Article Specs Article ID: 14371 VoxAcct: 402129 Section: words Age Group: Teen Days Up: 10 Times Read: 1,150 RSS Views: 10,653

The Glamorous Occult

Author: Aegar Geihl
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 1,150

The Occult is a fascinating and stimulating area of study- for those who can handle it, and it opens up doors to new and enlightening experiences. This all is very interesting and is certain to attract a large amount of attention from teens, but do they know what they are getting into? With this article I hope to instill a bit of primer knowledge to many curious teens before they embark on a path they aren't ready for.

I remember when I was first interested in the Occult. I Googled my brains out as I tried to find suitable information. For someone without an initial knowledge in the Occult that was very difficult. I ended up embarking on my first face-to-face encounter with Magick, only to find myself disappointed in the results of the event. It wasn't until I matured both spiritually and physically that I realized what the cause of that night was. I was misinformed and completely unaware of the reality of these powers. This is my encouragement to provide an outline for those interested:

1. Take time to think about why you are interested in Wicca, Asatru, or whatever is tickling your fascination. Are you into it for the black cat, medieval garb, and fancy title? If so, then please rethink your decision as it might save your dignity (or your sanity) . If you are interested in the Occult for the lessons you may learn, whether good or bad then you may be on the right path.

2. It's definitely not all fun and games, and anyone who tells you otherwise

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Article Specs Article ID: 14365 VoxAcct: 364018 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 10 Times Read: 682 RSS Views: 10,653

Ritual Exists To Express Philosophy

Author: James Bulls [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 682

The most quoted Hermetic maxim is that of correspondence: As above, so below; as below, so above. To continue the logical extension of that maxim, As within, so without; as without, so within. The microcosm and the macrocosm operate not just in the planes of existence but also in the areas of thought and religion. In other words, base matter reflects subtle spirit the same as overt deeds reflect covert thought. The tangible expresses the intangible and observance of this pattern is to be found in all schools of religious and occult thought.

To illustrate this principle, consider the relation between rituals and philosophy (the inner and outer temples of knowledge, respectively.) Ritual and ceremony are the tangible expressions that communicate the truth and wisdom of intangible philosophy. To help illuminate this discussion, consider the varieties of martial arts. In the broadest sense, the goal of most styles of martial arts is to defend oneself against unwelcome aggression, but how different styles achieve this goal is something different.

Some styles place strong emphasis on personal and spiritual development so that the student learns to live harmoniously with others and make wise decisions, which prevent conflict in the first place, and other styles place strong emphasis on physical conditioning and fighting skills so that the student may defeat his enemies in physical combat. Unless you're training for military application or to participate in a sport fight, the differences between these styles are of little consequence.

Karate, Taekwondo, Kung-fu, and other hard styles were originally developed to teach the average man

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Article Specs Article ID: 14183 VoxAcct: 375877 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 10 Times Read: 924 RSS Views: 32,697

Elemental Meditation

Author: Mike
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 924

I wrote the meditation scripts featured below and have used them many times with wonderful results. Feel free to use them if you wish, for whatever situation seems best to you, whether it's a working or just pure meditation. They are not long, but work best when read slowly with enough time between lines for the subconscious to do its job.

Fire Meditation

(Light a candle or a bonfire, whichever works best for you)

Breathe in.
Breathe deeply of the hot energy of life.
See the life in the flames, and the dance.
Nothing else exists but the fire in front of you.
Breathe in.
Close your eyes, and know that the fire is not just outside of you, but burning within your soul as well.
Feel the flickering dance of heat and feverish delight burning there.
Feed it.
You are not on fire; you are fire.
You are not burning up; you burn, and your fuel is the limitless energy of the universe.
Know that you cannot contain it, because this fire burns through all creation, bringing passion and light to all life.
Breathe in.
Let your fiery soul dance in a consuming whirlwind of divine flame.
Feel the boundless energy and joy that burning brings.
Laugh and burn, and share the fire with everything and everyone else.
It is a part of you, and you are a part of it.
Spin through the timeless ether in the ecstasy of eternal combustion

Breathe in.
Let your soul fire die down a little, no longer the wild inferno, but a comfortable blaze, warming and soothing.
Breathe in.
Let it

