HOW TO PRACTICE WICCA WITCHCRAFT FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT http://austinpagan.com and http://wyrddin.com WHAT IS WICCA?

Wondering about Wicca? What is Wicca? What it means? You are not the only one who is curious to know exactly what the Wicca religion is all about. There are a lot of other individuals who have heard many tales about Wiccan traditions and beliefs, but now it's time to sort out fact from fiction. The question about what is Wicca cannot be easily answered but it is definitely not witchcraft. However there are many who naturally associate these two belief systems. Those who do practice Wicca may have some traditions that are based on the same traditions once used in witchcraft but this does not mean that Wiccans are witches. What is Wicca? This question has many answers, and most of them may surprise you. Actually Wicca is a spiritual and self empowering way to live life. Those who follow the Wiccan traditions and beliefs strive to live in harmony with the universe. One of the key beliefs is that your good deeds will be returned to you three times over, and the bad deeds are also repaid in the same manner. This is very similar to what a person is taught in many other religions. For Wiccans there is wonder in even the minute aspects of everyday life. The trees, sun, moon, sky and lakes all are connected to a person's spirit and each person's spirit is connected to all of nature as well as to every other living being. The Wicca religion, beliefs and traditions were established many centuries before Christianity came to exist. Wiccans practiced their beliefs in Europe, particularly in Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Although much of the history of the Wiccan community has been eradicated modern day Wicca followers have attempted to piece together as much of the past as they could. This has helped form the system that now governs the practice of Wicca in the modern world. Although Wicca is often thought of as a religion, followers point out that there is no singular person who is in charge. Most people who embrace Wicca practice their beliefs as they interpret them, and gatherings of like minded individuals are not scheduled on a regular basis. There can be some groups of Wiccans that are formed and these are generally called groves or covens. Most of these groups have different ideas, different styles of practice and different beliefs. More than 35 years ago there was a meeting held and 73 Wiccans attended. This group of

individuals established a guide that contained the basic beliefs of the Wicca philosophy. Today these 13 guiding principles are often used by practicing Wiccans across the US as a way of defining what is Wicca. They called themselves the American Council of Witches. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Council_of_Witches Among the basic tenets of Wicca are the beliefs that one should be a good steward of the environment; a fundamental realization of the power of all nature and the rejection that pure evil exists in the world. Other Wicca beliefs promote tolerance, love and a respect for knowledge. Much of the Wiccan tradition and practices actually have close ties to beliefs that are held dear by almost all other religions across the world

FIVE POINTS OF WICCAN BELIEF

Wicca is a very peaceful, harmonious and balanced way of thinking and life which promotes oneness with the divine and all which exists. Witchcraft is a spiritual system that fosters the free thought and will of the individual, encourages learning and an understanding of the earth and nature thereby affirming the divinity in all living things. Something we live by daily are: 1. The Wiccan Rede - harm none 2. The Law of Return - (aka the karmic law) what you do affects what happens to you. 3. The Ethic of Self-Responsibility - We make our own destiny, and set up most of our own "trials and tribulations". With this ethic you are accepting the karma or "stuff" you give yourself, good or bad. 4. The Ethic of Constant Improvement - change positively, grow 5. The Ethic of Attunement - Attunement, the act of becoming in-tune with divinity is the purpose behind the majority of ritual. In Wicca, we believe in three groupings of divinity: The Self is divine. The Gods/other powers are divine. The Universe itself is divine. We started a site that has incorporated our beliefs. Whether its aromatherapy, stones, crystals, tarot, sterling silver jewelry or helping hand of a spell we have it. Performing rituals properly aligns the power of the universe to your aim and brings about the changes you seek. But it is not instant, and performing magic does not substitute for helping yourself in more mundane ways. You have to want what you're casting the spell for and you have to act on that desire. It helps if you listen to your intuition as well. When purchasing a spell we will also mail you a blessed stone that has been charged for you and an affirmation. Stones possess energies that will enhance your life in many avenues. Use them in meditation, spell casting, or just carry them with you. Bring money, prosperity, luck, love, protection or healing into your life. AROMATHERAPY is a method by which the use of certain essential oils are either

combined or used alone to promote healing & well being by applying the oils directly to our body or by inhalation. The power of aroma is something that cannot be denied, but a lot of the time it is something that many of us seem to not take notice of. Certain smells have the ability to promote healing of our body, mind and spirit and also to help improve the general well being of our mental outlook on life A GUIDE TO WICCAN BELIEFS Wicca is a neopagan nature based religion which has developed into several divisions, for example Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Eclectic Wicca. Wicca and witchcraft are often used synonymously without knowledge or understanding of wiccan beliefs. Wicca is the name that was adopted by nature based witches to distance their religion from the popular, much feared and persecuted view of witches in general. Wicca or Wica actually means wise. There is usually the practice of witchcraft within the religion, but not necessarily so as it is for the individual to decide whether this particular aspect of the religion is right for them. Witchcraft is not only practiced by Wiccans but by many other groups of people with various beliefs. It is successfully reconciled by people within the christian faith for example. Other witches, such as Traditional and Hedge witches have their own codus (belief and views) as to how they practice their version of witchcraft. Wiccan beliefs concentrate on the fundamental energies of nature on earth and in the heavens above. Their belief is a highly spiritual one and they choose to practice good white magick for the benefit and the betterment of all involved. Worshipping the divinities is at the core of their religion, the god and goddess, all they be and all they survey. The god of wiccan beliefs is the horned god, who embodies the male part of this duothiestic religion and the triple goddess being the three stages of female life; maiden; mother and crone. The horned god is not a satanic god or associated with evil or satan in any form. It is a very ancient benign and powerful symbolic Godhead predating christianity from which satan was borne. Wiccan beliefs state that the universe is in a neutral state of energy. There are neither good nor bad supernatural forces in nature but how these energies are channelled determines whether white or black magick is the end product. Wiccan beliefs recommend adherence to the Wiccan Rede, which are rules and a code of behaviour containing the tenet "do no harm and no harm will come to you." These rules are reinforced by the Threefold Lawalso known as the Law of Return, which advises its members "whatever you shall send out will come back to you threefold" and encourages good conduct and witchcraft practice. Wiccans are always very generous in their good deeds and extremely cautious of any

