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C A U L D R O N A N D C A N D L E #9 -- Mid-March 2001 A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum website: http://www.ecauldron.com/ mailing list/board: http://www.ecauldron.com/fregmb.php newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ With a little help from The Witches' Thicket website: http://www.cros.net/soraya/ message board: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start In this Issue: [01] Editorial: Problems with The Wiccan Rede [02] Poem: Where Have You Gone? [03] Lady Day: The Vernal Equinox [04] Review: Beltane [05] Review: Bud, Blossom, & Leaf [06] Review: Silver's Spells for Love [07] Review: Witches' Night of Fear [08] Review: Greek Religion [08] Magick: To Make Bad Luck Go Away [09] Magick: Love Charms [10] Basic Meditation Techniques (Part 3) [11] Humor: Astral Advertising [13] New Articles on The Cauldron's Site [14] New Web Poll [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: March 31, 2001 +++ Guidelines: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/submissions.php [01] ========= ========= EDITORIAL: PROBLEMS WITH THE WICCAN REDE ========= by Randall Sapphire ========= The Wiccan Rede was originally conceived as "good moral advice," not as moral law. Unfortunately many Wiccans today treat it as absolute moral law -- and often seem to dogmatically expect all other Wiccans (and even non-Wiccan Neo-Pagans) to do so as well. I have three major problems with the Rede as moral law to always obey instead of as good moral advice to consider when faced with a moral decision. First, the Wiccan Rede is what I call "Sound Bite Morality" -- an attempt to condense a complete moral system into a short, catchy guide phrase. This has great value as a teaching tool. Unfortunately, every time the catchy phrase "catches on" people soon seem to forget that it isn't the complete moral system. Take a look at the best known (in the Western World) example of Sound Bite Morality, the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In general, this is a good moral principle. It is only when you look at specific cases that it breaks down. For example, Joe Doe really likes to french kiss. In fact, he would really like it if everyone he met french kissed him. So strictly following the Golden Rule, Joe french kisses everyone he meets. The Golden Rule, as you are probably now noticing, says absolutely nothing about respecting the needs/desires of others. It assumes that their needs/desires are the same as yours. An "improved" version of the Golden Rule has been proposed, "Do unto others as they would have you do unto them." While this disallows french kissing those who don't wish it, it goes to the opposite extreme and says nothing about the needs of the person performing the action. The Rede has a similar problem. It's short and simple -- and it provides good, general guidance in most everyday situations. However, it quickly breaks down in less common situations, especially when interpreted as a moral law. Most "new generation" Wiccans seem to think that any action which might cause harm is not permitted. For example, if a Rede-literalist came across a person unconscious and dying of heart failure at the side of the road, they'd have to walk on by rather than give CPR, because they are unable to get the person's permission to help them -- and for all they know the person might want to die (or so they would claim to excuse their inaction). Many of the Rede's problems in this area would lessen if more Wiccans realized that choosing not to act is itself an action -- and under the Rede not-acting cannot be selected if doing so would cause harm. In the example above, walking on by (that is, choosing not to act) would cause harm and therefore would not be an acceptable action under the Rede. This, of course, sets up a conflict as both helping the person and not helping the person in the situation described might cause harm and therefore violate the Rede. This points out the Rede's biggest problem when used as a complete moral system. It basically tries to force actions into an idealistic world where they either harm or do not harm. The real world is far more complex. Most actions both cause harm and prevent harm in ways that can't easily be separated. The Rede as interpreted by most Wiccans I know today, looks at the individual actions independently instead of at the result overall. My second problem with the Rede is one of the few moral systems that is truly anti-family and anti-society. No, it is not anti-family/anti-society because it doesn't require one to oppose abortion, same-sex marriages, and all the other nonsense that the radical right in America thinks of as "family/society values." The Rede is anti-family/anti-society because it (as interpreted by most Wiccans I know) forbids one from meeting force with force to defend one's society and family from attackers when one has no other workable choice available. Sometimes one can indeed simply shield and defend, but other times the only choice that allows one's family or society to a real chance to survive is to go on the offensive and cause harm to others. My third problem isn't so much with the Rede itself as it is the "rhetoric" many Wiccans use in explaining it. Supposedly the Rede is an example of how Wicca teaches self-responsibility. This boggles my admittedly small mind. Self-responsibility is accepting the responsibility for one's actions whether one's actions help or harm. However, in order to have responsibility for an action, one must choose to take the action (which means one must have choices to select between). Literally following the Rede gives one a nice cop-out for one's actions. "Gee, I'm sorry your mother died. I'd have sent her some