Merry Meet!
One of the things I suggest anyone who is seriously studying the Craft is to begin to collect your tools. The most important of the magikal tools are a broom, cauldron, wand and athame. These items have a great deal of significance to the witch.
Broom- why do witches use brooms if they do not fly on them? The broom is strong symbol of the hearth and domestic life and a tool for cleansing. In antiquity there were those who believed that witches flew on their brooms, using them as magikal conveyances to Sabats. It was also symbolic of the May Pole, a fertility symbol and is also a sort of phallic symbol among my Wiccan and Pagan friends. The broom is in reality a "woman's" weapon. It is her staff and defender and her baton of authority in the home. Modern witches use their broom to cleanse their sacred space and when used in a coven, it symbolizes the sacred circle.
Cauldron- For my Wiccan and Pagan friends, it is a symbol of the Goddess, the murturing mother providing food and medicine for her children. For the Christian witch it is the well of healing. In my cauldron, which is simple affair, I brew herbs for ointments and washes, burn incense from time to time, light the Beltaine fires from it and consume negative energies in small fires in it.
Wand- My wand is a found holly branch which has been stripped of its bark and smoothed and varnished using tung oil. It is about 16 inches long and hanging from its grip are symbols of my faith, my culture and my magik. In and of itself, it is not magikal, but used in castings, it is tool to direct my intentions. For the Christian witch it is one of my weapons, my rod, with which I protect my family.
Athame- an athame is a dagger or knife that is used very much like a wand. I use it to inscribe candles with intentions and to direct protective spells. It never tastes blood. Contrary to many people's belief, the athame is not used to kill anything. Wiccans and Pagans do not use the athame for blood rituals either. Wiccans do not have blood rituals, Pagans may, I don't know, and I invite Pagan brothers and sisters to write to me and let me know so I can up date my information.
Candles, the pentangle and other objects can be tools as well. Contrary to popular belief, the pentangle is not a sign of the Devil. Even when inverted. Wiccan and Pagan practitioners use the inverted pentangle to represent the forest god commonly thought of as Pan or the Forrest Lord. Satanists have annexed the symbol to represent a horned image they call Satan. I myself do not use the inverted pentangle, but I will use the pentangle to represent the elements, the seasons, the four directions and the spirit of God. Orthodox Christians such as the Amish have been known to use the sign of the pentangle to ward off hexes and curses. Christians in antiquity used the pentangle to represent the star of Bethlehem.
All tools should be dedicated and not used for anything else, least of all any mundane household task.
My next blog I will discuss angels, ghosts and spirits, and necromancy and magikal names.
Blessed Be
Aslinn Dhan
Friday, November 18, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Esoteric Rites: Secrecy in the Craft
Merry Meet!
Secrecy in the Craft has been going on for millennia, or at least as long as there were people who knew and did things other people didn't. Fortunately, the times have changed and there is more tolerance for divergent beliefs and practices. But must witches still be careful and remain secretive? Sure. And that is unfortunate. There are many reasons why. Most are because of cultural attitudes that still linger about the Craft and those who practice it. But the most important reason is that as you grow in the Craft, the more powerful you and your castings become, but public acknowledgement has the tendency to drain power from the witch and their castings.
For the Christian Witch this goes along with the idea of praying in private. Jesus said that when you pray, you should go into your closet and pray in secret, that God, who hears all in secret is listening to you. We are also reminded that when we pray, we should not stand in the streets or in the open places in the synagogue where everyone can see us so we can get the admiration of those around us. If we do that, then we have been rewarded already and God can disregard your prayer. So, if casting in a way is praying with props, then you should do all in the privacy of your sacred space.
The witch, regardless of your discipline, is still a target for derision. This comes from early writings from the Church, from history, and from social teachings that witches are evil, that they pray to the Devil and they sacrifice babies and parody the sacraments of other religions. The truth of it is, witches, while they may not be Christians, they are certainly peace loving folk in tune with nature and the supernatural and trying to do the best they can for the world. The witch whether they be Pagan, Wiccan or Christian or any other discipline seek deeper and more intimate relations with the world and their neighbors. They look to nature and the environment inside themselves and outside themselves to learn how to heal and comfort their fellows. As I mentioned before, they were the first doctors and pharmacologists and midwives in society.
