[Cauldron and Candle Illo]

Cauldron and Candle
Issue #30 -- December 2002

A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum
website: http://www.ecauldron.com/
message board: http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/start

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


Return to Cauldron and Candle Archive

C A U L D R O N   A N D   C A N D L E  #30 -- December 2002

           A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum
                website: http://www.ecauldron.com/
  delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/start
             newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/

            With a little help from A Witches' Thicket
              website: http://www.witchesthicket.com/
    delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start

In this Issue:

[01] Editorial: The Cauldron at Five: Half a Decade On
[02] Cauldron and Thicket News
[03] Poem: A Charge of the God
[04] Article: A Plea For Gods
[05] Review: Golden Tarot of the Tsar
[06] Review: Etruscan Tarot
[07] Review: Decameron Tarot
[08] Review: Spellcraft for Teens
[09] Review: Book of Hours
[10] Column: TarotDeevah on the Tarot
[11] Article: Quietly Pagan
[12] Dragon Clan Witchcraft Course: November Lesson Index
[13] Humor: Another Gathering
[14] Support The Cauldron by Volunteering to Help
[15] Newsletter Information
              (Including How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe)

  +++ Submission Deadline for next issue: December 20, 2002 +++
     Guidelines: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/submissions.php

[01]
=========
========= EDITORIAL: THE CAULDRON AT FIVE: HALF A DECADE ON
========= by Randall Sapphire
=========

This issue of Cauldron and Candle is our 30th issue, but it also
marks a more important anniversary. On December 13, 1997 I opened
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum on Delphi as a Yule present to
Elspeth (starting Delphi forums cost money back then). This means
that The Cauldron's 5th Anniversary is rapidly approaching.

The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum has gone through many changes in the
last five years. The changes in our discussion format are the
most obvious example of these changes. We moved our discussions
to a mailing list in October 2000. LyricFox talked me into
reopening the message board on Delphi as a secondary location in
June of 2001. In June of this year we closed the mailing list due
to all the problems we were having with Yahoo Groups and moved
completely back to Delphi Forums.

Despite all the changes we have tried to maintain a high quality
discussion forum, web site, and newsletter. I'll be honest, when
we started The Cauldron in 1997, I don't think we ever expected
the forum to still be here and going strong five years later. We
certainly never expected all the discussion moves, Elspeth's
medical condition to get as bad as it has in recent years, or
many of the other things (good, bad, and indifferent) that have
happened along the way.

After five years, however, we're running out of steam. Between
the message board, the web site, and the newsletter, The Cauldron
now takes about four hours of my time every day of the year. Add
in the time my co-host and fiancee LyricFox spends on The
Cauldron and we have close to a full time job between us. And
this is before one counts in the time our wonderful staff spends
on helping The Cauldron run smoothly.

Therefore, the co-hosts and senior staff are going to be
re-evaluating the message board, the web site, the newsletter,
etc. as well as how we run them over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Along
the way, there may be some changes made with respect to what we
do and how we do it. These changes may be major or they may be
barely noticeable, we don't know. But we do know that if The
Cauldron is to continue some changes are going to have to be made
to spread out or reduce the workload. And I suspect everyone
reading this wants to see The Cauldron continue for another five
years.

I imagine some readers are now wondering what they can do to help
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum survive. Every issue of this
newsletter has a section near the end entitled "Support The
Cauldron by Volunteering to Help" which lists a number of things
you can do to help. If you take a look there you will see a
number of things you can do to help. I'll highlight a few here
for good measure.

* One of the things we are always in need of (and that we
  probably cannot receive too many of) is well-written articles,
  poetry, and book reviews for this newsletter and/or our web
  site. While I do a number of book reviews myself, this
  newsletter is dependent on submissions for the rest of its
  contents.

* Posting in on message board threads with informative posts is
  always a help. Starting interesting new threads on our message
  board is harder, but even more helpful as after five years the
  hosts often have trouble thinking up anything new. As one of
  the most time-consuming duties of our co-hosts and message
  board staff is to answer questions on their areas of knowledge
  and start new threads, being an active, helpful poster is one
  of the best ways you can help The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum stay
  lively and informative.

* The Cauldron's web site is expensive to run. Thanks to all the
  people who have purchased items from Amazon.com through our
  Amazon links or donated a few spare dollars via our Amazon
  Honor System page, The Cauldron's web site broke even this year
  for the first time ever! If you are going to buy something from
  Amazon.com, if you remember to visit our web site and go to
  Amazon from one of our web links when you make your purchase,
  The Cauldron gets a small percentage (usually 2.5% to 5% with a
  maximum of $10 from any one item you purchase). This helps us
  fund the site and does not cost you a dime. Donations through
  our Amazon Honor System page are welcome as well, but please
  only donate if you can truly afford it. Your own bills and your
  own family should come first.

The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum has survived for five long years
because of its great people: both members and staff. Even if we
have to change some to reduce the workload on the co-hosts and
staff, we hope to be around for many more years. We hope you will
be with us.


       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                      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.
       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


[02]
=========
========= CAULDRON AND THICKET NEWS
========= by Cauldron and Thicket Staff
=========

=====
===== Delphi Forums Changing Owners Again
=====

Delphi Forums, which hosts the message boards used by both The
Cauldron: A Pagan Forum and A Witches' Thicket, is changing
ownership yet again. Blue Frogg has sold Delphi Forums back to
Prospero. The new company will be called Delphi Forums, LLC, and
operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of Prospero. This new
company will also operate Talk City which Prospero recently
acquired the assets of (Talk City filed for bankruptcy last
summer).

