OK, y'all... I guess I'm not having my other OP... I'll go ahead and get started...
Ok, y'all... here are the rules for the class....
Please, do not make comments, ask questions, or anything else, in open channel...
If you have a question, type @ and I will call on you.
If you want to greet someone, /msg them
There will be a question and answer period at the end, too...
If we split, I will wait a minute or two for everyone to get back together...
If it looks to be a LONG split, I'll go on and the splitters can get the logs...
Doing rules and regs now, draven... you're just in time.
Logs will be available in a day or two...
OK, now, if we're all clear on the rules, let's get going...
The first thing I want to discuss is tools.
Every beginning witch I know (myself at that time, too) was
TERRIBLY worried about tools. Not having them, not having the right ones, not using them right, what to do if you DIDN'T have them.....
News flash..... YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE FANCY TOOLS
TO DO MAGICK!!!!!
(Sorrry if that sounds rude, but it's the only way to put it...)
YES, tools are nice. I love having all the pretty incense burners, votive candles, athame, silver chalice, etc.
But you don't need them.
Tools are there to FOCUS your energy, not create it.
The first tool to talk about is the athame.
[22:41] @so in order to have powers you dont have to have them
(For those that don't understand any of the tools, /msg me and I'll send you my tools class...)
Chasity, in order to do magick you don't have to have the
tools...... but next time, please wait for me to call on you....
The athame is a tool that is used to direct energy out.
You've ALL (unless you're an amputee, and I apologize for the generalization if you are) have a perfect substitute for the athame... your hand.
Your hand, the projective one (the hand you write with) can be used to send out energy just as well as your athame.
[22:45] @
It's also more portable, and has the advantage of NOT being
forbidden in some places (i.e. schol, jobs, etc.)
Yes, Chasity?
[22:45] what is an athame
It's in the class I just sent you... it's a ritual knife.
The next one's one I hear VERY frequently..... colored candles....
If you want to do something, and the candles you have don't
match what you need, don't fret!
What I usually do is buy LOTS of white candles when I see them on sale.
I have boxes of embrodery floss, and what I do is wrap a piece of it around the candle, so that the candle has a very thin ring of color all around it... you don't have to cover the candle, just spiral it around so that there's an inch or so between the loops.... it works great.
Your candle is colored, and you don't have to worry!
If you can't do that, try crayons on it, or magic markers.... anything that will color your candle.
[22:52] @
Yes, MoonMagick?
[22:53] How many colours of candles are there?
Moon.... there are TONS of them.....
[22:53] Used spacifically in magick?
If you need an index of candle colors, or just a good table of correspondances, I've got the URL of a good site.
http://nebula.ispace.com/~hatchett/raven.html
[22:54] Thank you
It's all drawn from Cunningham, and it's very complete and very good.
Next common question is 'What do I do if I don't have the right crystals?"
Frankly, I don't use gems very often.... bloodstone, agate and garnet (occasionally rose quartz, clear quartz and amythyst) are the only ones I ever use.
What you do, if you don't have what you need, is twofold.
If you've got clear quartz, you can charge it for what you want. This also works if you've got a similar stone to what you want.... you play with what you want to do to fit the materials....
Or... you just forget about the stones, and use other materials.
You never HAVE to ahve a particular stone... they help, but
they're not necessary.
Oils, incense and herbs are similar.
[23:01] @
You can use things that are SIMILAR, but not exactly what you need, for them as well.
Yes, MagusBlue?
(Sorry for the pause... helping someone in private.....)
[23:02] Am I right when I think that this is very subtle and not real showy like conjuring up storms? It's like... influencing people and gradual change?
Magus..... magick is the shifting or nudging of powers..... if a storm was needed, but wasn't going to happen RIGHT THERE, is't possible to make one happen. Influencing people isn't following the rede.... harming includes acting on someone without their permission/knowledge.
However, conjuring storms can be quite dangerous, so don't try it if you don't know what you're doing.... don't want to get struck by a stray bolt of lightening, do ya?
[23:05] Oh, I know about the whatever you do comes back to you
thing, but I'm wondering if this is just very slow and subtle...
[23:05] No...
[23:05] ; P
[23:05] Heh
It can be... or it can be rather dramatic... I have been looking for a parking space, said a quick little 'let me find one' and *poof* there's one right there.... or I can be walking somewhere, and it'll be raining, I'll ask that it slow down raining until I get where I'm going, and it slows to a fine mist, and starts pouring when I get in the house....
[23:06] Wow.
[23:06] Not bad.
And the whatever you do comes back to you thing is called the Threefold Law.
[23:07] That's it...
[23:07] It works positively, right?
[23:07] @
Yes, it does.... it works for good and bad....
Yes, darkwhite?
[23:08] Good... whew! I'm glad the stuff I do'll all come back to me!
