I am doing a Beltane online chat ritual with Dylan right now.From the book Norse Magic by DJ Conway
Cast the circle
"I consecrate this circle in the name of the ancient gods
Here may they manifest and bless their child
This is time that is not a time a place that is not a place on a day that is not a day
I stand at the threshold between the worlds before the gates of asgard
place the chalice on the pentacle
"Great Goddess Freyja, bless this creature of water to your service.MAy we always remember the cauldron waters of rebirth
(hold your wand over the chalice while doing so)
hold dagger over salt: Great Goddess Freyja bless this creature of Earth to your service, MAy we always honor th blessed earth in its many forms and beings
Great Freyja be you adored
Sprinkle salt in water and sprinkle mixture around circle
Place incense on pentacle
Great God Freyr bless this creature of fire to your service
May we always remember the sacred fire that dances within the form of every creation
Great God Freyr bless this creature of air to your service
May we always listen to the spirit winds that bring us the voices of the ancient ones
go the east and say: I call upon you powers of air to witness this rite and to guard this circle
go to the south:I call upon you powers of fire to witness this rite and to guard this circle
go to the west: I call upon you powers of water to witness this rite and to guard
this circle
go to the north: I call upon you powers of earth to witness this right and to guard this circle
This circle is bound with power all around within I stand with protection at hand
I do call the goddess to be here with me she once alled the lady of MAy Greetings o Goddesss of things wild of trees of skies and of waters blessed be
I am the servant thou the Lady I am the hands to obey the weapon to use the body to serve
I was born to thy service and by thy will shall PI live to die at the time appointed
Let now thy great light come into me I am a cup to be filled that I may do what is needful Blessed be thy commands Let my ears hear them my hands and feet obey Blessed be ever thy will which moves me
Lovely Lady great Lord I present to you the guardians of this house the specials spirits I have invited into my home I honor them in this symbol of their being Great Freyr lovely Freyja bless thi guardians of this house And to your blessings I add my thanks for their portection blessed be
(hold up statue of god and goddess while saying this)
Place your drink in the chalice and say To the gods of Asgard! Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!
Close the circle:
go the east and say: I call upon you powers of air to witness this rite hail and farewell
go to the south:I call upon you powers of fire to witness this rite hail and farewell
go to the west: I call upon you powers of water to witness this rite hail and farewell
go to the north: I call upon you powers of earth to witness this right hail and farewell
This circle is bound with power all around within I stand with protection at hand hail and farewell
I sum it up as follows "Isis and Ra, Freyr and Freyja and any and all highest spirit guides and guardians who were here with me this night hail and farewell
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
How To Hold a Handfasting Ceremony (Sample)
How To Hold a Handfasting Ceremony (Sample)
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
If you're planning on having a handfasting ceremony rather than a traditional wedding, you may want to work with your Pagan clergyperson on the writing of the vows. This is a sample ceremony that you can make adjustments to based upon your needs and your spiritual tradition. To avoid leaving a bunch of blank spaces, or the ever popular Bride's Name and Groom's Name, we're going to pretend this is a ceremony for a woman named Ivy and a man named Mark, being handfast by a High Priestess (HPs).
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 30 minutes
Here's How:
HPs: Friends, family, loved ones. We are all here today to see two people, Ivy and Mark, join hands and be bound together by their love, now and forever. Before we begin the ceremony, we will turn this place into sacred ground. As I cast the circle, please take a moment to visualize loving, positive energy for Ivy and Mark.
HPs casts the circle, either out loud or in silence.
HPs: The circle has been cast, and this is now a sacred space. We will now take a moment to consecrate the rings.
HPs consecrates the rings with the four elements, or by other method called for by the couple's tradition.
HPs: The circle itself is an infinite thing. It is magical and never-ending, never changing and yet always adaptable, a ring with no beginning and no conclusion. Like the circle, true love itself is infinite. It goes on, knowing no boundaries or restrictions. It flourishes and blooms in the light and in the dark, laying down no ultimatums, making no demands at all. Love, in its infinite form, is something that cannot be forced. It cannot be taken away. It is a gift we give to ourselves, and an honor we give to others from the bottom of our hearts and souls.
