Hear The Voice Paganism Australia

An Introduction to Shapeshifting in Magic

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:00:00 +0000

By Ravenari - Paganism Australia member

An Introduction to Shapeshifting

Metamorphosis is a strong impetus for growth, it aids us in changing ourselves, our perceptions of the world and our relationship with the world. When we consciously employ positive change in our lives, we can destroy that which no longer serves us, and embrace that which will help us transform in a positive way.

When working with animal spirits and energies, it is possible to consciously employ metamorphosis in the form of shapeshifting. I am not talking about literally or physically changing your form in the way of many movies and fantasy stories, instead I am talking about the act of embracing, emulating or taking into yourself the qualities of an animal in order to experience change and metamorphosis.

Shapeshifting can be magically understood as being the ability to change and shift the thoughts and perceptions we usually inhabit. As a human we have ways that we perceive the world around us, but with bat inside our body and mind, the way we perceive the world and ourselves changes radically. Through the processes of inviting the animal energy to become a part of us, we shift and change our own understanding.

The act of shape-shifting has been common throughout many shamanic and pagan cultures for a very long time. In many shamanic tales, such as The Roe Deer Man (Nauwald, 2004, p. 94), a person could change quite easily between an animal and a human using techniques that involves wearing an animal's skin or an animal part, or simply using thought and will to change the form. In Japanese mythology, the kitsune or fox spirits were thought to be able to take the form of humans, or alternatively possess humans so that they became more fox-like in nature. In paganism, many gods and goddesses possess the ability to change form, and even those who spend a great deal of time as an animal - such as the Morrighu (who occupies the form of ravens in some depictions), or even the Horned God, Cernunnos, who can appear as a stag, or an antlered man (as seen on the fresco of the Pilier des nautes in Paris).

Those gods, spirits and entities who could change into animals often took on the nature of those animals. Those who were possessed by foxes in Japan were thought to take on 'fox-like' qualities, their eyes became more calculating and cunning, they were said to yelp like a fox yelps, they became at times deceptive, and women who were possessed were thought to be more deliberately seductive and graceful (Hearn, 2005 / Nozaki, 1961). For those who believe in lycanthropy or werewolves, it was thought that lycanthropes took on the qualities of wolves, from craving raw meat, to becoming more alert and comfortable in nature and sometimes even taking on the physical appearance of a wolf (Hamel, 1969).

When working magic or ritual, shapeshifting with animal energies involves the invocation of that animal energy into the self. It is not a responsibility to be taken lightly, and one should not attempt it unless they have a comprehensive understanding of grounding techniques. Depending on the animal and the person involved, it can be difficult to fully rid the self of the animal energy, and this can be a problem if the animal energy is quite different to your usual personality and/or you are finding that it is becoming destructive or unhelpful.

Why Shapeshift:

1. Knowledge and Expansion - seeing the world through human eyes is wonderful most of the time, but sometimes it helps to literally see the world through a different perspective. Working consciously with animal energies is a way of getting that perspective. Seeing the world through the eyes of spirit wolf, or spirit snail even, can help us to understand the differences and diversity in this world, while also helping us to feel even more interconnected with nature. When taking in the energy of other animals, we expand our own perceptions and knowledge.

2. Reconciliation - shapeshifting can be especially helpful to help us reconcile our differences with animals we do not like or fear. For example, I can invite chimpanzee spirit into my body (an animal I am not a big fan of!) and watch how it changes my personality and actually experience what I don't like about it. I can literally observe from the inside out and see what in particular about the animal energy is setting off my inner alarms and making me feel resentful or uneasy. Working directly with animal energies we have problems with in this manner can also help us to see what we have in common with that animal, and help us to see what we do not like about ourselves.

3. Communion - engaging with the animal world and with animal spirits through shapeshifting enables us to experience a profound sense of communion; not just with the animal that we invite into ourselves, but also with all of nature. Shapeshifting in this way can be a way of reconnecting with nature and the great spirit/s, and also a way of experiencing 'life.' It can be a very positive, life-affirming force, and it can be an extremely joyous and primal experience.

4. Strength in Magic - many animals will, when treated respectfully, lend vast reserves of energy to our rituals and energy work. For example, I have talked to a few people who have invited horse into their body and consequently been able to pull from a vast pool of energy. Likewise, if you need specific types of energy, working with animal energies in this manner can be a good solution. Sometimes we need a strong, aggressive and banishing energy that we may find difficult to invoke without aid; aggressive animals like badger and wolverine can help us get in touch with our own inner, archetypal aggression and use it in a healthy and defensive manner. Likewise if we are doing a love spell or ritual to open ourselves up to the possibility of love, we can consider invoking the spirit of a loving and generous animal into our bodies; like the mourning dove.

5. Journeying - in shamanism, many shamanists will change form in the otherworlds in order to travel faster or more quickly to their destination. I become a river dolphin while swimming underwater, and many others take different forms depending on what animals they feel a connection with. While journeying, animal forms can also be helpful in helping a shaman or shamanist with many of their tasks. Animal forms are good for hiding, getting places, negotiation with other spirits and of course in the practices of certain forms of magic and ritual. Taking on an animal form can also be a successful way of coaxing soul fragments back into this world, since many people often see that there is an innocence and lack of guile in animals that encourages them to open up and to trust.

Shapeshifting is not without its risks. As mentioned earlier, it is good to have a knowledge of grounding before attempting shapeshifting, because otherwise it can be sometimes quite difficult to come back to a full and safe awareness of the self. Some animal spirits are tricksters, like coyote and fox, and I don't recommend working with them unless you are experienced with both shapeshifting and tricksters! Other animal spirits might simply not come at all, no matter how hard you try, and some come with such a force that you may feel knocked flat on your feet and forget why you were invoking the spirit in the first place. It's important to remember respect when working with the animal world, both for the animal kingdom, and for the integrity of the self.

