Magick Circle: Questions!

This is a brand new section!

Since I started this website, I have received sooo many questions from people interested in Paganism, Wicca, and the craft. I realize that there needed to be some kind of open forum. So I'm going to be dividing this system into 2 sections: the first will be a Pagan advice column, the second will be an open forum. The open forum is not going to be open for a little while longer. The advice column is ready!

This column will be updated according to the frequency of questions I receive. All questions will be posted anonymously. The questions will go to the email address circle@magickcircle.org. This is a group of eclectic pagans who meet on a weekly basis. Our group contains Pagans from many paths and experience levels, including Wiccans, Native Americans, practicioners of the Celtic traditions, Asatruar, and many ecclectics. The poster will receive all feedback on their question. I will only post a summary to the site if the thread gets too long.

The advantage of sending the questions to a group are many. With so many experiences and areas of knowledge, we can give much better answers than just one person. Second, there are so many ways to do things. It may be helpful to have more than one outlook.

Archives will be kept!

To ask a question, email circle@magickcircle.org.
Anything you ask may be posted on this site (unless you ask us not to). We will omit any identifying information (names, home-town, etc).

December, 1999

thanks for reading my letter

Dear Zelda,

I admire the fact that you are choosing to study our ways. Let me see how I can help you out. Being Pagan is quite a big decision and not one to jump into lightly. So I'd recomend that you do your reading! There is a book called "Teen Witch : Wicca for a New Generation" by Silver Raven Wolf that may help get you started.

Now, my dear, I am not going to do a love spell for you and this is why. It is against the Wiccan creed to ever cast any spell that could 1) hurt yourself or someone else or 2) interfere with someone's free will. Also remember that all your actions will come back to you 3-fold. So everything you do has a consequence (multiplied by 3). Love spells can be very very dangerous and I really don't believe in them. I'll explain why. Let's pretend that I give you directions for a really powerful love spell and R falls madly in love with you. So let's say that things start out great! But now R loves you blindly and obsessively. Remember, you've cast a spell. He may respond beyond his own will. This spell can be done powerful enough that whatever happens, all he knows is he has to have you. Now we are in a situation where you could get raped, or he could do something stupid like hurt himself or someone else if he gets jealous that another boy likes you. The most common result of a love spell is that the spell caster gets to a point where she would like a little break from the boy but he wont leave her alone and she can't get rid of him for anything.

I know how hard it is to like someone when they don't like you back. But real witches who have been practicing all our lives, know better than to mess with a love spell. They are more trouble than they are worth. Let's try a different kind of spell instead. Remember that a love spell messes with someone's free will and that's against the rules. We never do harm. But let's do a beauty spell instead.

A beauty spell can work to make you more attractive to members of the opposite sex and that doesn't hurt anyone at all. The cool part about them is that they don't necessarily make you *look* any different, but others will perceive you as prettier, cooler, funnier, etc.

So, here are my recomendations:

I want you to wait until the New moon. In North America, the next new moon is December 7. Between now and then, I want you to meditate on the results you want and think long and hard about it.

That night, take out a peice of paper and draw a picture of yourself as a goddess. You don't need to be a good artist. You just need to do the best you can. While you are drawing, keep visualizing yourself as a goddess. When you feel like you are done, fold the paper up and set a magnet on top of it. Now, I want you to visualize yourself as the magnet! Imagine people just drawn to you and always adoring you and wanting to be around you! Now light a white candle and say "By earth and by fire, by water and by air, I am a goddess from my heart to my hair." Sit for a minute meditating on this spell. Take your paper and the magnet and put them in a safe place. Now every night before you go to bed and every morning when you are getting dressed, repeat the phrase "By earth and by fire, by water and by air, I am a goddess from my heart to my hair." Do this as often as you need and for as long as you want!

Good luck kiddo! And please, if you feel like you want to cast spells, you should really understand the basics of witchcraft. Get a copy of the book I told you about!

Brightest Blessings!