healing energy, but I couldn't as I didn't have her permission to help her." As one never had to actually choose to help or not to help, the Rede in this situation becomes a way to avoid responsibility (although those following it seldom see it in this light). Unfortunately, I see it being used this way far too often. Each of the three major points above could be an long essay in itself (to answer all the counter-arguments I've seen over the years), but I hope this short post at least helps you understand why I, and many other non-Wiccan Neo-Pagans, have chosen not to follow the Wiccan Rede. However, please don't get the opinion that I think the Rede is something terrible that should be tossed on the ash heap of moral history. Like the Golden Rule, the Rede is a very good set of "training wheels" for one trying to develop a personal morality based on the "Law of Returns" (often called the Law of Three in Wicca -- although the original simply says that what one does, for good or ill, will come back upon one with any three times multiplication effect). If the beginning moral student remembers the Rede as he or she makes everyday moral decisions, the student is much less likely to make a bad decision while he/she is learning to make moral decisions based on the Law of Returns. As a crutch/set of training wheels/broad first order moral filter, the Rede (or the Golden Rule, for that matter) is fine for most common situations, but sooner of later the student is going to encounter situations where the Rede gives bad moral advice. Students attempting to base a moral system on the Law of Returns need to be taught to grow their moral sense beyond the simplistic Rede and truly make their own decisions based on the Law of Returns. Like a crutch or training wheels, one has to eventually quit depending on it to grow -- and generally the sooner one learns to do so, the better. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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] ========= ========= WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? ========= A Poem by Elspeth Sapphire ========= Lifetime companion... Where have you gone? I thought that your place was at my side forever, Your warmth beside me in my bed. Now I find myself watching for you Hearing a noise at the door .... But only finding empty air and memories. Funny ... it is the things I hated That I find I miss the most. I find myself saving tidbits But how do you feed a spirit? I remind myself of cycles; That death is a beginning ... And never an ending ... But I am only too aware I am barren and alone. Oh, where have you gone? Is that your touch brushing by? Or will you live within me ... Until that day that we meet again. Oh, lifetime companion.... [03] ========= ========= LADY DAY: THE VERNAL EQUINOX ========= by Mike Nichols ========= Now comes the Vernal Equinox, and the season of Spring reaches it's apex, halfway through its journey from Candlemas to Beltane. Once again, night and day stand in perfect balance, with the powers of light on the ascendancy. The god of light now wins a victory over his twin, the god of darkness. In the Mabinogion myth reconstruction which I have proposed, this is the day on which the restored Llew takes his vengeance on Goronwy by piercing him with the sunlight spear. For Llew was restored/reborn at the Winter Solstice and is now well/old enough to vanquish his rival/twin and mate with his lover/mother. And the great Mother Goddess, who has returned to her Virgin aspect at Candlemas, welcomes the young sun god's embraces and conceives a child. The child will be born nine months from now, at the next Winter Solstice. And so the cycle closes at last. We think that the customs surrounding the celebration of the spring equinox were imported from Mediterranean lands, although there can be no doubt that the first inhabitants of the British Isles observed it, as evidence from megalithic sites shows. But it was certainly more popular to the south, where people celebrated the holiday as New Year's Day, and claimed it as the first day of the first sign of the Zodiac, Aries. However you look at it, it is certainly a time of new beginnings, as a simple glance at Nature will prove. In the Roman Catholic Church, there are two holidays which get mixed up with the Vernal Equinox. The first, occurring on the fixed calendar day of March 25th in the old liturgical calendar, is called the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (or B.V.M., as she was typically abbreviated in Catholic Missals). 'Annunciation' means an announcement. This is the day that the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was 'in the family way'. Naturally, this had to be announced since Mary, being still a virgin, would have no other means of knowing it. (Quit scoffing, O ye of little faith!) Why did the Church pick the Vernal Equinox for the commemoration of this event? Because it was necessary to have Mary conceive the child Jesus a full nine months before his birth at the Winter Solstice (i.e., Christmas, celebrated on the fixed calendar date of December 25). Mary's pregnancy would take the natural nine months to complete, even if the conception was a bit unorthodox. As mentioned before, the older Pagan equivalent of this scene focuses on the joyous process of natural conception, when the young virgin Goddess (in this case, 'virgin' in the original sense of meaning 'unmarried') mates with the young solar God, who has just displaced his rival. This is probably not their first mating, however. In the mythical sense, the couple may have been lovers since Candlemas, when the young God reached puberty. But the young Goddess was recently a mother (at the Winter Solstice) and is probably still nursing her new child. Therefore, conception