If you haven't guessed i'm sooooooo very happy! My Winteroak is back, my heart is overjoyed and and my eyes are full of tears, Welcome back my Dearest One, xoxoxo!
One of the most basic spells of the Fire Element, Flame Control serves to bring the caster or the target into a state of greater affinity towards the element of Fire. This opens the pathway for more potent magical effects to take root. This is one of the first spells learned by a Fire Mage, and, as such, can naturally be performed on a whim once the caster has mastered it. Flame Control is merely a gateway to the many series of other spells depending on what the caster hopes to accomplish: absorb the Fire, destroy the Fire, make the Fire grow. The possibilities are literally endless, all depending on what the caster's intentions are.
Flame Control over all has one real intention and that is to give the caster control over any certain amount of Firecár'áll that he wishes, making this spell's power endless and immense if done by a skilled enough mage with enough cár'áll available to him.
Spell Effect. Flame Control ultimately produces a very simplistic effect. It simply embraces the very nature of Sphere 1, causing the element of Fire to become more dominant within a target. Fire ounía are intensified, and the target takes on more properties of the element of Fire, such as growing warmer to the touch, perhaps taking more aggressive qualities, and so on.
At higher levels, around II or III, the mage can use this ability on a global level, increasing temperature and the traits of Fire in the area around him. As the spell has often become ingrained by these levels, this effect almost certainly forms around a Fire Mage when they begin casting their spells-the air grows warmer, perhaps even slightly blurred, and so on, aiding in the casting of complex spells by making the Fire ounía more prominent and thus easier to focus on.
Some magi keep this effect around them at all times, though this is often disturbing to the people around them.
Casting Procedure. The mage focuses on the Fire ounía in a target, which can be himself, another person, or even a global area at higher levels. Once focus has been attained, the mage concentrates on increasing the intensity of the Fire ounía, bringing them to the forefront beyond any other element. In general, the Fire Mage does not necessarily draw on any single property of Fire, as that would complicate the spell beyond what a learning student is able to manage.
Focus must be maintained to keep the effect lingering, but this focus is fairly light and most level II and above magi can maintain it on instinct. By level III or IV, Fire Magi are often able to cast this spell by a simple fleeting thought.
Target. The target may be any object the caster wishes. At first training, usually only a single target is concentrated on, but once the mage becomes more familiar with the spell, multiple targets or even everything in a local area can be affected.
Reagents. Any object that generates a natural warmth aid with this spell. Torches, naturally warm areas, burning stones, and similar materials are most often utilized.
Range. At first level, touch is required. As level increases, the range, obviously, also increases, generally several peds at level II, and up to a dash or two at the most advanced levels.
Casting Time. Anywhere from a half-minute or minute at first level, and quickly increasing to only blinks as the student advances.
Duration. As long as the mage focuses. Only light concentration is needed, and many learned magi of levels III or IV and higher can keep this up indefinitely on basic sub-conscious instinct.
Similar spells exist from the other elements, so the natural countermeasure is obviously a competing ability from other magi, such as Area of Frost from the Water school. One of the more important aspects of a mage duel is controlling the field of battle - the one who can win control of the environment by making their element dominant is often at a great advantage.
The best part of these spells is that they require no supplies. You only have to walk outside, raise your hands towards the sky and say things aloud. For that reason, you should probably choose a secluded area so that crowds of people don't gather to look at the crazy person yelling at the clouds.
Bring Rain
Stand outside, lift your ..."adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" id="KonaLink1" oncontextmenu="return false;">palms toward the sky and say aloud:
The ancient Gods and Goddesses, I invoke thee. The water from the sky, Let it be. I command you now, To you all. Listen to my desires And let rain fall!
Prevent the Rain
When the sky begins to get cloudy and dark, walk outside and lift your hands towards the sky. Say the following aloud:
Gods and Goddesses of power, Gods and Goddesses of might. I bid thee now, Stop this plight. Stop this rain- We do not need more. Let it fall nevermore.
The rain will move on to another location before it falls.
