Spirited (37 page)

Tread the circle, pound the feet

Sing the song of youth around

Feel our power, hear our sound!

As the power begins to peak, the dancers should send out astral ribbons to the axis mundi and imagine ascending up the World Tree into a sky of pure white light. Faster and higher the circle goes until there is a peaceful vibration felt by all. At this point, the energy should be released and the word “Spirited!” shouted by the group to seal the rite.

To ground, the participants should sit down and share the chalice of juice or water, offering words of wisdom and encouraging anecdotes, whimsical adventures, or renewed vigour and promise for the future. This should be a time to share the Spirit with each other, to connect intimately in sacred space and to truly evoke the passion and power of Paganism in ritual. This is the Song of the Youth.

Last Words: An Open Letter
to the Global Pagan Community

For a while, I was disillusioned with the somewhat misleading concept of “Pagan community.” In my time as an actively interactive Pagan in my area, I have been witness to both miracle and madness. There seems to be an underlying fear that unity implies dogmatic structure that we must all yield to or else! But we must learn, as have many inherent subcultures that exist within the greater matrix known simply as “society,” to uphold one's personal convictions no matter how adverse the mainstream current is. We must realise that “community” in Paganism is an innately tribal concept arising from the first stirrings of human consciousness. We come together to celebrate the ancient mysteries rather than perpetuate an egocentricity centred on gratifying one another all in the name of sensationalist glamour.

We are a spirited culture; one full of youthful flair and age-old wisdom. We are a paradox and tread the holy way between light and dark. We are the crafters and the Nature folk, never forgetting that divine powers exist within the world, permeating every layer. We are no more important than the single-celled amoeba and no less important than the farthest star. Our thoughts and feelings are focussed on rhythm, pattern, insight, evolution, and transformation. We are inclined to deepening awareness through the medium of myth, seeking balance and wholeness through ritual and sacred action. We are Pagan.

As the earth stirs beneath us and as the ancient trinity of land, sky, and sea make their warnings clear, the power of the Greening grows. In my coven, we have a blessing: “May the WildWood flourish in our hearts and minds forever.” The WildWood is our sacred heartland, the realm we are tied to, though it definitely does not exclusively belong to our coven.

The WildWood is an ancient place of sovereignty and power. It is of no fixed morality, meaning that it is not a paradise reached through salvation like the Christian heaven, nor is it a hellish region. It is beautiful, striking, raw, and mysterious. It is the primal reality underlying what once was, or rather the state of earth before the cancerous wave of a corrupted humanity destroyed Gaia's green carpet.

Just as the WildWood flourishes in our hearts and minds, so does the youth. It is forever instilled within the nostalgia of all who have lived and all who will come. We often forget that experience and wisdom (and the physical process of aging itself) do not necessarily connote barrenness of spirit or the fertility of the mind. Youth is eternal. It is the spiral inward and the flourish outward. It is celebration of Life. It is the cycle, the change, and the circle.

I sometimes wonder how, in years to come, the inhabitants of this earth will experience and embrace Life, and I somehow think that maybe Life will be taken to mean any one of many things. These many things, all being simultaneously valid, will arise from freedom of (the) Spirit and freedom to do as thou wilt. The world will not constrict the voyage of the soul, and it will not divert or deplete the flow of vitality, effervescence, and inspiration in the name of authority, power-over, and tyranny. The Greening will flourish, and all will herald its coming. Nature will be honoured, and those who choose to will know the great intimacies of its purpose. The gods will be united not as “One” under a single banner but as expressions of and denizens of Life. Those of the future will understand and accept the passages of Life, the sacred rites that come to pass, and death will not be feared but revered. The elders will know the youths, and they in turn will know the elders, and a stronghold of wisdom, initiation, experience, and energy will be forged in the heartland of the world. But if this vision does not come to pass, it will be the fault of those who stood aside passively, allowing the world's destruction to spread like wildfire and consume all that is sacred, all that is as it is because it is meant to be.

