth. The Spring Equinox and Beltaine, sometimes called "May Day," were fertility festivals. The Summer Solstice, known as Lughnassa, celebrated the glory of the Sun and the powers of nature. Lughnassa, the Fall Equinox, and Samhain, were considered as Celtic harvest festivals.

The "Druids" were the priests of the Celtic religion. They remained in power through the fourth century AD, three centuries after the Celts' defeat at the hands of the Romans. The Druids were priests, teachers, judges, astrologers, healers and bards. They became indispensable to the political leaders, giving them considerable power and influence. They were peacemakers, and were able to pass from one warring tribe to another unharmed. It took twenty years of intense study to become a Druid.

Translated, the word Druid means "knowing the oak tree." Trees, the oak in particular, were held sacred by the Celts. Mistletoe, which grows as a parasite on oak trees, was a powerful herb used in their ceremonies and for healing. Mistletoe was ritually harvested at the Summer Solstice by cutting it with a golden sickle and catching it with a white cloth while never letting it fall to the ground.

The religious beliefs and practices of the Celts grew into what later became known as Paganism, not to be confused with the term Neo-Paganism, which is beyond the scope of this writing. The word Pagan is derived from the Latin word Paganus, meaning "country dweller." This outgrowth was consistent with the Celts' love for the land and their holding such things as the oak tree and mistletoe sacred.

Paganistic beliefs and rituals blended with those of other Indo-European descended groups, and over several centuries spawned such practices as concocting potions and ointments, casting spells, and performing works of magic. These practices, along with many of the nature-based beliefs held by the Celts and other groups, became collectively known as witchcraft.

The term witch, which means to "twist or bend," has its origin in the ancient, Anglo-Saxon word "wicca," which is derived from the word "wicce," which means "wise." Witch is also related to the German word, "weihen," which means "to consecrate or bless." Some say that the origins of the witch date back thousands of years, to the days when the goddess was worshiped and humanity had great reverence for the powers of nature and for women as creators of new life. In the "New Age" philosophy, this relates to the concept of "Gaia," or "Mother Earth," which views planet earth as essentially a living being.

Prior to the 14th century, witchcraft came to mean a collection of beliefs and practices including healing through spells, mixing ointments or concoctions, dabbling in the supernatural, divining or forecasting the future, and engaging in clairvoyance. Groups holding to other beliefs and rituals often branded witchcraft as "demon-worship."

After North America was discovered and Europeans began migrating to the new land, witchcraft came into practice by some of the early, colonial settlers. Since it had previously been branded as "demon-worship," witchcraft was forbidden throughout the North American colonies. Despite this decree by the powers of the day, some colonists secretly practiced witchcraft knowing they would be hanged or burned if caught. It has been said that certain rituals performed by early-American witches helped shield their settlements from attacks by Native Americans.

Magic can effect many outcomes, some good and some evil, depending on the type of magic and the intentions of the practitioner. The more well-known types of magic are denoted by colors.

"Black magic" is performed with the intention of harming another being, either as a means of building the practitioner's power or as the goal itself. The underlying ideology upon which black magic is based states that the practitioner and his or her pursuit of knowledge and/or physical well-being, are more important than other concerns, theological or ethical. "Green magic" involves the practitioner's attuning himself or herself to nature and the world around him or her. "White magic" is where the practitioner attunes himself or herself to the needs of human society and attempts to meet those needs. This is a form of "personal betterment" magic, and does not entail harming other beings.

"Grey magic" is magic that is neither green, nor black, nor white, and which usually replaces the absolute stand of these realms with an ethical code that is particular to the practitioner. It is a type of magic all its own, and may be used for many different purposes. "Folk magic" is an eclectic collection of herbalism, faith healing, curses and hexes, candle magic, and other workings that has thrived in rural areas for centuries. There is also the term, "hedge wizard," which refers to an individual who attempts to practice magic with little or no formal training.

Source: © 2002 Pagewise
http://www.essortment.com/all/historyofmagi_rsav.htm

Witchcraft & Spellwork

Witchcraft Spells: How To Incorporate Magic Into Your Life for Health, Wealth and Happiness

Author: Tenzin Pemo

More and more people these days are turning to witchcraft, paganism and wiccan spiritual practices as more meaningful and inclusive forms of religion.

Since the printing of Gerald Gardner Witchcraft Today, thousands have discovered the power it can have. Although we live in a highly modernized, technological world, the ancient wisdom and knowledge that is imparted through witchcraft is still relevant today, if in fact even more so, since it is a peaceful, inclusive and deeply conscious tradition, that reveres the earth and earthly cycles.

In this day and age, which is dominated by war and wanton environmental destruction, witchcraft offers a gentle nonviolent alternative way of making sense of our world.

Some people sadly, fear witchcraft because they wrongly associate it with the dark arts of Satanism.

This is a grave misconception, which witches everywhere are seeking to dispel. According to Gardner, contrary to the popular perceptions, witchcraft is more to do with honoring the earth and the divine feminine.

In fact, most people who practice witchcraft, do so because it is holistic, non-judgmental and non-patriarchal inasmuch as it honors the sacred creativity of women, and recognizes the life-giving force of the earth upon which we live.

Many people see witchcraft as a deeply ecological religion, that seeks to protect the earth and its gifts to humans.

Whether you want to incorporate witchcraft into your life in a serious and dedicated manner, or simply want to explore this spiritual tradition, learning about it first is the way forward.

Because it is such a poorly understood and much maligned spiritual tradition, many witches are very private about their beliefs. In fact, most will not reveal themselves to be witches.

Whether you go on to join a coven, or merely incorporate magic into your life on a private level, you too can start to weave spells into your life in order to transform your day to day reality.

Many novices start out by practicing what I like to describe as practical magic spells that can be incorporated into your life without requiring much effort or time.

Here are two good everyday spells to add to your spell book.

