Brightest Blessings!
The Witchcraft Dawning Newsletter will be conducting a general
education on Witchcraft for the next couple of mailings.
For this Newsletter, we will address the general principles of
Rituals, Magick and Spells, as well as some information and ideas on
the upcoming Sabbat: Lughnasadh.
This newsletter will come in two sections because the GetReminded
server says it's to long... go fig :)
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Magick is the art of diverting and influencing the original path of
energy currents. When performing a specific magickal act, the person
or group is attempting to alter or influence the possibility of an
event happening (or not happening). In other words, magick is an
attempt to influence chance through the will and energy of the
performer. While it is the Mind that shapes the energy, the energy is
still the basis of the magickal working, just as it is the basis of
everything.
Since it is the Mind that shapes the energy, magick is neither good
nor evil, positive nor negative. It is the use of the power that
determines the polarity. An example to consider here is a hammer,
generally used as a tool to drive nails into a piece of wood for the
purpose of building a structure. If one chooses to use the hammer to
whack another person in the arm, it is the person using the hammer
that has determined the negative focus of energy. The hammer is a tool
and obviously does not have any say in the way it is wielded.
Therefore, "there is no Black Magick, only Black Souls" (Markus).
A ritual is a focused mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual
ceremony to either honor or thank you're chosen deities, ancestor, or
to perform a specific magickal working. Rituals are designed to unify
all aspects of our being and from the unison we draw our greatest
abilities; neither separating the aspects nor gathering them in pairs,
but pull the trinity together. Obviously this is not an instant
achievement and takes much practice, but the complete unison is the
ideal.
Rituals can be performed at any time: either weekly, during Full or
New moons (or any phase), called Esbats, or on specified holidays,
called Sabbats, which fall on the seasonal quarters and cross-quarters
(as defined the Equinoxes and Solstices).
During magick rituals the performer extends personal mental,
emotional, and spiritual energy, spoken aloud or to oneself, written,
drawn or even danced. To be effective, spells should be clear,
concise, focused, and emotional intent. The focus of intent must be
present at all times to bring any spell to a successful culmination.
Many say the "Need" must be present for a spell to work. This is not
entirely true. One who is determined will be just as successful; the
idea of "need" is the Cause of the determination. Truly, need is a
more effective way of building determination, but it is hardly the
only way. Unfortunately, power lust is another big builder. The
principle is that the words, motions, and thoughts cannot be of the
"going through the motions" attitude; emotional involvement is
necessary (hence, "need" makes a very effective motivator). You need
the energy and belief that your magick is going to work in order to
most appropriately focus the energy.
For best results, (Markus interjection: *smile* sounds like the
directions on the side of a cooking box, "for best results, marinate
in a spicy cajun sauce and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 mins" --
*cough* sorry) various forms of ritual preparation are very helpful.
Taking a ritual bath, meditation, or both, can help to cleanse your
body and mind in preparation for the proper focus of your ritual and
magickal energies. For ritual baths, many people use some type of
cleansing spice or mineral; for example salt on a washcloth. Some
people focus on certain colors that are relaxing for them during
meditation. Whatever manner of mental centering works for you, that's
the best one. Indeed, meditation is just not for some people, they are
just to fidgety (for example, my girlfriend, who can't sit still for
her life even if she tried *smile* -- Markus), and that's okay. This
allows your mind, body, and soul to prepare for the event. You "tune
in" to the psychic channels required and "tune out" distractions such
as stress etc.
Magick is always secondary in a witch's life, the primary aspects of
their life are just like the "normal" persons, consisting of eating,
sleeping, working, and having fun. A witch's time is committed to
benefiting life! (This does at times include using magick to benefit
self.) Magick is a tool with which a witch promotes and benefits
life. Wiccans use of magick is secondary to their worship of the Lord
and the Lady (the God and Goddess). Traditional Witchcrafters
concentrate on their primary purpose of benefiting life and reverence
of ancestors to which their use of magick is secondary. We will point
out that not everyone wields magickal energy with high moral or
ethical standards (we'd be extremely naive to believe that). The
majority of the magickal people do wield the energy within an ethical
boundary.