is naturally delayed for six weeks or so and, despite earlier matings with the God, She does not conceive until (surprise!) the Vernal Equinox. This may also be their Hand-fasting, a sacred marriage between God and Goddess called a Hierogamy, the ultimate Great Rite. Probably the nicest study of this theme occurs in M. Esther Harding's book, 'Woman's Mysteries'. Probably the nicest description of it occurs in M. Z. Bradley's 'Mists of Avalon', in the scene where Morgan and Arthur assume the sacred roles. (Bradley follows the British custom of transferring the episode to Beltane, when the climate is more suited to its outdoor celebration.) The other Christian holiday which gets mixed up in this is Easter. Easter, too, celebrates the victory of a god of light (Jesus) over darkness (death), so it makes sense to place it at this season. Ironically, the name 'Easter' was taken from the name of a Teutonic lunar Goddess, Eostre (from whence we also get the name of the female hormone, estrogen). Her chief symbols were the bunny (both for fertility and because her worshipers saw a hare in the full moon) and the egg (symbolic of the cosmic egg of creation), images which Christians have been hard pressed to explain. Her holiday, the Eostara, was held on the Vernal Equinox Full Moon. Of course, the Church doesn't celebrate full moons, even if they do calculate by them, so they planted their Easter on the following Sunday. Thus, Easter is always the first Sunday, after the first Full Moon, after the Vernal Equinox. If you've ever wondered why Easter moved all around the calendar, now you know. (By the way, the Catholic Church was so adamant about not incorporating lunar Goddess symbolism that they added a further calculation: if Easter Sunday were to fall on the Full Moon itself, then Easter was postponed to the following Sunday instead.) Incidentally, this raises another point: recently, some Pagan traditions began referring to the Vernal Equinox as Eostara. Historically, this is incorrect. Eostara is a lunar holiday, honoring a lunar Goddess, at the Vernal Full Moon. Hence, the name 'Eostara' is best reserved to the nearest Esbat, rather than the Sabbat itself. How this happened is difficult to say. However, it is notable that some of the same groups misappropriated the term 'Lady Day' for Beltane, which left no good folk name for the Equinox. Thus, Eostara was misappropriated for it, completing a chain-reaction of displacement. Needless to say, the old and accepted folk name for the Vernal Equinox is 'Lady Day'. Christians sometimes insist that the title is in honor of Mary and her Annunciation, but Pagans will smile knowingly. Another mythological motif which must surely arrest our attention at this time of year is that of the descent of the God or Goddess into the Underworld. Perhaps we see this most clearly in the Christian tradition. Beginning with his death on the cross on Good Friday, it is said that Jesus 'descended into hell' for the three days that his body lay entombed. But on the third day (that is, Easter Sunday), his body and soul rejoined, he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven. By a strange 'coincidence', most ancient Pagan religions speak of the Goddess descending into the Underworld, also for a period of three days. Why three days? If we remember that we are here dealing with the lunar aspect of the Goddess, the reason should be obvious. As the text of one Book of Shadows gives it, '...as the moon waxes and wanes, and walks three nights in darkness, so the Goddess once spent three nights in the Kingdom of Death.' In our modern world, alienated as it is from nature, we tend to mark the time of the New Moon (when no moon is visible) as a single date on a calendar. We tend to forget that the moon is also hidden from our view on the day before and the day after our calendar date. But this did not go unnoticed by our ancestors, who always speak of the Goddess's sojourn into the land of Death as lasting for three days. Is it any wonder then, that we celebrate the next Full Moon (the Eostara) as the return of the Goddess from chthonic regions? Naturally, this is the season to celebrate the victory of life over death, as any nature-lover will affirm. And the Christian religion was not misguided by celebrating Christ's victory over death at this same season. Nor is Christ the only solar hero to journey into the underworld. King Arthur, for example, does the same thing when he sets sail in his magical ship, Prydwen, to bring back precious gifts (i.e. the gifts of life) from the Land of the Dead, as we are told in the 'Mabinogi'. Welsh triads allude to Gwydion and Amaethon doing much the same thing. In fact, this theme is so universal that mythologists refer to it by a common phrase, 'the harrowing of hell'. However, one might conjecture that the descent into hell, or the land of the dead, was originally accomplished, not by a solar male deity, but by a lunar female deity. It is Nature Herself who, in Spring, returns from the Underworld with her gift of abundant life. Solar heroes may have laid claim to this theme much later. The very fact that we are dealing with a three-day period of absence should tell us we are dealing with a lunar, not solar, theme. (Although one must make exception for those occasional male lunar deities, such as the Assyrian god, Sin.) At any rate, one of the nicest modern renditions of the harrowing of hell appears in many Books of Shadows as 'The Descent of the Goddess'. Lady Day may be especially appropriate for the celebration of this theme, whether by storytelling, reading, or dramatic re-enactment. For modern Witches, Lady Day is one of the Lesser Sabbats or Low Holidays of the year, one of the four quarter-days. And what date will Witches choose to celebrate? They may choose the traditional folk 'fixed' date of March 25th, starting on its Eve. Or they may choose the actual equinox point, when the Sun crosses the Equator and enters the astrological sign of Aries. This year (1988), that will occur at 3:39 am CST on March 20th. (This file contains eight seasonal articles by Mike Nichols. They may be freely distributed provided that the following conditions are met: (1) No fee is charged for their use and distribution and no commercial use is made of them; (2) These files are not changed or edited in any way without the author's permission; (3) This notice is not removed. An article may be distributed as a separate file, provided that this notice is repeated at the beginning of each such file. These articles are periodically updated by the author; this version is current as of 9/28/88.) