The Craft Of The Wise

[Himitsuko]

Authority:

1. the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.

2. a power or right delegated or given; authorization: Who has the authority to grant permission?

7. an expert on a subject: He is an authority on baseball.

11. mastery in execution or performance, as of a work of art or literature or a piece of music.

~abridged from Dictionary.com

Druidic authority as a concept is closest to definition 11.

Three spiritual instructors of mankind:

Mastery of self

Mastery of world

Mastery of unknown

It is this type of mastery that we speak of as we encourage young Druids to "take up their authority." As a mystic, I am not interested in dominion, but in the quiet solid knowing, that comes with a life lived in contemplation, the search for wisdom and "silence"

I'm having a hard time finding exactly what I was looking for online ( I thought I knew right where to look but evidently I was wrong) Still, I really feel that for those of us in the more advanced stages of practice, it is very important that we begin to honestly discuss such things.

Here's why. In AA and NA they teach addicts that the control does not belong to them, but to God, and that if the addict tries to take control on their own, they will fail. I can't begin to describe how badly this ticks me off!

We're all human, fallable and prone to certain weaknesses. No one can do everything all the time by themselves yet our societies infrastructure is not built in such as way as to encourage or promote co-operative living. There is little true incentive for people to help others but worse, it's almost impossible to help when each of us is in such dire need. Need of what? Food clothing shelter (That's the first tier) Projects, income, human support (second tier) Emotional intimacy, generosity, meaningful achievement (third tier) --ps this is my shortened simplified version of Maslow's Heiarchy of Needs. Right now lots of us are still working on the first tier stuff, either getting it, trying not to lose it, or putting all our time into maintaining it. We have one or two things going from the second tier, and maybe one thing from the third tier if we are well established.

I know that to gain these things first and foremost we must believe in ourselves. Any addict I know who has been able to recover in a meaningful way, had to actually leave the AA/NA programs to do so. When all of one's time and attention is centered on their past relationship with themselves and their vice, then this is naturally what the mind remains focused on. When you instead replace the time spent either engaging in or dealing with that vice, with projects, ideas, and motivation to create a better Future, there is no room left for the endless guilt over past wrongs. Thus the feelings of helplessness, which are often the underlying cause of risky behaviors, are replaced by feelings of worth and achievement about the present.

So when I say, I am not the authority, I do not mean to say that in me there is no authority. This slight distinction is for me the difference between between the habit we have of judging ourselves and eachother and the ability to discern those things which are productive and helpful, rather than those things which are destructive, inhibiting, and self-reducing.

I am the only authority in my own life. I am a reasonable authority on some subjects. I have no authority over the freedoms and decisions of other men.

There's more, but my goodness I can't make the old noggin kick in just right today.

Share your thoughts on this. Let's talk about personal power, how to get it, and what to do with it. Maybe ya'll can kickstart my neurons.

Edited October 23, 2008 by Himitsuko

[chi]

I am the only authority in my own life. I am a reasonable authority on some subjects. I have no authority over the freedoms and decisions of other men.

During my teaching years I wanted to empower

the students in my K- classroom regarding the

blame issue " s/he made me do it" I began to

use the term "you're, your own boss" when helping

them solve disputes. Solving dispute issues worked,

when the children began to understand that they

were in charge of the outcome if they bossed

themselves and not the other person.

Edited October 24, 2008 by chi

[Bro. Hex]

Authority:

~abridged from Dictionary.com

Druidic authority as a concept is closest to definition 11.

Three spiritual instructors of mankind:

Mastery of self

Mastery of world

Mastery of unknown

It is this type of mastery that we speak of as we encourage young Druids to "take up their authority." As a mystic, I am not interested in dominion, but in the quiet solid knowing, that comes with a life lived in contemplation, the search for wisdom and "silence"

I'm having a hard time finding exactly what I was looking for online ( I thought I knew right where to look but evidently I was wrong) Still, I really feel that for those of us in the more advanced stages of practice, it is very important that we begin to honestly discuss such things.