In the next article I will talk about the methods one can use in order to try shapeshifting and working with animal energies in this more practical manner.

References

Hamel, F. (1969). Human Animals, Werewolves & Other Transformations. University Books. New York.

Hearn, L. (2005). Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. Project Gutenberg E-Text Edition.

Lupa. (2006). Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone - a Primal Guide to Animal Magic. Megalithica Books. Stafford.

Nauwald, N. (2004). Flying With Shamans in Fairy Tales and Myths. Binkey Kok Publications. Holland.

Nozaki, K. (1961). Kitsune - Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance and Humour. University of Hawai'i Press. Honolulu.

The Basics Of Grouding

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:18:00 +0000

By Ravenari - Paganism Australia Member

The Basics of Grounding

Grounding is the act of using the mind and body to clear excess energy away.

Very literally, it is the act of getting closer to the earth, or putting our feet firmly on the ground. Grounding is a fundamental skill, not just in magic and ritual, but in everyday life too. It is one of the basic tools to be used in energy work and is a necessary skill for all pagans who work with energy, and all people who can be quite highly strung!

There are many ways to ground, but the most common way is through visualisation.

Visualisation Method

1. Sit, lie or stand somewhere quiet. Close your eyes (if you wish). Focus on your breathing and try to breathe from your diaphragm (just below the lungs) instead of high up in your chest. Consciously slow your breathing down.

2. Focus on your muscles, particularly tight spots like your shoulders, hands, feet, chest, head/forehead and neck. As you breath in and out, see your muscles relaxing.

3. Imagine that you are a large tree in a wide open field. You have branches that reach to the sky, and roots that reach all the way down, deep into the earth. As you exhale, send all your excess energy or stress, or bad feelings down through your spine, through your legs, and into the roots in the ground. There the earth will recycle or use that energy as it needs it.

4. Continue to do this for as long as you feel you need to, always aware of your slow breathing, and the energy that you're directing away.

5. When you have finished, become aware of your body by focusing on things like; the sensation of what you're lying / sitting / standing on, the feel of any breeze or clothing on your skin, the heaviness of your flesh etc. Make sure that you focus on physical sensations because this is very helpful to the grounding process.

6. Wiggle your toes and fingers. Open your eyes (if you closed them). You should be feeling much more calm and relaxed. This feeling of stability is known as being 'grounded.'

Visualisation 1 can be adapted so that you are sitting against an actual tree and sending your energy through the tree, instead of through yourself. Sitting in nature can be very helpful when it comes to grounding. It can also be adapted for sitting against rocks / buildings / or anything that has part of its structure go deep into the ground. The reason we send excess energy there is because the earth stores it and uses it for later, it safely removes excess energy away from other people, and the element of Earth is a grounding and stabilising element.

Physical Methods

If you are quite a high-strung person (i.e. get stressed easily, lose control of your breathing, aren't very in touch with your body) or aren't used to energy work, then visualisation isn't always the most effective method. In Wiccan covens, it is common to eat after ritual, and one of the reasons for this is that physical activity like the consumption of food and drink is very grounding!

Consider the following activities:

Eating and Drinking

When you have just finished ritual, or are noticing that you're feeling very stressed out, consider grounding through slowly eating and drinking. Eat simple foods, like half a piece of bread, or a biscuit, and savour it. Know that you are sharing with the bounty of the earth, and really notice the flavours and the action of chewing and swallowing. When you drink (hot beverages like tea are really fantastic for grounding), do so slowly, savour each sip and focus entirely on what you are doing. As you narrow your focus, you also force all that excess energy to go away so that you are grounded and stable.

Stretching

Stretching is a wonderful way to ground. Find stretches that are gentle on your body (such as stretching your arms towards the ceiling, or bending down and letting the energy flow out of your hands into the ground directly). The key word with stretching is to go slow. Slow your breathing down, focus on how it feels to move your muscles, and if you feel pain then stop! This should feel good, not painful.

Mundane Chores

Simple household chores are actually extremely grounding, they require physical activity, but they are also generally simple and repetitive, and this combination makes them excellent for helping you to contain your stress and excess energy and focus. When vacuuming or sweeping, imagine that you are sucking up all the negative energy into the vacuum, or sweeping it away. You can even imagine that the vacuum is sucking up your own excess energy. While washing the dishes, become aware of the sensation of water around your hands, and the feeling of the earth against your fingers (most kitchen implements after all, come from the Earth element).

Having a Shower or Bath

Taking a shower or bath can literally help you to 'wash' excess stress and energy away. One of my favourite visualisations while in the shower every morning, is to imagine all my negative and unwanted energy flowing down the drain. It is very refreshing, and the warm water helps us to stay focused on our body instead of letting our head drift into the clouds (which is the opposite of grounding). When cleaning your body, you can literally 'scrub away the bad energy' through visualisation, or wash away the stress.

-

The basic goal of grounding is to make sure that you are calm, focused and stable so that you feel more in control (particularly for stress-related problems) and that you are not carrying around excess energy from ritual which can be problematic! Ground before and after ritual, when you're stressed out, after visualisation, and whenever you feel it's necessary! You can do the physical exercises whenever you want to, and if you try and do them once a day you will notice a difference in your general well-being.

Give one or two of them a try and see how you go!

Lughnasagh Poem

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:20:00 +0000

Lughnasagh Poem

by Althiawytch

Paganism Australia member

O Great Father of the sun and Mother of the grains,
We celebrate our harvest and of the light that remains

All in lifes great garden, we be ever thankful for
As we feast on our treats of bread, cider and more

You give us your gifts that you so lovingly bare
All your crops and your fruits you so humbly share

As we harvest the seeds that we planted before
Of our hopes and our dreams may they now come to the fore

The druids Dreaming - More Information

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:45:00 +0000

THE DRUIDS DREAMING ?