wrong doing. Wiccan beliefs do not allow the sacrifice of any living beings or the practice of black magic as this specifically contravenes their rede and law of three. Wiccan beliefs encompass healing techniques and bringing help and assistance through the use of good magick spells to those in need. An experienced practicing witch will be very well focused on her craft and have a high level of self discipline, strong beliefs and knowledge. Ritual worship is observed on special ceremonial days. Religious and moral freedom is one aspect of this religion which enables them to be very open to others of different faiths. WITCHCRAFT FOR BEGINNERS Do you like magic? For sure, you must be fascinated in magic and witchcraft. No wonder Harry Potter is known everywhere. If you are captivated by this eccentric type of entertainment, then you are more likely interested to learn witchcraft for beginners too. Some religious people are judgmental to witches without knowing that most of the practicing witches and those that are learning witchcraft for beginners are actually good people and have no bad intentions for doing so. But before starting to learn about witchcraft, it is very important that you have the inner strengths that you can use to your advantage throughout the learning process. Meditation can be of great help for you to be in touch with your inner self. Remember that if you decide to practice witchcraft, you need to dedicate yourself to the craft and everything about it. It requires a serious commitment to enjoy fully the benefits of witchcraft. To start your journey on becoming a witch, read books and online resources on witchcraft for beginners and just about anything about witches and witchcraft to give you the basic information that you should know about this practice. The usual practices that you can learn as beginners are casting magic spells, chanting mantras, astrology, healing and meditation. In spell casting, you can use a spell that was written by someone else but a spell that you personally created is more effective than those written by others. Writing a spell is not as hard as you think even if you are just a beginner. You just need to have a good intention and belief that your spell will really work and it won't harm anyone including yourself. And as part of learning witchcraft for beginners and spell-casting, you have to learn more about candle colors, oils, crystals, herbs, and incenses. You can use all the information you know about these things in making different spells. It is also recommended for beginners in witchcraft to have your own book of shadows, or a record or diary of your favorite spells and rituals and all other information you learned about witchcraft. You can add and change the information you put into it as frequently as needed. Another thing that you should learn about witchcraft is the eight holidays that Wiccans or

witches celebrate, which are called sabbats. Witches celebrate death and rebirth in each sabbat by performing full moon rituals to mark the life and death of the God and honor the Goddess. Witchcraft for beginners may seem to be difficult to master but you can start by learning the simple forms of meditation and just practicing them more often to help you master it. It would be helpful as well if you pay attention to the seasons, the animals, the plants, and everything that surrounds you. Even matching up your menstrual cycle with the different phases of the moon will benefit you in practicing this craft. Learning about any form of divination like tarot, palmistry, astrology, or numerology is also useful and studying these forms of ancient arts will help you learn more about yourself and in practicing witchcraft well. Just always keep in mind to use witchcraft for good and not to harm others. HOW TO LEARN WITCHCRAFT Since witchcraft is considered a religion of nature, the first step on how to learn witchcraft is to learn the religion itself. This will help you understand the basic dogma and beliefs of this religious practice. What comes next is to examine the magic of witchcraft. When exploring the magic, you need to understand fully the key principles of casting circles, invoking God and goddesses, raising the energies, and finally closing the circle. Everyone can actually become a traditional witch for as long as you have an interest in finding a nature-based spirituality, studying magic and magical techniques, and practicing magical skills to achieve mastery. To increase your focus and concentration, you have to perform some visualization and meditation exercises. Other important things that you should know on how to learn witchcraft include learning to gain strength from the sun, moon, stars, and the earth and to be calm and quiet when hearing the voice of God/goddesses. You can start your basic spell with you own moon ritual. You do not really have to follow the rituals you read on the books word for word. You can join a coven or practice on your own home. But some experts suggest to take a year of study first before joining a coven so you would have a chance to observe a full cycle of sabbats. In practicing witchcraft, you should not forget that the ethical aspect of this practice is not to harm others. In joining a coven, there is usually an initiation. It is a way of acknowledging you as part of the group. It only means that you have the intention to follow the chosen path, and usually, the rituals involved in this are secret. If you want to know more on how to learn witchcraft, you should also learn about the book of shadows. It can be any book or notebook where you keep all the information you learned about witchcraft. It is where you put the answers to all the questions on the practice of witchcraft, herbal information, magic spells and even the history of witchcraft. It has been said that the Book of Shadows has more power when written by hand. But

nowadays, some Wiccans or witches have a so-called "Disc of Shadows." Another tip on how to learn witchcraft is to read all the available resources you can have to know more about the practice. When it comes to rituals, you have to design on your own to make it more meaningful for you. In a dedication ritual, you have to dedicate yourself to the craft and decide to live in closer harmony with the earth and nature. In this ritual, you make a commitment not just to yourself, but to the Divine as well. Moreover, before working with magic and spells, be sure to understand first what are they, where they come from and what are the ethics involved. You can also gain more help and guidance about witchcraft from seasoned witches. You can actually get more information on many available web resources about the practice of witchcraft. MAGIC, WITCHCRAFT, WICCA Magic is the practice of influencing energy to achieve a goal or to make dreams come true. It can improve your life and help you to overcome obstacles in your life path. Tapping into universal energy to bring about changes that one desires. Everyone has the ability within them but to work powerful magic, you need to be in tune with the laws of nature and firmly believe that you will achieve your desired end. Wicca comes from an old English word which simply means - wise. Practicing Wicca or witchcraft (known as the old religion and has its roots in paganism) is termed the craft of the wise. The old religion was a way of life based on a love of and respect for nature plants, animals, stars, moon and planets were thought to have a magical consciousness. People structured their lives around the cycles of the seasons and monthly phases of the moon, worshiped various forms of the Goddess, the great mother of the earth and universe. Really witchcraft was primarily a healing tradition thousands of years ago. In the past people who were herbalists, midwives, counselors, protectors, healers and guides for their community were highly respected and sought out to help people. This pre-dated Christianity, but when Christianity began the church actively discouraged such practices and witch hunts began from 1542 - 1684. Witchcraft laws were revoked in 1951, it was then that a modern branch of witchcraft emerged, known as Wicca, drawing on old pagan sources. Dr Gerald Gardiner was the key person in this movement, which became known as the Gardinerian tradition. Other forms of Wicca soon started to emerge branching off from Gardner, one being Alex Sanders who founded Alexandrian witchcraft. There are many forms of witchcraft but most witches today practice eclectic witchcraft which is a style they have made their own including concepts from a wide range of traditional witchcraft. There are, of course a set code of rules and laws that a witch must abide by but as long as their intent is pure and from a place of love and trust whatever feels right for them is perfectly fine. Witches have and have always had a very close personal relationship with nature. They celebrate seasonal changes, Moon phases, practice magic (which can include healing,