Here's why. In AA and NA they teach addicts that the control does not belong to them, but to God, and that if the addict tries to take control on their own, they will fail. I can't begin to describe how badly this ticks me off!

We're all human, fallible and prone to certain weaknesses. No one can do everything all the time by themselves yet our societies infrastructure is not built in such as way as to encourage or promote co-operative living. There is little true incentive for people to help others but worse, it's almost impossible to help when each of us is in such dire need. Need of what? Food clothing shelter (That's the first tier) Projects, income, human support (second tier) Emotional intimacy, generosity, meaningful achievement (third tier) --ps this is my shortened simplified version of Maslow's Heiarchy of Needs. Right now lots of us are still working on the first tier stuff, either getting it, trying not to lose it, or putting all our time into maintaining it. We have one or two things going from the second tier, and maybe one thing from the third tier if we are well established.

I know that to gain these things first and foremost we must believe in ourselves. Any addict I know who has been able to recover in a meaningful way, had to actually leave the AA/NA programs to do so. When all of one's time and attention is centered on their past relationship with themselves and their vice, then this is naturally what the mind remains focused on. When you instead replace the time spent either engaging in or dealing with that vice, with projects, ideas, and motivation to create a better Future, there is no room left for the endless guilt over past wrongs. Thus the feelings of helplessness, which are often the underlying cause of risky behaviors, are replaced by feelings of worth and achievement about the present.

So when I say, I am not the authority, I do not mean to say that in me there is no authority. This slight distinction is for me the difference between between the habit we have of judging ourselves and each other and the ability to discern those things which are productive and helpful, rather than those things which are destructive, inhibiting, and self-reducing.

I am the only authority in my own life. I am a reasonable authority on some subjects. I have no authority over the freedoms and decisions of other men.

There's more, but my goodness I can't make the old noggin kick in just right today.

Share your thoughts on this. Let's talk about personal power, how to get it, and what to do with it. Maybe ya'll can kickstart my neurons.

The "old noggin" has done splendidly, by my lights.

Your post was my first exposure to Druidry to any but the most superficial extent.

I had no idea that they taught such a concept as "taking up your authority".

It rings true, as does your reflection that it is difficult "to do" for others, when we ourselves are in such dire need.

Thanks for the Maslow refresher...haven't thought of him recently.

"The quiet solid knowing, that comes with a life lived in contemplation" is suggestive of a Gnostic's perspective on meaningful living in awareness of the "Spark of Light" (the God-spark) within.

Thank you for a great post.

Hex

[Rev. Magus Adam]

I do believe deeply in Self empowerment; to the point in which I refuse to wait around for a sign from some innocuous God/Goddess thingy.

Personally I believe I chose to come here, and not to fix some problem with my Karma. I came to help.

A friend of mine said something that stuck with me, "Why would you leave a really cool place (spiritual realm) only to take up residence in the projects (here)?

I think love is the same no matter where we are, and we're motivated by it.

[Himitsuko]

I haven't written about it in a while, but the reason that the authority concept is so important is because you need it if you are to live free. It takes a great deal of personal responsibility for your current life, if you are going to take up the mantle of creating your life. It means quietly, but definitely turning your back on a great many human habits. It is easy to judge others, particularly others who do not share our zest for spiritual truth, the the world only needs so many witches or mystics or doctors or plumbers, but when you are the author of your own life, living free and with the authority of experience and wisdom, you recognize that the only reason others are trapped, is because they want to be. Dare I say it, I think some people need the safety of their small lives and small illusions. It would be downright inhumane to take it, and they will fight you to keep it anyway. But you are free. Free to choose something else, and you first have to choose if you want something else.

After that, the real trials begin. We are standing at the threshold whereby we can see at least two worlds at all times and now we must live in both of them, and reconcile both of them in our own souls. Anyone who has glimpsed this threshold in the smallest way can tell you it is powerful, awe-inspiring and frankly a little overwhelming and scary.