Article by,
Sapphire SunDove
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Part 2: Lughnasadh
The Wheel of the Year holds several purposes, both theological and
practical. Theologically, the story of the Wheel often varies
depending on the Tradition. The Wheel gives the accounts of the
mythological events that repeat throughout the year as well as a vague
"history" of the Gods and Goddesses involved within the pantheon. For
the newbies, by "Tradition" we mean "denomination"; for example
Wiccan, Celtic, Druid, Native American, etc. On the more practical
side, the Wheel trains us to be able to deal with death and the
inevitability of re-birth that follows. Paganism teaches that death,
a natural function of the universe, is a part of life; a dramatic
change that is the beginning of a new experience, and something to be
celebrated at the proper time not feared (not condoning Suicide!)
Through the ideas of Heaven and Hell, Christianity teaches a deep fear
of death, and this spurs our society's horror of death. We are always
trying to find new and improved ways to beat death, but we will never
succeed. It is sad our society portrays death as such a terrifying
experience; we would certainly have less emotional pain and suffering
in the world if death could be seen as what it is: a transformation,
nothing more.
In this section you will find a rendition of the upcoming quarter of
the Wheel of the Year. Included will be the mythological lore and
some traditional practices for the celebration, along with some ideas
for activities and decorations.
*Date/Name:
August 1, 1997 holds the date for the next Sabbat: Lughnasadh
(pronounced "LOO-nahs-ah"), or Lammas, begins the last quarter of the
Celtic/Pagan year.
*Background Information:
Lughnasadh is the beginning of the grain harvest, and the harvest
season in general. The importance of grain to life is depicted in
almost every pantheon on Earth. The preparation of the grain is
symbolic of the life cycle. The growth, havest, and sown seed
directly mirrors the life, death and rebirth of all life. The day of
the festival was originally on the first day of harvest, even if it
varied from year to year. Alternately, when the sun reaches 15
degrees Leo, usually around August 5th, Old Lammas was celebrated.
This Sabbat can also be known as: Lammastide, First Harvest Festival,
Old Lammas, The Sabbat of First Fruits, Ceresalia (Ancient Roman for
the Grain Goddess Ceres), Festival of Green Corn (Native American),
Feast of Cardenas, Thingtide, Elembious, Cornucopia (Strega), Harvest
Home, Feast of Bread, and August Eve. Various spellings also include:
Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa, Lunasdal, or Lunasa. The most common
name is Lammas, meaning "loaf-mass," taken from Anglo-Saxon dialects,
while Lughnasadh means "The funeral games of Lugh," referring to the
games he hosted in honor of His foster-mother Tailltiu.
*Meanings:
Lughnasadh celebrates the first harvest of the year, which typically
produces grain and early sprouting fruits. It is therefore typically
associated with the Sun Gods and Agricultural Goddesses. In modern
times, Pagans do not (usually) harvest their own foods, not since the
invention of supermarkets, but this does not negate any of the meaning
of the celebration. It is a time of thanksgiving and sharing, not
only of physical subsistence, but of knowledge and spiritual growth as
well. With the passing days, remember the warmth and bounty of Summer
in the food consumed, and remember that nothing in the universe is
constant.
It is a time to take a break and enjoy the fruits of your labor, as
well as a time of health and erotic energy. It is considered in many
traditions a taboo not to share food and thought with others. Natural
energies are geared toward prosperity, abundance, and good fortune, as
well as career, financial gain, and health. On an additional side
note, all four Quarter festivals were seen as being times of a
weakening in the "veil," the boundary that separates the physical
plane from the spiritual plane; "crossing over" was easier, as well as
magick workings more potent.
*History/Mythology -- Celtic:
There are many Traditions that celebrate this Sabbat differently and
it would take a book to add all the Sabbat Lore, so we will
concentrate on two of the most popular areas: Celtic and Wiccan.