When two people come together and give one another this gift, this most sacred gift of all, it is certain the universe is sitting back and smiling upon us, laughing and showering us with every possible blessing.
Today is a day to celebrate the love of Mark and Ivy. They are two people who are the halves of a whole. Two souls, coming together to form one single being; two hearts, beating in a single rhythm. They are together as one, and so they will now light a candle of unity, to show the universe that they indeed are one light burning brightly in the darkness.
If the couple is lighting a unity candle, do this now.
HPs: Today, we ask that the infinite light of the divine shine upon this union. In that spirit, I offer a blessing to this ceremony.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts from the east -- new beginnings that come each day with the rising sun, communication of the heart, mind, body and soul.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the south -- the light of the heart, the heat of passion, and the warmth of a loving home.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the west -- the rushing excitement of a raging river, the soft and pure cleansing of a rainstorm, and a commitment as deep as the ocean itself.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the north -- a solid foundation on which to build your lives, abundance and growth of your home, and the stability to be found by holding one another at the end of the day.
Ivy, Mark, these four simple blessings will help you on your journey that begins today. However, they are only tools. They are tools which you must use together to create the light, the strength, the infinite energy now and forever of a love you both so richly deserve.
Now, I bid you look into one another's eyes and hearts. Mark, please place the ring on Ivy's finger. Do you promise to show Ivy your honor and fidelity, to share her laughter and joy, to support and stand by her in times of difficulty, to dream and hope together with her, and to spend each day loving her more than the day before?
Groom responds, hopefully in the affirmative!
HPs: Ivy, please give Mark the ring. Do you, Ivy, promise to show Mark your honor and fidelity, to share his hopes and dreams, to laugh with him and share endless days of joy, to stand side by side with him in times of trouble, and to spend each day loving him more than the day before?
Bride responds. If the couple has written vows they wish to speak to one another, now is the time to do this.
HPs: The vows of love have been spoken. I ask you now to cross your hands over each other, and take one another's hands.
HPS wraps the cord around the bride and grooms wrists, binding them together loosely and tying a knot.
HPs: Mark, Ivy, this cord ribbons symbolizes so much. It is your life, your love, and the eternal connection that the two of you have found with one another. The ties of this handfasting are not formed by these ribbons, or even by the knots connecting them. They are formed instead by your vows, by your pledge, your souls, and your two hearts, now bound together as one.
As one last bond, Mark, will you please kiss Ivy?
Couple kisses, HPs unwraps cord without untying knot.
HPs: Please turn to face your friends and family who love you. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jones!
And now, we will dismiss this sacred space. As I close the circle, please send all of your loving energy towards our newly handfast couple, so that they may begin their life together with all of your blessings and warm wishes.
HPS goes around the circle, dismissing the quarters.
HPs: The circle has been dismissed. Friends, please take a moment to congratulate Mark and Ivy!
Tips:
If you wish, ask friends and family members to call the quarters, with someone standing at each cardinal point to represent the four directions.
Suggested Reading
Handfasting History
How to Have a Magical Ceremony
Besom Weddings
Suggested Reading
Handfasting Favors for Your Guests
Back to Home Page
Related Articles
Inkscape Heart Circle Tool Tutorial - How to Draw a Love Heart in Inkscape ...
Cast a Circle
GIMP Heart Tutorial - How to Draw a Love Heart In GIMP for Valentine's ...
Handfasting History: An Old Tradition Made New
Opening the Heart Chakra - Love Spells
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
If you're planning on having a handfasting ceremony rather than a traditional wedding, you may want to work with your Pagan clergyperson on the writing of the vows. This is a sample ceremony that you can make adjustments to based upon your needs and your spiritual tradition. To avoid leaving a bunch of blank spaces, or the ever popular Bride's Name and Groom's Name, we're going to pretend this is a ceremony for a woman named Ivy and a man named Mark, being handfast by a High Priestess (HPs).