Snow Day Spell (call for a good deal of snow)
Magic can't make it snow in the middle of the summer. It can't supercede the laws of nature. But if the weather is already cold but not enough snow has fallen to get you a day off of work or school, stand outside, palms to the sky and chant the following three times:
Work thy will, ..."adlinkMouseOut(event,this,2);" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,2);" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,2);" id="KonaLink2" oncontextmenu="return false;">Goddess Hecate, I am calling upon thee To let the snow fall In piles so tall. Snowed in shall I be, Bring this to me.
Create a Breeze
Stand outside, raise your hands to the sky and chant the following aloud:
The Gods and Goddesses of the sky, I call upon the elements of the air To bring the winds and blow in here So it may be.
Bring on the Sun
Stand outside, raise your hands to the sky and chant the following aloud:
Goddess Sol, bless and decree Allow the sun to shine on me. I call on the element of the sun So that I may leave and have some fun.
The four elements of nature: Earth, Air, Fire and Water are the very foundations of creation and the basis of life itself. Ancient myths and theories tell us that four Divine Beings 'Spirits' were sent to the fledgling earth (then a smoldering pot of confusion being created), to bring about order out of chaos. As the rays of their celestial bodies made contact with the crystallized influences of the lower world, they became the four elements linking humankind to nature, the heavens and the Divine.
In Wicca/Witchcraft all physical and spiritual substances (the spiritual essence, if you like) are made up of one or more of these elements. The Earth is the essence of fertility and solidarity; it nourishes, binds and gives form. Air the essence of intelligence, which liberates and stimulates. Fire is the essence of strength and defense that animates and activates, while Water is the essence of emotions and fecundity making things malleable and flexible. The physical representations of these elements are merely their gross forms in the material world.
Coming from celestial form sent by the divine beings the "Goddess and God", the fifth element or "spirit" (sometimes referred to as Akasha); came from a lower hierarchy of spirits called Elementals. The elementals task was to govern the four elements. So Gnomes govern the Earth, Sylphs control the Air, Salamanders command Fire and Undines prevail over Water. Elements and elementals are assigned to the four cardinal points of a circle under the watchful eyes of the Lords of the Watchtowers (the Mighty Ones, Old Ones, or the Guardians), who are next in line on the hierarchy of the spirit world. So Earth and Gnomes are assigned to the North, Air and Sylphs to the East, Salamanders and Fire to the South, and Undines and Water to the West.
The Pentacle (up-right five pointed star in-side a circle) is the witches' traditional tool of the craft, and is symbolic of the four elements being kept in balance for "good" by the fifth element "spirit", represented by the circle itself. A reversed Pentacle (inverted five pointed star, often referred to as the Satanic Pentacle) represents the bad or darker sides of elements and elementals. As there is duplicity in the Goddess and God, so there is duplicity in elements and elementals. Each has its own good and bad aspects. Here are some of the main correspondences representing elements and elementals.
The Goddess, the Moon, the planet Venus, the zodiacal signs of - Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, the season of autumn, the North, salt or sand, the pentacle, fertility, good health, quietness, comfort, strength, courage, practicality, thrift, acquisition, patience, responsibility, things cold and dry, boredom, stagnation, destruction, darkness, the colour green, the metal gold. It is used to influence such matters as: Female principles, herbal magick, luck, physical healing, balance, prosperity, change, material things, harmony, relationships and success. Also used for romantic love, friendship, beauty, soul-mates, artistic ability, affection, partners, alliances, grace, luxury, social activity, marriage, decorating, cosmetics, gifts, income, gardening, architects, artists, beauticians, chiropractors, dancers, designers, engineers, entertainers, fashion, music, painting, poetry, courtship, dating, household improvements, planning parties and shopping.
The God, the Sun, the zodiacal signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, the season of spring, the East, the wand, incense and smoke. Also used to influence such matters as: Light, health, success, careers, goals, ambition, personnel finances, advancement, drama, fun, authority figures, law, fairs, crops, totem animals, volunteer and civic services, promotion, male principles, children, buying, selling and speculation, things hot and moist, squandering, frivolity, autism, gales, hurricanes and cyclones. Also used for achievement, healing energy, divination, clairvoyance, mental alertness, intelligence, intellectual growth, prosperity, harmony, energizing, creativity, the colour yellow and the metal silver.
