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C A U L D R O N A N D C A N D L E #13 -- July 2001 A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum website: http://www.ecauldron.com/ mailing list/board: http://www.ecauldron.com/fregmb.php delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/start newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ With a little help from The Witches' Thicket website: http://www.cros.net/soraya/ delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start In this Issue: [00] IMPORTANT NOTE: CHANGING LIST PROVIDERS [01] Editorial: The Anatomy of the Pagan 101 Book Phenomena [02] Poem: Fire's Within [03] Personalizing Sabbats: From an Eclectic Point of View [05] Review: Green Witchcraft [06] Review: Many Lives, Many Masters [07] Review: Wicca: A Concise History [08] Review: Making Magick [09] Magick: Jinx Removing Spell [10] Magick: Psychic Brew [11] Safety and Self-Defense Tips [12] Humor: Mail Order Witchcraft [13] New Articles on The Cauldron's Site [14] New Web Polls [15] Support The Cauldron When You Buy at Amazon.com [16] Cauldron and Thicket Chats [17] Newsletter and Forum Info (Including How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe) +++ Submission Deadline for next issue: July 15, 2001 +++ Guidelines: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/submissions.php [00] ========= ========= IMPORTANT NOTE: CHANGING LIST PROVIDERS ========= Microsoft is shutting down Listbot, so this newsletter will be moving to Yahoo Groups, another free mailing list provider. Unfortunately, this move will require all subscribers to reply to an invitation to join the cauldronandcandle group which will be sent from Yahoo Groups when we submit all current subscribers to the new list service. Please respond to the forthcoming invitation from Yahoo Groups (exactly following the procedure the invitation states) in order to continue to receive the Cauldron and Candle Newsletter. [01] ========= ========= EDITORIAL: ========= The Anatomy of the Pagan 101 Book Phenomena ========= by AthenaPrime ========= It's pretty easy to smack out a Pagan 101 book because the formats of your basic 101 books are pretty formulaic. A good 101 book reads like a training manual, almost. You are given some concept material, and then a series of "job aids" to help you perform the tasks required. (Funny, but this is exactly what I do for a living, except not for witchcraft--how weird is that?). Beyond that, you can load up on appendices with charts, tables, color correspondences, etc. and you have a pretty thick book. Example: HappyBunnyWicca for Beginners by Pansy Moonfart and published by Lleweleweleweleweevil Press has the following chapters: Chapter 1 - What is Wicca? Chapter 2 - What are the Tools? Chapter 3 - Who Do We Worship? Chapter 4 - How to Cast a Circle Chapter 5 - How to Perform a Full-Moon Ritual Chapter 6 - How to Perform a Sabbat Rite Chapter 7 - How to Cast Spells Appendix A - Colors Appendix B - Astrology Appendix C - Pre-Made Spells for Love, Money, and Protection There's a tried-and-true model out there that is guaranteed to sell books. Much of the information in there is standard--it is livened up by the writer's style, voice, and personal slant on things. But it's still the same basic type of information. Not to say all 101 books are the same, but they do cover the same topics. But as anyone who's pursued an education knows, the higher-level the course, the more expensive the book. For something as spiritual as this, a higher level book requires more subjective research, because you're dealing with a lot more conceptual material, which is also subjective. At the top of my wish list, I would like to see the following: A 202 book, written by a Regular Joe, that focuses on Pagan Living for Real People. Unfortunately, since we're such a small culture, the minute someone comes out with a 101 book, they become an "expert" on the subject. For a spiritual subject, that indicates clergy, at least in some form. So by the time her second book comes out, Pansy Moonfart is no longer a person who wrote a book about her faith and its practices, she is now a Pagan Celebrity. Her life revolves around going to New Age shows, astrally-projected book tours, and Pagan festivals, and managing her psychic services help line. She wears her ritual robe 24/7, doesn't pour her organically grown cornflakes without consulting the tarot, and bakes crystals in her meat loaf. In between, she visits with a steady but relaxing stream of seekers who come into her living room and have tea and tarot. I can no longer identify with this person. This person can no longer identify with most Pagans, who are still getting up at ungodly hours (or coming home at them), wash their faces with soap and water instead of hand-gathered pixie dust and lily dew, and spend too long of a grueling work day at computers, counters, on phones, etc. and guzzle coffee to stay alert. And who definitely do not have time to arrange a spell involving 90 candles, seven days' worth of chanting, and several hours of quiet, healing bath time. So Pansy's second book, Navel Contemplation by Full Moon's Light, comes out, and I hate it because it is of no use to me. Another useless celebrity graces the shelves.... Maybe one day, I will write that 202 book...As soon as I've finished collecting my lily-dew. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CAULDRON AND CANDLE WEB SITE The Cauldron and Candle now has its own web site where we store our back issues for easy reading. http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [02] ========= ========= FIRE'S WITHIN ========= A Poem by Elspeth Sapphire ========= Firelight dances Shadows on the wall. Potion consumed-- My body falls. Spirit flies upward; A soul now free. Inner eyes uncovered... Straining to see. Visions start to form I can touch--reach. Understand lessons Now mine to teach. Only ashes left When I return. But fire's within And my soul burns. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SEND A PAGAN POSTCARD 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. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [03] ========= ========= PERSONALIZING SABBATS: FROM AN ECLECTIC POINT OF VIEW ========= by Faerie K. ========= originally published in Finnish in Vox Paganorum 1/01 ========= To follow "Standard Pagan Calendar" or a calendar following the seasons? +++ +++ Standard Pagan Calendar +++ In the Wiccan calendar the year is divided into eight parts by eight sabbats. Usually the dates when these sabbats are celebrated are fixed, often including the sabbats related to the yearly cycle of the sun in spite of the fact that the actual dates of equinoxes and solstices differ from year to year. From Wicca, this Wheel of the Year has spread widely to Neo-Paganism and it is so often described as being "the common Pagan calendar" in so many literary sources including websites with basic information on Paganism that it could be called "Standard Pagan Calendar". It is very common to follow the SPC, even to the extent that following some other type of calendar causes astonishment. This seems to be because the standard calendar has reached such a self-evident status among Neo-Pagans. In the cases when the differences in the calendar are because the Pagan in question follows a religion with its own distinct calendar (like for example Hellenic Pagans), the reaction changes from wondering to interest. However, having a Pagan announce that she follows a calendar similar to the standard calendar, but doesn't celebrate some of the sabbats at all and/or celebrates some of the sabbats on a different date or with different meanings than "everybody else" may raise reactions other than interested astonishment. After all, every proper Neo-Pagan celebrates all eight sabbats and on the dates (and with the meanings) they are supposed to be celebrated! Some oppose "messing with" the standard calendar because they think that a calendar adapted to either the personal views of an individual Pagan or the actual season the Pagan lives in isn't symmetric anymore and is thus magickally imbalanced. Some say an adapted calendar has the legends of the gods distorted. The fact that the individual Pagan in question doesn't follow a Wiccan or Wiccan based yearly legend of the gods anyway doesn't seem to matter... Some argue that having a sabbat at the wrong date means that the energies which are at their greatest on the "power dates" will be missed, making the celebrations and rituals considerably weaker... even weak enough to make them wanting. I've even been told about commentaries basically stating that the gods don't listen to those worshiping on "wrong dates". What Pagan authors say about sabbats varies. While some authors recommend their readers adapt the phases of the yearly cycle to correspond with the cycle of their own climate, many seem to simply tell one version of the dates and their meanings without mentioning any possibilities for adapting them. +++ +++ The Sabbats - Fixed Dates +++ In the Standard Pagan Calendar four of the eight sabbats follow the yearly cycle of the sun: the summer and winter solstice and the spring and autumn equinox. In Wiccan calendars these are called the "lesser" or "minor" sabbats. The other four are situated evenly between the solstices and the equinoxes (the "greater" sabbats of Wicca). On these dates, the yearly cycle of nature and agriculture with its changing seasons is celebrated, along with important happenings connected to or stemming from cattle-farming. +++ +++ The Sabbats with their often used meanings +++ The descriptions center on the commonly stated natural cycle, with mythical cycles of the deities left out. February 1st/2nd. Imbolc/imbolg/oimelc/candlemas/Brigit's Day: The spring arrives; the winter starts to give way to the next season. It is time for celebrating light and fire. It is the time for cleansing, both for the home and on a more personal level. It's the time for changes, the quiet life of the winter changes to the busy part of the year. Lambing season, the date to celebrate the budding life emerging in spring. March 20th/21st. Ostara/eostra/Lady Day/ Spring Equinox: Light conquers darkness. The first real day of spring, when the masculine and feminine forces of nature are in balance. The date when the seasons have properly changed - the trees are having their leaves, birds sing and build their nests, it's time for the first planting and sowing of seeds, the date for beginning the work in the gardens. April 30th/May 1st. Beltane/Walburgisnacht/May Day: The celebration of fertility, birth and blooming of all life. It is summer, trees are in full leaves and flowers, birds are tending their eggs and some even their young. The cattle are moved to their grazing grounds through the smokes of the may bonfires. June 21st/22nd. Summer Solstice/Midsummer: The longest day of the year. Midsummer - the summer is at its fullest. Crops are growing, flowers are blooming and the animals have their young to tend to. It is the time for great magicks and bonfires now that the night is at its shortest. August 1st/2nd. Lammas/Lughnasadh: The time of the first harvest. Death steps into the picture in the form of "death of the corn", the cutting of the crops. The first bread is baked from the first harvest. September 20th/21st. Mabon/Autumn Equinox: The second harvest, the beginning of autumn and the ending of summer. The time for collecting fruits. Another day of balance between light and dark. October 31st/November 1st. Samhain: The end of summer. The year is changing - the last harvest has been collected and the farm animals move from summer's grazing grounds to their winter confinements. It's time to celebrate and commemorate the dead.. December 20th/21st. Yule/Winter Solstice: The shortest day of the year, after which the light starts to return. +++ +++ Off to Adapt & Personalize +++ The meanings connected to sabbats in the Standard Pagan Calendar originating from Wicca are closely connected to the yearly cycle and the changing of the seasons in the "home of Wicca", that is the British Isles. However, that cycle, the changing of the seasons or even the number of seasons vary greatly from one climate to another, from one location to another. Thus the fixed dates or meanings of some or even all sabbats do not directly correspond to the actual yearly cycle of the surrounding nature for a large number of Pagans. +++ +++ On Meanings +++ If one wishes to follow the dates of the Standard Pagan Calendar, but with a more personal touch, one can adapt the meanings of the sabbats to correspond better with one's own climate and surroundings. The following will use my own climate as an example. I am located in Finland, which belongs to the temperate coniferous-mixed forest zone and in Finland to the South-West with milder climates than the majority of the country. We have relatively long springs and autumns, rather short summer and a cold winter. Celebrating the arrival of spring in early February doesn't necessarily seem that sensible when the temperature is -20 Celsius/-4 Fahrenheit and it's basically the coldest time of the year. On the other hand, during this time the snow on the ground has developed a hard pearly surface which at night reflects the light of the moon, coloring the whole landscape in a mystical blue light. During the day, the snow shimmers so brightly it's