How To Recognize a Bad Information Source?

In the past, I have received several comments on my blog in which people ask me for my opinion on web sites or books regarding Wicca and/or Paganism. This motivated me to write a post on the dilemma of quality in hopes of stimulating critical thinking and quality awareness in the companions on my spiritual journey, that is to say all of you.

I would like to emphasize that this post does not offer invariable rules for recognizing quality sources of information because everybody's idea of quality is different in the end. Still, I would like to offer my own understanding of quality Wiccan and Pagan information sources because I know that other peoples' advice and literary recommendations were extremely useful for me which I myself wasn't sure where to start.

Novels, Series and Movies Aren't Reliable

It was interesting to notice how many people use novels, movies and series as "sources" of information about Wicca and Paganism. Of course, those of them (the sources) that really are concerned with this topic can and usually are based on the truth but, as the saying goes, the devil is in the detail. Even though their groundworks are firm, the stories that are built upon them are more often than not made up, overblown, too fantastical, or simply untruthful. If they weren't like this, the books wouldn't sell and the movies/series wouldn't achieve such popularity. These are not scholarly sources - they do not offer concrete, practical information or explanations. At best, they can offer inspiration for something, but at worst, they can convince a person into believing complete nonsense which will ultimately harm their spiritual development.

When people approach me with practical questions regarding Wicca, I regularly ask them which books on this topic they have read so far. I always ask this just to get a better understanding of the scope of their theoretical knowledge because I think of it as being the basis for practice and that it therefore has to be firmly constructed. Many times, the replies included some books by Paulo Coelho (more precisely Brida and The Witch of Portobello). I have read these books and they are enjoyable, but they can on no account be seen as a serious information source for Wicca or Paganism. The same goes for movies (e.g. The Wicker Man, Bewitched or The Craft, and also Harry Potter) as well as series, which have piled up in the last few decades - Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin and so on.

Basically, novels, movies and series can be pleasurable once in a while, they can be used for inspiration, to arouse curiosity and so on, but they cannot be, are not and will never be scholarly sources of information on the topics of Wicca and Paganism.

Recognizing Quality Books

When I say "quality books", I am referring to quality scholarly sources. Novels can be written nicely, but they cannot bear comparison to scholarly literature in terms of the quantity of information they provide.

There is a great deal of books on the market about Wicca and Paganism, but also on the topics of occultism, spirituality and so on. The main issue here is how to recognize quality books in this heap?

There actually isn't one unified understanding of quality books because people have different definitions of quality. So, in this heading, I will guide you through my own system of recognizing quality books, that is through the process of eliminating low-quality ones.

When I started reading up on Wicca and Paganism, I was lucky enough to have stumbled upon a virtual group of people who were, at that time, already seriously devoted to this path and who had read many books on the topic. I was receiving book recommendations from all sides, and also reviews of them which helped me understand which books were good for what. It is important to remember that no book is perfect and will not offer all the information you may need. Nevertheless, every book has its forte, but it can also have flaws which we should be aware of if we want to get the best out of it. It is precisely because of this that it is important to develop the ability of critical thinking towards literature, and this is best done by reading, reading and reading some more. In time, this enables you to understand what coincides in certain books and what clashes (and why), what writing style you prefer, which suggestions really make sense to you, which of them you are able to actually apply in your life as well as those that you didn't find useful at all. Because this helped me so much in the beginning, I made a list of about 15 books on this blog which I would recommend to any beginner. I listed these books because I personally found them very useful (although this does not mean that everyone has to like them), because they shaped my spiritual practice for the better and because they correspond to my understanding of quality which I will continue talking about in this post. You can find this list in the "Recommended Reading" section of the blog. But let us continue with some more practical, active suggestions.

When I am looking for a book on the topic of Wicca or Paganism (or really any scholarly book), I first look at its contents. If the chapter titles correspond to what I am looking for in this book, then I continue to examine it. Of course, what I am looking for can differ. At first, I looked for substantial overviews which could cover a bit of everything - the history of Paganism, Sabbats and other celebrations, traditions, ritual practice, magic and so on. When you have read a certain number of books of this kind, you slowly start to understand what interests you the most and continue in that direction. This is when you start looking for books of a more narrower scope which tend to get more and more scholarly as you go deeper into this area. But these further books are not problematic to find because, by the time you get to this phase, you will have learnt how to differentiate the high from the low-quality books. Although, it is important to be able to notice a quality book in a sea of others at the very beginning of your search when you will probably be looking for a compendium of sorts.

When they have just entered the world of Wicca and Paganism, people have the tendency to fall for books with impressive titles. But this does not mean that you should skip books which have completely ordinary titles such is "An Introduction to ____" or simply "Wicca/Paganism". Give every book a chance regardless of its cover.

When I am flipping through a book in a bookstore, or reading through a short sample on the Internet (as can be found on Google Books for example), I always primarily look at the chapter on magic if it exists (and generally it does). The recent trend of reducing Wicca and Paganism to practicing magic is not something I find acceptable at all because this results in the complete disregard for the devotional aspect which is also important. In this case, magic is only one (discretionary) element of Paganism/Wicca. Furthermore, if I notice that the author of the particular book is focused more on serving "recipes" for spells and less on the magical process (which is based on the independent writing and planning of a magical act), I automatically eliminate this book. Of course, this does not mean that some authors won't give an example here and there which really does come in handy at the beginning of everyone's path. But any person that practices magic should be aware that magic is only as potent as the amount of energy that is poured into it. If someone just takes a book and reads from it something that somebody else has written, the amount of invested effort is null.

Precisely because the above mentioned reason, I would recommend to everyone that they, at least initially, avoid spell books and books similar to them which serve everything on a silver platter. Book such as these bear names such as "50 Love Spell To Change Your Life", "Use Magic to Get Money", "Little Book of Spells" and so on. They should be placed on the self-help bookshelf because this is what they are used for. They will not have any effect, but they will comfort those that are in need of them at that moment. They actually give false hope and develop negative stereotypes of Wiccans and Pagans. I claim the latter because they encourage the belief (and practice) that Wiccans, Pagans and witches practice magic out of selfishness and in the process completely neglect the ethical aspect of their spirituality. The more people read these types of books, the more will actually begin to disregard moral values and begin acting just in order to help themselves regardless of the consequences. In addition to all this, the very fact that these books can be found on every corner, from bookstores to newsstands and supermarkets, doesn't instill much confidence (although I have come across quality books on newsstands several times, but the books there are ordinarily low-quality).

Another type of literature which I by no means like are beginner kits in which you get a book and "everything you will need to get you started". This can be cute, but if someone needs to sell a whole pile of things along with a book in order to sell it, then something is suspicious here. Also, I find it hard to believe that you can get everything you will need to get started in a very small (and very thin) plastic bag. In my opinion, these sorts of books are intended for people that don't take Paganism or Wicca seriously, but rather want to satisfy a temporary whim for a small amount of money.

