How to Become a Witch, page 10
Gods: Amon, Anubis, Apollo, Ares, Aten, Baldur, Bel, Cernunnos, Coyote, Dagda, Dionysius, Enki, Faunus, Frey, Ganesh, Ganymede, Geb, Heimdall, Helios, Hephaestus, Hermes, Herne, Jupiter, Lugh, Manannan, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Odin, Osiris, Pan, Poseidon, Ptah, Ra, Saturn, Shiva, Silenus, Sin, Tammuz, Thor, Thoth, Vulcan, Wayland, Zeus, etc.
Herbs and Flowers: Aloe Vera, Alraun, Briony, Chamomile, Comfrey, Dahlia, Day’s-Eye, Foxglove, Hagtaper, Mandrake, Marigold, Mullein, Mugwort, Nightshade, Orchid, Periwinkle, Rose, Satyrion, Soloman’s Seal, Vervain, Violet, Wood Betony, etc.
Mythological Beasts: Cameleopard, Dragon, Gryphon, Hippogriff, Hydra, Pegasus, Phoenix, Roc, Sea Serpent, Sirrush, Unicorn, Water Horse, etc.
Nature in General: Autumn, Canyon, Equinox, Fall, Feather, Field, Forest, Hill, Isle, Grove, Marsh, Path, Shell, Solstice, Spring, Summer, Tor, Trail, Valley, Winter, Woods, etc.
Spirit Beings: Angel, Archangel, Brownie, Elf, Faery, Faun, Gnome, Mermaid, Merman, Nereid, Nixie, Oceanid, Oread, Pixie, Salamander, Sprite, Sylph, Undine, etc.
Stones: Agate, Amazonite, Amber, Amethyst, Azurite, Beryl, Carnelian, Citrine, Diamond, Emerald, Jasper, Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Obsidian, Onyx, Opal, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Sardonyx, Turquoise, Zircon, etc.
Trees: Alder, Almond, Apple, Ash, Aspen, Chestnut, Cypress, Dogwood, Ebony, Elder, Elm, Fir, Hawthorn, Hickory, Holly, Juniper, Oak, Olive, Orange, Pine, Plum, Redwood, Rosewood, Rowan, Sassafras, Sequoia, Spruce, Thorn, Willow, Yew, etc.
Tree Parts: Acorn, Bark, Bough, Branch, Crown, Leaf, Root, Twig, Wood, etc.
Vocations: Clown, Farmer, Fool, Healer, Hunter, Jester, Forester, Ranger, Seer, Smith, Teacher, Warrior, etc.
Weather: Breeze, Calm, Cloud, Dew, Lightning, Mist, Rain, Rainbow, Sirocco, Snow, Storm, Thunder, Typhoon, Weather, Wind, Woods, etc.
Witch Words: Amulet, Athame, Bolline, Chant, Caim, Chalice, Charm, Crone, Cup, Deosil, Incantation, Pentacle, Rede, Sage, Scry, Shadowbook, Sigil, Sign, Song, Spell, Sword, Talisman, Torc, Wand, Will, etc.
Other Ideas: North, East, South, West, Circle, Agrippa, Alchemy, Paracelsus, Athanor, Elixir, Shadow, Glow, Rune, Serenity, Radiance, Stillness, Silence, Courage, Dawn, Day, Morning, Noon, Dusk, Sunset, Twilight, Evening, Night, Midnight, names from other languages, etc.
Now you can round out your toolbox with a few of the lesser-known items that most Witches own. You may already own some kind of divination tool: tarot cards, a pendulum, a scrying bowl (a dark-colored bowl that you fill with water and look in for images), stones or bones to cast, or rune stones (more in chapter 10). Many Witches have a staff (part walking stick and part overgrown wand), a bolline (a white-handled knife used to cut material objects, like carving runes in candles, and cutting herbs), and of course a drum or six for raising power or just getting down in a drum circle. Flutes and other musical instruments are always welcome in ritual, and incense is another tool representing air.