WHAT IT IS ?

What the world needs is Magic, Music and Dreams .....

A Dreamtime

The concept of the Event is to bring AWARENESS and to PROMOTE Tolerance, Understanding with the hope of Embracing others chosen beliefs to the whole community which is mostly Christian orientated and to celebrated the Cultural & Spiritual Diversity in Australia.

It is also the purpose of this event is to raise AWARENESS and Support for a new organization called The Ancient Ways Incorporated:

http://ancientways.org.au

With the current global financial crisis there are many families out there doing it tough. Many of these families will rely heavily on Charity organizations. A great many of these Charity organizations are Christian orientated. Nothing wrong with that as a qualified Youth Worker and Social Worker I have worked for many organization and associations that are Christian Orientated but there are very few Alternative Spiritualist and pagan organizations which have been set up to assist the Community and help those families which are not Christian until now. The Ancient Ways Incorporated is one such organisation.

Music is Magic ... and it helps people forget the troubles of the would and their own personal problems for a while. People need to be entertained and an Event like this is designed to help fulfil that need and to help people become aware that they are not alone. Music can help Bring about Change.

MAGIC CAN HAPPEN

The Cosmic Cauldron Newsletter and The Cosmic Cauldron Radio, Mystic Groves (my partner's business) and myself, Michael Lee-Price are in the initial stages of organising this EVENT to be held here in South Australia, Australia.

Join US!

FEEL THE MAGIC!

Embrace The Druid's Dreaming.

A Brief History

As the late Martin Luther King said ..."I Had a Dream!"

Way back in 2003, I had a vision; a dream of organising a Cultural and Spiritual Music Event. This event was to be called AUTUMN FEAST. Several Bands were organised, promotional and advertising flyers and pamphlets were printed up, businesses in the South Australian suburb of Aldinga were approached as well as the local Onkaparinga Council and a Website was built to advertise and promote the Event.

Due to some personal issues, interference by certain detractors and an inability on my part at the time to source funding, the Event was shelved.

However, some in the Aldinga Business Community saw the potential of such a music event and from the ashes of Autumn Feat a Phoenix rose called The Aldinga Folk Festival.

This wonderful event ran from 2004= 2006.

After seemingly disappearing into the mist of time and the annuals of once Great Events, this Magnificent Event has re-emerged with the new face of "Fleurieu Folk Fesitval"

http://thecosmiccauldron.net.au/notice2.html

This only goes to prove that Dreams can come TRUE, if people are willing to believe in them and are willing to support them.

Like Autumn Feast, I am going to make The Druid's Dreaming happen .. With YOUR Help.

http://thecosmiccauldron.net.au/schedule.html

I will be arranging advance payment for tickets in the next two months.

At present I am thinking of $80 for single ...... $120 -- for couples ... $160 for families (if you can fit all your kids on a CentreLink card ...then that is a family - proof of being a family unit required) ... 10 % off per head on group bookings (10 plus) .... 20 % discount for all TAWI members ... .... this is tentative.

I will be attempting to arrange package deals with airlines and hotels so hold your horses.

Sponsorship of interstate Covens and Groups being arranged. (Hopefully)

At present I have 50 people from Melbourne
7 from WA
13 from NSW
4 from the USA
3 from UK
1 from India

And I haven't even started the ticket planning yet or found a venue ....

So Aaaarrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Thank You

Michael Lee-Price

~ The Wayfinder ~

Owner, Publisher and Editor of The Cosmic Cauldron Newsletter
Owner and Manager of The Cosmic Cauldron Radio

ALL ENQUIRIES TO: cosmic.wayfinder@gmail.com

Druids Dreaming Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:13:00 +0000

The Druid's Dreaming Musical Event is a Celebration of the Spiritual & Cultural Diversity in Australia. It is being promoted as a ONE Day Event & an All Day Event. Starting with a Medieval Fair and Culminating with a Concert. Venue and Ticket prices are not available yet. More information can be located at:

The Cosmic Cauldron - Bookmark This page fir further updates !!

Beautiful Pagan Poetry - By Frances

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:25:00 +0000

Written by Frances - Paganism Australia member

I would love to share two pieces of beautiful poetry with you,

TO SHE

Ancient Mother Goddess
You who was there before all time
Arise from the watery abyss
From whence all life was created
Come to me, Ancient Mother
Teach me the ebb and flow of life
Help me understand that for things to be reborn
They first must die
Show me the inner strength and gifts that lay inside
As my modern world engulfs me
Help me to remain connected to what is really important
Remind me of the messages in the wind
Ancient Mother Goddess
Nameless one but not forgotten
Let me honor you

SILENT RAPTURE

She touched my cheek
I knew I wasn’t alone
And the invisible cloak drew around me
I felt sheltered from the winds of ill thought
That blew my way
Protected in her loving embrace
Safe in the knowledge that as long as I have
The courage to be true to myself
I will never be alone
In silent rapture I caught my breath
For faith I believe.

Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna ...

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:59:00 +0000

In Neo-pagan Witchcraft the Goddess is the very essence or central figure of the Craft and worship. She is the Great Mother, representing the fertility which brings forth all life; as Mother Nature she is the living biosphere of both the planets and the forces of the elements; she has roles of both creator and destroyer; she is the Queen of Heaven; and she is the moon. She possesses magical powers and is emotion, intuition and psychic faculty. The Divine Force within the Goddess is believed to be genderless, but within the universe it is manifested as male and female principles. Often within the worship of the Divine Force the Goddess, or the female principle, is emphasized to the exclusion of The Horned God, or the male principle. But, theoretically both are recognized.

The Goddess has many facets, names and aspects. Although in witchcraft and Neo-paganism she is mainly worshiped in her aspects of the triple Goddess: Virgin, Mother and Crone.