The God, the Sun, Mercury, Mars, the zodiacal signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius, the season of summer, the South, the sword or athame, candles, torches, light or illumination. Represents vitality, power, strength, courage and defense. It is invigorating, motivating and passionate, and can be used to influence such matters as: passion, partnerships, action, physical activity, energy, aggression, things hot and dry, sex, sport, guns, tools, metals, police, soldiers, combat, confrontation, war, business deals, buying and selling, mechanical things, repairs, hunting, health, luck, justice, success, ambition, personal finances, and authority figures.
The Goddess, the Moon, the planet Jupiter, the zodiacal signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, the season of winter, the West, the cup, chalice and cauldron. Water is used for dealing with such matter as: wealth, joy, opportunity, abundance, elevation, tranquillizing, aligning, business, logic, gambling, social matters, political power, material wealth, publishing, collage education and long distance travel. Things cold and moist, brooding, foreboding, stagnation, poison, toxic substances, foreign interests, religion, philosophy, forecasting, broadcasting, publicity, expansion, luck, growth, sport, horses, legal matters, doctors, guardians, merchants, psychologists, charity, correspondence courses, self-improvement, research, reading and studying.
Elementals are those mystical creatures that dwell within the spirit realm of the elements, watched over and controlled by the Lords of the Watchtowers (the Mighty Ones, Old Ones, or the Guardians). Elementals can be related to "nature spirits" and the old favorite, ever written about "witches' familiar". These are the spirits that govern all nature, the "forces of life" that may be summoned to assist in working magic. It's important therefore that we understand "who they are" and "what they represent". Earth spirits are known as Gnomes, Air spirits as Sylphs, Fire spirits as Salamanders, and Water spirits are called Undines.
After the circle is formed and consecrated with the elements, a witch may next call down the quarters by invoking the Lords of the Watchtowers (the Mighty Ones, Old Ones, the Guardians), to preside and watch over the proceedings. Specific elementals; those whose correspondences best suit the work or rite being carried out, may then be invited to participate. Care needs to be taken when calling the aid of elementals, due to the duplicity of all things. Elementals are not always the helpful little creature's we expect them to be, and can be mischievous, bad tempered little devils if allowed to get out of control.
In folklore elementals were thought to be fickle, malicious and unpredictable spirits sent by the "wicked-witch" in the form of familiars to trick people into accidents and traps and sometimes killing them. This is the sort of belief that led to the plight of witches during the Witch-hunt's and purges of the 17th-18th centuries. Still today in contemporary Witchcraft, witches use pets and animals as familiars, but stress and emphasizes is given to working with good and friendly elementals in producing positive magic. A colorful character from contemporary times that used a familiar was Sybil Leek. Her trademark was a cape, loose gown, and a pet jackdaw named "Mr. Hotfoot Jackson".
Gnomes are the spiritual beings who inhabit the spirit realm of the elements. As spirits of energy they are commonly invisible to the average person, only those that possess second sight can see them clearly. However being on the first level of the spirit realm, they are close enough to the physical realm in order to easily inter-react with it. By tradition Gnomes were the protectors of secret treasures hidden in caves beneath the earth. Legends have it that they were reluctant to help and aid humans, but if you were to gain the trust of one, they could prove to be powerful friends. On the other hand, if you were to lose their trust, deceive them or misuse their aid, then all hell could be let lose.
In Wicca/Witchcraft Gnomes are called to instill confidence, steadfastness and endurance, but can also be used to bring about gloom, melancholy and despair should that be required. In some old legends Gnomes were ruled over by a king called Gob whose followers became known as Goblins. Goblins were wondering mischievous sprites that would attach themselves to households, particularly those containing children. When they moved in, they would help by doing the chores at night and by playing with and disciplining the children, giving them presents when they were good or punishing them when they were bad.