Then there are the tools of your specialty. If you are an herbalist, you will have gardening tools, your mortar and pestle, the pot in which you make your teas and infusions, perhaps equipment for making herbal soaps. If you are a tarot reader, you may have several decks, a cloth on which you do the spreads, and a notebook of past readings. If you are shamanically inclined, you will have a journey drum or rattles and bundles of sage or other herbs for cleansing. Don’t worry about collecting these all at once; they will come to you gradually as you find your calling within the Craft (see chapter 12).
You will probably be doing most of your magickal work at home, so make your home a magickal place. If possible, your home should feel sacred when you walk in, and be a canvas on which you can paint your magickal life. If that’s not possible because you share the space with muggles, or for any other reason, at least set aside a temple space of your own. You may be lucky enough to have a whole room you can devote to this; most people can’t. One Witch made her “temple” in the bottom drawer of the bureau in her bedroom. She had everything set up in there, and when she wanted to do ritual, she pulled out the drawer, lit the candles, and was good to go.
The making of a besom
Doreen Valiente, in her book An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present (Phoenix, 1973), tells us that the traditional “besom,” or broom, was made of sacred woods such as oak (strength), ash (magick), birch (purification), or hazel (wisdom). Of course, often the broom plant was also used for the brush part, or “sprays.” Witches might also favor a “bune wand” (Scots for a forked stick) or a plain staff, or, on the Isle of Man, even a ragwort stalk.
Bell, book, and candle
One of the early movies about Witches was Bell, Book, and Candle, starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Jack Lemmon. Though the movie’s view of Witches was complete fantasy, the title is evocative of actual ritual practices. Sometimes Witches and ceremonial magicians use a bell to “alert the quarters,” or inform the elemental spirits that they will soon be called to the circle. The book is a Book of Shadows, the personal or coven journal that is part of Craft tradition. And of course, candles are always the preferred lighting for magickal work, unless we can manage a bonfire.
You will probably find yourself collecting at least a few Witch tchotchkes—witchy things that you just want to have around: a nifty cast-iron cauldron with a pentagram on the side; a picture of the animal spirit you work with; a miniature disco ball to represent Deity in all its myriad manifestations; a Green Man mask to hang on the wall of your home office to remind you of the beauty and power of nature even when you are sitting at your computer; a collection of interesting chalices; a statue of Pan as the centerpiece of your backyard herb garden, etc. That’s not even counting the books you will collect. We don’t know any Witches who are not readers, and voracious ones at that. Most have five or more witchy books on their nightstand or next to their favorite easy chair.
You may get into color theory or feng shui, the Chinese art of placement for harmonious living. You may decide to make your temple room a miniature replica of the inside of the Parthenon, or paint a goddess on the wall of your garden. At some point, your home and your Witch identity will meet, and, since all things are connected, you will find your Witch life seeping into your ordinary life; it’s all good.
You will also find yourself collecting clothing and jewelry—particularly ritual robes and Witch jewelry. Over the course of the years that we have been together, our taste in jewelry has boiled down to one statement: if it has no spiritual or witchy significance, we don’t wear it. Every stone necklace and pendant has a special meaning or energy. Our earrings range from Isis earrings to dolphins (Amber’s “younger self” animal) to carnelian drops that give Azrael strength to face new challenges. What significance does your jewelry have?
While it’s hardly necessary to have a new robe for each ritual, a basic collection is not a bad thing either. We suggest one basic green, black, or white robe for general use, plus a few for the various sabbats: perhaps a brown one for the harvest sabbats, a light pastel one for the spring sabbats, and a red one for Candlemas. Others will find their way into your closet over time—we’ve just added a honey-gold one for a honeybee ritual we did. You may also want to have special clothing for Pagan festivals. Show up at the festival, see what other people are wearing, and stroll down merchants’ row until you find something that you like.
Horse brasses
It was customary in earlier times for protective talismans of brass—one or many—to be fastened on the harness of horses. These horse brasses or smaller “pony brasses” were originally shaped like suns, moons, or other symbols of good fortune, but in time many designs were crafted to commemorate interesting places or people in history, as well. Some show horses, especially the draft breeds, still wear the brasses as part of their show regalia, and many people collect them.