Goddess worship dates back to Paleolithic times. Many anthropologists speculate the first "God " or gods of the peoples were feminine. This coincides with ancient creation myths and beliefs that creation was achieved through self-fertilization. Within the concept of creation the participation of the male principle was not known or recognized yet. The Goddess was believed to have created the universe by herself alone.

From this belief came the agricultural religions. It was thought that the gods only prospered by the beneficence and wisdom which the Goddess showered on them. Evidence appears to indicate most ancient tribes and cultures were matriarchal.

Although this maybe true, there seems to be little evidence that the feminine portions of these societies held themselves superior over their male counterparts. Generally Goddess worship had been balanced by the honoring of both the male and female Deities. This is illustrated by the belief in and the observance of the sacred marriage of the Sky God and Earth Mother in many global societies.

Among the first human images discovered are the "Venus figures," nude female figures having exaggerated sexual parts that date back to the Cro-Magnons of the Upper Paleolithic period between 35,000 and 10,000 BC.

In southern France is the Venus of Laussel which is carved in basrelief in a rock shelter. This appears once to have been a hunting shrine which dates to around 19,000 BC. In this carving the woman is painted red, perhaps to suggest blood, and holds a bison horn in one hand.

Also in Cro-Magnon cave paintings women are depicted giving birth. "A naked Goddess appears to have been the patroness of the hunt to mammoth hunters in the Pyrenees and was also protectress of the hearth and lady of the wild things."

Other female figurines were discovered dating back to the proto-Neolithic period of ca, 9000 - 7000 BC, the Middle Neolithic period of ca. 6000 - 5000 BC, and the Higher Neolithic period of ca. 4500 - 3500 BC. Some of these figurines were decorated as if they had been objects of worship. In black Africa were discovered cave images of the Horned Goddess (later Isis, ca. 7000 - 6000 BC). The Black Goddess images appeared to represent a bisexual, self-fertilizing woman.

During the predynastic Egyptian period, prior to 3110 BC, the Goddess was known as Ta-Urt (Great One) and was portrayed as a pregnant hippopotamus stand on her hind legs.

The Halaf culture around the Tigris River, ca. 5000 - 4000 BC, had Goddess figurines associated with the cow, serpent, humped ox, sheep, goat, pig, bull, dove and double ax. These things were known to the people and became symbols representing the Goddess.

In the Sumerian civilization, ca. 4000 BC, the princesses or queens of cities were associated with the Goddess. A king was associated with God.

Throughout the eons of history the Goddess assumed many aspects. She was seen as the creatress, virgin, mother, destroyer, warrior, huntress, homemaker, wife, artist, jurist, healer and sorcerer. Her roles or abilities increased with the advancement of the cultures which worshipped her.

She could represent a queen with a consort, or lover. She might bear a son who died young or was sacrificed only to rise again representing the annual birth-death-rebirth cycle of the seasons.

Throughout the centuries the Goddess has acquired a thousand names and a thousand faces but most always she has represented nature, she is associated with both the sun and moon, the earth and the shy. The Goddess religion, usually in all forms, is a nature religion. Those worshipping the Goddess worship or care for nature too.

It might be acknowledged that author Barbara G. Walker made two comments concerning the thousand names of the Goddess. The first is that "Every female divinity in the present Encyclopedia (Source: 56) may be correctly regarded as only another aspect of the core concept of a female Supreme Being." The author's other comment is, "If such a system had been applied to the usual concept of God, (giving him the different names and titles which people throughout the centuries have attributed to him), there would now be a multitude of separate 'gods' with names like Almighty, Yahweh, Lord, Holy Ghost, Sun of Righteousness, Christ, Creator, Lawgiver, Jehovah, Providence, Allah, Savior, Redeemer, Paraclete, Heavenly Father, and so on, ad infinitum, each one assigned to a particular function in the world pantheon."

Both comments may be considered correct when it is recognized that humankind is only able to speak of God, the Supreme Being and the gods in anthropomorphic terms. As it has been noted elsewhere, the human mind is unable to comprehend any godhead without the aid of anthropomorphism. But, many people such as Simon Magus have gotten themselves in serious trouble when calling God by another name. The early Church Father Hippolytus condemned Simon for referring to God as the Infinite Force.

The beginning of the Hebrew religion with its God Yahweh is said to have marked the end of the Goddess' Golden Age. Approximately this was between 1800 - 1500 BC when the prophet Abraham lived in Canaan.

The Christian Church, and especially the Roman Catholic Church, has fought hard to suppress or root out all Goddess worship. The Goddess along with all pagan deities were labeled as evil. But, little proof has been offered for this. One notable example is The Canon Episcopi.

Even though the Church attempted to completely abolish Goddess worship it never successfully did so. Remanents of it remained within the hearts of the people. An example of such devotion is seen within the actions of the people during the Church Council of Ephesus (432 AD). Until Christianized Ephesus had been a sacred city where the Divine Mother was worshiped by "all Asia and the world" (Acts 19:27). Also in this city of Ephesus, as elsewhere, she was called Mother of Animals. "Her most famous Ephesus image had a torso covered with breasts, showing her ability to nurture the whole world." During this council of bishops people rioted in the streets demanding the worshipping of the Goddess be restored. The prime candidate was Mary, the Virgin and Mother of Christ. The bishops conceded so far in allowing Mary to be called the Mother of God, but the forbade her to be called Mother Goddess or Goddess.

To the very present many, both Catholics and especially Protestants, wonder why Catholics have a great devotion toward the Virgin Mary. Few know the occurrences at Ephesus, and that this devotion is probably the long surviving remanent of their early ancestors' devotion to the Goddess. A.G.H.

Has Neo-Paganism Gone Back Into the Broom Closet?

