Posts Tagged ‘goddess’

‘You can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your child’s. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you’ve become yourself’. – Eleanor Roosevelt

With Mother’s Day only a few days away, we are reminded of the great power and responsibility granted to women to bring life into the world. While the act of pregnancy and giving birth, is a life-altering and affirming experience, it does not a mother make in full. There are many mothers in the world who are loved deeply by people to whom they did not give birth.

These women understand the power and connection to the Divine Feminine. They know that the spirit of the Great Mother lives in every women. To be a mother, is to embody the attributes of love, comfort and generosity, while caring for and honoring oneself. These acts evoke the divine feminine energy, allowing it to it pour forth, nourishing all who enter her space. When a woman lives in this expanse, she lightens the load of the world, brings peace to her family, inspires her friends, and rocks a man to his core.

Inside every woman, Yes, it to you whom I speak, the Great Mother stirs and requests that her presence be known and validated.

• When you look upon someone with kind eyes and smile,
  you honor the Great Mother.
• When you care for another who is ill or down or lonely,
  you are the touch of the Great Mother.
• When you stand to protect another soul and speak out against injustice,
  you are the voice of the Great Mother.
• When you love passionately- the children, the earth, the animals and yourself,
  you embody the Great Mother.

  and

• When your life is rich with the greatest joys you could imagine and you see a child who is hurting and you would trade everything in order to bring them comfort,
  you are the Great Mother.

To all the women who love and care for their parents, their children, their family, friends, co-workers, complete strangers and random people they encounter everyday,
the Great Mother in me, honors the Great Mother in you, – Happy Mother’s Day.

In the wisdom teachings of the Divine Feminine, there are certain earth cycles, which open a gateway between the higher planes of existence and the earth plane. These moments of enhanced connection allow us to view the rhythm and timing of the goddess in her form as mother nature.

We are experiencing one of these magical moments this week, marked as the mid-way point of the season of Winter around February 2nd. This celebration is most popularly known by the Celtic reference of Imbolc. Imbolc, a gaelic word, means in-milk, derived from the gaelic pronunciation ‘oimelc’, meaning ewe’s milk.

While Imbolc is the most well known celebration of this holiday, its origins stem from a powerful universal wisdom teaching known as – ‘As Within, So Without’.

During the barren frozen winter days of early February in western Europe, the celebration of Imbolc was a symbol of hope and represented the good things to come. When surveying the landscape (without), everything appeared bleak, and lifeless yet (within) the dairy animals, hints of Spring were returning as the animals began to lactate and milk began to flow again.

There is a Goddess assigned to this quickening and universally she symbolizes the seeds of life planted (within) the earth and within each person and how when nurtured and cared for, they blossom (without) producing the life affirming milk and awakening of life and hope.

In the Celtic celebration, the Goddess is known as Brigid, also spelled as Brighid. Brigid is revered as the Goddess of healing, writing and prosperity. As a solar goddess, she represents the fire and light that burns within each living being and how when cared for, this eternal light creates inner healing, restores vital energy and stirs life within. She is also represented in the phases of the Goddess as the maiden and the bride. Wise women around the world work with this goddess energy, helping others to launch new projects and beginnings, to stimulate powerful healing energies within the body and perform weddings, as this is the most advantageous day of the year to be married.

Brigid is referred to as the bride, which in modern times is recognized in the form of a young woman being joined in matrimony. This is but one derivative of the wisdom teaching and rituals. The Goddess Brigid is recognized as one of the Queens of Heaven who is being transmuted during this time and reborn. The Wise Woman of Winter, who has journeyed deep within herself during the darkest days of winter, is now ready to emerge and be reborn as the Young Maiden. This maiden carries the hope and promise of new life along with the wisdom and discernment of the wise women, giving herself the gift of intuition, healing, abundance and love. She is a bride of the light, participating in her own unification of this energy in a marriage ceremony of the heart and mind.

Would you like to connect with this energy and connect with the loving energy of the light without and stir this energy within your heart and mind?

There are Seven Sacred Ways to Connect with the Energy of Imbolc and the Goddess:

1. On February 2nd, light candles and lamps in the home to welcome the return of the Light. Yellow, white and orange candles are the best colors to use. As you light each candle, focus your energy with the flame and ask that the light burn clear and bright, bringing clarity to the home, burning off any residual gloom or negative energy within the home.

2. White flowers symbolize the purity within and the promise of blooming to come. Place a beautiful bouquet in the heart area of your home and breathe deeply into the flowers, allowing their essence and fragrance to be experienced by all of your senses.

3. Reminiscent of the milk flowing, sharing dairy products is abundant, the most popular choice being milk chocolate. Hot chocolate warms the body and when stirring the chocolate, imbibe the mix with loving thoughts and warmth.

4. Place a silk ribbon or piece of fabric on a window sill, often referred to as Brighid’s Mantle. It is said overnight, it will be blessed with the healing, intuitive and abundant energy flowing at this time. Use this fabric to wrap your deck of tarot cards, to wrap herbs in or create a special pouch to hold treasured items.

5. Leave an offering outdoors of bread for birds and other small creatures who may be having a difficult time finding sustenance in the barren landscape. While outdoors in the cold, give thanks to the beauty surrounding you. Stand with your feet firmly grounded to the earth and raise your arms in the air, bring the light from above around you and allow it to flow deep within you.

6. Gather the seeds that you will be planting in your Spring garden. Hold your hands over the seeds and ask for the energy of the Goddess within to bless the seeds and nurture them. Take a small quartz crystal and charge this crystal with the same intention. When planting these seeds in the spring, plant the quartz crystal into the earth next to the seeds.

7. Reflect on the seeds of thought you planted in the Fall within yourself and the goals you are affirming in this new year. Ask for the quickening of the seeds within you, that they may blossom and grow. Take a quartz crystal and charge this crystal with the same intention. Keep this crystal on your desk or in a spot where it will remind you of your goals and intentions.

The Goddess in her many forms, teaches by example through nature. Use this time wisely, as it creates a sacred opportunity to plant new seeds of thought in the mind and heart. In the circle of life, there are adversities (within and without), representing a time of darkness and Winter, which are always overcome through the journey. The return to the light in the Spring, offers the opportunity to be reborn and move forward on the path, having learned from the time of adversity. Offerings of gratitude are given at this time to one’s adversaries, as they represent lessons and growth opportunities in disguise.

There is a powerful Norwegian proverb which states: ‘In every woman there is a Queen. Speak to the Queen and the Queen will answer’. As the traditions of the Goddess and Divine Feminine resurge in the light again, celebrate with the seven sacred ways listed above. The powerful life-affirming magic of Spring is around the corner. Should you wish to change something in your life, this is the moment to set that intention and ask for your dream to bloom, grow and rejuvenate!

This Summer on the Bohemian Blog, I created a feature article series dedicated to “Inner Beauty”. It was originally designed to be a brief respite from our busy lives, offering a moment to relax and reflect on the beauty in our world, both natural and man made. These articles have proved to be so popular, that I’ve decided to continue this series year round as I meet more beautiful and talented conscious creators who bring such natural wonders to our world. This Fall, the focus evolves into ‘Exploring Within’ as we delve into the mysteries of the connection between this world and the other side. On this path, I encountered Pamela Wells, creator of Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Guidance Cards. Her work connects every women to the Inner Goddess living within. Join us here as we enter into a sacred space of discussion and exploration.

Kala: Hi Pamela, Thanks for joining me here. You’ve created Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess Tarot Cards, which are described as valuable tools for spiritual seekers, tarot practitioners and women of any age. The cards are based on the major arcana cards of the tarot, with this set featuring 22 goddess cards. What was your inspiration to create this metaphysical line of art centered on women and the goddess?