While we will admit we like witchy things, we hope you realize that the trappings don’t make the Witch. The tools and tchotchkes speak to younger self/inner child, but it is the mind, heart, and spirit that make the Witch. Knowledge, imagination, will, silence, faith, and love together make magick happen, and your quest for these is what will make you a true Witch.
Witch jewels for ritual
During ritual, a high priestess may wear a necklace of alternating amber and jet, symbolizing the cycle of rebirth. She may also wear a crescent crown with the waxing, full, and waning moon on it.
A male Witch may wear a torc, a necklet formed of twisted strands of metal; there is a break, with decorative finials or animal heads at each end. This break signifies the death and rebirth of solar and harvest gods. A high priest may wear an antler crown or headpiece.
In some covens, each member has a silver bracelet or ring, perhaps engraved with a pentagram or the coven sigil.
Look, don’t touch
Most Witches are very careful of their ritual tools, and some have crafted or purchased beautiful and elaborate ones. Other Witches prefer a stoneware cup and a windfallen wand from the woods. But all ritual tools have one thing in common: they must not be touched by those who don’t own them without permission from the owner. We spend a lot of time investing our tools with our personal energy. Handling by another person changes the energy balance and “feel” of the tool, so it has to be ritually cleansed before it can be used again. So—look, admire, and ask if you may touch.
[1] Traditional; source unknown. Our thanks to the author—we have used this for many years, with gratitude.
Chapter 5
I Am a Witch at Every Hour
Witchcraft as a Way of Life
In darkest night, in forest deep,
Touching magick, wielding power,
In broad daylight, awake, asleep,
I am a Witch at every hour.
Witchcraft is not really about wearing robes and doing rituals; it’s all about how one lives. After all, any spiritual path that has no effect on one’s life outside a church wouldn’t be worth much. In magick, there is a saying from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus: “As above, so below; as below, so above.” This means that everything is connected and what we do influences everything around us, just as we are influenced by everything around us. This is true in our way of life—how we live influences how we are able to live. If we pollute, then eventually we will not be able to breathe or drink clean water. What goes around comes around. Since the earth is sacred, Witches do our best to treat her well.
However, there is no single Wiccan “way of life”—thank the Goddess! There’s no approved food list, no uniform, and no sign-on-the-dotted-line dogma. Witches are individualistic, independent minded, and often downright contrary, so this chapter will be sprinkled with a lot of “mostlys” and “sometimeses,” because Witches are worse than cats when it comes to getting sorted, organized, and lined up in neat rows. We’ll give you a picture of some ways that many Witches live—just remember, Witches love being the exception to any rule.
Those fictional witches
“Witches” are perennial characters in books, films, and television shows. Nasty witches abound, but we have seen some friendlier ones too. Remember Glinda of Oz, in the fluffy pink prom dress? Or Wendy the Good Little Witch, who wore red sleepers and hung out with Casper the Friendly Ghost? Samantha the nose-wiggler in Bewitched? Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman camping it up in Practical Magic? Almost all fictional witches have two things in common, though: (1) Their magick is unlikely and miraculous, and (2) They are powerful women. At least we can be thankful for the last part.
It Can Be Easy Being Green
It’s true, most Witches are green—not their skins, their lifestyles. Pagans were the original treehuggers and dirt-worshipers, going back thousands of years. There’s a chant we love that sums it up beautifully (we don’t know the origin, but we give thanks to whoever is the source):
May I walk in the Beauty Way,
Dance upon the sacred path,
Always in step
With the rhythms of Mother Earth.
Witches try to live gently on the sacred earth, but precisely how is, again, up to the individual. Some, like the Reclaiming Tradition, see environmental activism as a spiritual calling. Others simply try to live as green as they can, doing all the little things that add up: recycling, using earth-friendly cleaning and paper products like Ecover and Seventh Generation, cutting down (or eliminating) meat from their diets, driving hybrid cars, and more. Not all Witches are perfectly green, but most of us are aware of our impact on the planet and try to reduce it as much as we can. As one chant says, “The earth is our mother, we must take care of her; the earth is our mother, she will take care of us.” It’s a two-way street.