almost blinding. At times, both the sun and the moon can be seen in the sky at the same time. On the other hand, it is cold and the warmth of the fire is more than necessary. So, instead of celebrating the arrival of spring and the lambing season, light and fire, one could for example celebrate the beauty of winter, light and fire. Besides - why celebrate only spring, summer, warmth and light? Winter is a beautiful, important and valuable season in its own right! During the Spring Equinox there can still be a lot of snow on the ground. If the early spring/late winter have been warm, the earliest spring flowers may be blooming, but often this isn't the case. At home, the seeds for plants to be later planted outside can be sown to sprout, but it isn't yet time for planting or sowing outside. It is still early spring, the transition time from winter to spring. Unlike in areas where the yearly change is between the hours of darkness and the hours of light in a 24-hour time, in the northern areas the equinoxes can be seen as quite important. The light and dark are in balance and the light increases little by little, day by day. The spring and the summer are coming inevitably, even if there may still be rather cold days ahead. The meanings connected to the previous sabbat can in a colder climate be celebrated during the Spring Equinox. The spring is arriving, it is the time of clear transition - even the lambing season falls in March/April. For a Finn, the traditional celebrations of our version of First of May called "Vappu" with its celebrations involving drinking, eating, making merry and ... making love fit quite well with the Pagan celebrations of fertility and life. The spring has truly arrived - and spring it is, even if it was snowing! The spring's sowing and planting is starting and the farm animals will (soon) be let outside... At Midsummer the sun doesn't set at all in many locations and even in the south it doesn't get dark after sunset before the sun rises again. When the May day is time to get intoxicated by the spring, at Midsummer is for enjoying the summer. Our summer is short and from this day forward the end of summer will slowly but inevitably creep closer - it is the time for Midsummer magicks and for bonfires - like in the Standard Calendar. At the beginning of October, it's time for harvest. This means the SPC fits rather well, except that in the more northern regions it is already quite autumn and for southern regions, this is a good time to celebrate the forthcoming fall season. Celebrations designated to the Autumn Equinox fit the natural cycle rather well, except that instead of celebrating the beginning of autumn, celebrating autumn itself would be more fitting. During this time, the autumn may show the signs of forthcoming winter. The most important sabbat of the SPC, Samhain, with its meanings correspond quite well to the traditional end of the year festival, Kekri. However, for us it isn't a season marking the end of summer - for a large part of the country it is already the end of autumn. The Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, can be generally speaking celebrated according to the SPC without major adaptations. +++ +++ Moving the Dates... +++ Another way of approaching the question of adapting sabbats is to move the dates of fixed SPC dates to accurate ones. That means for example celebrating the equinoxes and solstices on their accurate dates, when they happen. Many quite mundane calendars have this information and getting to know the exact times of day isn't too difficult either, especially if one uses calculating programs available on the Internet. The "four other sabbats" (in the parentheses you can find one of the names of a given sabbat) you can calculate to land exactly between the equinoxes and solstices. One can also use astrological grounds - dates when the sun is at 15ø of a fixed sign: Aquarius (Imbolc), Taurus (Beltane), Leo (Lammas) and Scorpio (Samhain). When the cycle of nature (and agriculture) is more important to a practitioner than carefully defined dates, one can time one's celebrations - those one wishes to celebrate - according to what is happening around oneself. This can mean for example celebrating spring when the spring is arriving, choosing an appropriate date by oneself. Another example: For a Pagan who lives in Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle, celebrating the rebirth of sun and the return of light when the sun rises for the first time after the arctic dayless days instead of during the Winter Solstice can make religious practice much more personal and touching. Agricultural celebrations can be had according to the agricultural cycle of one's own area, marking for example sowings and harvests when they actually happen, not when these events should be celebrated according to the SPC. Keeping a close eye on what's happening on the fields nearby helps tremendously. In most of Finland there is only a short distance to the nearest agricultural areas and to the wilderness, so keeping track of natural cycles doesn't require much extra work. Listening to agricultural radio programs (or watching TV) can give you clues, too. For a big city Pagan, agriculture is a far away thing, but even city parks follow the course of nature and a Pagan can very well adapt the sabbats to meet the natural cycles. However, instead of agricultural events, one can concentrate on the arrival of migratory birds, the blooming of flowers, falling of leaves - the possibilities are there to take. Adapting requires more work than following the SPC as is, but like with many other things - doing the work pays off. If you do not feel a calling to celebrate a given standard sabbat or celebrating one doesn't seem to fit your own Paganism, I don't really see any reason why you should celebrate it. Actually, I see similarities - at least on some levels - between celebrating all the standard sabbats no matter what, even if there is absolutely no personal connection to one or some of them because "everybody else does it and it says in the book that this is how it has to be" and participating in the celebrations of a religion you don't believe in at all "just because that's what you're supposed to do". ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CRITICAL READING FOR PAGANS Learn to tell the wheat from the chaff when you view a web site or read a book. http://gleewood.org/writings/critical.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [04] ========= ========= REVIEW: GREEN WITCHCRAFT ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore, & Herb Craft Author: Ann Moura Trade Paperback, 288 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: July 1996 ISBN: 1567186904 US Retail Price: $12.