According to the press release, Delphi and Talk City will
continue to operate independently using Prospero's technology and
community hosting infrastructure. The press release goes on to
say that there won't be any major changes for members of Delphi
Forums -- at least in the near term. It looks like things will
continue about as they are now for our forums, but we will
continue to monitor the situation closely as that "in the near
term" qualifier may indicate that major changes are planned down
the road.

=====
===== Thicket Chats Going Strong
=====

A Witches' Thicket chats are still going strong. The Thicket's
chat rooms are open 24 hours most days and have a large staff of
moderators to help ensure a pleasant chat experience. Many
members of both A Witches' Thicket and The Cauldron: A Pagan
Forum hang out here when they want to chat. If you are looking
for moderated Pagan-friendly chat, give The Thicket's Delphi
Forums chat rooms a try. (Delphi Forums has a new, improved chat
server and Java chat client too.)

   http://forums.delphiforms.com/thicket/chat

=====
===== Cauldron Delphi Forum Top Poster -- November 2002
=====

The top poster on The Cauldron's Delphi Forums message board for
November 2002 was Seasons (SEASONS4). The Runner Up was EVERFOOL.
There were several members hot on their heels: Jonobie (JONOBIE),
Mari (ARIANCRAIDD), Brock (BLAKEK), and MERRIDWYN. (Cauldron
staff members are ineligible for this honor and so aren't
listed.)

=====
===== Online Books Web Page
=====

A new page on The Cauldron's web site provides links to online
editions of a number of (generally older and out-of-copyright)
books that may be of interest to Pagans. These online editions
can be read (or even downloaded to your computer) for free. While
many of these books are really only interesting for their
historical influence on the development of various Neo-Pagan
religions (as they are badly out of date or talk about ideas that
are no longer considered historically correct), others are still
directly useful today.

Some of the over 100 books currently listed include Magick in
Theory and Practice, Hesiod's Theogony, The Golden Bough, The
Kabbalah Unveiled, The Key of Solomon The King, Religion in
Hellenistic Athens, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe, The
Mythology of Ancient Britain and Ireland, and The Book of
Ceremonial Magic.

You will find these links at:

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


       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 CAULDRON AND CANDLE WEB SITE

        The Cauldron and Candle has its own web site
        where we store our back issues for easy reading.

                 http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/
       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


[03]
=========
========= A CHARGE OF THE GOD
========= A Poem by David Rankine
=========

Hear My words and dance My Dance of Life,
sing My Song of joyous Existence
and chant My Dirge of Death and Transformation,

For I am Pan, Herne, Dionysus, Osiris,
Gwyn Ap Neith, Zeus, Shiva, Cernunnos
and all the faces of the God,
and I am All and Nothing in the arms of My Love.

I am the Phallus of Life and the Seed
planted in the depths of death to nurture
and comfort with my growth,
dying and reborn through the seasons of the Mother;
I am the Horns of Power on the brows of the Wise,

Through veils and shadows I hunt and I guard:
Lord of the Wild Hunt and Keeper of the Silent Peace;
see My face all around you and know the joys of orgasm and death,
transformed and reborn in the Cauldron of Dreams.

My rites are of lust and joy and ecstasy.
Let the psyche be rendered
and let the universe be destroyed at the climax of your rites,
that they may be reformed in love and laughter,

Be strong, joyous,
passionate, tender, wise and humble,
and you will grow in Spirit

Stand with Me on the Earth and look around you,
you are a child of all about you,
and you must nurture each other,
that I may grow in you and whisper My song through you
down the winds of changing seasons.

-=-=-

Copyright (c) 1997 David Rankine in Magick without Peers.
Reprinted by permission of the author. For more material by
David, visit The Avalonia web site, one of the UK's more
interesting Wiccan/Witchcraft web sites, at
http://www.avalonia.co.uk/.


[04]
=========
========= ARTICLE: A PLEA FOR GODS
========= by Jet Blackthorne
=========

I am, for better or worse, about to take a very unpopular stance
within the neo-Pagan community. Like Ellen Cannon Reed's "Plea
For Initiation Standards", I'm going to make a plea of my own. A
plea for more understanding of the Gods.

I would like to start out by stating my position on what the Gods
are not. They are not tools for us to pick out of a book for our
use during spellcasting. They are not some amorphous, hazy
concept that we don't have to deal with because it can be
uncomfortable. They are not merely psychological archetypes that
only exist to help us understand our own subconscious structures
and urges.

What they ARE is a bit tougher to pin down. And that, I think, is
the core problem when faced with working with the Gods and why
some people treat them as tools and archetypes. It's easier. We
use the concept of archetypes, or aspects if you prefer, to
understand the major themes in the world around us. They are
useful for getting to internal subconscious issues that we have.
They are useful in helping us organize our thoughts around these
strange beings that we call Gods.

But the Gods are not archetypes. They are real, unique,
individual beings. We can use archetypes to help understand the
Gods. To help classify and quantify them. But, in the end, we
miss the boat. Far to often, we stop at that point. We refuse to
take the next step that brings us closer to these beings. We
refuse to accept their existence.

There are a lot of reasons this happens, but I think the majority
of them boil down to fear. Fear that there just might be
something out there that is more powerful and more knowing than
we are. Something that might have a better understanding than we
have of what's best for us. Something that might be deserving of
our veneration and our friendship.

It's a frightening thought, facing the idea that we're fairly
small and powerless in the grand scheme of the universe. I'm
certainly not suggesting that we can't effect change in our
world. Nor do I think that we need to suddenly drop to our knees
and pray to the great Asphaltia when we need a parking place.