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [04] ========= ========= REVIEW: Beltane ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration Author: Raven Grimassi Trade Paperback, 165 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: March 2001 ISBN: 1567182836 US Retail Price: $14.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567182836/thecauldron Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore & Celebration is the third book published in Llewellyn's series of book on the Wiccan festivals. Like the previous books in this series (Halloween and Yule), this book is aimed at the general population, not just at Wiccans and Pagans. Beltane is the type of book you can put out on the coffee table in your living room without fear of totally freaking the average non-Pagan visitor to your home. The first two chapters talk about the folk celebrations of May in Britain and northern Europe. Grimassi talks about folklore like Beltane fires, maypoles, the May King and Queen, the Green Man, John Barleycorn, mummery, and more. Nothing is covered in much detail, but the material is interesting. The third chapter talks a little about fairies and then gives twelve fairy tales from around Europe. That is, twelve stories about fairies interacting with humans, not twelve tales for children. The fourth chapter discusses folklore about flowers. Not until you reach page 97, almost two-thirds of the way through the book, will you find anything likely to spook your non-Pagan neighbors. The fifth chapter discusses magick. Grimassi gives a few general spells for love, money, and the like. The majority of the chapter, however, is recipes for May celebrations and fertility folk magick. The recipes include foods like bannocks and porridge. The folk magick is mainly herbal suggestions for increasing the chances of conception, to ease morning sickness or painful periods, and the like. The sixth chapter provides two "May celebration" rituals: one solitary, the other for a small group. Neither strike me as particularly inspired. On the other hand, there's nothing in them likely to offend even the most prudish non-Pagan. The final chapter covers seasonal crafts such as garlands, wreaths, and a Maypole centerpiece. Like the other books in this series, Beltane is competently written and well-illustrated. While it can't be considered a "must-have" book, it is worth a look -- especially for families with elementary or middle school age children. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkbeltane.php [05] ========= ========= REVIEW: BUD, BLOSSOM, & LEAF ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Bud, Blossom, & Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook Author: Dorothy Morrison Trade Paperback, 192 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: January 2001 ISBN: 156718443X US Retail Price: $14.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/156718443X/thecauldron Dorothy Morrison is one of Llewellyn's best authors. Bud, Blossom, & Leaf is another well-written Morrison book. In spite of the magickal trappings, this book is basically a book on herb gardening and herbal recipes. The first part of this book is on growing herbs. This takes you from planning your garden through planting it, helping it grow, and finally harvesting your herbs. Morrison realizes that not all of her readers have a yard to plant a garden in so she covers both yard gardens and pot gardens. There's even a short section on hydroponic herb gardens. While I'm not a master gardener, the information doesn't seem at odds with what I know from my own attempts at gardens over the years. Most gardening activities in this section are enhanced with short rituals and spells you can perform as you do the tasks. As might be expected from the author of Everyday Magic, these spells and rituals are well-designed and well-written. The second half of this book provides herb recipes for pest control, cleaning, bath and beauty products, first aid, and even food. A few samples: flea and mosquito repellent, wood cleaning polish, garden shampoo, herbal moisturizer, upset stomach tea, and herbal shortbread cookies. The final chapter of this section covers magical uses of herbs. This chapter features projects such as herb beads and papers, incense cones, and herb lamps. While not a "must buy" book by any stretch of the imagination, Bud, Blossom, & Leaf is a useful introduction to gardening. It would be particularly useful for anyone wanting to incorporate magick into their gardening methods, but who can't quite figure out how. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkbbl.php [06] ========= ========= REVIEW: SILVER'S SPELLS FOR LOVE ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Silver's Spell For Love Author: Silver Ravenwolf Trade Paperback, 312 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: January 2001 ISBN: 1567185525 US Retail Price: $7.