Witches Eat Food
What do Witches eat? Everything. Well, not plush animals or garden hoses, but most kinds of food. Witches can be fruitarians, vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, or carnivores. We range from “I will eat only what organic berry bushes choose to drop into my lap” all the way to “Give meat to Krag, raw meat good.” Wiccans are all over the continuum.
Diet and nutrition are personal choices, but Witches make those choices consciously and have to find a way to square them with the Wiccan Rede: “An ye harm none, do as ye will.” (More on the Rede in chapter 7.)
More and more of the Craft are facing up to agricultural and food issues that affect the planet. Some Witches have always favored a diet that’s healthy, organic, sustainable, and local. Now many more are thinking hard about food and making healthier, sustainable choices.
It’s not always possible to have a perfect diet, but it’s always possible to improve it. Within an omnivore diet, for example, there are choices you can make:
Free-range chickens and eggs
Grass-fed beef or bison instead of corn-fed
Less red meat, more fish and poultry
Fewer processed foods and carbohydrates
Less salt, sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup
More food grown or raised locally
Plants without dangerous pesticides and fertilizers,
animals without artificial growth hormones
Vegetarians, vegans, and fruitarians can buy produce that is organic and locally grown; it’s even better if you can grow some of your own. A good reference for anyone who wants to eat more intelligently is The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan (Penguin, 2006) or Pollan’s In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto (Penguin, 2008). A good guide for becoming a vegan gradually is Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (Rodale Books, 2009).
Before meals, you may want to give thanks. For example:
Thank you, O Lady of the Fields, Lord of the Forests,
For the Earth’s bountiful harvest and this meal before us;
Thank you, spirits of those living things which now nourish us,
To our health and strength, in the service of the gods. Blessed be!
Or this version, which children will enjoy:
Give thanks to Mother Gaia,
Give thanks to Father Sun,
Give thanks for the fruits of the garden where
The mother and the father are one. Blessed be!
Housing
No Gingerbread
Where do Witches live? Anywhere—except gingerbread cottages. Many Witches dream of land in the country, living close to nature, planting an organic garden, and perhaps living in a communal setting. For most, this is not the reality. Witches live in cities, in suburbs, and in rural areas. It’s not about where we live, it’s about how we relate to the environments we do live in.
A wise man once said, “If you want to save the planet, stay put.” He wasn’t talking about cutting back business and vacation travel so much as choosing a long-term home, then learning to know and love that place, and living in harmony with the environment there. People who frequently change residence sometimes have no particular relationship with the natural world; their apartments, offices, commuting routes, and social connections become their world.
Sometimes life makes us go somewhere else to live. But even if you have to move often, you can still create a relationship with the environment you’re in while you are there. Be there. Be conscious. Sit, walk, “dance the land.” Notice where the sun rises and sets, and the moon. Pay attention to the seasons. Notice the plants, animals, and birds who share your neighborhood. Take photos often. Get to know the natural cycles. It’s about consciously being in your environment instead of sleepwalking through it.
If you have the chance to build your own home, do it thoughtfully and in harmony with the land. Build with local materials, whether that’s cordwood, adobe, or stone. Consider rainwater harvesting, especially in arid climates. Control erosion and conserve the soil.
If you move into an existing home, consider what kind of retrofitting makes sense. Add a sunroom or greenhouse for passive solar energy? Insulate everything better? Install photovoltaic panels? Look into your local utility’s green energy program; it may cost a bit more to get alternative energy (wind, hydroelectric, solar), but it lets the utility know we want our energy to come from green sources. Do an energy audit to learn how you can reduce your energy consumption, and use Energy Star appliances.
When your home is created or re-created as you wish it, then extend your senses. What watershed are you in? What geological formations surround you? What affects air quality? What is the wildlife like? How has it changed in recent times? What is the historical climate pattern, and how is it changing?
Become an advocate for the ecosystem where you live. Find out what the environmental issues are and who’s involved. Are there chapters of the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, the local “Friends of Whatever River”? Join with others who care about the earth. The organizations listed in appendix C serve environmental causes and are national or international in scope. Each organization has contact information and the Charity Navigator rating, which rates organizational efficiency and financial health.