Sine Wicca and Paganism have gained a lot of popularity among teenagers in the past few decades, more and more books are being writtern precisely for them. The most notorious among them are Teen Witch and To Ride a Silver Broomstick by Silver Ravenwolf (interesting fact: the latter is among Llewellyn Publishing's bestsellers). Many people have negative opinions of this author for various reasons, but I won't be going into that here. But I have to bring up some pieces of criticism which are aimed at some of here books as well as all other books which are written for teenagers. First of all, they generally seem quite frivolous because of the way they are written and the examples given. Second of all, along with a simplified language, they also offer a simplified philosophy/history/theology of Wicca and Paganism which definitely doesn't benefit the reader no matter their age. In short, although the authors of these books do succeed in their aim of simplifying and bringing the topic closer to their readers, they tend to do this at the expense of information. Because of these, one needs to be very careful with these and all other "beginner" books. In the "Recommended Reading" section, I listed those beginner books which I think present information clearly and concisely, but in the process do not leave out important information and do not trivialize things. This does not mean that they are the best choices for everyone, but I believe they complement each other nicely and that everyone can build a quality foundation in Wicca and Paganism if they begin by reading this selection of books.

When I am able to flip through a book, after I've had a look at the chapter on magic, I immediately flip to the chapter on history. I am lucky enough to have learn some historical facts and am now able to judge the quality of the book at hand based on the accuracy of what is said in this chapter. Generally speaking, an author that includes a chapter on the history of Paganism/Wicca in their book and does not have their historical facts straight is not an author worth reading. I recommend you always look up at least some basic dates and names from this chapter if you are able to do so. You can search in other reliable and already tested sources on this topic, or simply use Google until you yourself have gained enough knowledge to assess the accuracy of the presented historical facts.

Some other faults I noticed in low-quality or mediocre quality books are hypocrisy and deficiency. The hypocrisy can usually be seen in the critique of other religions/faiths/spiritualities on the basis of their discriminatory acts from the past and present while simultaneously ridiculing these same religions/faiths/spiritualities and preaching about tolerance and love toward others. Deficiency is an equally bad flaw because it is reflected in scant information which lacks explanations. Too many books simply say "do this" and "do this that way precisely at that time" without explaining why something is done, why it's done in this manner and at that time. Because of this greatly appreciate the book Elements of Ritual by Deborah Lipp, for example. This was the first book I came upon that really explains why certain things are done the way they are in rituals.

A common flaw of all of these books is that they lack seriousness, depth and/or range. That is to say, if you are looking for a beginner book, I recommend you focus more on the range of information so you can get a little bit of information on every aspect of Wicca/Paganism and, from that, discern what interests you the most. Of course, it is great if a book is able to go into depth as well as range of the topic. Now, once you have found out what interests you, I recommend you aim towards topical depth rather than range so you can expand your knowledge on the particular topic and develop a more quality practice. But the book you chose has to be serious! This does not mean that it cannot include a single witty remark, funny anecdote or something similar (many quality authors I have read have this writing style), but simply that it should be objective (although subjective comments and experiences are allowed in moderate doses), that it gives warnings if needed, that it emphasizes the importance and gravity of Pagan/Wiccan spiritual practice, or basically that it doesn't promote it like a thirty-second video/radio commercial would (can you hear the overly-enthusiastic, fake voices which give you a headache?).

The Internet: Caution

The final and perhaps the largest menace in searching for information on Wicca and Paganism is the Internet. You can find heaps of nonsense in books, but the Internet is much worse given the amount of articles, notes, "books" and so on that are posted every day and have not passed through the hands of editors or proofreaders. I also could not believe what kind of nonsense I found among android apps! There really is a great need for caution when virtual information sources are in question because nowadays, everyone can write anything they like without any guarantee of quality.

I recommend you don't even use the Internet as a source unless it's really necessary or unless the source is of exceptional quality! This goes for my blog as well. The Internet can be useful to remind oneself of some piece of information, check or compare certain facts and research different views of a topic. But it should not be taken as a primary information source.

A very important warning which I can give you regarding the Internet is that you must not let yourself be misled by web sites that offer virtual courses on Wicca/witchcraft/Paganism, and this goes double for those that claim they will initiate, cleanse, bless you or who knows what else for a "symbolic price". Priesthood crash courses and little schools of witchcraft...nonsense.

Still, if you are turning to web sites, I recommend you apply the same suggestions that I mentioned in the previous headings. Along with this, intuition can also help you a lot. If you sense that something is wrong with that particular web site, just move along.

Ultimately, experience will will play its part. If you persist and read various sources, you will learn, in time, to recognize at first glance what isn't any good or what doesn't suit you. Anyway, I hope that you will develop your own opinions and learn to criticize and question what you are reading. Never take anything for granted, be inquisitive, motivated and explore further!

Coming out of the Broom Closet

It is completely clear that Paganism (and Wicca with it) isn't one of the main world religions and that a lot of people are quite uninformed with regard to it. This unawareness often leads to fallacy. Of course, I do not blame people for being uninformed, or if they have developed a wrongful belief due to receiving misinformation because not everyone has to be interested in everything. Still, for those of us that practice this faith, this can be a problem.

Some of you have possibly found yourself in the situation that you want to tell your loved ones, or maybe even a wider community about your beliefs and attitudes for various reasons - simply so they can know about them, so you can practice your beliefs in peace and not keep things a secret anymore, so you can make your life a bit easier, make people more familiar with your faith (and therefore break certain prejudices) and so on. But in the process, one problem often arises, and that is the fear of other peoples' reactions.

In the English language, the phrase "come out of the closet" signifies announcing delicate information to someone and it is most commonly used to refer to revealing one's sexual orientation. Although, as of late, it has been modified and adapted to the witchy/Pagan context and developed into the phrase "come out of the broom closet". Therefore, I dedicate this post (and even the whole blog since it got its name from this precise phrase) to all of you who have ever come out of the broom closet or plan/wish to do so.

How I Came out of the Broom Closet

I would like to start this post with a story from my own life simply so you can have a real example before you. My coming out of the "broom closet" was completely unplanned, but everything turned out ok in the end.

I began researching Wicca at the young age of 12 through discussions on a few forums where I had the honor of talking with a lot of quite experienced people and receiving many good book recommendations from them. I printed out some of these books secretly and gathered basic ritual tools in time. Among them, I got my Book of Shadows, an athame, figures of the God and Goddess and so on. I kept all this in a drawer in my room but was (and still am) lucky enough to have family members who value privacy and therefore never had the habit of snooping around my room.

One day, at the age of 14, my mother was looking for something in my room, opened the drawer and was surprised to find strange books and a dagger. How does one react to this? She called me into my room and asked me with watery eyes why I have a dagger in my room. As you can see, the whole situation was very awkward and I did not know how to explain this one thing without explaining everything. And that's how we started a several-hour-long talk concerning my beliefs and practices.

My parents are Catholics so I thought the best way to explain my beliefs to them was by bringing them closer to their own. So I started drawing parallels... any and all that I could think of: comparisons of the Christian mass and prayer with Pagan rituals, prayers with magic, Christenings with Wiccanings, initiation with holy communions, handfasting with weddings and so on. I explained to her the fundamental doctrines of Wicca and answered all her questions. Of course, she asked me if I used the dagger (my athame) for anything bad so I calmed her and explained that Wiccan practices do not involve bloodshed or any kind. She had numerous other concerns which could have very easily been anticipated given the stereotypes and prejudices regarding Wiccans and Pagans. But I patiently answered all of her questions and broke my prejudices she had. 

