This material is provided for the use of those who feel a
special calling to teach, to heal, to protect, and to work
defensive magic. It is especially intended for those who may lack
formal training. It is intended to be the first installment of
well, at the least two. The Guardian's Grimoire will also contain
some material that will read more like a Book of Shadows, for it is
intended to be a bit of both. Anyone wishing to
contribute to future editions of this project may contact me at
Estara@aol.com. You may submit articles under your craft name, a
pseudonym, or anonymously. You may likewise distribute this
information to others, if no money is charged and credit is
given.
Editing note: Where the third person is used, I vary it
between he and she for alternating cases. A disclaimer: the
presence of any idea or suggested practice in an article does not
imply the agreement of the authors of other articles, of the
editrix, or of Guardians in general. Love and good hunting to all
who read.
#1. THE BOOK OF HISTORY by Abritha
#2. THE VOWS OF GUARDIANSHIP by Abritha
#3. INHERENT RISKS OF AWAKENING by Abritha
#4. SUGGESTED READING by Estara
#5. THE VERY FIRST THINGS YOU HAVE TO LEARN by Estara
#6. MINOR POSSESSIONS OR ATTACKS by Estara
##7. WARDS AND SHIELDS by Chameleon
#8. GLOSSARY page
The Book of History
by Abritha
Know that there are many realms besides the physical one in
which we now live. In the astral plane alone there are countless
lands, in which all sorts of strange creatures and demigods dwell,
such as appear in legends and folklore throughout the physical
world. In the beginning, before man ascended into sentience, the
passage between most of these lands was difficult or impossible,
and many of the beings in those lands had never met or heard of one
another. When humanity, which then had no home except the physical
world, began to reach out to the spiritual and astral worlds for
guidance and meaning, there was a great upheaval: for the energy
of their questing was so great that many gates opened between the
physical world and the various astral lands. Not only that, but
over time, many more gates opened between the different lands
themselves, and there came to be traffic from one astral land to
another, and between the astral and physical realms. In the
physical world, the results of this mingling were humans with
unusual gifts and fondness for our ways; and these today are called
shaman and pagans. In the astral realm, many strange new beings
were born of minglings between different races. Those who had come
before, and who now called themselves the Pure Ones, did not know
what to think of these new children, who seemed to be subject to
none of the old rules they had followed, and who often exceeded
their elders in raw power. They came to be called simply The
Mixbreeds, or even Mongrels by those who feared them. A great
Council was established of members of all the Pure races; but the
Mixbreeds, though many were of noble lineage, were not included.
The time came when a single dark entity, having access to so many
of the other destructive races, was able to temporarily unite them
and attack their lighter brothers, with the hopes of conquering
them, and eventually all of the astral and physical realms.
However, as the gods would have it (for there is contact between
the astral and spiritual, or godly, realm, as there is with the
physical) he was side tracked and weakened by an obsession with
another Mixed breed, and this made possible his defeat. He was
destroyed and his army routed by a mere handful of other Mixbreeds.
When they had recovered, this group, angered by the lack of aid
they had received from the Great Council on which many of their own
families sat, departed for the physical world vowing not to return.
As the news of this event spread, many other Mixbreeds and even a
few Pure Ones sided with the exiles, and decided to follow them to
(from their perspective) the New World. The Council, regretting
its former inaction, sent this group with their blessings, named
them Guardians, and charged them with watching over the gates to
the physical realm so that no dark power might abuse them. This
was the First Wave, and the handful that preceded them were called
the Progenitors. In the physical world this became a golden time,
when many civilizations flowered under the combined wisdom of human
sages and heavenly immigrants. Over time, however, some of the
First Wave became enamored of power and prestige, and wished to
control the gates for their own purposes rather than for the
greater good, or to use their magical power to make kingdoms for
themselves; and perhaps some of them had intended this from the
start. When the Council learned of this (which took some time, for
the dark Guardians sent false reports of their doings) a Second
Wave was sent to police the first; this group, like the ones
before, consisted mostly of Mixbreeds, largely of noble lineage.
This resulted in the Guardian War, after which the Second Wave
remained as watchdogs, the First Wave (those who had not turned)
resumed its campaign to aid friendly and potentially powerful
humans, and the Progenitors went into hiding, though promising to
come forward as Elders to the others if they were needed, for they
had many enemies.
The Vows of Guardianship by Abritha
The Guardians come in myriad shapes, and often mix the expected
traits of two or three pure races. It would be foolish to expect
us all to have identical agendas, powers, or practices. These
things, however, hold true for all. We are sworn to help and
protect each other first of all: for despite our differences, we
are all alien (not aliens!) to this plane, and most of us are
Mixbreeds together. We are sworn to control the gates that lead to
the astral lands: for although much good can be done with them, so
can much harm come through them. We are sworn to help and protect
those true humans who would be our allies: for it is part of the
nature of the collective unconscious of humanity that it has a
marked effect on the gates we must control. During the Era of
Science, when belief in our peoples and their lands waned, the
gates largely sat idle; but we are experiencing a renewal of
religious faiths of all kinds, some friendly to us and some
unfriendly, and this resurgence is feeding power to the gates that
will make them more difficult to guard. It is in our own interest
to discourage those whose energy feeds to dark gates, and to
encourage those whose energy feeds to the gates leading to our own
and allied lands. We are sworn to be watchful against those,
physical or astral, Guardian or not, who might seek to harm us, our
charges, or the gates. Those of us who came as warriors or
assassins are also sworn to be the first defense (or offense)
against such beings, but all must resist them in whatever way they
are able. In the interest of fulfilling these vows, we must strive
to (re-)learn all we can of magic, mythology, religion, counseling,
combat, and whatever other skills will aid our specific
vocation.
Inherent Risks of Awakening by Abritha
Certain problems are common in Guardians in the process of
remembering who they are. These can be avoided or curtailed if one
is aware of them; or they may fade after the Awakening is complete.
Should they become severe, or fail to improve after the Awakening,
seek counseling, preferably from trained Pagan clergy or from
pagan-friendly professionals
MEGALOMANIA
The Guardian, beginning to realize his true nature and powers,
exaggerates them and believes himself to be uniquely Godlike. He
should be assured that, although he is indeed unusual in racial
makeup and abilities, there are a score of other Guardians who can
make similar claims. If he is tempted to ideas of invincibility,
he is reminded that there are many beings as powerful or more
powerful than he is: and that, like any being encased in mortal
flesh, he can die. There may also be intolerance or impatience
towards true humans. The Guardian is reminded that these, too, are
the people he has sworn to protect, and that the enlightened among
them are destined to ascend into our own lands.
We are not gods, though with spiritual striving we may move further
in that direction. We are Guardians. The Guardian, remembering
that we have powerful enemies and that she is not invulnerable,
becomes obsessed with the idea that her personal enemies are legion
and that they are coming to attack her. She is assured that,
unless she is actively involved in some actual working, she is
unlikely to be attacked in earnest. However, she is also reminded
that a certain amount of caution is advisable for Guardians in
general, and that she should therefore practice cleansing,
shielding, and banishing. Beyond this she should not trouble
herself, for confidence is itself an effective shield, and lack of
it leaves any other shield incomplete. She is also assured of her
own ability to deal with minor problems. If the time comes that
she is genuinely at risk from something greater than herself, she
should seek out other Guardians or other pagans who are friendly to
her or her cause.
INCOMPLETE/INACCURATE/FACETED MEMORY
Memory of our Astral selves and deeds is complex and difficult to
retrieve. It often takes years to establish complete (or
functionally complete) memories. The process can be sped along by
interaction with other Guardians: however, this occasionally
results in collective flights of fancy rather than facts. When the
Guardian is able, he is encouraged to check his theories with other
Guardians and through astral travel. (Remember, however, to be
cautious in revealing these theories or memories to those who are
not Guardians. Sometimes memory comes in very small pieces, and
each piece is embellished by the Guardian's mind into a complete
tale, only some of which is true. When this is the case, the tales
often seem contradictory to each other, but contain common themes.
The Guardian is encouraged to study the themes that arise from
these ideas, and to pursue them, since they will probably lead
towards the true memory.
RELIVING OF MEMORIES/PROJECTION
The Guardian regains a true memory (or a large fragment) of an
emotionally intense event or series of events. However, she
wrongly interprets it as belonging in the present or future rather
than the past. This can contribute to paranoia (see above). She
may also subconsciously recreate the event: that is, since she
believes that it is going to happen, she unwittingly projects the
people and props she needs to act it out on the astral level. This
can happen to groups of Guardians as well as to individuals.
The Guardian is urged to test whether emotionally charged astral
beings are projections or are real in themselves, and to verify
whether a remembered event is in the past or the future through
divination if possible. She may then (if she is projecting) devise
a ritual or journey to help her deal with the information she has
remembered, or talk it out with other Guardians. If she has
devoted a great deal of emotional energy to the projection, she may
need to banish it as if it were real, before she can move on to
dealing with the emotional baggage.
SCAPEGOATING
This is most common in groups of Awakening Guardians. As past
memories (real or not) come to light, there is a temptation to hold
other Guardians accountable in this life for their (alleged)
actions in others. This is discouraged, since it often leads to
unnecessary discord and, of course, does not alter the original
events.
FEAR OF INSANITY
The Guardian takes his returning memory as a sign of dementia.
This is an understandable concern, as our existence is hardly
accepted as fact by humanity at large. it is hoped that the
Guardian will be soothed by exposure to this book, and by
communication with other Guardians and even, on a more limited
basis, with other pagans in general.
INCOMPLETE/REPEATED AWAKENING
The Guardian, unable at the time of first Awakening to deal with
the ramifications, shuts herself off from the spiritual and astral
realms. She may be able to exist for years in this way: but in
time, the Awakening will begin again, moving at an accelerated pace
until it reaches the point at which it was previously stopped. The
re-Awakening may be prompted by meeting another Guardian, or by
some other event.
ODDITY MAGNET
The Guardian finds himself at the center of odd coincidences,
unusual psychic or astral activities, and other peculiar events a
disconcertingly large amount of the time. Unfortunately, this one
never entirely goes away. The Guardian is encouraged to approach
the Cosmic Oddities to which he is prone with a sense of humor.
Books and articles by SILVER RAVENWOLF. Although
(contrary to popular opinion) her books do not necessarily stand
alone, in combination with other books she fills in important gaps.
She also has a tendency to provide information a new Guardian might
need to know, like how to do inconspicuous magic at work or
consecrate an item at a fast food restaurant. (A lot of this
practical in the field information comes from her articles in the
1995-97 Llewellyn Magical Almanacs, but there is also much to be
gained from any of her books.
Books by Z BUDAPEST
Although men will have to be willing to overlook some
non-inclusive language, Z is another author who understands and
addresses the needs of those who are ethical but not always
pacifist. (She is, in fact, the coiner of the phrase You must be
able to hex to be able to heal.
Books by RAY BUCKLAND, especially his Complete Book of Witchcraft,
which although not truly complete (don't try to slide by with his
version of circle casting) offers a lot of information, as well as
exercises and workbook-style quizzes. Ray is sometimes criticized
for making grandiose and unsupported claims about his teachings
(especially in the case of Pecti-Wica, his allegedly Scottish
tradition), but for our purposes, whatever works, works. Books
by SCOTT CUNNINGHAM
He is noticeably more pacifist than a Guardian, but his works are
tremendously valuable for gaining a beginning understanding of
magic, solitary Wicca, stones, herbs, and elemental magic. Way
of the Strega by RAVEN GRIMASSI
This contains some off-the-beaten-path ideas and methods of magic,
such as shadow magic and a simple counter magic involving a bowl of
water, some vegetable oil, and scissors.
A Grimoire of Shadows and Magical Rites from the Crystal Well by ED
FITCH.
The material in these books has influenced a number of pagan
traditions, and both cover subjects that are seldom discussed
elsewhere. The Grimoire also has an extensive section of exercises
(presented by level) for magical and psychic development. Thelema
Without Tears by LON DUQUETTE.
A good overview of the hows and whys of several of the essential
ceremonialist practices, including the banishings (both lesser and
greater) of the Pentagram and the Hexagram.
Works of Fiction
Although over reliance on fictional influences will get you looked
at strangely by other pagans, it is true that certain fantasy
novels and role playing games are helpful. Recommended, among
others, are books by Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, Gael Baudino, Dion Fo
rtune, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Mercedes Lackey, and games by
White Wolf (Vampire: Masquerade, Werewolf: Apocalypse, and Mage:
Awakening).
In fact, it is largely because of the works of Mercedes Lackey, an
apparent favorite of young Guardians, that the term Guardians was
chosen to represent us at this time.
Other Potential Studies
AT LEAST 3 BOOKS ON YOUR PREFERRED TRADITION, if you have one. If
you lack a teacher, this will provide you with some depth. It is
especially good to have at least one book containing exercises, and
at least one book about the mythology and/or religion of the
region from which your tradition comes. Having a specialty from
which you can work your way out is often helpful AT LEAST 1 BOOK
EACH ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER TRADITIONS. Sooner or later, you are
either going to team up with, come up against, or do magic for,
someone from a different tradition than yours. Some familiarity
with the other person's system will prove extremely useful.
WORLD MYTHOLOGY/RELIGION/SYMBOLS.
This, again, provides you with some depth of knowledge about other
beliefs with which you might come into contact. Also, knowledge of
symbols is useful in your own magic, as well as in identifying the
work that others have done
DIVINATION
The choice of method (Tarot, runes, omens, geomancy, etc.) is
yours. This provides you with a means of getting information about
the present and near future, both physical and astral.
ASTRAL PROJECTION
This gives you a means of going home to collect information,
materials, or allies, or for calling on enemies.
FENG SHUI
This is an ancient Chinese art of creating harmonious
surroundings based on how energy naturally flows through space.
This is good to know because the better the natural energy flow of
your home is, the more difficult it is for harmful energies to
stick there. Several books and videos are now available on this
art.
MARTIAL ARTS/SELF DEFENSE
Not every threat you ever face is going to be on the astral
plane. Elaborate rituals aren't much help against a skinhead who's
about to knock your head off with a board. A well placed kick,
however, is.
SURVIVAL/DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Total survivalism is not recommended (unless you want to leave no
doubt in the minds of your neighbors that you're a complete loon),
but common sense dictates a certain level of preparation against
whatever natural (or unnatural!) catastrophes are likely to occur
in your area. Lanterns or flashlights, preserved food, bottled
water, first aid supplies, and other such items are strongly
recommended.
COUNSELING
Take a class on counseling if any are available near you. Being a
Guardian involves a lot of listening to other people's problems.
THE YELLOW PAGES
Know who the other guardian-like services are in your area, so
that if someone comes to you needing detox, a shelter, a bodyguard,
the police, a doctor, a psychiatrist, or a lawyer, you have some
idea of where to send them.
The very first things you have to learn by Estara
The following practices are essential to all other work. To master
them is to have a solid foundation in place for learning any
specialization, and to have the means to protect oneself in the
meantime. The practices are presented in the following manner:
first, an explanation is given of what the practice is and why it
is important. Second are details on one straightforward method for
the practice. Third, some possible variations are given, to show
how the practice can be altered or personalized.
Keep the following balance in mind.
Learn the simple method first. This gives you the feel for the
practice and what it is intended to do. It also gives you a
version to teach to others in need.
Learn at least one variation. After you have mastered the simple
version, doing at least one variation will give you a sense of what
is possible, and encourage you to experiment to find the best
methods for you.
Study other variations. Getting a sense of how other traditions
approach the practice will help you understand what is happening
should you come into contact with members of those traditions. The
more systems of magic and religion you study, the better you will
understand what others are doing and how best to respond. Also
remember that READING IS NOT ENOUGH. These skills must be
practiced on a regular basis to be mastered and used effectively.
In addition, these skills, though important to all other practices,
are not a full tradition or magical system in themselves. They
are to be combined with other training for best effect.
Meditation
This skill involves moving from your normal waking state into a
state of focus and calm. The ability to reach this state is needed
in every other magical or spiritual endeavor. It is also
beneficial to your mundane life, as its calming influence relieves
stress and improves concentration.
Simple Method
The best method to use depends on your personality. If you are an
intellectual type, you should use a clear-mind meditation. Sit
comfortably, take a few deep, relaxing breaths, and whisper to
yourself, Clear. Try to completely empty your mind of all
thoughts. If you catch yourself thinking, take another deep breath
and repeat to yourself, Clear. It will take quite a bit of
practice to be able to completely clear your mind for any length of
time, but you should begin to notice improvement after only a few
sessions.
If you are an emotional type, or if you find the clear-mind
meditation maddening rather than helpful, try a single-focus
meditation. Sit comfortably, take a few deep, relaxing breaths,
and this time, focus on a chosen word, phrase, or image. Use this
mantra to focus your mind and clear it of other concerns. Thoughts
pertaining to the mantra are acceptable, but these too should fade
as you practice more.
/If you are a physical type, try an action-oriented meditation.
This is similar to a single-focus meditation, except that the focus
is an activity rather than a word or image. You can use tai chi,
yoga, a martial arts kata, spinning thread, or any relatively
simple activity to clear and focus your mind.
Variations
Any studied form of standard meditation is acceptable. Also, after
you have mastered one of the three types above, experiment with one
of the other two types.
Awakening the Other Senses
These activities are meant to train your astral senses, which
(unless you have already reawaken them) may be atrophied and
inactive in your physical life. These senses are crucial in
detecting and performing magic, and in communicating with
nonphysical beings.
Simple Method:
Begin by choosing a simple focus object for the sense you want to
train. For example, you might select a candle holder for sight, or
the chime of a particular bell for hearing, a favorite perfume for
smell, a piece of fruit for taste, a feather or a piece of
textured fabric for touch. Study the actual object first, paying
close attention to its details. Then, remove the object and try to
recreate it in your mind as accurately as you can. For example,
look closely at the candle holder, then close your eyes and try to
see it in your mind.
Variations:
As you become good at this, start to choose more complex objects as
the focus. Then, try to focus on more than one sense at a time:
for example, try to recapture both the sound and the appearance of
the bell. Ultimately, you want to be able to sense an object as
clearly in your mind as if it were actually in front of you.
You will find that your other senses also improve as you practice
other exercises in which they are used.
Centering
Centering is simply concentrating all of your focus and energy into
your physical body. (You are literally Contemplating Your Navel.)
This is a preliminary step in self-cleansing and grounding, and the
practice helps the ability to focus on the individual chakras to
balance them--all skills coming up later. Centering also collects
your energy for you, which may be scattered by activity or lack of
focus. Centering is related to meditation, and each skill helps
the other.