The Burning Times, as many witches call the period of persecution, was a time of danger not just for witches but for Jews and Muslims and anyone else of diverse faith or no faith at all. But this was also a time of calamity! The ravages of the Plague and the wars and crusades that killed so many for useless reasons and the problems of the poor and the corrupt rich keeping them that way added to the troubles for the common ordinary witch. The Church, in her arrogance, said they had all the answers. When terrible things happened like the plague, the people asked the question why and the Church didn't have the answer. But rather than admit that they didn't, they decided to blame it on that ancient adversary, the Devil and just as there are representatives of God on earth, there are representatives of the Devil on earth and that representative was your local herbalist or midwife or wise woman or man. They were the ones to blame and blamed they were. This is where the larger chunk of the need for secrecy comes from. Witches will always be a scapegoat for the ills, physical, mental, social or spiritual of a community. That is why witchcraft is esoteric or secret knowledge and esoteric in practice.
Next time, I'll discuss magical tools!
Blessed Be!
Aslinn Dhan
Secrecy in the Craft has been going on for millennia, or at least as long as there were people who knew and did things other people didn't. Fortunately, the times have changed and there is more tolerance for divergent beliefs and practices. But must witches still be careful and remain secretive? Sure. And that is unfortunate. There are many reasons why. Most are because of cultural attitudes that still linger about the Craft and those who practice it. But the most important reason is that as you grow in the Craft, the more powerful you and your castings become, but public acknowledgement has the tendency to drain power from the witch and their castings.
For the Christian Witch this goes along with the idea of praying in private. Jesus said that when you pray, you should go into your closet and pray in secret, that God, who hears all in secret is listening to you. We are also reminded that when we pray, we should not stand in the streets or in the open places in the synagogue where everyone can see us so we can get the admiration of those around us. If we do that, then we have been rewarded already and God can disregard your prayer. So, if casting in a way is praying with props, then you should do all in the privacy of your sacred space.
The witch, regardless of your discipline, is still a target for derision. This comes from early writings from the Church, from history, and from social teachings that witches are evil, that they pray to the Devil and they sacrifice babies and parody the sacraments of other religions. The truth of it is, witches, while they may not be Christians, they are certainly peace loving folk in tune with nature and the supernatural and trying to do the best they can for the world. The witch whether they be Pagan, Wiccan or Christian or any other discipline seek deeper and more intimate relations with the world and their neighbors. They look to nature and the environment inside themselves and outside themselves to learn how to heal and comfort their fellows. As I mentioned before, they were the first doctors and pharmacologists and midwives in society.
The Burning Times, as many witches call the period of persecution, was a time of danger not just for witches but for Jews and Muslims and anyone else of diverse faith or no faith at all. But this was also a time of calamity! The ravages of the Plague and the wars and crusades that killed so many for useless reasons and the problems of the poor and the corrupt rich keeping them that way added to the troubles for the common ordinary witch. The Church, in her arrogance, said they had all the answers. When terrible things happened like the plague, the people asked the question why and the Church didn't have the answer. But rather than admit that they didn't, they decided to blame it on that ancient adversary, the Devil and just as there are representatives of God on earth, there are representatives of the Devil on earth and that representative was your local herbalist or midwife or wise woman or man. They were the ones to blame and blamed they were. This is where the larger chunk of the need for secrecy comes from. Witches will always be a scapegoat for the ills, physical, mental, social or spiritual of a community. That is why witchcraft is esoteric or secret knowledge and esoteric in practice.
Next time, I'll discuss magical tools!
Blessed Be!