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Article Specs Article ID: 14202 VoxAcct: 359118 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 10 Times Read: 550 RSS Views: 10,533

In A Different Time And Place

Author: Lady Wolfwind
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 550

The silence of the night engulfs me. I feel the cool water gently lapping at my feet. As I stand at the edge of this moonlit lake, I slowly let my robe slide down my back and puddle at my feet. I stand before my Goddess in quiet reverence. The warm air caresses my body and sends a chill down my spine. I look before me and the lake is smooth, like glass. It beckons me to immerse myself, to cleanse my spirit, on this sacred night. All around me the night creatures sing and remind me that we are all connected, that we are one in this vast universe.

The full moon glows over my head and is reflected upon the smooth surface of the water. It is such a beautiful sight to behold. I take a deep breath and plunge into the liquid coolness, feeling a sense of calm and relief wash over me. In long, strong strokes I swim to the raft that I know is there by my senses only. Ive been here many times before, to this quiet refuge from the chaos of life. I climb onto the raft, feeling my Mothers cleansing water slide down my body. I lay down upon the raft and I feel more alive than I have in such a long time. I feel as though I have awakened deep down inside.

As I lie upon the raft and gaze up at the glorious full moon that I am here to pay tribute to, I think of all I have to be

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The Great Escape

Author: Crick [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 648

With the advent of the Roman New Year, certain thoughts have gathered in my mind. Why is it that we as a species constantly seek to alter our state of consciousness? Every single day there are literally billions of folks, who engage in activities that are intended to alter the sense of reality that we are introduced into from birth. What is it that we are trying to escape from?
Can it be the behavior that we as humans have introduced into this world, a behavior that we accept as natural? Or is the mystery of life to become cognizant of such activities and to find a higher sense of truth?

We as a species engage in this activity of escape through a wide variety of ways. This may be through alcohol in its many forms and proofs. Or perhaps through the use of a wide variety of drugs which are ingested in every way imaginable. It is interesting to note that though all drugs have the same intended result to some degree, we as a species have become divided as to which drugs are acceptable into which segment of our many societies. The same questions and/or concerns arise over many other forms of consciousness-altering, such as those associated with spiritual endeavors like vision quests and Chautauquas or sexual eroticism with its many avenues of so called sexual freedom.

As pagans we proclaim our purpose in this life as seeking out the mysteries of life and yet we have literally hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to escape the very reality that

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Article Specs Article ID: 14385 VoxAcct: 363544 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 3 Times Read: 367 RSS Views: 3,171

What the Mythologies Can Teach Us

Author: M.T.Bargeman
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 367

We live in an odd society. Except for the time when the Christian church was gaining political power all over the world, there has never been such a strong push to get us to give up. We are told to give up on ourselves by swallowing some little blue pill because we are depressed. We are bombarded with images of people living extreme and expensive lifestyles, which most of us will never be able to afford. Society tries to make us feel guilty for not having more than we need, or the most expensive this or that.

If we cannot do those things society says are important for social and financial success, we are told to give up and move on to something else that will give us that social and financial success. We are diagnosed as depressed by some doctor who has roughly 15-minutes to learn our whole lifes story. If we havent lived up to societys expectations, then we must be depressed because what other reason is there to be so lazy, and be such an underachiever? Then the doctor takes at least half the fee in order to cover his malpractice insurance costs and sends us on our way with a prescription that few people in the world truly need.

I do realize that some people have legitimate issues and chemical imbalances, but on the whole, I think, doctors and drug companies have made pleasant sheeple out people who were not truly depressed, just bored, lacking any type of faith at all, and not paying enough attention to know the

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Vegetarian Eating

Author: Priestess Jean
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 805

This essay deals with things such as healthy eating, caring for the environment, and respect for the lives of animals. To the extent that it may be controversial, I offer the usual disclaimer that the opinions expressed here are strictly my own, and do not reflect any official position of the temple to which I belong.

Most people today eat meat on a regular basis. They have become accustomed to this diet since early childhood, and perhaps have never investigated any other options. Many of them are unaware of the costs and consequences that such a diet entails. Therefore, in this discussion of diet, I hope to provide you with a little "food for thought"...