Let's think about this for a moment. If we honestly believed that
the Gods were real beings...would we sit around and pluck a name
out of a hat or out of a book to work with in our rituals as some
groups do? Would we go online to a chat or forum where we know
no one and ask "what deity should I call on/use if I want X"?
Would you walk up to a stranger on the street and say "Hi. You
don't know me, but I really need Y. Would you please help me get
it? Or just give it to me?"

If someone did that to you, wouldn't you think it was incredibly
rude?

And yet, that's what many of our leading authors suggest when
they write up a spell and publish it in a book. They don't tell
you how to get to know the deity they suggest working with. And
some of their choices are just plain bad. No amount of wishing
and hoping will turn a God of War into something nicer, calmer,
more peaceful.

So. Here's MY plea. Think about what you're doing for just a
moment the next time you want to do a spell or call on a God in
ritual. Honestly stop and think. Neo-Paganism is not some sort of
self-help seminar to help us come to terms with the ugly side of
ourselves. That's *part* of it...but it is not the whole of what
we do.

Our practices are religions. Religions deal with the spiritual
and the divine. If we are EVER going to be taken seriously, don't
you think it's time we start taking what WE do seriously? Don't
you think it's time that we come to terms with the idea that the
Gods really, truly exist and that we have not been willing to
deal with all that entails?


       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
         DONATE TO HELP SUPPORT THE CAULDRON'S WEB SITE

       If you like The Cauldron and have a few extra
       dollars, please donate via the Amazon Honor System
       and help us pay the web site bills.

          http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P3903JRFVQVDN
       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


[05]
=========
========= REVIEW: GOLDEN TAROT OF THE TSAR
========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire
=========

Golden Tarot of the Tsar
Artist: Atanas Atanassov
Deck
Publisher: Llewellyn (Lo Scarabeo)
Publication date: September 2002
ISBN: 0738702390
US Retail Price: $24.95
View Sample Cards:
  http://www.ecauldron.com/images/samtrtgtott.jpg
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738702390/thecauldron

The Golden Tarot of the Tsar is an unusual Tarot. The deck is
printed with shining gold foil -- lots of gold foil. This gives
the deck an eye-catching appearance. Fortunately, when you look
beyond the flash, this is still a beautiful deck. Don't let the
sample card scans fool you, the gold foil looks much better in
person. In spite of the deck's name, it has nothing to do with
the old Russian aristocracy. You will not find any pictures of
Czars and Czarinas in this deck.

Atanas Atanassov, the Bulgarian artist who created this deck, was
inspired by the iconic art of the Orthodox Churches, particularly
the Russian Orthodox Church. While he avoided reproducing any of
the images which are believed to have appeared miraculously,
there was still a wealth of material to draw upon. Atanassov
tried not to modify the icons or the standard interpretations of
the cards. Instead he attempted to associate the traditional
meaning of each card to a saint or a scene from the Bible, and
then find iconic art depicting that which he could use for the
card. This makes for a very interesting, as well as very
beautiful deck.

Each card in the major arcana has a full size picture. The
Magician depicts the resurrection of Lazarus. The Hierophant is
the apostle Peter. Strength is shown as Saint George slaying the
dragon. The Star depicts the nativity of Christ. Judgement is a
scene from the final judgement. The other selections seem just as
appropriate. The minor arcana are a cross between pip cards and
illustrated cards, with pips on gold surrounding a small iconic
picture in the center. The icons are in squares for cups, in
hexagons for pentacles, in diamonds for wands, and in circles for
swords. The court cards have full size pictures.

Like the majority of the Lo Scarabeo decks I've seen, the Golden
Tarot of the Tsar only comes with a small foldout flyer (actually
two, one in English and one in Spanish) that describes the
reasoning behind of the deck, very brief descriptions of the
cards and their meanings, and a single divinatory layout. The
descriptions of the cards are very useful for this deck as they
identify the saint or biblical scene illustrated on the card.
However, there is no way a beginner could learn to use this deck
with this flyer. The divinatory layout given is interesting as
one shuffles and deals the major arcana and the minor arcana
separately with certain positions in the layout reserved for
each. I found this layout gives very balanced readings.

The Golden Tarot of the Tsar is published by Lo Scarabeo of
Torino in Italy and is distributed in the US by Llewellyn. Many
Pagans will probably not like this deck because of its very
Christian symbolism. That's a shame because this is a very nice
Tarot deck. It has lovely art and a great deal of thought and
care seems to have gone into its design. While the card meanings
are fairly standard, the symbolism is nothing like the standard
Rider-Waite used in many books on the Tarot, which may make it
harder for complete beginners to use this deck. This deck would
make an excellent gift for an Orthodox friend interested in the
Tarot.

           This review is available on our web site at
               http://www.ecauldron.com/trtgtott.php


[06]
=========
========= REVIEW: ETRUSCAN TAROT
========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire
=========

Etruscan Tarot
Arthor: Riccardo Minetti
Artist: Silvana Alasia
Deck
Publisher: Llewellyn (Lo Scarabeo)
Publication date: June 2002
ISBN: 0738702382
US Retail Price: $19.95
View Sample Cards:
  http://www.ecauldron.com/images/samtrtet.jpg
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738702382/thecauldron

The Etruscans were a people who lived in the valleys between
Tuscany and Lazio in Italy before the Romans achieved greatness.
They were engulfed by the early Romans. In fact, they were so
thoroughly absorbed by the Romans that not all that much is known
about their civilization even today. What remains of Etruscan art
and culture is generally often in painted tombs near former
Etruscan cities.

The Etruscan Tarot is an attempt to capture the spirit of the
Etruscan civilization in tarot card art. The card illustrations
are modeled after tomb paintings. The art is even incomplete, as
if small parts of the painting had faded or fallen away with the
passage of several thousand years. The effect is much nicer than
this description may make it sound.