Aimee

January, 2000

From: George

Hello,

I don't know where to start so I'll just jump in with my question .....

I've felt a calling towards Craft Religon since I was little. I've read many books and put into practice what I've read. I've met a few very few in this town) people who said they were teachers or in a coven and ave written to a few covens via snailmail. My question is: I haven't found anyone that in my heart I believe to be sincere, true, real? (or never received a letter back)and therefore become very frustrated and end up stopping only to be called back again and go through the same thing. I eel inside, in my spirit that this is what I am "supposed" to do. I do not ind worshipping alone and I do ask to be lead...now I'm rambling. Do you ave any suggestions?

Thanks for your time

George

To: Aimee (for George),

Poor guy. I know just how he feels. Here's my 2cents -- ok, on rereading, I think it might be a nickel...

If he hasn't met the teacher or comrades that he seeks, he should not despair. It's just not time yet; he should be persistant, but patient too. She moves in mysterious ways, as the song goes. I remember being frustrated that I couldn't find the right people, and being forced to explore magick and the Craft by myself. I wouldn't trade that solitary, beginning exploration for a decade of training under the combined tutelage of Victor Anderson, Starhawk and Aleister Crowley. When I finally "broke through", the group was perfect for me at that time. Trust Fate, but don't wait for them to come to your door.

And nature quests are wonderful -- Is there a forest nearby? Seek the God and Goddess there, in the leaves and the mud, in the forms of the animals, the trees, the stones. An ocean? They are there, too, in the power and sensuality of the waves, the forms of the birds and fish and creatures of the deep. One does not need a teacher to show the way to Them.

Magick is pure desire wrapped in symbolism. Remember being a kid, the sorts of "weird" things you did to make things happen, or mark important events? Or maybe just the things you dreamed about doing but never did 'cause Mom might think it was weird or Satanic? I used to make potions with flower petals and leaves in water, and almost dug up my pet mouse's skeleton to use it's skull in a necklace that I thought would protect me and make me magickal. (Wish I'd had the courage to do that.) You don't need someone to teach you magick, you just need to remember that instinctive wisdom. The soul knows how to make things happen. Books are good, a teacher better, but nothing equals playful experimentation. Just follow everybody's cautions until you *know* better.

"But ya got to have Faith." :)

Sister Cyn

February 28

Hi (I wont reveal my name),

I am 15 years old boy and a pisces. I have been interested in in wicca since I was little. But I find it hard to do anything remotely wiccan openly since both my parents are devout christians and consider anything remotely unchristian is the will of satan.

I was once caught reading a fairytale book called magicians and faeries and was grounded for a month and was not allowed to borrow any books from the town library ever again.

I have been able to practice small acts of witchcraft in secret however. eg, I trapped an evil spirit in a jar that was threatening myself and my friends (two of them are interested in witchcraft themselves). I don't know whether you know the spirit, his name is Bo (a b encircled with an o).

I was just wondering, how might I Be able to go about summoning a storm to bring rain on the land around the town I live in. the weather pattern El Nino has been thrown off course by global warming and is no longer bringing rain to the area I live in. I live in Central QLD, Australia.

Also, I was wondering about the circles around the moon you see on a full moon on a cold winters night. What wiccan signficance does this have?

From
Storm54_

P.S. - During a ceremony on a cloudy night at a junction of three roads where I called up my elementals, A rabbit - earth , a wedge-tailed eagle - air, a dragon - fire, and a fish - water (it started out as the two fish of pisces, but merged into one fish). I was with another person, one of my friends interested in wicca, and two more looked on in their own magic circle.

I was transferring power from my wand to my air elemental, and trying to identify the spirit that was bothering us (Bo).

One of the people in the separate circle, who appears to be able to see and hear spirits on the physical plane, noticed a hole open in the clouds above me. There was no light in the hole in the clouds (although it was a full moon). She said a black light came down from the clouds and stopped behind me. The light then went back to the clouds and the hole closed.

Where the light had been was a purple fuzz (like the stuff you see on an out of tune T.V.). It took the form of a person and copied the gestures I made. When th ritual was finished, the fuzz faded away.