[23:08] do u get good or bad effects back from doing the parking
space thing
[23:08] ie, the karma thing
[23:08] sorry, that doesn't make sense, does it?
dark... it's basically neutral.... But if you picture someone coming out of the store and getting into their car and driving off, that's manipulation....
No, it does.
[23:09] ohhh ok
And there are some actions that have such a LITTLE effect they can be considered neutral.
[23:09] tnx
NP, that's what I'm here for.
One thing that I've discovered about oils and incense is that people tend to have one and not the other.
You can substitute one for the other if you need to.
If you don't have incense of the right scent, you can drop a few drops of essential oil onto a burning candle... it works well.
[23:11] thanx
You can also dip incense sticks into some vegetable oil and then use the oil as you would normally.... this has the advantage of being easy to manipulate, so if you're writing runes/sigils/etc. on something with the oil, you have the incense stick as an applicator....
Your wand or staff is something else that worries many newbies if they don't have one./
[23:12] @
Yes, Alura?
[23:13] sorry..back on incense...I find that the stick incense sometimes gives me asthma irritations but oil doesn;t
[23:13] so anyone with that problem could use oils too
Yes, that would work well.... thanks, Alura!~
[23:13] @
Now, personally, I don't se a wand. I have a staff that I use in circle sometimes, but I never use a wand... don't even own one!
Yes Wolfe?
[23:14] @
Crusin, you're next.
[23:14] I got something to say to help the asthma problem..
Ok, go ahead.
[23:15] if you put the oil on anything that will heat up...a light bulb if you us ethem(before you light it, while it is cold) or anything else that will be near heat...the oil will evaporate and will be as much afective as oil
Yes, thanks, Wolfe!
[23:16] I mean incence
Go ahead, Crusin....
I guessed...
[23:16] Pls explain threefold law, I got some of it but...
The threefold law states that everything you do comes back three times.... "Three times bad and three times good"
Three is the general number.... but I've heard it as seven, one and ten as well.
[23:17] @
Yes, Wolfe?
[23:17] so if you ask for pkg space, etc. you get it good 3x and bad 3x ???
[23:17] one?
Crusin.... Like I said, I think that's basically neutral.... I don't know that there's really ANY karma associated with that.
[23:18] @
[23:18] thx
One, Wolfe... I've heard occasionally that your energy isn't
multiplied, it's just resent to you.
Yes, darkwhite
?
[23:19] it'd depend on the people involved...
[23:19] oh..ok...
[23:19] crusin
[23:19] how it affected them etc
Yes, it would, darkwhite..... it all depends on the situation.
[23:20] @
Yes, Wolfe?
[23:20] wouldn't it depend on how your asking...
(I'm trying to get back to the topic, so let's make this the last question unless it's directly on the class topic.....)
Yes, it would...
[23:21] doesn't it matter...between asking for a parking space or for a parking space to be shown to me
You use a wand similarly to how you use an athame, and you
use a staff like the first two.
You can use your hands to represent all three.
[23:23] fingers work great
In a circle, you traditionally do the 'cakes and ale' before you close the circle.
Yes, Eire... but please follow the procedure..... thanks....
[23:24] @
The 'traditional' cakes and ale is crescent shaped almond cakes and ale, mead or wine.
You can substitute almost anything... I used Double-Stuff Oreos and milk at my circle's first ritual!
Yes, darkwhite?
[23:26] what's the cakes and ale bit for?
[23:26] first time i've heard of it...
Two reasons. First, in ancient times, if you shared a meal with someone, you couldn't hurt them. SO it's a way of saying that none of the people participating will hurt any of the others.
[23:27] mmm
Another is to give thanks for the food that you have, and to ask that you not go hungry before the next ritual.
[23:27] ok
Both are a bit antiquated, but they're still in use.
Another, nore fun reason is so that you can sit around and eat with your circle-sisters and -brothers before you go out into the 'real world'.
[23:28] @
Yes, Wolfe?
[23:29] the cakes and ale thing was explained to me as a way of
bring yourself back into the real world
Wolfe, they function as that, too.. they help some people ground.
[23:29] ok
The last tool I want to talk about is your robes.
Many people have a severe problem if they don't have their robes.
I personaly haven't gotten robes I like yet.
What I wear in circles depends on the week.
[23:31] @
Most of the time, when I do Esbat rituals, I'm in street clothes.
Yes, Wolfe?
[23:31] severe problem....?
[23:32] what do you mean by that..?
They get really weird and don't want to do a ritual.... it's like "If I'm not dressed right, I can't do magick"
[23:32] @
[23:32] I still don't understand
[23:32] @
Some people don't believe that they can do magick right if
they're not properly dressed. If they aren't wearing the right things, they don't feel like the gods will listen or something like that.
Yes, Kimba?
Dark^Mage, you're next.
[23:33] np
Wolfe, I don't understand the mindset, persoannly, so I can't really explain it to you.... all I can say is that I don't think the Gods/Goddesses really CARE what you're wearing.....