A great deal of scientific evidence has emerged in recent years, supporting the assertion that vegetarian eating is significantly healthier for people than a diet that contains meat. Vegetarians have lower cholesterol and blood pressure, 30 percent less heart disease, less hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other ailments. This is the result of consuming less saturated fat and cholesterol, and more carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.

Many people have the impression that a vegetarian diet cannot provide all the nutrients that the body requires. This is only true if the diet does not include dairy products... but when dairy products are included, all essential amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients are present in sufficient quantity for anyone, including athletes.

An easy way to make sure that our diet is well-balanced is to simply total up the nutritional content of what we eat, and compare that to the minimum daily requirements

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The Leap of Faith

Author: M.T.Bargeman
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 537

Every action we take is a leap of faith. We have faith that our truck will carry us safely down the road and home again. We have faith that the gas stove wont explode while we are cooking breakfast. We have faith in our talents, skills, and beliefs as Pagans.

We perform both mundane and magical acts to push ourselves to do better, be better humans, and better Pagans, better witches. We have faith that we can do these things. Where does this faith come from inside us? If you remember the story of Pandoras box, you remember that Hope was the weakest creature inside the box and that it never actually escaped.

All humans have hope. With hope, which is said to spring eternally from the human breast, we can have faith. Hope and faith go together, because it is extremely strong hope that creates faith. In other words, we want something in particular to happen so badly, hoping, wishing, dreaming for the outcome we desire that we believe-have faith- that it will be so. Dreams and goals are part of this Hope/Faith pairing.

We dream that we can do something. For instance, years ago, I dreamed of becoming a professional writer and a novelist. Something about the idea of telling an entertaining story to masses of people makes me happy. Its a happy thought. There would be people reading my work, enjoying it and waiting eagerly for the next book. There was a time when I thought this might not happen for me.

I had a manuscript, which I began writing with a pilfered

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The Road

Author: Divine Creative Inspirations
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 588

In these great times of change, at the beginning of this new year, I am being guided to share some insights, on the paths forward through our relationships, with everything, and everyone, around us. These relationships are those we have with our Self, Nature, our environment, our friends, family, and partners. We have become stuck in patterns, those learned from our past observations and experiences. They may have been useful to get us to this point in time, but there are some pieces of the foundations that we have built, that could be made stronger. To do that, we need to begin again, with our relationship with our Self, with Nature, with our environment. In doing so, we can begin to add strength to those foundations for our future relationships.

As children, we were never taught how to be in relationship with the Self. We are taught how to fit in and make due, with half-truths and compromising your own integrity, but few parents are able to guide the Child to the relationship with the Adult. When we are taught that you have to watch every word that you say, to make sure that no ones feelings are hurt, we loose the ability to stand in our truth, and speak from the heart. We learn so much, especially as children, simply by observing the behaviors of those around us. When a good natured family competition can be viewed by a youth, as something that one needs to become a part of, this can become a pattern that is hard to get out of. The

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Article Specs Article ID: 14398 VoxAcct: 363544 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 3 Times Read: 589 RSS Views: 3,223

When the Magick Doesn't Work: Is Faith Always Enough?

Author: M.T.Bargeman
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 589

In the movie, Little Big Man, there is a scene in which Chief Dan Georges character lies down and asks the Great Spirit to take his life because he thinks it is time for him to die. He lies there a few moments, and nothing happens to him, except that it begins to rain. He gets up off the ground and tells Dustin Hoffmans character, Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesnt. He is correct. It is not only faith and belief that cause our will to affect change in our world. It is the timing, as well.

If our spell, prayer, request, or whatever you would like to call it is going to work, it means that we believed strongly that our will would be done, that we have enough faith in our god (dess) that the magick will work, and our timing was right. Timing is not only the phase of the Moon, but the time in our life when we perform the magic. Sometimes, the magic does not work, not because we did not have enough faith or belief, but because there is a lesson to be learned in not getting that which we so deeply desire at the time.