Pamela: I had reached a transitional period in my illustration and design career where I wanted to pursue creative work with less restrictive design rules. At about the same time I met a medicine woman who mentored and encouraged me to paint and draw what I felt passionate about. One of the first images I painted was the Strength card. The Strength card is mid-point in a majors only tarot deck and suggests inner growth and awareness that evolves over our lifetimes. Strength says, “I wisely use my life-force energy to create and direct my good work in the world.” The archetypal significance or the card represented to me a message of passionate action. I was ready to fully incorporate the meaning of this card in my life.

It was wonderful I had a mentor friend who understood my need to find more meaning and to create work I felt passionate about. Once I began painting, I realized I could be guided in the painting process through my meditation and prayer. All these wonderful synchronistic events unfolded during the creation of the card deck as my faith grew that all would be well even if I didn’t know where the project would lead me.

I created the remaining major arcana cards in a similar co-creative process. What I envisioned was often informed by my own life experience and through inner guidance.

Kala: The cards are available in a gold-framed collector’s set boxed edition which also includes a 120 page spiritual guidebook and a wisdom prayer guide to be used with the cards. What really intrigued me though, was the fact that you also have the cards available as an app for the iPhone and iPod. I’ve had the opportunity to play with the cards on my iPhone and have really enjoyed the experience. I now refer to the app as: “Tarot on the Go”! It’s been very entertaining and enlightening to be anywhere with my iPhone and have a question on my mind and then open up my Goddess iPhone app and ask the question and there are the cards right there, speaking to me. What prompted you to turn the cards into an iPhone app?

Pamela: How the iPhone/iPod format came about was very synchronistic. Martin Adams, the Ceo of Wisdom Titles, invited me to submit the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck. I thought it was a great opportunity to introduce another useful format for readers.I met Martin Adams years earlier through my husband who worked for him at his Anusara Yoga Studio. I had no idea that he had started a new company called Wisdom Titles for ebooks, iPhone and iPod apps until he contacted me through email. Likewise, he had no idea I had created a deck set until we reconnected. In the iPhone/iPod format the deck of cards and book is made available in a convenient any time, any where use. I agree it is great to have when immediate guidance is needed. The only thing the app doesn’t currently include are the introductory chapters of the deck set which we plan to add in at a later date.

Kala: Describe how the process of creating the cards worked for you? Do you work with spirit guides? Does the information come first and then the artwork or do they flow out at the same time?

Pamela: What a wonderful question. The creative process is so important in all areas of life as well as honoring the power of our creative-intuitive right brains. When creating artwork I start with an inspirational idea. The word inspired actually means “in spirit” so I get into a state of mind that can best described as animated creativity. My ideas about imagery for painting come about when I am walking in a remote canyon or local nature trail. Since I am visually oriented I “see” the images as if they were being projected from the back of my eyes to a screen in the back of my mind. So, the process begins with envisioning the imagery for the composition first. Then during the painting process I paint in the symbolic elements and details as they come about naturally. I do dialogue with my spirit guides. I usually contact them in more of a meditation or quite state when I am unsure about something. I usually start with the question “What do I need to know?” During the creative process my guides are co-creating with me!

Kala: How important is it do you think to connect Body Mind and Spirit in all activities?

Pamela: In our culture, we are rewarded and receive praise for doing something even if there is an internal resistance, no matter what we feel or believe, and to just “do it”. Indeed, we become masters of even even doing many things at once (multitasking) in the interests of efficiency and goal achieving. However, the downside of all of this doing is that we often feel burnt out and stressed.This is a life that is driven by quantity.

Another approach is to periodically pause the doing and return to the reason and intention behind what you are doing. When you reconnect to the source of your energies, you begin to call all of who you are into unity. This connection recharges your mind, body, and heart in service of what you believe. So when you resume your doing, there is a more optimal flow of your energy and it can be done more clearly and effectively. This connection of mind, body, and heart (Spirit), is vital to sustaining a life of purpose and inspiration. This approach invites you to the quality of how you participate in activities – “how you do it”. It is what keeps your burning bright and not burned out.

Kala: Your education and background includes working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over twenty years, with an interest in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. How has your career inspired you – and – what you create as an artist?

Pamela: My career has been an excellent source of experience, training and skills which include good communication with clients and an understanding of color and design that help sell a client’s products or services. I have always been interested in business but it has only been in the last 10 years I had the intention to work for client’s who had business interests related to my personal studies in spirituality and transpersonal psychology. Working for clients in the healing arts is when I am inspired the most. It is a real pleasure to bring together my education, experience and training with my passion for transpersonal human development and the evolution of higher consciousness.

Kala: As an entrepreneur, you’ve found an outlet to share your talents with the world. How does what you do for a living also express who you are as a person?

Pamela: I have always been creative and an independent thinker which is rarely encouraged or viewed as an asset in most business settings. Being self-employed I can do creative commercial work for clients and work independently on my own projects without as many creative limitations. Lately I am working with clients who hire me for my unique style and creative approach. Most of my clients now have buinesses in the healing arts or are looking for stylized design/illustration solutions that incorporate an understanding of these markets. My own personal creative focus has been in service to supporting and empowering women and other spiritually inspired artists.

Kala: How would you describe your personal spiritual path? Do you feel that you are continuing the work as described in the past as of the Goddess or walking a similar path?

Pamela: My own spiritual path could best be described as the healing path of the wounded healer. A wounded healer is from a family with a history of emotional or physical abuse. I believe this life path was essential to my understanding of universal lessons that helped me survive difficult times and helped me choose a life of internal power and purpose.

So, through my own life experience I would define an Everyday Goddess as a women who understands and uses her external and internal power to shape her life in a co-creative way with the Divine.

My creative work is part of an evolutionary shift in consciousness of what it means to be a woman. I believe women co-create history with men and can reject continuing to be victims of past history. It is important for women to take responsibility for their own choices, past and present and stand side-by-side with men as equal co-creators for an enlightened future. Part of women transcending victimhood includes taking responsibility for our own evolution, realizing unity with other women, being emotionally rational and standing autonomously without wavering. There is much more I have to say about how women can empower themselves in the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess deck.

Kala: I couldn’t agree more Pamela and this is the time for the return and rise of the Divine Feminine in all aspects. Regarding your work, do you accept custom orders for art? and what has been your favorite product or artwork that you have designed thus far?

Pamela: I do accept custom orders. Most of the art for the Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess cards were custom portraits of friends or colleagues.

My favorite painting is the cover image of the women picking the apple. She is meaningful to me because the archetypal imagery in this composition points to similar themes in all the Everyday Goddess cards. She is rather mysterious and I like that. Surrender into the mystery is the first act to begin to understand the paradoxical nature of the divine feminine.

Everyday Goddess Tarot Cards by Pamela Wells

Kala: Who is Pamela Wells? If your friends and family were to describe you in five sentences, what would they say?

Pamela: I think they would say that when I am inspired about something, I will pursue it with the highest level of steadfastness and commitment. Or maybe they would say jokingly that I am very stubborn! They would say I am curious – a student of life, loving, playful and fierce as a warrior if I feel my loved ones are threatened.

Kala: What advice would you give to someone who wanted to connect more with their entrepreneurial side and start their own business?

Pamela: Follow your heart (intuition, passion and love) in what you create and use your mind (skills and intelligence) in what you sell. Being creative births your unique vision into the world. Selling means providing a product or service to other people that improves their lives. If you can put heart and mind together, you will be doing what you love in devotional service to other people and the whole world benefits.

Know yourself. Have a good assessment of what you can do or are willing to learn how to do. Know what you can’t do well or don’t want to do and budget for them in your business plan then delegate those tasks to an expert. I would say that the most important character traits that one needs are persistence and independent thinking.

Kala: Beyond your work here Pamela, what inspires you? How do you Explore Your Spirit?

Pamela: My work really inspires me because it gives me a creative way to express what I see inside as well as to be of service to others. My creative work incorporates my interest in women’s issues of self-empowerment, self growth and spirituality. I also love to read and learn anything related to travel, transpersonal psychology, integral spiritual practice and human consciousness.