[23:34] What is esbat rituals
Esbat... full moon.
[23:35] neither do I...
Esbat rituals... rituals to celebrate the full moon.
GO ahead, Dark^Mage
[23:35] @
Wolfe, You're next.
[23:36] I was just going to say, it isn't necessary to have a robe...Is it?? all my spells have been cast without...but does a robe help with the casting???
DM, I guess it helps 'get you in the mood' or something.... none of MINE have been in robes, either, and it hasn't affected them, that I can tell.
[23:37] @
GO ahead, Wolfe.
NudeDruid, you're next....
[23:37] @
Kimba, you're after NudeDruid
[23:38] um.. Esbat rituals are alos weekly or so meetings of some coves..right..
[23:38] covens...darn typo monster..
Wolfe... nope. Those are just meetings. Esbats are strictly full moon.
[23:38] @
NudeDruid, go ahead.
Dark^Mage, you're after Kimba
Kimba, you're next.
[23:39] just wanted to point oput the skyclad option in place of
robes
[23:39] heh
[23:40] trust u
Yes, NudeDruid..... I was going to mention that, but you of ALL
people are the perfect one to point that out.....
[23:40] * darkwhite smiles
Kimba, go ahead.
[23:40] could one wear a dress istead of robes?
[23:40] * Dark^Mage bows to NudeDruid...:)
Yes, Kimba... I wear jeans and t-shirts sometimes.... you can wear
whatever (or lack therof) you want.
[23:41] @
Dark^Mage, go ahead.
Kimba, you're next.
Kimba.... go ahead, while he's typing.
[23:43] I have been looking for a coven for a long time but its
really hard where I live, solitary practice is good but donesn't being in a coven
help in spellcasting???
[23:43] ok then if a robe doesn't matter, Why wear one(If you said this
before i jsut got in sorry)
[23:44] @
[23:44] sorry kimba didn't mean to interrupt...:)
[23:44] no i am sorry i diddn't mean to interupt tyou
[23:44] :)
[23:44] lol :)
Go ahead, stop politing each other and SOMEONE ask
something... ;-)
[23:46] I have been looking for a coven for a long time but its
really hard where I live, solitary practice is good but donesn't being in a coven
help in spellcasting???
NP, Kimba.... I lost it... sorry....
Some poeple just LIKE wearing robes!
DM, it helps in gathering energy, but you can be almost as
effective with practice all alone.
[23:47] @
Kimba... I think that the robes issue is mostly just for people
that want to set themselves apart when they're doing rituals... I think they're
neat, but I don't think they're necessary.
GO ahead, Kimba.
[23:49] @ after kimba...:)
[23:49] ok I got a question but it isn't about robes.
[23:49] :)
Go ahead....
LOL, OK, DM....
[23:50] Are we onlly allowed to ask about robes cause my question isn't
about robes
NO, go ahead with your question...
[23:52] ok How could I astral travel? does one have to know magik to
do it? I do try to meditate but I can't seem to do it
[23:52] I am not a preacticer of magik or wicca
[23:52] kimba: i know the address of a cool page about astral travel
Kimba.... those are classes in themselves! I can send you my class
on emditation, I'm thinking seriously on a class on astral travel, but haven't
taught one yet.
[23:53] i am not a practitioner either, but i think this method will get
results if i keep trying
[23:53] one secm i'll get u the URL...
[23:53] When do you have other classes?
darkwhite, thanks for helping, but please follow procedure and
don't talk out... thanks.....
[23:54] @
Kimba... I only teach classes here, on Saturdays at
10:30pmEST..... but I have logs from old classes.
Yes, Kimba?
[23:55] ok umm why does one do magik? what is the point of it and how
do i go about doing it i i never did it before(ok I wouldn't mind a log of the
meitation if you have one please that is)
(Let's make this the last question.... we're getting bogged down
and we've got a lot to discuss...)
Kimba... THAT is a class in itself, too... ask me after class and I'll
explain.....
[23:57] @
[23:57] oops sorry...:)
OK, DM... ONE more....
[23:58] ok, thanks Mistress....What books would you reccomend for
the 'couple of months old' wiccan...:)
DM.... there are tons of good beginners books out.... I'd suggest
Cunningham's Solitary's guide and Living Wicca, as well as Ravenwolf's To Ride a
Silver Broomstick and To Stir a Magic Cauldron.
There are others, but that's a good place to start.
The next topic to discuss is circle casting...
The only thing you REALLY need is yourself.... (I've got a log of a
class on circle casting where I show you how to cast a cricle all by yourself, no
tools, if you'd like it, type a * and I;ll send it.)
However, there are a few things that make circle casting easier.
[0:01] *
One is salt. You can use sea salt (preferred) or regular salt to
define the edge of your circle.
This helps if you're not good with remembering the edges you
set up.
[0:02] *
Another is a candle, or candles.... I usually just have one, a white
votive, that I use.