The mythologies teach us to believe in ourselves and to embrace our individuality and who and what we are. Magickal workings help us learn more about ourselves as people, and what we need to work on to improve ourselves as human beings in this realm of existence. Sometimes, meditations and questions asked of the Gods and

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Modern Knighthood

Author: Kerr Cuhulain
Posted: January 2nd. 2011
Times Viewed: 1,389

Many people wish that they had the power to take charge of their lives, endlessly dreaming of what they believe to be out of their reach. If only theyd reach out, theyd discover that their dreams had been within their grasp all along. Some people feel hemmed in by the chaos of the modern world, fearful of what the next moment should bring. If only theyd stand up and claim their strength, the chaos and fears surrounding them would be blown away like leaves in the wind. Many people believe themselves to be victims, forever fated to suffer. If only theyd stand up and say never again, theyd find themselves the master of their fate. Some people dream of the knight in shining armor: Either wishing some knight would ride to their rescue or that they were knights who could rescue the weak. If only theyd look inside, theyd see that there is a knight dormant in all of us, waiting to be unleashed upon the world.

People come to the Pagan spiritual paths seeking magickal power, so I am constantly surprised how many fail to fully claim what they have in them. Theyre willing to embrace the first half of the Wiccan Rede, harm none, and yet seemingly unwilling to embrace the second half, do what thou wilt. The second half tells us to be all that we can be. It tells us to claim our power and use it responsibly. It encourages us to be glorious. And yet I run into Pagans all the time that clearly dont see themselves as being glorious in

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Witchcraft, Ethics and the Role of Animals in Society

Author: Dark Forest Coven [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 482

Witchcraft is more than a religion; it is a magickal way of life that encourages living with compassion and tolerance toward all of Earth's creatures and working to heal and protect the environment as well as ourselves. We acknowledge that we are part of the great web of life, and this interconnection extends to all beings.

Our daily lives are intertwined with not only other human beings, but with the animal kingdom and the Land as well. Without this relationship to animals and the Land, our civilization would not exist as we know it. As Witches, it is our moral obligation as protectors of our planet to speak out against injustices towards other living things and our environment.

The Role of Animals In Society

In the pre-history of civilization, our ancestors were nomadic hunters and gatherers. As agriculture and the domestication of animals developed, small clans were able to merge into larger communities. Domesticated animals played an essential role in these communities, providing labor in the fields, meat and milk for the table, and skins for protection against the elements. The herds were protected and cherished, because man's survival was dependant upon them. In the warmer months, crops were plentiful but in the harsh Winter months, the fields were fallow and communities relied heavily on meat and animal products to sustain them until the next growing season. The history of Imbolc is a classic example of the reliance on ewe's milk for survival during Winter.

When animals were slaughtered for food it was done with great

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A Numerologist's Look at 2011

Author: Coventine
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 681

We are about to begin a new year. 2011 may be one of the most eventful years you will ever experience. Legends have spoken of this time as special. The Mayans, Hopi, Chinese I Ching and the Bible tell similar stories. It is a time of great change. Scientific information is pouring in that seems to confirm many of the old predictions. Let us take a Numerological and symbolic look at the doorway into the New Year.

2010 reduces to a pure 3 year. (2+0+1+0 = 3) 2011 will be a pure 4 year. Because only one reduction step is necessary to arrive at a single digit, these numbers are pure in that there is little other strong influence to be considered.

The purity remains for the first five days of 2011 beginning with January1st which is a pure 6 then proceeds from 7 to 8 to 9 and then 10, on the fifth day of January, the last single reduction double digit of January in 2011.

Six is the number of balance, so what I see in this is a diver poised on the edge of the tower setting the balance of the 6 and anticipating the dive to come. Then follows the 7, which represents the knowledge the diver has acquired during training and practice. Then the power 8, which flows through the body, accompanied with the belief that this dive can be accomplished to perfection. Then the 9 takes over, that final moment of concentration before the decision to go.

All the preparation is concentrated into the few seconds meditative time

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Article Specs Article ID: 14219 VoxAcct: 394550 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 3 Times Read: 920 RSS Views: 3,171

My Child Wants to Attend Church. What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Author: Brigham [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 920

My child wants to attend Churchwhats the worst that could happen?

I wrestled with this question for a long time; years before I actually had children. What would happen if their friends invited them to Church? What would happen if they just wanted to go to experience what it was like? Should I let them go? Would the beliefs and teachings that I had instilled in them be off-set by the teachings of the church? What would their Sunday school teacher say about Pagans? (We arent really held in high regard in any denomination.)

