Lady Victoria Eclectic Pagan's blog: "Magick In The Craft"

 

If you didn’t grow up with an altar in your home, having an altar now may seem like an exotic and unattainable idea. Yet having an altar does not have to be complicated or difficult, nor does it need to be based on a religion or a set of ideas that don’t seem to relate to you. An altar can be a simple, personal expression of what you want to focus on right now. You do not have to build anything or take up a lot of space. You do not have to buy anything new or follow a complex set of instructions to create your altar. All you have to do is have a general understanding of what an altar is and the willingness to allow yourself access to this wonderful, ancient tool of transformation.

At its most essential, an altar is simply a raised structure that serves as a resting place for meaningful objects. It focuses the eye and provides a place for contemplation and, if so desired, ritual. All of these elements can be quite simple. One idea for a simple altar is a pot with a bulb planted in it, set on a box. This altar to growth can act as a reminder to you that all living things bloom in their time.

 

A simple daily ritual which we do so on a normal basis, such as placing one's wallet, keys. lottery tickets, etc, on a table, as with most rituals of cleansing, might be to write down dreams you would like to see come to fruition on scraps of paper. You might place these scraps of paper in a box, or under the flowerpot, or in an envelope you prop against the pot. As the flower grows, so will your dreams.

If you look around your home, you may find that you have already created altarlike arrangements without even really thinking about it; this is something we humans do quite naturally. A candle, a decorative box, and a vase of flowers are just a few of the common household objects that lend themselves naturally to the creation of an altar. Simply add intention and intuition, and you have created your first altar. Remember that it isn’t necessarily about the objects you place at your altar—it is the time you spend with it daily, taking the time to be with it for your sacred time.

Blessing Space

Physical space acts like a sponge, absorbing the radiant of all who pass through it. And, more likely than not, the spaces we move through each day have seen many people come and go. We have no way of knowing whether the energy footprints left behind by those who preceded us will invigorate us or drain us. Yet we can control the energy footprint we leave behind for others. In blessing each space we enter, we orchestrate a subtle energy shift that affects not only our own experiences in that space but also the experiences of the individuals who will enter the space after us. While we may never see the effects our blessing has had, we can take comfort in the fact that we have provided grace for those that follow after us.

When you bless a room or an entire building, you leave a powerful message of love and light for all those who will come after you. Your blessings thus have myriad effects on the environments through which you pass. Old, stagnant energy is cleared, creating a vacuum into which fresh and invigorating energy can freely flow. The space is thus rendered harmonious and nourishing, and it becomes a hub from which positive feelings are transmitted. Intent is the key component of the blessings you leave in your physical wake. If your intent involves using your own consciousness as a tool for selflessly spreading grace, your blessings will never go awry. Whether you feel more comfortable performing a solo blessing or prefer to call upon your spirit guides for assistance, visualize each space you enter becoming free of toxins, chaos, and negativity as you speak your blessing. Then imagine the resultant emptiness being replaced by pure, healing white light and loving energy. Even a quick mindful thought of love can bless a space.

This type of blessing is cumulative and will grow each time you bestow it. Try blessing every home, business, and office you visit for an entire week and observing the effects of your goodwill. Your affirmative energy footprint will help brighten your day as you contemplate your blessing’s future impact on your siblings in humanity and your environment.