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 30 minutes
Here's How:
HPs: Friends, family, loved ones. We are all here today to see two people, Ivy and Mark, join hands and be bound together by their love, now and forever. Before we begin the ceremony, we will turn this place into sacred ground. As I cast the circle, please take a moment to visualize loving, positive energy for Ivy and Mark.
HPs casts the circle, either out loud or in silence.
HPs: The circle has been cast, and this is now a sacred space. We will now take a moment to consecrate the rings.
HPs consecrates the rings with the four elements, or by other method called for by the couple's tradition.
HPs: The circle itself is an infinite thing. It is magical and never-ending, never changing and yet always adaptable, a ring with no beginning and no conclusion. Like the circle, true love itself is infinite. It goes on, knowing no boundaries or restrictions. It flourishes and blooms in the light and in the dark, laying down no ultimatums, making no demands at all. Love, in its infinite form, is something that cannot be forced. It cannot be taken away. It is a gift we give to ourselves, and an honor we give to others from the bottom of our hearts and souls.
When two people come together and give one another this gift, this most sacred gift of all, it is certain the universe is sitting back and smiling upon us, laughing and showering us with every possible blessing.
Today is a day to celebrate the love of Mark and Ivy. They are two people who are the halves of a whole. Two souls, coming together to form one single being; two hearts, beating in a single rhythm. They are together as one, and so they will now light a candle of unity, to show the universe that they indeed are one light burning brightly in the darkness.
If the couple is lighting a unity candle, do this now.
HPs: Today, we ask that the infinite light of the divine shine upon this union. In that spirit, I offer a blessing to this ceremony.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts from the east -- new beginnings that come each day with the rising sun, communication of the heart, mind, body and soul.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the south -- the light of the heart, the heat of passion, and the warmth of a loving home.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the west -- the rushing excitement of a raging river, the soft and pure cleansing of a rainstorm, and a commitment as deep as the ocean itself.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the north -- a solid foundation on which to build your lives, abundance and growth of your home, and the stability to be found by holding one another at the end of the day.
Ivy, Mark, these four simple blessings will help you on your journey that begins today. However, they are only tools. They are tools which you must use together to create the light, the strength, the infinite energy now and forever of a love you both so richly deserve.
Now, I bid you look into one another's eyes and hearts. Mark, please place the ring on Ivy's finger. Do you promise to show Ivy your honor and fidelity, to share her laughter and joy, to support and stand by her in times of difficulty, to dream and hope together with her, and to spend each day loving her more than the day before?
Groom responds, hopefully in the affirmative!
HPs: Ivy, please give Mark the ring. Do you, Ivy, promise to show Mark your honor and fidelity, to share his hopes and dreams, to laugh with him and share endless days of joy, to stand side by side with him in times of trouble, and to spend each day loving him more than the day before?
Bride responds. If the couple has written vows they wish to speak to one another, now is the time to do this.
HPs: The vows of love have been spoken. I ask you now to cross your hands over each other, and take one another's hands.
HPS wraps the cord around the bride and grooms wrists, binding them together loosely and tying a knot.
HPs: Mark, Ivy, this cord ribbons symbolizes so much. It is your life, your love, and the eternal connection that the two of you have found with one another. The ties of this handfasting are not formed by these ribbons, or even by the knots connecting them. They are formed instead by your vows, by your pledge, your souls, and your two hearts, now bound together as one.
As one last bond, Mark, will you please kiss Ivy?
Couple kisses, HPs unwraps cord without untying knot.
HPs: Please turn to face your friends and family who love you. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jones!
And now, we will dismiss this sacred space. As I close the circle, please send all of your loving energy towards our newly handfast couple, so that they may begin their life together with all of your blessings and warm wishes.
HPS goes around the circle, dismissing the quarters.