Simple Method:
Take a few deep, relaxing breaths, and begin to imagine that you
are following your own breath inside your body. Each breath
carries you deeper into yourself, deeper and deeper, until you find
yourself within your center, behind your navel.
Variations:
As this skill improves, it is possible to center using fewer
breaths. While in your center, you may imagine that you are
surrounded by a vast pool of liquid light. (Such experiences will
become more vivid as your other senses awaken.) Take note of the
color of this light: it is a personal power color for you, and may
be used to help you project and control energy.
Auric cleansing
This is another skill that improves your personal energy and focus
when you are preparing to do serious work. It also clears out
pockets of negative energy that may be inside or attached to you,
whether due to your own mind set or health or to outside
influences. Auric cleansing is also a preliminary step to some of
the later exercises.
Simple Method:
Center yourself. Here in your center, imagine a small, glowing
flame. This flame may be blue, golden, or your own color:
experiment to see what works best. Imagine that this flame is
growing inside you, spreading in a growing sphere through your
whole body. Wherever it meets with negative energy, it pops it,
making the negative energy disappear. The sphere continues to grow
until it not only fills your body but grows beyond it on all sides,
leaving you completely encased in a huge sphere of light.
Variations:
If you prefer another element, the purging flame can be replaced by
torrents of water or by a whirlwind. However, if you alter the
cleansing method, remember that a good cleansing covers both the
inside and outside of the person. With practice, a variation can
be developed in which you envision another person being
cleansed--be sure to have the person's permission.
If only (or additionally) an external cleansing is required, the
body can be smudged (purified by exposure to incense smoke--sage is
the most often used for this), or a rattle can be used to break up
energy around the body. If you are experienced with moving energy
through your hands, you can also sweep energy off of another person
with your hands (be sure to cleanse yourself afterward). For these
methods, be sure to move smoothly over the body so as not to leave
anything behind. You might, for example, make a habit of going up
the front of the body and down the back, or of starting at the head
and moving consistently toward the feet.
Grounding
This connects your energy to the energy of the Earth. This has
obvious benefits for followers of an Earth-honoring religion, but
it has additional uses as well. One, it serves as an anchor,
making you more difficult to move by outside forces. Two, it
serves as a source of additional energy in order to conserve or
augment your own. Three, it provides a channel with which to send
away excess or unwanted energies.
Simple Method:
Sit down and center yourself. Then move further down into
yourself until you are at the very tip of your spine. From here,
imagine that a large tap root is growing down out of you and into
the earth. Each breath pushes the root further down into the
earth, plunging all the way in time to the very center of the
Earth, her molten core. Feel the root reach into the heart of this
core, flooded by warm, golden, healing energy. Now, use your
breath to pull this energy up towards you. As it reaches you,
breathe it up through your spine and let it radiate out into the
rest of your body until you are entirely filled with the light of
the Earth's core. At this time, if needed, you may send unwanted
energies back down the root to be recycled by the Earth.
Variations
Numerous different effects are possible in grounding. You can
actually journey astrally into the center of the earth, by which
you will gain other things than energy; you can send down a pillar
instead of a root, which emphasizes the anchoring effect; you can
send down roots from a standing position, and become a tree with
flowers of energy blooming from your arms; you can elongate your
astral legs until they touch the core of the earth, which frankly
feels odd but is sometimes done. Once you master one method, feel
free to experiment with others.
Shielding
For a Guardian, the art of shielding is crucial, and its benefits
hopefully are obvious. Depending on the strength and intent of the
shield used, it can range from a buffer against irritating
coworkers to armor against a magical onslaught.
Simple Method:
Center and cleanse yourself. As the cleansing flame becomes larger
than you, fully encasing your body, see it stop growing and become
brighter around the edges. Imagine that after you stop
concentrating, this peripheral flame will remain in place around
you, deflecting or destroying any harmful energy that approaches
you.
Variations:
Most decent books will give at least one or two methods of
shielding--sometimes they will be presented as quick forms of
circle casting. Books by Scott Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf are
suggested as starting places for experimentation. Shields can be
created ahead of time and triggered by catch phrases, stored in
objects, molded into different shapes, decorated with symbols.
Individual chakras, parts of the body, or objects can have their
own shields, as can entire areas. Here, more than in any of the
other fundamental skills, there is room for individual experiment.
In any case, you should cleanse yourself or your object before
shielding, to prevent accidentally sealing in negative energies.
(though this opens up interesting possibilities for combative
magic, which will be discussed elsewhere).
Chakra balance
The chakras are energy centers located down the spinal cord. Each
is believed to govern different functions, encompassing the
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Making sure these
centers are balanced with each other and filled with clean energy
allows everything else to run more smoothly.
Simple Method:
Center yourself, then move down to the base of the spine. From
here, you will move into each chakra, measuring the size and
brightness of each chakra. They may be envisioned as spheres or
wheels. If any are too large or small (racquet ball size is good),
take note of this and imagine it growing or shrinking to the
desired size. Likewise, if any are very dim or murky, imagine them
becoming clearer and brighter. It is helpful to use energy
obtained by grounding to feed small, dim, or murky chakras.
Base chakra: the tip of the spine
This governs the impulse for physical survival. It is usually
seen as red (the colors are commonly used, but are only
suggestions).
Sacral chakra: the sexual organs (lower abdomen). This governs
sex, obviously, but also basic empathy and gut reactions. Orange
Solar plexus: just that, above the navel but below the chest.
This is the seat of the Will. Yellow
Heart chakra: the heart. It governs compassion and is the balance
point of the chakra system. Green (pink if you prefer). Throat
chakra: the base of the throat. It governs intellect and
communication. Blue
Third eye: the forehead, between the brows. It controls the
astral senses. Indigo
Crown: at the top of the head. It is the link to the spiritual
realms and their wisdom. Violet
Variations:
Stones or candles of the appropriate colors are often used to help
balance the chakras. There are whole books devoted to the chakra
system for those interested in further study.
Cord cutting
This practice enables you to detach yourself from draining persons
or situations. It is a good thing to try when you are feeling
inexplicably drained or obsessed, or when you are conscious of
wanting to cut ties with a particular person.
Simple Method:
Center yourself, then relax. Imagine that you are studying
yourself, with eyes open or closed, whichever makes it easier for
you to see astrally. Notice whether there are any colored strands
of energy attached to your body. They will most commonly attach to
chakras if they are present. Some strands may lead to friends
rather than enemies, and these will look and feel benign. If you
notice that any strands are unusually thick, dark-colored, or
simply feel bad, you may decide to cut them. To do this, simply
imagine yourself taking up a knife or a pair of scissors and
severing the cord close to your body. Imagine the cut searing,
making it impossible to reconnect. Your short end is reabsorbed
into your body, and the long end fades away into nothing. Do this
as unemotionally as you can, since a strong reaction only serves to
reinforce the connection.
Variations:
With practice, this can also be done for other people. You can
also learn to move your consciousness along a cord to see who or
what is at the other end.
Clearing a Space
This should be done before shielding an area (or casting a circle,
which is after all only a variant of shielding), for the same
reason that you should cleanse yourself before shielding yourself.
A banishing (a gung-ho version of clearing space) is often
sufficient in itself without a shielding, though it never hurts to
put up a shield if you want negative energies to stay away.
Simple Methods:
Some of the same things work for space as for individuals: you
may move around the area with a smudge stick or incense, or
sprinkle consecrated water if you know how to make it, or shake a
rattle or bang a drum. The general practice is to move clockwise
as a general rule, but for banishing there is also a case to be
made for moving counterclockwise. Experiment (at a non-crucial
moment) to see which feels better.
Banishing:
Below is the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, an
essential of Ceremonialist practice. A CM (ceremonial magician)
will tend to do this ritual at the least provocation, whereas
Wiccans, when they know the practice at all, tend to save it for
emergencies. Note that the standard CM version is Kabbalistic in
other words, it utilizes Judeo-Christian names for God and angels.
For those who are not comfortable with this, there follows an
explanation of what each part does and how it can be altered.
Preliminary notes:
As you draw figures in the air, imagine that energy (of your
personal color) is flowing down your arm, through your fingers or
athame (knife), and actually creating the desired picture in the
air. The Banishing Pentagram mentioned is that of Earth. To draw
it, start at the lower left corner of the star, move to the top
point, and so on. Ceremonialism has a different Banishing
Pentagram for each element, but this one will do for a start
1. The Cabalistic Cross
Touching the forehead, say Atoh
Touching the chest, say Malkuth
Touching the right shoulder, say Ve-Gedurah
Touching the left shoulder, say Ve-Geburah
Clasp hands at the heart and say Le-Olam. Amen
2. The Pentagrams
Facing East, point with fingers or athame and draw the Banishing
Pentagram. Thrust into the heart of it, saying, Yod He Vau He!
Turn toward the South, continuing to draw a circle as you do
Facing South, draw the Banishing Pentagram and thrust into it
saying, Adonai! Turn toward the West, continuing to draw the
circle.
Facing West, draw the Banishing Pentagram and thrust into it
saying, Eheieh! (Eh-hey-yeh) Turn toward the North, continuing to
draw the circle.
Facing North, draw the Banishing Pentagram and thrust into it
saying, Agla! Turn toward the East, completing the circle 3.
The Archangels
Facing East, stand with your arms stretched outward in a T, and
say:
Before me, Raphael!
Behind me, Gabriel!
At my right hand, Michael!
At my left hand, Auriel!
About me flames the Pentagram, and in the column shines the Six-
Rayed Star.
4. Repeat the Cabalistic Cross
Explanation:
1. The Cabalistic Cross
This establishes your association with God and the center of the
universe. In Cabalism, Atoh is the Crown, or God as total
potential; Malkuth is the Kingdom, or the physical realm; Gedurah
is the Pillar of Severity, Gebulah is the Pillar of Mercy, and Le-
Olam is the center of harmony. (In Biblical terms, Thine is the
Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, Forever.) If your path gives
you some way of identifying yourself with Godhead or the center of
the universe, it can be put here in the place of the Cross. 2.
The Pentagrams
If you hate pentagrams, you can replace them with another symbol
of protection (Thor's hammer is the other popular choice). The
Names of God (the words you say as you thrust) can be replaced with
the names of deities that you associate with the directions or
elements.
3. The Archangels
The Archangels serve as protectors. They can be replaced with
other protective entities: some people use more gods here, but it
seems more appropriate to use demigods, heroes, totems, or some
other mid-level beings. The About me flames... statement is
basically an affirmation that the banishing is successful.
Minor Possessions or Attacks
by Estara
This is a checklist for how to deal with an average problem with
possession, psychic or astral attack, haunting, and the like. If
you find while working through this list that the problem is too
thorny for this approach, seek help.
By the way, this is not a call for you to put a Ghost buster
shingle on your door and go into business professionally. This
information is provided because, as a Guardian, you are likely to
be asked for this kind of aid at some point. You are allowed to
refuse--in fact, in certain circumstances it is recommended. As I
will say several times in this article, if you don't feel up to the
task, DON'T DO IT, or at least get help.
1. Do a Lesser Banishing of the Pentagram Truly, it never
hurts to start here.
2. Survey the Scene . Have a long talk with the victims of the
attack. When did the problem start? What else was going on in
their lives at the time? What are the attacks like? Do they tend
to happen at a certain time or in a certain place? If the problem
is confined to a certain physical area, go there and have a look
around. (Be sure to shield yourself.) Try to get a feel for the
energy around the person/people involved and the area.
3. Take Care of the Mundane First . This is an important
principle of serious magic. If you suspect that other serious
problems are partly or fully responsible for the attacks--for
example, a drug addiction or an untreated mental disorder--these
must be taken care of before any heavy magical working is
attempted. In fact, once the related problems are in hand, the
attacks may disappear. Realize that some people for whom an
addiction or disorder is the real problem will not want to face
this, and will insist that you do magic for him or her. Stand
firm. If the victim will not cooperate, you will not be able to
help him whether you do a working or not, in which case it is
better that you save your time and energy for someone you can help.
Regrettable, but true
4. What Does the Victim Gain? Sometimes, although a genuine
magical problem exists, it is being aggravated by the victim
herself. Ask yourself if the victim is gaining something, however
subconsciously, from the idea of being under attack? Does it make
her feel special? Does it gain her extra attention? Does it
arouse pity and doting behavior from her normally apathetic
boyfriend? Taking stock of the victim's motives does not mean that
you are blaming the victim, and you should avoid suggesting to the
victim that you hold her at fault. It does let you know whether
you will have to overcome the strange urge in some victims to
continue to be attacked, as well as the attack itself. This makes
your job much more difficult. If you suspect that the victim has
ulterior motives, suggest tactfully that you will only be able to
solve the problem with the active assistance of the victim. A
victim who insists the contrary, that she is powerless to even help
and that you must rescue her, is holding on to the position of
victim, and until she changes her mind you will not be able to
solve her problem. Again, sad but true
(You may notice at this point that you are being asked to turn a
good number of people away, and wonder if the author is being quite
fair. Rest assured that this advice comes from years of
experience, and that the people you are turning away now, you would
otherwise be turning away weeks, months, or years from now, with
you exhausted and them none the better for it.)
I will give an example of this particular problem. I worked for
a while with a woman named Dawn (not really her name). Dawn was a
woman of genuine magical abilities, and actually did attract the
attention of baddies. However, because she was from a twisted
family and had been a sickly child, she was also the sort of person
who was used to getting all of her attention by acting out or
having things wrong with her. Being attacked fed right into this
for her, so she ended up walking around with the astral equivalent
of a kick me sign on her back, which didn't make it easy to keep
her pest-free. She wasn't able to get rid of her attackers on a
long-term basis until she moved away from her family and dealt with
some of her emotional and health-related issues (see #3) 5.
Projection or Entity?
Typically, the only people who fall under genuine attack are those
with genuine psychic or magical gifts themselves. Mundane people
seldom fall under the Evil Eye, and although some of these will
offer you good money to free them of imaginary curses, it is
unethical for you to accept. You may, however, do some general
protection or prosperity spell for them, charging only the cost of
your materials, if you think it will make them feel better. If
the victim seems to you to have latent abilities but is unaware of
them, gently suggest--in whatever terms the person will find
comfortable--that you suspect that he has these abilities, and that
in a calmer moment he might wish to learn more about them . This
will enable the victim to develop the strength to defend himself,
and may win you a future ally in other cases. If the victim is
already studying psychic abilities or magic, enlist her aid in
whatever work you undertake, so that she can learn to repeat the
process herself if need be.
The question now arises of whether the being making the attack is
real or created. Sometimes a powerful astral or physical being
will create a flunkie to do his dirty work. If this is the case,
it should become apparent from divination, feel (unfortunately,
this only comes with practice), and possibly the practice of
following cords of energy that will connect the creation to the
creator. You will have to deal with the creation first, followed
as soon as possible by the creator.
It is also possible for the victim to unwittingly create his own
attacker. This most commonly happens because of severe emotional
trauma, either in this life or a previous one, that is
subconsciously being acted out by the victim. After the initial
dealings with the projection, which you will have to banish as if
it were a real being, the victim will need to confront this trauma
and come to terms with it to prevent another attack from occurring.
How do you tell a projection from a real entity?
Besides learning the feel, you can look for a strong correlation
between the attacker's nature and the psychological makeup of the
victim. For example, the victim believes that he was once burned
as a witch and the attacker is an Inquisitioner; or the victim is
a survivor of sexual abuse and the attacker is a rapist. This,
however, is not proof in and of itself. A real entity, or even one
created by someone other than the victim, will have access to
information that the victim does not. The following is a Buddhist
story about this method of testing.
A widower came to a monk with his problem. He had found another
woman that he wanted to marry, but the ghost of his first wife was
haunting him and making threats against the new woman. He was full
of conflicting emotions, and wanted to know what to do. The monk
suggested that, the next time the ghost appeared, the widower
should take up a handful of rice and ask the ghost to tell him how
many grains of rice he was holding. If she could answer correctly,
the widower must do as she said. When the widower tried the
experiment, however, the ghost shrieked and vanished, for she could
not answer, being only a projection of the widower's guilt over
marrying again.
Now, if you are dealing with a real entity, you must (without
becoming paranoid about it) consider the chance that the entity is
actually trying to get you indirectly. Examine your memories, if
you've had any, for enemies, and try a divination about it.
Again, don't get paranoid, and don't fall into the trap of thinking
that everything that happens to anyone has something to do with you
personally. Just be aware of the possibility. If you think that
you are dealing with something with personal enmity towards you,
seek help.
6. Talk to the Attacker . Obviously this will not always be
possible. But sometimes, for example in some hauntings, the
attacker is not completely hostile, and you may be able to come to
some sort of mutually acceptable terms. In any case, the attempt
will allow you to see exactly what you're up against, and help you
divine what its motives are and what its weaknesses might be.
If at this point you feel that the attacker is more than you can
handle alone, SAY SO. Seek help, or refer your client out to
someone you think more suited to the task. There is no shame in
admitting that a problem is too big for you. Better that, than
that you should come to harm attempting the impossible. 7.
Attempt the Work.
This will vary too much by situation to be described here. Proceed
according to the standards of your own tradition and experience.
Again, as always, be willing to bow out and get help or a referral
if you're not making any headway. The truth is that not every
problem is solvable, especially by a solitaire.
Once you're satisfied that you've cleansed the area and the
victims and eliminated the threat against them, leave maintenance
instructions, along with referrals to people that can help with any
residual difficulties (for example, counselors, feng shui
practitioners, appropriate clergy). If the problem was
area-specific, take special care to make sure that the energy of
the area is restored to a balanced state.
Wards and Guards
Shielding 101
II Quick and Easy Protective Spells
Serious Magick for the Religiously Oppressed
Back to Iowa and other Spells
I - Shielding 101
You will note that _Wards and Guards The Series_ is occasionally
tongue-in-cheek. I have found bigots of all sorts, but
particularly the Religious Warfare types, take themselves far too
seriously.
A good belly laugh does wonders for relieving the tension and,
quite frankly, they have no idea of how to deal with laughter.
Keep smiling.
Shields
OK, you've heard that you should practice your shielding, right?
Books, live teachers, etc. all say you should be doing this, and do
you? It's like exercising - one morning you wake up tired, say
I'll let it slide JUST TODAY and the next thing you know you've
turned into a limp noodle with barely the strength to use the TV
remote. Don't despair! You can still erect a barrier against the
attacks of Those Who Mean Us Harm.
SHIELD #1, THE WARM FUZZY
This is for the Profoundly Limp Noodle to use, as all it requires
is that you're still breathing. If you aren't breathing religious
bigots are the least of your worries. That said, as you inhale
imagine energy and strength pouring into your body with the air.