I explore Spirit through my relationship with friends, family and my husband. My husband is a gifted Anusara Yoga teacher, best friend and a loving adversary for heated discussions about the Divine. I also have three dogs who enjoy nature as much as I do, keep me in present time (at least during our walks) and remind me that all is sacred.

Kala: It was a pleasure speaking with you Pamela. Best wishes for your continued success.

Pamela: Thank you Kala. It has been wonderful to talk with you.

More about Pamela Wells:
Pamela Wells has been working as a fine artist, commercial illustrator, graphics and web designer for over 20 years specializing in creative work that leads to greater understanding and awareness. Her design approach incorporates her interest and knowledge in the study of transpersonal psychology, integral transformative spiritual practice and the evolution of human consciousness. Pamela Wells’ creative projects with clients are dedicated to raising the awareness of their customers through their products and services by finding solutions that are proactively engaged in a fast changing world with the clear goal of growing business without compromising personal values and integrity. Design solutions are comprehensive, inclusive and balanced in a time when old, partial approaches and solutions are no longer working in a globally connected and complex world. In the emerging field of digital artwork, Pamela has pioneered her own unique style of painting and won many art awards as well as shown her fine artwork throughout the country. Her digital fine artwork has been published in how-to publications and Pamela has written how-to digital articles for both local and national publications. Her stylized goddess imagery incorporates her interest in women’s issues of self-empowerment, self-growth and spirituality.

Pamela is a professional member of the Society of Illustrators. Pamela Wells’ work reflects a deep compassion and commitment to empower men and women and the ecological preservation of the planet which benefits all living things. To learn more about Pamela and her artwork, visit the goddess fine art gallery at www.ArtmagicPublishing.com or www.Artmagic.net.

In 2009, Pamela Wells authored and illustrated a Collector’s Edition guidebook and card set for women called Affirmations for the Everyday Goddess – Spiritual Guidebook & 22 Wisdom Cards for Contemplation and Prayer. This boxed set is available at New Leaf Distribution, DeVorss & Company or www.ArtmagicPublishing.com. Pamela Wells currently lives just outside of San Diego, California with her husband and their three dogs.

In May during the film release of Angels and Demons, a continuation from the Da Vinci Code movie, I spoke with Margaret Starbird about her book, 14 Steps to Awaken the Sacred Feminine. The 14 steps workbook and guide invites you to form small groups or “circles” to explore your own spiritual journey using Mary Magdalene’s “story” as a template for your own experience and spiritual “journey.” You can listen to the interview with Margaret and I here on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show. The co-author of the book is Joan Norton, a Jungian therapist, and author of the book Mary Magdalene Within. Based on this experience of women sharing in a small group, Joan and Margaret Starbird have collaborated to create this workbook to encourage formation of women’s circles.

Margaret and Joan are now hosting an event at Kripalu with details as follows:

Who was Mary Magdalene? Why was her story suppressed and why must we now reclaim it? Lodged deep in the heart of Christian mythology and the communal psyche of the Western world is the Lost Bride, the Beloved of Christ, whose voice was silenced by those who labeled her a prostitute and sent her, defiled and defamed, into exile. Join Margaret Starbird, whose book launched Dan Brown’s quest and resulted in The DaVinci Code, and Jungian therapist Joan Norton for a discovery of the archetypal journey of the Goddess in the Gospels. Using Mary Magdalene’s life as a template, we will examine our own spiritual growth and development as “chosen” and “beloved.” The weekend will include slides from medieval art that support the view that the “sacred union” of Jesus and Mary Magdalene was brutally suppressed by the Inquisition. Music, artwork, guided meditations, journaling, and in-depth sharing will encourage the awakening of the “Sleeping Beauty” in our hearts and our lives.

More information on the event…. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the art and science of yoga to produce thriving and health in individuals and society. For more than 30 years, Kripalu has been teaching skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. Programs at Kripalu are led by many of the world’s most accomplished teachers in yoga, self-discovery, and holistic health and are designed to provide people with tools they can apply in their daily lives. Program topics include wellness, Ayurveda, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, relationships, meditation, spiritual practice, professional training, and much more.  More info at www.Kripalu.org

Listen to the interview with Kala and Margaret Starbird as they discuss her new book, 14 Steps to Awaken the Sacred Feminine, The DaVinci Code, the Divine Feminine, and Angels and Demons on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show here: http://exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows1.shtml#STARBIRD

Margaret is a Guest Blogger on Kala’s Bohemian Blog, you can read here article entitled  “Mary Magdalene – The Greatest Story Never Told”: http://exploreyourspirit.com/blog/2009/05/14/mary-magdalene-the-greatest-story-never-told/

My one-of-a-kind Goddess jackets, cover-ups and coats are composed of sophisticated combinations of rich, elegant and exotic fabrics and trims, all appliquéd and carefully tailored into timeless, glamourous garments imbued with serene beauty and enchantment.

I specialize in creating luxury masterworks that fuse fashion and art. For the client that requires a special order, a brief but meaningful conversation enables me to incorporate my client’s distinctive style, colors, and symbols. The resulting work of art is meant not only to be worn or displayed, but to promote protection, hope, courage, and joy.

As my work has progressed, so has my interest in how ancient cultures used art and how that might relate to the art coming through me and its place in our world today. My fabric collage paintings are descended from the ancient Persian and Oriental concept that art should be used as a cultural tool to remind us of the beneficial power of Harmony and Beauty—the Divine effects of the creation of art.

I also feel connected to other cross-cultural ritualistic art, especially the mysterious power of the meditative “Tonkas” of Tibet and bur¬mese”Kalagas” of the 19th century, not just because they are also elaborately appliquéd and embroidered hangings of the mythological significance but because, like my work, they are conscious attempts to produce work that is, as André Malraux wrote in the “The Metamorphosis of the Gods”, “Sacred art—art that imposed the presence of another world.”

The central panel of each of my Spiritual Couture garments is made of precious, carefully chosen silks and brocades, velvets and satins, and special ribbons, embellishments and trims. Each is reinforced by the beauty, the rarity, and the uniqueness of the combined variations to imbue each garment with vitality, affirmation and ceremonial intent.

The act of seeing these embroidered mythological gardens come to life is itself a potent form of visual meditation. It creates a condition that is regenerative of our sense of our own possibilities and divinity. When these garments are worn, we can become the essence of The Goddess, and remember our true beauty and power. We can become the deep mystery of ultimate spiritual experience where concepts and explanations are transcended.

My creations are in the collection of many notable women including Elizabeth Taylor, Patti LaBelle, Shirley MacLaine, Oprah, Goldie Hawn, and Martha Stewart and are sold through Bergdorf Goodman in NYC  and my website  www.TheEnchantedWorld.com.

PATTI LABELLE on Amy Zerner’s Spiritual Couture-

“All of Amy pieces are simply divine! None of my words can adequately describe their beauty and uniqueness! It’s as if they speak to your soul! They are definitely healing garments, every time I wear one it is an uplifting experience. Amy made me a special entrance coat to wear on stage and I must tell you…every time I wear it the audience goes wild! I keep my back to the audience for about 5 minutes so that they can get a chance to take it all in. I def feel like a queen when I wear it! Her pieces give me a better understanding of how richly ornamented and special Joseph’s coat of many colors (Genesis) had to be. They are all poetic works of art!”

View Amy’s Spiritual Couture Collection here:
http://www.theenchantedworld.com/productshowcase/productshowcase.php?Subpage_ID=0&Section_ID=12

My lower- priced denim jacket Art-to-Wear collection is created for the customer who wants to display their individuality and interest in fine craft and nature. They are great to wear everyday, or for special occasions. The “enchanted world” on each jacket is richly appliquéd, embroidered, and embellished with beads, trims, and magical details. See them here:

http://www.theenchantedworld.com/productshowcase/productshowcase.php?Subpage_ID=0&Section_ID=11&Subsection_ID=18

In my upcoming blogs I will write more about my artistic process. Thank you, Goddesses!