Lughnasadh is named for Lugh (pronounced "Loo"), the Irish Sun God.
The four Celtic Fire Festivals vary greatly in celebration customs,
often by tribal regions, however, the religious theme remained
consistent.
Within Celtic traditions, the masculine principle is sustained through
the cycle of birth, death, and re-birth, while the feminine principle
holds immortality. The Triple Goddess goes through the metamorphosis
of Maiden, Mother, and Crone because of her maternal longing to create
and sustain life. The Goddess sustains the God by never allowing Him
to reach old age. In the cycle, she is the Mother who gives him
birth, the Crone who teaches him, and the Maiden who becomes his
lover. This is not an act of incest as many people chose to see, but
rather symbolic of the shifting seasons and transformations we all
take on during our life. From the unison of God and Maiden Goddess,
comes Tanist, the God’s other self.
At Lughnasadh, the Maiden Goddess "betrays" the God and gives herself
to the son, Tanist, who is the God of the dark half of the year. No,
this is not like the God of Good and the God of Evil, rather a
division of the years daylight patterns: one God for the lengthening
daylight, and Tanist for the half of waning daylight. With the Maiden
Goddess, Tanist will sow the seed of rebirth at Lughnasadh, that
allows the God to be reborn again at Yule. Lugh, the God of the Light
half of the year is not killed, but rather the ability to grow is
taken from him. In ancient times the stolen growth aspect was
symbolized through the maiming of the king. The king was tied to an
oak tree by his hair with one foot on a cauldron and the other lashed
to the back of a horse or sow (both which are representative of the
southern quarter and symbolic of the Goddess). The horse or sow was
sent from under him, causing a tear through the genital region and
destroying his fertility but not his life. His life was not taken
until just before Samhain when Tanist began his reign.
The seeming betrayal is not out of hate or disgust but rather out of
the love the Goddess has for the God. The Goddess will give rebirth
to the God at Yule and he will rise to slay his rival at Bealltainn.
This battle of light and dark keeps the seasons in balance, as well as
the cycle of birth, death, and re-birth.
During the Bronze Age the God King, the predecessor of the High Kings,
was elected to serve for a year and a day, where after that time, he
gave his life in sacrifice and honor of the Goddess, as well as for
the welfare of his people. The King's physical incarnation represents
the fertility of the land, which has ceased when his fertility was
taken; a theme that is found within all Celtic mythology. In later
times, this maiming was discontinued and the feast of Lughnasadh
began. A feast by Lugh in honor of his foster mother, Tailltiu.
*Mythology -- Wiccan:
Lammas resides in the month of the Barley Moon. At Lammas, the Wiccan
rendition of the Wheel of the Year, portrays a mysterious weakening in
the God (which is associated primarily with the Sun). The Sun rises
further to the South each day and the daylight shortens. The Goddess
watches in sorrow, realizing Her mate is dying, but is also joyful in
the knowledge that he grows in her womb to be reborn as Her child.
The Wiccan Goddess retains the Trinity aspect of Maiden, Mother,
Crone, but there is no Tanist to present a rivalry for the God, nor
any betrayal of love for the Goddess to commit. The Mother gives
birth to the God, the Crone teaches him, and the Maiden becomes His
lover and He becomes His own father. When He dwindles and dies, He is
reborn at Yule, when the sun starts to grow in strength again, and
daylight lengthens once more.
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Apologies for the third part... this server kept saying I exceeded the
maximum limit. I guess they expect people who don't do any work on
their newsletters to use their machine. They guessed wrong... and
without further delay, the final section of this weeks newsletter.
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*Decorations and Activities:
Traditionally, the first grain is baked into a loaf of bread and
offered to the Goddess on the alter and/or eaten ceremoniously. Berry
pies are often baked to honor the sacrifice of the "Green Man," the
spirit of all vegetation, whose death promises a bountiful harvest the
following year.