From "Pendulum Magic for Beginners: Power to Achieve All Goals" by Richard Webster The pendulum is a small weight suspended on a piece of thread, chain, or cord. Many people use a wedding ring hanging on a piece of thread. This is what my mother used. A paper clip attached to a piece of thread also works well. When giving talks on this subject to groups of people, I frequently hand out paper clips attached to a length of thread to allow everyone in the audience to experiment. Commercially made pendulums are readily available at bookstores and New Age shops. They are available in every conceivable shape and size. I have a huge collection of pendulums, as my family frequently buy me ornamental type pendulums for birthdays and Christmases. They all work well. I must admit, though, that my favorite pendulum is a commercially made one known as a Mermet pendulum. Abbé Mermet was a French priest who performed miracles with his pendulum. From Geneva, he was able to locate water in South America, and find missing people and animals anywhere in the world. He even helped with archaeological researches in Rome. The Vatican ultimately recognized him for his remarkable ability with the pendulum. Choosing a Pendulum The right pendulum for you is anything that looks attractive and is comfortable to hold and use. Ideally, the pendulum should weigh approximately three ounces and be roundish in shape, preferably moving down to a point at the bottom. When you start looking for a pendulum, you will be amazed at the variety of items that could be used in this way. A plumb bob from a hardware store works well. A button attached to a piece of thread makes a good pendulum. So does a piece of crystal attached to a chain. Lead crystal works well, but many people prefer quartz crystal because of the natural energies they provide. A crystal pendant that you can wear as jewelry makes a good choice, as you have it available for use at any time. Crystal pendulums are particularly good for healing work. Some of the commercially made pendulums have a hollow compartment inside them. They are called "sample pendulums." The idea of these is to place a small sample of whatever it is you are searching for inside the compartment before starting to dowse. If you are searching for water, you can insert a few drops of water into this compartment. Insert oil if looking for oil, and gold when searching for gold. The Mermet pendulum has one of these compartments. The hollow compartment is not essential, but can be useful at times (see examples, Figure 1A below). Almost anything will serve as a pendulum, but it is a good idea to have a special instrument that you use only for dowsing or magical work. At different times I have used car keys, jewelry and anything that could be suspended from a chain or thread. However, whenever possible, I prefer to use one of my special pendulums, because they are familiar, comfortable and easy to use. Whenever choosing a pendulum for myself, I hold it and ask: "Is this pendulum in harmony with me?" If I receive a positive response, I will buy it. Making Your Own Pendulum Many people prefer to work with a pendulum that they have made themselves. There is a lot to be said for this, as part of your energies naturally go into anything you design or make. Take your time and choose the materials carefully. You might prefer a natural material, such as wood or crystal. One member of a dowsing society I belong to has a beautiful pendulum that she made out of a seashell. You might like to carve a pendulum out of lucite, or search for a small attractive object that is the right weight and shape for you. You might choose a fishing sinker or a cotton reel. Some people look for something strange and exotic; others simply want something functional that will do the job. Aesthetically, all that really matters is that the weight you choose is pleasing to look at, or has some personal meaning to you. You need to be careful with metal weights. This is because metals usually act as conductors, and this can affect the readings you obtain when using them. Copper and aluminum do not make good pendulums. If possible, choose a material that is not a conductor, such as wood, glass or plastic. The weight should ideally be symmetrical. This makes for good balance, which makes the pendulum more sensitive and easier to use. Round, spherical, and cylindrical shapes are the best. Once you have chosen the weight, you need to choose something to suspend it from. Cotton or silk thread, string, cord, hair, and jewelry chains are the most commonly used items. I have also seen pendulums suspended from a leather thong, macramé, and braided plastic. Thread, string and cord have the advantage of being easily replaced when necessary. All that matters is that the weight hangs freely, and that the cord does not impede the movement of the pendulum. Attach the cord to your weight, and you are ready to start. You might want to buy or make a small bag to keep your pendulum in. This makes it easier to carry around and there is less risk of the cord or chain becoming tangled. A pendulum that is protected in this way is also less likely to pick up negative energies. If you make your own pendulum, you might want to make a bag to carry it in as well. Alternatively, suitable bags are readily available at New Age stores in a variety of materials and colors. How to Operate a Pendulum It is usually best to start working with a pendulum on your own. Unless you have friends with similar aims and interests as you, you will find the presence of other people distracting when you first start. You will progress more quickly when you practice on your own. There will be plenty of time to demonstrate your new skill to others after you have used your pendulum for a few weeks, and become comfortable with it. Most people prefer to use a pendulum using the same hand that they write with. Practice with both hands, but start your experiments with your right hand, if you are right-handed, and your left if you are left-handed. If you are sitting down, rest your elbow on a table and hold the thread or chain of your pendulum between your thumb and first finger, using the least amount of pressure possible. Your elbow should be the only part of your body in direct contact with the table. Make sure that your stomach or other hand is not inadvertently touching the table. The palm of your hand should be facing downward, and the pendulum should be hanging about a foot in front of you. If you are standing, the best position is to have an angle of ninety degrees at the elbow, so that your forearm is parallel to the ground. Make sure that your hands and legs are uncrossed. If you subconsciously protect yourself in this way, you will effectively close off the pendulum, and it will not work in the way it should. You can prove this for yourself once you have become used to the pendulum. Hold the pendulum in front of you and allow it to swing in the positive movement. While it is swinging, cross your legs or bring your feet together. You will find that the pendulum will stop moving. Swing the pendulum gently back and forth to become familiar with the movement. Allow the pendulum to swing in different directions. Deliberately swing the pendulum in gentle circles. You might like to experiment with this while holding the thread at different lengths to see if the pendulum moves more readily for you when held at a particular position. Most people find the best length of thread is between four and five inches. Experiment, though, as you may find a shorter or longer length works better for you. A friend of mine has to stand to use his pendulum, because the cord attached to his pendulum is four feet long. (It is a good idea to tie a knot, or otherwise mark, the chain or string at the length that feels best for you.) Once you have become used to the feel of the pendulum, stop the movements of the weight with your free hand. When the pendulum is still, ask it which movement indicates a positive, or "yes" response. It makes no difference if you think the question in your mind or say it aloud. Many people find that the pendulum will immediately respond and provide the answer. However, if you have never used a pendulum before, it might take time before it moves. Be patient. It will probably move only slightly at first, but if you keep on thinking "yes", it will start moving more and more strongly. Ultimately, it makes no difference if your first experiment succeeds in five seconds, takes half an hour or even a week. Once you become used to using it, the answers will come almost as soon as you suspend your pendulum. Over the years, I have shown many people how to use a pendulum. When people have difficulty I find it helpful to have them stare at the weight and imagine it moving to and fro. For some reason, the pendulum almost always starts to move. Another method that works well with people who find it hard to get started, is to have someone who is proficient with the pendulum gently rest a hand on the person¿s shoulder (the right shoulder when the person is holding the pendulum in his or her right hand). This simple action invariably causes the pendulum to start moving. If there is no one available to help you in this way put the pendulum down for a few minutes, and then try again. In my experience, everyone is capable of using the pendulum. Consequently, there is no need to worry how much time it takes to get your pendulum moving. You do not need to be specially gifted or be the seventh son of a seventh son. The pendulum will start working more quickly in the hands of someone who is open, imaginative, and receptive to new ideas, than it will when held by someone who is logical, methodical, and precise. However, with practice, and a willingness to suspend disbelief, anyone can become proficient at using the pendulum. Practice for five minutes at a time until the pendulum starts to respond. Once it has responded once, you will never have problems of that sort again. Your pendulum will move in one of four ways: it may move backward and forward, from side to side, or swing in a circle, either clockwise or counterclockwise. Make a note of the response that indicates a "yes" answer for you. Then ask what response indicates "no", "I don't know" and "I don't want to answer". These responses will probably remain the same for the rest of your life. However, it pays to check them every now and again. I have known several people who have experienced changes in the responses of their pendulums. The best time to check the responses is whenever you have not used the pendulum for a while. If you are using it almost every day, the responses will stay the same. However, if you put it away for a month or two, you should confirm that the responses are the same, just in case they have changed. Now you are ready to ask your pendulum any questions that can be answered with the four possible responses. Start by asking questions that you already know the answers for. You might ask: "Am I male?" If you are, the pendulum should answer "yes." Obviously, the answer would be "no" if you are female. You can ask similar questions about your name, age, marital status, number of children, and so on. The purpose of this is to get used to the movements of the pendulum, and to demonstrate the validity of the answers it provides. You will find that it makes no difference if you think the questions in your head or ask them out loud. The only times I ask questions aloud are when I am with a client and want them to follow what is going on. A friend of mine was embarrassed one day in a bookstore when he held his pendulum over a book and asked out loud if he should buy it. He suddenly realized that several people were also watching his pendulum to see what the answer would be. Once the pendulum has confirmed the questions that you know the answers to, you can start to ask it questions that you would like to know the answers to. The pendulum is able to answer these because it can tap your subconscious mind for the answers, and then bring them back to your conscious mind. Your conscious mind knows a reasonable amount, but your powerful subconscious mind contains much, much more information. You could compare your mind to an iceberg. The conscious mind is the small part above water, and your subconscious is the much larger portion that is hidden from view. Be careful with your questions initially. This is because it is possible to override the movements of the pendulum with your will. Let us assume, for example, that you are asking about the sex of an unborn baby. If you secretly hope that it will be a girl, the pendulum will reflect your innermost desires and tell you that the baby will be a girl, even if that is not the case. Another example I remember is an acquaintance who asked his pendulum who was going to win the presidential election in 1996. He had been a lifelong Republican, and the pendulum gave him an answer that pleased him at the time. However, it ultimately proved to be wrong, as Bill Clinton was re-elected. The pendulum was responding to his deep, strong desire for a Republican victory. Consequently, if you have an emotional involvement in the outcome, it is better to ask someone who has no interest in the outcome to hold the pendulum for you. It is a simple matter to demonstrate how you can influence the movements of your pendulum using the power of your mind. Suspend your pendulum and hold it still with your free hand. When it is motionless, remove your hand, and ask the pendulum to move in a particular direction. You will find that after a few seconds the pendulum will move in the direction that you are thinking about. Now, think about a different direction, and you will find that the pendulum will follow your thoughts and move in the new direction. Wishful thinking can also override the pendulum. If you ask: "Am I God's gift to women?" the pendulum may give an honest answer (which would be either "yes" or "no"). Alternatively, it might give you a mischievous answer ("I don't know" or "I don't want to answer"), or the answer that you secretly want it to give. Bear this in mind whenever you use the pendulum to answer questions. The pendulum is not a plaything and should not be used to ask flippant questions. If you ask serious questions, you will invariably receive honest and correct answers. If you use it as a toy, you will receive the answers that you deserve. The Coué Pendulum Test Emile Coué was a French psychologist in the first part of the twentieth century. He became famous when he began encouraging people to use the affirmation: "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." These simple words helped many people, and when Coué visited New York thousands of people were waiting on the docks to welcome him. He devised this simple test with the pendulum to demonstrate concentration. You will need a circle, approximately six inches in diameter, divided into quarters by two lines that form a cross. Suspend the pendulum over the center of the cross and notice that the pendulum will move to follow one of the two lines. Watch it swing, and notice that the strength of the movement will increase. Then, imagine the pendulum slowing down until it stops and then starting to move again, this time following the other straight line. If you like, you can repeat this experiment with your eyes closed. You will find that this makes no difference to the result. When you open your eyes again, the pendulum will be moving in the direction you visualized. As well as being a test in concentration, this experiment also shows the power that you have over the pendulum. You can will it to move in any direction you wish. There is no need to help the movement with your hand. Your mind is perfectly capable of doing it on its own. Another experiment that gives the same result is to close your eyes while holding the pendulum. Mentally tell it to move in a clockwise direction. Wait fifteen seconds and open your eyes. You will find that the pendulum is moving in a clockwise direction. Stop the movement and close your eyes again. This time ask it to move in another direction, perhaps counterclockwise or swinging from side to side. Again, when you open your eyes, you will see that the pendulum has followed your silent command, even though consciously you did nothing to make the pendulum move. How to Ask Questions Many people have a tendency to ask questions that are impossible for the pendulum to answer with its limited range of responses. For example, the pendulum would not be able to respond to: "Should I spend my summer vacation in New Orleans or San Francisco?" In this instance, you should ask the question twice, once for each city. In fact, you could enlarge on the question by asking, "Would I have an enjoyable time if I went to New Orleans for my summer vacation?" Naturally,you would then have to ask the same question about San Francisco. You may receive a positive response to both locations. If this happens, you could then ask,"Would I have a better time in New Orleans than I would have in San Francisco?" No matter what the answer was, it would be a good idea to confirm the answer by asking the same question with the cities reversed to see what the response is. Focus on your question while holding the pendulum. Repeat it over and over again in your mind. If any other thoughts come into your mind, dismiss them and return to your question. This is because the pendulum may answer one of your passing thoughts, rather than the important matter you are concentrating on. Questions about work and career are common, and the pendulum can be extremely useful in determining the best path to follow. You can save time here by asking questions that include the words "instead of," "in preference to" or "¿rather than." Here is an example: "Should I return to college and complete my degree rather than carrying on with my current employment?" If the answer is positive, you will know what to do. If the answer is negative, you can reverse the question and ask it again: "Should I stay working at XYZ Corporation in preference to returning to college to complete my degree?" Usually, it is best to ask a series of simple questions, rather than trying to formulate one complicated question that will answer everything with a single movement of the pendulum. In practice, you will receive a clearer answer this way, and the time difference involved will be negligible. Sometimes you will receive the "I don't want to answer" message. When this happens, look at the way in which you asked the question. See if you can ask it again in a different form. You may find that you receive an answer by turning the original question into two or three simpler questions that ultimately answer your original question. More Questions You can use the pendulum in a number of different ways. Something I find fascinating is to ask the pendulum questions about my earliest childhood. My pendulum is able to tell me all sorts of things that I had long forgotten. By doing this I was able to discover what my first words were, how old I was when I took my first steps, and a variety of other information. If your parents are still alive you can ask them to confirm the pendulum¿s answers. It is fun to ask the pendulum questions of this sort, and your faith in the power of the pendulum will increase as soon as the answers you receive have been verified by others. You can also ask your pendulum personal questions about yourself. "Am I afraid to reveal my innermost feelings?" "Am I a good person?" Naturally, you need to evaluate any answers that your pendulum gives to personal questions. As you know, your own needs and desires can overrule the movements of the pendulum. Consequently, you may get the answer you want to receive, rather than an honest response. It can be interesting to ask the pendulum questions about other people in your life. Not long ago, distant relatives of mine had a vacation in our city. Before they came to visit, I asked the pendulum several questions about them, including their likes and dislikes. They were impressed when I was able to hand round cups of tea, already knowing who liked black tea and who preferred white. Several months ago, a friend of mine was recuperating from an illness. He and I went away for a few days to give his family a break. Before leaving on the trip, I used my pendulum to discover what movie he would like to see while we were away, and what particular tourist attractions would most interest him. If my wife and I want to go to a movie and have no idea which one we should see, I ask my pendulum. I usually suspend it over the advertisements in the daily paper, although I sometimes simply ask it questions about each film. Experiments like these are not earth shattering, but they help to make life smoother and more interesting. The more you use the pendulum, the more uses you will find for it. Asking Questions about the Future There is no reason why you should not ask your pendulum questions about the future. However, if you ask questions about yourself, the pendulum is likely to give you the answers that you desire. These may, or may not, be correct. For instance, you may want to know what the weather will be like on Thursday. Ask your pendulum if the day will be fine. Once you have determined this, you can ask further questions about the temperature, how cloudy or sunny the day will be, and so on. Once you start using the pendulum, friends will want you to use it to predict the outcome of certain events, such as gambling. In my experience, the pendulum does not like to be asked questions of this nature, and will either decline to answer or else give you misleading or incorrect information. Someone I know used the pendulum to try to pick the winners of horse races. It worked well initially, and he began placing larger and larger bets. Unfortunately for him, the pendulum began giving incorrect information and he lost the money that he had made. He finally realized what was going on, and stopped betting on horse races. In the end, he found himself in the exact same situation he had been in before starting to gamble. When Should I Use the Pendulum? There is no right or wrong time in which to use the pendulum. It is a tool that is ready for you to use whenever the need or desire arises. I usually carry a pendulum with me everywhere I go, but may not use it for weeks on end. Then I may consult it three times in a single day. I know people who ask their pendulums questions about absolutely everything that is going on in their lives. These people must use their pendulums several times each day. I also know people who set aside time every week to ask their pendulums questions about the next seven days. I prefer to use my pendulum only when I feel the need. Consequently, you can use your pendulum whenever you wish. Many people use their pendulums a great deal when they first become interested in the subject, and gradually use them less and less, until they are consulting them only on important matters that are going on in their lives. Others consult them all the time. It makes no difference how often you use your pendulum. It is a tool to be used, and you should use it whenever it feels right for you. How Does It Work? For at least two hundred years people have known that unconscious, involuntary movements of the hand holding the pendulum cause the pendulum to move. The subconscious mind of the person holding the pendulum causes the muscles to react unconsciously. This is known as an ideomotor response (ideo means "ideal" and motor means "movement"). The pendulum amplifies responses that would otherwise be too small to be noticed. Consequently, the answers are coming from inside you. Michel-Eugène Chevreul spent twenty years studying the pendulum, and one of his experiments proved this. He supported the arm on a block of wood at different places between the shoulder and the hand. He found that the movements of the pendulum decreased as the block of wood came closer to the hand. The movements of the pendulum stopped completely when the fingers that were holding the pendulum rested on the piece of wood. However, Chevreul also noticed that he entered a different state of awareness while using the pendulum and came to the conclusion that there was a definite relationship between his thoughts and the movements of the pendulum. Chevreul's influence on the subject was such, that even today, some people call the pendulum "Chevreul's pendulum." The pendulum gives us access to our subconscious minds. It could be said that it is an extension of our central nervous system. Consequently, it is not the pendulum that is providing you with information. The information is coming from your subconscious mind, and is being communicated through your nervous system. The pendulum is amplifying the messages from your nervous system. A criticism that is sometimes made is that if we can influence the movements of the pendulum by using our minds, surely any information provided must be suspect. In fact, the opposite is the case. The pendulum enables us to tap into our subconscious minds whenever we wish. The subconscious mind can access the universal mind that knows the answers to everything. This is why we sometimes go to bed at night with a problem and wake up in the morning with the answer. While we were asleep, our subconscious mind asked the universal mind for the answer, and faithfully passed it on to us when we woke up. We do much the same thing when we are using a pendulum. The pendulum accesses our subconscious minds, which in turn taps into the universal mind, and the pendulum gives us the answer. Consequently, we can ask the pendulum any question at all, and receive an answer from the universal mind. The best results occur when there is a genuine need for the answer. Your questions need not concern matters of life and death, but they should relate to matters that are important to you. You can develop your skills with the pendulum by practicing experiments that may sometimes appear flippant or lighthearted. However, in practice, you are more likely to be successful in finding your lost car keys than in determining which of seven coins a friend touched. The pendulum will provide the answers to both questions, but will invariably perform better in answering serious, important questions. Mastering the Pendulum The pendulum is deceptively easy to use. However, you will need to practice with it as much as you can to become an expert. As with anything else, the more you practice, the more proficient you will get. You are bound to make mistakes when you first start using the pendulum, but these will become fewer as you progress. You will move ahead more quickly if you follow a few rules: Never use the pendulum frivolously. If you can make the decision yourself, without using your pendulum, leave it in its bag. Do not ask the same question twice at the same session. This implies doubt. You must trust the answers your pendulum gives you. Never "show off" your abilities with the pendulum. Ask someone else to work the pendulum if you are emotionally involved in the outcome. Use the pendulum for good purposes only. As well as this, do not let other people use your pendulum. Your pendulum becomes attuned to you, and you do not want other people's energies interfering with this. I have a selection of pendulums that I let other people use, but I also have several that I do not allow anyone else to touch. Keep your pendulum in its pouch or bag when you are not using it, and keep it close to you. This protects it and keeps it away from potentially harmful energies. If you do this, you will progress quickly and smoothly. You will find that using the pendulum will make you more sensitive, aware, and intuitive in every area of your life. As this occurs, your skill with the pendulum will multiply. The pendulum is a tool that can help you immensely. Use it wisely, and enjoy the many benefits it can provide. © Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