doing rituals, spells & practicing divination). Wiccan rituals are held within a sacred space or circle. Witches believe in the Goddess and the Horned God, the male and female aspects of creation - nature. They honour these two primary deities of witchcraft. Witches fall into two working categories, solitary and coven. Solitary witches work alone. Some come together in small groups to celebrate the sabots but they are mainly happy to work on their own. Most new witches to the craft start this way. A coven (derived from the word covene meaning meet or come together) is a group of witches who meet and work together regularly. There are teaching covens as well as open and closed covens. But all practicing witches abide by the same law known as the Wiccan Rede. Wicca is the tradition of respect and tolerance and working for the highest good of all. Bide the wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust, Eight words the wiccan rede fulfil; an it harm none, do what ye will. What ye send forth comes back to thee, so ever mind the law of three. Follow this with mind and heart. Merry ye meet and merry ye part. INTRODUCTION TO WICCA, MAGIC AND SPELLS Magic spells have fascinated us for thousands of years. People are intrigued and obsessed in how spells could work for and against a person's interest and desires. Magic spells are not only performed to achieve personal gain, they are also practiced as part of a religious belief system such as Wicca. Wicca is deeply rooted to ancient pagan beliefs which emerged hundreds of years ago. Gerald Gardner claimed that the practices and beliefs of Wicca were based from a secretive group that had accepted him as a member. Wiccan spells are often referred to as "magick" rather than the common "magic." This differentiates real magic from common conjuring and illusion tricks practiced by stage performers in shows. When Wicca was first developed, the government and public society at large was scared by it and so persecuted witches and wizards, putting them to death. Even now although witch-hunting no longer occurs it is common for Wicca followers to practice their arts in secret so as to avoid scrutiny or ridicule from unbelievers. All Wiccans agree that Satanworship is not part of their practices. Nature and its elements: earth, air, fire, and water, are loved and revered in Wicca. Wiccans consider themselves "at one" with nature. Harming nature would cause nature to harm them back, so all Wicca spells are white magic and are intended for good purposes only. All who practice magic spells do so in strict accordance with "The Wiccan Rede." This deep rooted law of Wiccan magic states, "do what ye will, harm ye none." This simply means that magic spells can be used freely as long as no one gets hurt in the process. A

related commandment is "The Law of Three" which states that "harm will be returned three-fold", further encouragement to only use magic for good. Magic is similar to Christian prayers. Spells are part of Wiccan rituals although not all Wiccans cast spells. Spells can be both used to help or hurt and manipulate other people, but Wiccan followers are strictly prohibited from using spells that will harm other people in accordance with "The Rede." Before a Wiccan performs any magic spell, incantation or ritual, they first reflect on their intentions and the consequences and repercussions of the act. All its possible effects are thoroughly considered to make sure the spell is good and pure. Most spells are followed precisely as they are written, although there are times when the spells can be modified to fit the witch or wizard's power, personality and situation. Some people may show wonder, disbelief, or even fear of the powers that Wiccans possess. But understanding the basic beliefs and principles of Wiccans shows us that what they do is not against the fundamental principles of all moral and wise teachings for human beings, which is to share life and embrace nature without harming others. INITIATION INTO WICCA What is Initiation? Do not assume the title of a witch lightly. Some traditions believe that you can not be a witch unless you have been initiated by a high priest/ess. This is a little impractical as there just aren't enough high priest/esses to train and initiate newcomers. Wicca is growing at a tremendous rate again and is even establishing itself into new countries and cultures. If you feel entitled to call yourself a witch, then do so, unless you would prefer to mark this transition in your life by a ceremony within a coven. Being initiated within a coven is usual after successfully completing study and demonstrating the understanding of Wicca. It will often take 1 year and 1 day before initiation. Being a solitary practitioner, it is often difficult to know when you will be ready to call yourself a witch. The best way is to read and practice what you read. Read 10 serious books about Wicca and/or mythology. Some excellent books are: The Wicca Handbook by Eileen Holland The Wicca Handbook is a tutorial for new witches and an excellent reference book. Includes the first steps to becoming a witch, explores Wiccan traditions, rituals and ceremonies and spell casting. Wicca - A Guide For The Solitary Practioner by Scott Cunningham One of the most widely recommended books for anybody walking these paths. It is a

positive introduction to Wicca and designed so that you can learn and practice alone. Other books by Scott Cunningham include Earth, Fire & Water, Earth Power, Magical Aromatherapy, Magical Herbalism and Living Wicca. The Earth Path by Starhawk The Spiral Dance by Starhawk America's favorite Witch shows how to tap into the forces of Mother Nature. The Witches' Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar Includes two books, Eight Sabbats for Witches and The Witches Way. Comprehensive and revealing work on the principles, rituals and beliefs of modern witchcraft. Janet and Stewart Farrar are well known and respected, currently residing in Ireland and regularly tour the US giving lectures and workshops. Teach yourself and set a period of time and some tasks to do. Learn how to make incense or candles or even wands. Anything that you feel you need to know. Study herbalism is good practice. Always keep a diary and a notepad handy. When you feel you have learned enough are comfortable in calling yourself a "witch", then do so. Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself "I am a witch!" Some witches are born witches. Hereditary witches are raised in the family traditions. Some people have a natural ability for magic. Some have natural psychic gifts. If you have always thought you were different to other people, maybe you should look at your family history. Maybe you are a natural witch by descent. If you suspect you are, you probably are. ESSENTICAL WICCAN SUPPLIES The Athame The athame knife is a ritual dagger that is used by Wiccans and Neo Pagans in rituals and spells as an extension of their body and is considered a very sacred tool. The athame in Wicca is traditionally a male principal, or a male symbol representing the reproductive organ of the Horned God who impregnated the Goddess Gia to give birth to the Earth and nature. The athame knife is traditionally either black handled or wooden handled, with the blade made of steel. Wood is often used in an athame blade because of it's representation of Nature and the Earth. A tree was either sacrificed or already dead, and the wood was recycled into the athame so that it may be continued to give life and energies once again, almost like a symbolic rebirth. The Chalice In Wicca a chalice, as a feminine principle, is often used in combination with the Athame

(ceremonial black-handled knife), as male principle. Combining the two evokes the act of procreation, as a symbol of universal creativity. This is a symbol of the Great Rite in Wiccan rituals. A chalice is also used in the Small Rite. A chalice is a symbol of the element of water, a feminine element representing intuition, gestation, psychic ability, and the subconscious. The Cup also stands in as a symbol of the Goddess, of the womb, and the female generative organs. The chalice is sometimes interchangeable with the cauldron. Wiccan Altar Bell Bells are like the Voice of the Goddess. When you ring one, it brings the Divine's attention to you. And your attention to the Divine. A bell with a lovely tone will call beautiful, healing energy to you. Bells can also be used to clear energy. At the end of a ritual is a good time for this, but if unwanted energy crops up during a ritual, you can use the bell to disperse it. The purpose is that the clear tone of the altar bell will drive away negativity and keep evil spirits at bay. There are claims that evil spirits cannot tolerate the sounds of a clear high pitched bell. Using an altar bell to call upon the goddess will ensure you are more protected during your rituals, spells, and ceremonies. Altar Cloths In certain Neopagan faiths, Wicca in particular, the altar cloth is placed on the altar where magical workings are performed. Many altars are patterned with pentagrams, the traditional symbol for Wicca. Altar cloths prevent damage, dirt, and grime to form on your altar. It is always best to keep your altar clean to ensure you appease the various gods or goddesses you may be calling upon in you rituals. Keeping ones altar untidy can show disrespect to the gods and goddess, so be sure to clean your altar cloth often. Many altar cloths can be put into the wash with your other clothing whenever it is time for you to do laundry. Altar Tiles The altar tile is also called a pentacle is used on a Wiccan altar as a focal point for ritual work. It is commonly made of metal, wood, or clay stoneware. The tile itself is usually inscribed with the pentagram (five-pointed star) and sometimes with other symbols. The star symbol represents the four elements of earth, air, fire, water and a fifth element of spirit, as represented by the Goddess and God. The tile is positioned with the spirit tip pointing up to signify that the spirit rules over the elements. Wands A wand is used to project and direct energy to a specific area, object, person, or even dimension. It can be used for tasks like stirring a cauldron if its construction allows this. In some traditions, it is used in calling the God and the Goddess to join a ritual. Although traditional wands are made of wood, you can find wands today in a variety of materials. The ancient Druids held woods sacred and tools from wood were considered to carry the