Visit Amy’s award winning website: www.theenchantedworld.com

Listen to the interview with Kala and Amy Zerner and Monte Farber on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show.

The show airs on August 7th, 2009.

More About Amy Zerner and Monte Farber:

Internationally known self-help author Monte Farber’s inspiring guidance and empathic insights impact everyone he encounters. Amy Zerner’s exquisite, one-of-a-kind spiritual couture creations and collaged fabric paintings exude her profound intuition and deep connection with archetypal stories and healing energies. For more than thirty years they’ve combined their deep love for each other with the work of inner exploration and self-discovery to build The Enchanted World of Amy Zerner and Monte Farber: popular books, card decks, and oracles that have helped millions answer questions, find deeper meaning, and follow their own spiritual paths.

Together they’ve made their love for each other a work of art and their art the work of their lives, with over two million books in print in fourteen languages. Their other best-selling titles include The Chakra Meditation Kit, The Tarot Discovery Kit, Karma Cards, The Enchanted Spellboard, Secrets of the Fortune Bell, Little Reminders: Love & Relationships, Little Reminders: The Law of Attraction, Goddess, Guide Me!, The Animal Powers Meditation Kit, Astrology Gems, True Love Tarot, The Instant Tarot Reader, The Psychic Circle, Wish Upon A Star, The Pathfinder Psychic Talking Board, The Truth Fairy, Spirit of the Ancestors Altar Kit, Vibe-Away!, The Mystic Messenger, The Breathe Easy Deck, The Healing Deck, and The Ghostwriter Automatic Writing Kit.  More info at: www.TheEnchantedWorld.com

“We are not people of the book. We are people of the heart. For the people of the book, know not what is in their book; but are most righteous in their unknowing.” Lady Circe, Queen Mother of the Alliance of the Old religion (1921-2003)

Lady Circe’s quote reminds us that the true witch does not merely espouse from a book written on paper, but instead makes their lives the embodiment of the book. The traditions and practices of the folk witch are not based in mere memorization of lines and adherence to dogma, but involve a whole paradigm about magic, the nature of creation, the spirit world, tapping the power of creation and destruction, and working the laws of the Gods, Goddesses and spirits. For the true witch, the Gods and Goddesses are our parents and we honor them, request assistance of them and even get annoyed with them just as any child does their parents. The traditional witch does not see them as  symbols of anything. They are independent living beings that shape and create our universe and they are our truest family. Because of this, the challenge for the student of a traditional witch is to open their eyes and heart and, at times, close their mouth and look at the whole lifestyle of the teacher including their sayings, lore, customs, prohibitions, etc. We witches live our ways and thus, we are people of heart and soul whose very lives tell the nature of our wisdom traditions.

In addition to this quote, Lady Circe often told me that “we learned to write and became stupid.” In this statement, this wise woman was warning us that the ways of the Craft must be written into our very souls so that we are always witches; able to tap the spiritual forces of the universe and make magic wherever and whenever it is needed. She warns that there is a risk if we simply memorize the contents of our books and quote them as if we really know what they mean and live what they instruct. We are warned not to simply speak the teachings of our Craft, but to demonstrate them in mind, spirit and deed. In this way, we become a beacon to those who see us. For, the teachings instruct us to “live in nobility of mind and purpose.”

As the reader will note in this article, my position is that there were and are living traditions of witchcraft (Northern European and other) in America. I am also clear that these streams originated on other continents (European, Africa and others) and migrated here, synchronized with Native American practices and often grafted themselves onto the skeletal structure of Christianity as a matter of survival and a normal part of cultural assimilation. In my experience, these traditions are almost exclusively oral, are rarely from one specific ethnic or culture stream, and are not religious in their context, though they provide powerful spiritual insights and are often preserved in families. The caveat for the seeker of traditional witchcraft is to avoid looking for elements of mainstream paganism. Traditional folk witchcraft (“Craft”) looks and feels very different than modern Craft, though modern versions incorporate some elements from the older forms.

My contribution is as an individual who has learned and lived a living folk magic tradition and has learned modern tradition as well. It is not intended to be an academic article, but is intended to stimulate the thought processes of the reader on the nature and existence of traditional witchcraft and other folk magic practices. It is also my sincere hope that those persons reading this article, who think of themselves as witches yet often do not believe that witchcraft is anything other than a modern construct, will re-consider this position. Modern streams of the Craft give us innovation and bridge the gap between the folk ways and modern culture and this is an immense contribution to the collective of witchcraft teachings. However, the modern neo-pagan movement is only revisiting and revising an older practice. So, I pray thee lovely witches. Believe in thyself for you stand upon the shoulders of generations of lore, customs, practices, and yes – tradition.

Witchcraft and Magic in Folkoric Tradition

For the sake of clarity, my use of the term “folkloric” refers to traditions steeped in “folklore”. Webster dictionary defines as folklore “traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art forms preserved among a people.” In this article, folkoric magic refers to a branch of magical knowledge that deals with folklore. I have chosen to commit my work to the preservation of and continued work with, folk-based Witchcraft (from a specific hereditary line to be described in this text), southern folk tradition from Virginia with later influences from the deeper south and Appalachian and other streams of Faery tradition. It is important for the reader to understand that folk practices are central to all cultures and preceded formalized temple-based and other magical traditions that were or are more connected with the political structures of a society. In this way, one could think of folk magic tradition as “the mother of all magical traditions”. I am sure that there are old traditions of Witchcraft and magic that were preserved through grimoires, diaries and other written documents, but that kind of tradition was not a part of my experience except in modern traditions. Also, though all cultures have folk magic practiced by the nearly everyone, these cultures also have gifted people that are trained in deeper aspects of the tradition and the persons are the witches and conjurers that are the subject of this article. They are the carriers of tradition that keep the fires of folk tradition burning.

On the Quest for Folkloric Magical Tradition
This article presents my journey into folk magic and traditional craft. I am also presenting the reader with insights to consider regarding the unique elements of these forms of magical tradition that differ greatly from the modern approaches. This is not to discredit modern traditions in any way, but to illustrate and honor the “original settlers on this new world of magic” and to provide a generalized roadmap for the seeker of these ways to use to inform them on how to find and recognize folkoric Craft.  The seeker of older traditions will have to consider certain elements that influence the appearance and accessibility of these traditions such as the following:

•    From what culture did the tradition originate?
•    From what economic class did the tradition originate?
•    How did the tradition immigrate to America?
•    Where did the people carrying the tradition settle?
•    What was the prevailing religious persuasion of the area where the tradition originated and where (and when) it settled (ex. Catholic, Protestant etc.) in America?
•    What were the laws of the area regarding heresy, witchcraft, divination etc and how punitive were/ are they?
•    Were there other cultures with magical traditions that lived in close relationship to the tradition through its formative years in America?
•    Is there a traditional role for the primary carriers of the tradition in its culture (here in America) such as a conjurer has in the south?
•    Who are the primary carriers of the tradition in the respective culture or family (i.e. men, women, 7th sons etc)?
•    Are there specific customs about who receives the teachings and how they are transmitted?
•    Is there a specific term or title to describe the practitioner? For instance, the words “pagan” or “witch” may be offensive.
•    Are their customs regarding secrecy or how the carrier of the tradition is approached for information?
Considering these items can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the quest and the quality of the findings for the seeker. They will also influence the closeness of the relationship to the teacher since any disregard of them could lead the seeker into unintentional disrespect to the teacher and the tradition. All of these elements color the subtleties any stream of folk magic, since all of the streams in America have been influenced by immigration, migration and the evolution of American culture. Folkoric traditions can be subtle and elusive at times, so the seeker of these ways will need a lot of patience.