Aslinn Dhan
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Of Seeing and Casting and Poppets
Merry Meet,
As Hermione Granger said in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban "Divinations is a woolly subject." Divinations is a way to understand what may be coming your way or the way of a loved one in the future. This can be done through dream interpretation, or by premonition or by Tarot or I, Ching, or by horoscopes or scrying or palmistry or by runes, whether they be through the Celtic Runes or the Nordic Runes. Divinations is always great if you are a seer, that is working intuitively and have visions or prophecies or some psychic transmission. That is always the clearest and most personal. But most of us depend upon our props to divine the future. The Tarot is the most popular way and so is astrology. For the Christian Witch this can present some problems ethically. If you feel that you shouldn't do it, don't. Tea leaves and palmistry and crystal gazing and scrying is very intuitive and takes a lot of patience and understanding of symbols and meditation and in the end you may have only limited success. This isn't to say that you shouldn't try them, it just means that if you don't get it or ever develop a faculty for it, that's okay.
Dream interpretation is probably the least problematic for Christian Witches because it is spoken of in the Bible and has been foretold to us in scripture that there would be young men who dream dreams and old men who see visions and women who would prophesy. I suggest you collect a variety of dream oracles or interpretation books and consult the ones who are most helpful to you in every instance that you have a dream that seems prophetic or just strange enough to bother you or linger into your waking hours. Keep a dream journal of your dreams and try to interpret your dreams and record those in your journal. Many oracles say that you should overlook dreams that come after consuming a heavy meal or a rich meal, dreams that come after drinking or watching certain types of movies or programs or dreams that strangely enough seem repetitive. Repetition does not necessarily mean prophetic but it could indicate bad vibes or even someone, another witch, working against you or your conscience. Be observant about colors and numbers and the time of day.
Casting spells for healing or for protection or for love or comfort or help of any kind should be done in cooperation with the moon. Full or new moons are the best and if you are casting a spell that you have found in a Book of Shadows or have written your own, do what feels right or what has been suggested by the writer of the spell. Think before you cast. What is this spell for? What do I want to gain from it? Who is the spell for? Why am I casting? Is it for good reasons? Another rule of thumb is to never cast a spell when you are angry! It will come back to you times three. And remember the witches' rede: Do what you will; Harm none. If you are not sure, don't cast. Meditate on your intention first.
As a Christian witch, I spend time in my sacred space before I cast. This gives me time to think, meditate and pray about the intention. Then, if you are sure you are casting a spell, gather your materials together so you will not have interrupt your concentration during the casting. Purify your self and your space and always thank God for the casting afterwards. Close any psychic or spiritual doors you may have opened and eat and drink afterwards...cookies and hot tea are wonderful ways to relax yourself after a casting. Leave the rest to your casting. Eventually, I plan to include some spells and opening and closing rituals for any esabat or sabat you perform.
Poppets are touchy and some Christian witches may not want to fool with them. The only thing that a Christian might object about a poppet is the use of a graven image but that is something you will have to decide on your own. A poppet is a little human form onto which you as the witch can project a casting. This tool has been the subject of many horror movies with voudouists and witch doctors and have given poppets a bad name. I have a neutral poppet that I work with over and over and I use it project healings and bindings and blessings to someone who is not physically here and may be needing special protection. I also use it for the sake of anonymity. No one who knows me personally knows that I practice the Craft. It is not because I am ashamed or I think what I am doing is wrong it is just that I practice as a solitary and I practice the Craft as an esoteric art. Secrecy in the Craft goes back to the burning times when men and women were persecuted for their practice and blamed if there were trials and tribulations. So, to protect my privacy and the privacy of those I cast for, I sometimes use a poppet. A poppet can be made of clay or wax or wood. Mine is made of cloth and I have drawn a heart on its chest and have written words of power and healing and the name of God on it. I direct my casting on this poppet in the name of whoever I work for and leave the rest to God. It is a sort of laying on of hands by long distance.
The next time I write, I will discuss the question of secrecy in the Craft.