spirit of nature. It is not suggested that wood from a living tree be cut to make a wand. A piece of fallen wood is much more appropriate as it can be considered a gift from divinity. There are few rules about the size of the wand. Some Wiccans believe wands should be the length of a persons forearm and hand, but in general wands commonly range from as little as 10 inches up to 3 feet in length. Some people like to hold a wand that is more massive because they feel more powerful. It is equally acceptable to use a wand that is compact and lightweight. A wand can be as ornamental or as plain as desired. Anything from a wand fabricated of sterling silver and encrusted with gems to a piece of tree branch still covered in bark is acceptable for use. Each will serve well if the person wielding the wand is comfortable with it. The only real concern is that it feels comfortable. The Wiccan Boline The boline is a white handled knife, which clearly distinguishes it from the black handled athame. In many cases the blade has a distinct curved shape. It is a simple working knife used in ritual or ritual preparation for tasks like cutting herbs from a garden, inscribing candles, cutting cords, etc. It is to be used for cutting purposes only for the materials and items you need for your rituals and spells. The Wiccan Boline is commonly the size of an athame. There are larger bolines that are made, but these are normally called Druid Bolines and are common within paganism rituals and ceremonial use. Even though a larger boline can be used in Wicca, it is usually easier to use the smaller versions of the blade. The Besom(Ritual Broom) A besom (ritual broom) is used in Wicca for the preparation of magickal space. The magickal significance of a besom is twofold. First, as a magickal tool directing energy for cleaning, and second in the heritage of ancient Druidic regard for the woods from which a traditional besom is made. In Wicca, the besom is used to clear the negativity and residual energy from space being prepared as sacred. The sweeping of ritual space is not to clear debris in the physical environment. The besom does not even have to touch the ground at all. The sweeping motion in the air combined with visualization clears the negative energies lingering from the mundane world. The traditional besom has many legends associated with it. It is said to have been used in fertility rituals where it was ridden hobbyhorse style through the crops. It is also said to have been used in handfasting ceremonies promoting fertility in a newly wed couple. Besoms are commonly made using an ash staff, birch twigs and willow binding. The ash wood serves to protect, the birch is for purifying and the willow is sacred and holy to the Goddess. Cauldrons The cauldron, like the chalice and bell, is also symbolic of the Goddess. In Wicca, when a cauldron is used it is often central to the ritual, usually linked with fertility or transformation. Some of the lore of the cauldron is based on the legend of Kerridwen's

cauldron. Kerridwen is a goddess from the Celtic pantheon. The story begins where Kerridwen bore a son who was the ugliest and most rotten tempered man in the world. She wanted to fix this by brewing a potion to transform him into the Maiden Moon wisest man in the world. To do so she brewed a potion for a year and a day (a period still recognized as significant in Wiccan practice). At the end of that time, there were three highly concentrated drops left. Kerridwen hired a boy to stir the potion and a man to stoke the flames. On the very day that the potion was ready, the 3 drops splashed out onto the boy's fingers. The boy fled knowing that Kerridwen would be very angry. Kerridwen took after him in pursuit. During the chase, both the boy and Kerridwen changed into several animals. When Kerridwen finally caught up with the boy, she ate him and became pregnant. She had planned to kill the child but when he was born, he was the most beautify boy she had ever seen, so she kept him and he grew to be Taliesin the Bard, one of the most inspired poets. As you can see, throughout the story, the concept of magickal transformation (the symbology of the cauldron) is prevalent from beginning to end. Cauldrons are usually made of iron and stand on three legs with the opening of the vessel being smaller than the inside. You can find cauldrons in a wide range of sizes from the very small altar top varieties to gigantic pots big enough for headhunters to cook a few explorers in. Crystal Balls While many forms of divination tools have been used, the crystal ball has been the longest surviving. When used for divinatory purposes, the practitioner gazes into the ball and pictures are perceived either inside the ball itself or in the mind's eye of the crystal gazer. When used in Wiccan ritual, the crystal is placed on the altar to represent the Goddess. Some Wiccans use the ball during the ritual for scrying but it can also be used to store energy raised from the ritual. The crystal ball is often at the center of full moon rituals where it represents the Goddess in Mother form. Of all the tools, the crystal ball is often considered as one of the hardest to charge magickally. Many recommend that the crystal be exposed to moonlight to increase its charge after cleansing in a saltwater bath. This is seen as aligning the crystal and filling it with energy from the Goddess. It is usually best for crystal balls to be as close and as pure to crystal as possible. Finding pure crystal balls however is not only expensive, they are hard to find. If you can charge the standard crystal balls that are commonly available as much as possible, especially in the full moon over night, they will work just as well. CREATING A BOOK OF SHADOWS Creating a Wiccan Book of Shadows is not as hard as many think. There isn't any one

way to make a book of shadows. One of the few times that they may be similar is if a coven has one general Book of Shadows that they use for their entire coven's needs. More seasoned believers normally will have multiple Wiccan Book of Shadows, as they usually will create one for teaching others, while a second is for their personal use only. The what is known as Teaching Book of Shadows is normally reserved for use by neophytes that may have an interest in joining a ritual. Dedication Section: Include any information on your "Year in a Day", and the dedication date to the Wiccan Beliefs. Have both a start, and end day on your Year in a Day, and when the date of creation for your personal Wiccan Book of Shadows was created. General Information: Tools- Description of every tool used, and the purpose of use within a circle: Invocations- Usually will include for both the Wiccan Goddess, and God. Divination- This area will include Stone Divination, Tarot Cards, scrying using a crystal ball, along with different methods of divination. Symbols- Include every major symbol, along with meanings. There are many various different symbols, most of them will rarley be used but should still be included incase they are ever needed. Preferred Book List- This could include your favorite books, or the best books for novices to read. Recipes- Most love this section as the area where they put in personally created recipes, or ones that might be used frequently. This will make it so you do not have to remember each, and every recipe might be used. Sabbats & Rituals To Include: Full Moon Ritual New Moon Ritual Invocations Casting a Circle-How To Preparing to conduct a circle Samhain Ritual - October 31st Yule Ritual (Winter Solstice)- December 21st Imboc Ritual information on Imboc- February 2nd Ostara Ritual- March 21st Beltain Ritual- May 1st Litha Ritua (Summer Solstice)- June 21st Lammas Ritual- August 1st Mabon Ritual- September 21st Other sections may will include within their Wiccan Book of Shadows includes but not limited to: Astrology Herbalism Poems Songs Dances Chants