HPs: The circle has been dismissed. Friends, please take a moment to congratulate Mark and Ivy!
Tips:
If you wish, ask friends and family members to call the quarters, with someone standing at each cardinal point to represent the four directions.
Suggested Reading
Handfasting History
How to Have a Magical Ceremony
Besom Weddings
Suggested Reading
Handfasting Favors for Your Guests
Back to Home Page
Related Articles
Inkscape Heart Circle Tool Tutorial - How to Draw a Love Heart in Inkscape ...
Cast a Circle
GIMP Heart Tutorial - How to Draw a Love Heart In GIMP for Valentine's ...
Handfasting History: An Old Tradition Made New
Opening the Heart Chakra - Love Spells
How to Cast a Circle
How To Cast a Circle
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
In Wicca and Paganism, one of the facets common to nearly all traditions is the use of a circle as a sacred space. While other religions rely on the use of a building such as a church or temple to hold worship, Wiccans and Pagans can cast a circle pretty much any place they choose. This is particularly handy on those pleasant summer evenings when you decide to hold ritual out in the back yard under a tree instead of in your living room!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varied
Here's How:
Start by determining how big your space needs to be. A ceremonial circle is a place in which positive energy and power are kept in, and negative energy kept out. The size of your circle will depend on how many people need to be inside it, and what the circle’s purpose is. If you’re hosting a small coven meeting for a few people, a nine-foot-diameter circle is sufficient. On the other hand, if it’s Beltane and you’ve got four dozen Pagans preparing to do a Spiral Dance, you’ll need a space significantly larger. A solitary practitioner can work easily in a three- to five-foot circle.
Figure out where your Circle should be cast. In some traditions, a Circle is physically marked on the ground, while in others it is merely visualized by each member of the group. If you have an indoor ritual space, you can mark the Circle on the carpet. Do whichever your tradition calls for. Once the Circle is designated, it is usually navigated by the High Priest or High Priestess, holding an athame, a candle, or a censer.
Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points, with a candle or other marker placed at the north, east, south and west and the altar in the center with all the necessary tools for the ritual. Before entering the circle, participants are purified as well.
How do you actually cast the circle? Methods of casting the circle vary from one tradition to another. In some forms of Wicca, the God and Goddess are called upon to share the ritual. In others, the Hight Priest (HP) or High Priestess (HPs) will begin at the north and call upon the deities of the tradition from each direction. Usually this invocation includes a mention of the aspects associated with that direction – emotion, intellect, strength, etc. A sample ritual for casting a circle might take place like this:
Mark the circle upon the floor or the ground. Place a candle in each of the four quarters – green to the North to represent Earth, yellow in the East to represent Air, red or orange symbolizing Fire in the South, and blue to the West in association with Water. All necessary magical tools should already be in place upon the altar in the center. Let’s assume that the group, called Three Circles Coven, is led by a High Priestess.
The HPs enters the circle from the east and announces, “Let it be known that the circle is about to be cast. All who enter the Circle may do so in perfect love and perfect trust.” Other members of the group may wait outside the circle until the casting is complete. The HPs moves clockwise around the circle, carrying a lit candle (if it’s more practical, use a lighter instead). At each of the four cardinal points, she calls upon the Deities of her tradition (some may refer to these as Watchtowers, or Guardians).
As she lights the candle in the East from the one she carries, the HPs says:
Guardians of the East, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
The HPs moves to the South, and lights the red or orange candle, saying:
Guardians of the South, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Next, she circles around to the West, where she lights the blue candle and says:
Guardians of the West, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Finally, the HPs goes to the last candle in the North. When lighting it, she says:
Guardians of the North, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
At this point, the HPs will announce that the circle is cast, and other members of the group can ritually enter the circle. Each person approaches the HPs, who will ask:
How do you enter the circle?
Each individual will respond:
In perfect love and perfect trust or In the light and love of the Goddess or whatever response is appropriate to your tradition.