Each card in the deck has a full size picture. The art is
somewhat primitive and I did not care much for it when I first
saw this deck, but it grew on me. If these cards are truly
representative of Etruscan tomb art, the Etruscans must have had
a very interesting society. While the deck has the usual cards
and suits (queens are called ladies and kings are called lords),
the symbolism on each card is much different from the Rider-Waite
"standard."

Like the majority of the Lo Scarabeo decks I've seen, the
Etruscan Tarot only comes with a small foldout flyer (actually
two, one in English and one in Spanish). This one gives a small
amount of background information on the Etruscans, very brief
descriptions of the cards and their meanings, and two special
divinatory layouts. The descriptions tell what the painting on
each card is of, but does not any give divinatory meanings. A
beginner will need a separate book on the Tarot to even take a
stab at divining with these cards. The two divinatory layouts
given, the Tomb and the Banquet, look interesting, but the
descriptions of the positions for the Banquet are a bit too
poetic to be really clear.

The Etruscan Tarot is published by Lo Scarabeo of Torino in Italy
and is distributed in the US by Llewellyn. I'm not really sure
what to say about this deck. It's not one of my personal
favorites -- probably because I'm not a huge fan of primitive art
and I prefer more esoteric symbolism in each card, yet this deck
has grown on me in the few weeks I've had it. If you are in the
market for an unusual deck, take a look at this one. As a gift,
however, it's really only appropriate for someone who already
knows how to read a tarot deck.

           This review is available on our web site at
                http://www.ecauldron.com/trtet.php


[07]
=========
========= REVIEW: DECAMERON TAROT
========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire
=========

Decameron Tarot
Artist: Giacinto Gaudenzi
Deck
Publisher: Llewellyn (Lo Scarabeo)
Publication date: September 2002
ISBN: 0738702404
US Retail Price: $19.95
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738702404/thecauldron

Giacinto Gaudenzi's Decameron Tarot is an erotic art Tarot deck
for adults. Inspired by the Decameron, a fourteenth century prose
work by Giovanni Boccaccio, Gaudenzi has created a disturbing but
beautiful deck for adults with one theme: S-E-X. While I am not a
prude and use a couple of erotic decks, this deck was simply too
disturbing in many ways for my tastes.

The deck, as a work of art, is beautiful. Gaudenzi is a talented
artist. The cards depict medieval scenes and with a few
exceptions, focus on raw sex. One point in favor of this deck is
the wide range of people depicted in the artwork. They come in
all sizes and shapes, not just tall, thin, and
beautiful/handsome. Many erotic tarot decks only feature people
who would be at home in high fashion magazines.

The major arcana feature full size illustrations. Unfortunately,
many of these illustrations seem at odds with the traditional
meanings of the cards. For example, The Chariot, traditionally a
card of action and movement, shows a country lad with a stalk of
wheat in his mouth lifting the skirt of a woman laying in a
rustic cart and liking what he sees. The Hanged Man (called the
Hanged Woman in this deck) shows a woman on a tree swing
receiving the attentions of two men, one on the ground and the
other on a tree limb above her.

The minor arcana feature fully illustrated aces and court cards.
The two through ten cards feature a scene in a box between an
appropriate number of very erotic versions of coins, cups, wands,
and swords. Several of the cards look like they are depicting
non-consensual sex. Again, many of these illustrations seem at
odds with the traditional meanings of the cards. Some even seem
at odds with the name of the card.  For example, the Knave of
Coins depicts a monk having sex with a nun. I'm used to Tarot
decks with non-standard or even odd symbolism, but most just use
their very  different symbolism to shown the traditional
meanings.

Having symbolism that varies so much from the standard meanings
is not a major problem when the deck comes with a book explaining
the symbolism and meanings used. Unfortunately, like the most Lo
Scarabeo decks, the Decameron Tarot only comes with a small
foldout flyer (actually two, one in English and one in Spanish).
This flyer provides a short introduction,  a small amount of
background information on the Decameron and its author, very
brief descriptions of the meanings of the cards, and a special
divinatory layout called "the Bedroom" for this deck. The
descriptions are about three or four lines of type for the major
arcana and the court cards and only a line or two for the
remainder of the minor arcana. Given the very different symbolism
in this deck, this will not be enough even for many skilled
readers.

It has been over twenty years since I read the Decameron in
college and my memory may be faulty, but I don't see that this
deck really has a lot to do with Boccaccio's Decameron. While his
book was considered shocking and even profane at the time, I do
not recall many of the scenes and themes depicted in this deck in
Boccaccio's work. While this deck may have been inspired by a
reading of the Decameron, from my memories of the stories in this
work I don't believe that the deck is actually based on it.

Erotic decks are usually of limited use as, in my opinion, they
really only work well for romance and relationship questions.
However, when well done, they can be fun to use for this purpose.
Unfortunately, Decameron Tarot disturbs me more than impresses
me. If you collect tarot decks for their art, this deck might be
a worthwhile addition to your collection. If you buy decks to
read, there are more readable erotic decks out there.

           This review is available on our web site at
                http://www.ecauldron.com/trtdt.php


[08]
=========
========= REVIEW: SPELLCRAFT FOR TEENS
========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire
=========

Spellcraft For Teens: A Magickal Guide To Writing & Casting
   Spells
Author: Gwinevere Rain
Trade Paperback, 160 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn
Publication date: September 2002
ISBN: 0738702250
US Retail Price: $12.95
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738702250/thecauldron

It has gotten to the point where I cringe when I see a book on
Paganism, Wicca, or magick aimed at teens. So many of these books
are either full of misinformation or contain things that would
trouble just about any parent who took the time to read it.
Therefore, when I requested a copy of Gwinevere Rain's Spellcraft
For Teens: A Magickal Guide To Writing & Casting Spells I was
prepared to be disappointed.

