I don't like to use the term either right off the bat. You'd be surprised how negatively it can effect people.

November 17, 2008

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Monday

Queen Elizabeth's Day

Waning Moon ~ Moon Sign: Cancer (Moon enters Leo - 4:07 P.M.)

Moon Phase: Third Quarter

Color: Lavender

Incense: Narcissus


(From Llewellyn's 2008 Magical Almanac)

I used to just say that I'm a pantheist.

But now I think I just say that I'm just me.

If people ask me what religion I am owl just tell them I don't believe in organized religion.

If someone is truly interested owl tell them I'm a shaman, meaning that I study shamanism, alchemy and some sorcery (witchcraft).

I just looked up the word 'sorcery' to see what some definitions are.

I came up with the following:

sorcery - the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world.

Is that stupid or what?

Where do they get that it's unnatural?

The idea that it 'harnesses' anything is pretty stupid too. It doesn't harness anything, it's about learning to let go and flow with the natural forces.

And there's no such thing as evil spirits. All that exists are humans who do bad things.

It's no wonder these things are frowned on. They're just totally misunderstood. It's a fear of ignorance.

Once it's truly understood, witchcraft is the most natural and beautiful art there is.

It's like a kitchen knife. It's neither good nor evil. It's how you use it that makes the outcome good or evil.

You can use a kitchen knife to prepare a beautiful healthy meal.

Or you can use it do stab your best friend in the back.

The choice is yours.

Witchcraft is no different. Using witchcraft for evil would be no different than praying to God to do something bad to someone.

Witchcraft is really just a very methodic and effective means of prayer that works. It's a direct connection to the gods. Or to the animmistic nature of nature.

However you want to think of it.

"sorcery - the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world."



Good grief! That must have been written by the same author as:

"Why Witchcraft is Evil."



Im eagerly awaiting the sequel:

"Why I make a lot of biased and paranoid/delusional accusations about things I dont understand."

Witchcraft is like prayer.

The only difference is that with witchcraft you actually get an answer instead of a busy signal.

I just hope it's not an answering machine

I hate these things

"Leave your spell at the tone and we'll manifest it for you as soon as possible."

I do believe in what some people call "evil spirits". Also known as "lower level entities". I think they feed off of human emotion particularly fear and anger. I think they can also be created by human emotions. So, a person who experiences extreme anger or hatred a lot can create one of these beings. I believe they cross over when they can to create fear for their own consumption.

This is why it's very important to use the utmost caution when calling upon such beings or when using things like the ouija board. The ouija board creates an opening for any spirit who happens by. And, if you get a not-so-nice one you could have some trouble on your hands.

That's an interesting thought Ruth.

People always talk about good or evil spirits. But why does everything need to be so black and white?

Are all evil spirits perfectly evil? And are all good spirits perfectly good?

Are there any middle-of-the-road spirits that aren't necessarily good or evil but kind of just a mundane mixture of both (kind of like humans)?

I often wonder why everything needs to be such extremes. This is one reason why the Christian idea of either heaven or hell seems so absurd to me. You either go to a place that is perfectly saintly, or you go to a place that's totally evil.

That has never made any sense to me, and never will.

Well, it makes sense to me that we probably are the middle of the road spirits. There are spirits that are much more evolved than we are (maybe you can call them angels) and there are spirits that are much less evolved than we are (demons?).

Ive heard that also Ruth and I feel its the truth because these religions themselves tend to reject duality and instead embrace polarity which would assume that there is both good and bad in the world and they are related to one another. The alpha and the omega and the Ying and the Yang.


There is something in Wicca that is a firm rule which basically lets you know in no uncertain terms that if you conjure something like that to use against another you essentially render yourself powerless against it. And if it turns back on you it will have triple the destructive energy.

Isnt there a specific law in Wicca to this effect? Its more like a warning in fact.

I see no reason to use the term "Pagan" to describe yourself. I don't think there is a united pagan church is there? If there is, and you are not a member, why claim to be pagan?

I don't even know what that means except that you are not main stream Christian. I thought the term was coined by Christians to describe non-Christians.

If there is a religion and church connected to the term Pagan, what are their beliefs? How well defined are they?

Just curious.

Well, there is the threefold law that whatever you do comes back to you times three. But, I think what you are referring to is just the general belief that if you conjure up something you do so at your own risk. It is much more likely that it will control you than you will be able to control it.

I don't think there is a Pagan church. Pagans have so many differing belief systems and none of them promotes themselves as being the "correct" belief system.

I think thats probably correct JB and the term "Pagan" was coined by Christians originally to describe someone who wasnt a follower of Christianity and therefore it was negative in that sense. They probably perceived Paganism as "the enemy" in some respect because they were "following other gods" and just being difficult.

Of course you could always just run a sword through them if they refused to convert.

I dont even know if Pagans actually ever referred to themselves as Pagan from a historical standpoint. They might have just held whatever beliefs and didnt really feel the need for a classification or terminology per say to describe them. There were clans and so forth like in Celtic civilization but thats not quite the same thing.

I agree. Spirits are just spirits. They can be either cooperative and agreeable or bothersome and scary. It is relative to what you want from them.

When we call upon any spirits, good or bad, for help in divination or anything else, we offer them energy in the form of a ball of light that you envision coming from your center to them.

Spirits do not have their own energy supply to operate in this dense world and so they will drain yours. This is normal.

If you are asking them for help, offer them some of your energy. Make sure you yourself are relaxed and energized before a session. Don't try to do readings when you are tired or nervous. Psychic readers can get really drained doing readings or channeling.

My friend Val who does readings, uses the tarot cards only as a front or for validation of her psychic reading. After doing a lot of readings at a fair once, she got up to go home and could barely walk. She was totally drained at having done readings all day. This was not coincidence at having worked all day either. She normally does fairs selling her books and she does not get drained doing that.

JB

I sometimes just tell people I am a heretic.

JB that is SO TRUE! I use crystals when I'm doing my reading to help with the energy level. It is very draining and I don't think too many people understand that. That's why I tell people I can't when I'm sick or tired.

OMG! I love that! I'm using that one!