My Roots in Folkoric Magical Tradition

There are two major streams of folkloric magical tradition that have shaped my life, though I have been initiated (for lack of a better term) into and honor other traditions as well. These primary streams originate in “living folk tradition,” meaning that they are a part of family and community practices that do not originate with a person. Rather, they evolved from ethnic and cultural groups over long periods of time and influenced by migration patterns and other cultural shifts..

Southern Appalachian Folk Magic

These practices include the following: a) Irish, Scottish and some elements of British folk magical practice; b) African practices from the slave trade; and c) localized Native American practices and lore. In my homeland of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, the accumulated practices and traditions of this stream were simply referred to as “conjure” or “working”. This area is rife with both Appalachian folk traditions and Southern folk magic. This area is on the fringes of the Southern currents of Appalachian culture and includes both the old Celtic and British practices of the “mountain folk” and the folk magic preserved by African slaves. These practices primarily involve five modes of magic:

1)    Working with the crossroads spirit called the “Dark Man,” “the Dark Rider” or “the Stranger”     who opens and closes the road to magic and grants favor to those who know how, when and where to approach him, feed him, or “pay” him for the work to be done. This aspect is primarily African in origins, but historical representations of witches in the England, Ireland and Scotland also reference meetings with “the devil” at the crossroads. This suggests that this practice may herald from multiple cultural roots. However, the devil mentioned is not the Christian hellish entity, but is a threshold being that guards the door between the worlds of humanity and spirits.

2)    Simple magical workings such as cleansings, blessings, curses, herbal lore, fire magic and “charming” (mostly amulets, bags, and specific spoken spells for healing). There is also a lot of cursing and protection magic in this stream of practices.
3)    Graveyard magic to work with ancestral spirits for varied purposes such as love, protection, cursing, healing, advice, etc. This form may use many methods from “dusting” or the use of graveyard dirt for various uses to the construction of a soul pot to entreat, feed and collaborate with the spirits of the dead.

4)    Interpreting “tokens,” which are signs associated with pre-vision, also called the second sight or the “veil.” This stream of lore and practices is specific to family blood lines that have the veil in it. My family was one of these.

5)    Practices for opening and maintaining contact with, and the favor of, spirits such as “the little people” (Fairy), ancestral (the dead), angels (God’s messengers) and the “spirit” or “maker” (God). In this tradition, spirits are everywhere and everything is influenced by them. The conjurer has the skill to work with them.

For clarity, I have developed a sub-section of the material later in this article discussing Faery Seership, which draws from a specific stream of Southern Appalachian folk magic.

The lore, techniques, and practices of Southern Appalachian magical teachings came to me orally from my biological mother, who received it from two primary sources including a woman that my siblings and I lovingly knew as Ms. Granny, a freed slave who mid-wifed my mother’s birth. She lived well beyond 100 years of age and was deeply respected and revered by my family. My mother was born in a slaves quarters on an old plantation outside of Winchester, Virginia. Other sources for this material were neighbors and other friends in the Valley and in West Virginia that shared their knowledge with me. It was always made clear to me that some of this “stuff” as my mother called it came from the slaves while others came “over on the boats” with her family from Germany as well as from the families of other people in the region that heralded from British, Scottish and Irish roots. This blood was highly honored in my culture as was Native American blood, which was highly concentrated in my family on my father’s side. My mother, sister and I were born with the “veil”, a placental sheath on the eyes of the newborn that indicates the “blessings” or gift of spirit sight. Being exposed to these practices throughout my formative years tuned me into the subtle nuances of folk tradition and magic in the context of culture. For many years I paid little attention to the power and sacredness of these practices as they were simply a part of what you did in the normal course of events in life.
Interestingly, there are also elements of Celtic and African magical practice fused with Christian practices in Southern Appalachian tradition such as the laying on of hands, praying to God for conjure (the power to do a specific magical working), the use of prayer clothes, the use of a form of baptism used by conjurers to bring their students into the spirit world, charms and spells that often have old Pagan names and Christian ones such as the charm to staunch bleeding:

By the blood of Adam sin was taken.
By the blood of Christ, it all was taken; and
By that same blood, I do thee charge
That the blood of (insert name of person bleeding),
No longer run at large.

This “charm” as they are called is used to charm away bleeding. People who have these charms are called “charmers,” a term that shows up repeatedly in Celtic, Manx and other old European cultures and, interestingly, 200-300 years after immigration to American in the Southern Appalachian practices. However, sadly, it is my understanding that the charmers in Appalachia are now dying out and there are few of them left.

There are also other Celtic magical practices within my family such as the making of “prayer water” which is water collected from a running spring and prayed over at dawn. This water is then used to anoint or bless a person so God’s healing power can help them. It is well documented that Celtic magical and mystical traditions long revered wells and springs for their magical powers as access points to the underworld within the land.

Faery Seership

There are forms of magic and a body of practices in the Appalachian material that works specifically with Faery and otherworld beings. Given the heavy influence of Irish and Scottish culture on Appalachian culture, this would be a given. Faery traditions have long figured prominently in the supernatural landscape of Gaelic cultures that are well documented for their mixed bag of fear and reverence for the little people or “Gentry.”

The material I received was not taught in some formal style. It was simply practices that were passed on in informal chats, stories or as they seemed appropriate to specific situations. Often, I would meet older folks in the family or community who would disclose that they knew I had the veil because it runs strong in my family or they could “see it over my eyes” (referring to a technique used to assess the presence of second-sight in an individual). I rarely heard the word “magic” used. Instead, the word “work” was used most. I suspect this was to avoid stigma. However, some folks, who were fundamentalist Christian, or just plain staunch, called it witchcraft, superstition or the devil’s work.

I expanded upon this material through academic research of recorded folk tradition, which I further developed through contemporary practice and technique development based on traditional elements. These folk practices center in on where the spirits live, how to contact them, how to understand their ways, how do deal with them when they are harmful, and how to secure their favor. There are many types of spirit beings in this tradition. Some of them are what we think of as “fairy.” Sometimes they are referred to as “the Little People” or “Sidewise Folk” (meaning sideways) or simply as “Them.” Occasionally, but very infrequently, the term “fairy” was used. Primarily, these beings affect luck and health. There are also other beings in the tradition such as “Grey Ladies,” “Grey Men,” “Lights,” “Hants,” “Devil Dogs,” “the Woods Folk,” and “Boogans.” They lurk around corners, in the shadows, on dark roads, and other twilight places and always live close by to humanity. These beings can be harmful or helpful and the conjurer or “worker” knows how to approach and work with these creatures for help, harm or simply to get rid of their influence.
My first exposure to this work was as a child watching my mother leave food for the little people to assure their presence and blessings. She was clear that “these folk were here before us, they mean us only good … but they must be cared for as family or they get mad and make things bad.” Mixed into this lore was work with the ancestral dead and “hants” (or haunts) that live at specific places. Things that are often considered events in modern culture are considered personages by the conjurers. For example, death is both an event and a being like “Old Man Death” or “Mr. Death” who comes by and gets you when it is your time to die. Even God, often simply referred to as “the Maker” was a being you talked directly with as a direct contact.  In short, the spirit beings of Southern Appalachian practices are not “energies” or “symbols”, they are personal neighbors that live “in a secret hidden room” just next door to our world and they interact with us all the time. Now, the confusing aspect of these practices was identifying the Celtic and African elements from each other. This is particularly true in the crossroads work, which calls upon a being that shows up in the folkoric witchcraft of Northern Europe and the magical practices of African tradition. This cultural fusion is common throughout the American South where African and European elements have intertwined and fused together with American dialect over centuries of exposure to each other.

I remember my mother hanging iron nails or pieces of bread over the crib of my nieces to keep the bad spirits at bay. All of the practices centered on a constant relationship with the spirit world to turn the tides of luck in your favor. They are direct, active, constant and organic. The conjurers (when that or any name is used to describe them) are uncanny at best and often avoided unless you need their help, which you pay for with money.  A lot of the lore and practices described by Reverend Robert Kirk, who wrote in his 1690 treatise entitled The Secret Commonwealth (the seminal text on Gaelic Faery practices) bear general resemblance to the Appalachian to practices to which I was exposed.