Prayers Spells- Both personal, and coven usage. Magic Journal- This is one of the most important sections of your Wiccan Book of Shadows. You will include your personal experiences and thoughts during, Meditation, ritual work, circle work, dreams, and anything else you wish to notate into your journal. It is just that a journal relating to your religious beliefs. HOW TO SET UP YOUR ALTAR BY KESTRA So, you've decided to embark upon a path, and you're trying to figure out what all is necessary to set up your Wicca supplies. You would like an altar, but you aren't quite sure how to go about it. There are lots of "instant altar and tools" kits you can find on the Internet. We have a few ritual tool kits ourselves, but where to start? What to include? Where to put it? How to set it up? With all the possibilities, how do you go about choosing what is right for you? An altar can be as elaborate as a custom carved church style massive affair with ornate ritual tools placed in specifically measured positions. An altar can be a stump of wood in a forest, a tv tray in your living room, or anything in between. One of the first considerations for your altar space is likely whether it can be displayed openly, If you feel that your practices would bring unwanted scrutiny on you, you might decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and find a small cabinet you can hide your altar tools and ritual supplies in, and close. Kestra's altar is placed in an armoire with doors that close. Not because she wishes to keep things "secret," but more that she feels it is more respectful for the altar tools and ritual supplies to be kept for the eyes of those who would appreciate them rather than gawkers wondering if the athame is used to murder small animals. Other possibilities for an altar can be just a regular table with an altar cloth, a nightstand, a bookshelf, a tree stump, or just about any other surface you desire. It can be as large or as small as you are comfortable with, that will hold your Wicca supplies, and where you can work with them appropriately. Once you have chosen your altar, then you can decide which ritual tools you wish to place on it. Of course, you CAN choose the ritual tools first, THEN find an altar that will fit them all, but in either case, you can modify the advice to suit your particular situation. See, that's the fun part about being Eclectic....very few instances result in the accusation that you "aren't doing it right." First comes the altar cloth. I always choose a cloth that is pretty, functional, AND not too difficult to get wax off of. You know you're going to be dripping wax from time to time. It's inevitable. That's why I personally don't buy very expensive altar cloths, since I know I am a clumsy witch. The altar cloth is generally used to protect the altar, and is not "necessary" but can be meaningful (depending on its symbology) or merely functional. One of the things I always put on my altar is a statue of the Matron Goddess I am working with at the time, and, depending on the ritual I am about to perform, I may include my

patron God. Well, what if you don't HAVE a Matron or a Patron yet? That's perfectly fine. You may always choose to exclude a statue, or to instead include a generic statue of the Spiral Goddess and/or the Spiral God. I place my statues in the top center of the altar, just because I like them there. Next comes the candles. My personal taste is three candles, one white, one red, and one black signifying the Goddess in her maiden, mother and crone phases respectively. These I put in the top center right in front of the statues, making sure they are far enough away from the statues not to drip wax on them or to set them on fire. There's nothing more annoying during ritual than having things catch fire when you do not intend them to :-) My cast iron cauldron with a chunk of charcoal in it goes in the center of the right hand side of my altar. I prefer cast iron cauldrons and charcoal to stick or cone incense, but your milage may vary and you can use what suits you best, of course. If you'd like to learn more about the different kinds of cauldrons and how to use them, read About Cauldrons. You can also place it anywhere you like, as I am merely using my set up as an example. For more advice on incense, you can check out our article entitled Wiccan Ritual Incense So we have our Fire (candles) and our Air (incense). Where's our Earth? For Earth, I use an offering bowl . And in said offering bowl, I place some sea salt . So why would sea salt signify Earth instead of Water? Well, to me it's a little of both. Salt comes from the earth and mixes with the water of the sea. You can, of course, put dirt in there, or anything else that signifies Earth to you. I put the Earth to the center left side of my altar. And then, the either totally elaborate, utterly plain, or maybe even paper cup chalice . Anything that can hold water can be your chalice if it has that meaning for you. As we have said, the chalice holds the element of Water that you can use for your ritual. Whether you add salt to it to purify it or not is up to the type of ritual you are doing and your personal preference. I put the chalice in the center center part of the altar, in front of the candles and the statues. That just leaves the athame and/or the wand. I like to use both, the athame to cast the circle, "cutting" out a sacred space beyond time, and the wand to direct power. (If you would like to read more about how to choose the appropriate wood for a wand, check our article on magickal woods). I generally carry my athame on my degree cord around my waist, OR in the center of the altar to the front, in front of the chalice. I put the wand next to it. So, that, in a nutshell, is the Kestra altar set up. If you feel that your correspondences (i.e. must put Earth in the East, etc.) do not agree depending on the position of your altar, that's all right. The important thing is that you understand WHY you are placing things where you are placing them, not that you copy someone else exactly. If it doesn't have specific meaning to you, the ritual itself will not be as meaningful or powerful. BASIC PRACTICES AND BELIEFS IN WICCA Wicca is a nature and magic based religion that is taken from the Pagan practices of ancient times. Wicca mimics other world religions with its own rituals, seasonal "holidays" and belief system. The beliefs of the religion can vary by region, since there is