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Written by Catherine Platine

Having been a practicing Pagan for most of a somewhat long life, I've noticed what appears to be a retreat lately from organized groups back to a solitary form of practice among modern Neo-Pagans. Thirty or so years ago we were blossoming as a religious movement, new groups forming on a daily basis and frequently cited as the fastest growing religious movement on the planet. What happened?

In many ways those very things that were our strengths at first seemed to have worked against us in the long run. We became a religious movement of mostly chiefs and few Indians. Our leaders didn't fail us, the idea that we all needed to be leaders did.

This isn't just a failing of Paganism. It seems to hold true with any marginalized group that has been forced into individualized closets. Thirty years ago while public awareness of Paganism was growing, we still had an era where many local police departments were still operating Occult Squads which were little more than modern extensions of the Burning Times.

The more timid did not openly wear symbols of their religion and did not openly belong to groups. Those who were bursting forth did so in independent open defiance of the status quo. All that was required to be a Pagan leader back then was a soapbox, a loud voice and a general willingness to be out and proud.

It was an exciting time to be Pagan but it also meant that there were a lot of turf wars over ideology and even legitimacy. These are remembered today as the Great Witch Wars and they did hurt us, but at the same time several of our best known Elders came out of this period.

Just as the Women's Movement, which came of age around the same time, the GLB movement and today the Transgender Movement, Neo-Paganism thrusts together highly individualistic and independently minded people under a common cause which at first is very exciting but then gets lost in the individual differences. We can do better than this; we must do better than this if we are to survive. It is possible for us to band together in celebrations that actually celebrate our unique qualities. It is necessary we gather in common to fight for our collective civil rights without turf wars. We need to learn that those whose practices are somewhat different from our own are still our sisters and brothers.

A strange thing happened our way towards revival...traditions that were originally spread by oral teachings, plays, storytelling, mentoring and other non-written forms became enslaved in the written word. This actually changes even the way you think and process what you learn from the emotional side to the logical one. An excellent (ironically enough) book on the subject is The Alphabet Vs. The Goddess by Leonard Shlain, which I highly recommend as vital reading for all Neo-Pagans.

An argument can easily be made that the very revival of Goddess awareness resulted from a shift away from the written word to the visual in the form of movies and television that allowed a return to a more ancient mode of informational processing and yet the paradox of the Neo-Pagan religious movement was a rush towards an ever growing number of Pagan authors as it grew!

Over the years I've witnessed pagans group together in mutually exclusive groups based on different Occult bookstores in an area, the bookstore owners becoming the de facto local Pagan warlords. The Pagan authors have replaced local deities with completely predictable results. Those Pagan centres won at the cost of often great expense and work have trouble getting community support and frequently find themselves at odds with local governments over issues such as basic recognition of religious status.

We Cybelines find ourselves in that position right now, our property denied tax-exempt status locally despite both Federal and State recognition as a legitimate religious group doing charitable work. While we won the right to Pagan clergy in the Armed Forces back in the seventies, recently a major battle was required simply to get the Veterans Administration to acknowledge the Pentacle as a valid religious symbol. We are meekly allowing ourselves to be shoved back into the broom closet once again.

One of the frequently voiced justifications for less than full recognition of our legal status goes like this: Where are the Pagan hospitals, orphanages, and shelters? Those who voice this then point to Christianity, as somehow more worthy for having them but forgetting the Christians didn't invent charitable works, they learned them from ancient Pagans. There exists a smallish but growing groups of Pagans who are restoring ancient forms of living together in religious communities complete with the charitable works. Pagan Pride events now routinely do food drives as part and parcel of organizing their events.

We can do this. We can support each other and still respect our individual beliefs and practices. We can live together in supportive communities. We can and must do charitable outreach as part and parcel of our very spiritual nature.

Without taking anything away from Pagans who personify Deities, I have also witnessed a growth of those whose spiritual awareness has moved towards recognition of the Divine in all around us. Most of those with this viewpoint embrace the ancient Mother Goddess traditions, especially what was known in classical times as the Mystery Religions. Many solo practitioners today also embrace this point of view.

If you understand that everyone you encounter is as much part of the Goddess as you are, you don't need carrot and stick theology to understand that treating others decently is simply another form of worshiping the Divine. You don't require leaders to spoon-feed you the requirements of loving deity to give you your birthright, a personal connection with the Divine that is within you. All you need is those who help you locate the Divine within you and connect with it.

After a lifetime of study and research and soul searching I found this was the Old Religion that in the early days of the Neo-Pagan revival everyone claimed descent from. I found it was almost universal in the ancient world going back as far as is possible to go in history.

I saw it first revived in modern times in the Women's Spirituality movement but much of that became sidetracked, in my own opinion, in understandable feminist reaction to living in a world controlled by the patriarchy. I've been saddened to see some groups retreat into matriarchal thinking that seeks to replace patriarchy with a macho form of matriarchy. It is not so much the actual gender of the individual that is the problem with patriarchy, it's the dismissal an entire way of living and thinking embodied in Goddess traditions that seek to live in harmony with nature understanding we are all intimately connected and the ideals of nurturing rather than dominating. Replacing one form of domination with another is a zero sum game.

It's time that all of us who embrace a Pagan identity ask ourselves exactly what do we hold as core values and do we actually live those values? If your personal answers are similar to my own, how can you celebrate your connection to the Divine without making connections with others part of that?

Why aren't you seeking out groups that share your core beliefs? If you cannot find such a group, why aren't you forming them?

Don't retreat to the broom closets, don't seek answers from others outside yourself, join in celebrations and living with those who share your worldview. Rather than seeking leaders or worse, trying to become one, why not pursue a life of service to others in recognition that they are part of yourself ?