Moon Phase Correspondences for Magickal Workings ~New Moon Magick~ New Moon workings can be done from the day of the new moon to three-and-a-half days after. The new moon is for starting new ventures, new beginnings. Also love and romance, health or job hunting. ~Waxing Moon Magick~ From seven to fourteen days after the new moon. The waxing moon is for constructive magick, such as love, wealth, success, courage, friendship, luck or health. ~Full Moon Magick~ From fourteen to seventeen-and-a-half days after the new moon. Prime time for rituals for prophecy, protection, divination. Any working that needs extra power, such as help finding a new job or healing for serious conditions, can be done now. Also, love, knowledge, legal undertakings, money and dreams. ~Waning Moon Magick~ From three-and-a-half to ten-and-a-half days after the full moon. The waning moon is used for banishing magick, for ridding oneself of addictions, illness or negativity. ~Dark Moon Magick~ From ten-and-a-half to fourteen days after the full moon. The darkmoon is a time for ridding oneself of bad habits, binding spells, for exploring our darkest recesses and understanding our angers and passions. Also bringing justice to bear. ~When the Moon is "Void of course"...~ When the Moon is void-of-course, it means the energy is somewhat in limbo. It can indicate aimless endeavor or lack of purpose, and agreements & purchases made may need to be rethought once the Moon enters the next sign. Best to wait until then to move forward on anything that requires decisive action. It is also best to avoid magickal workings of any kind during this time. Immersing yourself in soul exploration and meditation are positive uses of your energy during this period. Regroup yourself mentally and spiritually to prepare for the Moon entering the next sign! Lunar Phases with Weekday Correspondences Sunday: Ruled by the Sun. Power magick, Health, Prosperity, & Exorcism. Monday: Ruled by the Moon. Intuition, Dreams, Psychic Ability, & Female Fertility. Tuesday: Ruled by Mars. Courage, Energy, Breaking Negativity, & Physical Strength. Wednesday: Ruled by Mercury. Divination, Communications, Knowledge, & Wisdom. Thursday: Ruled by Jupiter. Happiness, Luck, Wealth, Healing, Male Fertility, & Legal Matters. Friday: Ruled by Venus. Love, Sexual Matters, Marriage, & Friendship. Saturday: Ruled by Saturn. Psychic Ability, Meditation, Defense, Communicating with Spirits.