Blessed Be
Aslinn Dhan
As Hermione Granger said in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban "Divinations is a woolly subject." Divinations is a way to understand what may be coming your way or the way of a loved one in the future. This can be done through dream interpretation, or by premonition or by Tarot or I, Ching, or by horoscopes or scrying or palmistry or by runes, whether they be through the Celtic Runes or the Nordic Runes. Divinations is always great if you are a seer, that is working intuitively and have visions or prophecies or some psychic transmission. That is always the clearest and most personal. But most of us depend upon our props to divine the future. The Tarot is the most popular way and so is astrology. For the Christian Witch this can present some problems ethically. If you feel that you shouldn't do it, don't. Tea leaves and palmistry and crystal gazing and scrying is very intuitive and takes a lot of patience and understanding of symbols and meditation and in the end you may have only limited success. This isn't to say that you shouldn't try them, it just means that if you don't get it or ever develop a faculty for it, that's okay.
Dream interpretation is probably the least problematic for Christian Witches because it is spoken of in the Bible and has been foretold to us in scripture that there would be young men who dream dreams and old men who see visions and women who would prophesy. I suggest you collect a variety of dream oracles or interpretation books and consult the ones who are most helpful to you in every instance that you have a dream that seems prophetic or just strange enough to bother you or linger into your waking hours. Keep a dream journal of your dreams and try to interpret your dreams and record those in your journal. Many oracles say that you should overlook dreams that come after consuming a heavy meal or a rich meal, dreams that come after drinking or watching certain types of movies or programs or dreams that strangely enough seem repetitive. Repetition does not necessarily mean prophetic but it could indicate bad vibes or even someone, another witch, working against you or your conscience. Be observant about colors and numbers and the time of day.
Casting spells for healing or for protection or for love or comfort or help of any kind should be done in cooperation with the moon. Full or new moons are the best and if you are casting a spell that you have found in a Book of Shadows or have written your own, do what feels right or what has been suggested by the writer of the spell. Think before you cast. What is this spell for? What do I want to gain from it? Who is the spell for? Why am I casting? Is it for good reasons? Another rule of thumb is to never cast a spell when you are angry! It will come back to you times three. And remember the witches' rede: Do what you will; Harm none. If you are not sure, don't cast. Meditate on your intention first.
As a Christian witch, I spend time in my sacred space before I cast. This gives me time to think, meditate and pray about the intention. Then, if you are sure you are casting a spell, gather your materials together so you will not have interrupt your concentration during the casting. Purify your self and your space and always thank God for the casting afterwards. Close any psychic or spiritual doors you may have opened and eat and drink afterwards...cookies and hot tea are wonderful ways to relax yourself after a casting. Leave the rest to your casting. Eventually, I plan to include some spells and opening and closing rituals for any esabat or sabat you perform.
Poppets are touchy and some Christian witches may not want to fool with them. The only thing that a Christian might object about a poppet is the use of a graven image but that is something you will have to decide on your own. A poppet is a little human form onto which you as the witch can project a casting. This tool has been the subject of many horror movies with voudouists and witch doctors and have given poppets a bad name. I have a neutral poppet that I work with over and over and I use it project healings and bindings and blessings to someone who is not physically here and may be needing special protection. I also use it for the sake of anonymity. No one who knows me personally knows that I practice the Craft. It is not because I am ashamed or I think what I am doing is wrong it is just that I practice as a solitary and I practice the Craft as an esoteric art. Secrecy in the Craft goes back to the burning times when men and women were persecuted for their practice and blamed if there were trials and tribulations. So, to protect my privacy and the privacy of those I cast for, I sometimes use a poppet. A poppet can be made of clay or wax or wood. Mine is made of cloth and I have drawn a heart on its chest and have written words of power and healing and the name of God on it. I direct my casting on this poppet in the name of whoever I work for and leave the rest to God. It is a sort of laying on of hands by long distance.
The next time I write, I will discuss the question of secrecy in the Craft.
Blessed Be
Aslinn Dhan
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Why be a Christian Witch and isn't that impossible?
Merry Meet!