Many of us have been there at least once. What was it for you? How did you find yourself in that peculiar place where all the choices are yours for the choosing and only love fills your heart for those who will never see or understand the awesome worlds that lie just underneath the physical really real world (or at least that's what we call it.)

Share your experiences if you can.

And BTW,

It's Halloween! Samhain to some of us. The veil between the worlds will be at it's thinnest in just a few days and the time of great sacrifice is upon us. Here we shed the old that the newest and brightest bits of ourselves may shine clearly through. What are you doing on that most creative of nights?

[Bro. Hex]

This (above) is a great post!

BTW It's Halloween! Samhain to some of us...it is also "Dia de Los Muertos"

(even if it is celebrated on a different date, it's really "all the same").

Edited October 29, 2008 by Hexalpa

[Fawzo]

And BTW,

It's Halloween! Samhain to some of us. The veil between the worlds will be at it's thinnest in just a few days and the time of great sacrifice is upon us. Here we shed the old that the newest and brightest bits of ourselves may shine clearly through. What are you doing on that most creative of nights?

I wonder why you would consider this sacrifice. I doubt if a snake considers it sacrifice when shedding its old skin for the new or that you consider it sacrifice when losing millions of dead skin cells everyday.

[Himitsuko]

As always good question Fawzo.

Samhain (Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Day (catholic Nov 1-2)) has long been considered the day where the normal barriers between this world and that shimmers away and fools may be taunted/haunted by faeries, and ghosts, and wise men seek the Dark Crone (The Goddess in her most mature triplicity)

Now I could get into a bunch of legends and stories, and I encourage the Bards here to do exactly that, but for your question I will answer more directly.

Sloughing off bad habits, self destructive behaviors and thought processes is not for humans a painless procedure. It requires looking at oneself with unabashed honesty, seeing oneself with the unflinching mirror of truth, and we all have parts of us that can be terrifying to confront. If you think you don't, you probably haven't looked in a while. This kind of honesty requires great wisdom and it is in the Crone or the Sage (who we also find as God the Father in the Christian theos) that we find the strength necessary to confront the very worst of ourselves.

A great portion of the Craft is showing outward signs of inward committment. If I should want to kill off the jealousy and possessiveness inside of me, if I want to root it out and extract it like the cancer, then I need to show the universe that intent in a clear a precise way. I will use a symbol to represent the jealousy, a symbol to represent the weapon with which I will destroy that jealousy, and a symbol of that beautiful and wonderful blessing that I will allow to take the place in my heart where the jealousy existed. I did this two years ago, and I replaced jealousy with the courage and strength to let go. Only the insecure need to possess. Now I remind myself that I am courageous and honorable, there is nothing for me to lose.

As this process often takes from us some vice or habit, it is a sacrifice in the truest sense of the word.

This year I am sacrificing my addiction to cigarettes (a painful process indeed) in order to open my life up to the creation of the great wellness centre that I will be building over the next several years. I cannot heal others while I'm killing myself. That's just not how it works. So I am sacrificing something that in truth I love that I myself may have health and wellness enough to share with all around me, and my strength will lend to their strength, and everyone is in some small way bettered because I choose to control my own behavior.

I hope that answered your question Fawzo, and hopefully it raised another.

Namaste--The Divine in me acknowledges the Divine in you (very very rough translation)

[Fawzo]

As always good question Fawzo.

Samhain (Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Day (catholic Nov 1-2)) has long been considered the day where the normal barriers between this world and that shimmers away and fools may be taunted/haunted by faeries, and ghosts, and wise men seek the Dark Crone (The Goddess in her most mature triplicity)

Now I could get into a bunch of legends and stories, and I encourage the Bards here to do exactly that, but for your question I will answer more directly.