As you exhale, imagine your expelled breath as a golden mist. As
you continue to breath in and out visualize this mist becoming a
warm, protective sphere around you, growing larger with each
exhalation. You can do this while tuning out exhortations to
REPENT OR BURN! by letting your eyes rest somewhere less
distracting than the slavering idiot next to you and setting your
face in a contemplative expressive. The idiot will think you are
considering their viewpoint while you are actually achieving
Nirvana through this simple meditation. Nod occasionally and make
polite, affirmative noises from time to time. When they start to
wind down, thank them for their concern, say You've given me much
to think about, and LEAVE - BEFORE they invite you to their Bible
study group. These folks are used to dealing with clear
opposition, not passive resistance. This is also a good shield to
cook up any time you feel a need for a little extra protection. I
frequently summon it up while waiting for commuter trains or when
I need to ride the bus home at night. I wouldn't call it a heavy
duty shield in general although with practice it can become
surprisingly strong.
SHIELD #2, MIRRORED SPHERE
This one requires a little more visualization power but is well
worth it. It is designed specifically for repelling psychic
attacks. When you cast your shield visualize it as a mirrored
sphere with you on the inside. The mirrored surface reflects the
Nasty Influences trying to harm you. Acutely, I visualize a
geodesic dome of mirrors. Some people prefer boxes. The important
point is that it completely surround you with reflective
surfaces.
How to build this?
It takes a little practice (or a good Astral Construction Crew).
I started practicing at home in quiet surroundings, working on how
I wanted the final form to look and building it in my mind. Once
I got the shape firmly set I worked on summoning it up by an act of
will at a moment's notice. I had incentive, as I was working with
Fearsome Fundies at the time, and I got to the point where I could
almost instantly snap it into place regardless of the chaos around
me. If you are often in situations where you feel mentally
assaulted take the time to develop this shield.
OK, those are two very basic shields. Keep them in mind, because
we'll be using them in the next section of Wards and Guards - Quick
and Easy Protective Spells.
WARDS AND GUARDS II - Quick and Easy Protective Spells
A word about various supplies and implements first: this section
assumes you are either in an emergency situation or a situation
where donning elaborate robes and engaging in a 3 hour ceremony is
not practical. Therefore, when I say salt I mean every thing from
ritually consecrated sea salt harvested by a 10,000 year old ritual
under the proper astrological sign you just happen to have in your
pocket to those little paper packets from the fast-food emporium of
your choice. In fact, I tend to assume the little paper packets
are more readily available. Use your own best judgement, folks.
As I said, these are quick and dirty spells for tight situations,
and most of the energy in them comes from your need, not the
ingredients themselves.
TURNING YOUR SURROUNDINGS INTO A PLACE OF WORSHIP
What better way to foil the plans of religious bigots intent on
converting you at work than to make your desk a Holy Place? If you
are waiting in the hospital for news of a loved one's health, why
not pray where you are instead of worrying about chapel hours and
possible Roaming Missionaries?
Also, please note that by the term Fundi I do not refer to any one
particular group. A Fundi is any creep who insists you believe as
they do or suffer the consequences. These folks can be Christian,
Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, or even fellow Pagans who think the God/
Goddess talks only to THEM and not you. They practice religious
intimidation and even black magick (though they won't admit it) to
get their way. Stand firm!
PROTECT YOUR DESK
Summon your Warm Fuzzy Shield at least once a day while seated at
your desk. I used to do this over a hot cup of tea as part of my
daily settling in. If anyone asks what you are doing say you are
either 1) trying to wake up, 2) going over your list of things to
do in your head, or 3) praying for world peace. If they ask why
you don't pray the way they do tell them you use a different phone
service than theirs, one with fiber optic lines so you don't need
to pray as loudly because the signal is clearer. If it isn't
morning, tell them you're taking a moment or two to compose your
thoughts, or you're on your coffee break. Over time your desk will
accumulate a Warm Fuzzy aura.
Please note the desk is used as an example. Cab and truck drivers
can do this in their vehicles, cooks in the kitchen, etc. Wherever
you happen to be, if you've got a minute or two to sit or even
stand still, you can do this.
STEALTH WATER AND SALT BLESSING
All you need for this is water and salt. If you have the time and
means, use spring water (easily available these days at the corner
store) and sea salt. However, this can be extremely effective with
water out of the tap and condiment packs of salt. I know of at
least two instances where this was done in a hospital situation in
the wee hours of the morning with great success.
Summon a shield
I prefer a Mirrored Sphere for this myself, as it is a
mini-ritual, but Warm Fuzzy will certainly work if that's all
you've got the juice for. add a pinch of salt to the water, and
speak a brief blessing over it. I usually go for Mother Goddess
and Father God, bless this water and salt and make them holy - it's
short, it's sweet (alright, salty), and easy to remember under
stress. Certainly, however, you can get more elaborate if you
desire.
Now, with your finger, draw a circle around the area you wish to
protect. With a desk, I'd drag my wet finger around the edges of
the desk. With a hospital bed, do the same for the bed frame. If
you're in a waiting room do your chair. If you're in court do your
chair, but discreetly. For cars, circle the entire car. If anyone
asks, tell them you're removing smudge marks from those [expletives
deleted] neighborhood kids. No, salt isn't good for the finish,
but a pinch in a glass of water is not nearly as toxic as your
average winter's road salt.
Add any additional protective signs and/or runes you feel would be
of assistance to you.
INCENSE POTPOURRI
with the potpourri trend continuing this is a fashionable means to
protect yourself. Either buy or (better yet) make a protective
incense or oil. You want something with an odor even without being
burned. Get a small, nice, pretty container - pottery works best
for me, followed by glass. Plastic is usually incompatible with
this but there are exceptions. Fill the bottom of the container
with the incense and/or oil, then make a tossed salad of protective
herbs and/or flower petals. Use some sense - you want a perfume,
not a fumigation. Be absolute. Set it on your desk, on a counter,
wherever. If anyone asks, it's air freshener.
STEALTH ALTARS
If you have a definite work station - a desk, cubicle, whatever -
why not make it into an Holy Place? In the four cardinal
directions hang a picture for the element - a landscape for Earth,
birds or clouds or musical instruments for Air, seascapes for
Water, you get the idea. Or, in a corner of your desk, put a
stone, bird feather, sea shell, and piece of charcoal in a small
bowl to represent the elements. There are an infinite number of
variations on this. Add a cut flower (or even a dried one) in a
small vase. I know of several Pagans who keep a God/ Goddess image
on their desk - usually a postcard with a female or male image,
solar disk, or a picture of the grove they worship in. If these
items are small they will fit on almost any desk. I used to keep
a toy dinosaur, darwin fish, and a copy of Stephen Jay Gould's
_Ever Since Darwin_ on my desk to fend off the Creationists. Use
your imagination. Since this is a personal altar/holy space
whatever has meaning for you will make a good addition. Consecrate
the area with the Stealth Water and Salt Blessing and perform a
daily shield exercise there. You'll feel much more connected and
serene and the Fundies will have absolutely no idea you are (EEK!)
performing PAGAN RITES in PUBLIC!!!.
P.S. don't forget to decorate your work area for Halloween, Yule,
etc. - it's traditional, it's Pagan, and it's fun. I used to bring
in pussy willows for spring, flowers all summer, colored leaves,
Indian corn (maize), and dried wheat in the fall, and dried plants
in winter. It's a way to keep riding the Wheel of the Year when
you live in Chicago and don't get out much.
Please note a darwin fish is just like those Fundi fish they paste
on their cars, notebooks, etc., EXCEPT the fish has feet (it's
evolving, get it?) and instead of the word JESUS inside it says
DARWIN.
SONIC SHIELDING
Take your favorite ritual music in an instrumental only version and
play it while your work. The Fundies will have no idea what it is
(although oddly enough they often wind up enjoying it...). If you
play it softly it will help drown out distracting sounds (such as
loud Fundi praying) while improving your basic frame of mind. This
can be almost anything really - harp music, whale song, rain forest
noises, a jam session at the last Sabbat, whatever. I have a
collection of Yule songs on tape along with some VERY Old English
Carols that either have little to do with Christmas as a Christian
holiday or deal very irreverently with the childhood of Jesus which
I love to play throughout December. Pumpkin Carols are good for
Halloween. Madrigals can be appropriate for May celebrations (pay
attention to some of the lyrics). There are Pagan songs that share
tunes with Christian hymns - Simple Gifts/Lord of the Dance and
That Old Time Religion come to mind. If you play an instrumental
version you can enjoy YOUR version and the Christian Fundies can
enjoy THEIR version at the same time! And if that ain't a feat of
magick I don't know what is.
OK, so far we've dealt with protecting you and protecting your
personal space. Next time we move on to Serious Magick for the
Religiously Oppressed.
WARDS & GUARDS
SERIOUS MAGICK FOR THE RELIGIOUSLY OPPRESSED
Okay, your shields are up, your surroundings filled with incense,
images, and sounds to reinforce you on the psychic plane, and you
are STILL being harassed. It could be frothing rabid Christians
force-feeding you Bibles, it could be a plague of Jehovah's
Witnesses leaving knuckle-imprints on your front door, it could be
disbelieving atheists who want to either excise your misguided and
superstitious beliefs or have you committed, it could be relatives
or others intent on taking away your children because your beliefs
are more than a little unconventional. What do you do? You get
serious.
There is, however, one obstacle that people sometimes trip over,
the prohibition of the Wiccan creed that goes harm none. Well, if
you AREN'T Wiccan this probably isn't a problem - so skip the rest
of this paragraph. If you ARE Wiccan please remember that harm
none applies to YOU, TOO. We aren't talking about strolling down
the street indiscriminately turning innocents into loathsome toads,
here. You are under attack, those you are opposing are not
innocents and you are an agent of the Three-fold Law - the one
where you get what you give, times three. Or, in this case, THEY
get what they give, times three. None of this turn-the-other cheek
stuff, please. That said, keep in mind that the following are not
quickies. You will be dealing with some considerable force here,
so be respectful of it. Do a psychic pest removal of your space
before working, and make sure you will be undisturbed while doing
the spells. Although I've written these from a Solitary
perspective, there is no reason they can't be modified for use by
a group.
Your home should be your refuge, whether that is where you are
experiencing problems or somewhere else. Just as you should buy
strong locks for your doors, you should also thoroughly equip your
house with psychic guards. I find the following can be easily
incorporated into spring cleaning, although certainly it can be
done any time you have the energy to thoroughly scrub your entire
dwelling place.
1. As always, take care of the mundane cleaning first. Scrub
floors and paint walls, etc.
2. Light purification incense in center or hearth of the house.
This is not necessarily the physical center, but the room you
intend to spend the most time in or the magical work area. In my
case, this is the kitchen which is way off to one side of the
apartment, but I spend a lot of time there. Invoke Deities of your
choice. In this case, I don't think a Circle is practical as you
aren't intended to contain energy but to drive out Nasties. Bless
salt and water and combine them in a clean spritzer. You don't
need to make salt-water sludge, here, just a pinch will do.
3. Carry the incense from room to room, fumigating each room and
hallway. Spritz rooms lightly with salt and water. Don't forget
attics and basements! If you are truly obsessive do the yard as
well (if you have one). Work from the center outward.
4. Optional: repeat fumigation with a blessing or prosperity
incense.
5. Engage Wards and Guards (see below).
6. Decorate
7. Think happy thoughts
SUGGESTED INCENSE: A basic purifier of sage, cedar, and bay. Or
those smudging sticks that are getting so popular these days. This
not only works, but doesn't leave the sulfur-and-brimstone ambience
of some other purifiers. Other additions are copal or myrrh. Or,
if your tradition has a particular preference, use that. For
blessing incense, use a cinnamon and clove base with other pleasant
scents as additions for a pleasing atmosphere.
UN-SUGGESTED INCENSE
Pretty much all the traditional ones, those containing such
lovelies as garlic, sulfur, asafoetida, and other - *ahem* - aromas
guaranteed to exorcise both the dead and the living. Some
formulations are downright toxic. Don't use these unless you have
a MAJOR infestation of high-caliber Nasties. In which case, why
would you want to live there anyway?
WARDS AND GUARDS
PENTAGRAMS: Draw a pentagram, point upward, on the side of all
doors with a white pencil. Draw pentagrams, point outward, on all
window sills. These pentagrams do not need to be large or
conspicuous.
OILS:
Anoint doorways and window frames with protective or anointing oil.
A dab on jambs, thresholds, and lintels should do.
HORSE SHOES:
Okay, we've all heard of horseshoes and we all know what they do.
The question is, points up or points down? As near as I can
determine, points up attracts and stores luck, but some say this
luck then STAYS in the shoe until it is inverted. An alternate
theory says that points-up negative energy enters one end of the
horseshoe and exits the other, deflecting Nasties. Points down
mean the luck showers down across a threshold, like a gentle
waterfall, which should be an interesting way of blessing your
house guests, but no word on when, if ever, the luck runs out and
you need a new horseshoe. EVERYBODY agrees that iron is A Good
Thing, so get those horseshoes up whichever way you hang'em.
IRON NAILS
These should be old, preferably handmade antiques, or railroad
spikes. Charge four of'em up and place one in each corner of your
house. Around windows drive three nails (nail nails, not railroad
spikes), one in each bottom corner and one in the top center of
the frame, forming a triangle.
Okay, now that that's done, don't forget to do an occasional
fumigation of your occult work area.
WITCH BOTTLES - WHY WITCH BOTTLES?
Well, because they work, for one thing. I became interested in
protective spells both out of personal need and because I found I
had a knack for them (or at least, that's what all the people who
have asked me for assistance have said). A short time later I
encountered a group of spells called Witch Bottles, all of which
had certain properties in common. All are spells of a protective
nature. Sometimes they trap negative energy, sometimes they tab
repel it, sometimes they convert to another form, but all are of a
protective or ward and guard nature
All involve filling a container, most often a bottle, with
magically charged ingredients.
They fall into one of two subdivisions of bottle spell.
*Those that are loaded once, and derive their power primarily from
the power of their contents
*Those that are cumulative, and derive their power not so much
from the inherent power of the ingredients but from an accumulation
of a lot of not-so-powerful small elements to make a whole larger
than its parts. These often involve repeated chants, and rely
also on the cumulative power of these as well As to which might be
better - for beginners the cumulative witch bottles should be
easier to produce in an effective manner, not requiring the
intense, focused concentration of those that need a large initial
charging. For an adept, however, it may be more a matter of what
is felt to be appropriate.
Although you can use huge, quart or larger size mason jars you can
also be equally successful in using smaller bottles and jars.
Clear glass seems to be the preferred material, although there is
nothing to say that colored glass or plastic wouldn't work.
Due to copyright considerations, I can't reproduce some spells for
your convenience - you are going to have to do some research.
Perhaps by a future edition I will be able to actually give you the
text of some of these
COLONIAL WITCH BOTTLE
This is a classic witch bottle, the oldest example of which in
America dates back to the 1700's (hence, colonial), and in England
they've been made since at least the early 1600's. I've never seen
this one presented quite the same way twice, but I've seen it
several times. Improvisation around the basic theme seems
perfectly acceptable, especially since this is a personalized
spell. Given that there are no expensive, rare, or difficult to
acquire items required, I'd say this is about as folksy as folk
magic can get. It also poses some risk in the making of it, so use
some sense, please. You want to hurt your ENEMIES, not YOURSELF.
This is a reflective spell to turn a specific act of evil magic
directed against you back toward the originator. It is specific to
one person, the one whose bodily fluids are incorporated into the
spell. It is also quite powerful. Some of the ingredients are
pretty icky (the gross factor is a vital component of both the
spell and its power) so this may not be one to pass around to
beginners or the squeamish, and some people might have problems
with using actual blood, especially the suggested menstrual blood.
It can also be used as a general warding spell if placed inside
the walls of a house or buried on private property. If it is to
ward a household I suppose blood from all living under the same
roof can be incorporated if you're feeling especially thorough or
threatened, but one person alone should provide more than enough
power to handle even worse-than-average Nasties. In any case, this
one is sure to set Fundi teeth on edge and make them run screaming
and gibbering into the night. (heh, heh, heh)
MATERIALS:
Small jar or bottle; Debris: broken glass, broken mirror
(optional), rusty nails, old razor blades, barbed wire bits, other
similar objects; hawthorn thorns (if available); urine (I told you
this can get gross); blood; disposable lancet if needed for blood
letting (check drugstores or medical supply stores where diabetic
equipment is sold). - if you don't use disposable - sterilize!.
black candle; protective gloves
VISUALIZATION:
You don't need to know the source of your misfortune in order for
this to work, you need only focus on the actual problem, spell,
curse, or other reason for this spell. Of course, if you can name
names that is all to the better.
The negative influences are attracted to the urine and blood,
which carry your essence, but are caught in the wire and metal,
baffled and cut by the glass, impaled by the thorns, dissipated by
the iron. and drowned by your urine (pleasant, ay?). The blood
lends more power to the spell.
Thorns and mirror are optional, but considerably increase
the spell's power. Thorns have long been recognized as useful in
defense, and the mirror shards reflect any residual baneful
energies away from you,
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE:
Use some sense around rusty metal, razor blades, and broken glass.
Use gloves to protect your hands - nothing says you can't, after
all. Wire cutters and similar paraphernalia may be needed to cut
barbed wire and such to a length that fits in the bottle. Do this
as prep work.
Do NOT share blood letting instruments. We've all heard about HIV
and how it is spread, so do your friends a favor and don't share
EVERYTHING with them. Also, there are nasty things that can be
spread by contact with bodily fluids besides HIV, and some of them
can be fatal, too. Sterilize any blood letting devices thoroughly.
Use disposable if you can. Let's be careful out there. In regards
to other bodily fluids - again, gloves are OK. Don't handle
someone else's, it's not a healthy practice even if no one has
lethal viruses in their system. Better yet, do this one entirely
on your own.
HOW TO:
1) My sources usually don't mention this, but I'd suggest
constructing this within a Circle.
2) Fill the jar with the debris and hawthorn thorns until they
form a tangled mass. Nails and wire bits should be bent. Blades
should be broken, bent, and/or rusty. The glass should have jagged
edges. The pile should not only LOOK nasty, it should BE nasty.
3) Cover these with your own urine. If you're female, or simply
uncoordinated, it is perfectly acceptable to piss in a container
prior to starting this project and pouring it from the chamber pot
into the witch bottle. Or else use a really big jar with a wide
mouth.
4) Add some of your blood. A few drops is sufficient, let's not
get carried away. Menstrual blood is particularly effective.
However, if you're male or otherwise do not have access to this
substance please use a sterile implement and some sense. You only
need a FEW DROPS, not buckets worth.
