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Cauldron and Candle
Cauldron News -- September 2000

A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum
website: http://www.ecauldron.com/
mailing list/board: http://www.ecauldron.com/fregmb.php

With a little help from The Witches' Thicket
website: http://www.cros.net/soraya/
message board: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start


Return to Cauldron and Candle Archive

CAULDRON NEWS -- September 2000

Web Page: http://www.ecauldron.com/
      or: http://cauldron.cjb.net/
Message Board: http://www.delphi.com/CUSTOM7999/start

In this Issue:

 * Lots of New Articles on our Web Site
 * New Web Polls
 * The Return of The Cauldron's Mailing List
 * Your Samhain Articles Wanted Now
 + Traditional Magickal Uses for Wild Herbs
 * Support The Cauldron When You Buy at Amazon.com
 + Traditional Magickal Uses for Incense
 * Send A Pagan Postcard (Two NEW Categories!)
 + Recipe: Herb Sugar Candy
 * The Cauldron's Message Board Rules
 * Cauldron Chats: Tuesdays, 10-11pm CDT
 * Please Invite Your Friends
 * Link To The Cauldron
 * Suggestions Are Always Welcome


LOTS OF NEW ARTICLES ON OUR WEB SITE

Since our July issue, we've added a large number of new articles,
book reviews, and humor items on our web site:

 * There are nine new Pagan humor pieces available in the Humor
   section of our web site: "Astral Advertising: A Modern Occult
   Menace?," "Be An Expert On The New Age in Five Minutes," "How
   to Become A Witch in Nine Easy Lessons," "Sam Hain," "A Letter
   From A Third Grade Teacher Sent Home To Pagan Parents," "The
   Valkyrie Song," "New to Magick and Paganism," and "Wicccan
   Laws." Finally, we have a piece written by RaeVynn (with a bit
   of help from people on The Cauldron and The Thicket) and
   illustrated by Faerie K. entitled "Safe Witch Kit."

   http://www.ecauldron.com/humorindex.php

 * We've added two files to our File Library: a zip file with the
   full text of Culpeper's Complete Herbal in Microsoft Word
   format and a zip file containing a magickal formulary with
   recipes for several hundred magical oils, incenses, and
   powders -- also in Microsoft Word Format.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/filelibrary.html

 * We now have a collection of recipes for Lammas incenses and
   philtres:

   http://www.ecauldron.com/lammasincenses.html

 * Complementing the above article, we also have an article with
   recipes for Lammas oils and perfumes.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/lammasoils.html

 * "Crowley and Tantric Magick" provides some insight into
   Crowley's writings, explaining what his sometimes outrageous
   descriptions were actually talking about.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/crowleytantra.html

 * If you are interested in various versions of traditional
   Wiccan Laws, you may find the poetic "Landmarks of the Craft"
   interesting.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/landmarklaws.html

 * Which direction is associated with which element? "Re-Thinking
   the Watchtowers" makes the case for putting elemental Air in
   the north.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/rethinking.html

 * "The History Of Wicca In England: 1939 - Present Day" is a
   transcription of a talk given by Julia Phillips at the Wiccan
   Conference in Canberra in 1991.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/historywicca.html

 * This article is actually a collection of online conversations
   and informational messages on hereditary Italian witchcraft.
   It's almost 250K and takes a while to load.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/italianwitchcraft.html

 * "Natural Herbal Medicinal Uses" provides information collected
   from various sources and is presented as a compendium of ideas
   on possible medicinal uses of herbs, not as specific advice.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/herbalnatural.html

 * The "Mother Earth Herbal" discusses the traditional and
   magical uses of many herbs and trees.

   http://www.ecauldron.com/herbalearth.html

 * We've added book reviews for the following books:

   + Sexual Secrets: The Alchemy of Ecstasy by Nik Douglas and
     Penny Slinger

       http://www.ecauldron.com/bkssecrets.html

   + The Stones are Hatching Young Adult Fiction by Geraldine
     McCaughrean

       http://www.ecauldron.com/bkthestones.html

   + A Witches' Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar

       http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwbible.html


NEW WEB POLLS

Our new polls are working nicely and without all the problems we
had when they were hosted offsite. You'll find them on their own
web page at:

   http://www.ecauldron.com/pollindex.php

Since the July issue of Cauldron News, we've added a new poll
every two weeks for three new polls.