1) Protection charm

If you are concerned about your own well-being, or the well-being of someone dear to you, make sure you (or that other person) carries something blue on the body. By wearing something blue on your person, you will ward off destructive or negative forces.

A good tip for women is to sew blue ribbon into their bras and underwear so that no matter what you are wearing on the outside, you will always have something blue on your body to protect you.

For men, carrying blue beads in your pocket is one way of performing this charm. Although this is a simple charm to carry out, it is extraordinarily effective. I recently gave a blue bead on a string to a male friend of mine who had been unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend.

He told me that within a day of carrying the bead he had not only gotten over his negative feelings about his girlfriend, but had secured a highly lucrative art deal and was felt he was on a path of rebirth.

He carries his blue bead everywhere as a matter of course now.

2) House charm

Many people want to know how they can protect their homes from negative forces. This is a very simple spell that ensures your home draws in positivity, friendship and love.

It can be performed at any time, but I recommend your do it when your family or flat-mates are not present, as you do not want to be interrupted. To cleanse the house of any negative spirits or emotions, you light a candle and go from room to room, reciting the qualities that you want to exist in your home.

When I performed this spell, I went from room to room, saying things like Peace, Happiness, Creativity, Love, Friends, Laughter etc etc. Once you have visited every room, take a sprig of lavender and tie it above each external door.

By tying lavender above the entrances to your house, you ensure that only good elements pass into it.

The two charms above show how easy it can be to practice magic. Whether you intend to delve more deeply into witchcraft, or merely incorporate a little practical magic into your life, witchcraft is a deeply spiritual and conscious religion that draws on ancient wisdom and knowledge that can truly enhance your life.

About the Author:

Free fortune telling to equip yourself with the ancient knowledge to predict your own patterns of the future! http://www.tarotreadingsecrets.com/fortuneteller/index.php. Learn to increase your good luck using my amazing free resources!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Witchcraft Spells: How To Incorporate Magic Into Your Life for Health, Wealth and Happiness

Association of Smith Pagans aims to educate - Features

Association of Smith Pagans aims to educate - Features

Musing: Xtian (Christian) Wicca

The roots of today's so-called "mainstream (Abrahamic) world religions" have absolutely evolved out of culturally indigenous religio-spiritual practices of our ancestors.

The prevailing "rhetorical" questions remain:

1. Who "borrowed" from whom?
(This answer is obvious based upon historical truths!)

2. Are not all so-called Abrahamic world religions of today Pagan in deference to the same culturally indigenous religio-spiritual practices of our ancestors?

All in all, and please take note of the true and actual definition, meaning, or etymology (i.e., the study of the origin and history of words) of the terms Wicca, Witchcraft, Pagan, Witch, Paganism, etc. None of these words or terminologies actually support what the misinformed mainstream religious "pundits" have created, promoted, disseminated, and perpetuated for centuries through the here and now!

Thus, how does anyone proclaim or affirm that there is a spiritual connection between the diverse belief systems of Wicca (nature-based, polytheistic, pantheistic, matriarchal and patriarchal, and goddess (yin)-god (yang) forms) and Christianity (monotheistic and patriarchal ONLY--and always out of balance and out of synchronization within the universe, the universal forces of nature, the energies of life and spirit within the cosmos which has contributed majorly to chaos globally during all of our mundane presentations of everyday life).

Hetep-u!

Frater Kheti A. Sahure
Temple of Kemetic Wicca

"Rent-a-Witch"

Greetings to our readership,

Just when I thought that I had heard it all, an interesting phrase was mentioned on one of my eGroups and aptly entitled:

"Rent-a-Witch"

LOL!

I do not apologize for my laughter because these types of folks do exist unfortunately and can be found in all religions, cultures, societies, and globally.

Again, this all goes back to how "some people's 'children' " go about their adulthood engaging in exploitation for the sole and individual purposes of GREED, MATERIALISM, AND PERSONAL FINANCIAL GAIN!

Please allow me to share the following (as I have been doing so all along) that the majority of the Wicca, Pagan, Shaman, and Alternative Religio-Spiritual communities DO NOT engage in thee above noted practices.

Most of the folks who have "found" me to assist them with their situations or circumstances--I have turned away due to my own ethically, salient reasons.

The above is indeed factual and not fiction!

Blessed Be,

Em Hotep!

Help & Support of All

Thee following will be short and sweet:

The Temple of Kemetic Wicca exists in spiritual order to help anyone in need of all sorts of social support. I guess that I'm not "Black enough" either--especially due to my being a legally ordained minister of thee Pagan Cloth, Pentacle, and Pythagorean Pentagram. However, I have always believed in the Human and Civil Rights of everyone across America and abroad without bias or prejudice toward race, color, creed, ethnicity, and of course culture. I refuse to apologize for not "sounding, speaking or writing Black" whatever that silly notion is supposed to mean; gee, I was taught that education is good. The same folks who express this are the same folks of whom I teach their own Black and African History to because they do not and have not taken the time to learn this for themselves--how sad for them. Stop blaming those of us who have done so. Back in the day, the Temple offered a free program to teach adults how to read--guess what, no one applied.