no orthodox method of practice or central organization. There are, however, published teachings and works that most Wiccans adhere to. The majority of Wiccans worship a God and Goddess who are considered to be equal, complimentary beings, and often are represented by the sun and moon. There is a trinity concept in this religion, with the Triple Goddess having aspects of the "Mother", "Crone" and "Maiden". Many members of Wicca concede that the Goddess had to predate her companion since she is the giver of life. It is believed that both the God and Goddess are able to take form in the body of the Wiccan coven's Priests or Priestesses during ritual. Though they believe in deities, the concept of an afterlife doesn't hold strong in the Wicca community. Reincarnation is a favored belief and traditional teaching. Possibly the most adhered to text in Wicca is the Wiccan Rede, which states "and it harm none, do what ye will". This is interpreted as meaning that as long as a person's actions do no harm to anyone else; they can consider themselves free to pursue them. There is also the concept of the Law of Threes (also known as the Law of Threefold Return) that says whatever positive or negative actions a person puts out into the world will return threefold. The magic rituals of Wicca are performed within a coven or group of practitioners. The rituals are usually begun by casting a circle by invoking "guardians" of the elements and associated cardinal points: North (earth), West (water), South (fire) and East (air). The four elements are thought to represent every action and being on earth. The five points of the pentagram worn by those practicing Wicca stand for the elements and the presiding spirit. After the circle is cast, prayers are made to the God and Goddess and spells may be cast. If it is at the time of a seasonal holiday, a special ritual may be performed. Tools a coven may have on hand for the ceremony include a book of spells (Book of Shadows), an altar cloth, cauldron, chalice, wand, broom, candles, crystals, athame (ritual knife) and incense. When the ceremony is finished, the God and Goddess are thanked for their participation and blessings and the coven closes the circle. The Book of Shadows mentioned above is sort of a personalized religious text for either a single practitioner or- more commonly- a coven. The contents are kept secret but often contain such public domain works as the Wiccan Rede. What type of book is actually used varies between Wicca practitioners. There are many "holidays" or seasonal observances in Wicca. Full moons (and sometimes new moons) bring about the ritual Esbat. There are also eight Sabbats- four of which, the cross-quarter days, are larger than the others and relate back to ancient fire festivals. These are named Samhain, Beltane, Lammas and Imbolc. The other, lesser celebrated festivals are the Summer and Winter solstices and Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. CASTING A WICCAN CIRCLE In Wicca and Witchcraft, there is a practice referred to as "circle casting" that is largely

unheard of outside of The Craft. It is one of the very first things taught to those who are new to Witchcraft, and is a practice that is often ingrained in the minds of those who have practiced for a long while. So, what is circle casting? This article will address this question, as well as the reasons witches do it and some of the different practices used. Walking the Circle Whether it is referred to as "walking the circle," "casting the circle" or "preparing the ritual space," it is all basically the same. The use of a ritual circle is twofold: It sanctifies the space that you are about to use for religious and magickal purposes, and it also offers you a barrier of protection from any distracting or harmful influences from outside of the circle. For a witch, the circle represents a place that is "between the worlds." It helps the witch enter into a state of mind that enables them to interact with Deity, and to direct psychic, or magickal, energy. Casting a magickal circle for a modern witch is not an overly involved process. To do it, the witch holds their athame or wand in their dominant hand, and while pointing this tool at the ground, they walk the perimeter of the area they intend to utilize for ritual purpose. While doing so, they will visualize energy of some type coming from their tool or dominant hand and creating a barrier around the perimeter of the ritual area. A common visualization of this energy is that of blue flame. Once they have completed a circuit around their space, the witch will often recite a phrase such as: "I consecrate this circle in the names of the Goddess and the God. The circle is conjured, and we stand between the worlds. The circle is sealed. So mote it be!" There are many variables that can come into play during this process, yet they are all basically a means of creating a space that is intended for ritual. Triple Circle Casting While the above method of casting a circle will suffice for any witches who choose to use it, there is one means of casting circle that is much older. Triple circle casting is a means of purifying and designating a ritual space that is a little more elaborate, and is good for those who prefer more ritualistic actions in their ceremony. When using this method, the witch will navigate around the ritual space three times. Each time, they will recite a different incantation, and may carry a purifying substance such as incense or holy water with them. With the first pass, they may recite; "In this place, this circle round I consecrate the sacred ground With golden light this place surround All power here contained and bound" On the second pass; "From Earth, the things that manifest From Air, the things of minds From Fire, the things that motivate

From Water, the souls refined" On the third and final pass; "And yet no place or time there be Between the worlds, my word and me Welcome, Ancient Ones, and see This place is sealed, So Mote It Be!!" To compare the two methods, neither one is necessarily better than the other. They both create a protected and effective ritual environment. However, it is the belief and strength of visualization of the individual witch that determines how well the circle works. As with things, the strength of the circle will improve with practice and repetition. Scientific minds out there always want proof of the effectiveness of such things. It has been found through dowsing that these types of ritual preparations actually have an effect on the surround environment. With the use of dowsing rods or pendulums, it is possible to actually determine where the actual barrier of the circle lies. Every religion has its own days of power, reverence and celebration. Wicca is no different in this regard. The holidays that Wiccans celebrate are referred to as Sabbats, or the Eight High Holy days. They occur approximately every six weeks, and denote the changing of the seasons. The sun, as a representation of the God, is revered during a sabbat, and the ceremony for a particular holiday is often performed at high noon. The other type of holy day that is more familiar to most people is the Esbat. The Esbat is a monthly occurrence that generally coincides with the moon being full. It is the night when witches gather to perform ritual and magickal workings for the coming month. This article will detail all of these holy days and hopefully shed a little light on what witches do throughout the year to honor their Deities. The Esbat As stated above, the Esbat is a ceremony that coincides with the cycles of the moon. Generally, the day that it is done occurs when the moon is full, though this is not necessary. The full moon is significant because witches firmly believe that the power of magickal workings wax and wane with the phases of the moon. When the moon is waxing, or becoming fuller, it is good to perform rites that are drawing things to you or increasing positive influences in general. When the moon is waning, or diminishing, it is good for banishing influences that are no longer wanted, or getting rid of negativity. Yet when the moon is full, the magickal workings are at their peak, and it is good for nearly any rite that a witch may wish to perform. The new moon, or dark moon, occurs when the moon is not visible at all. During this time, the rites that are performed are either for extreme protection rites or negative magicks. On whatever day the esbat is performed, it is done in the evening or at night. The reason behind this is that these rites are meant to be working with the Goddess, who represented by the moon. The actual process of performing the esbat can be summed up very concisely. The witch

or coven will gather at a designated ritual space. There, they will cast a circle, and perform rites that will raise their magickal and psychic power, and then direct that power at their desired goal. Since there are so many variables as to what a witch or group of witches may wish to direct their energy, it is difficult to offer up an example of what these rites may entail. However, one of the things that is a common theme among esbats is that it is a time for connecting and communing with Deity. This is often done by the reciting of The Wiccan Rede and The Charge of the Goddess while in circle. Afterwards, time may be spent in either meditation or performing acts of divination with tarot cards, runes or other means. This is followed by a communion of cakes and wine, where the gathered witches will celebrate their coming together and catch up on the previous month and make plans for the coming one. Then the ritual circle is opened, the leftover cakes and wine are offered up to Nature, and the witches will go their separate ways. The Eight High Holy Days There are eight major holidays that Wiccans celebrate: - Samhain (pronounce saw-vin or sow-en) - Yule - Candlemas - Ostara - Beltane - Midsummer - Lammas - and Mabon Each of the Holy Days represents a different turning of the seasons, and a different phase of life. The common representation of these phases is the God, though many practitioners incorporate an aspect of the Goddess in some fashion as well. They are primarily Sun festivals, and, unlike esbats, the rituals are often performed when the sun is at its highest in the sky. Sabbats are usually large gatherings where entire families will come together and celebrate with food and drink in addition to the religious rites. Samhain Samhain is probably the most recognizable of all of the Wiccan Sabbats. It falls on October 31st and signifies the ending of one cycle of the year. While many view it as the beginning of the next yearly cycle, that does not actually occur until Yule in December. The main symbolism behind this holiday is death and honoring loved ones that have passed on. It is commonly thought that on this night, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and witches take advantage of this opportunity to communicate with their family and friends who have passed on. Samhain is also the last harvest festival of the year, and the last opportunity for the coven and their families to come together to share their resources before digging in for the winter. The period of time between Samhain and Yule is spent contemplating plans for