I repeated this conversation with my father the next day. He is somewhat more conservative than my mother, but I managed to relate the topic to him through a calm discussion. His reaction in the end was simply that he had nothing against my beliefs or practices as long as they "did not harm me".

Useful Tips

Coming out of the broom closet is a big deal and shouldn't be taken lightly. It can actually have resounding consequences, both positive and negative, on one's life. The basic dilemma is that one cannot get back in the closet once they come out. I have already mentioned that coming out of the closet can have very wonderful results, but I feel the need to warm you of the possible bad ones as well. This is why I suggest that you ask yourselves the following questions before coming out:

• Am I ready? 
  A certain level of maturity is needed for a person to come out of the broom closet. By "maturity", I don't mean simply physical or mental readiness (the ability to handle stressful situations well, the ability of resolving conflicts in a peaceful manner and so on) but I also imply spiritual maturity and ample practical experience. To elaborate, it is difficult to explain the basics of your own faith and your fundamental worldviews to someone if you yourself haven't yet defined them and haven't yet researched things enough to extract the most important pieces of information, or precisely that which will bring the topic closer to your interlocutor.
• Are my loved ones ready?
  If you explain everything to your loved ones, but they aren't ready to take it all in, or are not yet ready to accept this for various reasons (it is contradictory to their own beliefs, they are more conservative and simply perceive it all as something bad due to the influence of media, former upbringing, stereotypes, prejudiced etc.), then the exact opposite of what you want might happen. Instead of this information bringing you closer together and bringing you the freedom you so desire, it can cause numerous restrictions and increase the gap between you and them (e.g. a friendly/romantic relationship may weaken, parents can forbid certain things and so on).
• Is there really a need to come out of the broom closet?Sometimes, it just isn't the right time yet, or there isn't a real need for it because, under the circumstances, nothing would change if you gave voice to your opinions. Besides, Paganism, Wicca, witchcraft and similar practices are mainly private in nature and are not typically intended for large groups of people. Therefore, there is no need to go walking around with a sign around your neck that says: "I am a Pagan/Wiccan/witch".
• Will I be imposing anything if I make the first move?I urge you to ask yourself if you would be imposing yourself or your beliefs on your interlocutor if you decided to talk to them about your beliefs. This is not one of those topics that you can just throw into the conversation, or casually bring up during a coffee; it may even cause misunderstandings and heated debates. This is why we usually leave it up to the other person to make the first move. Other peoples' faiths don't have to interest everyone. In fact, this isn't of the least interest or import to a large number of people when it comes to both friendly, romantic or any other type of relationship really. In addition to this, there is an unwritten rule in Paganism that forbids proselytizing and by bringing up this topic first and defending your faith and beliefs (which some people can take to be a form of promotion), some people can get the idea that you are trying to convert them, or are just trying to force your beliefs on them.
• How do I want to come out of the broom closet?
  It is always a good idea to have a worked-out system and approach, to know what you want to say and how you want to say it as well as to know what is best avoided (depending on the interlocutor of course). This is all closely related to the first question because if your whole plan is based on your yelling at the other person when they start criticizing your beliefs or perhaps try to prove that what you are doing is "bad for you", then it's best if you just don't take this step at all. Aggressive reactions such as waving your hands about, raising your tone of voice, insulting the other person's beliefs as a method of defending your own and similar tactics are doomed to fail from the very beginning. If you are not able to calmly discuss this topic with another person and answer their questions, then now may not be the right time to take this step.

The Good Sides

After I explained everything to my parents, I felt as though a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I didn't have to hide my books anymore or wait for them to get out of the house to perform a ritual. I could simply be myself. I think that it is much easier for everyone who comes out of the broom closet because they don't have to live a double life and longer and can freely practice their faith (although I cannot emphasize enough that freedom of practice and imposition of practices/beliefs is not the same things).

Another good side to this is that many new doors start opening. If you are uninhibited during conversations about your beliefs, there is a chance that you will meet people that share these beliefs. This happened to me, and I believe to most others that took this step. Things just seem to fall into place. It all starts by meeting (through conversation and acquaintances) that one person who introduces you to another two-three people and from then on, things take their natural course. So now, I am blessed with a considerable circle of people (friends) with whom I celebrate the Sabbats and practice Paganism in other ways as well.

However, some manage to find a circle of people with whom they can practice even without "coming out" publicly (either to a narrower group or a wider public). But the problem with this is that these people are left hiding not only their own practices, but also the practices of their co-practitioners, which is much more difficult.

The Bad Sides

I have to admit that I personally did not have any negative experiences post coming out of the closet because I decided to tell only the people I am closest to - my family, closest friends and partner. I am lucky and grateful that they are all tolerant and that were willing to listen to my story until the end. I avoided the topic of faith/religion with people from my academic/work circles and those that I wasn't that close with for several reasons which I will mention in this heading.

If the person you are talking to loves you, there's a greater chance they will still love you no matter your religion/faith, or they will at the very least learn to tolerate/respect/live with it. This is why I didn't tell people I am not close to.

For example, if you declare this to the whole world on a social network, or start talking about it at work/college/school, people start to gossip. This can lead to many unpleasant situations, comments and often enough disapproval. In extreme situations, people lose their jobs, get a "bad reputation" because of made-up silliness, lose friends, miss out on academic/business opportunities and contacts and are either intentionally or unintentionally punished by their community because they are different.

Due to all this, some people decide to stay in the broom closet because this is (a) the line of least resistance or (b) because the negative consequences outweigh the positive.

Then there are always those that prefer to practice their faith secretly because this enables a quality practice for them (they don't waste any time knowing that they have to use the little time they have the best they can, they concentrate on what is most important, don't have to deal with external problems which would otherwise interfere with their practice and don't have some obstacles which they might otherwise have). Others just value their security and privacy and are at peace when they decide on this option because, after all, how can someone attack a person or invade their privacy if they don't even know where to begin (this person hasn't revealed anything about themselves with regard to this so people don't have any basis for offensive actions).


It is true that coming out of the broom closet can have negative repercussions, but this is why it's necessary to estimate the situation and one's own preparedness, the tolerance of one's surroundings and the possible outcomes. The final decision and the responsibility are on you.

It's my opinion that it is always better to come out of the broom closet if possible, although I understand that many aren't in the position to take this course of action. To these I can only suggest that they make the best out of their situation. I believe that coming out is always a better option because it generally frees a person, brings people closer together, widens horizons and creates many new possibilities.

I am only sorry that I cannot give any more concrete suggestions on this topic because I know how important and current it is for many people today (I have received several e-mails with questions on coming out of the closet). Every person's situation is specific, so general instructions cannot exist. But I would like to single out a few good guidelines which I believe can be useful for anyone in any situation of this type:

• Evaluate the situation as best you can before taking any action
• Let your interlocutor introduce this topic (be it through discussion, or in an appropriate situation as was my case)
• Do not lie unless you absolutely have to in order to save something (people often lie to their employers, colleagues or people they are not that familiar with to avoid conflicts or negative consequences which would have a large impact on their lives such as losing their job), although lying is arguable even then (e.g. is it justified to lie to your partner about this in order to save your relationship/marriage because, in the process, you lost your integrity, your partner's trust and also hide a large part of your persona)
• Do not react aggressively or rashly i.e. try to always stay calm

I wish that you have a lot of luck and wisdom on the journey that follows! And I hope that my advice and personal experience will be of some use to you. :)

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Intro to Neopaganism

This post was originally written as an article for the magazine Puni Mjesec (Full Moon). Although the magazine probably won't be of much use to you since it is in Croatian, I hope this post will! I believe it could be valuable to anyone who just came across the notions of Paganism and Neopaganism. This is why I decided to share the article with you on my blog (as well as translate it).

