Spirituality and Sorcery

The Gift of Darkness It is at Samhain, perhaps more than any other time of the year, that we as a culture, confront darkness. Why is this? There are a multitude of answers; because the nights have grown longer, the veil between the worlds is thin, or maybe it is because this time of year has become a cultural metaphor for the darkness within ourselves. Samhain is a time of mystery, when the veil between the worlds is thin, yet also is the veil between our light self and dark self. It is here on this night, that culturally we confront our hidden selves and revel in them. Unabashedly and unashamed on this one night of the year we draw our masks from our spiritual selves and place them on physically, then rush head long into the dark and glorious night! Yet there is much more to confronting our dark selves than a costume and paint. Author Timothy Roderick writes of a time, in the not to distant past when the cowan called the craft of magick the “black arts”. Black sign

Listen now to the words of the Bright Maiden. She of old, who was called ; Brigidh, Artemis, Minerva, Idunn, Rhiannon, Blodeuwedd, Parvati, Chang 'e, Kore, Eostre and by many other names. I am the first light of the dawn that sweeps away weariness and banishes indifference. I am the promise of spring jutting from beneath the soft warm blankets of snow. Life renewed. I am the hatching egg opening from infinite potential to choose a path and destiny all my own. I am innocence coupled with wild abandon and lively curiosity that blow the dust off stale knowledge. I am the young flame that sparks inspiration, fueling a spirit of creativity and discovery. By my hand the beauty of your art, poetry, music and smith craft burst free. When my song fills your heart you will know me. I am enchantment, excitement and the carefree erotic aura that send men and Gods preening. I am the huntress running free through the woods in pursuit of my quarry, my hou

By the Sun that burneth birght! O' Great One! We call thy name into the Light! O' Brilliant One thee we invoke by sun kissed shore By arid deserts and lightened moors. Thee we invoke where gather thine own In groves once sacred, forgotten, alone Come where your praises are whispered and sang! Your altars are dressed from stones to stang! By the sunlit meadows and the rounded green hills Where the crops are bursting and the gardens filled come to the charm of the chanted prayer As the sun warms the blustering air Evoke thy powers, that potent bide In glistening lakes and Ocean Tides From fiery flames of sunlite heat In the brilliant balefire, O'er which we leaped Come! O' come! The drum beats rung Come to us who gather below As the disk through the sky rides but slow As the willows sway and the birds sing sweet We dance they round, glistening in the heat. We speak they spell, chant thy prayer From Sabbet to Sabbet ! For

Apologies I must apologize for such a long lapse in writing, however this year has seen so many changes  and so much activity,  that my down time usually translates to sleep :) I continue to be in awe and amazed at our little community as well as the growth and relationships that are forming. Beltane, was our very first public Sabbat.  Our group  Circle of the Sublime Elm, host a public Beltane for the Orlando Pagan Collective.  It was beautiful!  I want to thank all of the Sublime Elms who worked so hard to make it truly maginifcent and inspiring.  Thank you also to the members of OPC (Orlando Pagan Collective)  who welcomed us with open arms.  We love you all and look forward to building our budding friendships! For Litha we stepped out of our respective comfort zones, and celebrated the Solstice Polynesian style!  In the middle of a Hurricane :P   (She was stalled off the coast).  Our Kahuna and Kahuna- Wahine (Priest and Priestess) were magickal.  Our Kahuna-Wahine was res

  Beltane, also spelled Beltaine, is the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May. It is the third of the three spring fertility festivals on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year.  The other two spring fertility festivals being Imbolog and Ostara respectively. Beltane is a cross-quarter, on the Wheel of the Year,  marking the midpoint in the Sun's progress between the vernal equinox  (Ostara) and summer solstice (Litha).  Beltane stands opposite Samhain on the wheel, as two very important celebrations. Beltane, also known as May Day,  which is derived from the Irish Gaelic 'Bealtaine' or the Scottish Gaelic 'Bealtuinn', meaning 'Bel-fire', the fire of the Celtic god of light (Bel, Beli or Belinus). He, in turn, may be traced to the Middle Eastern god Baal. May Day , of course resides in the month of May which is named of the goddess Maia, a Greek mountain nymph.  Maia is identified as the most beautif