Oh well. I refuse to apologize that many Caucasian people of different European ethnicities do actually like me personally and what my Social Ministry is doing, helping people by one hand at a time. And yes, I was born and raised during the exercising of the "Jim Crow Laws" and prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I was and remain anti-Vietnam War just as I am anti-Iraq War. And no, I'm not (to use a "double grammatical negative") a Black Republican and I really don't "wanna be" a Black Democrat either. What really and truly annoys me, as a minister, is that we Pagan Clergy cannot get any funding to promote goodwill and social services that our U.S. Government lacks within our Pagan communities. How can I, as a human being and minister, continue to positively portray and show our youth that the U.S. government and Corporate America are good role models? How can I, as a human being and clergy, continue to advise all of our youth (of all religious denominations or none) that education is good when the media (financially backed and supported by corporations globally) only portrays entertainers, sports figures, and skinny runway models as their future role models. I'm not anti-entertainment, anti-sports, anti-skinny folks at all; but there needs to be a re-focusing, restructuring of what is truly important--THE FAMILY. Gee, businesses restructure, re-organize, and downsize daily with no regard for the pattern of devastation and destruction caused duly by their actions! And when I speak about family and familial values, I am talking about everyone's concept of family values and not necessarily from a religious perspective. After all, some folks are spiritual but not religious along with some folks being absolutely Atheist. I have no issue with this at all--why should anyone else? We help people individually, one person at a time. But today, I was not able to help someone because we have no support. Fine. I'm just keepin' it real and will try to be late for everything and use more Ebonics. One more thing--can someone at least offer me a "Ghetto Card" too while helping me to become more Black? I will continue to forge ahead. Why? Because I know of life in peace and can rest well knowing that I have never stepped-on or hurt anyone within the process and rites of passages within the Life. We are all equal--BELIEVE IT OR NOT. Gee, we're all born of woman--so stop hating your mother. Look inward of yourself for the truth about your hatred, your insecurities, and self worth. From there, you will decide whether to make a serious change within your own life before blaming others for your misfortunes and/or unfulfilled life.The above is something for all of us to ponder whether we care to or not . . . then formulate proactive solutions as I am doing so.

Em Hetep,

Blesséd Be!

"Witchcraft and Sorcery"

"Witchcraft and Sorcery"

Terms like "witchcraft," "sorcery," and sorcellerie are now generally used throughout Africa to indicate occult forms of aggression. The adoption of these Western terms has specific consequences. Especially important is the strong pejorative tenor of these terms, while the local terms which they are supposed to translate are often much more ambivalent: the latter refer to forces that in many situations are viewed as evil but that also may be used constructively. The general use of Western terms like "sorcery" and "witchcraft" therefore risks reducing a rich cosmology, in which the whole of the human environment is animated, to a negative, ugly core. Often a more neutral translation, such as "occult forces," would be preferable. However, terms like "sorcery" and "witchcraft" are now so generally used--by "Radio Trottoir" (i.e., gossip) and in newspaper accounts and discussions of development and politics as much as in local affairs--that it is difficult for social scientists to avoid them.

Another disadvantage of these Western terms is that they gloss over all sorts of local variations. There are important differences between local discourses, for instance, on the description of witches and their abilities and on how "witchcraft" is transmitted. Sometimes it is believed to be inherited; sometimes it is thought to be acquired later in life. Yet, there is a common core to these representations. A basic theme is that misfortune--and often also spectacular success--are attributed to hidden human agency. Witches and sorcerers are believed to use secret forces to hurt other people or to enforce their own success.

Witchcraft and sorcery are therefore closely related to jealousy, inequality, and the illicit search for power. Such ideas are, of course, not special to African societies; rather, they seem to reflect a basic fear that may be universal. Indeed, the strong popular reactions triggered by rumors of sexual child abuse in the West, or the recourse to esoteric expertise--be it of astrologers or public-relations experts--in the politics of modern democracies, show intriguing parallels with the responses to and reliance upon witchcraft in present-day Africa. The same applies to the flowering of all sorts of spiritualist cults, for instance, in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. However, some traits seem to be particular to witchcraft in Africa. One is the heavy stress on the link between witchcraft and kinship in many African societies; another is the equation of witchcraft with eating. A basic image that haunts people in many parts of Africa is that of witches--both men and women--leaving their bodies at night and flying off to meet with others of their kind. At such meetings they deliver their kin, whose vital parts are often supposed to be consumed during cannibalistic banquets. In many African societies, the basic urge of witches is thought to be the eating of kin.

Since these discourses emphasize the use of hidden forces, there is always a close connection between witchcraft, sorcery, and divination. If one fears becoming the victim of a hidden attack, one has to look for the help of a specialist who is able to "see" what the witches have done and can force them to lift their spell. The diviner who "sees" and the counter-sorcerer who attacks the witches may be one and the same person or can be two different people. The conceptual triangle of bewitching/divination/countersorcery highlights the circular character of most witchcraft discourses. Only specialists can offer help, since they alone know their way in the world of the occult. The diviners must be able to "see" the witches, which means that they are themselves implicated. In many Bantu societies, acquiring "a second pair of eyes" is seen as the first step in one's initiation into the world of the witches.

Similarly, the power of the witch doctor to vanquish witches and force them to lift their spells is believed to derive from his or her own exceptionally developed witchcraft. Witch doctors are often described by the population as "superwitches." This makes them highly ambivalent figures. In the case of southern Cameroon, for instance, authors like Lluis Mallart and Elizabeth Copet-Rougier refer to a vague but widespread belief that one can become a nganga (healer, witch doctor) only by sacrificing a parent. Nganga themselves always emphasize that their "professor" has made them swear to use their power only in order to heal, never to kill. But the population is never sure of this: there is always the danger that the basic urge of the witch to kill his or her kin will break through. It is especially this circular reasoning characteristic of witchcraft discourses--the main protection against the witches is to be found in the world of witchcraft--that makes it so difficult to break out of these conceptions. This can also explain why these ideas seem to retain their relevance despite modern changes.

The inherent circularity of witchcraft discourses can also explain why the scientific distinctions that anthropologists and other social scientists have sought to apply in this field remain highly precarious. A good example is E. E. Evans-Pritchard's classic distinction between witchcraft, which he defined as an innate quality often unconsciously activated, and sorcery, which he understood to be the conscious use of an acquired technique. He deduced this distinction from his study among the Azande of the southern Sudan. Some later anthropologists have sought to generalize it, whereas others have insisted that this distinction simply does not fit their ethnographic data. One can doubt especially whether it is of much use to understand the modern transitions of these representations. It is, rather, the circularity of these discourses and the ease with which all sorts of possible conceptual distinctions are glossed over that make them so all-pervasive in present-day African society.