The Wytch's Circle intake for 2009 now open

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Every year, the Temple of the Dark Moon runs an intensive 6 week training programme entitled "The Wytch's Circle".

The main objective of "The Wytch's Circle" is to go beyond 101 instruction, where the aim is to provide and set a solid foundation with respect to the practices of Wicca (modern day Wytchcraft), regardless of whether the student wishes to join a working group or remain a solitary practitioner. This foundationis provided through invaluable personal experience with respect to ritual workings and spellcasting.

The detailed and extensive notes provided within this course also inform the student of much "behind the scenes" information, thus providing detailed instruction as to the "what", "why" and "how" when it comes to magickal operations - both in relation to ritual workings as well as spellcrafting. This, coupled with personal experience, enables the student to confidently take what they require from the course in order to enhance their own personal practice in a manner what best resonates with them.

This course also teaches students how to open themselves up to the Wiccan Mysteries through personal experiences (not through the pages of a book) under the guidance of our experienced High Priestess.

Topics covered within this course include:

Wiccan ethics and philosophies.
The traditions which the Temple of the Dark Moon aligns itself and their relevance.
The Wiccan vision of Deity and Cosmology.
Creating a sacred space and working ritual through practical experience.
Elemental Realms, spell and ritual crafting, correspondences.
The Southern Wheel of the Year – the sacred festivals within Wicca as how they relate to the Southern Hemisphere.
And much more.

Within the practical element of this course, students gain first hand experience with:
Circle casting.

Energy raising and directing.
Creating a healing spell.
Working in ritual with others.
Understanding the power of chant and vibration.
Meditation, mind control and visualisation.
And much more.

The material provided within this course incorporates Alexandrian-based Wicca, traditional Witchcraft, and ceremonial magick - the three traditions central to the practice of the Temple of the Dark Moon.

At the conclusion of this course, students are invited to attend a series of "open circles" with the Temple's Inner Court in order for them to further develop their practical experience, and where vacancies may occur, the opportunity to possibly join us.

A registration form can be downloaded from - http://www.templedarkmoon.com/wcircle.htm

Start date is Thursday, 5 March 2009 - 7.30pm to 9.30pm for six weeks.

Only limited positions available.

Ethics, the Wiccan Rede & the law of the Threefold Return

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:15:00 +0000

Written by Lark, Paganism Australia member

Let me say unequivocally that ethics is not some arcane and boring subject that we study in school and promptly forget as soon as we walk out the door. Ethics is the way we honor the Divine in ourselves and in others. It is a way of behaving that is at the core of our beliefs and the basis for how we chose to live our lives. You can call it by many names; good manners, the Ten Commandments, The Golden Rule, the Wiccan Rede...all are essentially a way of describing the same thing. Without ethics, civilization as we know it would cease to exist. Without them, we would lose the connection to the Divine that we treasure.

Let us look at the Wiccan Rede. "An it harm none, do as ye will." It is a simple and elegant rule on the surface. But people tie themselves in all sorts of knots trying to live according to its precepts.

First, and most importantly, the Rede is generally misinterpreted, and from this misinterpretation all sorts of problems arise. Taking all of the archaic language out of the Rede, what it is really saying is that any action which does not cause harm to yourself or to others is OK to do. In most of the Wiccan community, however, this meaning has been stood on its head and stated as any action which MIGHT cause harm to another is not acceptable. These are very, very different rules of ethical behavior. And herein lies the problem; because the second interpretation is impossible to fulfill.

The common misinterpretation of the Rede says we must harm NONE...no exceptions, no excuses...no harm to the Earth, our fellow creatures, the people around us, or to ourselves. Is this possible? No, of course it is not. We are living beings who require the resources of our planet to survive and to maintain ourselves. Unless you have learned a way to live on air and sunshine, you must cause the death of other living beings in order to eat. We build our homes out of trees sacrificed to provide us shelter. If we get the job we wanted, it means that someone else did not. By the standard interpretation of the Rede, we should have neither food, nor fuel, no electricity, nor shelter, nor even modern medicines because each of these involves causing harm in some form or another.

By the standard interpretation of the Rede, harming someone in your own self-defense is a violation of the Rede. Yet you would also violate it by allowing harm to come to yourself or to another through your lack of action. No one who is a policeman or a soldier could be a Wiccan as well..at least according to the generally accepted interpretation of the Rede; yet both are necessary for our society to survive. Is this reasonable?

When we first come to the Wiccan path and we are taught the usual interpretation of the Rede, it sounds so simple and clear-cut. And then we start seeing the inconsistencies...and we start rationalizing to make the Rede fit situation it was never meant to fit. We may begin to say that the Rede only applies within a cast circle or in regards to magical workings. Or perhaps we come to look at the Rede as a quaint piece of doggerel which really is meaningless. And when we do that, we leave ourselves without an ethical framework on which to build our beliefs on right living.

So, let us go back to the first interpretation; that any action which does not cause harm is OK to do. That is simple, straightforward, and fairly easy to live by.

But what about actions that may cause harm? The Rede says nothing of these. It leaves us to make the judgement on our own as to whether we want to pursue a course of action or not. What this involves is considering each decision you make very carefully before you commit yourself to a course of action. You do this by looking at all the possible consequences of that action and whether that will cause harm to any, choosing the path that causes the least harm and (THIS IS THE KEY) accepting the responsibility for the consequences of your actions whether intentional or unintentional. That is what our religion is all about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. You can't stand before the Gods saying, "I didn't mean...", or "I didn't think...", or "the Devil made me do it"...it won't wash! Your answer MUST BE, "I chose to do this".And if you did it, it's all yours to deal with. OUCH! That can be pretty uncomfortable to face up to. We all like to shift the blame away from ourselves. But taking the difficult path is the way to spiritual growth.