Moon Magick: Moon Phases & Astrology For Pagans, it is far more than a heavenly body that might catch the eye. It's the moon's fullness shining through trees or brightly overhead. For many Pagans, she is the embodiment of the Goddess; she is Maiden, Mother and Crone. It is also an important source of natural energy that is essential in magick if you perform your spells and rituals at the right lunar phase. Performing spells during the wrong phase of the moon can seriously debilitate the spell, producing no result or possibly the wrong result. The Wheel of the Moon, is approximately 28 1/2 days long; waxing to Full Moon and waning to New Moon. Waxing Moon means the moon is getting larger in the sky, moving from the New Moon toward the Full Moon. This is a time for spells that attract, and bring positive change; spells for love, good luck, growth, etc. This is a time for new beginnings, to conceptualize ideas, to invoke. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Maiden aspect; give praise to Epona, Artemis, or one of the other Maiden Goddesses. The period of the waxing moon lasts about 14 days. Full Moon is when the moon has reached its zenith. It forms a perfect silvery sphere in the sky. This is a time for spells that transform; increase psychic ability, for fertility spells, and invocation of lunar goddesses. This is a time of strength, love, and power. At this time, the moon represents the Goddess in her Mother aspect; give praise to Cerridwen, Isis, or one of the other Mother Goddesses. The period of the Full Moon lasts from about 3 days before to 3 days after the actual full moon. Waning Moon means the moon is decreasing in size, moving from the Full Moon toward the New Moon. This is a time for spells that banish, release, reverse, etc. This is a time to break bad habits or addictions, to end bad relationships. This is a time of deep intuition, and a time for divination. At this time the moon represents the Goddess in her Crone Aspect; give praise to Hecate, Morrigan, or one of the other Crone Goddesses. The period of the waning moon lasts about 14 days. As the Wheel of the Moon continues on its never-ending course, the moon also travels through the different astrological signs, just as the sun does, only more rapidly. When the moon resides within the various signs, the sign influences the magickal aspect of the moon. EARTH spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Taurus, Virgo, & Capricorn. AIR spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius. FIRE spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Aries, Leo, & Sagittarius. WATER spells should be performed when the moon is in one of the astrological signs governed by that element: Cancer, Scorpio, & Pisces. The Astrological Moon Phases: Moon in Aries - is the best time to work magick involving leadership, authority, rebirth, spiritual conversion, or willpower. Healing rituals for ailments of the face, head, or brain are also done during this period of time. Moon in Taurus - is the best time to work magick for love, real estate, material acquisitions, and money. Healing rituals for ailments of the throat, neck, and ears are also done during this period of time. Moon in Gemini - is the best time to work magick for good communication, change of residence, writing, public relations, and travel. Healing rituals for ailments of the shoulders, arms, hands, or lungs are also done during this period of time. Moon in Cancer - is the best time to work magick for home and domestic life. Healing rituals for ailments of the chest or stomach are also done during this period of time. Moon in Leo - is the best time to work magick involving authority, power over others, courage, fertility, or childbirth. Healing rituals for ailments of the upper back, spine, or heart are also done during this period of time. Moon in Virgo - is the best time to work magick involving employment, intellectual matters, health, and dietary concerns. Healing rituals for ailments of the intestines or nervous system are also done during this period of time. Moon in Libra - is the best time to work magick involving artistic work, justice, court cases, partnerships and unions, mental stimulation, and karmic, spiritual, or emotional balance. Healing rituals for ailments of the lower back or kidneys are also done during this period of time. Moon in Scorpio - is the best time to work magick involving sexual matters, power, psychic growth, secrets, and fundamental transformations. Healing rituals for ailments of the reproductive organs are also done during this period of time. Moon in Sagittarius - is the best time to work magick for publications, legal matters, travel, and truth. Healing rituals for ailments of the liver, thighs, or hips are also done at this time. Moon in Capricorn - is the best time to work magick for organization, ambition, recognition, career, and political matters. Healing rituals for the knees, bones, teeth, and skin are also done at this time. Moon in Aquarius - is the best time to work magick involving science, freedom, creative expression, problem-solving, extrasensory abilities, friendship, and the breaking of bad habits or unhealthy addictions. Healing rituals for ailments of the calves, ankles, or blood are also done at this time. Moon in Pisces - is the best time to work magick involving dreamwork, clairvoyance, telepathy, music, and the creative arts. Healing rituals for ailments of the feet or lymph glands are also done at this time.