These are just a few of the questions that plagued me. If you have children, are planning on having them in the future or if you may date or marry inter-religiously you may want to ask yourself these questions as well because they will come up.

In my area of rural Indiana we have many denominations of Christian Churches. I am using the Christian Church here as my main example because they are the most prevalent in the area that I live in. Likewise there are multiple Churches for each denomination.

I have always been open to all the worlds religions. While I may not agree with all of their teachings I do support their right to practice what they believe, as long as it is not forced upon me and my family and it does not affect my lifestyle.

The first question I asked myself was; what if my child speaks about their Pagan beliefs and is ridiculed?

One thing that I have

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Catholicism, Hinduism, and my Inner Ferengi

Author: Deborah
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 493

111) Never sleep with the boss' wife unless you pay him first.
112) Never sleep with the boss' sister.
113) Always sleep with the boss. - The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition

My boyfriend Jow thinks that I'm secretly a Ferengi. (Dark secret: I'm closet geek.) The Star Trek thing, I have my mother to blame for. Shes got Franklin Mint figurines and remembers the words for Klingon cuisine. Jow likes to sometimes try to coax out how deep I am into the dork forest by making seemingly innocuous statements about various parts of the various series which always forces my hand. My frothing retorts show what a complete geek I am.

Now, okay, granted it took a while for womens rights to really kick in there, but it happened. The Ferengi never got involved in slavery or other imperialistic crap, which does suit my Damn the Man sensibilities, but they were always there to make a profit regardless of whatever crap everyone else was fighting about, which I also appreciate. The Ferengi are the corner coffeehouse to the Alliance's Starbucks (and that's all you're getting!) .

I'm an industrious little squirrel. I always have been. I like busting my butt towards a goal, I like getting things done, and I like making money. I think I like making it because I dont tend to have a lot of it and paying bills still makes me feel like part of The Grown Up Club.

Now, bear with me, it will all come together, I promise. But first: Flashback! I was Catholic, dutifully praying constantly for whatever it

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Seeing the Illusion: Fear and Reward

Author: Stewart Bitkoff
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 249

So what is this illusion that you are talking about?

Its a variation of the fear and reward manipulation which every educational, social, business, religious entity uses. It runs something like this: look we have a potentially good thing going here (promotion, success, heaven) and if you want to join in with us; then you are required to follow what we say to do. If you dont want these rewards and join: remember you are doomed to either failure, a very hard time, you may even piss God off or become someone with little social status.

We live in a capitalistic society and most people grow-up believing- I want to get a piece of the action (money) - so Ill follow along with the rules; its the same with religions and family structures. Whats put out there- here are the rules and expectations- accept them or reject them; that is up to you, but if you reject them its a hard way to go without our help.

As I was growing-up, the American Dream went something like this: go to work for a corporation or large employer and they would take care of you financially- from cradle to grave; buy a house on credit- a 30 year mortgage, finance a car, get an education (student loan) and get married. This is the way to success and happiness.

Today, many of the aspects of this dream lie about in ashes. Like millions of others, when I first had a family I bought into this dream. Yet, over the years I realized that the only thing

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2012: Why It's Not the End

Author: nithaiah
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 702

A near miss with a large, previously unknown planet will cause untold mayhem on Earth. An unimaginably powerful solar flare will slam into the planet, and over the course of a day, Florida will become the new North Pole either by the crust shifting or by the planet's iron inner core flipping over. The Earth will collide with a brown dwarf called Nibiru, smashing our poor planet to bits. Generally, the end of the world as we know it. Sounds pretty bad doesn't it? According to a plethora of TV shows, documentaries, books, websites, and a big budget movie... that's exactly what awaits mankind on December 21, 2012.

Scared yet?

If you are, you're not alone. A lot of people are at least mildly concerned about this 2012 monster. Some of the theories sound remarkably scientific and convincing, not to mention the clout the ancient Maya prophecy brings. Surely, this is something we should be concerned about, right?

The very short answer is, No. There's not a reason to worry about December 2012 any more than you'd worry about December '11 or '13. There's hardly a shred of truth in any of the 2012 theories on the market. Though we may be spiritual beings, we were gifted with the ability to discern between fact and fabrication. And 2012 does not pass intact through the trials of a discerning mind.