Sloughing off bad habits, self destructive behaviors and thought processes is not for humans a painless procedure. It requires looking at oneself with unabashed honesty, seeing oneself with the unflinching mirror of truth, and we all have parts of us that can be terrifying to confront. If you think you don't, you probably haven't looked in a while. This kind of honesty requires great wisdom and it is in the Crone or the Sage (who we also find as God the Father in the Christian theos) that we find the strength necessary to confront the very worst of ourselves.

A great portion of the Craft is showing outward signs of inward committment. If I should want to kill off the jealousy and possessiveness inside of me, if I want to root it out and extract it like the cancer, then I need to show the universe that intent in a clear a precise way. I will use a symbol to represent the jealousy, a symbol to represent the weapon with which I will destroy that jealousy, and a symbol of that beautiful and wonderful blessing that I will allow to take the place in my heart where the jealousy existed. I did this two years ago, and I replaced jealousy with the courage and strength to let go. Only the insecure need to possess. Now I remind myself that I am courageous and honorable, there is nothing for me to lose.

As this process often takes from us some vice or habit, it is a sacrifice in the truest sense of the word.

This year I am sacrificing my addiction to cigarettes (a painful process indeed) in order to open my life up to the creation of the great wellness centre that I will be building over the next several years. I cannot heal others while I'm killing myself. That's just not how it works. So I am sacrificing something that in truth I love that I myself may have health and wellness enough to share with all around me, and my strength will lend to their strength, and everyone is in some small way bettered because I choose to control my own behavior.

I hope that answered your question Fawzo, and hopefully it raised another.

Namaste--The Divine in me acknowledges the Divine in you (very very rough translation)

One of many things I learned in my brief stint as a Wiccan student that I liked very much and still practice is the waning and waxing moon each month. I try to start good habits on the new moon and rid myself of bad habits starting at the full moon. The symbolism of the moon is a great reminder oft times for me.

I can understand where from your perspetive giving up things which you enjoy may seem a great sacrifice, but from a person such as myself who despises smoking as a filthy bad habit it is perceived as a great gain for you. This is also why I don't understand how Christians perceive the death of Yeshua as a sacrifice of any kind. From their vantage point not knowing the glory and splendor which awaits them upon the other side I could understand, but many a mystic would consider this life dung, and an eternal being who cannot die would surely not see relinguishing this brief focus in consciouness as a sacrifice IMHO.

I guess the sacrifice comes in giving up the thought patterns in which you focus to satisfy perceived needs.

[chi]

I will be celebrating the Celtic New Year. Oct 31st-Nov 1st

That also happens to be my daughters Birthday.

Chant for Samhain

A year of beauty. A year of plenty. A year of planting. A year of harvest.

A year of forests. A year of healing. A year of vision. A year of passion.

A year of work. A year of rebirth. This year may we renew the earth.

Let it with each chain we break. And let it begin every time we awake.

begin with each step we take. Let it begin with each change we make.Let it begin

[Himitsuko]

Chi, that was beautiful.

Samhain has traditionally been associated with death, so here's just a little aside taken from this year's ritual as I have written it for myself.

White being the color of absense, death, purity, and cleansing, I will begin my ritual in a dark room with only a white candle which I will use to light all my other candles and the insense. Then I will pass the white candle over the alter saying this incantation which I wrote last night.

The purpose of the white candle is to purge

The message of the white candle is peace

The ash of the white candle is pure

The flame of the white candle is eternal.

I will then blow out the white candle and cast my circle.

[Rev. Magus Adam]

I haven't written about it in a while, but the reason that the authority concept is so important is because you need it if you are to live free. It takes a great deal of personal responsibility for your current life, if you are going to take up the mantle of creating your life. It means quietly, but definitely turning your back on a great many human habits. It is easy to judge others, particularly others who do not share our zest for spiritual truth, the the world only needs so many witches or mystics or doctors or plumbers, but when you are the author of your own life, living free and with the authority of experience and wisdom, you recognize that the only reason others are trapped, is because they want to be. Dare I say it, I think some people need the safety of their small lives and small illusions. It would be downright inhumane to take it, and they will fight you to keep it anyway. But you are free. Free to choose something else, and you first have to choose if you want something else.