In the early 80s, in addition to this material, I received information from a hereditary witch from Essex, England that included material on working with the Fairy (the British spelling), including a body of lore and practices called “mill magic.” Mill magic involves opening out the inner powers and potencies of a place through visionary and movement processes. It also works with opening the hidden doors of nature through which the spirits bring and take life. These mills open out inner power from the ever-present crossroads or “grey paths” that lead into and out of our world. One might look at these paths as the circulatory system of the planet, which carries energetic life-blood from the heart of the planet outward into the surface life of our world. The heart of the world is the molten core that burns at the center of the land is also known as “the Star within the Stone” in folkloric witchcraft.

Interestingly, a primary custom in this work is that after the techniques for mill magic are passed on, the teacher and the student must never be in communication again. In fact, my teacher said, “Once I pass the mill to you, I am dead to you.” It is my understanding that this custom was only used when the material was passed outside of the bloodline family for it broke and age old taboo. In folk tradition, there are often strange customs like this that occur. They also tend to involve how, when and where certain teachings or techniques can be given. So, the seeker of these ways needs to be aware of the unconventional. They also need to understand that they (the student) dictate nothing about what they get and how, when or where they get it. This is often a challenge for American students.

I call this collective body of all of these practices “Faery Seership” to place emphasis on the development of second sight and other intuitive and subjective skills that allows for human-to-spirit contact and work. This form of magic promotes the idea that spirits are everywhere and involved in all the affairs of humanity and the natural world.
The folk elements of the Faery Seership are found in the practices of Appalachian tradition and include stories about the “little people” and other types of uncanny spirits that live in the woods, graveyards, mountains, streams and at the crossroads. Work with the ancestral dead and the “little people” is intertwined. Often the boundaries between the two types of spirit beings are blurred and it can be difficult for the outsider to ascertain where one stops and the other begins. There is a great deal of bleed-over between the African and European elements in this form of magic. Some of the general forms of magical practice that are a part of Faery Seership include the following:

1)    Graveyard and home-based ancestral magic including how to contact the dead and work with them.

2)    Lore about different types of spirits, where the spirits live, what they do and how to secure their favors.

3)    Recipes for teas and other herbal preparations to open out the spirit sight.

4)    Techniques for conjuring power from the land through specific movements and use of voice intonation that differs for men and woman.

5)    Techniques for awakening the second sight for persons who were not born with it.

6)    Techniques for healing, blessing, cursing, clearing and conjuring spirits and spiritual forces to a place or a person.

7)    Techniques for opening the grey roads, which are the haunted paths between this world and the spirit world. This is often done at in-between places such as graveyards, crossroads, woodland clearings, etc.

In Reflection

I remember when I first came to the Witchcraft. There was all this talk about “the book,” a written compilation of rites, teachings, practices and lore that extends from the extant past. I also remember the many discussions and debates between often self-aggrandized Elders, High Priests and High Priestesses over who had the “correct” book, thus deeming them as “the real thing” and the most valid witch, or of the most credible witch lineage. At the time, I bought into this notion and discounted the southern Appalachian folk tradition of my cultural roots to sit at the feet of whoever seemed to possess the book. I did this for many years and learned many wonderful intellectual concepts that appeared very coherent, organized and thought provoking. But too often, I found it lacked that spark or ring of truth that usually accompanies teachings and practices based in actual “living tradition.” Thanks to the guidance of dear friends like R.J. Stewart, I reclaimed my roots and re-integrated the many magical practices and philosophies. I learned and lived from my teachers, parents and overall culture living in the fringes of Appalachia. In fact, it is from these deep running roots that the tree of Faery Seership grew.

Hereditary Traditional Witchcraft

The line of Hereditary Traditional Witchcraft that I learned and continue to carry was influenced by Scottish, Irish and Italian cultural elements and was originally preserved in a family context. The most influential of my teachers in this line was Lady Circe of Toledo, Ohio, was a 5th generation hereditary witch and the first person in her family to open her teachings to people who were not “of the blood” (i.e. not blood related).

It may startle the reader to hear of a folk witch using the term “Lady” as a prefix to her name. However, Lady Circe, like many hereditary witches, somewhat discounted the importance and completeness of her teachings and incorporated elements from modern Wicca and Western mystery traditions into her practices, thus allowing a more systematic approach that could bring people who were not members of her family into the old magic.  Since, by its nature, tradition is a living, changing and organic entity, these elements were not removed, but considered elements within the tradition.

In my encounters with other traditional lines of witchcraft in America, I  found that the phenomena of synchronizing modern practices with traditional ones was a reoccurring theme. In the 1960s and 70s, the modern Craft movement brought forth systems that were very organized and guided by structured books of teachings. This was very impressive to many of the old style traditional witches, like Lady Circe. Most “blood-born witches” are humble people who have great power. They tend to honor and cherish their tradition but not to hold it as more impressive than any other. Because of this, they are often open to learning other things which, of course, presents a challenge to an amateur anthropologist like me who try to get to the root practices of their family tradition. Indeed, it was an adventure and a process working with Lady Circe to delve into the subtle innuendos of her teachings and retrieve their roots and meanings.

However, those of us who knew her well, and loved her deeply, saw her as family, friend, mentor and role model in the richest, most profound ways. She was mother, grandmother and great grandmother to all of us who received and closely followed the teachings of this loving, patient, elegant, alluring and profoundly wise witch. To me, in the depths of my heart, she was “great grandma” as well as Queen Mother. Though Wiccan elements came into our great grandma’s teachings in the 70’s, the core tradition remained traditional and hereditary witchcraft; a tradition of family where tradition is thicker than blood. So, the use of “Lady” came much later. And, though she was (and is) indeed a lady in the truest meanings of the word, she was so much more. The closeness between the teacher and the student in the traditional ways, far exceeds the concepts of mentor and guide. It is an irreplaceable blending of spirits and sharing of the hidden ways of sprit known only to those “who have eyes to see and heart to hear”.

Often this process involves a type of “weeding out” of other influences to identify the core tradition and practices. It took a great deal of time and effort to work with this incredible woman and tease out the traditional hereditary elements of her practices and beliefs because they were often subtle and so incorporated into daily living that discussing them as a “teaching” was  a foreign concept to her.  I was fortunate that my Lady Circe was honest and forthcoming about this synergy of old and new. Many teachers are not. Instead, too often they try to pass on the whole of their practices as old and traditional which, in the end, erodes the integrity of the teacher and the material. In my view, this type of practice is what has called the historical validity of so many Witchcraft traditions into suspect. In retrospect, I am so very grateful to Lady Circe for her honesty. This allowed me to get to the root teachings of this true old line hereditary witch.

Her Craft roots draw from a family folk magic tradition that, at a minimum, extends over a hundred years in the United States alone. Much of her tradition is taught in the form of rhymes, recipes, practices and simple charms and spells .Her teachings are elegantly simple but profoundly complex in the simplicity. There were many unique elements to how Lady Circe originally received her teachings and power within the Craft such as the following:

•    She received her power through the breath of her paternal great-grandmother. This happened in 1921 when Lady Circe was born “still-born” or dying. Her paternal great-grandmother named Mary literally snatched her away from the hospital and then brought her back again – healthy and thriving. She said, “I gave this child my breath and now she is mine.” Mary, a woman of 1st generation Irish decent, was known to be strange and was considered a witch by the family.

•    Mary ensured that there was constant close proxemics between her and Lady Circe through her younger years. Lady Circe always slept in bed with her teacher at night, a custom frown upon since old people were seen to draw life out of younger ones. During this time, Mary would tell Lady Circe things and show her magical practices.