And here is another hard pill to swallow. If you take a course of action which you felt initially (or which you managed to convince yourself) would not cause any harm...and harm does come of it, you are still responsible for the consequences. Part of that responsibility then becomes trying to make right the harm which you inadvertently caused. We all make mistakes, we are after all only human. But being willing to acknowledge our mistakes and repair the harm we caused brings us closer to becoming one with the Divine.

We are also taught early in our spiritual journey as Wiccans about the Three-Fold Law, that whatever we do for good or ill returns to us three-fold. . And again it becomes a concept rife with misunderstanding and misinterpretations. We behave because we are afraid of being smacked with the Karmic paddle. Being good little Witches because we fear punishment if we break the rules does not make ethical beings, just clever ones. There is no Karmic scorekeeper out there keeping a list of who's been naughty or nice. There is no Divine retribution, or something like the Christian Hell for violations on the Rede. What the Three-Fold Law is telling us is choices of action have consequences for which we alone are responsible. And if our choices are consistently negative or harmful towards others, then the energy which tends to return to us will also be negative and harmful. To live our lives full of anger, guilt, and negative thoughts can lead to both physical and mental illness right here in this lifetime. In effect, we become the tools of our own Karma. So, what kind of energy would you like to wake up and find on your doorstep one morning??

Ours is a religion of personal responsibility, not a religion if rules and strictures. This is both a liberating and an extremely difficult path to follow. The biggest obstacle to living rightly is ourselves. For man is not so much a rational being as a rationalizing being. We are often apt to confuse WANT with NEED. We mistake that which will bring us happiness. We pretend that a course of action will not bring any harm, when we truly know otherwise. And out of these wrong choices we cause great harm and evil in the world. In other faiths you might chuckle to think that you broke a rule and no one saw. You might feel that you had successfully gotten away with something, or you might have managed to make excuses, to put the blame on someone else. Wicca does not allow you that freedom. In Wicca, you and only you are responsible for your choices. And you, and only you will stand before the Gods to make answer for your deeds.

The Myth of the "BURNING TIMES"

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:29:00 +0000

Author : Lark, Paganism Australia member

One of the lasting popular myths in Wicca is that of the so-called "Burning Times" when allegedly 9 million women died for refusing to give up their Pagan beliefs and convert to Catholocism. We are given the story of women in their hundreds walking into the sea to drown rather than be burned. We are sometimes even told about the Pagan women who were burned at Salem, MA. Sadly this myth seems to be a hard one to make go away even when all the evidence clearly shows that it is incorrect.

In the first place no 9 million women died. There probably weren't even that many women in Europe during the time period in question. Nor did 9 million men, women and children die. Research has shown that the number is probably in the range of 40,000-60,000 during the period from 1200 CE to the Salem trials in the early 1600. Nor is there any credible evidence that any large groups of women walked into the sea to escape death at the hands of the Inquisition.

Secondly, the people who died were mostly Christian heretics. In fact if one reads through the records of the Inquisition in Spain one can find accounts where people who claimed to have been practicing Witchcraft were released as being deluded fools but not the heretics that the Church was looking for. By the time of the "Burning Times" most of Europe was well and thoroughly Christianized. And in Iceland which continued to have an active Pagan population the charge of being Pagan was not thought of as a burning offense.

Nor was it a war against the women. The idea that it was the Church warring on the women of Europe is a modern one which first appeared during the feminist writings in the 1970's and is not supported by fact. In Germany deaths were about equal as to sex, and in Iceland more men than women were killed.

Remember that the Witches that people hated and feared during the "Burning Times" are not Witches as we think of them today. Nor were they Pagans. People feared witchcraft because it was thought that those who practiced it could cause death and disease of people livestock and crops. For people who didn't have the scientific background we have today it was easy to blame witchraft for the unexplained. Think of the Black Death that killed nearly 1/3 of the population of Europe. If you didn't understand the idea of germs and disease transmission a frightened person would easily ascribe it to witchcraft. And if no way to stop the disease were known other than killing the witch before s/he killed you and your village think how easy it would be to do what you had to do in your fear to survive.

Some other facts to consider. No one was burned at Salem, MA. All but one were hanged and the last was crushed under rocks. In England those convicted were hanged. Certainly there were burnings in Scotland, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. But again these were far fewer than the myth would have us believe and were not Pagans dying for their faith.

The problem with the continuing myth of the "Burning Times" is that it locks us into an Us vs Them mentality which does little except encourage hate and fear that has as little actual basis in fact as did the fear of witchcraft in those times. We are creating a climate of fear based on the same sort of witchhunt that started the whole process of killing people back then. Only this time it is WE who are the witch hunters and our non-Pagan neighbors who are the witches.

Here are some recommended websites and books on the topic of the "Burning Times" that you will find, I believe, completely debunk the whole idea of the "Burning Times" as it is put forth in some Pagan books who seek to create a myth that binds us together as the perescuted outsiders. I encourage you to do some serious reading and thinking and ask yourself whether you want to retain a myth in our religion that does nothing except encourage the hate of others. Last time I checked that was not what Wicca is all about.

Books:

"Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton

"Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles" by Ronald Hutton

"Counting the Witch Hunt" by Ronald Hutton

" Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath" by Carlo Ginzburg

" Witchcraft and Magic in Europe: The Period of the Witch Trials" (Witchcraft and Magic in Europe) by Bengt Ankarloo and Stuart Clark

"The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Enquiry into the Salem Witch Trials" by Marion L. Starkey

"The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of New England Under Siege" by Marilynne K. Roach

Websites:

"Recent Developments in the Study of the Great European Witch Hunt" - by Jenny Gibbons - http://www.tangledmoon.org/witchhunt.htm

"Women and Witchcraft" - http://wicca.timerift.net/women_essay.shtml

"Estimates of the Number That Died" http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/remembrance/current.htm

"The Impact of New Evidence" http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/remembrance/impactof.htm#The%...