The author of Spellcraft For Teens is herself a teen. This will
probably give the book a certain credibility with teens that many
of the books written by adults aimed at teens lack, but it also
means the author has less experience in magick and in life. The
writing style is light and breezy, without being overly familiar
and intrusive. I suspect this style of writing will go over well
with teens.

The preface explains the purpose of the book. The author intends
to provide a basic spell design kit for teens -- a compromise
between designing and writing spells from scratch and using
spells designed by someone else. This is an interesting idea. In
the introduction which follows, Rain tells how she got involved
in the religion of Wicca and casting magick. No grandmother
stories or other tall tales here, the author admits learning from
books and from the Internet.

The first chapter of this book is a very brief introduction to
the religion of Wicca and the the practice and tools of magick.
The description of Wicca is very brief, which will upset some
even through the title of this book is Spellcraft For Teens and
not Wicca for Teens. While brief, the information is fairly
accurate for modern Wicca. The author even gets the difference
between witchcraft and Wicca right -- something many Wicca 101
books by adults cannot manage to do. Most of this short chapter
is devoted to magickal tools and how to use them, however. The
safety tips for candles, for example, are excellent and even
mention that one's parents might not let one use candles.

The second chapter discusses the ethics of Magick (from a
Neo-Wiccan point-of-view) in easy to understand terms. Separate
sections discuss the ethics of casting spells for others as well
as the ethics of banishing, binding, and love spells. This part
concludes with a discussion of how to do Wiccan-style ritual and
a clear, step-by-step description of circle casting.

The third and fourth chapters are the "spell design kit." The
third chapter includes three to five chants for each of the
following major categories of spells: banishing, blessing,
binding, healing, love, beauty, money, truth, purification,
power, and protection. There are also three more specific
categories: book blessings, stopping gossip, and psychic powers.
Finally, there is a chant for an "undoing" spell for attempting
to undo magickal mistakes. These chants do away with the hardest
part of creating a spell from scratch for most new to magick:
coming up with words to say. The fourth chapter explains how to
create a spell, discusses various magick techniques (candle
magick, conjuring bags, knot magick, and poppet magick), and
lists the colors, herbs, and charms associated with the
categories of magick. The chapter concludes with sections on
incense and oils.

The final chapter is a brief introduction to magickal record
keeping. The author describes what she believes belongs in a book
of shadows and provides a form for recording spells cast. The
book concludes with appendixes on finding supplies and further
reading, a glossary, and a pattern for a poppet.

I'm still not sure why teens need special books written just for
teens. When I was a teen in the early 1970s, I was reading books
like Mastering Witchcraft, The Grimoire of Lady Sheba, Gardner's
Witchcraft Today, Hans Holzer's books on Paganism, Frazier's The
Golden Bough, etc. Nevertheless, Spellcraft For Teens is one of
the better introductory books on the magick of witchcraft aimed
at teens that I've read. Unlike some such books I've read, it
does not advise teens to hide what they are doing from their
parents, to harass bookstore employees, or the like. It just
presents a Wiccan-style magick system in a clear and simple
manner that should empower teens without feeding their egos or
their feelings of alienation from their parents and the world.

If you or a teen you know is looking for a very basic book on
magick written especially for teens, Spellcraft For Teens is one
of the best choices I've seen. It is fairly accurate, very
practical, and written in a teen-friendly manner that somehow
manages not to be parent-hostile.

           This review is available on our web site at
                http://www.ecauldron.com/bksft.php


[09]
=========
========= REVIEW: BOOK OF HOURS: PRAYERS TO THE GOD
========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire
=========

Book of Hours: Prayers to the Goddess
Author: Galen Gillotte
Hardback, 118 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn
Publication date: May 2001
ISBN: 1567182739
US Retail Price: $16.95
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567182739/thecauldron

Book of Hours is a book of prayers to the (Wiccan) Goddess. In
the tradition of similar books for other religions, Gillotte's
book provides prayers to the Goddess for every "hour" of the day.
Gillotte divides the day into three "hours:" morning, evening,
and night. She provides a special prayer for each hour for each
of the seven days of the week. There are also special morning,
evening, and night prayers for the new moon, the full moon, and
all eight Wiccan Sabbats. Each day's prayers are accompanied by
suggested meditations and affirmations. There is also a section
of prayers for specific needs such as healing, blessing a house,
or the loss of a beloved person or animal.

You might be inclined to pass over this book if you see it at the
bookstore. Book of Hours is a hardback book with a very plain
cover. There's no art of youngsters who look like gang members or
the like to attract your attention. However, both the book itself
and the prayers within it show signs of careful crafting. It's
obvious that a great deal of time and effort have been put into
this small volume, both by the author and by the publisher.

The brief introductory material talks about the four different
types of prayer: prayer of expectation, prayer of thanksgiving,
prayer of celebration, and prayer of contemplation. It also
touches upon the issues of creating sacred space, the ethics of
prayer, and private versus communal prayer. An appendix gives
some basic information of the various Goddesses mentioned in the
volume. Unfortunately, some of the information given isn't quite
historically correct. This is something that may not matter as
much to the average Wiccan, who probably considers these deities
just "faces" of the Wiccan Goddess, as it does to this non-Wiccan
reviewer.  That minor quibble aside, my only real complaint about
this volume is that there are no prayers to the Wiccan God.