 * From which of the listed pantheons are the Gods you usually
   call upon in ritual or worship?

   http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll3.php

 * Do you believe Wiccan Rede should be considered a moral law or
   just moral advice?

   http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll4.php

 * Who knows that you are a Pagan?

   http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll5.php

Make your opinion known, take these polls today!


THE RETURN OF THE CAULDRON'S MAILING LIST

As many readers may remember, we experimented with an Egroups
mailing list in May when Delphi's text side was out for over a
week.  While we moved back to Delphi (when text side stabilized
again), we planned to keep the list available as a backup and as
our eventual home when Delphi finally kills off the ancient text
side interface. (For those who don't understand the "text side"
reference, the text side interface allows The Cauldron's hosts to
read and reply to forum messages offline in plain old text --
just as if the forum were a mailing list.)

In late June, however, Egroups announced that they had been
bought up by Yahoo. Given the terms of service problems when
Yahoo took over Geocities and tried to change the Geocities terms
of service, without notice, to where Yahoo could do anything they
wanted with the contents of people's copyrighted web sites
(including turn them into books or films and selling them without
paying the site owners a dime), we quickly killed off the mailing
list. We were unwilling to risk Yahoo trying to do something like
this again as they might manage to get by with it the second time
around.

However, it looks like Yahoo learned their lesson from the
Geocities problem well.  Yahoo has recently completed their
purchase of Egroups and has assured everyone that they will NOT
do anything so stupid again. See Yahoo's Egroups FAQ at
http://help.yahoo.com/help/egroups for the details.

Given these assurances, we will be opening a new Yahoo/Egroups
mailing list for The Cauldron later this month. You will get a
special issue of Cauldron News with information on the new
mailing list when we open it.

At first, this new mailing list will simply serve as a backup to
our forum on Delphi, just as the one we had before did.  However,
as Delphi has announced that they will cease to support their
text side interface after Samhain, we plan to move our forum from
Delphi (and its constant problems) to Yahoo/Egroups (which hasn't
had nearly as many problems) by November 1, 2000 at the latest.

We will be discussing this move in the NetPagan topic on our
current message board and in the October issue of this
newsletter.  While moving to a mailing list will disappoint some
of our members and may be a bit of a pain in the rear for
everyone at first, the hosts believe it will be a very positive
step for The Cauldron in the long term. After over 18 months of
living with one major Delphi problem after another, the hosts are
just about to burn out. Moving to a mailing list is the only
feasible way to keep the forum portion of The Cauldron alive.

Watch your email box and the NetPagan topic on our current forum
for more information.


YOUR SAMHAIN ARTICLES WANTED NOW

October is The Cauldron's busiest month -- or at least it's our
web site's busiest month. Thanks to the popularity of our special
Samhain section, our Web site gets over three times as many hits
in October as it does during an average month. Here's a direct
link to our Samhain Section:

    http://www.ecauldron.com/samhainindex.php

We'd like to add a few new Samhain articles this year. We'd love
to add YOUR article on Samhain. We need articles by September
22nd at the latest so we can convert them to HTML and integrate
them into our Samhain by October 1st.  Take a look at what we
have now to see the types of articles we are interested in. If
you know of really interesting Samhain articles on other sites
which we can link to, we'd love that information as well. Thanks
and a tip of the traditional Halloween witch's hat.


TRADITIONAL MAGICKAL USES FOR WILD HERBS

Aven(Geum): Use 22 seeds to call forth strength of purpose from
  anything.