After that, the real trials begin. We are standing at the threshold whereby we can see at least two worlds at all times and now we must live in both of them, and reconcile both of them in our own souls. Anyone who has glimpsed this threshold in the smallest way can tell you it is powerful, awe-inspiring and frankly a little overwhelming and scary.

Many of us have been there at least once. What was it for you? How did you find yourself in that peculiar place where all the choices are yours for the choosing and only love fills your heart for those who will never see or understand the awesome worlds that lie just underneath the physical really real world (or at least that's what we call it.)

Share your experiences if you can.

Abraham Maslow a humanistic psychologist called this a Peak Experience, in which only a Self Actualized person reaches this state of being that you've expressed here.

Of course this has been going on long before Maslow filled in blank, which modern psychology had been drawing far too long.

It is very aw inspiring, scary, and empowering all at once.

I was by a the Platte river here in Colorado, doing a walking meditation, and just listening. Then I was Aware! My presence was everywhere.

[chi]

Chi, that was beautiful.

Samhain has traditionally been associated with death, so here's just a little aside taken from this year's ritual as I have written it for myself.

White being the color of absense, death, purity, and cleansing, I will begin my ritual in a dark room with only a white candle which I will use to light all my other candles and the insense. Then I will pass the white candle over the alter saying this incantation which I wrote last night.

The purpose of the white candle is to purge

The message of the white candle is peace

The ash of the white candle is pure

The flame of the white candle is eternal.

I will then blow out the white candle and cast my circle.

Himitsuko,

I like this I can use it to open up my celebration

of the Celtic new year. I have created a little

family ceremony around our ancestors. I am not

pagan but I am drawn to my Celtic roots

[Himitsuko]

Fawzo,

You are so right about smoking being a filthy habit, yet somehow I've hung on to it like a safety net for all these years, and now giving it up has a real purpose. Giving up smoking may be a bit painful but it wouldn't matter if it weren't. The point is that I am creating a definite outward change to signal the universe of my innermost intents. I'm signaling the Divine-"I have courage and discipline and a willingness to change whatever I must that I might serve the fullest of my potential." It is this thought that gives the ritual real power.

[Fawzo]

Fawzo,

You are so right about smoking being a filthy habit, yet somehow I've hung on to it like a safety net for all these years, and now giving it up has a real purpose. Giving up smoking may be a bit painful but it wouldn't matter if it weren't. The point is that I am creating a definite outward change to signal the universe of my innermost intents. I'm signaling the Divine-"I have courage and discipline and a willingness to change whatever I must that I might serve the fullest of my potential." It is this thought that gives the ritual real power.

In my first nervous encounter with the folks of Wicca, many years ago as a die hard Pentecostal Holy Roller I let myself get talked into participating in a seed planting ceremony. Tobacco played a role in that ceremony and I remember it being used at another event as well.

Is there something special about tobacco and its use in ceremony?

Edited October 30, 2008 by Fawzo

[Himitsuko]

In Native American traditions and some Middle Eastern ones, tobacco is recognized for it's healing properties and occasionally it's power over life and death. Tobacco does in fact have some healing properties when applied correctly and dogs like to eat it in part because it prevents certain nasty little worms. In addition to it's healing values however nicotine is one of the fastest most effective neurotoxin known to man. It can kill you dead in a matter of seconds. Although illegal now, Native American hunters used to tip their arrows with nicotine extraction to kill certain large predators. I do not know if this process renders the meat inedible, but I do know that it's a good way to stop a bear from coming back. There are lots of recognized uses for tobacco other than the simple addictive ones but I do not personally use it in my own practice as you don't find it listed as a common celtic herb, and I tend to stick primarily with the celtic traditions using peppermint rather than sage for cleansing and banishing.