The Modernity of Witchcraft

One of the most striking aspects of social interactions in contemporary Africa is the omnipresence of witchcraft and sorcery discourses in modern settings. Rumors about the use of these hidden forces abound in politics as much as in sport or in the churches; at school as well as in relation to modern forms of entrepreneurship; in urban contexts as much as (or even more than) in the village. An often implicit assumption of many Western observers was, and still is, that witchcraft would necessarily disappear under the impact of modernization. In the 1970s European priests in Cameroon stated that "there is no sorcellerie where there is electricity." Since then, Cameroon has witnessed an intensive campaign of electrification, but nobody would repeat this statement now. On the contrary, one is struck--in Cameroon as in other African countries--by the dynamic and innovative character of the discourses on witchcraft. Rumors integrate, apparently without much difficulty, all sorts of borrowings: notions from other ethnic groups as easily as Christian or Islamic elements; "magical objects" sold by mail-order firms in Europe as well as medical knowledge or notions from books on Oriental wisdom. Witchcraft conspiracies are now supposed to be reproduced on a truly global scale: the witches are thought to have their professors in Europe, or to be linked to the Mafia. This gives notions of the occult a fairly unsystematic character--inconsistencies seem to abound--but it is precisely this elasticity that makes them retain their relevance in the face of new developments. A growing fear of the proliferation of witchcraft--of witchcraft "running wild"--is expressed especially in new social settings, where people are confronted with new and baffling inequalities.

This is especially clear in the rumors about novel forms of witchcraft that are explicitly related to new forms of wealth. In many parts of Africa, the newly rich are presumed to accumulate wealth by exploiting the labor of their witchcraft victims. An explicit opposition is often made between old forms of witchcraft, in which the victims are eaten, and new forms, by which victims are transformed into zombies who are put to work on "invisible plantations." In western Africa, whites are still believed to play a mediating role in this. Other elements of these beliefs suggest that they reflect the traumas of the slave trade and forced labor during colonial times. But they are now closely linked with the emergence of new entrepreneurs among the African population. Eric de Rosny suggests that these beliefs have such a hold over people's minds because they offer at least some explanation of the mysteries of the market: the spectacular successes of the few and the poverty and unemployment of the many. What is striking is that in some areas these beliefs seem to inspire determined attacks on the new rich, while elsewhere they seem to affirm or even legitimize their distance from the poor.

The role of these conceptions in politics and in relations to the state is equally filled with ambiguities. On the one hand, the representatives of the state seem determined to intervene against the proliferation of witchcraft. Postcolonial civil servants regularly admonish villagers to stop trying to sabotage government projects with their witchcraft. Indeed, in the official propaganda of many African regimes, witchcraft is branded as a particularly dangerous form of subversion. It is also seen as one of the major obstacles to realizing "development." At the end of the 1970s, such ideas inspired the Marxist-Leninist regime of Mathieu Kérékou in Bénin to instigate a true witch-hunt through radio broadcasts. The results of such propaganda were, and are, often contradictory. It evokes an image, as Jean-François Bayart emphasized in his earlier publications, of witchcraft as some sort of "popular mode of political action" against the authoritarian state and its hegemonic pretensions. Yet, in practice, it is often not clear that people try to use these beliefs in such a sense. It is, rather, the government's insistence on witchcraft as an omnipresent form of subversion that serves to politicize it.

The civil servants' denouncement of witchcraft seems to reflect their private fears of leveling attacks to undermine their new and highly enviable position. In several parts of Africa, members of the national elite say they are afraid of being "eaten" by their former fellow villagers; in such expressions there is a clear reference to the threat of witchcraft. This is hardly surprising. Ever since the 1950s, anthropologists have emphasized that in many African societies, witchcraft conceptions have a strong leveling effect on relations within the local community. The new elites' accumulation of wealth and power dearly surpasses traditional boundaries: it is no wonder that they fear leveling attacks coming from inside their own community. Yet here again, witchcraft appears to wear two faces. There are many examples of members of the new elite using the same witchcraft conceptions to protect and affirm the new inequalities. This is facilitated by the commodification of witchcraft and sorcery practices. In many settings, "medicaments," jujus, and other "charged objects" are literally for sale. Witch doctors offer their services to the highest bidder, who is generally a member of the new elite. Thus, witchcraft discourses, instead of having a leveling impact, can serve to affirm the new inequalities and make them seem self-evident. The continuing involvement of the elites with the occult makes the state offensive against witchcraft highly ambiguous in its effects.

A striking aspect of witchcraft rumors in new settings is the relative absence of women. In the older version of witchcraft, both women and men are thought to participate in hidden conspiracies. Indeed, many myths about the origin of witchcraft have women leading the way (although it is often added that the men soon followed). However, in speculations about the links between witchcraft and the new forms of wealth or the new power struggles, women are mostly absent. This may reflect the predominance of men in the new political and economic arenas. It may also relate to a tendency in many discourses on witchcraft to relegate women's activity primarily to the domestic sphere.

The Search for New Protection: Anti-Witchcraft Movements, the Church, and the State

The general fear of witchcraft running wild and the rumors about novel forms of occult aggression have encouraged an unremitting search for new forms of protection. The first reports on new, experimental anti-witchcraft movements date from before the colonial period. But the colonial period in particular saw a proliferation of such movements. They invoked a rich variety of forces and procedures in their struggle against witchcraft: poison ordeals, "traditional" jujus, Christian symbols. In the extensive literature on this topic, such anti-witchcraft "medicine" is often set apart from the occult forces of witchcraft itself. The supporters of such movements, of course, strongly emphasize this separation. However, if looked at over a period of time, such distinctions prove, again, to be quite unreliable. In a fascinating study on the northwestern Congo, Georges Dupré shows how an anti-witchcraft movement, initially directed against the witchcraft of the elders, has been appropriated by the latter, who use its shrine to extort heavy fines from young men and wage laborers in the village.