One of the things that I am sure will be a question posed to me some time or another is why be a Christian Witch and not just a Wiccan and isn't that impossible for you to do? Believe me, I have struggled with that question and while I have not come up with any sort of concrete answers, I know that I have made one of the most important decisions of my life.
When I embarked on my journey, I encountered many people who call themselves Sophia Christians and Christo-pagans and I don't have a problem with their view point, it is their choice, but I decided fairly early on that I didn't feel their path was necessarily my path. For those of you who don't know what a Sophia Christian is or a Christo-pagan, a Sophia Christian believes that in addition to the male divinities of Christ and God as Christians believe, there is also a female divinity called the Sophia or Wisdom. A Christo-pagan believes in the Christian concepts of God and Christ but also embraces the divinities of the Pagan cultures as equal divinities.
Modern Witchcraft has deep feministic views that eschews the male dominated priesthood of Judeo-Christian and Islamic views of God. They believe that in order for there to be balance there has to be a feminine divinity equal to God. This Goddess is the co-creator of everything and works hand in hand with the male divinity. This, they believe, is the way to bring harmony in all things in nature and the supernatural and the various opposites that create energies that are the foundation of the Craft. They tend to overlook strong women of scripture who play important roles in the Christian faith because they see them as some how hampered by society or by orthodoxy or by modern religion.
For me, the feminine is represented by Mary, the virgin mother of Christ. She is, I feel the only female archetype. She was a young girl visited by an angel and overshadowed by the spirit of the living God and through her all prophecies were fulfilled and the promise of salvation was delivered to us. But is she a "goddess"? No, but she is blessed on earth and in heaven and she is the mediator to the world and hears the prayers of God's people. She is described in the Bible as the woman with the moon at her feet and wearing a crown of twelve stars. She is caught up in the heaven of heavens and sits before the throne of the Lord and her Son, Jesus Christ. She is the new Eve, redeeming woman for the perceived crimes of temptation.
My Wiccan and Sophia Christian and Christo-pagan colleagues see her as a defeated woman because she remained sexual virgin. But I would remind my brothers and sisters in the Craft that there are many female divinities in antiquity who remained virgins and had great power.
Because I could not give up my Christian beliefs, but believed in the power of the Craft, I began a course of study and found that though there are many things I cannot reconcile myself to, there are many things I can. And as so many of the books say that I have studied, the Craft is elastic and can be molded to accept change. But what about other Christians, what do I say to them? This is what I say. The Bible is full of the Craft. It talks about seeing angels and mixing herbs for healing and ritual cleansings. It speaks of dream interpretation and exorcisms and the laying on of hands. It contains rituals that call for cymbals and bells and incense and candles and food offerings. It has the supernatural powers of the bronze snake and it has the rod of Moses which is thought of as a wand. There are even times when women will prophesy and testify and will even act as the priest of the hearth. There is even astronomy and astrology. Astrology, for instance when the three magi went in search of the Christ Child, they followed the star. The star not only led them to the place he was born, but told the magi the type of person born under that star. That is astrology.
One of the things that I am sure will be a question posed to me some time or another is why be a Christian Witch and not just a Wiccan and isn't that impossible for you to do? Believe me, I have struggled with that question and while I have not come up with any sort of concrete answers, I know that I have made one of the most important decisions of my life.
When I embarked on my journey, I encountered many people who call themselves Sophia Christians and Christo-pagans and I don't have a problem with their view point, it is their choice, but I decided fairly early on that I didn't feel their path was necessarily my path. For those of you who don't know what a Sophia Christian is or a Christo-pagan, a Sophia Christian believes that in addition to the male divinities of Christ and God as Christians believe, there is also a female divinity called the Sophia or Wisdom. A Christo-pagan believes in the Christian concepts of God and Christ but also embraces the divinities of the Pagan cultures as equal divinities.