 (Happily our tradition information was posted on Witchvox in March!  I am sharing the article, which can also be found on Witchvox at http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usfl&c=trads&id=14913) We strike a spark, Against the dark, Tween the shadows and the stars, That we may see the way. ~Opening of the Unfolding Circle Casting Founded in 2001, The Circle of the Dragon's Crystal-Unfolding (more commonly called just "the Unfolding Path") is based on the Draconian Path of Wicca/Wysardn. The Draconian Path is itself an amalgam of Welsh Celtic, Celtic Traditional Wicca and Wysardn Colleges, founded in 1986 by progenitor Lord Ash who brought Wysardn teachings from Europe and melded it with the workings of his Floridian coven. Wysardry is a survival of the druids of Britain who fled the Isle of Mona and spread throughout Europe during the three Burning Times. Incidentally, there are more than a few groups who also use the name Draconian. The one

Ēostre and  Ostara Fresh green grasses soft under our feet Downy yellow chickadee's chirp and peep Blooms spring forth from budding stems As sleep is shaken from those hibernating in dens White, pink, lavender, yellow and peach The colors of rainbows within our reach! A swath of your hand and wink from your eye The hard, dead winter waves it's last good bye. Awakening, and stretching the inhabitants of the glade Revel joyfully in your work, your plans well laid. Beautiful, gracious Eoster, Maiden of Spring We call to you lady, growth and fertility do you bring! Equal does time stand, as night gives it's way Thus the Sun rides high waxing to Solstice Day! Joyful ! Fulfilled, Spring plants and Vegetables sprout We thank you Lady for the bounty which will be wrought. Eoster, Gentle Maiden  of  Spring Sunshine, warmth  and rain do you bring Joy, love, life and sustenance to us Lovely maiden, Spring Noblesse.                                         

(This is a continuing discussion line by line of the full Wiccan Rede.  See the first post in February for the full rede and beginning of the discussion.) Honor the Old Ones in deed and name, let Love and Trust be our guides again. Honor the Old Ones in deed and name While this seems like a very easy concept to understand or define, however I thought it might be interesting to look at the word Honor.  Since we as a culture toss it about quite a bit.  Back to Merriam - Webster Honor: 1  : good name or public esteem : reputation b : a showing of usually merited respect : recognition <pay honor to our founder> 2 : privilege <had the honor of joining the captain for dinner> 3: one whose worth brings respect or fame : credit <an honor to the profession> 4 : chastity , purity <fought fiercely for her honor and her life — Barton Black> 5 a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : integrity <a man of honor > b :

(This is a continuing discussion line by line of the full Wiccan Rede.  See the first post in February for the full rede and beginning of the discussion.) Heed ye flower, bush and tree. By the Lady, Blessed Be Heed ye flower, bush and tree The word heed is an interesting choice here.  According to Merriam- Webster it means literally to pay careful attention to.  Why is it so important to pay careful attention to plants?   You can actually approach this two ways.  First, understand that plants and trees are the subjects of which element?  Ahem.... Earth!  Excellent.  As subjects of said element, they are metaphors for her as well.   Earth, Gaia, is a LIVING planet with which we live in a symbiotic relationship.  We are the cells to her planetary body.  As  sentient beings, (likening us to brain cells), it is our responsibility to provide stewardship to our lady.  We realize, or should realize what consequence our  actions have our the earth.    In recent years we have heard spo

(This is a continuing discussion line by line of the full Wiccan Rede.  See the first post in February for the full rede and beginning of the discussion.) Soft of eye, light of touch, speak little; listen much Soft of Eye Soft of eye is exploring perception.  It is plumbing our own inner depths, and achieving something more than a static model of looking at the world.  All of us are consciously aware, when we focus our vision.  Honing our gaze to a fine point, to discern what we are looking for.  Such as searching for an item within a puzzle.  This type of fine focus, is used during periods of high concentration.  It also references a person who is overly critical or judgmental.  Such as the metaphors stemming from " long hard gazes" or taking a "hard look".  During this type of activity, the eyes tense, the body develops a rigidity, and everything perches upon on edge.  Careful someone doesn't tip you over! Soft of eye, on the other hand is a differe

(This is a continuing discussion line by line of the full Wiccan Rede.  See the first post in February for the full rede and beginning of the discussion.) Live ye well and let to live; fairly take and fairly give. Living Well Many websites, commercials, and books are dedicated to the art of living well.  Our consumer driven society is obsessed with it.  What does it really mean?  From a material point of view to live well, might be to live comfortably from a financial standpoint,  have a few things that make you happy.  Have a few people with whom you are close to and  exist  in a somewhat enjoyable manner. Lets look at this from a different perspective.  Living well, can also be a standard to which to hold yourself.  We as wiccans and pagans, actively work to create a better life for ourselves, better communities and a better world.  In doing so, we take on the role of the steward, the caretaker.   As stewards we have a responsibility to our charge, namely the earth, our comm