[Rev. Magus Adam]

In Native American traditions and some Middle Eastern ones, tobacco is recognized for it's healing properties and occasionally it's power over life and death. Tobacco does in fact have some healing properties when applied correctly and dogs like to eat it in part because it prevents certain nasty little worms. In addition to it's healing values however nicotine is one of the fastest most effective neurotoxin known to man. It can kill you dead in a matter of seconds. Although illegal now, Native American hunters used to tip their arrows with nicotine extraction to kill certain large predators. I do not know if this process renders the meat inedible, but I do know that it's a good way to stop a bear from coming back. There are lots of recognized uses for tobacco other than the simple addictive ones but I do not personally use it in my own practice as you don't find it listed as a common celtic herb, and I tend to stick primarily with the celtic traditions using peppermint rather than sage for cleansing and banishing.

The half life of nicotine is 2 hours while in the body, so it wouldn't harm the the meat. Powdered nicotine when inhaled takes 7 seconds to reach the brain, and it will kill without a doubt.

Castor beans are still in use today. They are used for constipation and are where we get Castor Oil. In the past when improperly made the byproducts of the Castor plant would kill as well. It turned out to be the strongest known poison, Rican.

Note: Poisonous powders and liquids are either taken orally or injected, while venom is always injected.

In my experience of helping people with banishing rituals, whatever the cultural influence, I have learned some very gruesome tactics.

[Rev Sandra]

There is a difference between using magic and being a mystic.

People who use magic are trying to get the powers that be to bend to their own personal desires and whims while mystics are in love with the divine and only wish to enjoy experiencing the divine as is.

Just thought I would point that out. I've sat in on many a Wiccan discussion where the two have been used interchangeably erroneously.

That's exactly right! All religions have mystics whose sole goal is to be close to and/or experience the DIVINE. I was first introduced to this sort of mysticism through contemplative prayer in the Carmelite order, a highly mystical and highly regarded order of the Catholic Church.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Rev Sandra

[Sky]

QUOTE (Fawzo -at- Oct 9 2008, 04:57 PM)

There is a difference between using magic and being a mystic.

People who use magic are trying to get the powers that be to bend to their own personal desires and whims while mystics are in love with the divine and only wish to enjoy experiencing the divine as is.

Just thought I would point that out. I've sat in on many a Wiccan discussion where the two have been used interchangeably erroneously.

That's exactly right! All religions have mystics whose sole goal is to be close to and/or experience the DIVINE. I was first introduced to this sort of mysticism through contemplative prayer in the Carmelite order, a highly mystical and highly regarded order of the Catholic Church.

And you can be a witch and not be wiccan..

[Arcana]

Hello, all! I am greatly disappointed that I haven't been on the discussion forum until now and missed the previous posts to comment on. However, as Samhain is a major festival and I am a High Priestess, there were many things to prepare for the event, and time needed to recover afterwards and this is the first day I can catch my breath.

I haven't had the chance to really fully dissect the posts and analyze them to to comment on. I scanned through them as much as possible, too excited and eager to really sit down and read and wanted to comment right away. heh

One thing I notice that this is a discussion among mainly Wiccans or those who have experienced Wicca being Solitary, and there are some misconceptions on both sides...the Solitary Wiccans and the "devil advocates" on what the religion all entails. For even in this day of NeoPaganism where Wicca is more well known, all that seems to be known of it is what is found in the basic books at the bookstore and what can be found on the internet. This does not change, however, that it is a religion that has been "underground" for centuries (and I beg to differ on the arguments this is a religion started by Gardner and is only been in existence sine the 1950s...Gardner is another type of eclectic, even if the BTW fundamentalists (British Traditional Wica) will state otherwise very strongly)and it is a religion that has a strong tradition and philosophy that is continuing evolving and changing...yet present day NeoPaganism is missing many of the elements that, in my opinion, make it so unique.