My words of wisdom? My advice? All that I can offer from my experience as a priest and Witch in this incarnation is this: Know your truth. Walk it. Never run from your Shadow. Do not refuse an experience that will ultimately enrich and empower your Self. Grow inward, outward, upward, downward, and in any direction you can conceive of. Magick is power; power is neutral. An ye harm none, do what ye will. Never say believe, simply experience and feel. Do not submit to ways of thinking that are against the way of your heart. Love and be loved; you are worthy of it. Celebrate Life; never stop. Give and receive, in equal measure. Know the consequences of your actions and accept responsibility for them. Rise above evil, for there is no such thing. Pray unto the gods; they are listening, and they will answer. Cherish your friends and family; they are each a part of the Great Mystery's yearning to remember, know, and love again. Sing and dance the rhythm of Life; perpetuate it and nourish it wherever you go. Share with others who would wish to share with you. Make mistakes, and do it with honesty. Question always; it will only expand your consciousness. Lie down on the earth and let your heartbeats be at one. Pour a libation upon her breast and know you have just quenched your own thirst. Know all is connected; not one thing is separate from the whole. Be kind, be well, be wise. You are divine. You are spirited.

Blessed be, my brothers and sisters.

Charge of the Power of Youth

Begin at the centre, the core and the heart
Inside the Earth and never apart
Nourish the mind, enflame the soul
Whisper the secrets, the body is whole

Feel the power growing, the serpent aroused
She is now feeding on all that allows
Her to strike rhythm and dance out the beat
Of force that is vigour and vigour is sweet

Elixir of Life, Fountain of Youth
Lead the veiled seeker to the Book of Truth
Turn each page ancient, gnarled oaken bark
Draw down the Gods, reveal the mark

Magick in climax, peaking in light
Twin pillars flank the black and the white
Children are laughing, worry not is their cry
Ascend into realms of azure blue skies

Walk the round circle, call up the power
Feel the World Tree, the trembling Tower
It shakes and is struck by the dagger of fire
Blue shards ignite the spheres upon higher

Spiral-dance deeper, into the dark womb
Bright-Silver Weaver is spinning her loom
Chaos complete, undying abyss
Comes to the charge of the fivefold kiss

Thou art divine, comes the Old Ones' call
Throbbing pulse enraptures the All
Stillness is fleeting and silence is here
Banish the blackened bruises of fear

Live to let live, perish in naught
But the light of the flame after which has been sought;
Tide turning inward, tide waxing near
The Power of Youth! The power is here!

Khaire
,
sláinte
& blessed be,
Eilan/Gede

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Recommended Resources

Books

Deity

Beth, R.
Lamp of the Goddess
. USA: Weiser, 1995.

Harrow, J.
Devoted to You
. USA: Citadel Press, 2003.

Pollack, R.
The
Body of the Goddess
. UK: Vega, 2003.

Stein, C.
Persephone Unveiled: Seeing the Goddess & Freeing Your Soul
. USA: North Atlantic Books, 2006.

Fiction

Bird, I.
Circle of Three
Series. USA: Avon Books, 2001, 2002.

Bradley, M.
The Firebrand
. USA: Roc, 2003.

———.
The Forest House
. UK: Penguin Group, 1995.

———.
Lady of Avalon
. UK: Penguin Group, 1997.

———.
The Mists of Avalon
. England, Penguin Group, 1993.

———.
Priestess of Avalon
. USA: Roc, 2002.

Coelho, P.
The Witch of Portobello
. USA: Harper Perrenial, 2007.

de Angeles, L.
The Quickening
. USA: Llewellyn, 2005.

———.
The Shining Isle
. USA: Llewellyn, 2006.

de Lint, C.
Forests of the Heart
. USA: Tor Books, 2000.

Gardner, G.
High Magic's Aid
. UK: Michael Houghton, 1993.

Lamb, C.
Brigid's Charge
. USA: Bay Island Books, 1997.

Pennicott, J.
Circle of Nine
Trilogy. Australia: Simon & Schuster, 2001, 2004.