Spirituality or Religion?

When people first hear about Neopaganism, they often ask themselves where Pagans celebrate their festivals, who leads the rituals, whether or not there are any rules, a certain hierarchy, or sacred texts which define this and so on. It would be very simple to answer all of these questions if Neopaganism were a religion, but it isn't. Many Pagans will say that it is a spiritual path, or perhaps a way of life. In any case, Neopaganism cannot be called a religion because of several reasons.

Namely, organized religions have strictly defined ceremonial rules, specified places of worship, spiritual leaders (and thus a hierarchy) as well as sacred texts. Neopaganism is much more flexible. Individuals and groups can celebrate in both opened and closed spaces and usually don't have a single "right" place where they meet (i.e. a single place of worship). Some basic ceremonial frameworks do exist, but they can be adapted to the needs of each individual/group. Depending on the denomination, Neopagans can choose one, or more people which will lead the rituals. But what usually happens is that different people lead different kinds of rituals. In addition to this, Pagans often write their own rituals and do not have a sole sacred text, or strictly defined sacred texts. There is only one rule that all Neopagans know and respect in one form or another. In its shortest form, it goes like this: "Harm none".

What is Neopaganism Based on?

Essentially, Neopaganism is a spiritual path which puts emphasis on the celebration of nature and fertility. Pagans understand these notions completely, that is to say, they celebrate nature in the full sense of the word (both its "good" and "bad" sides) and also acknowledge all aspects of fertility (the fertility of humans, animals, the earth, the human mind etc.). Fertility and creation, which can be understood as meaning the same thing, are embodied in the central figures of Neopaganism.

The God and the Goddess

These two figures, though one could understand them as archetypes, embody fertility, creation and all aspects of humanity and nature. They are the male and female poles/genders (but not necessarily sexes) which stand at the very core of creation. They have several faces, as does any human being or any force of nature. They were anthropomorphized in order to facilitate communication for people, but they can also be understood as nature itself.

Pagans usually mention two aspects of the God: the Horned God and the Green Man. The Horned God is at his best during the winter months and represents male sexuality, strength, hunting, the wild and animals (which is why he is almost always depicted with antlers). The Green Man is the Horned God's summer counterpart. He is no less manly or strong, but he is slightly more gentle because he represents the beauty of the summer months and all of nature's foliage. These two aspects are also known under two other names: the Holly Kind (an equivalent of the Horned God) and the Oak King (an equivalent of the Green Man). Holly, in this context, symbolizes evergreen trees and the winter months in general, whereas oak symbolizes deciduous trees and, by contrast, all the verdure that predominates during spring and summer. But regardless of his aspect, the God symbolizes the male polarity and the power of the Sun without which life on Earth would not exist.

The horned figure from the Gunderstrup cauldron 

(it is often taken to be a symbol of the Horned God), 

cca. 200BCE-300CE

Emily Balivet - 

The Oak King, 2010.

The Goddess has three visible faces, which is why she is often called the Triple Goddess. Nevertheless, some also acknowledge her hidden face. She is the Maiden, Mother and Crone, in which she symbolizes all of the phases of womanhood, but also has the face of the Dark Goddess. All of the above mentioned aspects correspond to the phases of the Moon (Maiden - waxing moon/first quarter; Mother - full Moon; Crone - waning Moon/the last quarter, the Dark Goddess - new Moon). This is because the Goddess herself symbolizes the female polarity and the Moon which has its own strong effects on mankind.

As Neopaganism doesn't prescribe exact rules when it comes to worship, or even understanding deities, some people understand the God and Goddess as two figures, as described in the previous paragraphs, but a large number of Pagans perceive them differently. Some Pagans will believe that the God and Goddess represent two separate poles of nature, some will see them as two sides of the same coin (i.e. nature/creation). Some will adopt the polytheistic system of belief and acknowledge several gods/goddesses (sometimes even from different pantheons) as the faces of the God/Goddess, or perhaps as completely separate aspects of nature. All in all, the divine power is seen by practically all Pagans as the embodiment of nature and the act of creation.

The Wheel of the Year

Pagans perceive the year as a wheel that is constantly turning; it therefore represents rebirth and eternal cycles. This wheel has eight spokes which represent the eight Pagans festivals, that is Sabbats which can be divided into solar and fire/land festivals. The two solstices and two equinoxes fall under the category of solar festivals (Yule, Ostara, Litha and Mabon), and the fire/land festivals (can be found about midway between each of the solar festivals. They generally celebrate some agrarian aspect (such as sowing or reaping), which is how they got their name. Pagans have special names for each of these celebrations, as well as a determined and widely-accepted date:

SABBAT	PRONUNCIATION	DATE
Yule	/jul/	21/22.12.
Imbolc	/imbolk/	2.2.
Ostara	/ostara/	20.3.
Beltane	/beltein/	1.5.
Litha	/liθa/	20./21.6.
Lughnasadh/Lammas	/lunasa/, /lamas/	31.7./1.8.
Mabon	/meibon/	22./23.9.
Samhain	/sowen/	31.10.

Yule (a.k.a. the winter solstice) represents the beginning of the Pagan year and also the beginning of winter when the Sun starts regaining its strength and days slowly begin to get longer (this is why Pagans celebrate the rebirth of the Sun on this day). Imbolc is the first fire festival of the year and marks the midway point between winter and spring, which is why Pagans celebrate fire on this day (and through it the strength of the Sun) which brings warmth and melts snow. Ostara (a.k.a. the spring equinox) marks the first day of spring and the return of fertility. Beltane is a fire festival that marks the peak of spring as well as fertility. Litha, the summer solstice, marks the beginning of summer, symbolizes the full strength of the Sun but also the oncoming slow decline of the Sun's strength. Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals to come; it marks the first harvest during which we celebrate the earth's abundance and gifts. It therefore falls under the category of fire/land Sabbats. Mabon (a.k.a. the autumn equinox) is the second of the three harvest festivals. It is the time of the second harvest which is also the time of the slow decline of the Sun's power, the nearing of the end of the year and, with it, a time of rest with all the fruits of one's labor. Samhain is the final Sabbat int he Pagan Wheel of the Year, which is why it symbolizes the end of the year, the symbolic death and soon-to-come rebirth and ending of one cycle (which is why many Pagans celebrate their New Year on this day).

The Sabbats essentially represent natural cycles and activities and the general state of nature (that of humans, animals and plants i.e. the land). This is why they perfectly fit into the Pagan worldview which places nature and fertility in the foreground.

The Wheel of the Year with pictorial and textual descriptions and associations
Symbols: flame=fire/land festivals; wheat=harvest festival; moon symbols=the appropriate
aspect of the Goddess which is celebrated at this time
Notes: the name of each Sabbat is colored in a corresponding color, the wheel is divided
into four parts (the four seasons), the red and green semicircles signify the
old Pagans divison of the year (the green semicircle=summer months/summer; the green
semicircle=winter months/winter), the dashed line marks another old Pagan division of
the year in which Samhain marked the beginning of winter, and Beltane the
beginning of summer.