the coming year and remembering the year that has passed. Yule Yule is generally thought to coincide with the Christian holiday of Christmas. This is not precisely so. Yule actually falls on the day of the winter solstice, which generally falls on or around December 21st. The significance of this holiday is that of rebirth. This is the day where the days begin to grow longer, and the sun is making a comeback. The general representation of this is of Holly King, a Dark God, passing and being replaced by the Oak King, or Sun God. Though the sabbat that signifies the beginning of the year may vary from tradition to tradition, this is the one that is most popular in signifying the beginning of the year. All of the sabbats represent a phase of life, and Yule falls into the fertility category. This is a time of conception, where the beginnings of life begin to stir. When covens and families come together on this holiday, plans begin to be made for the coming year, as well as preparations for the coming spring. Candlemas Candlemas is also known by the name of Imbolc. It is well and truly the first fertility festival of springtime. The specific date that this day falls on varies from tradition to tradition, but it can be anywhere from January 31st to February 2nd. At this time, we are beginning to see the very first signs of spring, and the renewal of life. The festivities for Candlemas all center on clearing out the old and making way for the new. The Maiden aspect of the Goddess is honored at this time, as are any Gods and Goddesses that relate to love and fertility. This holiday is considered an especially auspicious time for a new marriage or relationship. One of the traditional symbols of Candlemas is the plough. They are often decorated and incorporated into the festivities. Another tradition for the holiday is to create a besom, a simple broom constructed of twigs or straw, and use it to ritually cleanse the home. It is then placed near the front, symbolizing sweeping out the old and welcoming the new. Ostara Also called Eostar, this High Holy Day falls on the spring equinox, on or near March 21st. This is the second of the three fertility festivals. Springtime is coming on full force at this time, and planting for the year's crops is well underway. New spring growth can be seen everywhere, and the Gods are petitioned for luck with the crops and the home. Two of the traditional symbols for this holiday are the egg and the rabbit. The egg is an emblem of new life and new growth, and it is incorporated into many ritual workings and festivities at this time. The rabbit, known for its prolific mating habits, is also a symbol of growth and abundance. Both also symbolize change. The Christian faith has fully adopted both of these symbols into their celebrations that occur at near the same time. Beltane Also know as May Day, this Holy Day falls on May first. It is the last of the fertility festivals for the year, and with it comes unabashed sexuality for many traditions. The May

Pole is one symbol of this holiday that is found throughout many traditions. It is a tall pole set in the ground, symbolizing the Sun God uniting with Earth. It is decorated with long ribbons and fresh flowers, and, of course, maidens traditionally dance around the pole. One of the traditional May Day activities for this holiday is to secretly leave baskets of flowers and goodies at the doors of your neighbors. Generally, this is a holiday that celebrates and revels in the return of the sun. Midsummer This Holy Day celebrates the God, represented by the sun in all of his glory. It is celebrated on the summer solstice, when the longest day of the year takes place. Midsummer is neither a fertility festival nor a harvest festival. In this way, it is similar to Yule. On this day, rites often center on protection for the home and family for the coming year, rites of divination, and celebrating the abundance of The Oak King in his prime of life. For those who work with faerie energy in their rites, Midsummer is an ideal time to commune with them. It is a common tradition for witches to go out in the twilight and look for faerie folk in stands of oak, ash and thorn trees. Lammas Another name for this holiday is Lughnassadh. It occurs on August 1st, and it is the first of the three harvest sabbats celebrated by witches. Attention turns now to harvest the crops and gardens, and preparations begin for the coming winter. The days are beginning to grow shorter, and the Sun God begins to lose his strength as the days grow shorter. As this is the time of year when we first begin to reap the bounties of harvest, it is often a holiday accompanied with feasting and celebration. Decorations and dollies are often made from dried ears of corn, and used in rites and to decorate the home. Mabon Mabon is the primary harvest festival, counterpoint to Ostara, and it occurs on the Autumnal Equinox. On this day, witches pay homage to retreating daylight, and prepare for the coming winter. This holiday symbolizes the God in old age and readying for his impending death and rebirth. Though this holiday is a little more somber than the rest of them, it is also one where Wiccans are sure to give thanks for what they have received throughout the past year. It is a popular time of year for witches and pagans to give back to their communities, and generally share their bountiful harvests. There are four quarters in circle casting for rituals. Ceremonial magic often uses the use of the four directions of the circles when casting magic. For centuries spell casters have drawn upon the directions to help them to connect with the energy they are calling upon. The "Quarters" are honored by Pagans and Witches and often referred to as the elements of nature as they represent Fire, Earth, Air and Water. You will also hear the "Quarters" referred to as the Watchtowers, elements, corners, quarters, etc.

Calling the Quarters: Prior to calling the quarter you must know what your intentions are. 1- who are you calling upon (inviting) and 2. What is the purpose of the calling, to aid? To join in? To protect? When calling the quarters, you want to be certain that the reflection of your wording is properly reflected. You will then perform a chant, such as: O spirits of the East-Air, South-Fire, West-Water or North-Earth (the direction of the quarter) Ancient one of Air, Fire, Water or Earth (the element) I call upon you to join this circle Enhance this with your powers Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East-Air, South-Fire, West-Water or NorthEarth (the direction of the quarter) Powers of Air, Fire, Water or Earth I invoke you and call upon you Come, be here now. To the (direction- Fire, Air, Earth or Water) I ask for the element of (name) and (name of deity, totem or archangel) to be with me, to guide and to guard and to be witness to this magic. There are many elements in magic. Some practitioners strictly work with elemental energy not relying upon the calling the angels. The elemental energies are visualized such as for Air you might visualize the clear blue sky and so on. Some work with the source directly. Quarter calls are used in spell casting to draw upon the energy and to create a circle of protection. The four quarters, Earth, Fire, Water and Air draws upon the four elements which are the powers of the universe. Magic is a powerful energy and must be used wisely. There are both white and back magic each being two very powerful forms of magic. While black magic is malicious, white magic is pure and strictly for the intent of good. WHAT IS THE MAGIC RITUAL IN WITCHCRAFT? In nearly all witchcraft traditions, the ritual is a type of ceremony or practice that is designed to invoke a magical God or Goddess. The ritual itself, creates a link between the physical and spiritual worlds, calling on and harnessing the power of natural and spiritual energies. Therefore, in our magical work, the ritual is used as a way of connecting with the spiritual world - to celebrate, ask for guidance, make requests or to simply give thanks. It is important to keep in mind, that the ritual always follows a recognized sequence of steps