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567186904/thecauldron I had always heard very good things about Ann Moura's Green Witchcraft series of "101" books. As I am long past the need for general 101 books, however, I had never checked them out for myself. After reading and reviewing Moura's surprisingly awful Origins of Modern Witchcraft, I decided that I probably ought to take a good look at Green Witchcraft and see if it really lived up to the good things I had heard about it. In some ways Green Witchcraft does live up to the recommendations of others. Moura presents a clear and useable description of her own personal Wicca-like religion. While the rituals seem very complex and ceremonial for the common people she claims practiced the "Green level of the craft," they are as solidly done as those of any other 101 book. While Moura wanders from subject to subject a bit, her tone is that of a teacher, not one's best friend or mother. I much prefer a teacher to a second mother. Unfortunately, in spite of some good material, there is really nothing in Green Witchcraft that can't be found in other 101 books, done at least as well and occasionally better. This is good because this book, unfortunately, has a couple of major problems that most other Wicca 101 books I've read do not have. In between the good advice and rituals in this book, the author inserts her own historical speculation stated as fact. It's a less well-developed version of the Dravidian-Aryan conflict speculative history she later presented in great detail in Origins of Modern Witchcraft. I have nothing against historical speculation -- even historical speculation as unlikely as I personally believe this to be. I do, however, strongly object to such speculation being presented in a manner that makes it sound like historical fact -- especially in a book written for beginners. It's bad enough that a few modern Wicca 101 books still present Wicca as if Margaret Murray's disproven theories of an ancient witch cult in western Europe were true. I don't believe we need to replace that with another theory that few, if any, professional historians take seriously. Worse, at least in my opinion, is the author's active hostility toward other religions, especially Judeo-Christian religions. To be honest, there are places in Green Witchcraft where the author reminds me of a Fundamentalist preacher ranting against other religions. Here are two short examples selected from the many in this volume. Near the beginning of the book Moura claims that "the Pope has become the emperor of religion." Apparently this "fact" follows from her claim that Catholic vestments and altar design "all come from the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruled as a god and was duly worshipped as one." Even if the latter is true, I fail to see how that would have made the Pope the emperor of religion. I'm sure that would have been surprising news to religious people in places like Africa, China, India, or the Americas at the time. At the other end of the book, the author claims that "....Christianity and other Judaic-based faiths have been at the root of most of humanity's wars and misery for the past two thousand years." Given the size of the Earth and the relatively slow spread of Judeo-Christian-Islamic religions over the last 2000 years, that's an unbelievable claim. In my opinion, her prejudiced jabs at other religions are every bit as outrageous as those of a Fundamentalist Christian preacher who claims that all the ills of the world are caused by non-Christians. I don't think newcomers to Neo-Paganism need to be exposed to prejudice against other religions with their lessons, no matter how good those lessons otherwise are. In summary, while Green Witchcraft has some good basic Wiccan and magickal information as well as some okay, if complex, rituals, the problems I see with historical accuracy and prejudice against other religions make it impossible for me to recommend this book at all. There are many Wicca 101 books on the market, there's no reason to chose this one given its problems. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkgwi.php [05] ========= ========= REVIEW: MANY LIVES, MANY MASTERS ========= Reviewed by Diane Verrochi ========= Many Lives, Many Masters Author: Brian L. Weiss, M.D. Trade Paperback, 219 pages Publisher: Simon & Schuster Publication date: July 1998 ISBN: 0671657860 US Retail Price: $12.00 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671657860/thecauldron I wasn't sure what to expect of this book when I picked it up at the store. But the title, the M.D. in the author's name, and the caption ("The true story of a prominent psychiatrist, his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives.") sucked me in. As it turns out, Dr. Weiss had no intention of doing past life therapy when he and his patient started work. She did have several neuroses that suggested early childhood trauma of some kind, and so he planned on doing hypnotic regression to recover memory of any such incidents. He was quite surprised when she spontaneously kept going further back into what appeared to be prior lives. As the therapy progressed, these prior life memories appeared to be helping his client overcome the problems that had brought her in for help, so he kept it up, now deliberately regressing her to these past memories, and recording all their sessions. Eventually, some additional entities, identified only as "Masters," appeared to speak through her while she was "between lives." What lends the most credence to the interviews transcribed in the books is the level of detail provided. The author himself considers and rejects various other possibilities, such as archetypal representations of unconscious memories and genetic memory. In his view, the memories were too precise to be archetypes. As for genetic memory, in far too many of the past lives remembered, his patient had died either childless or with her children. Also, that neither the psychiatrist nor the patient believed in or set out to work on past lives at the outset, to me, lends further authenticity. In addition, the patient had no recall of these lives when brought back to normal consciousness. In fact, she didn't even want to listen to the tapes of their sessions, because the idea of reincarnation conflicted too much with her religious beliefs. But somehow, the process of recovering these memories, discussing how they were related to her current problems and why they did not need to cause these problems, appeared to contribute to her recovery. On the downside, while it appears that Dr. Weiss was as objective and scientific as one can be with this sort of thing, it was also not possible to verify the memories. Most often, she recounted lives as rather poor and unimportant people, about whom nothing was likely to be documented. While some of the discussions with the "Masters" resulted in all sorts of information from Dr. Weiss' private life being spoken of by a patient with no access to that data, that could also be explained as some sort of telepathy. The book has withstood the test of scrutiny from at least some of Dr. Weiss' colleagues, as the quotations on the back cover attest. Also, as it is on its 30th printing, it appears to be withstanding the test of time. Whatever one makes of the interviews and the conclusions Dr. Weiss draws from them, I believe this to be an excellent book for anyone who is interested in exploring the idea of reincarnation and the recovery of past life memories. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkmlmm.php [06] ========= ========= REVIEW: WICCA: A CONCISE HISTORY ========= Reviewed by Daven ========= Wicca: A Concise History Author: Isaac Bonewitz Ebook, 100 pages Publisher: Pocket PC Press Publication date: ISBN: US Retail Price: $7.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005LKRY/thecauldron Isaac Bonewits is one of my favorite authors. Till now, most of the material I have seen by him has been on his website (www.neopagan.net) and it has all been good. He has written things like "The Real Origins of Halloween" and "Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame" that so many of us know. What many aren't familiar with is that Isaac is also a published author. In this ebook, he goes back to that which he does best. His writing style is an interesting one. He presents all the material that he is writing about in a logical order, pared down to it's basics that the layman needs to be able to follow the train of thought within the concepts he presents. He writes with good humor, and a straight forward, no holds barred style that leaves the reader wishing there was more to read. Comparatively speaking, this ebook is a small one. The actual information presented is covered in about 100 pages, and each page is about the size of a Reader's Digest or TV Guide page. Because of that, this book is a fast read. I read it over the course of a busy day at my office. Officially, the book is approximately 200 pages long, but half of that is the Appendixes to the material he presents. All of those appendixes are necessary to the book, however, to present definitions and thoughts that are integral parts of the concepts laid out here. Isaac is an extremely good scholar and researcher, and the Pagan Community is lucky to have him as a member. His thoughts on what happened back in pre-history and in the Burning Times are good and accurate accounts of what we now know. He must read all the anthropological and archeological texts that come out with "new" discoveries. It could be that all the information in here could overwhelm the average reader, but in this case it does not. He gives enough information so that the reader can follow along with the chain of events that brought us to this place we are at now. He lays it all out, and lets the reader, for the most part, draw their own conclusions. He also goes a long way to vindicate many other authors (including himself) in their ascertations that Wicca is not some kind of holdover from the Stone Age. He makes it plain in the book that Wicca is entirely created, and he goes a long way toward debunking many of the commonly held beliefs in "Ancient Wicca" that many in the NeoPagan movement have. That's not to say that there are not flaws. The opinions he does state emphatically on are pronounced with the finality of Physical Laws. In most cases this is not a problem, and they tend to coincide with what we do know about the Meso and Paleo Pagans. However, the statements that make it appear that Isaac has a time machine at his disposal in how the Paelo and Meso Pagans worshiped do leave the reader going "how does HE know?" He also takes a moment to vindicate himself for many years of being a pariah in the NeoPagan community for some talk he gave at a Witchmeet held in Minneapolis Minnesota in 1973. From the eBook: "Third, I gave a speech titled "The Witch Cult - Fact or Fancy?" based upon an earlier article by myself in Tournaments Illuminated, the journal of the medievalist Society for Creative Anachronism, under the title "Where Hast Thou Been Sister?" It dealt with much of the materials mentioned in this study and came to very similar conclusions about what I rudely referred to as Murray's "Unitarian Universalist White Witch Cult of Western Theosophical Brittany" and Gardner's supposed revival of it." Basically he goes on to say that the conclusions he gave in this talk, and that he has believed for a LONG time, are again presented in this eBook. Now, however, they are "sexy and popular" so they are more acceptable to the general populace now than they were in 1973. I believe that this is not bad, since by his own admission he became somewhat of an outcast in the community for YEARS for his statements. However, all of that aside, I found I could NOT put this book away. I continued to read it until I had read every word, then I took a copy of it home so that I could study it in depth. This is one of the required texts for anyone seeking an understanding in Wicca, NeoPaganism, the History of Religion, History in general, or any other facet of these studies. I believe this book will do what Ms. Moura's text failed to do, lay out the history of religion, specifically the Wiccan Religion, in plain terms that even someone with no familiarity with Wicca or NeoPaganism will understand. Excellent job, Isaac. Altogether, I give this book a rating of 4 1/2 stars out of a possible 5. This is the highest rating I have ever given any book, and I will put this eBook on my recommended reading list as soon as I am done writing this review. I can't wait for it to come out in printed format. [07] ========= ========= REVIEW: MAKING MAGICK ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Making Magick: What It Is and How It Works Author: Edain McCoy Hardback, 320 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: 1997 ISBN: 156718670X US Retail Price: $14.