Santer, L.
Professor Midnight
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Australia: Zeus Publications, 2005.

Starhawk.
The Fifth Sacred Thing
. USA: Bantam, 1994.

Paganism

Adler, M.
Drawing Down the Moon
. USA: Penguin Group, 2006.

Bates, B.
The Way of Wyrd
. USA: Hay House, 2005.

Bonewits, I.
The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors, Hunters, and Drummers
. USA: Citadel Press, 2005.

Day, J.
Patchwork of Magic
. UK: Capall Bann, 1995.

de Angeles, L.
Pagan Visions for a Sustainable Future
. USA: Llewellyn, 2005.

Digitalis, R.
Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture
. USA: Llewellyn, 2007.

Godwin, D.
Light in Extension: Greek Magic from Homer to Modern Times
. USA: Llewellyn, 1992.

Jones, P.
Voices from the Circle
. UK: Aquarian Press, 1990.

Kalder, R., and T. Schwartzstein.
The Urban Primitive
. USA: Llewellyn, 2002.

Orr, E. R.
Spirits of the Sacred Grove
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UK: Thorsons, 1998.

Roads, M. J.
Journey into Nature: A Spiritual Adventure
. USA: H. J. Kramer Inc., 1990.

Starhawk.
The Earth Path
. USA: HarperSanFrancisco, 2005.

———.
Truth or Dare
. USA: HarperOne, 1989.

Telesco, P.
Cakes and Ale for the Pagan Soul
. USA: The Crossing Press, 2005.

Wildman, L.
Celebrating the Pagan Soul
. USA: Citadel Press, 2005.

Wood, R.
The Great Work
. Australia: Conjunction Press, 2006.

Witchcraft & Wicca

Beth, R.
Hedge Witch
. UK: Hale, 1990.

Bourne, L.
Witch Amongst Us: The Autobiography of a Witch
. UK: Robert Hale, 1995.

Coombes, M., and D. Ganchingco.
Feelin' Witchy
. Australia: CG Publishing, 2004.

Crowley, V.
Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Millennium
. UK: Element Books Ltd., 1996.

Cunningham, S.
Living Wicca
. USA: Llewellyn, 2002.

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Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.
USA: Llewellyn, 1988.

Curott, P.
Book of Shadows
. USA: Broadway, 1999.

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Witch Crafting
. USA: Broadway, 2002.

de Angeles, L.
When I See the Wild God
. USA: Llewellyn, 2004.

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Witchcraft: Theory and Practice
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USA: Llewellyn, 2000.

Dugan, E.
Elements of Witchcraft
. USA: Llewellyn, 2003.

Farrar, J., S. Farrar, and G. Bone.
The Healing Craft: Healing Practices for Witches and Pagans
. USA: Phoenix Publishing, 1999.

Farrar, J. and G. Bone.
Progressive Witchcraft
. USA: New Page Books, 2003.

Farrar, J. and S. Farrar.
A Witches' Bible
. USA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996.

Farrar, S.
What Witches Do
. USA: Phoenix Publishing, 1983.

Gardner, G.
The Meaning of Witchcraft
. Canada: Weiser, 2004.

Geddes-Ward, A. & N.
Faeriecraft: Treading the Path of Faerie Magic
. USA: Hay House, 2005.

Grimassi, R.
The Wiccan Mysteries
. USA: Llewellyn, 2002.

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Italian Witchcraft
. USA: Llewellyn, 2000.

Gwyn.
Light from the Shadows: A Mythos of Modern Traditional Witchcraft
. UK: Capall Bann, 1999.

Heselton, P.
Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration
. UK: Capall Bann, 2003.

Hutton, R.
The Triumph of the Moon
. UK: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Johnson, K.
Witchcraft and the Shamanic Journey
. USA: Llewellyn, 1998.

Lamond, F.
Fifty Years of Wicca
. UK: Green Magic, 2004.

Leland, C.
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches
. Hong Kong: Phoenix Publishing, 1996.