5) Seal the bottle with black wax. If you wish, inscribe runes
or other symbols into the seal to further fix the spell but do not
break the seal. If you do, remove it and start with fresh wax
again.
6) Clean up any spilled bodily fluids with bleach, PineSol,
Lysol, or similar heavy-duty disinfectant.
6) Take it to where no person or animal will find it and bury it
upside down in the Earth with some sort of appropriate banishing
words. I prefer something along the lines of Leave me alone, ass
hole, but most folks like stuff that rhymes.
This is NOT intended to hang around your house. When you have
built it you need to bury it. This can be done in a remote place.
Most versions (and actual findings) of this Bottle say to bury it
UPSIDE DOWN, and archeological finds of these apparently also
commonly have bent iron nails buried in the hole along with the
Bottle.
Alternatively, if this is used as a warding spell in household
defense, it can be placed INSIDE a wall. In this case, place
right-side up to avoid smelly leaks and spills. These have been
found in both masonry and plaster walls.
I find this particular spell fascinating because it actually does
have a long-term documented history of use.
TIM MURPHY's TRADITIONAL WITCH BOTTLE AND HOUSEWARMING GIFT
OK, so Tim wasn't the one who called it a housewarming gift. But
it WOULD make a great one, wouldn't it? And though he gave it to
me, it seems to have come from yet another source so if you want to
know where it came from you'll have to ask him yourself.
MATERIALS:
three glass containers that fit inside each other; mercury; eye
dropper; water; fill - pebbles, sea shells, sand, more of the same
sort of thing; decorations for lid of third jar (optional);
consecration tools
VISUALIZATION: Tim didn't include a specific one, but I think if
you read the spell you'll get the idea.
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE: Again, no specific tips. However, anyone
who's worked with mercury knows how it slips, slides, bounces, and
disappears (hey, they call it quicksilver for a reason). This is
why eye dropper appears on the materials list.
HOW TO:par
1. Transfer the mercury by medicine dropper to a tiny bottle or
vial. Make certain the cap is tightly closed.
2. Fill the second glass vessel with water and drop the vial with
the mercury into it. Screw the lid tight.
3. The third container should be quite a bit larger for it holds
the pebbles, shells, and a quantity of sand. Fill to
three-quarters with the stones and shells; make a well in the
middle of the sand to cradle the water jar and hold it upright.
Carefully arrange the units so that the interior jar of water and
mercury is hidden from view.
4. The lid of the third jar can be decorated in any way you
choose; this final touch belongs to your imagination and
inventiveness.
5. To charge the bottle, with your dominant hand make a series of
counterclockwise circles around the completed bottle as you say:
Earth holds water,
Water holds life,
Life in safe keeping,
Free from all strife.
This could become quite an art object if you get serious
about decorations.
OTHER WITCH BOTTLES
I'd love to give you full instructions, but the following ARE
copyrighted. Listing of these resources in no way constitutes an
endorsement of any particular belief system. They are intended for
reference.
LAURIE CABOT's WITCH BOTTLE FROM _THE POWER OF THE WITCH_ This
spell is intended to neutralize the power of a particular
individual or organization who in any way poses a threat to your
security, be it physical, financial, or emotional. The quantity of
some of the more expensive ingredients used may put it outside some
people's price range.
DRAGON's PEACE, FROM SCOTT CUNNINGHAMS' _CUNNINGHAM's ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF MAGICAL HERBS_
A quick spell to bring peace and quiet to your house.
Frankly, I have never associated Dragon's Blood with peace before,
but I include it for the curious and those for whom it works. Look
under the entry Dragon's Blood.
AVENGING ANGEL TRAPS IN _GREEN EGG_ #101
This spell is intended to protect against the prayers and
influence of organized groups hostile to your activities. MY
personal all-time favorite and very effective in my experience.
I've also worked up several variations on I'd love to share, but
it's that nasty copyright thing again. Hey, I get in enough
trouble as it is...
JAR OF STONES, FROM CUNNINGHAMS' _EARTH, AIR, FIRE, AND WATER_
This is a house protection spell, and I suppose that, since you
are supposed to use an EARTHENWARE crock or jar it isn't EXACTLY a
bottle spell, but it follows the same format of filling up a
container.
SAND TRAp
FROM SCOTT CUNNINGHAM's _EARTH, AIR, FIRE, AND WATER_ More
Earth magick from Scott. The end result resembles some of those
sand-paintings people used to use as planters.
THREAD CHARM BOTTLE FROM DIANE CAMPANELLI's _WHEEL OF THE
YEAR_
This is a general protective charm, and a lot more pleasant to
make than some of the others listed here. Also a natural for
any
sort of needle worker, as it requires many, many little tiny
threads.
VENGEFUL GOSSIP TRAP, FROM _GREEN EGG_ #102
Although the tone of the source material seemed to indicate that
this was a tongue-in-cheek enterprise, what the hell. We still
need to deal with vengeful gossips, don't we?
WARDS & GUARDS
BACK TO IOWA AND OTHER SPELLS
HOT FOOTING, a.k.a. BACK TO IOWA, by Chameleon
I call this one Back to Iowa because of my nemesis at a former
place of employment. Among other things, this woman compromised
computer security and failed to do several work assignments, which
she attempted to blame on others. Including me, hence my fury and
this spell. Shortly after I did the following she lost her job and
returned to her home state of Iowa. Hence the name of the spell
The PURPOSE of the spell, why you do it, is to get someone off
your back. The intent is not to HARM someone but to make them GO
AWAY and leave you alone. This is NOT, however, intended for petty
grievances. This is a serious spell with a fairly good kick to it.
If it backfires it can make YOU go away i.e. lose your job. Use at
your own risk
And, oh yes, this is COPYRIGHT material. If you reproduce it in
ANY form whatsoever you must include the following:
********************************************************** *
Copyright 1994 by Chameleon. *
* May be reproduced under TWO conditions: *
* #1, this disclaimer must accompany text. * *
#2, copies are to be distributed WITHOUT CHARGE * *
unless PRIOR permission of the author is *
obtained to charge for this text. *
* Chameleon may be contacted at the e-mail address *
* brumstik@interaccess.com
*
*************************************************************
MATERIALS: Hot Foot Powder, bowl to hold powder, small jar or
vial, 4 black candles, 2 black rush lights, drum or other rhythm
instrument (optional, if you know how to clap your hands) A
word about certain items: HOT FOOT POWDER is one of those "magical
incense" things you buy at occult supply stores - you know, the
ones labeled "sold as a curio, for entertainment
purposes.
only". Z. Budapest in _The Goddess in the Office_ describes this
as a white powder, but the Hot Foot Powder I bought is most
definitely black (and smells pretty good, too, in fact). The only
thing I can conclude is that Z and I go to different occult
suppliers. RUSH LIGHTS have nothing to do with Mr. Limbaugh.
Traditionally, they're rushes dipped in wax or tallow then lit - a
sort of candle, very long and thin, that burns quickly and doesn't
throw a whole lot of light. The ones I used were a thin candle
wick about 15 inches long dipped in black wax a couple of times.
These babies are fragile, so handle them with care until you're
ready to use them.
Cleanse and purify your altar area. Set up your altar for
charging magical tools. Arrange the four black candles for
lighting purposes and use no other color of candle during this
spell. If you want, drape the altar in black, wear black, and
otherwise dress up the area.
Pour a small quantity, about a spoonful, of the Hot Foot Powder
into the bowl and place it on your altar. I usually put things I
intend to charge on top of my pentagram, but use your own preferred
method. Get comfortable in front of the altar, you're going to be
there for a little while.
Put the black rush lights on either side of the bowl. Light them,
while focusing on your grievance. Get a good rhythm going - beat
that drum, shake that rattle, clap those hands, beat that floor,
whatever - and make it an urgent sort of beat, the sort that makes
you want to run. As you do this, chant:
You shall rise, you shall rise
You shall walk and you shall fly
Out of my life and away
Onward
Outward
Away
Begone!
And trouble me no more
I give you no power
You have no power
No power
Over Me!
Keep repeating this chant and get really worked up. Feel that
power and anger rising up. Get loud if you want (well, not so loud
the neighbors call 911). Keep repeating the chant until the rush
lights have burned almost completely down, then grab that bowl full
of Hot Foot Powder and send all the furious energy into it.
Visualize that powder just bubbling and boiling over with your
emotion. When the fury is in the powder pour the powder into a
small jar and close up tightly. Be sure to ground yourself
before
leaving the Circle.
Now, take that charged powder and lay it in the path of your
enemy. Make sure you aren't seen doing this. Pour it into your
hand then with a strong puff of breath blow it over an area your
foe walks over regularly. This spell is specific to one person,
so don't worry about it affecting other people who cross over it.
Hot Foot Powder is very fine, and if you only use a spoonful it
shouldn't be visible on a floor. If it is, it will look just like
dust. Blame it on poor housekeeping, the local construction site,
whatever.
BINDING THE ENEMY, from _A Phoenix Not Yet Risen_ by Chameleon
This is part of a larger collection of spells oriented towards
resolving an injustice along the lines of child abuse and sexual
assault. Like the proceeding this is NOT intended for petty
grievances. This is for REALLY SERIOUS STUFF. This is a high-
power spell and I suggest you consider carefully whether this much
of a magical kick is needed.
That said, the intent is, again, not so much to HARM the enemy but
to render the foe HARMLESS. Do try to keep this in mind And,
again, this baby is COPYRIGHTED. By the same person, in fact, as
the above so it, too, has the following conditions attached.
*************************************************************
* Copyright 1994 by Chameleon.
* May be reproduced under TWO conditions: *
* #1, this disclaimer must accompany text. *
* #2, copies are to be distributed WITHOUT CHARGE * *
unless PRIOR permission of the author is *
obtained to charge for this text. *
Chameleon may be contacted at the e-mail address * *
brumstik@interaccess.com
*
*************************************************************
MATERIALS: black altar cloth, black candles, dark or black candle
holders, water, sea salt, cauldron or bowl, black human shaped
candle, thorn or bolline, red cord several feet long, 13 red-headed
pins, large jar with a lid that's big enough to hold human shaped
candle, "debris" - rusted wire, bent nails, staples, thorns,
nettles, or the like, urine, and an athame or sickle.
NOTE ON MATERIALS: HUMAN SHAPED CANDLE: a "poppet" or other
black figure may be substituted for the black candle. It's just
that the candles are already in a handy human shape and wax is easy
to carve, cut, and stab. BOLLINE: for those of you who don' t
know already, it's a knife dedicated to making ritual objects or
harvesting ritual plants or the like. Basically, a magical utility
knife. If you don't have one don't sweat it, though. Substitute
a sharp, sturdy knife like a paring knife or heavy exactoe blade.
RED CORD: Preferably cotton or wool thread, somewhere between kite
string and packaging cord in weight. Should be at least two or
three feet long, but not so long you get it all tangled and snarled
when you start knotting it. RED PINS: I like quilting pins, if
you can get them with red heads. They're big and impressive
looking and don't bend quite so easily as regular straight pins.
"DEBRIS": when dealing with rusted wire and the like, use some
sense and be careful. "Harm none" applies to YOURSELF, too.
URINE: Yeah, it's icky, but it's also a great way to show contempt
Purify the area and yourself. Drape the altar with a black cloth
and set up the black candles and candle holders. Bless the water
and sea salt and mix in a cauldron or bowl. Wash the black, human
shaped candle in this salt water. On the candle's back write the
name of the Oppressor backwards, three times, with a thorn or
bolline, saying
This is [name]
And this is the evil within him/her
This is [name]
And this is the shame within him/her
This is [name]
And this is the binding of him/her
Place the human candle on the altar and take up the red cord. Dip
it into the salt water, wring it out if necessary, and while you
tie nine, evenly spaced knots in the cord think of your anger at
the injustice done to you. Take the cord and bind it around the
human candle, starting at the neck and ending at the feet. As you
do this, say:
I bind you, I bind you, I bind you
You can never harm me again
Repeat until the binding is done. Place the red-headed pins in
the salt water, then pierce the figure in the appropriate places as
you say the following:
At temples, 2 pins, 1 in each = You will not think of me, you will
not think of me. At forehead, "3rd eye" position, 1 pin = You will
not dream of me. At eyes, 2 pins, 1 each = You will not look at
me, you will not see me. At mouth, 1 pin = You will not speak of
me. At hands, 4 pins, 2 each = You will not restrain me, you will
not touch me, you will not reach for me, you will release me At
groin, 1 pin = You will not lust after me. At feet 2 pins, 1 each
= You will not approach me, you will walk away from me
Place the bound candle in the jar. Arrange various debris around
it - rusted wire, bent nails, staples, thorns, nettles until the
candle is in a "cage". Fill the jar with urine and screw on the
lid. If you're female or you're a guy with poor aim it is
perfectly OK to pee into a container big enough to prevent
"accidents" and a mess first, then poor the urine into the jar with
the bound image. Depending on how much space you left in the jar
this may take a lot of urine so you can either stockpile it in a
separate container in preparation for this, or you can fill up the
remaining space with that salt water you were using earlier. In
any case, the bound figure should be completely covered. Seal the
lid with wax from the burning black candles and inscribe with any
runes or symbols you find appropriate. As you do this, say
again
I bind you, I bind you, I bind you
You can never harm me again
Place the jar on the altar and make sweeping motions around it
with an athame or sickle saying:
I cut all bonds between myself and this evil
It is gone from me!
I cut all ties between myself and this evil
I am set free!
I cut all links between myself and this evil
It is gone, and will never return to me!
Take the jar to a remote place and bury it upside down in the
ground where none will find it. When this is done sprinkle some
salt above the site, then walk away and do not look back
Glossary
Astral: a level of reality that is separate from the physical
world. In the astral world, mythical beings are real. Humans can
be trained to see and interact with the astral world.
Aura: a field of energy around a person. It can be seen with
practice.
Awakening: the process of remembering your spiritual identity.
This can take a long time and have strange effects on your
personality.
Banishing: sending away negative energy
Cabala: a magical world view created by the Hebrews. It divides
Godhead into ten parts, which are arranged in a tree like pattern
and each have different functions. Knowledge of these parts and
how to travel between them is the foundation of Cabalistic magic.
Ceremonial Magic: an elaborate form of magic, based largely on
the Cabala and on Greek and Roman religion and folklore.
Energy: actually, everything is energy. In this context, energy
is the stuff that magic and astral objects are made of.
Guardian: a person whose spirit has agreed to serve the world and
its people. To some, a Guardian's spirit is seen as having a
nonhuman origin. There are several types of Guardians, including
healers, teachers, seers, and warriors. These functions are very
like some views of shamanism, and the study of shamanic practices
would probably be rewarding to Guardians.
Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram: a specific method of
banishing created and used by Ceremonial Magicians. It is useful
to other people as well.
Magic: a method of gaining control of energy, and thus control of
the astral and physical worlds.
Negative energy: in our context, energy that is not wanted or
that is harmful.
Pagan: someone belonging to a nature-oriented religion. Pagan
religions often have more than one God, have female Goddesses, and
allow or encourage the use of magic.
Pentagram: a five-pointed star, generally seen as a protective
symbol in magic. It is also a religious symbol for Wicca.
Positive energy: in our context, energy that is desired and
helpful.
Possession: the control of a person's body by someone other than
that person.
Projection: an astral being that was created by a physical
person. This can be done intentionally or accidentally: the
accidental ones sometimes turn on their creators, if they were made
out of negative energy.
Religion: a way of thinking about the astral and spiritual worlds
and their relation to us.
Shield: a protective wall of energy that seals positive in and
negative out.
Spirit: the part of a person that survives death.
Spiritual world: the place where God(s) reside.
Wicca: a specific pagan religion honoring an equal Goddess and
God, worshipping at Full Moons and eight seasonal festivals called
Sabbats, and practicing magic. It is nature-based, and tends to be
much less elaborate than Ceremonial Magic. Wicca is only one
pagan religion: there are others.
Wiccan Rede:
An it harm none, do what you will. The harm none is often a
sticking point for Wiccan Guardians, but it is to be understood
that self-defense is acceptable.
Part Two
Welcome to the second Guardian's Grimoire. As before, it is
divided roughly into sections: information about Guardians
specifically, then general magick, then (a new category!) non-
magical information that might be pertinent to Guardians. We also
have a nice dedicatory poem this time, courtesy of Storm dancer.
Certain articles in this issue assume familiarity with the first
Guardian's Grimoire, which can be found in the pagan libraries of
AOL and Compuserve, or can be requested from me directly at Estara@
aol.com.
Again, ideas presented in one article do not necessarily represent
the ideas of other contributors, the editrix, or Guardians in
general.
And remember, we do accept unsolicited articles! Feel free to
contribute--send to the email address given above.
Contents:
Guardians (dedication poem) by Briah Stormdancer
Help in Remembering Yourself by Abritha
Guardianship Tips by Windlight
Tips for the Wyvern Coven by Estara
Second Sight and Scouting by SharTasha
Questions and Answers about Shielding by Estara and Windlight
Solitary Dangers by Dyareus
Creating a Spell by Estara
How To Do Magical Things, With Not So Magical Things, In Not So
Magical Places by SharTasha
Tools and Talismans for the Completely Closeted by Estara Uses
of Music in Magic by Estara
The Witches' Pyramid (Making a Spell Work) by Estara
Some Thoughts on the Martial Arts by Briah Stormdancer
Guardians
by Briah Stormdancer
Shrouded in flesh,
We are Suns unborn.
Yet the light of what we will become
Burns in our eyes for all to behold.
Warriors are we, too long weary.
Yet again and again, we rise.
Our swords, our very souls,
Nicked and often dulled, but never broken.
From our knees, with leaden arms,
We offer our swords aloft.
With no prayer on our lips for our own sakes,
We swear again our hearts' allegiance.
Radiance breaks, hard upon the looming shadow,
The Dark that would enfold, consume us.
Bowed but unbroken, we weep with joy,
At the majesty that touches us.
Behold! Our swords, our souls,
Remade as new - edged again with keen purpose.
Our battle cry rings out, as we leap again into the fray. And
the echoes of that cry are heard,
By every heart, that listens.....
Help in Remembering Yourself
by Abritha
Guardians who have not yet completed the process of remembering who
and what they are may be wondering how to speed up the process.
While, unfortunately, there is no one set method (yet) for
prompting recall of your Guardian persona, there are certain
techniques and circumstances that may prove useful.
1. Be around other Guardians. This will tend to happen anyway, as
Guardians seem naturally drawn to each other even before they
remember themselves. When you are with other Guardians for any
length of time, you will tend, as a group, to start remembering
lives and events you have in common. In fact, this is a common way
that the Awakening begins. However, if you do not find yourself
among other possible Guardians, you will have to content yourself
with the other methods until such time as your normal b and find
each other.