When upset the Goblins general good nature could became unpredictable. They would bang pots and pans in the kitchen at night just to keep the household awake, or move furniture about while knocking on walls and doors and snatching bedclothes off sleeping persons, generally becoming a nuisance. You've heard of poltergeist activity? Well this is a type of it. A Poltergeist is generally believed to be the spirit of a departed person or animal, who hasn't for various reasons withdrawn from the physical realm. It can also be an elemental that has been called for a task and for some reason failed to complete it, hence the haunting. Witches are often called to exorcise haunting by contacting the spirit and persuading it to move on, or if that fails they can contact higher spirits or deities to banish them.
Gnomes and Goblins can be called to aid all magic associated with the element Earth as given in the correspondences above.
Sylphs are the spiritual beings that inhabit the spirit realm of the element Air. Their activities are manifest in the gatherings of clouds, in the blowing of the wind, the downpour of rain and the formation of snow. They are also responsible for the growth and maturity of all the plant life we see around us. In folklore, Sylphs appeared in many myths and legends. Some tales tell us that if you listened carefully, they would talk to you on the wind as it passed through caves and caverns.
Its been suggested that the Muses of Greek mythology were Sylphs who had assumed human form in order to guide humans on a spiritual path. They are associated with the activity of the mind and can influence and inspire human actions. It is generally though that they are attracted to poets and artists and instils them with visions of spiritual beauty. Sylphs are ruled by a King being known as Paralda, and in form they appear to humans as in the classic image of the fairies.
Sylphs can be called to aid in all magick associated with the element Air as shown in the correspondences above.
Salamanders are the spiritual beings that inhabit and control the element Fire, and it is through their activities that fire exists. There are many family branches of salamanders each differing in size, appearance and dignity, and in folklore they were ruled over by a magnificent flaming king being called Djin. Salamanders are the strongest and most powerful of all the elementals having the ability to extend or diminish their size as needed. They and others of their kind are mischievous spirits, who like children don't fully understand the results of their actions, which can affect the thoughts and actions of people around them. As such, strong control is required when using their aid in ritual or magick.
Salamanders are thought to move about most freely at night and if you are ever lucky enough to see them, they would appear as small balls of light drifting across the air and water. Old-time sailors often saw them investigating the sails of their ships while sailing at sea, and the term "St. Elmo's Fire" was coined to refer to such phenomenon. On land they are mostly perceived as small lizard-like flames about a foot or more in length.
When used in magick, Salamanders can have a profound effect upon human nature. Linked through the heat with which we maintain are bodily temperatures, they can influence our emotions and general temperament. When someone is called a hothead, or is referred to as hot-blooded, these are terms referring to their elemental nature.
Undines are the spiritual beings that inhabit the spirit realm of the element Water. They not only exist in the water itself, but also in substances of humidity and all other liquids. They appear to humans as beautiful water nymphs or the classic mermaids of myths and legends which tell of them being seen gracefully riding the waves of the ocean shimmering and shining with all the colors of the sea. They are also said to frequent marshlands, rocky pools, springs, streams and wells. They control the forces of nature in relation to plant and marine life as well as the tides and motions of water.
In some cultures undines inhabited waterfalls, while others live in rivers and lakes, every fountain had its nymph, and every ocean its oceanides (daughters of Oceanus the Titan ruler of the sea before Poseidon). In folklore the ruler of the undines is a being called Necksa whom they love, serve, and honor unceasingly. Undines are emotional beings, very friendly and open to being of service to humans, but care must be taken when working with undines for they can have a strong influence upon a person's emotional well-being.
The smaller undines were often portrayed as tiny winged beings that people have mistakenly called fairies. Seen near flowers and plants that grow in watery areas, they had gossamer wings and shining clothing. Some undine's closely resembled people in appearance and size, they lived in coral caves under the ocean or on the shores of lakes and banks of rivers. Undines work with the vital essences, the liquids of plants, animals, and human beings and are present in everything containing water.
Undines can be called to aid in all magick associated with the element Water as shown in the correspondences above.
The first thing any Wiccan apprentice is asked to swear, at the beginning of formal involvement with the Craft, is an oath of secrecy.