each time (hence the term 'ritualistic'). It is vital that in parallel with following the steps of the ritual, you make a real conscious effort to engage your mind, body and soul; without which, you will simply be 'going through the motions' of ritual and not truly 'connecting'. This 'engagement' comes quite quickly, with a little practice and confidence. You'll be surprised how soon you can feel yourself connecting to the elements of nature and spirit entities. In natural magic, the ritual is most often used to celebrate one of the main eight festivals (or sabbat's) of the year; such as 'Mabon' celebrating the second harvest, or 'Yule' celebrating the winter solstice. The main festival on the witchcraft calendar is Samhain (pronounced Sel-wain), which takes place at Halloween (31st October) and is generally known as the witches new year. The magic ritual is not always linked to one of the main sabbats. Rituals are also done at other key times outside of the main festivals, particularly during a full moon, where the strong lunar energy is harnessed to conduct the full moon ritual. During such rituals, the main purposes is to focus your intent and energy on your objective. Therefore, for any ritual, you must clearly and precisely state the objective, whether working alone or within a group. Within a group ritual, everyone must be equally clear and agree to the purpose of the ritual. It is worth mentioning at this point, that at first, many people can feel self conscious or embarrassed, particularly when working in a group setting. Don't worry about this - it is quite normal - just persevere with it and in no time at all, you will feel much more confident and at ease working rituals and begin to reap the rewards of natural magic. In natural magic, rituals are often designed to make you think about what it is in your life that is holding you back as a person - it could be a job, another person, or simply having a lack of confidence in yourself. By releasing these issues that are holding you back through the ritual, you are creating space for newer and more positive aspects to come into your life. But it is well worth remembering, that what you release through this process may not just disappear overnight; very often a situation that is dis-empowering us, is just an indicator of a situation that has a root cause further back in our life. Rituals are used to create a time and space where you can switch off from the everyday and become connected to the bigger universal picture. Once connected to theses energies, you are then able to develop a greater understanding of them. They also help you to develop a greater understanding of yourself and to bring change not only in a physical way. i.e. more money - better job etc., but perhaps more importantly, to bring change to your spiritual/inner self. Natural Magic as a modern approach to witchcraft teaches our students how to access and harness these incredible natural energies that our ancestors did and teaches them, through practical easy lessons - how they too can harness these energies - empowering them to experience a completely new, enlightening and liberating dimension to their life and how they want to live it. Natural Magic has enabled them to tap into and release the previously dormant but incredible magic spirit that resides in all of us.

Could Natural Magic be what you've been looking for?

Wiccan Invocations, Chants and Prayers

An Invocation is the calling of a God or Goddess. Wiccan witches work with the Gods and Goddesses for their universal energies to provide balance in the magical rituals. The balance is important with male and female, yin and yang, two energy sources to provide harmony and the correct direction of the channeled energy. Invocations can be as simple or as complex as you desire. Gods and Goddesses can be invoked with herbs, numbers, colours even images, and at certain times of year corresponding to the lunar or solar cycle. Invocation of the Elements Air, Fire, Water, Earth, Elements of Astral birth, I call you now, attend to me. In the circle rightly cast, Safe from psychic curse or blast, I call you now, attend to me. From cave and desert, sea and hill, By wand, blade, cup and pentacle, I call you now, attend to me. This is my will, so mote it be! These prayers below can be utilized to invoke the Goddess and God during ritual following the casting of the circle. You can change the words as you see fit. These are related to one specific deity but "All the Gods are one God; and all the Goddesses are one Goddess, and there is one initiator." You could also use the chants to raise energy levels. Invocation to the Goddess Crescent One of the starry skies, Flowered One of the fertile plain, Flowing One of the ocean's sighs, Blessed One of the gentle rain. Hear my chant 'midst the standing stones, Open me to your mystic light. Waken me to your silver tones, Be with me in my sacred rite! Invocation to Pan O Great God Pan, Beast and man, Shepherd of goats and Lord of the Land, I call you to attend my rites, On this most magical of nights. God of the wine, God of the vine, God of the fields and god of the kine, Attend my circle with your love, And send Your blessings from above. Help me to heal, Help me to feel, Help me to bring forth love and weal. Pan of the forests, Pan of the glade, Be with me as my magic is made!

Isis Invocation Isis of the Moon, You who are all that ever was, All that is, And all that shall be. Come veiled Queen of Night, Come as the scent of the sacred lotus, Charging my circle, With love and magic. Do descend upon my circle, I pray, O Blessed Isis! Prayer to the Horned God Horned One of the wilderness, Winged One of the shining skies, Rayed One of the splen'drous Sun, Fallen One of the Samhain cries. I call amidst the standing stones, Praying that you, O ancient One, Will design to bless my mystic rites, O fiery Lord of the Blazing Sun! New Moon Chant to Diana Waxing, waxing, growing, growing, Diana's power is flowing, flowing. (Repeat) Call to the God Ancient God of the forest deeps, Master of beast and Sun, Here where the world is hushed and sleeps, Now that the day is done. I call You in the ancient way, Here in my circle round, Asking that You will hear me pray, And send Your Sun force down. Invocation to the Goddess Gracious Goddess, You who are the Queen of the Gods, the lamp of night, the creator of all that is wild and free, Mother of woman and man, Lover of the Horned God and protectress of all the Wicca, Descend I pray, With Your Lunar ray of power, upon my circle here! Invocation to the God Blazing God, You Who are the King of the Gods, Lord of the Sun, Master of all that is wild and free, Father of woman and man, Lover of the Moon Goddess and protector of all the Wicca,

Descend I pray, With Your Solar ray of power, upon my circle here! Goddess Chant Luna, Luna, Luna, Diana, Luna, Luna, Luna, Diana Bless me, bless me, bless me, Diana, Luna, Luna, Luna, Diana. (Repeat) Evening Chant to the God Hail fair Sun, Ruler of day, Rise on the morn,To light my way. (Said while watching the sunset) Evening Chant to the Goddess Hail fair Moon, Ruler of night, Guard me and mine,Until the light. (Said while Moon gazing) Goddess Chant Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, Ooooooooooooooooooh, Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii The vowels of the English Language. Pronounce A=Ah, O=O, U=Oo, E=E, I=eye. This rouses the psychic mind and produces Goddess awareness. Thanks to Scott Cunningham for his Invocations, Prayers and Chants.