Once all members are present within the circle, the circle is closed. At no time during ritual should anyone exit the circle without performing a ceremonial “cutting.” To do this, hold your athame in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle, first to your right and then to your left. You are essentially creating a “door” in the circle, which you may now walk through. When you return to the circle, enter it in the same place you exited, and “close” the doorway by reconnecting the line of the circle with the athame.
When the ceremony or rite has ended, the circle is usually cleared in the same manner in which it was cast, only in this case the HPs will dismiss the deities or Guardians and thank them for watching over the coven. In some traditions, the temple is cleared simply by having all members raise their athames in salute, thanking the God or Goddess, and kissing the blades of the athame.
If the above method of casting a circle seems boring or dull to you, that’s okay. It’s a basic framework for ritual, and you can make yours as elaborate as you like. If you’re a very poetic person who likes lots of ceremony, feel free to use creative license – call upon “the weavers of the wind, the breezes that blow from the East, blessing us with wisdom and knowledge, so mote it be,” etc, etc. If your tradition associates various deities with the directions, call upon those Gods or Goddesses in the ways that they expect you to do so.
Just make sure that you don’t spend so much time casting the Circle that you don’t have any time left for the rest of your ceremony!
Tips:
Have all your tools ready ahead of time -- this will save you from scrambling around during the middle of the ritual looking for things!
If you forget what you mean to say when casting the circle, improvise. Talking to your deities should come from the heart.
If you make a mistake, don't sweat it. The universe has a pretty good sense of humor, and we mortals are fallible.
What You Need:
Athame
Candles
Censer
Other tools of your tradition
Suggested Reading
Consecrate Your Magical Tools
Perform a Self-Dedication Ritual
Hold a Full Moon Esbat Rite
Suggested Reading
Drawing Down the Moon
Related Articles
Casting a Circle - Spells and Charms
Perfect Love and Perfect Trust
Hold a Handfasting Ceremony (Sample)
Ritual to Increase Vitality - Spells and Charms
Casting a Circle - Wicca and Witchcraft
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
In Wicca and Paganism, one of the facets common to nearly all traditions is the use of a circle as a sacred space. While other religions rely on the use of a building such as a church or temple to hold worship, Wiccans and Pagans can cast a circle pretty much any place they choose. This is particularly handy on those pleasant summer evenings when you decide to hold ritual out in the back yard under a tree instead of in your living room!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varied
Here's How:
Start by determining how big your space needs to be. A ceremonial circle is a place in which positive energy and power are kept in, and negative energy kept out. The size of your circle will depend on how many people need to be inside it, and what the circle’s purpose is. If you’re hosting a small coven meeting for a few people, a nine-foot-diameter circle is sufficient. On the other hand, if it’s Beltane and you’ve got four dozen Pagans preparing to do a Spiral Dance, you’ll need a space significantly larger. A solitary practitioner can work easily in a three- to five-foot circle.
Figure out where your Circle should be cast. In some traditions, a Circle is physically marked on the ground, while in others it is merely visualized by each member of the group. If you have an indoor ritual space, you can mark the Circle on the carpet. Do whichever your tradition calls for. Once the Circle is designated, it is usually navigated by the High Priest or High Priestess, holding an athame, a candle, or a censer.
Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points, with a candle or other marker placed at the north, east, south and west and the altar in the center with all the necessary tools for the ritual. Before entering the circle, participants are purified as well.
How do you actually cast the circle? Methods of casting the circle vary from one tradition to another. In some forms of Wicca, the God and Goddess are called upon to share the ritual. In others, the Hight Priest (HP) or High Priestess (HPs) will begin at the north and call upon the deities of the tradition from each direction. Usually this invocation includes a mention of the aspects associated with that direction – emotion, intellect, strength, etc. A sample ritual for casting a circle might take place like this:
Mark the circle upon the floor or the ground. Place a candle in each of the four quarters – green to the North to represent Earth, yellow in the East to represent Air, red or orange symbolizing Fire in the South, and blue to the West in association with Water. All necessary magical tools should already be in place upon the altar in the center. Let’s assume that the group, called Three Circles Coven, is led by a High Priestess.