Palin, P.
Craft of the Wild Witch
. USA: Llewellyn, 2004.

Penczak, C.
The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft
. USA: Llewellyn, 2006.

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The Witch's Shield: Protection Magick and Psychic Self-Defense
. USA: Llewellyn, 2004.

Polson, W.
The Veil's Edge: Exploring the Boundaries of Magic
. USA: Citadel Press, 2003.

Rain, G.
Confessions of a Teenage Witch: Celebrating the Wiccan Life
. USA: Perigee, Penguin Group, 2005.

Starhawk.
The Spiral Dance
.
USA: HarperOne, 1999.

Valiente, D.
The Rebirth of Witchcraft
. UK: Robert Hale, 2008.

———.
Witchcraft for Tomorrow
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USA: Phoenix Publishing, 1978.

Internet

Church of All Worlds (CAW)
—www.caw.org (The official website for the international Church of All Worlds. CAW was founded in the 1960s by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart [then Tim Zell] and Lance Christie. Much of its philosophy was inspired by Robert Heinlein's novel
Stranger in a Strange Land
, which is to this day read and recommended by CAW members globally. I am a member and seeker of the Church of All Worlds Australia, and we can be reached at www.caw.org.au.)

Copper Moon E-zine—
www.copper-moon.com (Copper Moon E-zine is a
“Witch's publication for teens and early twenties.”
It was created by Gwinevere Rain, the author of
Confessions of a Teenage Witch
and
Spellcraft for Teens
. It is
regularly
updated with articles, rituals, reviews, and other Pagan miscellany and has a gifted team of writers.)

Coven of the WildWood—
www.members.optusnet.com.au/wildwoodcoven (My coven's website. It has information about who we are, what we do, our upcoming open events and circles, members of the coven (Children of the WildWood, Aspirants, Dedicants, Initiates/Priesthood), and ritual photographs. For more photos and online interaction, add us on myspace: www.myspace.com/covenofthewildwood.)

Esoterica Bichaunt—
http://esoterica.bichaunt.org/ (Eran, the author of the website, is a knowledgeable and level-headed Gardnerian Witch, and his arguments for Witchcraft history are both alluring and convincing.)

Gede Parma—
www.gedeparma.com (My website! Enough said.)

Magick TV (Living the Wiccan Life)—
www.magicktv.com (A side-project of the Correllian Nativist Tradition. Rev. Don Lewis is the host of the show and conducts many fascinating interviews with not only Pagan authors, but Pagans in general!)

Pagan Awareness Network (Australia)—
www.paganawareness.net .au (An amazing network of Australian Pagans. PAN, as it is known in Australia, is one of the largest Pagan organisations in Australia and was founded by David Garland, the current president. They run several events each year and publish and circulate the
Small Tapestry.
Various state-committees also hold open full moon circles each month, which are vigorously attended.)

Sannion's Sanctuary—
www.winterscapes.com/sannion/ (Sannion is a proud, outspoken Hellenic reconstructionist and delivers interesting and insightful essays and articles on various Pagan topics.)

Spellcraft Magazine—
www.spellcraft.com.au (
Spellcraft
is Australia's leading Pagan magazine and has a readership of over 15,000 people. It comes out quarterly with the seasons and is host to a vast array of information on Magick, Witchcraft, and Paganism.)

Wicca: For the Rest of Us—
www.wicca.timerift.net (For thinking Wiccans who are serious about their religion. However, I do not fully endorse the entire site's content, especially what is targeted at certain authors.)

The Wiccan/Pagan Times—
www.twpt.com (The Wiccan/Pagan Times is an online community resource that provides Pagan stories and articles, insightful interviews, and news/reviews of upcoming books and authors.)

Witchvox—
www.witchvox.com (An extensive global resource that allows Pagans worldwide to come together and pool our energies.)

Young Tree Grove—
www.youngtreegrove.org (An amazing American Pagan activist organisation that helps Pagan teens and their families to become more acquainted with the Pagan community at large.)

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