Belyn Mawr

Hello, I have labeled myself a classic male Witch for some time, but I have decided to begin referring to myself as a Warlock instead. I know many in the Witchcraft community (especially Wiccans) cringe at the use of the term and consider it perjorative. (Yet my favorite book on non-Wiccan Witchcraft, Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson is subtitiled "A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens.") Some cite an etymology that renders it as "oath breaker" from the Old English waerloga. Some people are now referencing a newer etymology deriving the term from the Norse vardlokkur meaning "spirit song" or maybe "spirit caller." In pre-modern Scotland the term was frequently used to mean cunning man or "white Witch" who was generally a benevolent magical practitioner. Whatever its true origins, it has come to simply mean a male Witch. I have decided to call myself a Celtic Warlock from this point on rather than Celtic classic male Witch. It is more concise, and most people are familiar with the term courtesy of the television show Bewitched. (Paul Lynde was hysterical as Uncle Arthur .) I respect the right of others to reject the term, and I hope others will respect my right to utilize it.

I previously mentioned The Mabinogion as my favorite religious text for the Welsh portion of Celtic mythology, but I would also like to add the tale "Cath Mag Tured" (called the Second Battle of Moytura, or Moytura the Northern) for the Irish Celtic .

Mine is The Mabinogion (Jones translation), a collection of medieval Welsh tales that contain elements of pre-Christian mythology.

Hi Fawzo, I do indeed have labels for them, and I would like to apply them with the adhesive side directly to their foreheads (Not really though, you get used to it and look at the source.) Hi Pete, Thank you, and Happy New Year to you as well

Yes, I like being told that I can't be a (traditional) Witch because I was not initiated into a 2000 year old secret family practice by my grandmother or aunt in her kitchen or basement. I also like being told that I can't describe my practice as "Welsh" Witchcraft because I was not born in or do not live in modern Wales, although that is from whence my ancestors came. And of course "Witches aren't real," and "All Witches are Satanic."

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am an openly gay male. I do not think Duck Dad should be "censored" even though I feel he is able to generate a lot of negativity because of his large following of die hard fans. People should be allowed to express their views so they can be exposed to the light of day. But I in no way, shape, or form consider him to be a victim or persecuted. (Christianity is still the dominant force in U.S. religion and a dominant force in politics. Phil Robertson is indeed a millionaire, not some poor everyman despite his "down home" characterization.) Now if A&E cancels the show because they have a loss in ratings or commercial sponsors over his comments, that would be a legitimate business reason. I think they should have waited to see what the fallout actually was before having a knee-jerk reaction. It would have probably went unnoticed otherwise. Now Duck Dad is being painted as a martyr, and the publicity has blown things out of proportion, IMHO.

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, and all other holiday blessings to everyone .

-at- revtimothybland BTW, my personal god is Lleu, the Welsh form of Lugh, who for me fills the role of the lover/brother/friend deity type. I work with the deities Beli Mawr as a divine father and Don, the Welsh form of Danu, as a divine mother .

Happy Halloween !!! In Wales this is one of the three Spirit Nights (Ysbrydnosau), and in Welsh it is called Nos Galan Gaeaf (the Eve of the Calends of Winter, or Winter's Eve). After the trick or treaters are gone, I'll be lighting a candle in honor of Welsh Pagan gods and the ancestors, followed by a night of scary movies and too much (but never enough) pizza . However you may celebrate it, I hope everyone's is happy!

I believe reincarnation is possible, but not that it is an automatic cycle of rebirths. I believe that it may be automatic for those whose belief systems teach them it is so. But once they realize there are other options they may free themselves from the merry-go-round and get off. I think we have the ability to choose to remain in the Otherworld with our ancestors, family, and friends if we wish rather than return here (or elsewhere) repeatedly. But again, I also believe we can decide to reincarnate if that is our wish. Once a soul realizes it has the ability to choose its own path, reincarnation is merely one option . (BTW, just as a reminder, I am a "Classic" Witch and not a Wiccan. For many Wiccans, reincarnation is indeed a major tenet of their religion.)