Some Wiccans will probably write off this book as a waste of
money because they do not need a book of specific words to say
when they talk to their Goddess. In a way, they are right. Some
people do not need such a book. Prayers flow from their tongues
without effort. However, not everyone is so gifted. Many people
I've met over the years have trouble praying. They either don't
know what to say and how to say it when they pray or they are
afraid they don't. For those Wiccans, especially solitary
Wiccans, who have trouble putting words to their desire to pray,
Book of Hours may seem to be a gift from the Goddess herself.

Many Wiccans complain that most books on Wicca cover the same
material and provide little truly new and original. That
complaint can not be made about Book of Hours: Prayers to the
Goddess. It breaks new ground and does so beautifully. Galen
Gillotte's prayers are poetry. Literally. As I said earlier, this
book will not jump out at you on the book shelves at your
favorite bookstore. If you are Wiccan and tongue-tied when you
wish to pray, don't let that stop you from picking this book up
and looking at it. I suspect many such Wiccans who do so will not
be able to put it back on the shelf.

           This review is available on our web site at
              http://www.ecauldron.com/bkbohpttg.php


       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                         UPCOMING REVIEWS
       Here are a few of the books we'll be reviewing in
       future issues: THE URBAN PRIMITIVE, GOTHIC
       GRIMOIRE, FULL CONTACT MAGICK, THE FOREST OF
       SOULS, & THE WITCHES' CRAFT. Reviews often appear
       on our web site first, so check there for new
       reviews if you can't wait for the next issue of
       the newsletter.
       ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


[10]
=========
========= COLUMN: TAROTDEEVAH ON THE TAROT
========= by TarotDeevah
=========

===
=== The Black Tarot
===

by Luis Royo
Published by Naipes Heraclio Fournier, SA
See Cards From This Deck:
  http://angelfire.com/la2/tarotdeevah/tarot/blackpics.jpg

This is a sexy sci-fi deck illustrated by artist, Luis Royo.
There are a lot of scantily clad women and sci-fi monsters in
this one. I do find some of the images quite sexy, and it's full
of nudes. The images don't seem to have much to do with the card
meanings, though.

The suits are wands, chalices, swords and pentacles.  The titles
are on the cards in Spanish, English, French and German.  The
pips aren't illustrated, but the majors, aces and court cards
are.  The cards are slightly narrower and a little longer than
standard playing card size, but handle well. I find them just a
little flimsy, though, and would not want to subject them to
excessive shuffling.  I suspect they would not hold up over time.

I like sci-fi and am not offended by nudes, so I like the deck.
I'm not able to use it for readings and don't know anyone who
does. I'm glad to have it in my collection for the artwork alone.

I recommend this deck for the collector, for those who like theme
decks, and for those who are into sci-fi. I would not recommend
it as a usable deck for a beginner.

Of all the decks I own, this is my husband's favorite.

===
=== Brotherhood of Light
===

by The Church of Light
Published by US Games Systems, Inc.
Copyright 1936 (renewed 1964)
ISBN: 088079092X
See Cards From This Deck:
  http://angelfire.com/la2/tarotdeevah/tarot/bolpics.jpg
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/088079092X/thecauldron

Quite frankly, this deck is over my head. I admit I'm not very
literate in Egyptian symbolism, and this is an Egyptian deck. My
deck didn't come with a little white booklet, so I get no help.
The box does say a detailed interpretation of symbols can be
found in the book The Sacred Tarot by C.C. Zain; however, I don't
have the book.  =(

The cards are standard playing size and are easy to handle. I
would prefer them to be a little stiffer, but I wouldn't call
them flimsy. The only ink on the deck is gray, and not a very
dark gray. Against the white background, I find them too light.

The majors and court cards are illustrated, but the pips are not.
There are 3 symbols at the top of each card and 2 or 3 symbols at
the bottom, some of which I recognize. The top symbols are
Aramaic number, Roman numeral and astrological sign. The bottom
symbols vary. The court cards' bottom symbols are the suit and
it's playing card correspondence, so that the king of discs has a
disc and a diamond.  I'm confused as to the bottom symbols on the
majors, although I think one of them is Hebrew letters.  The fool
is numbered XXII.

If you get this deck, I recommend the book (which I don't have).
I am just fumbling around in the dark on this one.

===
=== Celtic Tarot
===

by Helena Patterson
Illustrated by Courtnet Davis
Published originally by The Aquarian Press
Copyright 1990 by Helena Patterson
ISBN: 0007145888 (new Element Books edition)
See Cards From This Deck:
  http://angelfire.com/la2/tarotdeevah/tarot/celticpics.jpg
Amazon Link (to new Element Books edition):
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007145888/thecauldron

This is a colorful deck in a mosaic style. I'm not particularly
fond of it, but I'm not Celtic, so perhaps that's why. I find the
images busy and difficult for me to get a handle on. The mosaic
style interferes with the symbolism in my opinion.

The deck follows standard Rider-Waite (RW) pattern. All of the
cards keep the RW names and associations. The suits are wands,
cups, swords and coins. The courts are king, queen, knight and
page.  There are no pictures on the pips, just the appropriate
number of suit items. My deck came with a book, "The Celtic
Tarot," which I recommend with the deck.

The cards are about 3.25 by 4.25 inches and handle well. They are
sturdy but not stiff. I have no reason thus far to doubt their
durability.

I find the deck difficult to read with, but it may just be me. As
a result, I don't recommend it for beginners, unless they have a
fondness for the mosaic style or are knowledgeable in Celtic
symbolism. I do recommend the deck for collectors and theme deck
lovers.