2. Read avidly. Both fiction and nonfiction will be helpful. You
may find yourself consistently drawn to a type of fiction or
historical nonfiction that will reflect something about your past.
For example, you may be profoundly interested in Tolkien like elves
in fiction, which may imply elvish blood; or in vampires, fairies,
banshees, devas, or whatever other semidivine beings. Or you may
have an interest that reflects a past life, such as Civil War books
or medieval fantasy or recreation. A strong interest in a place,
either specific (Paris) or general (mountainous forest), can also
indicate a place of origin.
3. Pay attention to your skills. Sometimes what you can do
reflects what you are. This can be combined with #2 for an
especially good indication. For example, a nymph is very likely to
be able to attract sexual partners at will and to move energy
naturally through sex. A banshee may foresee deaths and be able to
speak with the dead. HOWEVER, remember that many of us are of
mixed lineage, and may therefore have abilities that are not usual
for our kind. Do not despair, then, if your abilities alone do
not lead easily to Awakening.
4. Pay attention to abilities you have in dreams. A shape changer
may often transform in dreams; if he is of a specific type of shape
changer say, werewolf--this might also mean that dogs and wolves
show up in a lot of his dreams. Someone with a nymph back ground
might have a lot of dreams of being in or near the water.
5. Leaf back through characters you've created for books and
games. Often your true self will test the water with your
conscious self by appearing first in the more acceptable contexts
of fictional stories or role playing games. See if there are any
re current themes in such characters you've created. Note *any*
similarity: in names, in colors of dress, in background, in
abilities or experiences. Any of these might be signs of genuine
memory (not just lack of creativity).
6. Meditate on pieces you've gathered so far. With a fragment of
memory to start from, in the relaxed state of meditation, you may
be able to access more. Try imagining yourself as your true self,
filling in whatever information you can: things you might have
worn (at least colors), what your features might have been like,
your surroundings. Alternately, you can do this exercise visually,
standing in front of a mirror in a dark room with a lit candle and
asking to see yourself as you were before you came to this
plane.
NOTE: used with permission from The Moon Underhill #1, available
on AOL
Guardianship Tips
by Windlight
This article is intended as a sort of crash course in making sense
of being a guardian. (I use that name because I've yet to hear a
better one. Battlemage is another that could be used, if one
preferred, for the sort of guardianship I'm talking about.) I've
been one for almost two years, but I have no formal training and
I've only recently contacted some more experienced ones, over the
net. However, I am still alive, relatively sane (what *is* the
measure of sanity, any ways? The average American? I don't think
so....) and I've picked up some decent methods of protection and
combat magick.
\tab
Take this as you will; it's worked for me pretty well, though
magick still frustrates the hell out of me sometimes. I'm
publishing this article so that it will *hopefully* reach the
people it needs to: the teenagers who suddenly heard a voice
telling them, "You are a Guardian," (caps, please) in no uncertain
terms, and having it kick in the next night when they don't even
know how to shield. I had this happen to me a month before my
sixteenth birthday, so this is right where I'm coming from.
Hopefully, this info will be useful to those who aren't called to
be a guardian (or forced into it) as well, as just about everyone
with psi that I've talked to has had "problems." You really never
know what might save your neck someday. Or someone else's.
I don't want to get too dark and preachy here, but, rather
obviously, we are *not* living in some New Age of goodness and All
Pervading Light. Combat magick can be used against muggers as well
as astral predators. (Though I live in N. Minnesota, where I'm not
even certain we really have pickpockets, and haven't had to do so.
A friend of mine has had to do so; she had backlash for a week but
didn't get raped.)
And if anyone wants to take up the argument of, "But rabbits don't
have guardians, why should people? We need natural selection! Get
rid of all the ass holes!" go join cause with my old partner in
magicks, Autumn, and find someone else to rip on.
First, the real basics:
A guardian is a person who tries to protect places, people, and
sometimes beings of the spirit worlds, foremost from those things
and people who attempt to use harmful magick, such as psivamping or
pain causing, to gain power or sustenance. The people who usually
need this sort of help are those with some psi (since they're the
ones who attract this variety of trouble most often). This is a
very narrow definition, and not a complete one; a lot of things a
guardian will do aren't very occult, but I'll be focusing on that.
Before I go farther, let me edit in something I found out after
writing the rest of this. Not all guardians are combat mages; some
are teachers, or healers, or preservers of knowledge. As one person
told me, " A guardian is teacher first, healer second, an d combat
mage only when all else fails." (paraphrased) However, you can
easily find books on those topics, the only Healing I know how to
do is that of land-energies, and I'm trying to get the first across
with this ensign. Probably there will be more articles on this
later.
I don't know how guardians are chosen, but I'd hazard a guess that
anyone who is one in this life has been one in others- especially
if they don't receive training. It has it's ups and downs; for
instance, the "neutral" and "good" things (mostly astral beings but
also some people who know about guardians) are likely to trust you
instantly on that basis alone... But the more predatorial things
will try to get rid of you any way they can, it seems. Also, you
*can't* use the darker magicks yourself. (Personally, I find this
no great loss except the occasional times I want to play a prank on
someone - but I've had guardianship frying my brains for a while
now.) You won't be expected to possess much common sense either
<sigh>. Anyone who willingly puts their life on the line to
protect someone they don't know, just because some force within
them says they *have* to, is a bit gone... On the bright side,
though, when you're doing that you have very large amounts of power
at your disposal, or at least as much as you need. Generally, the
more people you're protecting, the more power you'll have... I
think. It may be that the power guardianship gives you is a
reflection of the power of whatever you're up against- anything
trying to prey on a group can be pretty dangerous.
\tab
Something I ought to mention: if you look at what a guardian is
capable of, and what a dark mage is, the abilities are pretty
similar. I mean, I can psivamp really well... So can most of the
things that prey on people with psi. I just choose not to...
Though, in truth, guardianship wouldn't let me. If I tried to steal
the life energies from someone, the way a psivamp does, I'd either
get instant backlash or I would simply be unable to reach out the
energy siphon. However, if it was against aforementioned dark mage,
I might be able to drain him, then use his own energy against him.
Though it is likely that the energies of someone using dark magicks
would be too filthy to use without purifying.
Just be very* careful about who you think is dark/ evil/
unbalanced/ whatever. Most people, here or on the astral ( I spend
a lot of time on the astral ) are just people, neither good nor
evil. However, a lot of people *are* pretty self interested, or
have their own interests, needs, and agenda... Sometimes, they will
act/be very threatening, and you might start to think of them as
the "enemy." The truth might be completely otherwise... A lot of my
friends and allies on the astral started out being exactly the
opposite. Guardians can be threatening to people who think, rightly
or wrongly, that they might be the ones that the Guardian comes
after. This happens most often when you have allied yourself with
a person or group who has enemies. sigh> Be careful about who
you ally with...\tab
***mark
Now, to change focus: Basic Technique
First, the most important thing is to know something about what's
going on around you; who is claiming what territories, where the
power flows are, the energy "flavors" of different places, and if
you can, who is operating in your area. Basic stuff. Though
mostly, the more arcane things tend to be discovered by "accident,"
if you will. I'd recommend putting up little watchers: bits of
magick that sense energy flows and alert you to anything out of the
ordinary. Depending on the area, you'll want to adjust t heir
senses, or just sensitize them to things affecting guardianship.
I've seen someone actually use summoned beings for this purpose,
but I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, if you've got allies,
ask them to keep their eyes open for you, but minor watch spells
work just fine. And they don't require libations. They do have one
major drawback, though, which is that magical watchers can be
traced back to you, if you leave a permanent link to yourself (like
your aura signature) on them. Try to cloak this, or make the link
tenuous. Do what you can to minimize your aura signature.
On the other hand, there are times when you'll want to make it as
blatant as possible, though it's best to keep those rare. For
example, I live in a small town, economically centered around a
paper mill. _Repeatedly_, things have tried to or actually have
used it as a spawning bed; the place is on the list of top 500 U.S.
polluters, so it has a filthy aura in the first place, and I guess
that's considered attractive, to some things. After the last one,
I pretty much just said screw this and shielded the da mn thing,
leaving on it my mage-mark bright for all to see, as a challenge.
Something wants in, it has to come after me, which I find
preferable to finding something has cloaked itself in there and has
been building up power. (Also I keep my house really heavily
shielded. <grin>)
Which brings me to another point. Anytime something is in my area,
it tends to go after me before anyone else. I'm told I show up
quite brightly, so that makes sense. (I must just have a higher
nutritional value <wink>) But I'm pretty certain that this is
very common among guardians. So, be very paranoid. It's a job
requirement.
Just watch your back. Partners are really good to have, too, and
they don't necessarily have to be combat mages. I MUCH prefer
working with one; feels far safer. And my Sight is very poor; I
almost entirely rely on telepathy, so having someone along with
clearer Sight is very nice. Or someone who can run distractions -
like something a friend of mine did when we were taking on some
sort of demon: infected it with a non-harmful virus (so it went
right through his shields) that made him think in Norwegian.
Definitely distracting.
Try to build up a power reserve; I think of mine like flasks, which
I "wear" on my back - though they don't really take up "space", and
visualize the power I put into them as liquid. I almost never have
any reserves, though. Right now, writing this, I'm up to full
power for the first time in at least a month. Ran into something
more powerful than me... The other thing is, I keep my shields too
high. As I said, about paranoia...
Allies are important. Mostly, I don't go out asking for favors or
help, but helping out others, directly or not, has tended to make
me some friends. Which, all in all, I much prefer, and try not to
abuse. NEVER think of them as some kind of summoned servants - I'll
get defensive here - but as what the name implies; allies.
Hmm... Another thing. Be very careful about accepting "missions."
If you have a "visitation" by some Power or another, DON'T take it
at face value. An example: I know of a relatively minor one who was
trying to fuck up a guardian. She and some friends managed to
reverse it on him, and added some bindings when they tossed it
back. Basically they were just to prevent him from taking direct
revenge. So, the guy went out, gave a Holy Mission to a pair of
more experienced guardians, and sent them after her. If you ever
get into a situation like that, where for some reason another
guardian comes after you, flash guardianship as strongly as you
can.
Which brings me to another point. Guardianship *is* something
distinct and recognizable in someone. It might be a good idea to
try to hide it, or at least damp it down a lot. Mostly it appears
like a brightness, and sometimes a fierceness or protectiveness ...
Hard to describe.
Okay, one last thing. Guardianship gives you power to protect
others - but not yourself. Which is why you have to be careful.
Also, it isn't at all likely to kick in if those others are
perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. There is one
exception to this, and I don't know if there are reasons other
than the obvious for it. Guardianship _always_ rouses if you're up
against a full demon. Even if it's coming after you. And it might
not give you much choice in how you go about it... Be careful, or
you'll find yourself going into a frontal battle with something
infinitely sneaky. (Of course, that sneakiness keeps them from
understanding the value of a straightforward, simple plan, and can
be used against them.)
\tab
From my experiences, I believe there is a desperate need for people
who will use their psi - or anything else - to attempt to give
people the freedom to live "uninfluenced." I'll say out and out
that it looks impossible; with today's pollution, loss of the
Earth's pure places, over-population, and the mind dead way so many
people act, it's very easy for twisted magick and beings of it to
profligate. (Feel free to draw your own conclusions from the
symptoms described.)
I believe that most of the twisted entities are nature elementals
whose homes were polluted, and being tied to them, they become what
their homes are. So, one starting place is cleaning up those
places, both with purification rituals and anything you can d o to
physically cleanse a place. Though gods know it seems futile... But
anything helps.
Something that may help: places and their spirits are intertwined.
If you can affect an area's spirit, it will slowly affect the place
as well.
Then, crime and violence: many, many of these beings feed on fear
or anger; emotions are a very filling sort of food to them.
Remember how much more power emotionally charged magick has? It
isn't safe to use reliably, but you get a lot more charge... Now
think of something that needs to feed on energy. Perhaps at one
time it fed on different sorts of emotional output, but who knows?
We have to deal with it the way it is now. And with *so many*
people... Do you understand why there are so very many of this
things?
And most people, glued to their televisions and not realizing the
*emotions* it makes them release - and think about the average TV
show, and how people react to them- don't even realize that there
is more than the banality of every day life out there... Can you
say easy prey? Or look at our inner cities. It isn't hard to push
someone's emotions *just a little bit* and look at the return it's
possible to get.
When I go against something, if I can get a grasp on it, I usually
try to purify it instead of killing or destroying it. Sometimes
people or entities are acting under the influence of something
else, and making a mistake... would be horrible. Be careful.
Bright blessings if you decide to walk this path. Anyone who will
do so is needed... But be very careful, and don't jump in and say
you want to be one without any experience whatsoever. From what
I've heard, most potential guardians get trained. Start looking
around, and if it calls to you, consider it carefully. If you don't
have any desire whatsoever to put up with the bindings of being
one, don't, obviously. Backlash is the least painful of the things
that will happen to you. If you want to do the protective magicks,
though, anything helps, and you _certainly_ don't have to take
guardian's oath to do them.
\tab
I hope this has helped someone. I've kept this very basic, because
I'm not trained, and mean this for others in the same situation. I
don't want to pass on something I've gotten wrong myself, and this
is based entirely on personal experiences. Blessed be.
Tips for the Wyvern Coven
by Estara
In A Grimoire of Shadows , Ed Fitch gives this definition of
Wyvern covens. A Wyvern coven is composed of those who are young,
especially those who are just coming of age. These young people
are especially strong at Magic, with a natural talent that
frequently surpasses the level that usually comes after years of
training. Young Witches between the ages of twelve and twenty can
thus be formed into a Wyvern, or Dragon Coven, to meet emergencies
with a vastly powerful Magic. Ideally, the Wyvern coven is formed
under the guidance of trained adults, who put the youths through a
magical basic training before turning the Wyvern coven loose.
It is my experience that in recent times, these working groups have
tended to form spontaneously among the gifted, especially young
Guardians. Because of our unusual natures and the fact that we
have done this work many times before, we tend to unconsciously
find each other, band, and begin working magic (often defensive) at
a relatively young age. The advantage of this is that we learn
that we are not alone, and we are able to appear where and when the
need strikes without the need of any preliminary bureaucratic
nonsense. The disadvantage is that the Wyvern coven often has no
training, no real knowledge of what they are to do or how to do it,
nowhere to turn for advice--so it falls into troubles that those
who are trained are usually able to avoid. It is my hope that
this article (and this Grimoire in general) will help you steer
clear of some of these pitfalls.
If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him . I don't mean
anything deeply philosophical by this. I mean, beware of people
who will try to prey on your doubt and lack of formal training. A
legitimate teacher does not have to spend the bulk of his time
explaining to you how wonderful he is--he is able to SHOW you by
example. Stay away from anyone who:
\tab *makes extravagant claims about the age or powers of his
tradition. Yes, I realize that we
\tab \tab are able to do unusual things and our memory goes back a
long way. This rule still
\tab \tab stands! One of us will be able to back up his claims.
\tab *makes her way sound like the One True Path that all
enlightened people should follow.
\tab *demands large amounts of money in exchange for his wisdom.
\tab *says that your past experiences are irrelevant, or that you
are not a real practitioner if
\tab \tab you haven't done such-and-such.
\tab *spends any amount of time explaining to you why you suck and
they're brilliant.
\tab *demands sex, servitude, or other unreasonable costs for her
marvelous training and delightful \tab \tab \tab company. \tab
*demands that you cut off relations to family or friends or disavow
your previous beliefs.
In short, don't be too desperate to find real training. Often the
best teachers are not advertising themselves--they are sitting
back, watching. Meanwhile, what you are doing IS legitimate and
important.
No bragging . I know it's exciting to discover your powers and
your heritage, but the hard cold fact is that even other pagans are
often scared off by claims about nonhuman spirits, soul bonding,
overt powers, and yes, Guardians in general. Anyway, it is a
generally accepted truism in magic (see rule #1 above) that
someone who really has their act together would not have to brag
about it all the time. It's true that a little judicious talk here
and there will help you find others of your kind, but don't unleash
the full force of your unusual experiences and theories on every
passerby.
No Blame Memory Retrieval . In a group, memories of other lives
tend to come back more quickly, and your memories will often
involve each other. Do not, DO NOT let yourselves be caught up in
arguments carried over from these other lifetimes. It is a waste
of energy and it compromises the integrity of the group. I have
seen close friends break off all ties because one apparently turned
the other over to the Inquisition hundreds of years ago. I have
been in another group that worked splendidly together until three
of the members started trying to work through several lifetimes of
romantic entanglement to see who had the real right to be together.
It turned out that none of them did--they all ended up with
different partners but by the time this became clear, the entire
group except for two people had disbanded. The past is often
interesting and sometimes relevant, but remember that it is the
past and not the present, and should stay that way.
No black magick . I don't care if you're warriors. I don't care
if you're not Wiccans. The plain fact is that in energy, like
attracts like. If you are young and inexperienced, the last thing
you need is to call down destructive energy on your own head by
misusing it elsewhere. Believe me, it WILL come back and bite
you. You may not recognize it as yours--you may think it is an
attack, lash back against it, and suck yourself into a destructive
cycle. (This is why you always have to check your facts before you
start shooting.) Those who are not called into matters of defense
should not have to worry about this at all. For the warriors I
suggest the following guidelines. These are my impressions, which
are not universal: the point is that you should think about what
you're doing and why, and use the least force necessary.
Let me emphasize that: THE LEAST FORCE NECESSARY!! I can hear
some of you arguing with me. But sometimes it's an emergency, life
and death, blah blah blah. Listen. It is very, very difficult to
move enough energy in this plane to kill someone via energy alone.
If it's not energy alone--if it's, say, you were almost hit by a
car--you had better be damned sure (pardon me!) that you're sending
your little fireball to the right target, and not just overreacting
to what turns out to be a coincidence. This is not a game.
Meanwhile, even the most negative attack can normally be stopped
with a grey defense. You should only go with something truly
destructive if you have GOOD reason to believe that all other
options are gone. You will be held accountable for what you do
here.
White defense: Binding--you tie your enemy's energy to him; it
never gets clear of him to do harm to you. (Some Wiccans think
that even this counts as grey, but in my opinion this is excessive.
Don't dismiss Harm None as a valid magical rule, but don' t obsess
about it either.) Shielding--you protect yourself so your enemy
can't hurt you. Talk to the person if they're physical. Call the
cops if you're being physically harassed.
Grey defense: Turning back--when the enemy's energy reaches you,
it bounces back and hits your enemy instead. (This is considered
grey by some because someone gets hurt, even though it was
obviously the idiot's own fault.) Fate laying like turning back,
except that it is faster, has more punch, and can be used to turn
back retroactively. This is darker grey than turning back.