Thanks for you input Qryos and Father John .

Thanks, mark 45 .

Hello, I am a Witch and a Celtic polytheist looking for a little thoughtful input. I wish to discuss something of the nature of polytheistic deities. I am referring to beings who are not generally considered to manifest the three big O's (omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence). For example, my Witch name is Belenos. Belenos is considered to be a Celtic sun god sometimes identified with Apollo by the Romans. Please hear me out before you think I'm off base, but I have found that I have memories of being Belenos. Obviously there was some affinity or connection to begin with; I did not choose his name at random. But I do not mean to say that I am THE Belenos worshipped by the ancient Celts. I am juggling notions as mentioned in the title of my post. Do you think there are deity archetypes and that deity names sometimes just signify a type or class of deity? In other worlds, are there multiple spirit entities out there who are of the Belenos type and respond to that name? In mythology there are frequently many variations in the myths; is this because there were multiple similar entities, but who were not exactly the same entitiy? Another possibilty is that of a group entity. There are many sub-entities who are interconnected as a group entity that is known as Belenos, but each of these sub-entities is able to function somewhat independently as well. Finally, I would mention the idea of shards or soul fragments, where others and myself my be fragments of a former entity who was the original Belenos. As each shard splintered off from the original, it continued to develop a new personality around it. Once separated from the whole, each shard experienced different things resulting in slightly different forms. But each shard still identified itself with the original Belenos. Any thoughts on these concepts? I feel that I am THIS Belenos, but not necesaarily THAT Belenos, or ALL Belenos. Similar thoughts go for my relationship with my personal god, Lleu or Lugh. Like other Lughs, my Lugh is young, athletic, handsome, and the master of many arts. But the Lugh I work with does not fit well with the versions of Lugh that depict him as a bearded, older Father figure and half of a divine couple. The Lugh I interact with, like the god Mercury to whom the Romans compared him, has a bisexual and somewhat homoerotic quality. Now is my Lugh one of many spirits who falls under the Lugh archetype? Is he one component of a group entity known as Lugh? Or is he a fragment of the original Lugh which developed characteristerics different from other Lugh shards? As I am writing, I also think of the possibilty that my Lugh (and maybe Belenos as well) may be a mask of my higher self or my HGA (holy guardian angel). From a psychological perspective he could just be an externalization of my own subconscious personality. Anyway, I am interested in hearing other's opinions. Please feel free to share your personal experiences or interactions with your own deities, I just used mine to illustrate my points .

Yes lordie, hold fast to your dream. Don't let others discourage you. Women have held very important roles in the Judeo-Christian tradition, for example Deborah was a judge and Miriam (sister of Moses) was a prophetess . BTW, although I am not a Christian, my family are Pentecostals and Baptists. My grandma was a Pentecostal minister and was the founder of two churches in south Georgia and one here in Florida. My aunt is the current pastor of the Florida church.

Hello Everyone, Today is the Autumnal Equinox or the "official" beginning of Fall. For me, the countdown to Samhain (Halloween) now begins !

Yes, I was definitely alone. As for me, I actually love the ocean, so maybe I did survive . -at- Suzanne I actually had a few instances of spontaneous astral projection as a teenager, but was able to develop it when I began to practice meditation as part of Witchcraft. There are techniques to give one a "jump start" which usually involve binding oneself to restrict blood flow or other sensory deprivation techniques. I find that for me a cold dark room (turn the air to about 65* F, cover the windows, and have a fan turned on "low" blowing at you) with soft, wordless background music (e.g., Enya's "Bard Dance" on a loop) does the trick. There is also a position I use to astral project when sleeping, I lie on my stomach with my arms crossed underneath me and place one leg at a 90* angle over the back of the knee of the other. This restricts blood flow, but it frequently will cause your arms and leg to go numb so you will have tingling "pin **" sensations when you wake up and "revive" them. Although I think you would be metaphysically skilled enough to handle astral projection, I would certainly recommend beginners to practice meditation and study psychic self-defense techniques before making any attempts. When first starting out, I had a nasty episode where I experienced "squatters" (negative entities) trying to take up residence in my unconscious body. Then after I repelled them I had a frustrating time "hooking up" to my body again. I would enter my body, sit up in bed, and then look back to see my body was still lying down. Also, I am not a medical doctor and would feel horrible if someone became ill from a cold room or suffered a blood clot from restriciting his or her bloodflow. Just things to be cautious about. Oh my, I see that my use of "pin p-r-i-c-k" was censored.