===
=== Celtic Dragon Tarot
===

by D.J. Conway and Lisa Hunt
Published by Llewellyn Publications
Copyright 1999 by Llewellyn Publications
ISBN: 1567181821
See Cards From This Deck:
  http://angelfire.com/la2/tarotdeevah/tarot/cdpics.jpg
Amazon Link:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567181821/thecauldron

It took me a while to adjust to this deck, but I really love it.
The artwork is stunning and inspiring.  Every card features
dragons, so this is THE deck for dragon-lovers.

In this deck, swords are represented by fire and wands by air, as
opposed to wands as fire and swords as air.  Surprisingly, the
meanings of the cards remain similar to the traditional
Rider-Waite meaning, so the switch in associations has little
affect on them. The Heirophant has become the High Priest, the
Wheel of Fortune is simply the Wheel, and the Devil is Chains. I
find Chains a better representation of the card, so really like
that name change. The aces show hatchling dragons of the
appropriate element, which I find quite fitting.

The cards are what I call perfect tarot size. They are larger
than playing cards (about 2.75 by 5.5 inches).  They are sturdy,
but not stiff, and handle well. I believe they will hold up over
time, although I haven't been using them very long.

I recommend this deck for dragon-lovers and prefer it to any
other dragon deck I've seen. I also recommend it for collectors,
theme deck lovers, and tarot readers of all skill levels.
Symbolism is enough for novices, and the images do stimulate
intuition. It is an inspiring deck! I do recommend the book that
came with my deck, "A Guide to the Celtic Dragon Tarot" by Conway
and Hunt, as I found it invaluable in getting to know my deck.

=====
===== About This Column
=====

TarotDeevah's column will feature monthly articles or reviews
selected from her web site or written for this newsletter.
You can find TarotDeevah's web site at:
http://www.angelfire.com/la2/tarotdeevah/home.html


[11]
=========
========= QUIETLY PAGAN
========= by Leigh
=========

I have read a lot of debate about the right of parents to deny
their children access to information about other religions. The
growing number of young people interested the Pagan religions
makes this a hot topic. Awhile back a young girl called into a
talk show called "Dr. Laura" to ask about this. The host, Laura
Schlessinger, said things that I both agree and disagree with.
She said that Wicca is not a religion, it's a cult. She and I do
not see eye to eye here, but that's another essay subject
entirely. She also said that the girl's parents have the right to
not allow this young woman to practice or buy books about Wicca.
Brace yourself...

I agree.

Why? Children do not always have the wisdom to make good
decisions. Any religion has its share of people that cannot be
trusted around youngsters. The only real way for a parent to be
fully sure that their child is in good hands is to attend and/or
participate in the child's activities. If these activities do not
agree with the parents set of religious beliefs then they should
not have to allow their children to cause them to violate their
own religion.

However, that does not fill the hunger in their child for the
religion in question, and leaves the child feeling conflicted. I
feel there is an answer for this, luckily. Paganism is more than
the tools and the books; groups and covens. Perhaps the best way
for one to responsibly affirm that this is the path for you is to
learn the basics of it, the foundations of Pagan beliefs. This
can be done without buying a single Pagan book, without
constructing an altar, and without a teacher. And these
foundations are not specifically Pagan in themselves, so there
can be little religious opposition to them, except perhaps in
extreme cases. But when placed together with a framework that can
be constructed when you are old enough to make these decisions,
makes a knowledgeable, powerful Pagan indeed.

What are these foundations? This list may not be all of them, but
some of the ones I think are important are below, with a bit of
explanation on how they relate to all of us, in both Pagan and
non-Pagan ways.

1. History: Many Pagan traditions are based on historical groups
   in specific times. If you are going to follow a path that is
   based on things that people did centuries ago, find out what
   they really did, how they lived, instead of blindly following
   without understanding. It will give your religion a rich, deep
   history to draw from. On the flip side, it is said that he who
   is ignorant of history is doomed to repeat it. There are many
   lessons to learn from the history of man.

2. World Religions and Mythology: This includes Christianity.
   Much of modern literature and language has been influenced by
   Christianity and Judaism. Turning away from this knowledge is
   like shutting an eye to the world.

   Learning about religions other than Christianity will give you
   an understanding of other peoples' cultures, practices, and
   habits. It gives you a point of view that can see the
   similarities as well as the differences. This can be important
   in everyday life -- it is essential to not offend others
   through ignorance. This can close doors -- both of the social
   and business kind.

   Every culture has its collection of myth and folklore. It is
   interesting to compare and contrast them -- finding the
   archetype and situations that are common, and observing the
   differences in attitudes and endings. Mythology shows us that
   there are things that cultures look at in the same way, and
   events that we need explained on a very basic level. It
   introduces us to the Gods and Goddesses that may someday call
   us.

3. Herbalism: Many spells and charms involve knowledge of herbs.
   They are also useful in medicine and personal care. There is a
   rich tradition of folklore and uses that are not necessarily
   Pagan, but have influences of a mystical nature. Gardening is
   also incredibly fun and relaxing. It's a lifelong activity
   that helps lower stress and produces wonderful results.

4. Visualization and Meditation: Of the eight foundations listed
   here, this is possibly the one that has the most danger of
   being religiously argued against. But there are methods that
   do not use a religious framework. Many athletes, actors, and
   others will use visualization to give themselves the courage
   and mind-set to accomplish their goals. Meditation reduces
   stress, calms, and allows you to learn focus. In a pagan view,
   they are also a great basis for magickal or spiritual work,
   and very commonly used methods.

5. Music: History, folklore, mythology and religion have all been
   passed along by way of music. It was one of the earliest ways
   to make events easily memorable to pass on to others. There
   seems to be a basic need in all humans to create rhythm and
   song. Music is used to express emotion, memorialize events,
   and simply entertain. It has the power to impress the soul, no
   matter the message.