MAGIC IS NOT TO BE USED TO GAIN POWER OVER OTHERS. a. Magic is a technique used in developing your own 'power from within'. Spells that are directed at gaining power over others weakens the 'power from within'. (1) Aside from the damage done to oneself, it is important for another reason. (a) Many people who do not understand the laws of magic are afraid of being attacked magically and are given to paranoia. (b) The witch's main stock-in-trade used to be removing a competitor's hexes and preparing charms to protect their clients. (c) While true psychic attacks are EXTREMELY RARE a persons guilt makes up for any lack and after using 'forbidden' help, their paranoia leads them to seek protection from the same person they just turned to in desperation. Do your self a favor, and resist the temptation to 'help' these types. (2) Most magical formularies consist of formulae gathered and tested by witches as well as many charms to protect the common man from those same witches who sold them their charms. D. Times and Correspondences 1. I mentioned earlier that timing and the right props are considered important in spellcasting. a. Over the years, systems of Correspondences were developed which assigned certain attributes and aspects to the seven ancient planets of Astrology. (1) Each planet was assigned a God or Goddess, who embodies the attributes the ancients wished to invoke. (a) Each of the Gods and Goddesses were assigned an hour of the day, color, incense, metal, number, signature, plant, mineral, musical note, and animal or bird. E. General Guidelines for Casting Spells 1. Set aside a room for your magical work. a. Decorate it with things that put you in a magical mood. (1) Remember to use things that stimulate all five of your physical senses. (a) Some obvious things would be the use of appropriate colors for sight, incense for scent music for hearing, wines for taste, and textures for feel. 2. If you do not have a room you can set aside exclusively for your magical work then choose a room that can be locked while you do your work. a. This will allow you to work undisturbed. (1) In any case you should clean your work area periodically with a purifying powder/floorwash to keep away negative vibrations. 3. Set up an altar to be used as your worktable. a. It's size and shape should be those that appeal to you. (1) Placing candles and other items that assist you to concentrate on the work at hand is a good practice. (a) Some people like to cover their altar with a white cloth and place fresh cut flowers on it every day. 4. Always use the best candles, oils, and incenses that you can afford, or make your own. a. Scrimping on materials has a negative effect on the subconscious. (1) Don't forget that the subconscious is very good at making do with raw materials that it can shape to it's own use. 5. Never cast a spell until you have a clear and concise picture of what it is you wish to accomplish. a. This ties in with the saying "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." 6. Always ground out any extra energy you raise for the spell, and bind the spell so that it expires within the pre- determined amount of time. 7. Once you have cast the spell do not discuss it with any one until after it has worked. a. Most spells peter out because the person who casts it boasts about it to so many people, that the spell is robbed of power before it has a chance to work. (1) The ancient bond placed on the magician was to dare, to know and to keep silent. 8. And at all times, remember the Rede: "An ye harm none, do what you will." b. You do not know -all- the effects of your spell. (1) Therefore, use magick sparingly, if at all.