Bayberry: Take away misfortune. (boiled)

Bedstraw: Lay beneath a pillow secretly to strengthen a failing
  marriage.

Bindweed: knot it three times to assure the fidelity of a lover.

Black mustard: Dry in a bag and wrap around the neck for safety
  from illness. Very much valued if worn under the eclipse of the
  sun, assuring no evil shall enter upon the moon's shadow.

Burdock: Pack in a wooden box, and will inspire honesty to the
  one given it.

Buttercup: Hang over a doorway, leaving it for a week with petals
  scattering as it dries. It shall give harmony to the household.

Celandine: Use as a powerful ink to inscribe with when making
  charms.

Chickweed: Brew as tea for noble nourishment. or let hang around
  the neck for favor to the heavens.

Chicory: Cut ten strong stalks with a sharp knife and bind them
  about from top to bottom as a cord. This wand should be given
  to one who is ill who shall be strengthened in blood, flesh,
  and bone.

Cinquefoils: Take leaves and hold in the hand for brief moments
  for any spiritual task.

Daisy: Walk about it three times. Take away a single flower, from
  which the petals should be pressed into paper. Thereafter
  swallow one petal each day. You shall be strengthened with
  energy and gain control of your body, whichever you want to do
  to it.

Dandelion: Collect the sap and mix with cow's milk as a bitter
  potion. It should be taken whenever you have greed and lied.
  These faults will lead you from the ways of truth.

Goatsbeard: Press the juices into your palms. Thus shall your
  right and left hand will serve you well.

Ground Ivy: Brew into a bitter tea and sipped, it will make you
  overcome timidity and strengthen weaknesses.

Lady's Sorrel (Sourgrass): Eat it for health and intelligence.

Mistletoe: Hang over your bed to make enemies your friends.

Peppergrass: Chew it to get rid of a nasty headache.

St. John's Wort: Carry in pocket to drive away evil.


SUPPORT THE CAULDRON WHEN YOU BUY BOOKS AT AMAZON.COM

If you wish to purchase books or other items at Amazon.com, you
can help fund The Cauldron's web site by using this link to
access Amazon.com when you make your purchases:

    http://www.ecauldron.com/fradambooks.html

Just use this link to go to Amazon.com via our web site and
almost every purchase you make that visit will earn The Cauldron
a small amount to help pay for our web page -- at no extra charge
to you. You can also use the Amazon link on the menu of every
Cauldron web page and not have to remember this long link.

Unlike the Amazon link listed in prior issues of this newsletter,
you can simply visit this site and save the link in your bookmark
list.  If you then use this bookmarked link every time you wish
to visit Amazon.com, any purchases you make while there will help
fund The Cauldron's web site.


TRADITIONAL MAGICKAL USES OF INCENSE

Blue Berry - Burn to keep unwanted influences away from your home
  and property.

Blue Roses- Specially crafted to honor the Goddess in all her
  aspects.

Carnations - A sweet floral scent traditionally used for healing.

Cherry - Sacred to Venus, this blend will attract and stimulate
  love.

Cinnamon - Use to gain wealth and success.

Coconut - Burn for protection and purification.

Copal - Sacred to the Mayan and Aztecs, this blend is suitable
  for honoring the Gods.

Frangipani - Burn to brighten your home with friendship and love.

Frankincense - Draw upon the energy of the sun to create sacred
  space, consecrate objects, and stimulate positive vibrations.

Honeysuckle - Burn for good health, luck, and psychic power
  Jasmine. For luck in general, especially in matters relating
  to love.

Lotus - For inner peace and outer harmony, to aid in meditation
  and open the mind's eye.

Musk - Burn for courage and vitality, or to highten sensual
  passion.

Myrrh - An ancient incense for protection, healing, purification
  and spirituality.

Passionflower - For peace of mind, this sweet scent will soothe
  troubles and aid in sleep.