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567185525/thecauldron Like most of Silver Ravenwolf's recent books, Silver's Spells for Love is going to be controversial in the Neo-Pagan community, especially in the Wiccan part of the community. Many Neo-Pagans have no use for spell books, claiming that everyone should create their own spells. Many Wiccans simply object to the very idea of doing love spells. I got my start along the Neo-Pagan path from the magick end -- Paul Huson's Mastering Witchcraft and later ceremonial magick to be specific. While I agree that a personally created spell can be better, I don't think that spell books are a waste of paper. Nor, as a non-Wiccan, do I have automatic ethical objections to love spells. Therefore, as this book does not claim to be about Wicca or any other religion, I'm going to review this book solely on its merits as a book of spells aimed at the beginner. This book is obviously aimed at the general public -- not just Neo-Pagans or Wiccans. The first twenty pages are a very basic introduction to magick. While easy to read, it is incomplete and has a somewhat Wiccan mind set. A Christian or other non-Wiccan picking up this book is probably going to be put off by circle casting that refers to the God and Goddess, for example. However, the introduction does warn about the possible negative consequences of casting love spells aimed at a particular person or persons. Unfortunately, the author takes a "just trust my years of experience" position instead of explaining what can happen if one ignores this advice without knowing exactly what one is doing. The next three chapters are the actual spells. The first is spells for obtaining love, second is spells for keeping love alive, and the third is spells for terminating a relationship. Unfortunately, this is all the organization the spells really seem to have. There are simple spells next to complex ones, spells for romantic love are next to spells for lust, etc. The spells themselves vary in quality, but you will get this in any book of spells. Some of the spells come with advice from the author in "Mama Silver" mode. While I know some people like this, I could have done without it. Six short appendices on herbs, magick days and colors, astrology, moon phases and planetary hours round out the book. There's also a bibliography and an index. This book isn't bad, especially if you are a clueless magickal newbie looking for a large collection of love spells. In other words, for its intended audience, this is a good book. For the average Neo-Pagan or Magician, it's just another book of spells. You probably will not really need it or want it, but it's something you can suggest to everyone who begs you for love spells. While it has spells some will consider questionable, at least you will not be suggesting a book full of "sexual slavery" type spells like some books of love spells I've seen in the past. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkssfl.php [07] ========= ========= REVIEW: Witches' Night Of Fear ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Witches Night of Fear Author: Silver Ravenwolf Paperback, 288 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: February 2001 ISBN: 1567187188 US Retail Price: $5.99 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567187188/thecauldron Witches' Night of Fear is the second book in Ravenwolf's Witch Chillers series of young adult mystery fiction. Before reading this review, I suggest you read AthenaPrime's review of the first book in the series, Witches' Night Out. (See this review on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwno.php) Most of the strengths and weaknesses AthenaPrime lists for the first book also apply to the second book in the series. This book opens with Bethany Salem having a vision of a murder while at a party where she and her friends are really out of place. Before the vision fades she also sees a three-eyed woman who reappears in visions throughout the book. On the way home from the party, Bethany stops to fill her tank and discovers the gas station clerk murdered -- just as in her vision. The rest of the book is a roller coaster ride through teen problems, generally believable witchcraft, and solving the murder. Witches' Night of Fear is not something that most adults will enjoy, but I suspect many teens (especially those interested in magick and witchcraft) will enjoy it. Ravenwolf does an excellent job of making her teen characters come alive as teens. Unfortunately, the mystery sometimes seems to get lost amongst everything else going on in the book. In a nice touch, an appendix gives a simple method of using playing cards for divination as some of the characters do in this novel. The Witch Chillers books make me think of a modern day Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys series with a bit of magick and witchcraft thrown in. The writing quality isn't up to that of those classics, but it is easily up to that of some of their imitators. There is one major difference between those older series and this one, however -- and it's not the magick. The characters and situations in the Witch Chillers books are not nearly as neat and sanitized. Witches' Night of Fear might be too intense for many younger readers, although it should be okay for most teens. While Witches' Night of Fear has rough edges, I suspect most teens will not really care. This is especially true if they enjoyed Witches' Night Out and want to read more about the characters. Most teens with an interest in mysteries or magick will find this book an enjoyable read -- and that's really all a book like this needs to recommend it. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwnof.php [08] ========= ========= REVIEW: GREEK RELIGION ========= Reviewed by LyricFox ========= Greek Religion Author: Walter Burkert Trade Paperback, 493 pages Publisher: Harvard University Press Publication date: March 1985 ISBN: 0674362810 US Retail Price: $20.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674362810/thecauldron The Harvard University Press edition (1985), translated from the German by John Raffan, is not for the faint of heart. This is an extremely scholarly look at the religion of the ancient Greeks, and details over 400 pages of information and sources. This edition has a stunning 150 pages of endnotes/bibliography attached - a most welcome change from many of the Pagan 101 books that are being published. Up front, my one complaint on this book is the reliance on non-English works for information. While I haven't gone in search of translations, and they may be out there, the reader does need to be aware that Burkert draws heavily from non-English sources that may be difficult to locate. However, this complaint is a very minor one and isn't totally unexpected. It also isn't a reason for readers who are looking for a serious view of Greek religion to skip this book. One word of warning, this author is considered one of the primary sources for Hellenic Reconstructionists. As such, much of the information included in Greek Religion may go directly against much of what readers will find being published by Occult/New Age publishers or on websites (sacrifices, the triple goddess concept and lack of magic in religious observations comes to mind). Burkert's treatment of Hellenic deities, beliefs and cultic practices may be an eye opener for some, but his academic background is solid and his sources are good, scholarly and track quite well with what is known of religious practices/beliefs of the time. The author takes the reader through a brief introduction that gives a taste of things to come in the body of the book. Touching on some of the various late 19th and early 20th century schools of thought on Greek religion, the reader gets a glimpse of what influenced some of the modern beliefs and misconceptions of the cultic practices in Greece. Greek Religion covers seven well-researched sections, with numerous sub-sections under each. The sections (and some sub-sections) included are: 1. Prehistory and the Minoan-Mycenean Age (cultic places, Minoan/Mycenean deities, Linear B and the dark ages) 2. Ritual and Sanctuary (various ritual practices, religious offerings/sanctuaries and oracles/seers) 3. The Gods (self-explanatory, but a superb look at the Olympians and minor and nature deities) 4. The Dead, Heroes, and Chthonic Gods (burial customs, afterlife mythology and Herakles) 5. Polis and Polytheism (festival calendar and description of the various festivals included in the Athenian calendar) 6. Mysteries and Asceticism (sanctuaries, family mysteries and a look at the Eleusinian, and Bacchic mysteries) 7. Philosophical Religion (a view of the various Greek philosophers and their impact on the Ancient Greek cultic practices) As that brief listing shows, this book is jam packed with information, and isn't a light or fast read. Burkert brings together a huge amount of information, but does it in such a way that the reader is most likely to want more. The endnotes and sources give the reader that option, and he has authored several other books that address some of the listed sections in greater detail. Exceptionally well thought out and with superb attention to detail, Greek Religion is a must for anyone who is looking for historical information on the Ancient Greek cultic practices and beliefs. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ UPCOMING REVIEWS Reviews of the following are planned for our next few issues: ISIS MAGIC (Forrest), IN THE CIRCLE (Hawke), A WITCHES' BOOK OF DREAMS (Allrich), WILD GIRLS (Monaghan), SECRETS OF WESTERN SEX MAGIC (Frater U.D.), MAGICK, SHAMANISM & TAOISM (Herne). Watch The Cauldron's web site if you can't wait as they will be appearing there as they are written. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [09] ========= ========= MAGICK: TO MAKE BAD LUCK GO AWAY ========= Author unknown ========= At night time, light a small fire. Write on a 3 inches x 3 inches piece of paper the words BAD LUCK. Then write down any bad things you do not like in your life right now. Then draw a big X across the paper with a black marker. While doing this you should be thinking of how all these things are going to disappear from your life, never to return! Place the paper in the fire and repeat the following words three times: Fire, fire burning bright turn my darkness into light! Take away my bad luck ill, bring me nothing but goodwill. Bad luck came and stayed to long, be gone forever, be gone, be gone! With this fire burning bright, bring me good luck, bring me light! SO MOTE IT BE! After repeating these words three times, sit for a few minutes and concentrate on the bad luck being gone and the good luck coming your way! When you are done extinguish the fire. [10] ========= ========= MAGICK: LOVE CHARMS ========= Author Unknown ========= Mix any of the following nine "love potions" up, put 'em in a little bottle or whatever you can carry them in, and keep that bottle with you at all times! Don't lose it, and definitely don't drink it! LOVE POTION #1 Mix Together: 7 rose petals, 2 tablespoons basil, 2 cups rain water, 2 Tbsp. salt, 1 piece rose quartz, 1 teaspoon, tobasco sauce, and 3 crushed cherries. This one is for a fling, with possibilities. LOVE POTION #2 Mix Together: 10 dried rose petals, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, 1 cup melted ice, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 piece tumbled rose quartz, and 1 tablespoon honey. This is for a romance. LOVE