III. THE ART OF CASTING SPELLS A. Definition 1. "A spell is a symbolic act done in an altered state of consciousness in order to cause a desired change." a. To cast a spell is to project energy through a symbol. (1) Too often, the symbols are mistaken for the agent that casts the spell. (a) Props are useful at times, but it is the mind that works the magic. b. Correspondences between colors, planets, metals, numbers, plants and minerals, and musical notes make up a great deal of magical lore. (1) Particular objects, shapes, colors, scents, and images do work better than others to embody certain ideas. (a) But the most powerful spells are often improvised from materials that feel right or that simply happen to come to hand. B. Theory of Spellcasting 1. Spells are an important aspect of magical training. a. They require the use of the combined faculties of relaxation, visualization, concentration and projection. (1) The casting of spells provides practice in coordinating these skills and developing them further. 2. Spells are extremely sophisticated psychological tools that have subtle, but important, effects on a person's inner growth. a. Spells may highlight otherwise hidden complexes of the person casting the spell. (1) A person who has conflicts about success will find great difficulty in concentrating on a money spell. (a) Many times the practical results of a spell are far less important than the psychological insights that arise during the magical work. (b) Discovering our inner blocks and fears is the first step in overcoming them. b. Spells also go one step further than most forms of psychotherapy. (1) They allow us not only to listen to and interpret the unconscious, but also to speak to it in the language it understands. (a) Symbols, images, and objects used in spells communicate directly with Younger Self, who is the guardian of our emotions and who is barely affected by the intellect. (b) We often understand our feelings and behavior but find ourselves unable to change them. (c) Through spells, we can attain the most important power - the power to change our lives. 3. Spellcasting also forces us to come to terms with the material world. a. Many people attracted to the spiritual path of the Craft find themselves uneasy with using magic for practical or material goals. (1) Somehow it seems wrong to work magic for oneself, to want things and to get things. (a) This is an attitude which is a holdover of the Judaeo-Christian world view that sees spirit and matter as separate and that identifies matter with evil and corruption. (2) In the Craft, flesh, the material world, none of what is commonly thought of as matter is separate from spirit. (a) The universe is made up of the Goddess who is manifest in all things. (b) Union with the Goddess comes through embracing the material world and all the gifts that She has placed in it for us. (3) Our major task on this plane of existence is to become masters of this realm of manifestation. (a) We do not fight self-interest; we follow it, but with an awareness that transmutes it into something sacred. C. Mechanics of Spellcasting 1. Spellcasting is the lesser, not the greater magic; but the greater magic builds on the lesser. a. The paradox is that in spellcasting we may start out working with the personal self, but in order to work the magic we are forced to expand and recognize the Self that moves through all beings. (1) Magic involves the deliberate self- identification with other objects and people. (a) To do a healing, we must become the healer, the one who is healed, and the energy that is to do the healing. (b) To attract love, we must be able to love ourselves and to become love its self. 2. Spells work in two basic ways. a. The first is through suggestion (1) Symbols and images implant certain ideas in Younger Self, or the subconscious mind. (a) We are then influenced to actualize those ideas. b. Spells can also influence the external world. (1) The theoretical model that witches use to explain the workings of magic is a clear one and coincides in many ways with the "new" physics. (a) It is simply an elaborate but extremely useful metaphor. (b) The metaphor is based on a world view that sees things not as fixed objects, but as vortexes of energy. (c) The physical world is formed by the vortexes of energy, and if we cause a change in the energy patterns they, in turn, cause a change in the physical world. (2) When our own energy is concentrated and channeled, it can move the broader energy currents. (a) The images and objects used in spells are the channels. They are the vessels through which our power is poured, and by which it is shaped. 3. As energy is directed into the images we visualize, it gradually manifests physical form and takes shape in the material world. a. Directing energy is not a matter of simply emoting. (1) Emotion can be likened to a strobe light which provides a very inconstant light. (2) Directed energy is more like a laser beam. (a) Even concentrated power is a small stream compared with the vast surges of energy that surround us. (b) The most adept witch cannot be successful in all her spells. The opposing currents are often too strong. 4. The craft teaches to first identify the flow of energy and then to decide whether or not it is going where we want it to go. a. If not, then we can try to deflect it. b. Or, we may have to change our own course. (1) Sensing the energy climate is a matter of intuition and experience. (a) Some witches make a study of Astrology in an effort to plan their magical workings at the optimal times. (b) Others prefer to work when they feel the time is right. (2) Of all the planets, the Moon's influence on subtle energies is the strongest. (a) Subtle power increases as the Moon waxes, so the time of the waxing Moon is best for spells involving growth or increase, such as money spells. (b) The power peaks when the Moon is full and that is the best time for workings of culmination and love. (c) During the waning Moon, power subsides and turns inward. The waning Moon's period is used for banishings, bindings, and discovering hidden secrets. (3) The practical witch soon learns to adjust her spells to fit the time of the Moon. If, for example, she needs to do a money spell during the waning Moon, she would put a little 'english' on it and make it a poverty banishing spell. 5. Energy pursues the path of least resistance. a. Material results are more easily achieved on this plane of existence through physical actions that through magical workings. (1) Example - it is simpler to lock your door than suffer the constant drain from maintaining psychic seals on your doors and windows while you are away from home. (a) Of course once you have locked your door, you might feel more reassured by placing seals on it. 6. No magic spell is going to bring results unless channels are opened into the material world. a. A job spell is useless if you are not willing to go out and interview for jobs or at least let potential employers know that you are in the market for one. b. In the same vein, a healing spell is no substitute for medical care. (1) Most medicine today can be broken down into two broad categories, emergency medicine and that which is not needed for immediate life-threatening situations. (a) Emergency medicine has excelled at stabilizing the body's condition so that it can repair itself at it's own pace. (b) Most other forms of medicine consist of treatment through surgery or chemotherapy or a combination of both. (c) The procedures noted above work on the physical body and do not take the other levels into consideration. (d) Psychic healing works at healing the higher levels of the person so that the physical heals itself or allows the person to let go of their physical body if it cannot be repaired. In either case the choice rests with the person who is being healed and not the healer. 7. Visualization used in creating a spell should focus on the desired result not the individual steps leading up to the result. a. We give the spell free rein in how it goes about achieving the results with the understanding that it is not to bring harm to anyone or any being. (1) For this reason, spells have a habit of working in very unexpected ways. 8. To assure that the power we have unleashed does not inadvertently cause harm, we bind the spell. a. This serves to 'set' the form we have created so that the energy becomes fixed in the pattern we desire. (1) The energy we project to others affects us even more strongly than the other person. This is because we have generated the energy, and thus we have become the object at which the energy is directed. (2) If healing energy is sent out, then the health of the person casting the spell is enhanced. (a) By the same token, any hex or curse that is sent out ALWAYS effects the person who sends it no matter whether it affected the person it was sent at or not.