I was standing at the west and my friend was standing at the east.

Could you please tell me what was happening.

Dear Storm54_

Be very careful about trying to catch spirits in bottles. I'd recommend that you stay away from trying to manipulate forces like that until you've had more experience and better training. It's always good to start with simple stuff. I know how much more exciting it seems to want to play with evil spirits.

First, I can really identify with your upbringing. I have very devoutly Christian parents, myself. I never fit in with their faith. But it works for them and as I've grown older I've learned to respect their beliefs. Those beliefs work for them. Personally, I have a very different calling and way of worshipping the God and the Goddess.

If you seem to be having trouble with spirits bothering you, then make sure you're doing a better job of casting your circle before you start ritual work. The preparations for the ritual are very important and not to be taken lightly.

To begin with, you need to ground and center yourself. Cleanse yourself and the other people in your circle. Sage works well for this, but if you don't have sage around, just spritz some water on yourselves. You need to be sure that you go into ritual space with both feet on the ground. Wipe out any spiritual "dust bunnies" that may be lingering around. If you go in with your head in the clouds, you're asking to be messed with.

Next, take your broom, sword, athame (ritual knife), wand, or finger and "cut" your circle. Take care to banish any forces that wish to cause harm. You don't want to clear *everything* out though. Neutral and benevolent energies should be welcome to stay around. Just wipe out the mischief makers and trouble causers.

Secondly, I wouldn't recommend putting spirits in jars. That literally has explosive potential. "Spirits" are generally misdirected energy. It's much more effective to give the energy back to Mother Earth. Bind the little bastard if you need a guaarantee that it will cause no more harm. Then dump it into running water or fresh soil. The Earth has a way of renewing everything and nuetralizing that which is a problem. Let Her do it rather than bottling the thing up. Goddess forbid that the energy you've trapped in that bottle should ever get out (like the bottle breaks). It's going to be pissed!

Good Luck and Goddess Bless!

Aimee

March 7, 2000

From: anonymous

hi..why is it when you say the word craft or wicca that everyone says it is evil? some say it's evil and some says it isn't...can you give me an honest answer? thanks

Hi!

An honest answer? Well, the best I can do is say that people tend to fear things that they don't understand. The Christian faith teaches its followers that anything that isn't like them is evil and of the devil. Since the Craft has little patience for such attitudes, it becomes a threat to Christianity. The best way Christianity can keep its people away from religions such as ours is through misinformation and fear. If they make their people afraid of us, then they don't risk losing members, plus true "Christians" will try to hurt us, assuming that we're evil.

It's not my intention to Christain-bash here. But I assume that if you're asking for an "honest" answer, you will understand if I'm not completely politically correct.

Aimee

March 29, 2000

Rocking6string

Dear Rocking6string,

Gee, I can certainly understand your frustration. I know that a lot of magick related things seem to spout on for days about "Goddess Engergy...bla blah blah", and they tend to look very feminine.

However, most neopagan belief systems are very concerned with balance. Any over-femininized info you see is hopefully more of a reaction to a very male oriented society rather than a reflection of the Craft.

The Celtic tradition is actually very male oriented. I mean what can be a more male mental image than a bunch of whiskey-swillin' Celts playing with big swords and getting drunk!?! LOL! The Asatru (Norse) tradition is almost completely male biased. Wiccans can tend to be a bit sexist on the female side but the tradition itself teaches a balance and need for both God and Goddess. The Goddess is useless without the God and vice versa!

I would advise letting Crowley gather dust on your bookshelf for a while. Crowley is an interesting guy but I don't know that his ideas are for beginners. He's quite hard to read and I don't necessarily think that his ideas are that well founded. Get some experience under your belt first, before delving into Crowley.