Prayers of compassion--you ask a deity or other being of positive
energy to enlighten your enemy so that he stops doing what ever
he's doing. This is technically grey because you're influencing
his mind. (But tell that to the Christians! Oh, well.) The other
catch is that you have to do this out of a place of genuine pity
and compassion for it not to be black magick.
Black defense (last resorts): Hexing--you turn back the enemy's
energy and add some of your own. You might also call down the
wrath of a God onto the person. Have the person beaten up. (Not
recommended--he might retaliate!)
What is my own track record? I have never laid a hex. I have done
fate laying once, years ago. I did it to a man who had screwed
over both of my best friends. I basically asked the fates (hence
the name), whatever he's got coming to him, bring it on now .
Within a couple of weeks he had lost his home, his job, his best
friend, and his girlfriend (and several things happened to her as
well). I did it in the heat of the moment, and if I had known how
well it would work, I would not have done it.
Even gentler sounding methods can have an immense effect. I once
did a binding at a site where I knew several people had been
engaging in sexual manipulation. I made that flavor of energy
inaccessible from that site. The next time the major culprit
visited the location, he snapped mentally and ended up in an
institution for two months. It turned out that this warped sexual
energy had been his main means of support, and my binding combined
with stress was enough to break him. So, don't assume that the
white or grey methods won't be strong enough until you've tried
them.
And, generally: read. Practice basic exercises. Have other
hobbies to keep you balanced. Hold together. Remember you're not
crazy.
Second Sight and Scouting
This chapter will deal with sight and scouting on both the physical
and astral planes. The first thing I will be doing is giving a bit
of definition and explanation, as well as reassurances that this is
for real and not a figment of an overly active imagination.
The first thing I would like to address is what I mean by sight.
I do not only mean the physical sight of something being there, I
also mean the feelings that something or someone is there, the
ghosting image of something astral, hearing voices without anything
around for them to come from, and the list could go on. What I'm
saying is that everyone's sight comes to them in different ways.
Sometimes it will be different each time for the same person
because of how it was sent or remembered. I have had things come
as dreams, voices, images out of shadows on the wall, characters in
books I or friends have written, characters I've created for role-
playing games, waking dreams or day-dreams however you prefer to
call them, and the list goes on. Never ignore something just
because it doesn't fit in your preconceived definition of sight
because that could be the most important part of what you need for
what you are doing.
The next thing is a summary of what scouting or a scout is. In
times of war before they send the troops out they send scouts to
check what is up ahead: who is there, what kinds of conditions
will be there, what kind of armament they possess and the like.
As a scout you will get all the information and deliver it to the
troops so they can better prepare so the attack will be successful.
Also you have to remember that as the scout you may be the first to
be attacked because the other side obviously does not want the
information you carry to be passed on to your troops. You will
also find yourself passing on the actual fighting to someone else
unless you have no choice. This is perfectly O.K. A lot of times
you have already expended a great deal of energy simply receiving
the information or getting it passed on as well as setting up the
first lines of defense. I know from personal experience that if
something doesn't look good I set up defenses first than start
letting everyone know. It would be foolish to let your back be
wide open like that. At first the images may not come all that
easily. You may not have any idea what to do with all the
information you have right now. You may think you've developed
schizophrenia. It may appear like your head is running a movie
theater for your confusion or hopefully your enjoyment. Don't
worry, I am here to hopefully work you through all of this to get
you back to abnormal-normal.
Before you go on , this would be a good place to say this if it can
come to you in a form, you can send it in the same way. Always
remember this!!!!
Some common kinds of sight and ways to use them are as follows:
1. You see things before they happen. This could be as simple as
dreams that come true or you have day-dreams of a sort where your
mind plays out things over and over that later play themselves out.
Usually things that play over and over like that are warnings of
things that could happen. You are being given advanced notice that
if things stay the same, this is the outcome that is likely to
happen.
I will give you an example. I kept having a waking vision of being
hit by a van and being sent to the hospital in a coma, and this
vision got more detailed as time went on. I knew the color and
type of the car, who was there, where I was, and so on. I began
telling friends, especially those who were in it because it really
scared me. The one thing I didn't know was which day it was going
to happen. I knew it was at an event of a group I'm involved with,
so it had to be on one of the normal meeting days, but I couldn't
narrow it down. After a while I just sort of forgot about it and
didn't really have many more visions. Then one day, I was at the
park where the event was shown to happen. All the people that were
in the dream were there. Then the events started to play
themselves out. My friend and I were about to leave the park, the
activity was over, we were saying good bye to our friends there and
getting ready to go to the car. The car was parked along the row
of parking spaces that you had to cross the street between parking
lot lanes. I was walking across this space with the guy I was
dating at the time and looked over my left shoulder, the was
traffic goes down that lane of parking spaces. A van that matched
the description of the one in my dreams started coming at me, going
a bit to fast for being in a parking lot. Everyone saw it and let
out an audible gasp; the guy I was with and I also saw it. I
pushed him lightly out of the way and narrowly missed getting
myself out of the way. The van never really slowed down. That's
where I changed it--in the vision, at that moment I didn't get out
of the way in time and got hit by the van. Instead everyone was
OK, just a little shaken and with a different opinion of me in some
cases.
2. Another way of getting information is hearing voices when no one
is there for them to be coming from. (Editrix's note: this can
also take the form of words or voices popping directly into your
head.) This one is a bit hard to explain but I'll do my best.
This one could be like hearing a conversation in your head in which
you can't physically understand what is being said but your
subconscious gets everything that is being told to you. In this
case it sounds to me like whispers that I can't hear quite right
because I'm listening through a closed door. Or sometimes it's not
in English, but in a language I've never heard yet understand every
word of, but could never tell anyone what they are- I just \i
KNOW. This is the hardest to accept sometimes, very frustrating,
because you know you need to let someone know something but you
can't bring it to the surface to do it. Don't worry! You just
need to learn to send it the same way to others. Remember the
motto IF it can come to you in a form, you can send it in the same
way. The other way of hearing voices reminds me more of the
feeling of talking to myself or the beginning signs of
schizophrenia. This way you actually have an understandable
conversation going on in your mind. After a while the voices
stopped sounding like my own, but at first I thought it is me
making up things in my mind to keep me amused or something. It may
very well be just you working out something that is in your sub-
conscious that was sent earlier but it still is a conversation with
someone else, just in another form. Sometimes this may be nothing
more than a word or two in answer to a question you have formed or
it could be a whole dialogue. The most important key to both ways
I just described is to RELAX. Just let it fill your mind. It
may not need to make sense today. The best time for this is when
you're lying in bed when you are relaxing getting ready to go to
sleep. Don't try forcing yourself to be involved with the
conversation right away. Just l et it happen. listen and keep any
responses you feel you have to say to as few words as possible.
You can talk right over something important if you're not
careful.
3. Seeing things that aren't there on the physical plane. This
one can still scare me and I've been at this for quite a while now.
This is when you see shadows or things flit over your shoulder and
sometimes you think you've seen a ghost. The reason I don't like
this is I've developed the feeling that goes with it of telling if
it's friend or foe. If a foe can get that close to me I know I'm
in for a fight and I start calling in the troops. My opinion from
experience is if you can manifest in the physical you've got a
serious mind about you and you're pretty determined to get things
done. It takes a lot of energy to make a physical manifestation.
If it's a friend I don't worry for my well being but I do worry
about theirs unless it's in response to a call. I've noticed that
I don't see anything physically unless it's very important. But
remember one thing, i DO NOT PANIC!!!!! That is the worst thing
you can ever do. I know I've probably scared you a bit with this
one, I don't mean to, I just want you to understand the importance
of this type of sight.
4. Seeing things on the astral plane as though you are seeing
something physical. This one comes with practice really. Your
third eye sees like your physical eyes. They almost work together
to give you the picture. You don't really see anything with your
physical eyes, you more catch the feeling with your third eye and
your physical eyes catch the real sights and your mind puts them
together, doing all the translating and seeing, forming an image in
your mind just as though you really saw it with your physical eyes.
Did I lose anyone in the translation? I certainly hope not, but I
really can't better describe this one. Let me give an example:
I was having problems with a foe who was attacking me at my home.
If the average person looked out my bedroom window all they would
see is the view of my neighborhood. I felt someone outside so I
looked with my physical eyes wide open but also with my third eye
wide open. The combination of both formed an image in my mind of
the person who was harassing me. I asked a couple of friends for
help, this person is not a good guy, nor is he in the slightest a
weak person. I knew from past experience that I can't handle him
alone. Anyway...defenses of my own plus ones provided by those I
asked for help started to appear and when I looked out my window I
could see the fortress that developed outside (we got a little
carried away, but the guy is gone so what the hey...).
Basically you use both kinds of sight in conjunction with each
other to get the full image in your mind.
5. The last one I will go into in this installment is the feeling
of someone or something being there, but nothing else to go with
it. This is sort of like the old stories of going into haunted
houses and feeling a shiver every time you walk over where t he
person died, or other such folk tales. I must admit that I do put
truth to some of those stories. I have had some mighty interesting
experiences in haunted places. Most of the time if you go in there
with the thought of I'm not here to make you the side show anyone
who is there is likely to be friendly. I did have one experience
where this was not the case and myself and the people I had in my
car all saw the eventual physical manifestation of the person who
was there. The only thing I will say Is . I'll never do the
hunting-for-ghosts-on-Halloween thing again!!!! A group of friends
and my significant other at the time knew I had the ability to
track things like ghosts because I can feel them. So we went out
on Halloween to do such. The only smart thing they did was have
me stay in the car so I could not be a target (well, that and it
was my car we were driving, so they wanted a quick getaway), for
some reason that crossed their minds (don't ask me about the logic
here). Anyway, back to the topic at hand... You never really see
anything there, you just sort of feel something akin to a tingle or
a shiver or something. It could just be that gut feeling that
something is or is not right or something like that. This is
probably the most common o ne for people to experience without even
knowing it. Once you learn to recognize it , it can be one of the
most powerful and useful kinds of sight. You may have a gut
feeling about something that could be based on suppressed memories
or information you got from one of the above mentioned
conversations in your head that just now is surfacing. Or the
person sending the message is not that strong and this is the best
they can do. Remember, all the info you get is not just from other
scouts, so they don 't always have the same gifts that you do.
I have only given you a few types of ways that you may get your
information, there are many more, as everyone is different. My
ultimate goal here is to make you comfortable with your talents and
not to be scared of them. It takes some getting used to but, it
really is worth living with and becomes easy to live with!!! I
wouldn't trade it for anything!!! I hope I have been of a little
bit of comfort and given you confidence. Good Luck and good
hunting.
Questions and Answers About Shielding by Estara and Windlight
1. Can shielding make you a little tired?
Any energy work can make you tired if you're not used to it. This
is where the importance of Grounding and Centering comes in (see
GGI). I would advise grounding often and practicing with your
shields when you *don't* need them, so you can get a feel for
them. --Estara
2. Is it possible to shield too much?
Sure. If you forbid *any* energy to get to you, you're running
purely on your own, which runs out after a while. You need a
certain amount of connection to the *helpful* energies of the Earth
(grounding again!). You just don't want nasty stuff coming
through. And it's harder to see or feel energy through heavy
shields, so you need to lighten up when you're trying to do those
things. Remember, though--switch to a lighter shield instead of
going without one.
It's also possible to *think* about your shields too much once
they're up. You have to put them up, and then stop thinking about
it--have faith that they'll work. Worrying erodes magic.
(Obviously, if you think you have a shield up and you feel yourself
get hit with an energy sledgehammer, you need to worry for long
enough to beef it up a bit. But short of that, get your mind on
something else.) --Estara
3. What all EXACTLY do shields keep out? Negative energies, other
people's thoughts/emotions, other people "sliming" you or
projecting emotions onto you, etc?
Yes. ;) Picking up other people's thoughts and emotions more
properly falls under chakra problems, though. Most likely is that
your second chakra (stomach area, orange) is too far open. If you
can, imagine an orange light in your stomach, and see how big it
is. If it's bigger than a silver dollar and very bright, you need
to tone it down. See it shrink to silver dollar size, and dim to
about a 40-watt bulb. Do this whenever you feel like you're
"empathing" more than you want to. --Estara
4. What should you do if you encounter a rough situation and your
shields aren't working?
Get away from the situation if you can. Try another shielding
method, and see if it's better. Make sure your second chakra isn't
too far open. You can also give it extra protection by seeing a
pentagram (five-pointed star) over it. Pray for help from y our
favorite god or goddess, especially a protective one. Carry a
charm that helps things "bounce off." Crystals are popular for
this. --Estara
5. How do you know when you are shielded enough?
When you don't feel like #4. ;) --Estara
6.What could it mean when your existing shields feel almost
oppressive?
It probably means that you are relying on putting a huge *amount*
of energy into your shields, instead of on putting up a
well-designed shield. Practice, practice, practice. :) --Estara
7. Sometimes I get the feeling that people--strangers, mundane
people--are running fingers through my shields, trying to get
through them. It feels weird. What's happening?
"Sleepers" (to use a term from the Mage game, as I can't think of
a better one) are naturally attracted to the energy of someone who
is "waking up" or Awakened. They will often try to be physically
near you or reach toward you emotionally or in energy, an d the
more powerful and balanced you are, the more it will happen. (It
will also come to include other "wakers" who are less balanced than
you.) All the practices mentioned above will help to an extent,
but to a small degree, this is part of the price we pay. ;)
Remember that you will most likely end up teaching or helping
people in some way (that is what power is for), and your ability to
feel where they're at will help you. In other words, it won't
always be purely an annoyance.
Actual attacks and directed negative energy is something else.
Fortunately, it's also less common. There are more people 'asleep"
than "awake." Here is where shielding and other magical practices
become more important. Again...practice, practice, practice. --
Estara
8. Will shields help me control my telepathy? I can't turn mine
off!!
Technically speaking, shields are more magick-oriented. If
you're using shields, (well, as I know them anyways) then that's
something mostly external to your mind. Useful if someone's
attacking you, but better - and far harder; I don't know how to
teach it - to learn enough skill to keep others out and yourself
in. I think it's kind of a folding back into yourself; for a long
time I was "thinking loudly," constantly projecting on the
unconscious theory that if I was constantly pushing out no one else
could push in. Like screaming loud enough that you can't hear
anything else.
But the thing about shielding is that it muffles everything. If
you're wearing clumsy stuff, you've just blinded yourself. It is
very useful though, especially when you're just starting out. (I
consider the white light ones, in general, not very good because
most people don't really understand where the light is coming from
or what it is, and don't really have a strong personal connection.)
Anyways, for telepathy shielding of the magickal sort, first get
a ball of energy up by making/ visualizing currents of energy
running down your arms to your palms, hands held about four inches
apart. Do this until your hands feel like magnets pushing at each
other, and focus the energy into the shape of a ball. Then, very
clearly, think at the ball like you were using projective
telepathy. (You can give it just about any sort of orders here, but
here's some ones to this purpose.) First, make all the energy move
out into a round shell, then section that into divisions like on a
soccer ball. Think of the most shock absorbent material you can,
and tell the shell that that's what it's made out of. Then, keeping
in mind that it will lose _no_ strength in the pro cess, visualize
it becoming transparent, so you can see through it and clearly use
telepathy when you want to. Leave it on low most of the time; send
it more power when you're in a bad situation. The more power you
have in it, the harder it will be for you to see out, though.
Then, visualize it expanding so that it will fit over your head
with an inch or two to spare, and put it on. Windlight
Also see Question #3. --Estara
Solitary Dangers
by Dyareus
(keytoad@aol.com)
In this day and age it is fast becoming difficult to find the
"enlightenment" that supposedly permeates our society. For
example, a young woman in the heartland is currently fighting a
custody battle because the court ruled her an unfit mother due to
the fact that she was a wiccan! Ach. I know I'm proud to be an
American. However, civil rights are not our only concern here.
Pagans and Magicians everywhere are faced with many dangers that
they find they must face alone. For some, the challenge can be
found in the mundane world in a fight for civil rights, but most of
us have found that there are even more dangerous foes to be
encountered on a more astral level.
Before I take this to the heart of the matter, a bit about myself.
I have been an occultist for quite sometime, but have only been
Initiated for a year or so. I currently reside in the Land of
Lincoln, where the only pagans around are those that are staked in
the front yards of our town's many ministers. Thus, I sadly could
not find a decent workable coven in the area without starting one
from scratch myself so I returned to being a Solitary. This has
many disadvantages... the most significant being that I have no one
to cover my back or lend me power when I practice Magick (ritual or
Mind Magick). That is why I am offering this survey course in
astral defense. Yes, DEFENSE. If you want to learn offense like
levinbolts you'll need to contact me personally as I have no
guarantee that you are not some psychotic cowan with a bit Psi
potential who is dabbling in things arcane "for the hell of it."
Even if you have no experience in mind magick, this should help.
First, a bit on the nature of Psi. Bear with me, elders. I can
almost promise you that if you stay in the occult long enough you
will sooner or later run across someone who will need the id of a
Combatant. In ritual magick, one uses candles, herbs etc. to
attune energies naturally and produce a desired outcome. In Mind
Magick one forgoes the physical and creates change by sheer mental
will. This is usually called Psionic or Psychic phenomenon. Most
Solitaries (in any occult practice) must try to replace the
teacherless void they have with scraps of vague references from
things like Llewellyn practical magick which usually passes over
the more complex forms of Combat Magery. What follow s are the
basic techniques that Guardians, Combat Mages and many "Psychics"
use.
Before I begin describing Shielding, I should note that everyone is
born with SOME potential. Some greater, but most lesser than
others. Each person has both a starting point and a maximum
potential. Those with high potential and high starting points are
usually called "natural witches." (There is evidence that it is
genetic, but I simply do not know.) Everyone has SOMETHING and
chances are, if you're drawn to the occult it means that your
subconscious is setting you up to learn because you have Talent .
Anyway, natural witches usually find themselves NEEDING training
and are usually known as "psychic" by their friends and family.
Most other people will find that their particular Gift manifests
itself in one major way called a Primary Gift. My Primary is
Receptive Empathy and my Secondary is Spirit Ken. (This can be
thought of as a college major and minor. Some students are double
majored, some go on and get PhD's, etc.) There are far too many
Gifts to name, but yours will manifest in time and with effort.
Shielding:
This is the basic technique that hides one's thoughts, emotions and
feelings from people who deliberately or subconsciously Read you.