In postcolonial times, the struggle against witchcraft has notably been waged by Christian movements: Independent Churches, Jehovah's Witnesses, more recently by Pentecostal movements, and also by the mainstream churches. Especially within the Roman Catholic Church, a lively discussion is going on about how far its priests can go in this. Several black priests and even bishops have run into difficulties with the Catholic Church because they went beyond orthodox exorcism rites and tried to follow too clearly in the footsteps of the nganga, as in the case of the Zambian archbishop Emmanuel Milingo.

Of special importance is the growing pressure on the state to intervene. Ever since the establishment of the colonial state, people have reproached the state for protecting the witches because it forbade the use of poison ordeals and the execution of witches by chiefs or witch doctors. The postcolonial state elites seem to be more inclined to intervene against the witches--or at least have more difficulty in withstanding popular pressure in this respect. Kérékou's witch-hunt in Bénin was certainly not an isolated example. Isak A. Niehaus shows, for instance, that the African National Congress (ANC) has considerable difficulty keeping its younger members from becoming involved in witch-hunts in Lebowa as in other former "Bantustans."

An example of the state becoming directly involved comes from Cameroon. At the end of the 1970s, the state courts, especially in the Earl Province, suddenly started to convict witches, mainly on the basis of the expertise of witch doctors. This official recognition of the witch doctor constitutes a spectacular reversal of earlier jurisprudence. In colonial times and in the first decades after independence, witch doctors were always in danger of being prosecuted by the state courts (for defamation and breach of the peace). Now, they appear as witnesses for the prosecution. This reversal is clearly related to the state's campaigns against witchcraft. But there also seems to be strong popular pressure in this region--where local societies have long been highly segmentary in character--for the state to intervene. In this respect, it is noteworthy that such processes seldom occur in other parts of the country, such as in the west, where the chiefs' authority still has strong roots in local societies, or in the Islamized parts of northern Cameroon.

Direct interventions by the state seem to go together with the emergence of a new, more modern type of nganga. The witch doctors who work with the state are often intent on seeking publicity. They make ostentatious use of all sorts of modern symbols: sunglasses, books on Oriental wisdom, Christian elements, and medical knowledge. And they boast of their membership in new organizations, such as the more or less official national associations of "traditional healers," as well as elite societies like the Rosicrucians. Most important, they have a highly aggressive style in recruiting clients and unmasking witches. Often they approach people on their own initiative, warning them about dangers in their close surroundings and insisting that they should have their courtyard "purified." Thus, they play an important role in reinforcing the popular fear of a proliferation of witchcraft, all the more so because by so doing they may gain official recognition.

Analytic Approaches: Witchcraft and Morality

Even though witchcraft and sorcery have always been central themes in anthropological discourse, anthropologists have had surprisingly little to say--at least until very recently--about the modern transformations of these phenomena on the African continent. One reason for the long delay in confronting the modern dynamics of this old anthropological theme may have been the problems of the discipline's dominant paradigms.

In 1970 Mary Douglas noted some surprising shifts in the anthropological study of witchcraft and sorcery. Of course, she takes as her point of departure the undisputed classic in this field, Evans-Pritchard's Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic Among the Azande (1937), which studied the witchcraft beliefs of this southern Sudanese people in relation to questions of cognition and the social restraints upon perception. This work had a profound influence on later anthropologists but, as Douglas notes, in "directions not foreseen or even blessed by its author." For instance, in the series of monographs on central Africa by British anthropologists of the 1950s and 1960s, which profoundly influenced the study of sorcery and witchcraft (especially those by Victor Turner, James C. Mitchell, and Max G. Marwick, and the collection edited by John Middleton and E. H. Winter), Evans-Pritchard's problematic was refocused in a special sense. These authors concentrated not on issues of cognition but rather--in accordance with then-current functionalist theories--on the relation between witchcraft and the preservation of social order, and on micropolitics. They focused on witchcraft accusations, which were to be studied as a kind of "social strain gauge" (the term is Marwick's)--that is, as indicators of social tensions, especially in relations within the local kin groups where aggression could not be expressed in more direct ways.

Thus, witchcraft came to be seen as a "homeostatic control system": accusations of witchcraft were thought to be crucial to the reproduction of social order because they permitted hidden tensions to be expressed and dealt with, so that the local community could be reconstituted. This view of witchcraft, which dominated anthropological studies until the 1980s, had remarkable consequences. In her 1970 piece (an introduction to a set of conference papers by anthropologists and historians studying European societies), Mary Douglas notes with some irony a striking difference:

The anthropologists of the 1950s developed insights into the functioning of witch beliefs which seemed about as relevant to the European experience as if they came from another planet. Dangerous in Europe, the same beliefs in Melanesia and Africa appeared to be tame, even domesticated; they served useful functions and were not expected to run amuck. (p. xiii)

This anthropological view of witchcraft, as something "domesticated," seems to be of limited relevance for dealing with the increasing popular fears about its proliferation. In many parts of Africa, people today are convinced that witchcraft does indeed "run amuck."

Another problem with this "micropolitical" perspective is that the contents of the witchcraft accusations are neglected; the accusations are analyzed only as expressions of something else: hidden sociopolitical tensions. In his 1993 analysis of witch-hunts in Lebowa, South Africa, Isak Niehaus emphasizes instead the need "to take the perceptions informants themselves have of witches seriously." His "Comrades"--young rebels vaguely related to the United Democratic Front or even the ANC--made a clear distinction in their witch-hunts between witches and political opponents: the latter might be attacked but were not accused of witchcraft. In his view, the accusations had a specific aim: by denouncing witchcraft, the young men sought to affirm the legitimacy of their role in "the politics of public morality."