And those are the basics of Paganism! :) I hope that they proved useful to you. Don't hesitate to look around on my blog because you will come across posts that cover each of these topics separately. For example, in the "Sabbats" section of the blog, you can read about each of the Sabbats in detail. In the Witch's Glossary, you can find many terms from this post as well as many more that you may come across in this context. What's best is that they are all explained in one short paragraph (each). Feel free to explore my other posts if this topic interests you. Happy reading!

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

What Is a Mystery Religion?

Modern witchcraft and also Wicca are often referred to as mystery religions. The term is paradoxical in a sense because neither witchcraft nor Wicca are religions. I talked a bit about this in one of my previous posts, but just to refresh your memories, this is because a religion is defined as "an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods". Also, in religions, the "officials" (priests, bishops, or whatever rank or name they carry) are simply subordinates of the God/gods. In addition to this, every religion has a moral codex and fixed ceremonial laws. Witchcraft and Wicca are quite flexible when it comes to this. For example, many denominations of Wicca exist, each with their own rules, many individuals (i.e. Solitaries) create their own moral framework, while still keeping to some general moral codes (which actually stem from common sense rather than religious doctrine), many covens create their own practice which is adapted to the members' needs and so on. It can be said that Wicca, as is the case with most Pagan faiths, is a spiritual path, while witchcraft is a practice which can be completely unrelated to any religion or spiritual path.

Nevertheless, "mystery religions" has practically become a fixed expression in the Pagan community even though many people who have heard it aren't quite sure what it means. The obscurity of the phrase is mostly due to the "mystery" part of the expression which I will try to clarify in this post. :)

Defining the "Mystery" in "Mystery Religions"

In ancient times, especially in ancient Greece, mystery religions were known only to their initiates. Anyone who was not initiated did not know what they were about, what rites were included, how the practices looked like and they possibly didn't even know they existed. So "mystery" used to mean "secret". But mind you, those wishing to be initiated had to really work to achieve this; they underwent training and other preparations before they were allowed into the religion itself.

The most famous example of the ancient mystery religions are surely the Eleusinian mysteries but there, of course, were others such as the mysteries at Agrae, the mystery cults of Attis, Orpheus, Cybele, Isis and others. They were largely dispersed throughout Greece in its later period but also early imperial Rome. Although, these mysteries differed from those in Eleusis which can be thought of as the "original" mystery religion; not in the sense of its chronological predating, but rather its importance for and influence on other mystery religions.

Nowadays, these mystery religions have lost quite a bit of their mystery. We know a lot about their history and a fair amount of their practices which demystifies them in a sense. In the case of the Eleusinian mystery, this is due to their abating restrictions regarding secrecy. That is to say, up to the 5th century (the Greek Classical period), these mysteries were restricted solely to Athenians, but this changed in the second half of this century when they were opened to all Greeks and later on to almost anyone. Some converted Pagans also spoke about the rituals of Eleusis, but then again, some rituals were open to the public. The myth of the rape/kidnapping of Persephone (in which her mother Demeter rescues her in a way) was at the center of the mysteries. But I don't want to go into further detail because Eleusis is a different topic and deserves much more attention than just one paragraph. For those of you that are not familiar with the myth, you can read about it in great detail here and if you are interested in the ritualistic details of the mysteries, I recommend you have a look at Lindsey Jones' Encyclopedia of Religion vol. 4 ("Eleusinian mysteries", pp. 2751-2752).

As Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone point out in Progressive Witchcraft, "the mystery practices of modern Wicca seem to have been drawn from the Mediterranean, specifically the Greek and Egyptian cultures and their established Priesthoods, rather than any form of Northern or Western European village or tribal magical practice whose mystery practices would have surely been more Shamanically inclined".

Rosicrucianism and Co-Masonry, and Freemasonry even more so are thought to be the direct descendants of these mysteries. Garald Gardner, the "founder" of Wicca, was connected to both, so it is not unusual that one finds this ancient aspect in modern Wicca.

Obviously, "mystery" no longer necessarily means "secret" because we know some details regarding these ancient mystery religions and more importantly because they were known even when these religions were at their peak.

But to return to the main topic, the main part of all of these religions is the initiation. Without being initiated, one could not be taught the mysteries which that specific path held. There were usually several parts to the initiation, some of which are mirrored in Wicca:

1. catharsis - a purification process which is necessary to take the next step into initiation because initiation in itself is seen as beginning a new chapter in one's life or perhaps an entirely new life and of course everyone wants to enter this new life clean, calm and unburdened.
2. palingenesis - a symbolic death and rebirth during which new knowledge is given to the initiate
3. hieros gamos - a sacred wedding referring to the unity of the initiate and the god/goddess/gods where the initiate truly understands the deity/deities at hand
4. orgia - no, this is NOT an orgy. An orgia is an ecstatic emotional feeling that the initiate may experience during the hieros gamos which then leads to the last step of the initiation
5. ekstasis - the actual ecstasy itself, or rather the "getting out of oneself", going beyond limited perceptions, going beyond existence. This is where true spiritual knowledge is obtained.

The hieros gamos is the main aspect of this type of initiation. To elaborate, through palingenesis, the initiate symbolically dies (he leaves fears behind, overcomes certain issues, faces him/herself, is given trials or tasks to perform, similar to those of a specific deity, in order to prove him/herself and so on) and is reincarnated into a deity through identifying him/herself with it during the initiation process. Lindsey Jones explains this wonderfully in her Encyclopedia of Religion: "The Dionysian mysteries made a Bacchus of the initiate; the consecration of the initiate by means of the winnowing basket and the phallus regenerated him by immunizing him against death and infernal demons. Dionysos was held to have returned from the nether regions along with his mother Semele, and to have been “reborn.” His myth provided a model for the rebirth of any initiate, to whom the same immortality was promised. (...) The initiate was seen as undergoing the same trials of initiation that had turned Dionysos into a true Bacchus". The point of this initiatory aspect was to become one with a deity and thus fully understand it and the mysteries it conveys.

Unification with a/the Deity

Even though mystery religions have become demystified by information regarding their rituals leaking out, they can still be seen as mysterious in a sense. This aspect has been preserved precisely through the hieros gamos. Due to my personal experience, I can best explain this on the example of Wicca.

Wicca used to be quite "underground" in the 50s and 60s but it soon spread due to Gardner's love of the press and the Witchcraft Act of 1735 being repealed in 1951 thus enabling witches to slightly more freely practice their beliefs. More and more books started being published on the topic and then the Internet came. So much for mysteries and secrets...

But Wicca has retained some of its mysteriousness in this sense by staying distant to all those who do not wish to actually work. It is necessary to work hard and learn in order to be initiated. With regard to this, initiation does not always refer to the official process of a priest/priestess introducing the initiate to the path itself. Initiation can occur, at least from the viewpoint of some Wiccans (including myself), through direct contact with the God/Goddess in which they bless the initiate themselves and lead them onto this path. Also, most Wiccan groups tend to work in small numbers and be quite reserved. And then there is the tendency of working in secluded areas or private spaces where one will be able to work undisturbed or "in secret". 