I have practiced and studied the many facets of the Wiccan religion, and I continue to study and practice the different traditions. I have been Wiccan since 1988. I have been a High Priestess since 1994. And I have led my own tradition since 1997. I am now the High Priestess of a NeoPagan Interfaith Church of all faiths, of a beginners and training eclectic coven for all ages, even children, and of an advanced traditional coven...still eclectic, but only for very serious Initiates and strictly Wiccan. I am not BTW because the Goddess Called me to public service, so I was not able to take the vows of secrecy required of a BTW, but I was trained for Initiation and I have the blessings of my High Priest and High Priestess who trained me. And this is all to say, I think I have some experience to back up what information I am about to share.

First off, to explain, the title of High Priestess does not convey "better than" another. It is simply a job description to state I am the one in charge of designing rituals and ceremonies, I lead them, I am the "Mother Goddess figure" of the covens and church, and I am responsible, good and bad, for what occurs in these groups and the decisions made by the Board of Directors. Wicca is a religion that is based on having a central authority, and it is not a democracy. I have tried, in my early inexperienced years, to lead by democratic vote, and it takes away from what is important about the symbolism of the Goddess. And I have seen covens and groups destroyed by democratic processes. So the High Priestess is the central figure essential to the religion, I have found. And the position is not, to me, anyway, an ego trip, but one that is challenging and demanding that gives me a sense of responsibility, duty, and humility. And I deeply feel there is no way I could live up to this challenge without seeking out the strength of the Goddess everday, to honor Her as Her Priestess, for I did not choose this, I was Called. It has taken me years to learn to stand up and demand respect and authority, which was not easy for me. But it is for the good of the group as a whole. An amazing lesson.

Can a Wiccan be a Mystic? Not all Wiccans are Mystics, but it can be a philosophy to follow for a Wiccan. Now notice that as a mystic it is a philosophy, not a religion. Also, Zen is a philosophy, and traditionally Wicca is NOT in harmony with the Zen philosophy. Zen is Eastern and passive. Wicca is Western and active. To use an Eastern term, Wicca is more Yang than Yin.

To learn more about the philosophies of Wicca I would recommend the following books:

1) Wiccan Mysteries by Raven Grimassi

2) The Wiccan Mystic by Ben Gruagach

3) Philosophy of Wicca by Amber Laine Fisher

As Wicca is a religion that requires and encourages independent and critical thinking, it is not necessary to agree with the philosophies of others.

In regards to the discussion about magick and spells, etc. being disruptive to the natural order of the universe, a spell and magick are no different than praying. Is praying harmful to the natural order of things? Come on! A spell is simply an active prayer...where instead of passively praying for the Divine to answer your prayer, you are symbolically and psychologically indicating to the universe that you are willing to take the steps necessary to do the things necessary to help yourself, and you are asking for assistance from the Divine to provide the opportunities to make this need manifest. The discussion on both sides showed an alarmingly amount of ignorance about the ethics and process of spellcasting. On a beginning level, however, there is no difference in casting a spell than a Catholic lighting a candle in church for a prayer.

Magick in Wicca should also not be confused with the Magick in Ceremonial Magick. Wicca does have some elements of Ceremonial Magic, but it is tempered by ultimately the religion and ethics of Wicca, so it does not at all fall into the category of Thelemetic or Crowleyian type magickal practices. There is no enslaving of spiritual entities.

Wiccans are mystics in that Wicca is a Mystery Tradition, where it passes down the traditions and myths of the ancient Mystery Schools.

Wiccans are magicians in that they do use magic in their rituals and religious practices.

But neither the descriptions of mystic nor magician completely sums up as a whole what a Wiccan is or does.