Modern Witchcraft has deep feministic views that eschews the male dominated priesthood of Judeo-Christian and Islamic views of God. They believe that in order for there to be balance there has to be a feminine divinity equal to God. This Goddess is the co-creator of everything and works hand in hand with the male divinity. This, they believe, is the way to bring harmony in all things in nature and the supernatural and the various opposites that create energies that are the foundation of the Craft. They tend to overlook strong women of scripture who play important roles in the Christian faith because they see them as some how hampered by society or by orthodoxy or by modern religion.
For me, the feminine is represented by Mary, the virgin mother of Christ. She is, I feel the only female archetype. She was a young girl visited by an angel and overshadowed by the spirit of the living God and through her all prophecies were fulfilled and the promise of salvation was delivered to us. But is she a "goddess"? No, but she is blessed on earth and in heaven and she is the mediator to the world and hears the prayers of God's people. She is described in the Bible as the woman with the moon at her feet and wearing a crown of twelve stars. She is caught up in the heaven of heavens and sits before the throne of the Lord and her Son, Jesus Christ. She is the new Eve, redeeming woman for the perceived crimes of temptation.
My Wiccan and Sophia Christian and Christo-pagan colleagues see her as a defeated woman because she remained sexual virgin. But I would remind my brothers and sisters in the Craft that there are many female divinities in antiquity who remained virgins and had great power.
Because I could not give up my Christian beliefs, but believed in the power of the Craft, I began a course of study and found that though there are many things I cannot reconcile myself to, there are many things I can. And as so many of the books say that I have studied, the Craft is elastic and can be molded to accept change. But what about other Christians, what do I say to them? This is what I say. The Bible is full of the Craft. It talks about seeing angels and mixing herbs for healing and ritual cleansings. It speaks of dream interpretation and exorcisms and the laying on of hands. It contains rituals that call for cymbals and bells and incense and candles and food offerings. It has the supernatural powers of the bronze snake and it has the rod of Moses which is thought of as a wand. There are even times when women will prophesy and testify and will even act as the priest of the hearth. There is even astronomy and astrology. Astrology, for instance when the three magi went in search of the Christ Child, they followed the star. The star not only led them to the place he was born, but told the magi the type of person born under that star. That is astrology.
Does that mean that if I read my horoscope and it tells me that I will have bad day that I will cower under my bed? No, but I will be careful in all that I do. If I lay out a tarot spread and it it looks like a gloomy future ahead, will I give up? No, but I will try to avoid the things that will be obstacles in my path. The Craft isn't about calling up demons and blood sacrifices, it is about embracing the nature God gave us and the nature God lives in and understanding it to the betterment of those around me. I have heard it said thet casting spells is "praying with props" and in some ways that is true and while my colleagues who follow other magikal disciplines call upon their divinities, I will be calling on mine.
For my next blog, I will discuss divinations, spells and the use of candles and poppets in the Craft.
Blessed Be
Aslinn Dhan
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Here is a picture of me. No bad for a 30 something,eh? It just goes to show you that not all witches are green with warts on their noses. That, by the way, is the way my mom dresses up for Samhain. I don't mind.
Do my parents know that I am a witch? No, they do not. They are pretty open minded but I know they would not understand what I do. It is funny, but they, particularly my mom, practice some form of the Craft every day. Have you ever thought about how you practice the Craft in your own life? How about the last time you had a birthday and you blew out the candles of your birthday cake? The act of making a wish and blowing out candles is a form of candle magik and the act of blowing out the candles a form of casting.
How many of you make a wish on the first star you see in the heavens? Or feed a coin into a wishing well and make a wish? Or even throw a pinch of salt over your left shoulder when you spill some? That is a form of the Craft too!How many of you gardeners follow the almanac and plant in the signs? Or cross your fingers for luck? Or hold on to a heads up penny? That too is a part of the Craft.
The Craft has its beginnings in early medicine and healing and pharmacology. Though modern witches tell people to consult their doctors, many of the healing spells go hand in hand with modern medicine. They up lift, spiritually strengthen and calm people as they go through illness. A responsible witch would never suggest a treatment contrary to the advice of a physician though I always suggest a second opinion before undergoing any serious procedure, which is just good advice.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Contact Me
If anyone would like to contact me you can e-mail me at aslinndhan01@yahoo.com I would love to hear from you!