Hi Suzanne, I agree with you that one's perception is enhanced by working with energies. I had some psychic talents before I began practicing Reiki, but I feel they have been greatly amplified since I completed my attunements. It is funny, but I just noticed how similiar SalemWitchChild's story about drowning is to mine. But I do not know that I drowned afer jumping into the ocean. I may have resurfaced and escaped under the cover of night. That's just where my teacher's vision ended. I also do not know if I was being pursued because I was a Witch, a Druid, or just a mean old so and so. But I do believe that Witches tend to be reborn as Witches in the same way I was taught that many who are Reiki masters "now" were also Reiki masters "then," even though the term Reiki may not have been used. BTW, thank you for starting this topic .

When I was receiving my training in Reiki, my instructor said she saw a past life where I was wearing a long dark robe and being pursued at night by a group of people carrying torches. I was chased to a cliff, and then I dove into the ocean. She believed I was somewhere in Great Britain. I myself do not remember this, but I do not feel she made this up. I do have a recurrent vision or memory of being just a spirit (no physical body) hovering out in the dark of space with a group of other spirits. One of these other spirits who fancied himself the leader (evidently he appointed himself) was trying to convince us to go down to this far off, shining planet we could barely see in the distance (Earth). We all finally agreed to go down there and see what was going on, but I remember shaking my head and thinking to myself, "this is a bad idea.." And so, countless millenia later, here I am !

It's O.K. We don't mind sharing . Everybody loves a reason to have a party. For example I am not a German, but I love beer and brats during Oktoberfest. Sometimes I think that it is forgotten how important a person's intent is regarding things. Children who are going trick or treating are not out worshiping Pagan gods, they are just having fun. Easter bunnies and eggs may have been Pagan fertility symbols in ancient times, but I do not believe that anyone is doing homage to Ostara by celebrating Easter customs unless there is a conscious and deliberate intent to do so. We have many customs and traditions based on Paganism and folklore, but we cannot throw out huge chunks of our culture and large portions of our language to make things completely neutral. If your wall calendar has Teusday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday on it, you are not automatically a Norse Pagan who worships Tiw, Woden, Thor, and Frigg. You are not worshipping Mercury or Hermes when you drive on Goodyear tires just because their logo is the petasus (winged sandal). You do not become a Satanist when you eat a chocolate cake made from Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix. Of course, being a classic Witch and a Pagan, I am certain my opinions on the matter may be suspect. (Yes, we secretly hope to convert the whole world to Paganism with caramel apples and chocolate bunnies. Mmmwah-ha-ha !) BTW, welcome to the Forum Nealocampo !

Hi Pagan Peace Maker, Welcome to the board. I also combine alot of different elements in my practice, and I use the umbrella term "classic" Witch to describe my path. I am a Celtic Pagan for the most part, but I freely employ various magickal and spiritual "technologies" to get the job done. I mix Witchcraft and ceremonial magic(k) with Celtic Mythology and folklore, Reiki, and spirit mediumship,among other things. Nice to see another Pagan (not meaning that I don't like those of you of other faiths ), look forward to hearing from you .

A merry Canol Haf (Midsummer in Welsh) to you and all other Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans !!! Of course I didn't mean to exclude anyone. I also hope all Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and everyone else has a wonderful Midsummer too, whether you celebrate it or not !