POTION #3 Mix Together: 1 orange slice, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 handful cloves, 2 tablespoon garlic, 1 tiger lilly petal, 1 cup muddy water, 1 chip tiger's eye, 1 chip rose quartz, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. This one is for an intense, exotic love. LOVE POTION #4 Mix Together: 1 cup water, 3 black cherries, crushed, 3 white rose petals, 3 tablespoons oregano, 3 tablespoons peach juice, and 3 drops honey. This is for a sweet, innocent love. LOVE POTION #5 Mix Together: 3 drops blood, 1 cup red wine, 6 blades grass, 2 marbles, 3 pinches dirt, 1 acorn, and 1 dandelion head. This one is for a binding love. LOVE POTION #6 Mix Together: 1 pine cone, 1 lock witches' hair (yours will do), 3 small ground weeds, 1 drop dragon's blood poison, 1 pinch Valerian Root, 2 teaspoons buttermilk, 1 cup tap water, 1/8 cup epsom salts, and 1 twist pepper. Have to let someone down easy, especially for someone else?? This is the one for you! LOVE POTION #7 Mix Together: 1 Hollyhock (i.e. Rose of Sharon) stem, 1 chip quartz, 1 chip calcite, 1 piece amethyst, a charged hunk of hematite, 1 cup sweetened water, 1 twist pepper, 1 twist ginger, and 1 twist of sage. Mix this with sugar water and love oil. This is for a dominating sweep off your feet. Be careful. LOVE POTION #8 Mix Together: 1/4 cup banana paste, juice from 1 cherry, 1 cup ice chips, Juice from 3 grapes, 1/4 cup basil, 1 pinch sage, pieces of a geode, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 honeysuckle bloom, 3 rose petals, a few drops of mineral/rain water, 2 pine needles, and 3 threads of a spiderweb. This is to warm an old iced heart. LOVE POTION #9 Mix Together: 1 handful chocolate chips, 1 pinch table sugar, 1 pinch ginger, 1 drop Amber oil, 1 drop vanilla, 1 piece tree bark (preferably witch hazel), 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 cup rain water, 1 smooth rock, (preferably from a river bed,) 1 drop witches' saliva (can be yours, long as it's charged), 1 pinch sage, and a chip of gold. Bodily fluids enhance this potion. This is for a head-over-feet deal. It's the all-purpose love potion. [11] ========= ========= BASIC MEDITATION TECHNIQUES (PART 3) ========= by Bill Witt ========= In this third and final section we will discuss some ways in which you may use what you've learned, in your daily life. The most obvious use of the techniques you have learned, is relaxation. During the course of the day, many of us have moments when the pressure becomes almost too much. When this happens, we often can't deal with other people or projects the way we should. The breathing exercises you learned in section two can help at these times. It doesn't require a lot of time or absolute quiet as does your meditation practice. All that is required is about five minutes and relative privacy. At these times, begin doing your rhythmic breathing and visualize a place which is calm and refreshing. This simple and quick exercise, can work wonders to help you regain control in a hectic situation. Another way in which meditation is used is in the development of psychic powers. There are several books on the subject, listed at the end of this section. Most of those who teach about the use and development of these abilities, agree that meditation is necessary to any such study. Again the reason for this is that meditation allows you to reach an altered state of consciousness. In this altered state your mind is more open to such phenomenon as telepathy. If you should decide to persue studies in this direction, please seek the help of someone trained in these areas. One final use I will suggest is visualization. Meditation can be used as a tool for problem solving. While in a meditative state of mind, you have the ability to take any situation and manipulate it. By that I mean you can mentally play the out the situation using several different solutions. Then, you can pick the one which seems to best solve the problem. While the use of meditation can help you deal with problem solving more effectively, it is not infallible. All it can do is allow you to think more clearly and concisely about the problem at hand. Well that concludes this study on meditation. I hope you have gained something useful from this course. It has been by no means, a full explanation of the subject. There is much more to learn than could be covered in this short series and It is my hope that you will want to continue your studies into this fascinating and useful skill. Selected Bibliography: Miriam Simos (Starhawk) The Spiral Dance New York Harper & Row; 1979 W.E. Butler How To Read The Aura, Practice Psychometry, Telepathy and Clairvoyance New York Destiny Books; 1978 Melita Denning & Osborne Phillips The Development of Psychic Powers St. Paul, MN Llewellyn Publications; 1985 [This is the third part of a three-part article written by Bill Witt and posted on the New Atlantis BBS in May 1987. This material may be reproduced and distributed only if the byline, and BBS info remain part of any such reproduction. The first two parts appeared in the February and March 2001 issues of Cauldron and Candle.] [12] ========= ========= HUMOR: ASTRAL ADVERTISING ========= Author Unknown ========= The Occult community is becoming increasingly divided over a controversial development in modern magick - Astral Advertisements. In their recent Yuletide broadcast to all Witch Queens, Magi, & Gurus, the Secret Chiefs departed from their usual message of world peace and harmony to urge the heads of all magical Orders to make voluntary cutbacks in the level of astral advertising. One of our reporters interviewed a recent 'victim' of astral junk mail; The High Priestess of the New Reformed Orthodox High Church of Wicca (Wymeswold Branch), Marjorie