My friend, DarkWyccan has a nice site on Goth Paganism. http://www.waningmoon.com/ . Since its written by a guy, it should be helpful. Stuart Ferrar is a very well known Witch and author who passed on recently. You can pick up his books and there is much info about him online. Also try the WitchVox... it's a great resource: http://www.witchvox.com/wvoxhome.html

I suppose I should probably defer further explanation to some of the men in our group. Basalt, Michael, Eric, Mark and Nick are a bunch of pretty "butch" men that may have a lot better responses to this than I.

Brightest Blessings to You!!!

Aimee

... and to that, Eric responded:

> Dear Rocking6string,
>

> The Celtic tradition is actually very male oriented. I mean what can be a
> more male mental image than a bunch of whiskey-swillin' Celts playing with
> big swords and getting drunk!?! LOL! The Asatru (Norse) tradition is
> almost completely male biased. Wiccans can tend to be a bit sexist on the
> female side but the tradition itself teaches a balance and need for both
> God and Goddess. The Goddess is useless without the God and vice versa!

Well, I can't imagine Amy thought that I would let this go by. You see, this is wrong -- Asatruar agree that "any religion without the feminine is halfway to atheism." In the ancient terms: the male and female deities are equal. But Asatruar aren't particularly concerned with the balance of it all, either. My gods are not useless without the goddesses. Nor are the goddesses useless without the gods. They're all individual entities with their own (sometimes overlapping) ideas, desires, powers, and fates. And depending on what you feel is powerful, the goddesses may be more powerful than the gods. Or the other way around.

If you plan on studying "being a guy", expect a lot of responses like the one above, if you decide to study mainstream Wicca. You'll find many more kindred spirits in the Celtic or Norse pagan communities. Since you wrote to our website I'll assume you're a teen, and be aware that many groups won't let someone under 18 attend without a parent or guardian. If you spend your youth studying, and show up after you're 18 with your head sharpened, they *will* be impressed.

If you enjoy websurfing and collecting information, check out

http://altreligion.about.com/

This area is separate from their Wiccan area (paganwiccan.about.com) and contains links to Celtic and Asatru (Norse) groups. If you have any specific questions, especially about Norse heathenry, feel free to email me at xxx@xxx.xxx and good luck.

Eric

July 16, 2000

From: melissa

I've recently decided to become wiccan..... It's just I. Don't Know how... My best friends mother is a witch that's how I found out about wicca. I don't want to ask her because I'm Kinda shy. Can you tell me a spell for courage and tell how I become wiccan

Hi Melissa!

Well, to start with, I would certainly seek more information about Wicca or any religion or spiritual group before making any commitment to it! Wicca is about a lot more than casting spells.

First, if you know a more experienced practitioner and your gut tells you that she's someone who you can *trust*, then she may be an excellent resource. That courage you need will come from inside you. I'm sure she'll be willing to share with you. Again, before you decide to join any spiritual group, you should fully understand it.

The internet is a great place to gather information. http://www.witchvox.com is a wonderful source of articles, events, and information. Telling you how to "become wiccan" would take a lot more than I'm prepared to cover in this email. It's not just something you "become" but a path you choose. It can be a difficult path so I wouldn't make the decision lightly. You will be going against the stream of regular society and that can be very tiring. So do some exploring! Witchcraft is a path that entails constant learning and much work.

There are some excellent books out there for beginners. Try starting with Silver Raven Wolf's "Teen Witch" which you can get at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or most sizable book stores. "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practioner" by Scott Cunningham is also good for beginners. But please read the *whole* book!

There are other considerations too? Are you a teenager or an adult? It can be very difficult for any age to commit to the Craft if their family wont support them. This is one of my personal struggles and I've chosen to keep this choice from my parents. But I'm also an adult. Think about how your family may react if they see things that they dont understand like pentacles or candles.

So to recap: start by exploring and reading. You need to get information. If you feel comfortable, talk to your friend's mother. But if the things she tells you don't feel right, she may not be an appropriate mentor. So see if her advise coincides with the information in the books I've recommended. Read. Explore! Meditate. This isn't something that will happen overnight but gradually. And most of all - don't forget to have fun!

With brightest blessings! :)

--Ames