But more importantly, Wicca has maintained its mysteriousness through its unification with deities. The focus of most Wiccan rituals is the moment when the God/Goddess/both manifest themselves. This may be done through evocation (i.e. not in the body of the priest/priestess but rather in food or drink) or through invocation (when they are joined with the priest's /priestess' body and spirit). In both ways, the other participants also come into contact with the deity either through enjoying the food/drink which hold the deity's energy and essence or through communicating with the priest/priestess in which the deities reside. Then there is also the idea that all the participants share in the energy of the ritual space. This enables everyone to feel the energy of the deity which is evoked/invoked. This system differs from that of "non-mystery-religion" practices where even the religious officials don't directly communicate with God and are even more rarely unified with him (do not take offence at the apparent sexism; this was not my intention).

In short, the whole point of the mystery aspect of mystery religions is directly receiving the knowledge of that specific path, or deity, or even general life mysteries through contact and unification with a deity. 

Hopefully this post clarified certain things. But if you have a different opinion on the subject, I would, as always, be very happy to hear it. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me. :)

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Laws of the Craft

I never thought I would be interested in laws of any kind but I guess there's a first time for everything. Of course, these aren't your typical laws; they are the "laws" of Wicca, which makes them interesting enough to catch my eye. But it is worth noting that even though they are called laws, many Wiccans (and witches) do not know them and many have not even heard of them. I shall say more about this later on. This may make them seem insignificant, but they are important for the history of Wicca and can serve as a good foundation for any traditional witch. 

The protagonists of this story are Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente. It all began with the popularization of Wicca which was essentially started by Gardner. When he was initiated into the New Forest coven, he took an oath of secrecy as did every witch at the time. Yet he broke it on many occasions, beginning with the publication of his so called novel High Magic's Aid. This work gave out many of the coven's secrets but under pretense of a fictional work which nobody thought of as reflecting reality. So he got away with this one. But when the Witchcraft Act was repealed in 1951, he published two more books and completely broke his oath. He continued to do so every time the press contacted him. At the time, he was leading the Bricket Wood coven with Doreen Valiente so his actions influenced them also. They were displeased with his behavior and though it endangered them, so they (or rather Doreen) wrote out The Provisional Rules of the Craft. It seems that these rules were needed to keep both Gardner's privacy and the privacy of the whole coven because even though the Witchcraft Act was repealed, witches and Wiccans were still frowned upon, judged and even abused because of their faith. Simply put, not many people wanted to get "out of the closed".

Gerald Gardner

Doreen Valiente

Note: I was unable to find Doreen's Provisional Rules, but they can be found in Aiden Kelly's book Crafting the Art of Magic, Book I: A History of Modern Witchcraft (pp. 103-105). If you happen to have this book at home, I would be very grateful for a scan of these pages. :) thank you!

Gardner did not like these rules at all and in 1957 decided to make his own set in response. These rules are now known as the Laws of the Craft. This same year, Doreen Valiente left Gardner's coven, as did a number of other members, because she could not put up with him or his overbearingness any longer (although there were other factors too). 

Doreen's Provisional Rules were essentially made to keep the coven's privacy and to establish a certain order. Gardner on the other hand, although also partially interested in practicality, was more concerned with how these rules would sound. Of course, they had to sound archaic to give them that certain weight and verity. In the process, Gardner ended up simply misusing old English forms of words...but at least the rules sound fancy.

The most detailed, well-known version of these laws consists of 161 "laws" and can be found in the Alexandrian Book of Shadows. According to Stewart Farrar, only laws 51-80 existed in Gardner's Book of Shadows and the rest were added over time. By 1961, the number of laws had reached the known 161. It is thought that these added rules were given to Alex Sanders by Pat Kopinsky who was initiated into Gardnerian Wicca by Gardner's High Priestess Patricia Crowther. These laws were not known to the wider public until Alex Sanders agreed to publish them in his biography Alex Sanders: the King of the Witches which was written by June Johns in 1969. 

What these laws give is a sort of layout of the coven's structure (including its degree system), a code of conduct during ritual or in everyday life (if necessary for the security and/or privacy of the coven) and so on. 

The Alexandrian Book of Shadows presents the laws by categories which they refer to. I copied them out so if you don't feel like downloading any of the above books, you can simply read the laws here. But before I go on listing all of these laws (because there really is no other way to fully present them), I would like to say a few more words on why the term "law" can only be loosely applied to them.

May Wiccans believe only in the Wiccan Rede and in the Threefold Law which integrated into it. Many do not even know about these laws, but I believe this is because they are meant for covens. Since most covens today make their own sets of rules (some based on these and some not), and most individuals only abide by the Wiccan Rede and Threefold Law, they have no need for the "original" 161 laws. Nevertheless, some rules are needed to harmonize the members of a coven, they are needed for fair treatment and equality and to evade anarchy. After all, a coven is usually a very well organized structure in which it is necessary for everyone to know what they should do and when they should do it. Of course, there are other group systems which allow more fluidity both during rituals and outside the circle.

Many witches, including the Farrars and Gavin Bone believe that these laws are old-fashioned. Indeed, even Alex Sanders agreed to remove some of the laws precisely because of this (e.g. law 25; Alex also denied law 82, but there have been many disputes regarding this). If you read through them carefully, you will probably be able to imagine them written on an old piece of parchment and medieval witches memorizing them and following them in order to protect the coven. This was what I envisioned at least. Personally, I believe them to be old-fashioned in the sense that many traditional rules of the craft have been modified to suite the 21st century, to make life and coven work a bit easier and for many other reasons. Also, there is no need to stick to strict rules of secrecy nowadays when so many books have been published on this topic. And not to mention the Internet! Of course, it is up to the individual to choose whether they want to keep their faith a secret, but whichever way you look at it, globally speaking, people are not as prone to witch hunting as they where in the Middle Ages.

Despite all of this, I believe every Wiccan should read these laws because they provide a concise introduction to the Craft itself; they mention Wiccan practices that are very common in coven work, they speak about ethics, the Wiccan attitude towards the gods and of many other interesting topics. Not everyone has to follow them blindly, of course, but a basic knowledge of them can only do the practitioner some good. :)

So if you are willing and have some time on your hands, I sincerely recommend you read these laws. Feel free to make your own set of laws based on them; you wouldn't be the first ones to do so. In fact, you can take Janet Farrar's and Gavin Bone's set of rules from Progressive Witchcraft (pp. 46-47) as template. You can remove what you find irrelevant to you lifestyle, practices or modern mentality, you can rephrase to make the whole structure less archaic, but most importantly, be critical. Just because these laws were written by Gardner, or Valiente or Sanders (each of them contributed actually) does not mean that they are the only possible rules, or that they are all important or even valid. What I love about Wicca is that it enables you to mold certain aspects of the faith to you own needs, especially if you are a Solitary. I suggest you use this to your advantage.

So read the laws, learn them, copy them out, rewrite them, filter them or simply discard them altogether...do what you feel is necessary to make your practice better. :)

Until next time. Yours,
Witch's Cat

THE OLD LAW

1. The Law was made and ordained of old.
2. The Law was made for the Wicca, to advise and help in their troubles.
3. The Wicca should give due worship to the gods and obey their will, which they ordain, for it was made for the good of Wicca as the worship of the Wicca is good for the gods. For the gods love the brethren of Wicca.
4. As a man loveth a woman by mastering her,
5. So should the Wicca love the gods by being mastered by them.
6. And it is necessary that the Circle which is the temple of the gods, should be truly cast and purified. And that it may be a fit place for the gods to enter.
7. And the Wicca shall be properly prepared and purified to enter into the presence of the gods.
8. With love and worship in their hearts, they shall raise power from their bodies to give power to the gods.
9. As has been taught of old.
10. For in this way only may men have communion with the gods, for the gods cannot help man without the help of man.