The way many 2012 theorists arrive at their doomsday is by latching on to the alleged end of the Maya long count calendar, that is, the end of the 13th baktun, or thirteen rounds of about

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2012: The Logical Approach

Author: Morgan St. Knight [a WitchVox Sponsor]
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 381

Most of my life Ive had to struggle not to blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind when Im confronted with a theory or belief that I disagree with. I suppose it has something to do with having Oya-Yansa as one of my tutelary Deities. While Shes not quite as hot-tempered as, say, Oggun or Aganyu, She doesnt sit still when confronted with the unacceptable. No, She calls up Her whirlwinds and cleans house in short order.

So when I hear various theories about whats going to happen in 2012, I have to try really, really hard not to just lose it and call those whirlwinds down. I truly do respect other peoples theories and opinions. I loathe people who try to shout down others with opposing viewpoints, as if mere volume and preventing other people from speaking suffice as a reasonable counterpoint. Thats much-too-much of a holdover from the patriarchal Might makes right viewpoint. Only right makes right.

Which brings me to 2012. True, were talking about theories here, so its a little difficult to speak definitively about what is right (translate: correct) . But can we at least stay close to the ballpark with some of this? Im talking about the ballpark that includes feasible outcomes, and most importantly, accurate information.

There is absolutely no reason science and religion, including Wicca and Paganism, cant coexist and mutually benefit each other. But we, as Pagans, have to be willing to look at what science has to offer, and to accept its conclusions. Its fine to dream

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Responsibility, Free Will and the Craft

Author: Rhys Chisnall
Posted: January 9th. 2011
Times Viewed: 670

Responsibility is a byword of Initiatory Craft and as Craft initiates we are expected to be coping adults and be able to take responsibility for our own actions. We dont believe in the Devil and so cant pin our own shortcomings at his supernatural door; nor indeed do we seek as Vivianne Crowley says in 'Wicca: the Old Religion in the New Age', an unrealistic sainthood. Rather we seek to take responsibility for our own world. I was told during my training that Witches happen to life, life does not happen to Witches. Sure, sh*t happens, says another much quoted real world centred Craft saying, but we have a responsibility in how we deal with lifes inevitabilities. This article examines whether we can have responsibility.

Responsibility seems to imply free will, after all most people would agree that we need to be free to make choices and decisions about our actions in order to be held responsible for them. It seems intuitively unfair to lay blame and responsibility for a crime if the perpetrator had no choice in committing it. An individual could hardly be blamed for holding up a bank if they had a bomb strapped to them by a criminal who told them that the device would be exploded killing them (and others) if they deviated from the plan. We would not hold them responsible, as they had no choice; they were coerced in to doing what they did. Likewise if a person was brainwashed or hypnotised into committing a crime we would be loath to blame them as we

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The article link to in this post, “Report: Teacher Should Be Fired In Cross Case,” says “A state hearing officer is recommending that an Ohio school board fire a science teacher accused of burning the image of a cross on students’ arms”. The article cites The Columbus Dispatch for information in the story.

The Dispatch reporter, Holly Zachariah, has updated her original story with some importance details regarding the Tesla coil burn allegation.

The following is from the updated article:

Shepherd’s report says that the controversial claims about Freshwater using an electrical laboratory device to burn crosses on students’ arms during science experiments were overblown: “Once sworn testimony was presented, it became obvious that speculation and imagination had pushed reality aside.”

He says the matter was dealt with administratively and the case was closed. He noted thatthose allegations did not factor into his decision that Freshwater should be fired.

Web source: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/01/09/teachers-firing-over-religion-fair-referee-says.html?sid=101

Services such as card reading, spells, etc, can have a fee. In most cases, the readers are at PPD, Psychic Faire, or an arts and crafts faire. They all have to pay for their spaces, and a reasonable fee is acceptable. I find that the readers are busy, they read pretty much all day. I don’t know how much it is for a space, but the arts and crafts faires spaces are not cheap.

But when it comes to training in the path, I received it for free, and I made a promise to teach for free. Its a fair and reasonable request from my mentor, and I carry it forward. I don’t know how much I have spent on the supplies, books, etc, but, I know in my heart and mind, charging for training shall be free. Blessed Be!