Patchouli - An earthy scent used in money and attraction spells.

Pine - Burn for strength, and to reverse negative energies.

Rose - For love magick, and to return calm energies to the home.

Sandalwood - A delicious all purpose scent used to heal and
  protect, also for purification.

Spice - A fiery scent to be charged for any magick.

Spirit - Raise your personal vibration, attract spirit guides and
  honor your personal deity.

Strawberry - For love, luck and friendship.

Tangerine - A solar aroma used to attract prosperity.

Temple - A devotional incense for the altar during ritual.

Vanilla - Stimulate amorous appetites and enhance memory.


SEND A PAGAN POSTCARD

We've upgraded and improved our postcard service.

First, We've added two new Pagan Postcard categories: "Samhain
and Halloween" and "Wolves."  Each has eight new pictures. Most
of the pictures in the "Samhain and Halloween" category will work
for any harvest festival, including Lughnasadh and Mabon.

Second, we've enabled a much larger number of regular (non-Pagan)
postcard categories. These non-Pagan categories are available for
selection near the bottom of most of the pages in our Postcard
section.

Third, the "Send Non-Pagan" link works again. It now takes you to
a special page with (non-Pagan) events for the current month as
well as the standard list of non-Pagan categories mentioned
above. If you are looking for an excuse to send a friend a
postcard, you'll probably find one on this page.

You can send a Pagan Postcard from the menu of any of our web
pages at http://www.ecauldron.com/.  If you haven't tried our
postcard site, give it a try.  It has quite a few nice features.


RECIPE: HERB SUGAR CANDIES

You will find the most popular flavors for Herb candies to be
Peppermint, English Mint, Horehound, and Anise. Recipes using
honey in place of sugar can be used - soft candy recipes too. Use
your imagination, a reliable candy recipe book, and the basic
Herb Recipe below.

Basic Recipe for Making Herb Candies
Put 4 cups of water in a saucepan, and add:
1-1/2 cups of the leaves of the Herb chosen for flavor,
or
2 TBS full of seeds.

Bring to the boil slowly, and simmer for 15
minutes. Strain off the Herb. Remove from heat.

Add:
3 cups of granulated sugar and
3 cups of brown sugar.

Stir till dissolved. Boil to a "hard crack," and remove from the
heat. Pour into an oiled, shallow pan. Mark into squares as soon
as possible. Break up as soon as it is hard. Wrap each piece in
waxed or candy paper, and pack attractively.


THE CAULDRON'S MESSAGE BOARD RULES

The Cauldron message board is a forum for Pagans and their
friends. It is set up as a Member Community.  It uses Delphi
Internet Services equipment and software but is independently
operated.  Delphi has no real say in the operation of this forum,
nor does Delphi or the forum staff have any responsibility for
what is said here. Each person is solely responsible for their
messages and statements. The Cauldron is available both from
Delphi's old text interface and from Delphi's new web interface.
The hosts have set the following rules for this community and
have the power to deny access to those who insist on violating
them. We hope that we never have to use such extreme measures,
but we will do so if necessary.

 1) The word of the forum hosts (Elspeth and Randall Sapphire) is
final. The word of their staff is final unless overruled by the
forum hosts. It is unlikely that a staff decision will be
overruled.

 2) Do not behave in a manner that the hosts, the staff, or
reasonable members will consider annoying or excessively rude.
Please see our note below for a *non-exhaustive* list of behavior
we generally find rude or annoying.

 3) Personal attacks (i.e. name calling, hostile remarks,
accusations, etc.), blanket condemnations of religions or
peoples, proselytizing, and unapproved unsolicited advertising
[see note below] will not be tolerated. Debate is welcome but
please debate ideas and opinions, not personalities. Outright
hate speech is never welcome.