HPS & HP

11. And the High Priestess shall rule her coven as the representative of the Goddess.
12. And the High Priest shall support her as the representative of the God.
13. And the High Priestess shall choose whom she will, be he of sufficient rank, to be her High Priest.
14. For, as the God Himself kissed Her feet in the five-fold salute, laying His power at the feet of the Goddess because of Her youth and beauty, Her sweetness and kindness, Her wisdom and justice, Her humility and generosity,
15. So He resigned all His power to Her.
16. But the High Priestess should ever mind that the power comes from Him.
17. It is only lent, to be used wisely and justly.
18. And the greatest virtue of a High Priestess be that she recognize that youth is necessary to the representative of the Goddess.
19. So she will gracefully retire in favour of a younger woman should the Coven so decide in council.
20. For a true High Priestess realizes that gracefully surrendering pride of place is one of the greatest virtues.
21. And that thereby she will return to that pride of place in another life, with greater power and beauty.

SECURITY

22. In the old days, when witchdom extended far, we were free and worshipped in all the greater temples.
23. But in these unhappy times we must celebrate our sacred mysteries in secret.
24. So be it ordained that none but the Wicca may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many and torture loosens the tongue of man.
25. So be it ordained that no Coven shall know where the next Coven bide.
26. Or who its members be, save only the Priest and Priestess and messenger.
27. And there shall be no communication between them, save by the messenger of the gods, or the summoner.
28. And only if it be safe may the Covens meet in some safe place for the great festivals.
29. And while there, none shall say whence they came nor give their true names.
30. To this end, that if any be tortured, in their agony, they may not tell if they do not know.
31. So be it ordained that no one shall tell anyone not of the craft who be of the Wicca, nor give any names or where they bide, or in any way tell anything which can betray any of us to our foes.
32. Nor may he tell where the Covendom be.
33. Or the Covenstead.
34. Or where the meetings be.
35. And if any break these Laws, even under torture, THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS SHALL BE UPON THEM, so they may never be reborn on earth and may remain where they belong, in the hell of the Christians.

DISPUTES

36. Let each High Priestess govern her Coven with justice and love, with the help and advice of the High Priest and the Elders, always heeding the advice of the Messenger of the Gods if he cometh.
37. She will heed all complaints of all Brothers and strive to settle all differences among them.
38. But it must be recognized that there will always be people who will ever strive to force others to do as they will.
39. These are not necessarily evil.
40. And they oft have good ideas and such ideas should be talked over in council.
41. But if they will not agree with their Brothers, or if they say,
42. "I will not work under this High Priestess,"
43. It hath ever been the Old Law to be convenient to the Brethren and to avoid disputes.

NEW COVENS

44. Any of the third may claim to found a new Coven because they live over a league away from the Covenstead or are about to do so.
45. Anyone living within the Covendom and wishing to form a new Coven, shall tell the Elders of their intention, and on the instant avoid their dwelling and remove to the new Covendom.
46. Members of the old Coven may join the new one when it is formed. But if they do, they must utterly avoid the old Coven.
47. The Elders of the new and old Covens should meet in peace and brotherly love to decide the new boundaries.
48. Those of the craft who dwell outside both Covendoms may join either but not both.
49. Though all may, if the Elders agree, meet for the great festivals if it be truly in peace and brotherly love,
50. But splitting the Coven oft means strife, so for this reason these Laws were made of old and may the CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE ON ANY WHO DISREGARD THEM. So be it ordained.

GRIMOIRE

51. If you would keep a book, let it be in your own hand of write. Let brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out of your hands, and never keep the writings of another.
52. For if it be found in their hand of write, they may be taken and arraigned.
53. Let each guard his own writings and destroy them whenever danger threatens.
54. Learn as much as you may by heart and, when danger is past, rewrite your book, an it be safe.
55. For this reason, if any die, destroy their book an they have not been able to.
56. For, an it be found, 'tis clear proof against them.
57. And our oppressors know well "Ye may not be a witch alone".
58. So all their kin and friends be in danger of torture,
59. So destroy everything not necessary.
60. If your book be found on you, 'tis clear proof against you alone, you may be arraigned.

PERSECUTION

61. Keep all thoughts of the craft from your mind.
62. If the torture be too great to bear, say "I will confess. I cannot bear this torture. What do you want me to say?"
63. If they try to make you speak of the Brotherhood, do not.
64. But if they try to make you speak of impossibilities such as flying through the air, consorting with a Christian devil or sacrificing children, or eating men's flesh,
65. To obtain relief from torture say "I had an evil dream, I was beside myself, I was crazed."
66. Not all magistrates are bad, if there be an excuse, they may show mercy.
67. If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards, say you babbled under torture, say you knew not what you said.
68. If you are condemned, fear not.
69. The Brotherhood is powerful and will help you to escape if you stand steadfast, but if you betray aught there is no hope for you in this life or in that to come.
70. Be sure, if steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you, you will feel naught. You go to death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the goddess.

TOOLS

71. To avoid discovery, let the working tools be as ordinary things that any may have in their houses.
72. Let the pentacles be of wax so that they may be broken at once or melted.
73. Have no sword unless your rank allows it.
74. Have no names or signs on anything.
75. Write the names and signs on them in ink before consecrating them and wash it off immediately afterwards.
76. Let the colours of the hilts tell which is which.
77. Do not engrave them lest they cause discovery.

CONDUCT

78. Ever remember ye are the hidden children of the Goddess so never do anything to disgrace them or Her.
79. Never boast, never threaten, never say you would wish ill of anyone.
80. If any person not in the Circle, speak of the craft, say, "Speak not to me of such, it frightens me, 'tis evil luck to speak of it."
81. For this reason, the Christians have their spies everywhere. These speak as if they were well affected to us, as if they would come to our meetings, saying, "My mother used to worship the Old Ones. I would I could go myself."
82. To such as these, ever deny all knowledge.
83. But to others, ever say, "'Tis foolish men talk of witches flying through the air. To do so they must be as light as thistledown. And men say that witches all be blear-eyed old crones, so what pleasure can there be at a witch meeting such as folks talk on ?"
84. And say, "Many wise men now say there be no such creatures."
85. Ever make it jest) and in some future time perhaps, the persecution may die and we may worship our gods in safety again.
86. Let us all pray for that happy day.
87. May the blessings of the Goddess and God be on all who keep these Laws which are ordained.

VALUABLES

88. If the craft hath any appanage, let all guard it and help to keep it clear and good for the craft.
89. And let all justly guard all monies of the craft.
90. And if any Brother truly wrought it, 'tis right they have their pay, an it be just. An this be not taking money for the art, but for good and honest work.
91. And even the Christians say, "The labourer is worthy of his hire," but if any Brother work willingly for the good of the craft without pay, 'tis but to their greater honour. So be it ordained.