Necklaces of corn seeds were traditionally made, both as decoration
and a practical way of storing seeds for next years sowing. Also Corn
Dolls were fashioned from the last sheaf of grain which was cut by all
the harvesters together. The would all stand away from the stalk and
throw their sickles at it, the one who cut the stalk was honored later
in the feast. Corn Dolls are sacred to the Crone aspect of the Triple
Goddess. Corn Dolls can also be used as a fertility amulet, charged
with energy during ritual and can be used as centerpieces for the
alter, representing the Goddess.
A very easy and fun decoration is the Sun/Corn Wheel, made to honor
the Sun God of the festival (which ever it may be). Wire coat hangers
(or anything) are fashioned into a circle, and the corn husk is
attached to the perimeter. Ears of corn are connected from the
perimeter to small wooden disk that rests in the middle of the circle.
Wrapping extra husk around the outside of the wire circle, using
glue or thread to bind it, and leaving some dangling decoratively
improves the appearance even more. Try to keep the hanger hook to
hang the finished product by. Another variation is the Corn Man
Wheel, made in a similar manner, but with five husks to resemble the
five points of the pentacle. (Greatly resembles a wire wheel with
corn husk spokes.)
Rhibo, a traditional Welsh game, is another (previously) common form
of celebration. The pairs of people line up facing each other and
link hands, creating a "bed" with their arms. A person is laid across
the bed and tossed into the air, just as grain is sifted. This game
was most likely a agricultural lore, designed to ensure a large grain
harvest the following year, by sympathetically mirroring the
activities that are in the final sections of harvesting the crops.
Wiccans often hand bake bread and use it in ritual as an offering to
the God and Goddess, and then consume it with thanks during the "Tea
and Cakes Feast" afterward. Sometimes these loafs are fashioned in
the shape of an ear of corn or wheat, symbolic of the harvest and work
done to bring the food to them.
Also very appropriate to plant the seeds of fruit consumed during
ritual. If it sprouts, tend it with Love and a representation of your
connection to the Divine.
Other activities include: Horse racing (in water if possible, a rain
lore for the following year); visits to lakes, wells, and/or orchards;
mountain climbing; bonfire meetings to exchange learned lessons and
stories.
*Symbolic of Lughnasadh:
Foodstuffs: Beef, broccoli, cherries, spinach, any type of early
berry, corn, potatoes, homemade bread (particularly wheat, oat, and
especially corn bread), berry pies, barley cakes, nuts, apples, rice,
roast lamb, acorns, crab apples, summer squash, turnips, oats, and all
grains.
Drinks: Elderberry Wine, Mead, Ale, Meadowsweet Tea, and Cider
Colors (for those who work with Candle Magick): Red, Orange, Yellow,
and Gold. Also Green, Light Brown, and Gray.
Stones: Yellow Diamonds, Aventurine, Peridot, Citrine, and Sardonyx.
Animals: Roosters, Calves, and Pigs (sows in particular)
Mythical Creatures: Griffins, Basilisks, Centaurs, and Phoenix
Plants: Corn, Rice, Wheat, Rye, and Ginseng.
Herbs: Acacia Flowers, Aloes, Cornstalks, Cyclamen, Fenugreek,
Frankincense, Heather, Hollyhock, Oak Leaves, Wheat, Sunflower, and
Myrtle .
Incenses would includes: Aloes, Rose, Rose Hips, Rosemary, Chamomile,
Passionflower, Frankincense, and Sandalwood.
Article By,
Markus
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Finally Done!!! Thanks for your time all... we are looking for some
feed back on the newsletter. i.e. What you like, what you don't like,
what you haven't seen that you Want to see, and your over all opinion.
Just a few words from all 30 subscribers would be nice if you
wouldn't mind. It will help us improve the information standard
greatly. Please email one of the editors below... thanks in advance.
~Markus
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Edited by, Ralph Melancon
ralphmj@hotmail.com
&
Markus
Witchcraft Dawning Webmaster
http://www.oocities.com/CollegePark/4885/index.html
witchdawn@hotmail.com
               (
geocities.com/collegepark)