II. CULTIVATION OF THE MAGICAL PERSONALITY A. Magic is the Craft of Witchcraft 1. The power of magic should not be under-estimated. a. It works, often in ways that are unexpected and difficult to control. (1) But neither should the power of magic be over- estimated. (a) It does not work simply, or effortlessly and it does not confer omnipotence. B. Learning to work magic is a process of neurological repatterning, of changing the way we use our brains. 1. In order to manifest anything on the physical plane, it must be formulated and given life on the mental plane. 2. Unless a person can concentrate his thoughts and desires down into a tightly controlled set of symbols, the mental plane has insufficient information to create what is desired. a. The Archtype of the Magician in the Major Arcanum of the Tarot deck teaches some valuable lessons in concentration. (1) The traditional picture of the Magician shows a man dressed in a white robe, encircled by a belt in the shape of a snake holding its tail in its mouth, and he is wearing a cloak of vermilion. (a) He stands in a garden with four white lilies and five red roses, behind a table where he has laid out his magical tools. (2) With his right hand, the Magician lifts a wand upward toward the sky. His left hand makes the universal gesture of attention, pointing with extended forefinger toward the fertile earth at his feet. (a) The message inherent in this gesture is that the Force of the higher levels flows through the Magician to whatever he gives his full measure of attention. (3) The garden in which the Magician works represents the subconscious field. (a) It is from this subconscious field that the hidden powers come that the Magician directs in his quest for increased freedom. (b) These powers are symbolized by the lilies which stand for various aspects of truth and the roses which are symbols of human desire. (4) The Magician is a transformer and transmuter of experience. (a) He cultivates the flowers in his garden, improving them and by force of his control of their development, takes them far beyond the conditions spontaneously provided by nature. (b) Taking things as he finds them, he watches until he perceives the underlying principle at work in what he observes. Then he applies that principle in novel ways so as to produce a different situation. C. The Language of the Old Belief, the Language of Magic, is expressed in Symbols and Images. 1. Poetry, which is itself a form of magic, is magic speech. a. Spells and charms worked by witches in rhyme are truly concrete poetry. b. The American Indians would call them Songs of Power. 2. Images bridge the gap between the verbal and non-verbal modes of awareness. a. They allow the two sides of the brain to communicate, arousing the emotions as well as the intellect. b. The vast storehouse of symbols, which embody all the possible realities of this universe is the subconscious mind. c. The Archtype representing the subconscious mind is the High Priestess. (1) The High Priestess is depicted as a solitary woman, seated on a cube placed between two pillars of opposite colors. There is a veil hung between the pillars with pomegranites and hearts of palms woven into it. (a) She is dressed in a white garment adorned with an equilateral cross on her breast and surrounded by a blue robe that flows down and out of the picture. (c) She wears a silver crown, made of two crescents and an orb and holds a scroll in her lap. (2) The message conveyed by the High Priestess is two-fold. (a) First she represents memory. Everything that comes to the attention of the mind of her counterpart, the Magician, is recorded on her scroll. (b) Like all languages, the records she keeps are symbols for the reality they represent and it is the second function that she represents that makes the knowledge available to the Magician. (c) The imagery of water flowing through this tarot card is reinforced by the blue color of her robe, and the way it pools down at the bottom right side of the card and seems to flow off the card. Water is the universal symbol of the astral essence of the higher planes and just as waterways on earth served as highways of communication and commerce in the old ways, it is the astral essence that serves as a bridge between the different planes. (d) In order to recall things stored in memory as written down on the High Priestess's scroll it is necessary to still the waters so that they become a mirror and reflect the images you are seeking. (3) The ability to concentrate to the point where a still calmness in the mind is achieved, coupled with the images that surface from the subconsciousness leads to the point where new realities can be visualized. D. All manifestations on the physical world are rooted in the mental and astral planes. 1. In order to change your physical reality, you need to be able to use creative visualization to plant the seeds of your new reality in the higher planes. a. The Archtype of the Creative Imagination is the Empress of the Tarot deck. (1) In direct contrast to the virginal High Priestess, the Empress is a pregnant matron. She is Venus, goddess of Love, Beauty, Growth and Fruitfulness. (a) She is seated in a garden backed by trees, with a river cascading down a waterfall and forming a pool at her feet. (b) Wheat grows at her feet and her gown is the color of Spring. She holds a copper shield with a dove on it and a sceptre of an orb divided on two and topped by a cross. (c) A crescent moon is at her feet and a crown of 12 stars over her head. She wears a necklace of 7 pearls. (2) When the Magician is joined with the Empress, the cold virginity of the High Priestess is transformed into the rich fertility of Venus. (a) The Empress is imagination, the mind's power to make new combinations from remembered experiences. (b) What you make the object of your attention is what you become, sooner or later. Fix your attention on images of misery, poverty, and weakness, and their actual physical embodiments will become part of your surroundings. (c) Change the patterns by attending to their opposites, and presently creative imagination, symbolized by the Empress, will begin to build you a new life and will impress even the conditions of your environment with new ideas. (d) Remember, even your physical body is part of your environment. E. The generation of mental images at the level of self- consciousness is a necessary forerunner of changing your circumstances, but it does not do any good if you do not prepare the ground for the seed to grow. 1. Creating prosperity thought forms and then doing nothing to allow them to come through on the physical plane is as senseless as buying a high performance car without any tires. a. Getting control over your own environment is a necessary first step in preparing for the changes you are working for. (1) Working with the resources at hand, you need to gain control over your environment. (a) Physical and spiritual cleansing of your environment clears away the clutter of old worn-out thought- forms. (b) Actively seeking out knowledge of how to effectively manage the conditions you are trying to bring about sends messages to your subconscious that you are serious in you work and ar not going to waste any gifts that come your way. 2. Regulation and supervision are implied by every- thing in the Archtype of the Emperor. a. Supervision is overseeing. Thus the function of sight is chief among our senses. (1) The Emperor is seated on a cube on the edge of a cliff overlooking a river which has worn a channel through the mountains turning them into the soil that serves as the base for the garden of the Emperor. (a) He is dressed in armour, symbolizing his willingness to impress his will on his surroundings but he sits in a passive stance content to observe the conditions that exist before he acts. (2) The quality of our vision or observations of how things are determines the course of our progress towards liberation. (a) Unless we imagine, we do not really see. (b) The mind is the true seer. Unless we learn to supplement what our eyes report with imagination based on other senses no true vision of the world can be made. b. Regulation is dependent on the ability to reason which is the second aspect represented by the Emperor. (1) The basic function of reason is to oversee and control. (a) Through the development of our ability to reason we learn to supervise and control our daily activities. F. After we have learned to concentrate and visualize what we want to do using symbols from the unconscious and prepared for the work to manifest on the physical plane through observation and regulation of our daily lives we are ready to manifest our new reality through our Personality. 1. Our Personality is not what we truly are, but how we express our Inner Self. It is important that we work in accordance with the guidance of our true 'Essence'. a. The Archtype of the Hierophant represents the Self. (1) The Hierophant sits between two pillars in a temple like the High Priestess. (a) He is the Inner Self who is also the Emperor. Only the spheres of operation are different. (b) The ministers kneeling before the True Teacher wear garments which are embroidered with the same flowers that appear in the garden of the Magician. (2) The general meaning of the Hierophant is summed up in the word Intuition. (a) Intuition is the Voice of the True Self. (b) Genuine intuition is not a substitute for reason. It is a logical consequence of good reasoning. (c) The inner Teacher wastes no time in fruitless endeavors to instruct the incompetent who will not take the trouble to observe, to remember, to imagine, or to reason. (3) The Voice never speaks loudly and many fail to hear it over the clamor of their own thoughts. (a) Practicing the listening attitude of mind leads to eventually hearing it. (b) The fundamental practice is to be still when you wish the counsel of the Voice. (c) Stop racking your brains when a seemingly insoluble problem confronts you. The harder you try the less likely you are to hear the answer. G. Patterns appear when we have contrasting elements in what we are examining. 1. The Tables of Correspondence (Spiral Dance) are based on the recognition that everything exists in relation to other things, and we use the process of discrimination to find the correspondences. a. The Archtype of the Lovers represents the process of discrimination. (1) The tarot card of the Lovers shows an angel bestowing blessings upon a naked man and woman. (a) The message here is that the self- consciousness and subconsciousness are equal and receive the blessings of the True Self. (b) When there are no secrets between the two (nudity) they work in harmony under the guidance of the Self and can see the connections between seemingly unrelated facts. H. The final ingredient needed in the development of the magical personality is the development of the magical will. 1. Development of the Magical Will comes about as the result of synthesizing all the aspects we have been talking about so far. a. The Chariot is the Archtype of the Will (1) The Chariot depicts a person standing in a chariot pulled by two sphinxes of opposite polarity, before a city surrounded by a wall. At the foot of the wall runs a river. (a) The Charioteer is the Inner Self. (b) The sphinxes represent the senses and the reins (which are invisible) by which he guides them represent the mind. (c) The chariot itself is the physical body and it is drawn by the sphinxes. (2) The starry canopy represents the celestial forces whose descent into matter is the cause of all manifestation. (a) On the shield is the Hindu Lingam-Yoni symbolizing the union of opposites. (3) The charioteer is a victor. (a) This card represents the conquest of illusion which comes about when the Self guides the personality. 2. The Magical Will is very much akin to what Victorian schoolmasters called character: honesty, self-discipline, commitment and conviction. a. Anyone who wishes to practice magic must be scrupulously honest in their personal lives. (1) A bag of herbs acquires the power to heal because I say it does. For my word to take on such force, I must be deeply and completely convinced that it is identified with truth as I know it. (a) In this sense, magic works on the principle that "It is so because I say it is so." b. Unless I have enough personal power to keep my commitments in daily life, I will be unable to wield magical power. (1) To a person who practices honesty and keeps commitments, "As I will, so mote it be." is not just a pretty phrase; it is a statement of fact.