QUARRELS

92. If there be any dispute or quarrel among the Brethren, the High Priestess shall straightly convene the Elders and inquire into the matter, and they shall hear both sides, first alone and then together.
93. And they shall decide justly, not favouring one side or the other.
94. Ever recognising there be people who can never agree to work under others.
95. But at the same time, there be some people who cannot rule justly.
96. To those who must ever be chief, there is one answer.
97. "'Void the Coven or seek another one, or make a Coven of your own, taking with you those who will go."
98. To those who cannot rule justly, the answer be, "Those who cannot bear your rule will leave you."
99. For none may come to meetings with those with whom they are at variance.
100. So, an either cannot agree, get hence, for the craft must ever survive. So be it ordained.

CURSES

101. In the olden days when we had power, we could use the art against any who ill-treated the Brotherhood. But in these evil days we must not do so. For our enemies have devised a burning pit of everlasting fire into which they say their god casteth all the people who worship him, except it be the very few who are released by their priest's spells and masses. And this be chiefly by giving monies and rich gifts to receive his favour for their great god is ever in need of money.
102. But as our gods need our aid to make fertility for man and crops, so is the god of the Christians ever in need of man's help to search out and destroy us. Their priests ever tell them that any who get our help are damned to this hell forever, so men be mad with the terror of it.
103. But they make men believe that they may escape this hell if they give victims to the tormentors. So for this reason all be forever spying, thinking, "An I can catch but one of these Wicca, I will escape from this fiery pit."
104. So for this reason we have our hidels, and men searching long and not finding, say, "There be none, or if there be, they be in a far country."
105. But when one of our oppressors die, or even be sick, ever is the cry, "This be witches' malice", and the hunt is up again. And though they slay ten of their own to one of ours, still they care not. They have countless thousands.
106. While we are few indeed. So be it ordained.
107. That none shall use the art in any way to do ill to any.
108. However much they may injure us, harm none. And nowtimes many believe we exist not.
109. That this Law shall ever continue to help us in our plight, no one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use the art in any way to do ill, or harm any. But they may, after great consultations with all, use the art to restrain Christians from harming us Brothers, but only to constrain them and never to punish.
110. To this end men will say, "Such a one is a mighty searcher out, and a persecutor of old women whom they deemeth to be witches, and none hath done him harm, so it be proof that they cannot or more truly there be none."
111. For all know full well that so many folk have died because someone had a grudge against them, or were persecuted because they had money or goods to sieze, or because they had none to bribe the searchers. And many have died because they were scolding old women. So much that men now say that only old women are witches.
112. And this be to our advantage and turns suspicion away from us.
113. In England and Scotland 'tis now many a year since a witch hath died the death. But any misuse of the power might raise the persecution again.
114. So never break this Law, however much you are tempted, and never consent to its being broken in the least.
115. If you know it is being broken, you must work strongly against it.
116. And any High Priestess or High Priest who consents to its breach must immediately be deposed for 'tis the blood of the Brethren they endanger.
117. Do good, an it be safe, and only if it be safe.
118. And keep strictly to the Old Law.

PAYMENT

119. Never accept money for the use of the art, for money ever smeareth the taker. 'Tis sorcerors and conjurers and the priests of the Christians who ever accept money for the use of their arts. And they sell pardons to let men ascape from their sins.
120. Be not as these. If you accept no money, you will be free from temptation to use the art for evil causes.
121. All may use the art for their own advantage or for the advantage of the craft only if you are sure you harm none.
122. But ever let the Coven debate this at length. Only if all are satisfied that none may be harmed, may the art be used.
123. If it is not possible to achieve your ends one way, perchance the aim may be achieved by acting in a different way so as to harm none. MAY THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS BE ON ANY WHO BREAKETH THIS LAW. So be it ordained.
124. 'Tis judged lawful if ever any of the craft need a house or land and none will sell, to incline the owner's mind so as to be willing to sell, provided it harmeth him not in any way and the full price is paid without haggling.
125. Never bargain or cheapen anything whilst you buy by the art. So be it ordained.

LAW OF THE LAND

126. "Tis the Old Law and the most important of all laws, that no one may do anything which will endanger any of the craft, or bring them into contact with the law of the land or any persecutors.
127. In any dispute between Brethren, no one may invoke any laws but those of the craft.
128. Or any tribunal but that of the Priestess, Priest and Elders.

DISCUSSION OF WITCHCRAFT

129. It is not forbidden to say as Christians do, "There be witchcraft in the land," because our oppressors of old make it a heresy not to believe in witchcraft and so a crime to deny it which thereby puts you under suspicion.
130. But ever say, "I know not of it here, perchance there may be but afar off, I know not where."
131. But ever speak of them as old crones, consorting with the devil and riding through the air.
132. And ever say, "But how may many ride the air if they be not as light as thistledown."
133. But the curse of the Goddess be on any who cast suspicion on any of the Brotherhood.
134. Or who speak of any real meeting-place or where they bide.

WORTCUNNING

135. The craft keep books with the names of all herbs which are good, and all cures so all may learn.
136. But keep another book with all the Bales and Apies and let only the Elders and other trustworthy people have this knowledge. So be it ordained.
137. And may the blessings of the gods be on all who keep these Laws, and the curses of both the God and the Goddess be on all who break them.

USE OF THE ART

138. Remember the art is the secret of the gods and may only be used in earnest and never for show or vainglory.
139. Magicians and Christians may taunt us saying, "You have no power, show us your power. Do magic before our eyes, then only will we believe," seeking to cause us to betray the art before them.
140. Heed them not, for the art is holy and may only be used in need, and the curse of the gods be on any who break this Law.

RESIGNATIONS

141. It ever be the way with women and with men also, that they ever seek new love.
142. Nor should we reprove them for this.
143. But it may be found a disadvantage to the craft.
144. And so many a time it has happened that a High Priest or a High Priestess, impelled by love, hath departed with their love. That is, they left the Coven.
145. Now if the High Priestess wishes to resign, she may do so in full Coven.
146. And this resignation is valid.
147. But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if they may not return in a few months?
148. So the Law is, if a High Priestess leaves her Coven, she be taken back and all be as before.
149. Meanwhile, if she has a deputy, that deputy shall act as High Priestess for as long as the High Priestess is away.
150. If she returns not at the end of a year and a day, then shall the Coven elect a new High Priestess,
151. Unless there is a good reason to the contrary.
152. The person who has done the work should reap the benefit of the reward. If somebody else is elected, the deputy is made maiden and deputy of the High Priestess.

TRAINING

153. It has been found that practicing the art doth cause a fondness between aspirant and tutor, and it is the cause of better results if this be so.
154. And if for any reason this be undesireable, it can easily be avoided by both persons from the outset firmly resolving in their minds to be as brother and sister or parent and child.
155. And it is for this reason that a man may be taught only by a woman and a woman by a man, and women and women should not attempt these practices together. So be it ordained.

PUNISHMENT

156. Order and discipline must be kept.
157. A High Priestess or a High Priest may, and should, punish all faults.
158. To this end all the craft must receive correction willingly.
159. All properly prepared, the culprit kneeling should be told his fault and his sentence pronounced.
160. Punishment should be followed by something amusing.
161. The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the punishment by kissing the hand on receiving sentence and again thanking for punishment received. So be it ordained.