Unless we work with military or industrial secrets, or with confidential medical records, most of us aren't used to living with oaths of secrecy. We live in a knowledge-based, democratic culture; we're accustomed to the notion that we have a right to know, and to know everything. Freedom of information is good; censorship is bad. Anyone who tries to keep secrets must be hiding ugly or embarrassing truths.
Not necessarily.
There are three major reasons for an oath of secrecy within the Craft, and they demand three different, but interlocking kinds of silence. Let's consider them, one at a time.
Secrecy of identities, and of any information that could lead to the disclosure of identities
This is the most basic and most necessary secrecy of all. The Burning Times are not only an historical oddity; they're part of our enduring cultural heritage. McCarthyism was a product of this century. The fundamentalist "religious right" is alive and well today. In Canada and the USA, and in this decade, Witches have lost their jobs, their friends, and the custody of their children because their religious affiliation became known. This is serious stuff.
As any gay or lesbian can tell you, "out of the closet" is a one-way trip. Whether you live in the broom closet, or are publicly known to be a Witch, you will face difficulties because of your choice. From either position, you can achieve much on behalf of the Craft. But only you have the right to decide whether you will be out or not. And every other Witch, and every non-Witch who steps under our umbrella, has the same right to chose for themselves.
Don't guess or make assumptions about whether a Witch is out. They may be very visible within the Pagan community, but still in the broom closet with family and friends. They may be out to their mom, but not to their dad. Don't guess. Ask. If in doubt, always assume they're not out.
The greatest threat to the secrecy of most Witches' identities is not the dreaded (but usually mythical) infiltrator from some group opposed to Wicca, but the well-meaning loose tongues of their fellow Pagans.
It's not enough simply to conceal the names of your fellow Witches, and the times and places of Craft-related gatherings. You must also beware of the "jigsaw puzzle" effect, of spilling little bits of information that, taken together over time, form a coherent pattern for an inquisitive listener. Any reader of detective stories knows how to piece together clues. A good rule of thumb is that if you've narrowed it down to 100 people or fewer, you've outed the person. For example, if you mention you know a Witch who's a neurosurgeon from Chicago, you've outed him already; even a city the size of Chicago has fewer than 100 neurosurgeons.. If you mention at different times a date, a place, and a type of event, you may have accidentally set up a Wiccan co-worker to unknowingly out herself simply by pausing by your table in the cafeteria and asking, "Do you need a ride for next Saturday?"
If you're open about your own identity as a Witch, some more closeted Witches may be afraid to trust you, wondering whether you know or care how to keep their identities secret. It's up to you to prove yourself. Be careful, too, if you're public, about "guilt by association": some of your more secretive Wiccan friends may be afraid even to be seen hanging out with you when you wear your pentacle T-shirt.
The level of secrecy required by a Wiccan community or group, as a whole, is that which is needed by its most closeted participant; the level actually attained is that permitted by its most loose-tongued member.
Secrecy concerning what happens at rituals
When we cast a circle, we create sacred space, inside which the rules are different. Inside the circle, we try to live by the ideal of "perfect love and perfect trust." We reveal things we might not otherwise share about ourselves; we make ourselves vulnerable in ways we wouldn't risk elsewhere. We dare do this because we trust one another to respect the confidentiality implied by the circle. Without this trust, many of the most powerful things we do in ritual simply couldn't happen.
Other, more hierarchical religions have the seal of the confessional, which is one of the burdens of the clergy. Witches share that burden more evenly: all of us are priestesses and priests; all of us must keep silence about what is shared in circle.
In its simplest and most absolute form, this means, "If you weren't there, it didn't happen." As a beginner, or if you're in any doubt at all, this is the safest approach to take at all times. Later, as you develop a better feel for circle work beyond the relatively simple level you'll find at the larger, more open community circles, you'll begin to distinguish some of the nuances.
Sometimes, even mentioning that a particular ritual has happened (or is about to happen) is too much. "How come you were invited to Bob's initiation and I wasn't?" is the sort of question that can cause major rifts in the emotionally intense atmosphere of a small Pagan community. Don't try to second-guess who hasn't been invited, or why.