Happy Samhain
Merry Meet and Happy Samhain! For those who do not know about the Halloween Season, here is a witches' primer on the holiday!
Samhain is the season of the new year for witches. This is the time that we renew ourselves and celebrate the end of the harvest period and rejoice at the beginning of the New Year. Think about it! Halloween marks the beginning of the decorating season that lasts through Easter. It is a time when old hurts are forgiven and forgotten and new goals are planned. It is also a time that we remember those who have gone before. Early Celts had elaborate feasts and invited the living and the souls of the ones who have gone on to make merry and commune with one another. Many cultures have celebrations like this. Even trick or treating is a part of the celebrations from ancient times.
Many Christians do not celebrate Samhain or Halloween because they fear the ancient influences of the past. They fear that the devil is in the details. Perhaps it is because they fear their own mortality, but I rather like to think that the generations who have gone on before us may come back to celebrate the season of mystery and celebrations.
If you are a seasoned witch or a cheerful seeker, this is a fun activity for Samhain. Buy some plain plastic masks, or better yet use paper plates or any sort of paper and create your own masks that celebrate the outer you and the inner you. Decorate your masks with found objects or just draw and color them. Be thoughtful and colorful. The more creative you are the more you may learn about yourself and who you are.
Blessed Be
Samhain is the season of the new year for witches. This is the time that we renew ourselves and celebrate the end of the harvest period and rejoice at the beginning of the New Year. Think about it! Halloween marks the beginning of the decorating season that lasts through Easter. It is a time when old hurts are forgiven and forgotten and new goals are planned. It is also a time that we remember those who have gone before. Early Celts had elaborate feasts and invited the living and the souls of the ones who have gone on to make merry and commune with one another. Many cultures have celebrations like this. Even trick or treating is a part of the celebrations from ancient times.
Many Christians do not celebrate Samhain or Halloween because they fear the ancient influences of the past. They fear that the devil is in the details. Perhaps it is because they fear their own mortality, but I rather like to think that the generations who have gone on before us may come back to celebrate the season of mystery and celebrations.
If you are a seasoned witch or a cheerful seeker, this is a fun activity for Samhain. Buy some plain plastic masks, or better yet use paper plates or any sort of paper and create your own masks that celebrate the outer you and the inner you. Decorate your masks with found objects or just draw and color them. Be thoughtful and colorful. The more creative you are the more you may learn about yourself and who you are.
Blessed Be
Monday, October 24, 2005
So, who am I and what do I mean by Christian Witch?
I imagine there are a lot of people who wonder what I mean by being a Christian Witch. It is simple. I am a Christian who practices witchcraft as a spiritual discipline. There are fine lines I draw between witchcraft as a religious practice and witchcraft as a discipline. I am a Christian, I go to church, I pray to God only and I identify myself as a Christian. There are many Christian Witches who identify themselves as Sophia Christians or Goddess Christians and I am not one of those. I don't have a problem with what they believe, I simply don't share their belief.
I can hear you now: Doesn't the Bible prohibit you from practicing witchcraft? The Bible prohibits me from practicing witchcraft if I depend on necromancy and child sacrifice. I do not practice necromancy nor do I practice child sacrifice. I integrate a true appreciation for nature and the natural and supernatural forces in the world today. I use dream interpretation, tarot card readings and runes to understand the future and I use castings and spells to heal, encourage, protect and purify myself and those who come to me for guidance. I am also a student of the esoteric and spend a lot of time studying my craft and how it works within God's will in my life.
Can anyone be a witch? Sure, as long as you are willing to dedicate yourself to study and research and most of all understand that what you do comes back to you x3. You should be willing to assume the responsibilities of your craft and take on the Witches Rede: Do what thou will and harm none.