A. Working Definition 1. Magic is the craft of shaping and has been defined as "the art of changing consciousness at will". a. The art of changing consciousness at will is a demanding one, needing long and disciplined apprenticeship. (1) The outward acts of waving a wand, lighting a candle, or crooning a rhymed incantation, are meaningless without the proper mental preparation. (a) But when the force of a trained awareness is behind the gestures, they are far more than empty motions. B. The Witch as Cosmic Artist 1. We exist on this plane as multi-faceted jewels, which conceal a spark of the essence of the Goddess in the heart of each jewel. a. Each facet of the jewel that is ourself is likened to shells, or "bodies" in which we wrap the heart of our jewel. 2. These "bodies" are divided into two groups. a. The Individuality (1) Upper Spiritual- Consists of pure or abstract Spirit. Sometimes call the 'Divine Spark', it is substance and energy from the Great Unmanifest which we symbolize with the archetype of the Goddess. (2) Lower Spiritual- This is the individualized spirit which has separated from the abstract. This is where the spirit embarks upon it's own journey of self-discovery. And where it eventually returns before it adds its experiences to the Great Whole and rejoins it as a drop in the endless ocean of being. (3) Upper Mental- This is the realm of the abstract mind. Individualized spirit begins to be self-aware, and form polarities which lead to the development of the personality. b. The Personality (1) Lower Mental- The person develops a concrete mind held together by form and memory. (2) Upper Astral- Level of abstract emotions. Attraction of polarities leads to a desire for union. (3) Lower Astral- Level of instincts and passions. A desire to attract other polarities and to possess things develops. (4) Etheric Body- Tenuous energy-web of near-matter which links the Physical with the subtler planes. Without the Etheric body to hold the physical body together, individual sparks of the spirit cannot manifest on the physical plane. (5) Physical Body- Made of dense matter. 3. Taking a broad look at the Personality, we find that it is an instrument, or machine, consisting of three distinct 'bodies'. a. These 'bodies' are built up during one incarnation and discarded in the Summerland after they have served their purpose. (1) A physical form that naturally moves and acts on instinct and orders from your mind. (a) This physical form has its own set of laws that govern it. (b) It exists in time and space, and it has to be acted upon; it is not capable of thinking. (c) We know that our body is not the cause of us, because it has to be acted upon to function. And anything that has to be acted upon is an effect, caused by something else. (2) An emotional 'body', operating from laws similar to hydrodynamics. (a) If our emotions become blocked, we are like a river whose flow is dammed up, building up untold pressure until some release occurs; or we go dead inside and stagnate, diseased and toxic to ourselves and others. (b) Crafters know that pent-up emotions are to be released and understood, so that this constricted energy can be expressed for the purpose of validating our existence. (3) A mental life, our unique world of personal thoughts, that is creative by nature, and has no limits except those it chooses to construct for itself. (a) Since we exist in a Universal Mind that is all knowing and limitless, we know that limitation is not a universal law, but only exists in the individual use we make of these universal laws. 4. Our Personality is responsible for our being able to function on this plane and it is through our personality that we create the world around us. a. Without our input the world is neutral, colorless and meaningless. (1) It is only when we assume the role of creators or artists and paint an image of the world in our minds, colored by our feelings, does the world affect us. (a) This is way two people can have the same experience and respond in two entirely different ways. (2) We constantly choose moment-by-moment what our world is like. (a) A person who opts for a negative experience descends into a universe that contains all the potentially negative forces that are waiting to make up reality. (b) And no matter what someone outside does to make it less negative, it will not change. (c) Having set up the polarity for a negative experience, the negativity acts as a magnet, attracting more and more negativity until it is overwhelming. (d) On the other hand, a person who opts for a positive experience, ascends into another universe, that immediately cooperates, and instantly, forces begin moving to manifest a positive result. 5. The main work of a person on the Path of Return is to integrate the creative aspects of the Personality under the guidance of the Individuality, or Essence, so that they can develop as a member of the universe in full harmony with the rest of it. a. When this happens the Seeker discovers an inner state of harmony where all actions begin corresponding to a deeper truth resident within. (1) It is as though every thing flows naturally and easily. (a) Even what had seemed 'impossible' before fades into non-existence and a new possibility takes its place.