Other times, absolute secrecy is ridiculous. I've seen a student, a bit too literal-minded about secrecy, snap, "Mind your own business," to a fellow student who casually asked what she'd missed at last week's ritual class.
Here are some guidelines:
You may share the general nature of the ritual, and the technicalities of various bits of it, with anyone who would normally have been at that ritual, or who would have been welcome if they'd wanted to come. It's okay to tell a fellow student what they missed at a teaching ritual. It's okay to tell a regular attendee who was home with the 'flu, "You missed a good Yule rite last week. We had a ritual drama about thus-and-such, and threw paper airplanes at each other, and Jane led a spiral dance with a new chant that sounds like this."
It's okay to share your own personal experiences in ritual with someone who wasn't present, but other people's vulnerabilities and secrets are not yours to reveal. It's okay to say, "We did a Mother's Day ritual, and talked about our own mothers. It got pretty emotional. I cried when I talked about what Mom said to me at my twelfth birthday party." But it's not okay to say, "Mary was crying so hard she couldn't talk at all, and John told us how he used to watch through the crack in the bedroom door while his dad beat up his mom." That sort of stuff goes no farther than the boundary of the circle, and isn't to be discussed with anyone who wasn't there. Not even if it's a circle they would have been welcome at, because if a different mix of people had been there, the rite would have happened differently. Trust is not transitive. If A trusts B and B trusts C, that doesn't necessarily mean that A trusts C.
Notwithstanding any of the above, significant unethical or illegal behaviours do not deserve the protection of silence. If something needs the attention of Craft Elders or of the police, take it to them. Be circumspect; don't drag Wicca's name into public scandal for trivial reasons. But don't let a Law-breaker go unchecked, either.
Secrecy concerning the Mysteries of the Craft
Many of the things Witches do in ritual, many of the symbols and activities we share, simply can't be put into words for someone who doesn't already know what you mean; the harder you try, the more you'll make them sound pale and trivial. The magic we do is very real, but it's also often fragile. The otherness, the ecstasy of what we do in our rites is rarely amenable to rational scientific analysis or even an outsider's casual curiosity. You've got to have experienced it, or else it can't be told. The classical analogies are explaining sex to a virgin, or a beautiful sunset to a person blind from birth.
Consider, also, what happened the last time you tried to explain an in-joke to an outsider: by the time you backtracked to explain how it got started, and why it's so funny, your listener might have been nodding with partial understanding, but she still wasn't laughing. By then, neither were you. Humour is, in fact, an excellent example of a Mystery, though it's not a specifically Wiccan one.
The Mysteries can neither be explained to someone who hasn't been there, nor shared with someone who isn't ready for them. A simple circle casting can be punctured by the analytical disdain of a skeptical observer. The deeper Mysteries grind to a halt (at worst) or are simply invisible (at best) if an unready beginner is puzzled or frightened by what is happening.
The most carefully guarded of the Mysteries, such as initiation, depend in part upon the element of surprise. Even if it could all be put into words, no initiate would reveal the details of initiation to someone who has yet to experience it (or to a curious third party who has no vested interest in not talking), because foreknowledge would diminish the eventual impact of the ritual.
And then there's the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" stuff, areas of the Craft in which a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. There aren't as many of these as you might think, but there are some. If you've got a normal amount of curiosity, you'll be eager to get into some of this, whether or not you've done the necessary preliminary work yet. It's part of your teacher's job, to keep it from you until you're ready. Once you learn some of it, it will be your responsibility not to spread it around. It takes time to develop the perspective to know how and when to wisely share this stuff. That's one of the reasons why students are asked not to immediately turn around and try to teach.
There are also a few things, in every group or Tradition within the Craft, that are, in effect, the "secret handshake" or "password" of that group. Sometimes that's their only function; sometimes they are also Mysteries in the more sacred sense.
Secret handshakes, in-jokes, and the like, may seem corny, but in fact they work. They help to create a sense of group identity and cohesion.
The Craft, as a whole, has many such "passwords." Even as a beginner, you may have met a few of them already. Can you think what some of them might be?
Inevitably, in so large and sprawling a network as the Craft, a few people will spill the beans, and display or publish secrets. What should you do, if you run into an instance of this?