Will I be able to fly and hex people? Is what I am doing like Harry Potter or The Craft? No, and we do not have a quiddich team and we are not a bunch of girls dressed as Catholic School girls. We are men and women who learn to be in tune with nature and the supernatural and call upon the forces of healing herbs and the phases of the moon and understand the good that comes from meditation and a belief that all things are possible.
Do you worship Satan? No, abosolutely not. Even most satanists do not believe in the personage of satan. In fact, as Christian Witch, I feel that it is my duty to use all my powers and abilities to fight evil.
Should young people become witches? I would say that young people can become witches and be devoted to the discipline required by the Craft, just as many young people join religious groups and become devoted followers of a religious discipline. I do advise young people that they explore what they think witchcraft is and what they think they will get out of it. And if they think witchcraft will give them license to do anything they want without consequences, they are wrong. Even if you lean more towards Wicca or Paganism, you will still be confronted with strict rules and taboos and feasts and fasts. You can't do any brand of the Craft without some form of structure, so be ready to give up ceratin personal freedoms to practice the Craft. This means sex, drugs and alcohol. I am even giving up tobacco for the Craft so that my mind and body is as clean as I can make it.
Being a witch is an important step. It is something you don't do at the spur of the moment. If you are thinking of being a part of a coven or being a solitary witch, spend at least a year reading and writing and learning, then dedicate yourself to a first year of apprenticeship and practice to see if the Craft is for you. And remember, not all witches are Wiccan and not all Wiccan are witches.
I can hear you now: Doesn't the Bible prohibit you from practicing witchcraft? The Bible prohibits me from practicing witchcraft if I depend on necromancy and child sacrifice. I do not practice necromancy nor do I practice child sacrifice. I integrate a true appreciation for nature and the natural and supernatural forces in the world today. I use dream interpretation, tarot card readings and runes to understand the future and I use castings and spells to heal, encourage, protect and purify myself and those who come to me for guidance. I am also a student of the esoteric and spend a lot of time studying my craft and how it works within God's will in my life.
Can anyone be a witch? Sure, as long as you are willing to dedicate yourself to study and research and most of all understand that what you do comes back to you x3. You should be willing to assume the responsibilities of your craft and take on the Witches Rede: Do what thou will and harm none.
Will I be able to fly and hex people? Is what I am doing like Harry Potter or The Craft? No, and we do not have a quiddich team and we are not a bunch of girls dressed as Catholic School girls. We are men and women who learn to be in tune with nature and the supernatural and call upon the forces of healing herbs and the phases of the moon and understand the good that comes from meditation and a belief that all things are possible.
Do you worship Satan? No, abosolutely not. Even most satanists do not believe in the personage of satan. In fact, as Christian Witch, I feel that it is my duty to use all my powers and abilities to fight evil.
Should young people become witches? I would say that young people can become witches and be devoted to the discipline required by the Craft, just as many young people join religious groups and become devoted followers of a religious discipline. I do advise young people that they explore what they think witchcraft is and what they think they will get out of it. And if they think witchcraft will give them license to do anything they want without consequences, they are wrong. Even if you lean more towards Wicca or Paganism, you will still be confronted with strict rules and taboos and feasts and fasts. You can't do any brand of the Craft without some form of structure, so be ready to give up ceratin personal freedoms to practice the Craft. This means sex, drugs and alcohol. I am even giving up tobacco for the Craft so that my mind and body is as clean as I can make it.
Being a witch is an important step. It is something you don't do at the spur of the moment. If you are thinking of being a part of a coven or being a solitary witch, spend at least a year reading and writing and learning, then dedicate yourself to a first year of apprenticeship and practice to see if the Craft is for you. And remember, not all witches are Wiccan and not all Wiccan are witches.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Welcome to my Christian Witch Blog
My name is Aslinn Dhan and I am a Christian Witch. I am hoping to share my particular practices with other Christian Witches out there. I don't have much going on right now but I hope to include a Book of Shadows and other writings about the occult and esoteric sciences and my beliefs as a Christian who practices the Craft.
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