But the strong moralist tenor of the functionalist view on witchcraft also creates problems if one wants to understand the resilience of these notions in modern contexts. In the functionalist view, it was necessary to make a rigorous separation between the positive and negative expressions of occult forces. Often, this forced the anthropologist to impose a Manichaean distinction on more open local concepts. (A good example is Middleton's 1963 study of Lugbara witchcraft.) Only by isolating "witchcraft" as an unequivocally evil force could these beliefs be thought to function as a "homeostatic control system"--a kind of safety valve that permitted the expression of social tension without endangering the social order as such. But it is precisely the fundamental ambiguity of notions about the occult that allows them to remain relevant in modern contexts. Although "witchcraft" as such is certainly seen as evil, people often believe that the same forces can be used constructively, in order to accumulate wealth and power. It is the possibility of many interpretations that makes notions of witchcraft and sorcery such seductive tools for trying to understand the vicissitudes of life in the modern sectors. It is also why the use of a pejorative term like "witchcraft" poses serious difficulties.

Instead of starting from seemingly fixed conceptual distinctions, it might be more clarifying to study the different ways and means by which societies try to impose conceptual demarcations on what are basically highly diffuse and volatile notions. The ongoing struggle for reproducing conceptual distinctions in this treacherous field might be a key to a better understanding of the remarkable dynamics of notions of witchcraft in present-day Africa. This is a common theme emerging from the recent and quite sudden wave of witchcraft studies on modern Africa, such as Modernity and Its Malcontents (1993), edited by Jean and John Comaroff; Isak Niehaus's 1993 article in Africa; and the 1988 article by Michael Rowlands and Jean- Pierre Warnier in Man.

An important point of departure for understanding the pervasiveness of notions of witchcraft in modern contexts is the close conceptual link between witchcraft and kinship. Even in highly urbanized contexts, witchcraft remains the dark side of kinship: when treating a patient, witch doctors always try to bring the family together; the sources of aggression are sought primarily within the sphere of kinship and intimacy. This link can help one to understand both the continuing strength of the witchcraft discourse and the uncertainty it evokes. In many parts of Africa, kinship and the family still seem to provide the basis for social security, even for the urban elites. However, it is clear that kinship relations are under a growing strain: they have to bridge ever-wider inequalities between rich and poor, between city and village; often they seem to be stretched to the breaking point. This configuration may explain both the omnipresence of witchcraft rumors, despite the modern changes, and the desperate search for new forms of protection from witches in many parts of Africa.

-- Peter Geschiere

Source Citation:
"Witchcraft and Sorcery." Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara. 4 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1997. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History

Document Number: BT2344200853

Ethics: Wicca & Paganism

"Ethics and Etiquette"
by Morgaine
© Morgaine 2001

"When we speak of ethics and etiquette in relation to pagansim what are we referring to? Are we speaking of outdated rules and actions that no longer have meaning and we only give lip service to? I don't believe so. Ethics and etiquette are living, breathing codes of life, shaping our actions in relation to each other, and ourselves. They are a guiding force in the way we live our lives.

Let us first look at ethics. Ethics are defined as --a set of principles; moral philosophy; rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession; human duty; a particular system of principles and rules concerning duty, whether true or false; rules of practice in respect to a single class of human actions; motivation based on ideas of right and wrong; the philosophical study of moral values and rules.

When we begin to speak of ethics, we need to realize that this can be a very touchy subject. We are human after all, and we want to think our ethics are the correct ones. While there are generally accepted community ethics, it is personal ethics that make up who we are. And these are not the same for each person.
Before we begin to discuss in depth community and person ethics let us first look at the Rede, the most common code of conduct among Wiccans.

Bide the Wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust;
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill;
'An ye harm none, do as ye will';
Lest in self-defense it be, ever mind the rule of three;
Follow this with mind and heart;
And merry ye meet and merry ye part.

Every Wiccan knows the Rede. Our passwords into the sacred circle are in here. Our major rule of ethic is here. And the reason for breaking this ethic, as well as the consequences of breaking it foolishly. When we extract the line most popular --An ye harm none, do as ye will' and begin to dissect it, we have to wonder 'Is this an ethic we can every achieve?'

I believe the Rede is a standard of living, like all ethics, and one that is an impossibility to achieve. The goal is to live as closely to the Rede as possible. In the attempt to do this, we begin to analyze our actions. We follow the path of LEAST harm. Thus, we begin to live conscious of our actions, and how they effect the world around us. And here comes the REAL lesson of the Rede. It forces us to have personal responsibility. Once you have acknowledged that the Rede is a goal to work for and not a given situation, and have taken of the blinders that let you go around smug and happy that your religion is so sweet it makes your teeth itch, you can get down to the work of making your life an ethical one. What this involves is considering each decision in the light of the Rede before you decide upon a course of action. You do this by looking at all the possible consequences of that action and whether that will cause harm to any, choosing the path that causes the least harm and, (THIS IS THE KEY) accepting the responsibility for the consequences of your actions whether intentional or unintentional. -Lark, HPS of Tangled Moon Coven.

Wicca, as well as most Pagansim, is a religion and spiritual path of personal responsibility. We strive to live in an aware state. When we do this, we recognize our free will, and the free will of others. If we ignore the lesson of personal responsibility, we fail to realize our true spiritual potential and our true spiritual will.

As we begin our path, we must develop a set of personal ethics, while maintaining a respect for the ethics of the community we are becoming a part of. Some community ethics are very well defined.

-Don't practice black magick, or follow the left-hand path.
-Don't attempt to harm another or interfere with their free will.
-Always act in a way that will reflect well upon your path. Never do anything that will bring harm to the Craft.

Since Wicca, and pagansim, are very open paths and for the most part do not seek to make anyone follow 'ONE RIGHT WAY', most of the ethics defined by community are concerning harm to others, and harm to the Craft.