It also stops you from receiving their thoughts and emotions
though, so keep that in mind. Eventually, one should be able to
Shield nearly instantly and after MUCH practice one can even shield
others. The shield lasts months or years, but most people like to
re-enforce it every now and again. Often you'll find yourself
subconsciously feeding it in your sleep or even during your daily
activities. At any rate, the last issue gave a pretty good account
of the "ground and center" method which is also found in Lackey's
fantasy novels. This is the best I've ever found, but here we go
reiterating. First, take a deep breath and relax. Then pull all
of your energies to your center. (The heart chakra for you
Easterners.) This is Centering. Now, swiftly "flush" it all
downwards. The longer you spend thinking about it, the more energy
you will indirectly give yourself to deal with. This should be
fast. If you have Other Sight you will be able to physically see
the energy waves. Otherwise you'll need a Kirlian camera to
photograph the auras. (Isn't science neat!)
Once cleared you need to re-channel the energies properly. This
energy CAN be taken from spirits, gods, objects etc. but usually I
suggest taking from yourself or from nature (ie: the air around
you, a stone etc). This can either be done by drawing the energy
like a vacuum with your receptive (not dominant) hand and then
moving it to your center or thyroid and then up to your head, or by
remaining symmetrical and drawing it straight into your thyroid,
pituitary or mind. No one really agrees so be pragmatic and use
which ever works best for YOU. I find that the first works best,
but I'm ceremonial by nature and am used to channeling with my
hands. Once the energy is collected and moved to your head the
trick is to solidify it. This is the secret to a good shield.
Most people will stop here, but the energies will flit off unless
you visualize it becoming a solid barrier or force field. Don't
hesitate because your analogy seems cheesy or Star-Trekish. If it
helps you to feel it, it can't be wrong! This is a solid,
impermeable wall. It shouldn't crack or break in day to day
activity, but it can be recollected by you at any time. This
invariably is Felt so you'll know when you get it right. Practice
assembling and recollecting this until you can do it quickly and
efficiently. Try out different strengths, but stay in good health
as this can sometimes require a lot of energy for beginners.
Again. Replenish this as needed. I like to reinforce mine every
night before sleeping, but then again I'm paranoid . :)
Warding:
What shields are for people, wards are for objects. Many books,
tools, doors and locks are warded. It is the same basic premise
except that you must channel the energy into place around an
object. Start by performing "ground and center" as described
above. Then let the energy you collect from wherever stream
through your hands and into, around and at the object. It should
wash away the objects aura nearly completely and OtherSight gifted
will see a faint incandescent glow before it fades to invisibility.
Focus on making it into an alarm. A ward requires the touch of an
offensive, unwelcome or malignant aura to go off. If one touches
it when one is not wanted one will feel a slight flare of its power
like a verbal warning. If one continues anyway it will do minor
damage to them like unbalancing their auras and notifying the one
who set the ward if they left a string tied to it. (This is just
what it sounds like... a mental tie that binds the ward to you and
tugs if it's offended.) If one breaks the ward the energies go
flying into the person in a rather spectacular fashion. If they
are shielded then the shields are dealt a pretty heavy blow.
However, wards can be removed by a skilled intruder if they can
match their aura energies to the ward and absorb it. There may be
other ways, but they are uncommon enough as to elude me now. Ward
strength is directly proportional to the amount of energy you put
into it. I once had a coven that combined five people's energies
into a ward, making for a very complicated and powerful alarm. As
far as I know, ward energies do not wear off nearly so fast as
shields. (This indicates entire centuries.) Some even are
equipped with a kind of funnel that continues to pull energy in
from the surrounding air to maintain its a power, but this is far
too complicated for me to perform let alone teach.
Oh, one other thing. There is a current movement in the occult
against Milton Bradley's Ouija "game". Experienced Warders, it
would be much appreciated if you would ward these the next time you
stop in the toy store. This is harmless to the "players" an d
allows them only to receive messages from their own subconscious
while preventing them from drawing any harmful spirits. The same
is being done to various tarot decks etc, but to a lesser degree
from what I'm told.
Watchers:
Watchers are a kind of living ward. They can be kept on a leash of
sorts by their makers or made independent. This is a bit more
abstract and astral travelers find them invaluable. Start by
creating a Ward, but freeform... that is, don't focus it on an
object. Channel it between your hands in midair and focus on its
purpose. Should it watch over you personally while you Travel
astrally, should it watch the house like a dog... the possibilities
are endless. Once you get really good you can give it a multiple
purpose, but for now I advise creating several and giving each one
only one task. This is not a psychic pet with a personality. This
is simply several energy flows acting together as a moving ward.
To recap, shields are for people, wards are for objects and places
and watchers are for ideas. They work the same way as wards...
being set off as a flare or a sort of defensive attack dog. I have
far less experience with these, but I imagine that they can be
absorbed the same way as wards and shields if one is very very
highly skilled.
These are the three basic techniques. Keep in mind that these may
be combined. The best shields usually have watchers and other
various psychic "traps" hiding behind the perimeter shield if you
invade them. Also, remember that it is very difficult (prob ably
impossible) to probe or attack with psi while shielded. However,
experiment with a mental probe, if you wish. But first practice
making only a small hole in your shield and then probing out of
that. This hole can be filled almost seamlessly infinitely faster
than re-shielding completely starting with a ground and center.
Try probing other people who suspect are shielded. You may
surprise yourself by finding holes, cracks and seams.
Experimentation is the key to mind-magick. Just don't go nosing a
round in their thoughts or it's sure to come back on you. E-mail
me with any comments or constructive criticism.
keytoad@aol.com
Bright Blessings
Creating a Spell
by Estara
Sure, it's fun to collect dozens of books filled with other
people's spells, but it's also expensive. And what happens if you
need a spell when you're away from your library? Or you have the
books, but none of the spells in them seem quite right for what
you want? Or one sounds good, but you don't have any asafoetida on
you (or whatever herb or tool you're missing)? Or, darn it, you
just want to do something a little more creative than copying
someone else's exact procedures? Then you want to create a spell.
Know what you want to achieve . What exactly is it that you want
to have happen? Are you trying to banish something? Find love?
Get a job interview? Get as specific as you can about the end
product without setting down how it has to happen. For example,
you might say, I want a good but affordable red truck, but not I
want Ted down the street to sell me his truck. There are two
reasons for leaving the how part open. First, it leaves more
options for the energy to move along its easiest path: it may be
that Ted won't sell you his truck, but someone else will run an ad
next week, or you'll win a drawing for a truck or enough money to
buy one. Second, it frees you from the ethical concern of trying
to influence Ted's mind. If you're not in a life-or-death
situation, the fall out of manipulative magick is usually not worth
the temporary gain.
Know the phase of the moon . There are a lot of other
correspondences you can worry about later, but this is the most
influential and the easiest to keep track of. If you don't know
offhand (you might want to start paying more attention in the
future!) you can look it up, as even many mundane calendars keep
track of new and full moons. An actual new moon or full moon is
good for practically anything. If the moon is moving from new to
full, or WAXING, it's a good time to start or add things. If the
moon is moving from full to new , or WANING, it's a good time to
end or subtract things.
This doesn't mean that, in a pinch, you're doomed unless you wait
the two weeks for the next good moon phase: for a lot of things,
it's in how you spin the spell that makes the difference. For
example, if you want to do a healing, and it's a waxing moo n,
focus on adding health; if it's a waning moon, focus on subtracting
injury or disease.
Know your strengths . If you've done magick before, think about
what's worked for you in the past. Maybe you tend to get faster
results if you use candles. Or runes always flop for you for some
reason. Or you're good with angels, bad with Roman gods, a whiz at
love spells , awful at money spells. In the long term, you may
want to work on strengthening your weak points, but don't cripple
yourself in your hour of need--if you really need the spell to
work, do what works for you NOW. If you're new to magick or don't
know yet what your strengths are, think about what you like and
dislike. If, like me, you're really into music, you might want to
try adding chanting or drumming to your spells. If, like my
husband, you have an overactive sense of smell and are sickened by
strong scents, then mixing incenses may not be for you. Don't try
to work magic with anything you're allergic to, either. (If any of
this sounds too obvious, trust me, it isn't. I spent the longest
time trying to work with charcoal incense because it was mo re
spiritual, in spite of the fact that I can't breathe when charcoal
incense is burning! Now, heck with it, I use cones. I do much
better work when my lungs are getting enough oxygen.)
Know your client . If you're doing a spell for yourself, you've
already taken care of this by exploring what you want from the
spell and what your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes
are. If you're doing it for someone else, you need to find out as
much as you ca n about this person's motives and where they're
coming from spiritually. For one thing, you may not want to do a
spell for them after all. A girl might ask you to do a love spell,
and then when you talk to her, she reveals that she specifically
wants t his guy on the track team, but he's got a girlfriend, but
since you're a witch (or whatever) can you, like, make her leave
town or break her leg or something and make him like me instead?
Unless you can talk her down to a more ethical spell, say Attract
someone to me who will have these qualities that I like in the
track guy, you don't really want to get caught up in her little
melodrama. You would only be buying trouble for yourself and more
bad press for the Craft in general.
If you are going to do a spell for someone, besides finding out
their motives and goals, you might want to consider where they're
at spiritually. In my own work, I try to tailor my spells to the
beliefs of the client, so that, for example, a Christian will get
crosses as their protective symbols, angels, saint candles, and
hymns in the place of chants, even though what I do for myself and
other pagans is quite different. Although all energy has one
ultimate Source, different streams of energy do feel different, and
we will unconsciously block those that feel too alien to us. If
you don't feel up to altering your work in this way, add a
disclaimer to spells for other people, asking that the energy move
into their lives in the most comfortable and least obtrusive way.
Know your correspondences . Yes, darn it, we're back to these.
This is where you match up everything you've got so far and see
what you get. Let's say, for example, that you want to do a spell
to help you ace your science test. The moon is waxing, so you're
going to concentrate on increasing your knowledge and
concentration. You know you like Celtic gods and heroes, you're
good with herbs and candles, but chanting makes you feel like an
idiot. Okay.
You learn from your trusty books (yes, you still need them for this
part, unless you have the following memorized) that Wednesday is
the best day to start a knowledge spell, because it belongs to the
planet Mercury. Since the test is on Friday, you decide that's
fine. (If you couldn't wait, you could start the spell in the
planetary hour.
But, Estara, what's a planetary hour? There's a system in which
every hour after sunrise is assigned a planet, and that planet
decides what magic is best done, or at least started, in that hour.
The hours start with the planet that rules the day: the Sun on
Sunday, the Moon on Monday, Mars on Tuesday, Mercury on Wednesday,
Jupiter on Thursday, Venus on Friday, and Saturn on Saturday. From
there they proceed in this repeating pattern (starting from the
planet of the day): Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter,
Mars. For example, the third planetary hour, or third hour after
sunrise, on Friday belongs to the Moon of Mercury, on whatever day
or night you chose. For more punch, use both the right day and the
right planetary hour.) You choose Taliesin as your godly patron,
because as a bard he was full of knowledge. (You might have chosen
Merlin if you were in an Arthurian mood, or Brigid if you wanted a
goddess. If you liked someone other than the Celts, you might pick
Thoth, Hermes, Athena....) Your favorite herbal book suggests
lavender, peppermint, or thyme for jobs involving Mercury. Your
favorite color for brain power candles is yellow.
Here, then, is the spell you might do: on Wednesday, before you
start studying, you say a little prayer asking Taliesin for help
with your studies. Knowing that Taliesin was a bard, and bards had
to memorize huge amounts of information, you hit especially hard on
help with memorization. You pick up a yellow candle, and while you
cover it with lavender oil or rub it with the raw herb, you imagine
yourself absorbing all the information you need as you study,
taking the test on Friday calmly, knowing the answers, and getting
back a good grade on Monday. You will picture this very clearly in
your mind; you do not try to make a chant for it. Then, while you
study, you burn the candle and drink peppermint tea.
Remember to tailor your spell not only to what you like and can do,
but to what you have available. Don't decide you simply must have
a homemade incense made with asafoetida for your spell to work if
you've never made incense before and don't know what asafoetida
even is. There is always more than one way to get something done--
keep thinking until you hit on something attainable. If you're
short on supplies, the following will work for practically
anything: white candles; clear crystals; plain vegetable oil (for
dressing the candles); frankincense; water you've charged with
energy; made-up chants (yes, make something up on the spot! it's
fun!); good timing; and focus, focus, focus. How To Do Magical
Things, With Not So Magical Things, In Not So Magical Places.
I'm sure this is a problem that everyone has run across at one
point in their life, or will face at some time in the future: how
to do something in a pinch, when you are at a place that is not
magic friendly, and you don't have your tools with you and you have
to do SOMETHING....Well at least one , if not all of these things
at once anyways. Well here are some things that have worked for me
in the past that I'd like to pass on to you.
I've grown up in an environment, up until recently, that was very
stifling magic wise. My family did not accept it, nor did the
person I had been dating. Gratefully, things have improved. Now
my family is more open about it and the person I finally ended up
marrying is supportive as well. But a lot of the things I still do
now are a direct result of the limits I used to have. Other things
have come out of the need to do something in a hurry, when doing
anything complicated was either impossible or too lengthy to risk.
I will include all of these things and hopefully some of them might
work for you.
The first is an easy defensive trick I have picked up. This is for
setting up a shield around whatever you want to protect in one easy
step. Get a flashlight--a small one you can keep in your
purse/glove-box/pocket works, or a big one, doesn't matter. Shine
it where you want a shield. Imagine it to be a protective white
light surrounding what it's shined on and around. Same as mentally
forming one, just a bit faster in that the light is instant, you
just have to tell it what to do as opposed to making it, then
directing it, then telling it what to do. Also you can cover it
with a story for someone who might not like the answer I'm making
a shield. It also worked when I didn't want to alert my husband
one night until I could figure out what it was that was bothering
me. I simply said I was watching the shadow of the dream catcher
I have above the bed. You could pass it off as looking for
something, checking the batteries to see if you need new
ones--while you were out, thought you saw a spider on the wall,
etc. I've used this more times than I can count because it's easy
to do and easier to cover than anything I've tried similarly.
The next is some quick and easy ways to recharge, cleanse, expel
negativity, and other related things. These are several versions
but they all have a common link, it all depends on what element
you're comfortable with or what you think will work for the
particular circumstances. I'll be giving them vaguely simply
because it varies from time to time and objective to objective, but
you'll get the jist and that's what is important here.
Take a shower. Simple enough. No one questions if you feel like
taking more than one a day, or you could make it a daily routine
when you bathe each day to work it into physically cleaning
yourself. Imagine the water running over you, washing the
negativity down the drain back into mother earth. Also you can
imagine the water running over you and filling you with its energy,
recharging you. Baths can be good as well but I find that I like
the idea of running water as opposed to stagnant water, it feels
more to me like its energy is there as opposed to bath water that
once it's there, it's not being replenished so there's only so much
you can get from it. That and more practically, being a tall
person, I find I don't fit comfortably in most bathtubs. It's
really a matter of preference as to which you use. It's also up to
your imagination as to what you can get from the energy of the
water in the shower. Another thing I find works is if you need to
clean and/or consecrate items, plug up the sink (important so
nothing important goes down the drain!!) run the water over the
item while envisioning it cleaning etc. then let the water that's
collected in the basin go down the drain once you have moved the
item(s) out of the way, envisioning the negative etc. going down
the drain. As I said at the beginning, I've only given you a
couple of examples that I have found to be helpful in the past, and
to this day for that matter, it's really the most open for improve
method I use though.
Stand in the wind, roll down the window of a moving car, stand in
front of a moving fan and so on. Again this has many uses, many
exactly the same as the first one I explained about water. You can
use the wind to recharge or cleanse etc. Imagine the wind taking
the bad stuff away or sending the good stuff to where it's supposed
to go. You can visualize it surrounding you with energy that you
absorb to use. Again the uses are endless. It's that this is
something everyone does so it doesn't look odd if you do it.
Everything is kept as thoughts to yourself so no one's the wiser.
Again I've put this method to use many times and know it has
worked.
This is a hard one to do without looking like a pyro but I've
managed in the past. Lighters are the best things to have with
you, even if you don't smoke. They're also practical when lighting
the fire at a beach party where someone forgot the matches, or
offering a light to someone who does smoke--though I hate the
habit, I've seen people get real unfriendly because it's been too
long since they've had their last one so I'm willing to help, just
so I can put up with their company (sorry to offend those who
smoke... I'm not trying to but I can't help it). Candles are also
good to have, they're fashionable so no one thinks bad if you own
them, just stick to generic white or a color that matches your
decor if you think it could be a problem. I've learned that just
because I have a black candle people think ill of it. Color isn't
always important, it helps but it doesn't matter if you can't get
the right color for the job, no one will smite you for using the
wrong one, just don't concentrate on the color aspect of it for
that time. Even a camp/bonfire can work. Light the object of
choice. Feel its warmth( your hands are cold). If that's not
practical just look at the flame and imagine it burning away the
negative energy you direct at it. To feel its energy, if you can't
physically feel it (which is my method of choice) just feel it
enter you by looking at it and feel its energy that way, or if you
can get in the path of the smoke that works as well. I've been
jokingly teased about being a pyro in the past, because I used some
of the methods and get too involved in it. It's not the easiest as
I've said but it can be done discreetly if you need to, I have when
I needed to.
Well this one is one that I find I need to be creative about. One
thing is go to a park if you can, one that is more on the natural
side as opposed to the sprawling flat grass area with play
equipment for the kids and maybe a concrete walkway. Just relax
and take it in. Or sit on the ground and absorb. There is nothing
wrong with choosing to sit on the ground as opposed to a chair for
a while when out with someone. Just sitting on a grass lawn is a
good idea if no other is available. Or simply standing on the
ground and letting energy flow through your feet. Earth is
everywhere; just avoid the paved, man-made surfaces and make it a
point of finding natural surfaces and you can get pretty creative
from there.
That is a brief idea of how to get the energies of the elements
when you need to in a pinch. Hopefully this gives you ideas to
work it to what you need to achieve.
I will leave it at this for now. There are many other things that
can be done. The list can go on and on. Your imagination and
creativity is key to successfully improvising. Even the most
common things can be used as magical tools. All you need is a
cover story if it looks really odd, but most of the time you can do
something without making a single head turn. I've used
everything from water in a glass, to rubber bouncing balls for
spheres of protection, to a bunch of doodles on a piece of paper.
You'd be amazed at what you can come up with in a pinch. So I
offer you good luck and best wishes.
Tools and Talismans for the Completely Closeted
If you can't get away with a lot of weird-looking stuff, you need
to learn a primary rule of Kitchen Witchery: Use What You've Got.