Oh dear, it seems as I am am late to the party. Before I begin my comment, I would jut like to remind everyone that although I am a Celtic Pagan in general, I am a "classic" Witch and not a Wiccan, so please do not think I speak for them (or for anyone else other than myself). Well, here goes. In the list of beliefs and practices of a contemporary Pagan I do not adhere to the following: * Believe that magical acts designed to bend one to another's will are manipulative, and not encouraged. * Believe that whatever actions a person takes, magical or mundane,good or bad, come back to him/her, sometimes threefold.I differ from Wiccan Witches in that I do belive in curses and hexes when appropriate. I would not enslave someone by totally breaking or dominating their will, but if a hex will keep someone from from harming me or mine I have no qualms about "bending" the person's will away from doing so. I also don't have a problem with love potions. I think some overestimate their abilities. If the gods (or Fate, Wyrd, or Cosmic Law) do not want two people together, a love potion is not going to accomplish it. To me, a potion, spell, or hex is just a formal petition to the powers that be, not much different than a prayer. (Sidetracking for a moment, but I was thinking of Sylvia Browne who said that "God aways answers your prayers, but sometimes he says no." ) This may be a hot button for some, but I do believe in retribution, not just prevention. If someone commits malicious acts and goes unpunished, then he may continue to commit such acts. (So I guess, in a way, retribution is a form of prevention so they don't do the same thing to the next person.) What gives me the right to be judge and jury? Nothing. But I accept personal responsibilty for my actions. If slapping a child on his fingers keeps him from touching a hot stove, or punching the school bully keeps him from picking on other kids, then I feel no remorse about my actions and can rest peacefully. As to the statement about the Threefold Law of Return, I do belive that what comes around goes around, but I don't believe that Witches and Pagans are so morally superior to other religions that we are held to a higher standard (three times what others receive). As for other beliefs, I do reverence nature, perhaps not to the extent of some Pagans (I am not a tree hugger myself), but I see the beauty in Nature. I feel we should be caretakers of the planet, not that everything was created by a deity to be dominated by us. I agree with Atwater Vitki about emulating the gods rather than worshiping them. I see the gods as divine ancestors. I may seek guidance from them, but ultilmately my decisions are my own. Eventually, I will join the ranks of the gods myself in the Otherworld (I do not believe in reincarnation except in special cases). I am a polytheist and believe in many different distinct gods (not that they are merely aspects of one or two supreme deities). I do believe in the concept of a unifying, impersonal life force (chi, prana, astral light, magick, etc.) which some may view as a form of supreme being, but for me it is not something with which we would have a personal relationship (no more than I would have one with electricity or radiation). Being a "classic" Witch, I do not work overly hard on presenting a squeaky clean image. I understand why many Pagans wish to set the record straight, but I do not feel personally obligated to cast pearls before swine who are not interested in truth. If people want to think I have horns, I'm likely to put on a red cape and grab a pitchfork as well. I draw a lot of inspiration from classic works on witchcraft (e.g., The Discouverie of Witchcraft, the Malleus Maleficarum, etc.), and I try to sort the wheat from the chaff. I believe there are alot of tidbits of folk belief and some old school Pagan practices to be found in there. I don't doubt that some Pagans of the time may have referred to Cernunnos or other Pagan gods as the Devil, or that they may have equated faeries with demons. I have no qualms about drawing on the archetype of the popular conception of the Witch, wearing a black robe, standing in front of a fire, and brandishing a ceremonial rod or dagger. Or that of the Witch (Maleficent) in Disney's Sleeping Beauty ("Now shall you deal with me, O Prince.... and all the powers of HELL!!!!" ) I am a homosexual, and I liken it to those who embrace the word ** or queer rather than run from it. My intention has been merely to elaborate my personal take on some of the items discussed, not to provoke those with differing opinions .

Glass of water for Mr. Mererdog!

I do not charge fees, but I have only performed weddings for friends and family. If someone was in need of a Pagan minister and contacted me, I would not charge a fee. I would have to meet with the couple and make sure I was comfortable performing the service for them. I work full time as a paid counselor at a mental hospital, so I do not need to support myself by charging for ministerial services. I am a minister for the sake of spirituality, not financial gain. I do not begrudge someone who accepts a nominal donation or compensation for actual expenses (gas, etc.), but I do not like the concept of a minister having a "wedding officiant" business that seeks to make a profit.