First, don't compound the error. Just because somebody has already printed it up in a pamphlet, don't assume that now the damage is done, and it's okay to put it out on the nearest newsgroup or radio talk show.
Second, pretend to ignore it. Things can be hidden in plain sight if no one knows they're important. Don't foam at the mouth and yell, "You're not supposed to see this." Glance casually at the offending page, then turn the conversation to something more interesting, like the weather. Then consider calmly whether there's anything you can do to minimize the long-term damage.
Craft secrecy doesn't come easily, for a newcomer to Wicca. Even if you've counted yourself a Witch for a long time, your first participation in the Craft community and in deeper Mysteries gives you many more opportunities to err. Now you have other people's secrets to protect, as well as your own. It's easy to read, and think you understand, the rules of Craft secrecy, but it takes time -- months, maybe years -- to internalize those rules to the point where they operate automatically as a part of your behaviour patterns. During that time, you will inevitably make a few mistakes. Knowing this, many of the more experienced Witches, who've been stung a few times in the past, will stand back and watch you for quite a while, until they're sure you can be trusted. It's largely because of this -- and not, as some assume, out of snobbery -- that some Witches will deal only with someone who's been formally trained and initiated. To get to such a point, you have to have been taught the rules, taken some time to grow into them, and then in gradual increments been trusted with increasingly large secrets and Mysteries and proven yourself trustworthy with them.
Most Witches learn to talk to one another in a sort of code, or verbal shorthand, when in public. There are certain key words like "Witch" or "ritual" that stand out in conversation, and will grab the unwelcome attention of diners at the next table, as more ordinary words like "Craft" or "event" would not. Some Witches get so practised at this circumlocution that we find ourselves using it even in private, where there's no need. We have to stop and deliberately remind ourselves, then, that it's safe to let down our guard for a while.
Be careful of how much of the Craft you share with non-Wiccan friends. It's a good thing, a sign of balance in your life, to have such friends. And being able to share some of your thoughts and feelings about the Craft with a trusted outsider provides a valuable "reality check."
But be careful. A non-Witch has sworn no oaths of Craft secrecy. If they think this stuff you're telling them is nifty and wonderful, they may see no reason not to repeat it to others who aren't so understanding, or who'll hear only distorted, out-of-context bits of it. Most people aren't very skilled at keeping secrets, even if they try. They may see no reason even to try, despite your warnings; after all, if you're telling it to an outsider like them, it obviously can't be terribly secret. They may protect your identity as a Witch, out of personal loyalty -- but what of the identities of other Witches, with whom they see you associating?
Avoid playing games of "I've-got-a-secret." Most of us are tempted by such games in the beginning, at least a little. The air of mystery, of occult knowledge and hidden secrets, is for most of us one of the things that first drew our attention to the Craft. Knowledge is the currency of power. And what's the point of having wealth if you can't occasionally display a bit of it?
But it's a game that can wear thin very quickly. Secrets are currency only if you can occasionally spend some of them. Anyone who's been around the Craft for a while has seen the damage such games can do. Playing "I've-got-a-secret" marks you as a beginner in the Craft -- and a childish and untrustworthy one, at that.
Outgrowing power games is, in itself, one of the Mysteries -- unfortunately, one that sometimes takes far too long to learn.
The ability to keep silent is one of the greatest virtues of a Witch, and for most of us one of the hardest to learn. Do your best. Be patient with yourself. Learn from your mistakes, and from the mistakes of others. Respect the Mysteries that are shared with you, and the Witches who share them. Honour the gods.
sorry I couldn't chat yesterday sweetie - work is like that, hey? It's gonna be a busy weekend around here but I'm ready! My main computer crashed so I lost my stuff if you hear from doug could you say hi from me? Here's a big hug just for you... ((((hug))))
~Amber
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sorry I couldn't chat yesterday sweetie - work is like that, hey? It's gonna be a busy weekend around here but I'm ready! My main computer crashed so I lost my stuff if you hear from doug could you say hi from me? Here's a big hug just for you... ((((hug))))
Morning Rain~Amber
06:38 AM CST