The HPs enters the circle from the east and announces, “Let it be known that the circle is about to be cast. All who enter the Circle may do so in perfect love and perfect trust.” Other members of the group may wait outside the circle until the casting is complete. The HPs moves clockwise around the circle, carrying a lit candle (if it’s more practical, use a lighter instead). At each of the four cardinal points, she calls upon the Deities of her tradition (some may refer to these as Watchtowers, or Guardians).
As she lights the candle in the East from the one she carries, the HPs says:
Guardians of the East, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
The HPs moves to the South, and lights the red or orange candle, saying:
Guardians of the South, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Next, she circles around to the West, where she lights the blue candle and says:
Guardians of the West, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
Finally, the HPs goes to the last candle in the North. When lighting it, she says:
Guardians of the North, I call upon you
to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven.
Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth,
we ask that you keep watch over us
tonight within this circle.
Let all who enter the circle under your guidance
do so in perfect love and perfect trust.
At this point, the HPs will announce that the circle is cast, and other members of the group can ritually enter the circle. Each person approaches the HPs, who will ask:
How do you enter the circle?
Each individual will respond:
In perfect love and perfect trust or In the light and love of the Goddess or whatever response is appropriate to your tradition.
Once all members are present within the circle, the circle is closed. At no time during ritual should anyone exit the circle without performing a ceremonial “cutting.” To do this, hold your athame in your hand and make a cutting motion across the line of the circle, first to your right and then to your left. You are essentially creating a “door” in the circle, which you may now walk through. When you return to the circle, enter it in the same place you exited, and “close” the doorway by reconnecting the line of the circle with the athame.
When the ceremony or rite has ended, the circle is usually cleared in the same manner in which it was cast, only in this case the HPs will dismiss the deities or Guardians and thank them for watching over the coven. In some traditions, the temple is cleared simply by having all members raise their athames in salute, thanking the God or Goddess, and kissing the blades of the athame.
If the above method of casting a circle seems boring or dull to you, that’s okay. It’s a basic framework for ritual, and you can make yours as elaborate as you like. If you’re a very poetic person who likes lots of ceremony, feel free to use creative license – call upon “the weavers of the wind, the breezes that blow from the East, blessing us with wisdom and knowledge, so mote it be,” etc, etc. If your tradition associates various deities with the directions, call upon those Gods or Goddesses in the ways that they expect you to do so.
Just make sure that you don’t spend so much time casting the Circle that you don’t have any time left for the rest of your ceremony!
Tips:
Have all your tools ready ahead of time -- this will save you from scrambling around during the middle of the ritual looking for things!
If you forget what you mean to say when casting the circle, improvise. Talking to your deities should come from the heart.
If you make a mistake, don't sweat it. The universe has a pretty good sense of humor, and we mortals are fallible.
What You Need:
Athame
Candles
Censer
Other tools of your tradition
Suggested Reading
Consecrate Your Magical Tools
Perform a Self-Dedication Ritual
Hold a Full Moon Esbat Rite
Suggested Reading
Drawing Down the Moon
Related Articles
Casting a Circle - Spells and Charms
Perfect Love and Perfect Trust
Hold a Handfasting Ceremony (Sample)
Ritual to Increase Vitality - Spells and Charms
Casting a Circle - Wicca and Witchcraft
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The Witch's Pyramid of Four Pillars
There are many tools used in Modern Witchcraft. According to some Wiccan systems, the first four are not physical, but rather are qualities which must be developed within the witch.
The "Four Pillars of the Witches Temple" are;
To Know (nescere)
-corresponds to Air
-represents the witch's reason/intellect/intuition/wisdom and other more mystical understandings...
Basically this has to do with the gaining of knowledge, whether it be from books, teachers, or from experience. This also includes anything having to do with organising said knowledge: remembering, analyzing, dissecting, logical reasoning, imagining, linking, and many more. This is shown in many kinds of knowledge needed to do ritual: from remembering the words to invocations, to knowing when to cast the circle, to knowing what incense to use, to remembering how it feels when one grounds correctly.