The following items are inconspicuous but useful. They are not
equally inconspicuous: some will go totally unnoticed (the
quarter), while some might be commented on but generally thought
harmless. They should fit reasonably well in your purse, backpack,
or briefcase. (If they don't, remember that if you practice
enough, you don't NEED any props at all--they're fun and helpful,
but you won't necessarily die for lack of them.
A Canadian quarter. Showing the head of Queen Elizabeth II on one
side and the head of a caribou on the other, a Canadian quarter can
be consecrated to represent the Goddess and the Horned God.
Alternately, a Susan B. Anthony silver dollar has a matronly Susan
on one side and an Eagle on the Moon (obviously shamanic
symbolism!) on the reverse, and each is surrounded by a coven of
thirteen stars.
A packet of fast-food salt and a bottle of water. These can be
consecrated, then combined at any time for quickie Holy Water,
useful for banishings and consecrations.
Scissors or a pocket knife. Either of these can double for an
athame. (NOTE: *please* use scissors rather than a pocketknife if
possession of the latter is illegal at your school or work place.)
Similarly, any stick you pick up outside can be made to serve as a
wand.
A lighter. Trust me, this is field tested, and the Gods will not
bring fiery vengeance down on your head if you use a lighter
instead of matches.
A box of birthday or Menorah candles. Get these either in assorted
colors, which will give you some for varied uses, or get white,
which can be used for about anything.
A spice rack. (For use at home or at someone's house--obviously
you can't put one in your purse.) A lot of common cooking spices
have older magical uses. Bay leaves, for example, are sacred to
the Greek god Apollo and are useful in divination and protective
magic. Use any herbalism book to learn the uses of some herbs you
have around the house.
Small stones. These can be in your bag or in jewelry: however,
the mundanes are starting to catch on to this one, so if you're in
deep hiding you'll want to limit yourself to just a few pieces.
There are several books that deal with the meanings of stones--if
you buy them from a New Age store, you can also ask the cashier.
Playing cards, dice, or dominoes. These can be used for divination
in the place of Tarot cards. Look for a book on Gypsy methods of
fortunetelling to learn these methods. If you are in high school,
check the rules to see if you can be accused of gambling before you
start carrying ANY cards or dice with you.
Your mind. Remember, the important part of magic happens in your
head. If you have *you* with you, you can work magic.
There are several uses for music in magic and ritual. These are a
few of them.
This is a time-honored shamanic practice, especially with drums.
The sound of drumming, sometimes a specific beat for a specific
purpose, moves the practitioner into a state of trance. In some
Native American circles, the drumbeat is thought of as a horse that
the practitioner rides into their journey. In Santeria, the
drumbeat is specific to a particular loa (god), who descends into
the practitioner when thus called. Either way, this is powerful
stuff. It is best to have had at least marginal amounts of
training in trance work before attempting this. Read about trances
and shamanism and practice with lighter forms of visualization
first, if nothing else.
2. Mood setting for journeys/visualizations Otherwise known as
trance lite. This method, while still effective, is much safer for
the novice than deep trance work. You can begin by trying
visualizations and journeys you find in books. Read it over a few
times, and try to decide what mood it seems to convey. Read it
aloud once, leaving pauses where appropriate, and time yourself.
Then, look for a piece or pieces of music of about the right mood
and length to match the visualization. You can play this music in
the background while you actually go through the visualization; you
will find that it helps you move into the right frame of mind more
quickly and easily. The more music you listen to and the more
practiced you are with visualizations and journeys, the easier it
will be to match the music to the visualization.
I would recommend that you stick to either instrumental music, or
vocals in a language you don't speak. Words that you understand
(or half-understand) tend to snap your conscious mind back to
attention at inopportune moments. Also avoid music that changes
too abruptly in speed or loudness, for the same reason--it will
break your concentration.
This is a common form of magic. In its most basic form, chant
magic means simply finding or writing a short chant or poem that
conveys what you want. Say, for example:
Hermes, clear the road for me,
As I will, so mote it be!
when you're trying to get through rough traffic. You repeat the
chant over and over again, allowing the repetition to turn off your
conscious mind (by which I mean, the part that doesn't like magic)
and stir you up emotionally and energetically. When you feel the
energy peaking, you release it into the object you're working with
if you have one, or into the ground, to do its work.
This can also work with short songs--and they don't have to be
pagan, either. A couple of years ago, my husband's grandma was
terminally ill. Being a marginal Christian, she was horribly
afraid of death. Obviously I couldn't go sending her a pentagram
and a note from the Horned One saying that she would be okay in the
Summer Land! Instead, I bought her a crystal cross, and into it I
sang Amazing Grace and The Lord is my Shepherd, both hymns of peace
and acceptance. It seemed to help her. The cross has since become
a treasured possession of one of my husband's aunts, a
Fundamentalist. Go figure.
A recent (obviously) variation of #3, and one that I have not seen
discussed elsewhere. Rock songs, being comparatively short and
primitive musically, are actually rather good vessels of energy.
Here's the process:
a. Choose a song that you like and that affects you emotionally.
I find that the emotion the song creates in you is more important
than the exact lyrics. Of course, it's important that the lyrics
are at least a rough fit of what you want! But, for example, if
you hate Mariah Carey, no matter how perfect the lyrics to one of
her songs might be for a love spell, you are not going to be able
to make it work. You'll be too busy thinking and feeling, Yuck!
Mariah Carey! to move any *love* energy.
In alternative rock it is easier to find dark spell music than
light. Even more so for metal. Be prepared to hunt a while for
the right song for, say, healing. It can be done, it just takes
more work.
While it is possible to do this while singing along in the car,
it's better if you're somewhere that you can concentrate and have
freedom of movement. Definitely be out of range of people who will
look at you funny.
Play the song. Sing along if you can; if not, dance to it, or do
whatever you do when you're really into a song. This is your
energy connection to the music. (Did you ever wonder why you get
things like mosh pits? It's the energy of the music. If the
people don't know how to channel it correctly--and they usually
don't--it can become chaotic and destructive. If they did channel
it correctly, every rock concert could be a spell.)
d. Build through song, release spell at exploding point Here's
the difference between a rock spell and rocking out. As you're
listening to the song, you're getting into it emotionally, BUT
you're also continuing to focus on what you want to happen
magically. You're using the song as a vessel.
At a certain point in most songs--classically trained musicians
call it the golden mean--the energy of the music peaks. Usually in
rock songs this involves becoming louder or changing key. The rest
of the song after this point is basically wrapping things up. In
magical terms, the golden mean is the energy peak, the point at
which you release the energy with the intent of fulfilling the
spell; the rest of the spell is used to make sure you've properly
released and grounded the energy.
Now, don't laugh. I'm trying to use an example you've heard, as my
musical tastes tend towards the obscure. This song could be used
to ask for a sign from your beloved as to his intentions, or as an
aid to divination on the subject. There's a point in the song
where the music dies down, and she's chanting If he loves me, if he
loves me not, if he loves me, if he loves me not, and then the key
goes up and she sings really loud, How will I KNOW!! This is the
energy peak of the song: this is where you would gather and
release the energy. (Remember, only try to use this song if you
like Whitney Houston.)
This is more like what I actually listen to myself, if you care.
The Creatures are an offshoot of Siouxsie and the Banshees: both
bands are really handy for grey stuff like turning back and
(remember, I advise against this generally) hexing. Anyway, this
particular song is for turning back, at least by this usage. It
can also be used to gain autonomy--some of the lyrics favor one
purpose, and some the other. The lyrics at the golden mean,
though, favor the use of turning back negativity. Again, the music
dies down, and Siouxsie sings, Bad pennies return from whence they
came-- the music behind her stops completely-- It all comes back
like a boomerang. Then the music explodes back as she calls, Boom
boom boom booooooom! This is the point where you would release the
energy.
This one is a little trickier, because it doesn't follow the die
down-explode-end progression we've been discussing. It does,
however, dissolve into an out-and-out chant at the end (Love is all
you need) through which you could channel energy for inspiring
peace and love. By the way, while we're discussing the Beatles, I
recommend the movie Yellow Submarine. It's actually about the
magical uses of rock music, in an odd way. There's also an early
scene in which they go to pick up George, and he's merrily warping
reality in his apartment and doing odd things with cars. It's all
in the mind, he says. Lots of fun.
The Witches' Pyramid (Making a Spell Work)
by Estara
The Witches' Pyramid is a set of four principles that are very
important to successful magic: To Know, To Will, To Dare, and To
Keep Silent.
To Know: Do research on the kind of spell you're trying to do.
For example, if you like to use candles in magic, read about what
other people have done with candle magic. What steps do they go
through? You don't have to make your spell exactly like someone
else's, but if you notice everyone else dressing their candles with
oil while concentrating on their purpose (for example), it may be
something that you want to try as well.
Also learn about the magical correspondences for your tradition and
use them in your spells. For example, if you were doing a love
spell and you were a fan of the Norse pantheon, you might want to
emphasize certain runes, invoke the goddess Freya, and do the spell
on Friday (Freya's Day). There are also correspondences in most
traditions for colors, plants, animals, times of day, seasons, and
phases of the Moon, among other things. The more of these you can
incorporate into your work, the more focused your energy will
become.
Go over the spell in your mind a few times before you actually do
it. Know what step comes next. If possible, memorize your lines.
Now that the spell is focused, YOU must be focused as well. If you
throw a spell together at the last minute and do it half heartedly
while watching The X-Files, no matter how skilled you are, you will
get less bang from your magic than you would have if you prepared
well and really concentrated on what you were doing. A regular
practice of meditation (see Guardian's Grimoire I) will teach you
to focus your mind, which will in turn fuel your magic much more
effectively.
You must have confidence in your spell for it to work. You must
believe that you have done real magic and that real magic works.
Your spell feeds off of your thoughts and energy, and if you don't
feed it well, it will die.
It's not only your conscious mind that has to believe in the
spell, either. Any ambiguous thoughts you have lurking about will
compromise your magic.
On the top of a sheet of paper, write what the spell is basically
for: A Job, for example. Write down every thought that comes into
your head about A Job. When you run out of ideas, read over your
list. How many negatives are in it? These are thoughts that will
interfere with your spell unless they are dealt with. For example,
if I do a spell for A Job, and I discover that deep down I hate
most jobs and would rather not have one, for my spell to work I
either have to change my goal or deal with my attitude problem.
The other part of daring is infusing your spell with some emotion.
Emotion is energy. Gosh, I wish he would leave me alone will not
give much punch to a hex. (I don't recommend hexes anyway, but
this is an example of using emotion for energy.) LEAVE ME THE HELL
ALONE!!! will do better. Feel something as you're doing the spell.
Give a flying fig how it turns out. If you don't care, why should
the Gods? (And for that matter, if you don't care, why are you
doing the spell in the first place??)
Now that you've done your spell, shut up about it. There are two
reasons for this. One is that the energy you spend dwelling on it
is energy that isn't going to the spell itself. It's more
efficient to just think about something else and let your spell do
its work. The other reason is that if you talk about your spell to
someone who doesn't believe in magic or who doesn't want your spell
to work for some reason, that person can undermine your confidence,
which will weaken the spell.
Some Thoughts On the Martial Arts
by Briah Stormdancer
(grymmwulf@aol.com)
Introduction:
I have been in and around the martial arts since my mid-teens.
Sadly, I must report that the majority of that time was spent as a
"rogue" martial artist: I drifted from school to school, gathering
what I thought were the building blocks of my "own" system, and in
actuality learning very little of the true spirit or practical
application of the martial arts. That all changed a few years ago,
after some hard lessons in maturity and humility. I have now been
at my current dojo for over four years, and am in the "home
stretch" for my first black belt.
I would like to expand on Estara's comments in GGI regarding the
desirability of martial arts as a Guardian skill. When all is said
and done, I have more experience as a martial artist than as a
witch, and so feel that I have more to contribute on this
subject.
What follows are my feelings and opinions, and should be taken as
such. I am certain there will be those who, as martial artists,
disagree with my views, perhaps vehemently. This is to be
expected. I will certainly try not to intentionally offend any
art, system, teacher or culture. If I do offend, please let me
know; I can only apologize for those transgressions which I am made
aware of.
There are many considerations when choosing a martial art to study.
Not the least of these are the physical, financial and temporal
resources of the student. In other words, do you have the physical
ability, money and time to properly study the art of your choice?
If you are uncertain, I suggest that you shop around via your local
YMCA, community center or county recreation programs. Local
community colleges are also a good place to look. Very often, one
can find a number of courses this way that are reasonably priced,
of limited duration, and are often sponsored by an existing school.
The advantage here is that you can pay up front, take the course,
and if, at the end, you don't like the system, you walk away clean.
Most such courses are also conveniently scheduled, because of their
community orientation. If, upon completing the course, you find
that you wish to continue in that system, all that remains is to
find a full-time school that teaches it. If the course was
sponsored by such a school in the first place, so much the better.
Another benefit to community-oriented martial arts classes is what
I call "non-denominational" martial arts, usually taught under the
headings of "self-defense" or "anti-rape". One stern warning here:
many such courses are foisted on the public by "rogue" martial
artists (see above), who are looking to promote their own "killer"
system, recruit for their own cult/school, or just rip off a few
bucks. So always ask to see credentials. This is not an insult to
any reputable school or teacher. Indeed, the truly qualified will
be more than happy to show you their resume (so to speak). Anyone
who feigns indignation when asked to produce credentials should be
avoided at all costs. And don't hesitate to verify those
credentials; in this day and age of computers, anyone with a color
printer can produce a very convincing "Black Belt Certificate"!
True self-defense courses are (or should be!) quite a different
experience from the formal study of a traditional art.
Self-defense is intended to give the student a better than average
chance of surviving a hand-to-hand combat situation, with a minimum
of study and practice. As such, effective self-defense requires,
in my mind, a whole different set of teaching skills. Accordingly,
I suggest that, when reviewing the credentials of a self-defense
instructor, look for military and/or law enforcement training and
experience, in addition to more classical martial arts rankings.
Another advantage to self-defense courses is that, by their nature,
the techniques are better suited to a wider range of physical
abilities. Those who may find a classical martial art to be beyond
their present physical ability may find a few well-chosen
self-defense courses to be of immense value. I simply do not
believe that there is any one, single, ultimate, "best" martial
art. I do, however, believe that there are very gifted and skilled
martial artists who have found that single art, or combination of
arts that, as practiced by them, is unbeatable. I believe that it
is the combination of the art and the artist that creates the
winning system. And winning often means little more than making it
home alive at the end of the night.
So, in shopping around for an art, try to be brutally honest with
yourself, and begin in an art that suits you, physically and
mentally. If you take on an art that is not suited to your
physical ability or temperament, you may become frustrated and drop
out, carrying with you a bad feeling about martial arts in general.
This is often the result when unsuspecting people are put through
the "meat grinder" of assembly-line, belt-by-contract schools. The
intent here, anyway, is to learn to defend oneself and others, not
to look "cool". The nice thing is, "cool" almost automatically
follows proficiency in any art. "Cool" comes from well-learned
technique and personal confidence, more than anywhere else.
Basically, modern American martial arts fall into a few distinct
categories: Distance and Striking, Closing and Grappling, Evasion
and Redirection, and Weapons. I propose these categories only for
the sake of argument in this essay, and acknowledge that other
martial artists will envision different categories altogether.
Karate, kung fu, boxing, capoeira, and la savate are examples of
distance and striking martial arts. These system primarily rely on
punches, kicks and similar hand/arm or foot/leg techniques to
strike the opponent. This is not to say that some grappling
techniques do not exist in these arts (with the possible exception
of boxing), but the main focus is on maintaining controlled
distance from the opponent, and striking for effect.
Students with a higher than average athletic inclination and a high
degree of innate flexibility and speed will often excel at these
arts. Students who tend to be more anaerobic and less flexible
will find these arts difficult to master.
Judo, ju jitsu, Chinese chin na, Russian sombo and generic shoot
wrestling, are examples of closing and grappling martial arts.
These systems primarily rely on closing the distance to the
opponent and inflicting damage with throws, joint locks, breaks,
dislocations, etc. With the possible exceptions of "tournament"
judo and sport sombo, these systems also make effective use of
punches and kicks, but in very close-range application.
Students who are compact, with short limbs and bodies, or who are
even overweight, will be at an advantage in these arts (all other
things being equal). Students who are taller and lighter will
often find themselves "undercut" by students with lower centers of
gravity!
Aikido is the single example this martial artist can put forth in
this category, but I set aikido apart from other closing and
grappling arts because of its ethic and its execution. Whereas
almost every other art makes some use of the theory and practice of
focusing your inner strength, or using your opponent's against
them, these techniques are brought to a very high degree of
development in aikido. The goal of the aikido practitioner is no
less than to defend himself completely from his opponent, while at
the same time inflicting no harm whatsoever on that opponent.
Accordingly, aikido is difficult to learn and master, but
incredibly beneficial to any martial artist, both physically and
spiritually. Whichever art you eventually decide to concentrate
on, I recommend at least some cross training in aikido.
Many martial arts incorporate the study of some form of weapon as
part of the curriculum. On the other hand, some weapons systems,
like Japanese kendo and European fencing, stand alone. I suggest
that everyone interested in the serious study of the martial arts
adopt some form of weapons practice, but only after a foundation in
hand-to-hand basics has been laid down.
For myself, I prefer the study of stick-fighting techniques, such
as bo jutsu, hanbo jutsu, yawara jutsu and so forth. The advantage
to such systems is that a improvised weapon is so easy to find! If
you are a skilled stick/staff fighter, you can find a makeshift
weapon almost anywhere (remember, even pens and pencils make great
yawara sticks!).
Whichever weapon system you choose, consider two things: First,
can the weapon techniques be adapted to an empty-hand situation, or
to another type of weapon? Many kendo (samurai sword) techniques
work well with a staff, and many staff techniques work well with a
spear. European fencing techniques can be adapted to a cane, in a
pinch.
And second, how legal is the weapon? Nunchaku, an ancient and
effective Okinawan weapon, are sadly illegal in many states,
because of misuse by the "general" public. Can you carry your
weapon in your car? On your person? Onto an airplane? Consider
these questions carefully.
Weapons are quite useful to those who cannot otherwise defend
themselves. Nor do I limit weapons to the whack, hack and slash
variety. Anyone who thinks shooting a pistol is not a marshall art
has never shot with my sensei.
The ability to defend oneself and others on the physical plane is
important to a Guardian. Even if you are never actually attacked,
self-defense or martial arts training can help you to control a
victim who is hysterical or in a seizure, without harming that
person. It can also help you control and protect yourself in an
unexpected situation, whether it is slipping on ice or being
knocked down a flight of steps by an overly-energetic poltergeist.
If nothing else, the confidence and inner calm promoted by the arts
can greatly contribute to your other work as a Guardian.