Those should get you started on the latest in historical/archeological research into the subject of the Witch Trials.

No Virginia - There is no santa !

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:38:00 +0000

The Westender, Brisbane

29th December 2008

Raelians launch world-wide campaign to destroy the Santa Myth

The International Raelian Movement plans to launch an anti-Santa Claus campaign with a dedicated Web site and the distribution of stickers announcing "There is no Santa!"

Father Dino Bottino, parish priest of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Novara, Italy, met with a storm of criticism earlier this month for telling children the truth about Father Christmas [another imaginary seasonal figure celebrated by many cultures who, despite different historical roots, has somewhat merged with Santa Claus.

Rael, founder and leader of the International Raelian Movement, expressed support for the clergyman's disclosure and announced that Raelians will work to counter the myth of Santa Claus.

"This Italian priest is absolutely right," Rael commented in a statement released today. "Teaching children inventions like Father Christmas or Santa Claus only serves to mislead them. It's giving them a bad education by showing that their own parents, who should be reliable and honest, are liars."

Bottino told the press he considered it his duty to reveal that Father Christmas is nothing more than a fairy-tale figure comparable to Snow White, and that such fantasy figures have nothing to do with Jesus or the traditional Christian meaning of Christmas. But Rael went further, saying that merry end-of-the-year celebrations existed thousands of years before Christianity even existed, and that their zest and vitality has been lost.

"People forget that the original celebrations at this time of year weren't even Christian," he said. "Ancient Romans knew them as Saturnalia, wonderful pagan events at which people partied and had fun by dancing in the nude and really letting loose. So the early Catholic Church did all it could to make people feel guilty about enjoying themselves that way. It pre-empted the Saturnalia celebrations by Christianizing them."

"In a sense, exchanging gifts for Christmas is like returning to the pagan origins of the winter solstice celebrations, and this is encouraged by Rael," added Brigitte Boisselier, spokesperson of the Raelian Movement. "However, to disguise it under another fairytale like the one about Santa Claus is a way to prepare children's brains to accept all the other fairytales that surround us like the god fairytale and the evolution fairytale. Surely our children deserve more trust and respect."

She said Raelians around the world exchanged "Merry Saturnalia" wishes on Christmas day.

In today's statement, Rael said it's time to reject the Christian version of the holiday along with Santa Claus. He reminded the Raelians celebrating with him that these celebrations have nothing to do with Jesus, who wasn't even born on the day the church says he was.

"People should do all they can to bring these annual festivities back to their origins by adopting the pre-Christian, fun-loving mindset and most importantly, removing all mysticism, whether it's related to the birth of a god in a barn or to the mysterious Santa Claus or Father Christmas," he said.

Freedom of Religion & Belief for Pagan in Australia - Help Make a difference !!

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:34:00 +0000

As many may know the Government issued a Discussion Paper last year calling for submissions on the subject of Freedom of Religion and Belief.

The Australian Human Rights commission is currently calling for submissions for the above project. They are wanting to hear from as many different religions and beliefs as possible.

This project is designed to work with faith communities and other civil society organizations to record their concerns and proposed solutions to build a more socially cohesive and harmonious society that protects and promotes Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

This is an extremely important step for pagans to make to ensure that our voices, beliefs and rights are protected in the coming century and for future generations.

Currently there are many who are not aware or simply do not have the time to donate a full submission so we are looking to the next best step this petition.

We will gather as many signatures as possible and submit the petition by the deadline on the 31st of January.

Help our community by signing this petition to raise awareness for the freedom of pagan rights.

Of general interest to us are matters concerning:

Freedom to follow and practice your religion ,

Instances of intolerance or discrimination because of religion.

How well governments have dealt with issues concerning freedom of religion and discrimination because of religion any other matters of concern to you with regards to freedom of religion in Australia.

We have a voice let it be heard !!!

If you would like to also lodge you own submission you may go to and have your say.

Click here to sign the petition

Click here to also lodge you own submission

Blessing to all who help !!!

This is our future and the future of our children !!

Welcome Paganism Australia members & Public

noreply@blogger.com (About Paganism Australia) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Welcome to the first post in the Paganism Australia Blog.

Here we will adding our own , announcements, Australian & World news, Workshops taking place within Australia, Articles, and even YOUR art, stories and poetry will be featured for all to see, There will also be other egroups, organizations and pagan based stores based Australia & Worldwide.

We will be also adding announcements and site news here.

If you have any ideas for things you would like to see showcased within this part of the site please send me along a quick message and let me know as I would like to make this site a place that has a little something the interests the whole pagan community.

Hear The Voice Paganism Australia

An Introduction to Shapeshifting in Magic

The Basics Of Grouding

Lughnasagh Poem

Lughnasagh Poem

The druids Dreaming - More Information

Druids Dreaming Promotion

Beautiful Pagan Poetry - By Frances

Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna ...

Has Neo-Paganism Gone Back Into the Broom Closet?

The Wytch's Circle intake for 2009 now open

Ethics, the Wiccan Rede & the law of the Threefold Return

The Myth of the "BURNING TIMES"

No Virginia - There is no santa !

Freedom of Religion & Belief for Pagan in Australia - Help Make a difference !!

Welcome Paganism Australia members & Public

Welcome to the first post in the Paganism Australia Blog.

Here we will adding our own , announcements, Australian & World news, Workshops taking place within Australia, Articles, and even YOUR art, stories and poetry will be featured for all to see, There will also be other egroups, organizations and pagan based stores based Australia & Worldwide.

We will be also adding announcements and site news here.

If you have any ideas for things you would like to see showcased within this part of the site please send me along a quick message and let me know as I would like to make this site a place that has a little something the interests the whole pagan community.

Love, Light & Blessings

Witchcraft Australia