And even though the most known and most popular tradition of Wicca is American Eclectic and mostly made up of NeoPagan Solitaries, this does not change the fact of the tradition that Wicca is a Mystery Religion requiring Initiation into the Mysteries by way of ceremony to fully embrace that one understands the religion. It is an essential part of it. And this has been a matter of debate for a long time in the religion, even before NeoPaganism when it was a debate between BTWs who state that "only a Witch can make a Witch" and the Hereditary Witches who believe "one cannot make a Witch, a person must be born a Witch." Having been Initiated into the Mysteries (through many lives, for reincarnation is one of the fundamental beliefs of Wicca), and having Initiated others, and having been Solitary first, I can say that Solitary is only an introduction to the religion and it is not the religion itself. There are so many elements that require a coven to understand, that I personally believe that Solitaries are missing out on essential aspects of what the religion is about. I have also been Initiated into a Hereditary Tradition and trained for a year in BTW. So I understand the different viewpoints.

The Mysteries have a reason to be kept secret, only because they have to be experienced in ceremony, like Initiation. You cannot teach them. And they cannot be simply read to be understood. There are also unwritten traditions and mysteries that are part of the soul...the Akashic Library, if you will...and can never be taught in a book. It really is a case of "either you know them or you don't." And recently I discovered this with a Tradition of Samhain that could not even be googled on the internet.

I teach my students that Wicca is a very simple religion in philosophy, but in its simplicity it is very complex and multi-layered that even lifetimes cannot master the elements of what it is about. It is not about mastery, anyway. It is about evolving as a soul towards the immortality of the gods...and I think this means we evolve to become what are known as "spirit guides" to help mankind continue to evolve to greater harmony with Nature and the Universe. We do this by experiencing life's greatest challenges...not by living a "peaceful life." Having challenges in life teach us humility, teach us to develop faith, and create our character as a person and a soul by how we choose to react to situations.

I cannot agree with the idealism that an advanced spiritual person means their life is peaceful, harmonious, and they have no challenges to face in life. I think that an advanced spiritual person is constantly dealing with the challenges of life in possibly extreme ways beyond the average person, and overcomes them by experiencing the emotions of frustration, anger, even hatred, but learns to overcome them through perseverance and spiritual devotion so they learn humility, faith, and understands the value of failure as well as success. And hopefully such a person develops grace and nobility because of this challenge and growth.

And I agree with Magus, that the original poster has not fully experienced the effects of Saturn's return. To be challenged, to fail, to lose everything you hold most dear is very much a part of the mystical elements of Wicca as a religion (it is known as the Second Degree, and in other religions it is the Dark Night of the Soul.) And I think you need to keep in mind that the Goddess and Nature both have a very dangerous and scary Dark Side, as every soul does, and you cannot control Nature...not ever! The Universe and the Ancient Gods are older and ever more powerful than we can be as mortals, and we are at their mercy. And until you have a personal disaster in life to drive that fact home to experience that, you are still "naive." I know. I have been there.

And if you do not want this, then Wicca and the Path of Magic is, honestly, not for you. If you want the way of Zen and the Path of the Mystic where all you do is meditate and find spiritual enlightenment and serenity without adversity, that is not Wicca. And you won't be taken seriously as a Wiccan, and you will experience a lot of challenges by Wiccans for stating to be of the Craft of the Wise. It is ultimately your choice, but please consider making it an educated one.

In Native American traditions and some Middle Eastern ones, tobacco is recognized for it's healing properties and occasionally it's power over life and death. Tobacco does in fact have some healing properties when applied correctly and dogs like to eat it in part because it prevents certain nasty little worms. In addition to it's healing values however nicotine is one of the fastest most effective neurotoxin known to man. It can kill you dead in a matter of seconds. Although illegal now, Native American hunters used to tip their arrows with nicotine extraction to kill certain large predators. I do not know if this process renders the meat inedible, but I do know that it's a good way to stop a bear from coming back. There are lots of recognized uses for tobacco other than the simple addictive ones but I do not personally use it in my own practice as you don't find it listed as a common celtic herb, and I tend to stick primarily with the celtic traditions using peppermint rather than sage for cleansing and banishing.

The sacred use of tobacco in religious ceremonies of the Native Americans is NOT the same as having an addiction to cigarettes!