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156718670X/thecauldron The blurb on the first page of this book claims it is "The Definitive Guide to Natural Magick." If that's what you expect from this book, you will be disappointed. Making Magick is more of a general overview of various types of naturalistic magicks from one modern Wiccan's point of view. If you are a complete beginner in the field of magick, you might find this book helpful. The first couple of chapters provide a fair introduction to what magick is and how it works. Later chapters discuss spell creation, "pagan" (actually Wiccan) ritual magick, basic magickal defense, and more. There is an entire chapter of "sample" spells. The material is basic, but generally well-presented. I have two major problems with this book. The first is that there is really little in Making Magick that is not covered in other books currently in print, often better covered. The second problem is that while the book is supposedly on magick in general, Wiccan beliefs and practices dominate, often without any acknowledgement from the author that other points of view or ways of working exist. In fact, the author sometimes seems to go out of her way to imply that all Pagan beliefs are the same as Wiccan beliefs. For example, in the section on magickal ethics in the first chapter, the Wiccan Rede is called "the Wiccan or Pagan Rede." This is nonsense; the non-Wiccan Pagans I know do not have the Wiccan Rede, under any name, in their ethical system. While I can't pan Making Magic as really bad, unfortunately it is not all that good. There are better books on magick available and I'd suggest buying one of them instead. However, if you are looking for an easy to read, Wiccan-flavored introduction to magick, and are willing to read it as one person's opinions rather than "the truth," you could find this book a fair starting point for your magickal studies. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkmakingm.php ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ UPCOMING REVIEWS Reviews of the following are planned for our next few issues: URBAN PAGAN (Telesco), CELTIC MAGIC (Conway), GREEN WITCHCRAFT II (Moura), NORSE MAGIC (Conway). Watch The Cauldron's web site if you can't wait as they will be appearing there as they are written. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [08] ========= ========= MAGICK: JINX REMOVING SPELL ========= Author Unknown ========= For many years the ancient Voodoo priests have used the power of eggs to help combat the power of evil spells and bad luck. They believe that the egg possesses strong magical powers and in the right hands can cause bad luck or good luck depending on the will of the practitioner. If you are plagued by evil spells and bad luck. Then do this powerful ancient Voodoo egg spell to help you remove any negative conditions from your life. 1. You must purchase a brown fresh egg before noon of that day. Make sure that you start this when the moon is waning. It is very important that this egg be fresh. Place this egg in a brown bag and tie the neck of the bag with a black cloth string. Place this bag under your bed. 2. Each night before retiring to bed, you must open this bag and take the egg out and rub it all over your body. When done, put the egg back into the bag, take a deep breath and blow three times into the bag. When you are blowing into the bag, you must imagine that all the bad luck is leaving your body, via your breath. When done, place the bag back under your bed. Do this for nine days. At the end of nine days, take the bag with the egg and dispose of it outside your home. 3. Note: Each time that you blow into the bag, you must immediately tie it back up. If by the end of seven days you notice that your bag is moving on it's own. Stop, and dispose of the bag immediately. DO NOT LOOK INTO THE BAG. Make sure that the bag is secure. We are not responsible for any misuse, or actions that may results from the use of this powerful spell. Do not play with this. Only do this if you are serious about destroying the bad luck in your life. [09] ========= ========= MAGICK: PSYCHIC BREW ========= Author Unknown ========= This brew gives heightened awareness and aids in divination. Supplies: 3 whole cinnamon sticks, broken up 5 whole cloves 4 whole allspice 1 handful of fresh sage 1/4 cup chrysanthemum petals Enough spring water to cover by 2 inches. With a mortar and pestle, combine all ingredients except the spring water. Visualize your third eye (in the middle of your forehead) opening, and your psychic awareness increasing. When the dry ingredients are combined, add the spring water. Add just enough water to cover your dry mixture by 1 inch. As you simmer this mixture over low heat, breathe in the aroma, and visualize your psychic abilities increasing. See yourself becoming more aware of the spirit world with every breath you take. Take in slow cleansing breaths, and release them gently, as you feel your awareness increase. Clear your mind, and open your heart. Say these words three times Psychic brew I call on thee, Bring the spirits here to me. Behold my eyes the future near, Take my soul to the past from here. Then say: By the power of 3 times 3, as I will it so mote it be! Then you can either meditate, or use this as a prelude to divination. Simply follow the above steps, and use your favorite form of divination, ie, Tarot, Runes etc. [10] ========= ========= SAFETY AND SELF-DEFENSE TIPS ========= Author Unknown ========= Last night I attended a personal safety workshop, and it jolted me. It was given by an amazing man, Pat Malone, who has been a body guard for famous figures like Farrah Fawcett and Sylvester Stallone. He works for the FBI, and teaches police officers and Navy SEALS hand-to-hand combat. This man has seen it all, and knows a lot. He focused his teachings to us on HOW TO AVOID BEING THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME. He gave us some statistics about how much the occurrences of random violence have escalated over the recent years, and it's terrible. Something like 99% of us will be exposed to, or become a victim of a violent crime. Here are some of the most important points that I got out of his presentation: (1.) The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence are: (a.) Lack of Awareness You MUST know where you are & what's going on around you. (b.) Body Language Keep your head up, swing your arms, stand straight up. (c.) Wrong Place, Wrong Time DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night. (2.) Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.). DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. (a.) A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. (b.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. (c.) Look at the car parked on the drivers side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (Better paranoid than dead.) (3.) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot). (a.) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo already on there. (Of course bad men don't always look bad). (b.) Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator, be near the front, by the doors, ready to get off or on. (c.) If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, and someone suspicious gets on the 22nd, get off when he gets on (4) If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! (a.) Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3-9 feet. This is due to stress. (b.) The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN! (5.) As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. (a.) Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. (b.) Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, who came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards her with cops who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and the he began cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the 2 older ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers were exiting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car, the man was getting out of the back seat into the front, and the car sped away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP. (6.). Tips to saving your life, if you have gotten into a violent situation: (a.) REACT IMMEDIATELY If he abducts you in a parking lot, and is taking you to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT AREA. If you are driving, react immediately in the situation, and crash your car while still going 5 mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and stick your fingers in his eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an unsuspecting time, and gouge him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT. (This sounds gross, but the alternative is your fault if you do not act.) (b.) RESIST Don't go along with him: run, if you are able: DON'T EVER GIVE UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene. (7.) Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas. (8.) GET A CELL PHONE. There are packages for $19.95 a month that allow you to program only 911 into the dialing out program. (This is an alternative for parents who say it is too expensive for their kids to have a cell phone.) (9.) BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping your car in good working order. (a.) If your car breaks down: LOCK YOUR DOORS. You better have a cell phone to call for help. (b). If you don't have a cell phone: (shame on you) keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car always, for emergencies. (c.) If it's noon on a business day, you may want to put your hazards on and walk to safety. (d.) If it's 2 a.m, put on your warm clothes, and walk to a lighted area. You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your car broken down. Predators search the highways for easy targets like you. (e.) If you're on a desolate road: walk away from the car (in your warm clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicles. It will be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT want to stay in your car, and there are no psycho bogeymen waiting in the bushes who knew you were going to break down there and then. (10.) Physical defenses that we can use against the violent predator: (a.) The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the body. Poke him there. HARD. It may be your, only window of opportunity. (b.) The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you MUST know where to grip, AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath. (c.) The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees are very vulnerable, and a swift kick here will take anyone down. -- A cautionary note about these things. If you do not do these things right the first time, you are in trouble, because it will only anger the individual, and that anger will be TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them (it may be your only hope), but be forceful when you do. (11.) If you are walking alone in the dark (which you shouldn't be) and you find him following/chasing you: (a.) Scream "FIRE!", and not "help". People don't want to get involved when people yell "help", but "fire" draws attention because people are nosy. (b.) RUN! (c.) Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring Around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over the years, 5 women have told Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES. (d.) Your last hope is getting under the car. Once you are under there, there are tons of things to hold on to, and he will not be able to get you out and will not come under for you (most likely). Usually they give up by this point. The catch here is that YOU MUST PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE CAR. You must have a plan (he will have one) know if you will be going on your back, front, from the side or back of the car. It must be practiced. (12.) Never let yourself or anyone that you know be a "closer" in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station). Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl that just died from being shot point-blank by some kids while she was closing at the local gas station. He talked with her the night before she died, and asked whether it ever scared her to close alone. She said yes, but said "I'll be all right, Pat. I'll be all right." She wasn't. Our world is not as safe as we pretend that it is, and living in our fantasy worlds WILL get us in trouble, sooner or later. Pat Malone said again and again that the women who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected to go to bed tonight, and get up tomorrow. No one expects it, but we must be prepared and aware so that we HAVE A PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT HARD! HAVE A PLAN! I would encourage you to pass this on to all women, not just your friends and family, but everybody. We all need to hear it. Additional Notes: I learned from my children's karate classes that the elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives. [11] ========= ========= HUMOR: MAIL ORDER WITCHCRAFT ========= Author Unknown ========= National Enquirer runs my advertisements Even though last week they revoked my license Hexes and Love Spells, for $9.95 It's this kind of garbage that keeps me alive (Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot) I'll sell you crosses and religious icons I buy them wholesale, I get them in Taiwan Copy my spells from off bathroom walls Write them in Latin, my fans are enthralled Mail Order Witchcraft, it's a living, and I'm doing well I claim tax exemption because of a religion and then I just sell, sell, sell Crowley's the author of my favorite spell For summoning demons up out of Hell Wasn't poetic, I changed it a pinch... Last one to use it has not been seen since (Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot) I've written a book about spells and their uses Catching familiars in spell-woven nooses Changing your husband into a small pup It's all quite authentic, I made it all up Mail Order Witchcraft, it's a living, and writing is not hard I've written booklets and pamphlets and novels, I'm thinking of greeting cards I'm quite advanced, I've even made Elder Though at the seminar they made us swelter Took me three days but I got my degree For a nominal fee you can get yours from me (Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot, Doot-Doot-Doot) My Wiccan acquaintances cause a sensation Claiming that I've ruined their reputation I think that's nonsense, just jealous I fear What I learned in three days has taken them years Mail Order Witchcraft, it's a living, my clientele is large I'll accept cash, money order or Visa, I even take Master Charge [12] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= NEW ARTICLES ON THE CAULDRON'S SITE ========= The following new areas have been added to The Cauldron's web site since our last issue. * Christianity Does Not Equal Fundamentalism http://www.ecauldron.com/opedfundies.php * Humor: The Guide to Quick Witchcraft http://www.ecauldron.com/humor49.php The following book and tarot reviews (some included in this newsletter) are new to the web site: * Green Witchcraft http://www.ecauldron.com/bkgwi.php * Many Lives, Many Masters http://www.ecauldron.com/bkmlmm.php [13] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= NEW WEB POLLS ========= Two polls have opened since the last issue of Cauldron and Candle: The first new poll, opened June 16, asks: * From a Pagan perspective, do you think it is possible to be both Christian and Pagan? Possible answers include: + Yes + No + Do not know + No Opinion You will find this poll at: http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll23.php Our newest poll, opened July 1, asks: * When approached by a proselytizer, how do you usually prefer to react? Possible answers include: + Try to refuse any interaction + Politely say no and leave + Use a line designed to shut them up + Start a friendly religious discussion + Just let them talk + Debate their positions + Belittle their beliefs + Other You will find this poll at: http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll24.php Make your opinion known, take one or both polls today. You'll find a list of all of our polls (over 20 now) at: http://www.ecauldron.com/pollindex.php [14] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= 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.php 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 some 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. [15] ========= ========= Cauldron and Thicket Info ========= CAULDRON AND THICKET CHATS ========= +++ +++ CAULDRON IRC CHATS: SUSPENDED +++ Cauldron Co-Host Randall Sapphire has been hosting a one hour general chat almost every Tuesday evening from 10pm to 11pm Central (Daylight) Time in The Cauldron's channel (#thecauldron) on the PaganPaths IRC server. These chats are being suspended for a couple of months, both to allow Randall to cope with tax season -- he is a computer consultant with a number of CPA clients -- and to give him a "chat vacation." Randall hopes to resume his regular chats sometime in this Summer. +++ +++ THICKET DELPHI CHATS +++ The Thicket hosts several chats each week in their Delphi (Java-based) chat area. You have to be a member of Delphi and The Thicket to participate. You will find the chats by pointing your browser to The Thicket's Start Page at: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start Chats are normally being held on the following days and times (all times are Central Time): * Monday at 11:30pm * Wednesday at 12:00 noon * Friday at 11:30pm Please check on The Thicket's message board for changes to this schedule. If "Central Time" doesn't mean anything to you, there's 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. [16] ========= ========= NEWSLETTER AND FORUM INFO ========= (Including how to subscribe and unsubscribe) ========= Cauldron and Candle is a free publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum with assistance from our sister form, The Witches' Thicket. The Cauldron and The Thicket aim to publish this newsletter once a month and often actually succeed in doing so. We tried to publish it twice a month for a while, but real life interfered too often. Copyrights on individual items in this newsletter are retained by their author, please contact the editors if you need to contact an author for permission to reprint an article and the editors will do their best to put you in touch with him or her. No one involved in producing this newsletter has any money to speak of so suing us if you don't like something we do is a waste of time and money. ++++ ++++ HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE ++++ You are receiving a copy of this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter: http://cauldronnews.listbot.com/ If you need to your subscription to a new email address, unsubsribe your old email address and subscribe your new email address. ++++ ++++ NEWSLETTER WEB SITE AND BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE ++++ The Cauldron and Candle web site contains information on this newsletter and an archive of back issues. http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ ++++ ++++ CONTRIBUTE TO CAULDRON AND CANDLE ++++ Cauldron and Candle is always looking for articles, reviews, and announcements of interest to the Neo-Pagan community. Submissions will normally be considered for both the newsletter and our web site. For more information, please see our submission guidelines at: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/submissions.php ++++ ++++ PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE ++++ If you have Pagan friends who you believe would be interested in Cauldron and Candle please invite them to subscribe. You can either drop them a note yourself or -- better yet -- send them one of The Cauldron's email postcards with the information. You are also welcome to forward a copies of this newsletter to interested friends and associates provided you forward the entire newsletter. ++++ ++++ LINK TO THE CAULDRON: A PAGAN FORUM ++++ If you like The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum please invite your friends to visit. If you 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.php 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 (elspeth.sapphire@worldnet.att.net) 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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