•    When Lady Circe was still young, Mary took her to an area behind the wood shed where the woods met the clearing. She left her there for hours (some versions of the story say, overnight) and instructed her that she would tell her more when she returned. This practice of leaving the student witch at an in-between place to encounter the spirits is a classic aspect of folkoric magical tradition.

•    Much of the power of what occurred between Mary and Lady Circe did not come into being until after Mary died and Lady Circe began puberty. This is also a classic element of folkoric magic, where the full power of the teacher passes at death and magical or intuitive abilities awaken at puberty.

As with many folk practitioners, magic was simple, direct, practical and potent. She never taught from a book, but directly through experience, wisdom rhymes and stories, lore and example. In these teachings, the Gods are not symbols and magic is not merely a mental game. Rather, the Gods and Goddesses are real, pre-human beings and are our true family. Magic is the mechanism by which the ancient beings who established the order of the universe (known in our tradition as “the Old Ones Before Time”) bring about creation, destruction and regeneration. The art of magic was given to humanity by Faery people, also known as the “Children of the Dawn” or “the Elder Race,” when they mated with humanity in the earliest stages of creation. Witches, as our tradition understands them, are those who carry “the blue blood,” which is the blood of that co-mingling of species.
This blood is the traditional witches’ mark that marks one as having the propensity for magic. During instruction and initiation, the blood is awakened and the old power opens out of the would-be witch. Otherwise, it lies sleeping until awakened. Inherent in this philosophy is the belief that the propensity to be a witch is genetic. If this ability awakens without proper training it can be deeply disturbing and even harmful to the blossoming witch. The tradition sees a witch as a special type of being that exists betwixt the human and spirit worlds. Initiation into this magical stream of work ultimately happens through constant exposure to the teacher or, as we say, “I touch you and your blood remembers.” So, if the propensity for being a witch is in the student, then it will be awakened through contact with the carrier of the tradition.

Now, as another point of clarity, in folkoric witchcraft, the techniques and the “blood” are not enough. The would-be witch also need spirits passed on to them. In modern tradition, this would be described as “inner contacts.” This passing on of contacts includes what is termed as the “passing of power” that occurs in Wiccan and other Craft traditions.
The rites and workings taught in this form are not complex and the symbols are obvious and simple in their reflections of natural truths. It stresses simplicity, or as Lady Circe often said, “If you would walk the witch’s way, observe with care the child at play” and “Never loose the magic you were born with; for children are the true witches.” These sayings stress the simplicity of our ways and gently warn us that we must not overcomplicate the purity the witch’s craft. Traditional Craft and the other forms of folk magic that I address in this chapter have a practical nature that is tied to everyday life. They also have an inherent truth and power about them because they are based on longstanding relationships of people or groups of people with the natural and spirit world.

The traditional witchcraft I learned incorporates seven general modes of magical practice:
1)    A direct and constant relationship with the Gods as your parents or original ancestry. The deities and spirits are not seen as distant beings, but as a constant presence in our lives. They have specific names which vary from tradition to tradition based upon cultural roots, immigration patterns and synchronized elements of Christian influence. Often the names are colloquial, slang or a set of descriptive words like “the Dark One” or “the many-footed walkers.”

2)    Development of the ability to “tap the power,” which allows the witch to work magic. This power flows up from center of the earth, which we call “the abyss,” or down from the stars. This persuasion of traditional Craft rarely speaks of raising the power out of our bodies other than to gift it to the Gods. Instead, we harness, focus and charge the power we call from the abyss and the stars..

3)    Simple spells and rites for healing, cursing, love and protection as well as herbal lore, incense/potion making, tree and stone lore, using the power of these objects to accomplish specific aims.

4)    Techniques and lore for living in harmony with nature and its associated spirits, spiritual truths and rhythms.

5)    Techniques for developing intuitive/psychic skills (the sight) as a tool for communicating with subtle forces such as the Faery, the deities, nature spirits and the ancestors. These skills also allow the witch to understand and interpret the ways of our Lady of Fate.

6)    Transmission of inner spirit contacts through apprenticeship, initiatory power and specific rites of making. This is a hallmark of old line witchcraft for it involves an introduction of the inner spirit contacts of the teaching witch to a student witch.

7)    Ancestral reverence and magic using altar and hearth work to honor and work with the spirits of the dead to aid our magical work and guide us from the other side as intermediary spirit beings.

The original rites for induction into this Craft were simple and direct since it was usually passed on from one family member to another. They involve such practices as taking the student to an areas considered “in between” such as a graveyard, a place where the woods and the clearing meet, the seashore, or other transition points. The student places one foot in one area (such as the clearing) and one foot in the other area (such as the woods) and is then left there for a period of time from midnight on to be inducted into the spirit world. Other elements of the tradition include the use of mirrors for conjuring and witch name known by other witches, as well as a spirit name only known by the spirits.

When Lady Circe went public as a witch, she developed formal initiatory rites that were less folk-based and were used to bring people into her witch family or “house.” It is interesting to note that the concept of “Karma” was not used in her teachings, though there is a saying that came down in the family that “the toucher is touched,” inferring that whatever we touch, touches us back. This saying embodies an implied warning that whatever magic we work, will touch us back … so we should be mindful.

Defining Traditional Witchcraft

Now that the concept of “tradition” seems to be the in-thing in the modern Pagan communities, it is important to define what is meant by this concept when used by Traditionalist Witches. However, there are concepts which I, as a Traditional Witch, feel are core to understanding traditionalist Craft. These ideas are mine and I do not present them as any way universal. Rather, they are food for thought and, indeed, it is a sad day when witches are unwilling to think beyond their comfortable familiar patterns and challenge themselves. Therefore, I invite you to at least entertain some of the concepts laid out in this writing and subsequent ones in this column as food for thought when pondering the definition and scope of Traditional Witchcraft.

An Anthropological Fact

There have been and always will be persons in communities who are recognized as witches, conjurers, root doctors and other colloquial names for practitioners of localized folk magic and mystical traditions. The names change with the culture but the concepts, core practices and societal role remain the same. Across cultures and races, this person is feared and revered. They tend to live at the edge of society and practice fertility magic, seership (including contact with the dead and localized spirits and deities), healing of humans, animals and plants, cast spells and conjurations, and are wise in the inner ways that maintain harmony between humans and non-humans (including animals, plants and unseen beings).

The Roots

Our traditions have been transmitted primarily through family lines, orally in stories, techniques, lore and practices. This material has been written down over the last couple of centuries in recipe-type books not necessarily called “grimoires,” though I guess they could be termed that now. These traditions have come down in way that appears fragmented, though they are not at all disjointed at the core. You see, in the old days, the Craft was not a religion – it was a vocation, practice and role in society. And, the “circle” was, as Lady Circe taught, “a secret meeting place” for the secret society of witches.
Today, we have gathered up these elements and teachings and systematized them. I think this will help preserve these ways, since most of us live in neither the society nor the family of origin and thus must re-construct an environment conducive to practicing and maintaining the Old Craft. Old streams of Craft in America have been influenced by migratory patterns into and across the United States. In fact, those of use who are “Southern witches” may have received, through initiation, primarily European practices that also have some African elements in it. This is an indication of authenticity, not eclecticism.
Traditions did not just arrive in an American vacuum. Rather, they have been influenced by the wars, economic strife, and cultural synergy of America. Those of us who grew up in the states that were involved in the African slave trade of the 1700s and 1800s were exposed to African magic and teachings incorporated into our cultures as well as to European magical practices. We also see that, all over the United States, Native American elements have also merged with European and sometimes African elements. These multi-cultural variants were not intentionally synergized. This happened over long periods of time and exposure. This is why they work. The modern practice of taking a little of this and mixing it with a little of that because ones likes it that way is not an element of traditional ways. In some parts of this country, we also see elements of Christianity and secret societies (Masonic, Oddfellows, etc.) synergized into the magical practices.

A Tradition?