In witchcraft knowledge is power. No knowledge is ever wasted, and you may find that your fifth grade Creative Writing class taught you things useable for creating invocations, or that your Aunt Jean's gardening tips are helping you with your herb growing, or your Tai Chi class helped get the idea of centering across.
The admonitions "Know Thyself", "Know your Craft", "Learn" and "Apply you Learning" are all included in the pillar.
To Will (velle)
-corresponds to Fire
-represents the witch's Will/Discipline/her skills in the arts of magic and life.
This can be split into two categories: the mundane and the Magickal. The mundane is where a with tries to keep their life in good order, and to follow through on promises and commitments. The magickal version refers to the Will to see a spell or ritual to its completion, keeping the intent clear without letting onself get distracted.
Concentration, Discipline and Drive are definitely a part of this, as well as Enthusiasm for doing ritual in the first place.
Placing one's will in tandem with Divine Will is also incuded.
"Keep you thoughts and deeds in good order" and "Breathe and Eat correctly" belong here (though really just the act of living up to all the Goals could be listed inder "To Will")
To Dare (audere)
-corresponds to Water
-represents the witch's Emotions/Heart since the word courage derives from a word that means "heart"
"To Dar" encompasses the acts of facing fears, especially with regards to doing magick. Dare to experiment with what one has learned to gain more experience, like trying out that new astral travel technique or trance working. Dare to meet the Gods and interacte with them. Dare to deal with inner darkness.
This is not to say that one must never feel fear. Fear must be felt and examined before it can be dealt with. The more one tries to hide one's fear from one's self, the more power that fear will have over one's self. Facing the Shadow within can be more traumatic than facing the most awe-inspiring Deity. However, Starhawk mentions in her book The Spiral Dance, "Where there's fear, there's power." One's greatest fear can mask one's greatest strength.
It must be stated that any emotion or personal attribute brought into a magickal circle will be increased and strengthened. This explains the admonition at the gateway "Better to fall upon this knife/Than enter here in fear, or strife". Give strength to your courage.
To Keep [the] Silence (tacere)
-corresponds with Earth
"To Keep the Silence" is often interpreted as "To Keep Silent": that is, to keep secret knowledge of witchcraft, of membership and places of meetings etc., except in cases of voucher-for persons. "To Keep Silent" is probably a good general practice since it keeps the foolhardy from trying things that might be dangerous or from getting flack from less sympathetic neighbours. This is, however, not the whole story.
"Silence" represents the 'still point'... the silence within... The correspondence with Earth here also gives another hint of this interpretation, since in order to begin to work magick, we generally "ground" and "center" ourselves. It is difficult to keep clear one's intent if other extraneous thoughts keep flitting by and being distracting.
Listening to the Gods and Nature (and other people for that matter) is also intimated since one cannot hear unless there is silence first.
Again, "Keeping your thoughts in good order" as well as "Meditate" come under this heading
To Go (ire)
-corresponds to Spirit
Some traditions use the fifth Element of Spirit as embodying the power "To Go": to go forth, to journey, to make manifest, to evolove. Most traditions assign Spirit to the Gods, making spirit a combination of the other four elements in perfect balance.
Conclusion
If one sees each of these qualities written on a four-sided pyramid, "To Keep the Silence" would be on the base, with the other three (To Know, To Will, To Dare) rising from the base (ie. Earth, foundation) to meet at the top. All things begin and end in Silence.
All of these qualities must be developed to gain proficiency in magick. (Remember "Achieve Balance")
Sources:
The Way of the Goddess by Ly Warren-Clarke
Dalukah's Notes
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
The "Four Pillars of the Witches Temple" are;
To Know (nescere)
-corresponds to Air
-represents the witch's reason/intellect/intuition/wisdom and other more mystical understandings...