But to begin a spiritual path, and to follow it every day of your life, you must develop your own set of personal ethics that define the way you live. No one can tell you what your personal ethics should be. Your teachers, mentors, HPS, HP can all recommend both in word and deed, ethics that work for them. You may be given a 'Book of the Law' that governs your group or tradition. If you are a solitary, you may read on the net, or in a book, acceptable codes of conduct, or ideals. But you cannot take someone else's ethics and make them your own. You must do some soul searching, and decide how you feel about things. Now I am NOT suggesting that you ignore your HPS or HP, or your teachers and mentors. I am suggesting that you should always temper wisdom with personal experience. You must come to a point that you are willing to question what you are taught, to grow in your own self. Through this, your own sense of ethics and morals will come.

Now, here comes the biggie. What do you do when your personal ethics are in direct conflict with accepted community ethics? For example-it has become a phenomenon in the pagan community to love everything white and full of light, and shun everything dark and full of shadow. It has become unacceptable to speak of negative emotions like anger and envy. It has become unacceptable to feel hate towards another person, wish that a murderer would get the death penalty, which that rapist would get castrated by a bunch of angry women. Some of us fondly refer to this a fluffy, bunny Wicca, no offense to anything fluffy, or bunnies. We are taught to love unconditionally because we are all brothers and sisters, connected to each other and every living thing. We are taught that if we experience these emotions, maybe we aren't all that spiritual, and especially not as much as Miss crystal love and light. We are often looked down upon if we say something like 'I am so damn mad at my ex husband I could smack him'. The response I myself have heard to such comment is 'my my, now THAT wasn't very positive'. Well, guess what. It WASN'T. Now I am not saying that you should indulge in these emotions. They can be deterrents to developing a sound spiritual identity because they are 'negative' in the sense that they are base emotions that do not vibrate on the spiritual plane. But they also teach us lessons that can lead to spiritual epiphanies.

Life is a balance between light and dark. Nature is both beautifully creative and frighteningly destructive. Inside of a single human there is light and shadow, and to be totally balanced we must learn to face both, experience both and therefore learn from both. So back to the original question. Let's say you don't feel that you are evil if you feel anger at another person or what have you. What do you do when community ethics conflict with your personal ethics? In my opinion, as long as what you are doing does not come into direct conflict with the good of the general community, or does not manipulate or purposefully harm another person, then your personal ethics should come first. You should not do something maliciously to another person. When you do this, you are not only harming yourself, but you are harming that person, AND the whole of the community. It is very important that our community not be sullied, and the reasons are obvious. But beyond this, your personal ethics should prevail.

Do ethics change over time? Do you think that the ethics of our ancestors of 100, 200 or even 1000 or more years ago are the same as what they are now? I believe that ethics are a revolving and ever changing system. Some become outdated, and some we should always keep. For instance, it has only been in the recent resurgence of Pagansim in the last 50-60 years or so that the belief of 'An ye harm none, do as ye will came about'. In times past, a witch who could not curse, could not heal. Societies have not always believed that you should not harm another person, or that interfering with someone life was a bad thing. The old wise woman of a village was sought out for every reason from fertility, to love, to revenge. It has been in our time only, with the resurgence of beliefs and the discrimination that we face, that we have adopted some of the common ethics we now have. I am NOT saying this is wrong, or that we should go back to the 'Old Ways'. In a society that we now living in, and the information is available for spiritual purposes, there is no longer a need to seek out the crone of the village and ask her to grant you revenge on your enemy. But this is the perfect example of how ethics change with time. At one time it was ethical for old men to mate with young girls. In our culture, it is no longer ethical. So ethics change, and so they should. Change is the only constant in the universe, and without it, we grow stagnate and our lives become filled with rot and decay. Change blows in new life to help recreate our lives, our beliefs and yes, even out ethics.

The other common code of conduct that we hear of in the Pagan community is 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, love under will.' This comes from Aleister Crowley, from his book entitled 'The Book of the Law'. Now knowing some of the things that we do about Crowley, it's almost humorous to think of him in a discussion of ethics, except to point to what not to do maybe! But, this is a very powerful outlook on developing your own set of personal ethics.

In my understanding 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will' does not mean you may do as you wish and that is it. It is speaking of your TRUE will, your TRUE purpose in life. And if you are following your true or higher will and purpose you will not come into conflict with another's will so therefore you do not have to worry about stepping on anyone else's toes. So you don't have to worry about harming another, because you are in touch with the divine and you are following your own spiritual path and will, which will not cause harm or conflict with another. Of course, we still have conflicts with people. One way to look at this is as a spiritual lesson for either you or the other person. But if you are seeking to control another or harm another, this is not your true will. This is based upon the belief that every person is an individual, and as an individual you should be true to your own nature or consciousness. You must find your true will and make all of your actions subservient to the one great purpose. This again leads to conscious living.

If ethics are codes of personal and community conduct, then etiquette is a code of social conduct. Etiquette is defined as --the practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority; forms of conduct prescribed by polite society; code of correct conduct; also decorum denotes conformity with established standards of manners or behavior; the forms required by good breeding, or prescribed by authority, to be observed in social or official life; observance of the proprieties of rank and occasion; conventional decorum; ceremonial code of polite society; rules governing acceptable behavior.

Just like Emily Post and polite society, we in the Pagan community have behavior that is expected from us in how we interact with that community. In my opinion, etiquette is something sorely lacking in many Pagans. They are not taught certain things about how we interact with each other. This could be because maybe you didn't have a teacher, or your teacher didn't know them either. Or it could be because you or those who taught you just didn't care, it wasn't important to them. But I feel that etiquette is VERY important. It keeps us civilized, it aids us in how we interact and it shows the outside world that we know how to act.