Pebble. "It's awful. Why only last week we invoked the Goddess, and instead of getting the advice I wanted to heal our Sharon's bad knee, all I got was a repeating message to subscribe to 'Occult News Monthly' or something. It's getting so bad that every time I meditate I get all these jingles running through my head selling Aeon-share holidays or ozone-friendly Demon-repellent." Last month, a public meeting of occultists at Conway Hall was thrown into chaos when, following a Pathworking, several members of the audience complained about seeing 359 formation-dancing Angels advertising the new Qabalistic treatise by 'Z'em Bang Hafesh Wang'. Visitors to Glastonbury have also reported feeling a strange 'empty' sensation when climbing the Tor, which can only be assuaged by visiting Russell Wobble's Astral Health food and Orgone-free Wine Bar. The problem appears to become particularly bad during the festivals, full moons, and in the run-up to Yuletide. But some occultists, notably those in the business sector, are fully behind astral advertising. We spoke to Angel Moonflower of the 'Have A Nice Day' New Age Centre, Stow-on-the Wold: "Well, I prefer to think that it gives consumerism a spiritual dimension. All our crystals have been charged with the messages "buy me" and "buy one more". But really, you know you can never have too many crystals. I think that little blue one in the corner likes you..." After a long and arduous ritual (including intermission & commercial breaks) we managed to find the inner-plane adepts masterminding astral advertising in the UK, the shadowy A... A..., Inc. They were out to lunch, but we left a message with the Guardian of the Threshold. Later, in a channeled interview through their solicitors, Shem, Ham & Phorash, the A... A... said: "This is only the beginning. We can train a good neophyte in six months to project an image & soundtrack, and thanks to the Butterfly Effect it'll stay coherent on the astral for months. Of course, whenever someone picks receives the advert, their contact feeds more energy into the thought-form. Our first takers were a consortium of Chaoists doing a special offer 'try our Chaosphere on the astral for 90 days before you buy'. Then the OTTO hired us to project an advert of Crowley endorsing one of his own books. Anyone doing the Gnostic Mass for the next few months should be able to pick it up. That's the beauty of it - not only is it cheap, but you can target your audiences. And it's not only occultists who are taking advantage of our services. A major soup company has offered us a substantial amount to market 'Olive Twitch's Instant Cook-in-a-Cauldron Noodles', using a dopple-ganger of Gerald Gardner and the New Forest Coven. In the next few months we're to begin beaming out a series of coffee ads starring several members of the Greek Pantheon. It's amazing what some of those old deities will do for a bit of media attention. We're particularly pleased with the one featuring Zeus, 2 Nymphs, several goats and a jar of Nescafe Gold Blend." "But" we said, "Isn't this getting a bit out of hand?" "Not at all. The occult needs to move with the times, and we're using 1% of our income to help general spiritual enlightenment with sponsored pathworkings for minor demi-gods; posting 'Keep the Planes Tidy' notices at all major portals, and computerizing the Akashic Records." But some traditionalists are not convinced. Hercules Wobble of the Order of the Nine Blades; head of the Surbiton Branch of the 'Clean Up the Astral' campaign told us: "It's bloody disgraceful. Yesterday we performed a full evocation of Asmodeus and his 99 legions for a Channel 4 Astral Broadcast Unit, and all the little buggers turned up wearing 'Norse Gods Comeback Tour' T-Shirts!" Despite the controversy, it looks as though Astral Advertising is here to stay. Since we complained on behalf of suffering readers, the A... A... have generously offered a simple astral 'noise filter' meditation. It costs a mere $500 and is available from Mammon Investments direct. Simply visualize the A... A... logo - a dollar sign inside a triangle, and, on hearing the astral bell, simply chant your name, address, and Karmacard number. [13] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= NEW ARTICLES ON THE CAULDRON'S SITE ========= The following new articles have been added to The Cauldron's web site since our last issue. * Two new humorous articles http://www.ecauldron.com/humorindex.php The following book and tarot reviews (some included in this newsletter) are new to the web site: * Bud, Blossom, & Leaf http://www.ecauldron.com/bkbbl.php * Beltane http://www.ecauldron.com/bkbeltane.php * In The Circle http://www.ecauldron.com/bkitc.php * Silver's Spells for Love http://www.ecauldron.com/bkssfl.php * Witches' Night of Fear http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwnof.php [14] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= NEW WEB POLL ========= 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 Our newest poll, opened March 16, asks: * How important is learning about the history and beliefs of a specific ancient people (or peoples) to your religious path? http://www.ecauldron.com/cldpoll17.php Make your opinion known, take this poll today! [15] ========= ========= 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. [16] ========= ========= 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 May. +++ +++ 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. [17] ========= ========= 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 twice a month and often actually succeed in doing so. 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/ ++++ ++++ 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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