In this era where anything that is practiced more than once is being termed a tradition, those of us who are preserving old traditions and practices are greatly challenged. It is my belief that, a practice does not become a tradition until it is tied to a culture, family, locality or race and is maintained over a long period of time. Traditions tend to grow out of cultures, land-bases and/or cultural synergies over long periods of time that give them their depth and inner potencies. Traditions tend to be a preservation of the ways of our fore-mothers and fathers and are time-honored practices and beliefs. A tradition encompasses a body of clearly defined beliefs and practices that also include attitudes, paradigms and philosophies. They cannot be transmitted by a book. They must be transmitted by a type of contagion wherein the student is hearing the words of the teaching, feeling the presence of the teaching in the attitudes of the teacher, and integrating the teachings into practices through direct experience and continued exposure to the teacher. Really, Traditional Craft is like a culture in itself. Perhaps as many years (even centuries) of time pass, the newer Craft practices will gather the inner power and practices that I would define as “traditional.” I believe this has already begun.

The Commonalities Across Traditions?

After decades of study and practice of folkoric magic and traditional witchcraft, I have identified certain commonalities in traditional folk-based Craft tradition. Out of this, I have found certain elements which I consider to be fundamental parts of authentic folkoric Craft traditions. I have listed these (see below) as a checklist to assist the seeker in finding and identifying folkoric magical traditions. The caveat is that this checklist is an outgrowth of my experience and is not intended to be definitive or tested in an academic or research manner. I have called this tool the Folkoric Witchcraft Checklist and I hope it proves helpful to the reader.

Orion Foxwood’s  Folkoric Witchcraft Checklist

The following list provides core elements that tend to define older or folkoric Craft traditions from modern constructs. This list can be used by students seeking older forms of Craft to determine whether a particular line of teachings are based on folkloric or old lines of witchcraft, or not. The more items that are present in the identified system, the higher the chances that the proposed line is old, or at lease based on old concepts.

1)    Is there a focus on ancestral reverence and collaboration with the dead through ongoing and active engagement practices such as altars, rites and techniques? (NOTE: once a year on October 31st does not constitute a folkloric line).

2)    Do the teachings focus on magic as an intrinsic part of everyday life? This includes daily practices incorporated into food preparation, eating, gardening, bathing, employment, sex and love, morning prayers, etc.

3)    Are magical tides as guided by the moon, seasonal and earth changes focal in the practices? Large rituals with lots of tools are not a part of these practices. Instead the work is direct, in nature (or in a graveyard), and often includes practices that are performed daily or at regular intervals.

4)    Is there a focus on the transmission of inner spirit contacts as a part of apprenticeship, especially as the teaching witch is dying?

5)    Is there synchronization with mystical Christian elements? If a tradition has no Christian elements in it, it is probably re-constructed and not old. There is no way that lines survived, in pure pagan style, without incorporating such elements as a normal part of synergy and survival.

6)    Do the practices include the use of rhyme and gibberish (also called the “spirit tongue”), which is a form of conjure that occurs when the human is taken by the spirit?

7)    Does the teacher prefer mentorship rather than structured classes? This involves working directly with the witch or conjurer to see how things are done and how they feel when they are working. Many traditional witches (me included) have begun to teach in a structured class format initially, but prefer to move that to a more traditional mentoring style.

8)    Does the teacher understand and teach that “the power” comes from the spirits or is being loaned by a deity. The concept of “personal power” or what I call “privileged power” is a modern convection.

9)    Does the teacher use a type of binding oath to ensure fidelity and safety performed through oaths, simple rites of binding, and promises made to the spirit world?

10)    Does the teacher, at some point, provide a formal introduction of the new witch or conjurer to the world of the spirits? This introduces the student as a student and member of the family in the spirit world.

11)    Does the teacher provide instruction on both baneful and blessing magic? As we say in the southern tradition, “we works with both hands,” which means that the witch and conjurer can help or harm with their power. Traditional folk magic teaches that a worker must be able to do both to be effective at either.

12)    Does the teacher transmit their teachings orally in the forms of stories, songs, dances, magical practices and lore and usually in non-classroom, living situations, like informal discussions or “doing the work?”

13)    Does the teacher use of folk-based language to describe the work instead of intellectual, modern terms. For example, the spirits would never be called “energies” by a folk witch.

14)    Does the teacher feel that the ability to perform magic is a genetic one that travels in families? It is not a trait that all people have, though all people can perform simple (but effective) forms of magic.

15)    Does the teacher use folk names for God or the Goddess/God that describe their function such as “the Maker”, “the Black Bitch”, “the Stranger”, and “the Weaver”; instead of specific names like Diana or Pan? This is not always the case, but occurs a lot as you move out from the cities into the country.

16)    Does the teacher use graphic initiatory rites instead of symbolic ones? These rites are usually simple but potent such as burial in the ground (a graveyard in the old days), being bound up in vines to become re-veined into the green world, standing at an in-between place such as a crossroads, island seashore, or where the woods meet a clearing.

17)    Does the teacher use special names for the witch or conjurer that is given at initiation or by the spirits when they are “made?”

The Challenges of Finding Traditional Folkloric Witchcraft

I must warn the seeker of these ways that finding a teacher and getting them to teach can be a challenge. One of the greatest challenges is that a folk witch may not even know that what they have is of great value. Below, I have listed a few more of the challenges. This list will help tune the seeking student into some of the subtleties and sensitivities related to seeking, finding and studying folkoric witchcraft. Considerations include, but are not limited to the following:

•    The student is not entitled to the teachings. The sharing of teachings is an honor and the seeking student must approach with respect and humility for the teachings and the time of the teacher.

•    Again, there may be no grand books or grimoires and you may or may not be allowed to write down the teachings. They may be shared gradually with an expectation that you will memorize them and be able to recite them back when requested by the teacher. As my teacher often said, “what is spoken fades away, but what is written may hang you some day.”

•    The teachings may have no formal name beyond things like “the ways,” “the path,” “the hidden road,” “conja,” or other informal attributions.

•    The teacher may not use the word “witch.” This word or the use of the word “pagan” may be offensive.

•    There may be specific ways that a student is to request teaching. This may not be known to the student but is a deciding factor for the teacher. Yes, this is unfair, but it is a cultural nuance. The seeker does best to approach with a gift as specific to the culture of the teacher as you are able.

•    The teacher may under-valued their material as “stuff.” They may have embellished it with new, modern material. They also may embellish stories initially to test the student’s commitment and ability to hear “what is not said.”

•    The teachings are more than practices, they involve a whole paradigm which requires the student to look beyond just what you do into how you think, feel, relate and experience.

•    Many of the teachings will be hidden right in front of you

•    The teachings may be highly treasured as a remnant of the old ways, from the old country and not available to just anyone who wants it.

•    There may be specific prohibitions about how the information is given. For instance, maybe it can only be taught to the opposite sex. Or, maybe it can only be given once and when it is given, it may be required that all contact with the teacher be broken.

•    In order to pass on the teachings, there may be a requirement of a type of adoption as a child of the teacher and/or their spirits.

In Conclusion

It is time that seekers of the ways of the witch’s Craft understand that that they walk on a well worn path trodden by many countless centuries. There are many fine modern traditions that offer many insights. There are many old traditions that offer roots and re-connections. I challenge our movement not to neglect the roots of the witch’s tree while expecting the leaves to flourish. It is time that respect be given to the Elder Faiths. I hope to meet some of you, the readers, and hear about your quest and your findings. We will know each other by the voices in our blood.

“For, witches without fuss or bother, when chance to meet, never fail to know each other.” (Lady Circe)

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More About Orion Foxwood:
Orion Foxwood was born with the second sight in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, an area rife with the folk practices of the southern and Appalachian tradition. He lectures in across the United States and the U.K.

More info at: www.foxwood-temple.net/

Listen to Orion’s Interview on The Explore Your Spirit with Kala Show here: http://exploreyourspirit.com/Media/shows1.shtml#FOXWOOD