Basically this has to do with the gaining of knowledge, whether it be from books, teachers, or from experience. This also includes anything having to do with organising said knowledge: remembering, analyzing, dissecting, logical reasoning, imagining, linking, and many more. This is shown in many kinds of knowledge needed to do ritual: from remembering the words to invocations, to knowing when to cast the circle, to knowing what incense to use, to remembering how it feels when one grounds correctly.
In witchcraft knowledge is power. No knowledge is ever wasted, and you may find that your fifth grade Creative Writing class taught you things useable for creating invocations, or that your Aunt Jean's gardening tips are helping you with your herb growing, or your Tai Chi class helped get the idea of centering across.
The admonitions "Know Thyself", "Know your Craft", "Learn" and "Apply you Learning" are all included in the pillar.
To Will (velle)
-corresponds to Fire
-represents the witch's Will/Discipline/her skills in the arts of magic and life.
This can be split into two categories: the mundane and the Magickal. The mundane is where a with tries to keep their life in good order, and to follow through on promises and commitments. The magickal version refers to the Will to see a spell or ritual to its completion, keeping the intent clear without letting onself get distracted.
Concentration, Discipline and Drive are definitely a part of this, as well as Enthusiasm for doing ritual in the first place.
Placing one's will in tandem with Divine Will is also incuded.
"Keep you thoughts and deeds in good order" and "Breathe and Eat correctly" belong here (though really just the act of living up to all the Goals could be listed inder "To Will")
To Dare (audere)
-corresponds to Water
-represents the witch's Emotions/Heart since the word courage derives from a word that means "heart"
"To Dar" encompasses the acts of facing fears, especially with regards to doing magick. Dare to experiment with what one has learned to gain more experience, like trying out that new astral travel technique or trance working. Dare to meet the Gods and interacte with them. Dare to deal with inner darkness.
This is not to say that one must never feel fear. Fear must be felt and examined before it can be dealt with. The more one tries to hide one's fear from one's self, the more power that fear will have over one's self. Facing the Shadow within can be more traumatic than facing the most awe-inspiring Deity. However, Starhawk mentions in her book The Spiral Dance, "Where there's fear, there's power." One's greatest fear can mask one's greatest strength.
It must be stated that any emotion or personal attribute brought into a magickal circle will be increased and strengthened. This explains the admonition at the gateway "Better to fall upon this knife/Than enter here in fear, or strife". Give strength to your courage.
To Keep [the] Silence (tacere)
-corresponds with Earth
"To Keep the Silence" is often interpreted as "To Keep Silent": that is, to keep secret knowledge of witchcraft, of membership and places of meetings etc., except in cases of voucher-for persons. "To Keep Silent" is probably a good general practice since it keeps the foolhardy from trying things that might be dangerous or from getting flack from less sympathetic neighbours. This is, however, not the whole story.
"Silence" represents the 'still point'... the silence within... The correspondence with Earth here also gives another hint of this interpretation, since in order to begin to work magick, we generally "ground" and "center" ourselves. It is difficult to keep clear one's intent if other extraneous thoughts keep flitting by and being distracting.
Listening to the Gods and Nature (and other people for that matter) is also intimated since one cannot hear unless there is silence first.
Again, "Keeping your thoughts in good order" as well as "Meditate" come under this heading
To Go (ire)
-corresponds to Spirit
Some traditions use the fifth Element of Spirit as embodying the power "To Go": to go forth, to journey, to make manifest, to evolove. Most traditions assign Spirit to the Gods, making spirit a combination of the other four elements in perfect balance.
Conclusion
If one sees each of these qualities written on a four-sided pyramid, "To Keep the Silence" would be on the base, with the other three (To Know, To Will, To Dare) rising from the base (ie. Earth, foundation) to meet at the top. All things begin and end in Silence.
All of these qualities must be developed to gain proficiency in magick. (Remember "Achieve Balance")
Sources:
The Way of the Goddess by Ly Warren-Clarke
Dalukah's Notes
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
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