Beyond the mundane world and it's social etiquette, lets take a look at some things that are common among Pagan paths, especially the Wiccan path.

1. You should never touch someone else's magickal tools and items without their express permission. If you see something you like and want to touch, then ASK. Don't just hold out your hand for it, or just pick it up. A person leaves an imprint of their energy on what they touch, and they may not want someone else's energy on their magickal items. This includes athames all the way to stones and jewelery. And do not take offense if you ask and are told no.

2. The way you live reflects on our whole community. You should always respect others, no matter their path. Inside your own religion thee is a certain higher respect given each other, as Children of the Goddess. This comes from a basic understanding of the hardships of the path, and the process we all go through in some way to evolve. It can be equated to any secret society and it's initiation process and path of self-discovery. This path is not for everyone, and if you take it seriously, will change your life in ways you could never imagine. Any path that causes growth can be difficult. And we link with others that are going through the same thing we are and take strength from and learn from them.

3. We endeavor to hold ourselves to a high standard of living our spiritual lives that the mundane world does not. Therefor we support each other, lending a hand when the pitfalls of the world come about.

4. When someone gives of themselves to teach or guide, we recognize that person's giving, and respect it. Not all of us are called to teach, and those who are offer a valuable service that should not be taken for granted.

5. When you are called to teach or guide, you have been given a very serious part to play in your community. You should never abuse it in any way. It also does not mean that you may use it as a way to gain power over, or look down upon any other person. We are all where we should be onour path, and it does not mean a thing that you have 10 or 20 years of service and someone else has 1. We are all equal in the eyes of the Gods. And if you are a teacher, you are held to an even higher state of conduct. You must never involve yourself in anything that could cause harm to your students or to the Craft. You should never do anything that would bring a bad light on us. For instance, you should never become romantically involved with one of your students. You should not condone the use of illegal drugs, or alcohol if the person is not of age. You should not use your position to control your students, or make them dependent on you. The goal is to aid a person on this path. You supply the seed as a teacher. You cannot take them by the hand and learn from them, or be easy on them when you should be honest.

6. In that same light, those who would be considered an elder in our faith are given a large amount of respect. The wisdom that is gained from following this path for 10, 20 or 30 years is an asset to our community, and we should respect the Elders of the community for what they have learned and what they teach us.

7. Due to the advent of the internet, there is a phenomenon growing among new seekers that is very disturbing. It involves not understanding the hard work it takes to learn the Old Ways, or the dedication and self sacrifice those who follow, and especially those who teach and guide give to the path. From this lack of understanding, new seekers think they can go to any page on the net, learn what they can and be done with it. It also leads them to think that they can ask for what they want, and someone will just hand it over. For example, I have been asked to send someone a copy of my BOS. This shows me that the person requesting this has no idea of what a BOS is, what it stands for and the process that is gone through to acquire it. This is flat out rude to begin with. This person is wanting their religion hand fed to them. They want to skip the hard work, the dedication, the pitfalls and the trials, and get right to the reward. This is simply not how it's done. This person wants the secrets and mysteries handed to them on a silver platter, without having to leave the comfort of the computer chair and work for them. This isn't possible. And I am here to say STOP. Be mindful of what you are asking. You can't go to the net, read a page or two, then go ask someone for their BOS, or even ask them to teach you. There must be effort on your part. You are not an adept after reading a page, or a book, or even ten books. The mysteries cannot be handed to you on a silver platter and you are a master of the universe. This is what I call lazy Wicca, and through lazy Wicca you will never come to experience the mysteries, because they come through dedication, hard work and a personal dedication to the Gods.

8. Those who are out of the closet must NEVER give away the secrets of their brothers and sisters. You should never give any personal information. You should never tell the secrets of a coven, who it's leaders are, who the members are or any other information. We must honor our vows and protect those who for whatever reason have chosen to remain hidden from the eyes of the world.

9. For those who are out of the closet, your life and your actions must be above reproach in the eyes of the world. As an open pagan, you may be the only one that a non pagan every sees. They will see every Pagan in you. So in all things you must be truthful. You must live with dignity and honor.

In our discussion of ethics and etiquette the point I was trying to impress upon you is this. We have become a society who thinks that we may do as we please, act as we please and there are no consequences. We fight with the Christians. We complain about how they fight amongst themselves. We sneer at them when they point to another of them and say how that person is wrong and they way they practice is wrong. And yet, WE DO THE SAME THING.

When I meet a fellow priestess, I treat her with respect as a person, and doubly so as a priestess, since I know how hard that path can be, to have dedicated your life and your service to the Gods and the Old Ways. If I meet someone who has been walking the path for 20 or 30 years, I respect that person because of the knowledge they have obtained in that time. That is not to say my 10 years is less, or they are 'more spiritual' than me. It is saying that this path is not an easy one all the time, and to have lived it every day for that amount of time is deserving of respect. I was taught as a child to respect my elders, and I believe that is still a valid lesson. The elders of this path can teach us things that we have never even thought of. At the same time, as an elder, you should always remember what it was like to take your first stumbling steps on this path, and how you may have longed for some guidance. It is just as wrong to be an elder, and act as if you know everything, or someone who is only 20 or whatever age could never be a spiritual person. We all must remember our ethics and etiquette, and encourage each other every day.

We have forgotten to practice our personal ethics, and have thrown etiquette out the window. We have forgotten Emily Post and Miss Manners, and have went on about our merry little way to fight like cats and dogs, without even offering basic human respect for those with diverging views, and this troubles me. It is a plague that is infecting our community. The Witch Wars continue. We struggle to make our way the right way, even if we don't realize we are doing this. We forget the very basic teaching that we are all connected, and that all paths are valid, as long as they fulfill our spiritual needs.

Let us remember our ethics. Let us live our lives with honor, treating all of life with respect. Follow your own path, without interference into another's. Work hard, study hard and receive the blessings of a life well lived. "