 4) Do not post copyrighted material without including the
specific and express permission granted by the original author
(or the copyright holder if that is no longer the original
author) to post their material in The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum.
[see copyright note below]

 5) The Cauldron message board and chat is "PG-13" rated. No
gratuitous offensive language, please.

Rules Notes:

Things Usually Considered Annoying in The Cauldron: The following
is a *non-exhaustive* list of behaviors not specifically listed
in the forum rules that are generally considered annoying (and
therefore against rule #2) in The Cauldron:

 * Having your Delphi account set to a false or out of date email
address.

 * Deleting posts written by others.

 * Posting a message to multiple topics.

 * Using the "Ignore Poster" feature on the forum hosts or
members of the forum staff to so that you do not see the content
of their posts.

 * Uninvited lectures on non-Pagan religions, especially outside
the Interfaith Discussions topic.

 * Messages with more than 1000 or characters in a single
paragraph as they are chopped off when converted to the text side
message base.

 * Messages in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, in eLiTe LeTtErS, or in very
large or hard to read fonts or colors.

Advertising Rule Note: We've recently had people requesting
monetary donations for themselves (for classes, etc.). This is
considered promotional advertising and is not allowed without
advance permission from the Forum Hosts.

Copyright rule note: We have had a number of problems with -- and
complaints about -- the forum's copyright rule. Please remember
that material taken from web pages, newspapers, magazines, etc.
is copyrighted (and remains copyrighted even if you get it from a
third party, e.g. in an email message from a friend or mailing
list) and may not be posted without permission from the actual
owner of the copyright (permission must be included with the
post). Permission to email a copy to a friend as some news sites
give is the not same thing as permission to post on a public
message board.


CAULDRON CHATS: TUESDAYS, 10-11PM CDT

Cauldron Co-Host Randall Sapphire hosts a one hour general chat
almost every Tuesday evening from 10pm to 11pm Central (Daylight)
Time in our channel (#thecauldron) on the PaganPaths IRC server.
We usually have a pretty good turnout.  Discussions cover a wide
range of topics, depending on what the folks present want to
discuss.

You'll find all the information you need to connect to our chats
either with your own IRC client or via the Java IRC client on our
Chats web page at:

    http://www.ecauldron.com/cmchats.html

You can open a Java chat client directly to #thecauldron by
clicking on the "IRC Chat" link in the menu of any of our web
pages, but we strongly suggest you visit the above page first and
read a few paragraphs on how to use it.  This page is also
available from the "[Info]" link right next to the "IRC Chat"
link on our web page menus.  If you have your own IRC client
program, the address of the main PaganPaths server is:

    madison.wi.us.paganpaths.org  (port 6667)

We don't have a regular chat schedule yet, but watch the NetPagan
section of our message board for announcements.  However, Randall
Sapphire often hosts a "general discussion" type chat for about
an hour on Tuesday evenings between 10pm and 11pm Central
(Daylight) Time in #thecauldron on PaganPaths.  If you'd like to
host a chat for members of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum on a
regular, weekly schedule, please let us know.

If "Central Time" doesn't mean anything to you, this an online
time converter at http://sandbox.xerox.com/stewart/tzconvert.cgi
might help.  I think Central Time is listed as something like "US
- Central" in the drop down box.


PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS

If you have Pagan friends who you believe would be interested in
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum, please invite them to our forum. You
can either drop them a note yourself or -- better yet -- send
them one of our email postcards with the information.


LINK TO THE CAULDRON

If you like The Cauldron and have a web page, we'd really
appreciate it if you put a link to The Cauldron's web site on
your web pages.  If you'd like some graphic buttons to use to
link to our web site, check the following URL:

http://www.ecauldron.com/linktous.html

Thanks in advance.


SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

Don't forget that your suggestions for the forum are always
welcome, either posted on the message board or via email to
Elspeth Sapphire (asapphire@aol.com) or Randall Sapphire
(rssapphire@ecauldron.com). Typos are, as usual, courtesy of the
Goddess Eris.

Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet again!
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