6. Ecology: It is said quite often that many Pagan religions are
   "Earth-centered." What better way to honor the the deities of
   those religions than by learning to heal their greatest gift
   to us? Learn the effect that we are having on this planet and
   how to correct the harm we have done to it. We will not be
   able to celebrate any religion if we can't even live here.

7. Astronomy: Many of us celebrate events based on lunar and
   solar occurrences. Instead of looking on a calendar and seeing
   when the almanac says spring has sprung, learn what makes it
   spring. Learn what effect the moon's movement has on our
   waters here on earth. The events of the heavens were of
   momentous importance to the ancients. The stars told them when
   to plant, and when to harvest. There are many parts of
   astronomy that bleed into mythology -- our planets and
   constellations are named after mythological beings. Learn what
   other cultures called these arrangements and why.

8. Minerals and Geology: Many Pagans use stones and "crystals" in
   their workings and spells. There are meanings assigned to
   each. But some stones only occur in certain places and under
   certain conditions. If you learn this, it may give you a
   deeper understanding of what property to give each stone. As
   you dig through the layers of earth, you can see different
   events that happened on both local and global scales. It's a
   time-line that takes a little digging to get to.

Taken as subjects by themselves, none of these items are
particularly inherently Pagan. Some could even lead into a
career, even if you decide that Paganism is not for you. But they
give a deeper understanding of traditions that you may want to
follow someday. They allow you to see how so many things are
inter-related. In the end, you will have a better grasp of your
religion than if you just picked up a couple books. You will be
more skilled than many of those who have followed this path for
years longer. If you can't follow Paganism openly, you can still
learn about the world around you and in your heart be quietly
Pagan.


[12]
=========
========= DRAGON CLAN WITCHCRAFT COURSE: OCTOBER LESSON INDEX
========= OFFERED ON THE CAULDRON'S DELPHI FORUM
=========

The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum is offering an online witchcraft
course in the Dragon Clan tradition on our Delphi message board.
This course is taught by Jet. While this course formally began on
Monday, May 20, 2002, interested members can join the course at
any time as the course material is in numbered messages in the
Online Witchcraft Course folder on our Delphi message board. You
simply start with the messages with the lowest numbers in the
subject line and work your way through at your own pace. New
lessons will be posted to our message board every week or two.
Here are links to the lessons posted in November:

7.0 Wheel of the Mystics

7.1 Meditations

7.11 Meditation on the Otherworld
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7514.1

7.12 Meditation on the Altar
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7515.1

7.2 Ritual Work

7.21 Cakes and Wine
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7516.1

7.22 Gods

7.22.1 Why Call on the Gods?
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7517.1

7.22.2 Finding Your Gods
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7518.1

7.22.3 Reading, Writing, Researching
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7519.1

7.22.4 Getting to Know the Gods
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7520.1

7.23 Calling the Elements
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7521.1

7.24 Calling the Gods
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7522.1

7.3 Wheel Measure
   http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/messages?msg=7523.1


[13]
=========
========= HUMOR: ANOTHER GATHERING
========= Author Unknown
=========

Scene: A wood. In the distance is an eclectic pagan group. Two
       figures hiding in the woods spot each other.

Thor: Evening.

Zeus: Evening. God?

Thor: Yep. You too?

Zeus. Yep.

Pause

Thor: How long ago did they invoke you?

Zeus: About half an hour. Still singing those awful songs though.

Thor: We all come from the Goddess?

Zeus: That's the dirge. Cheek. You've heard that other one? We
      are the old people, we are the new people, we are same
      people, wiser from before?

Thor: Yeah. What do you make of it?

Zeus: Olympus knows. If they're so bloody wise why can't they
      work out whether they're old, new or the same? Where you
      from?

Thor: Up North. Thunder God.

Zeus: Hey, really? Me too! King of the Gods round our way. You?

Thor: Sometimes, depends on the saga. Oh look, they're
      sacrificing some stuff.

In the circle some mead is poured onto the ground. Thor holds
hands out and mead flows into them from the ground.

Thor: How am I supposed to get rat-faced on this? Half a bloody
      thimbleful.

Zeus. What is it?

Thor: Mead. Made from honey.

Zeus: Alcoholic?

Thor: Yep.

Cerridwen: Evening boys.

Thor and Zeus: Whoa Nelly!

Cerridwen: Pour it in this cauldron.

Thor does so. Cauldron fills with mead.

Thor: I have GOT to get me one of those!

Zeus (drinking): Mmmm. Nice. That eye-tie girl, Fortuna, she's
     got a horn like that. Keeps it stuffed with fruit all the
     time though. This is good stuff. Let's pass it round before
     the wine gets poured.

Thor: Wine?

Zeus: O, believe me, if you like this stuff you're gonna love
      wine. Hey girlie, where you from?

Cerridwen: Wales. Got left out of the 7 Goddess chant because
           Americans think Wales is part of England or something.
           And they never pour cider in this damn country. COME
           ON OUT LADS.

Various pantheons of deities emerge from trees, gather round and
scoop mead.

Venus: Honey! It's booze made from honey! And bees are sacred to
       me! Why didn't my priestesses think of this?

Zeus: Heads up, here comes the wine!

In the distance, wine is poured on the ground. Dionysus holds out
hands, wine flows from ground and he pours it into the cauldron.
Cauldron fills with wine. Deities greedily scoop up and drink.

Long pause

Thor: What is this crap?

Zeus: Whaddya mean, this is wine. This is good stuff. This is,
      this is ... this is NON-ALCOHOLIC! WHO ORDERED THIS?

Evil Demon: It is I, Alconon, Lord of the Twelve Steps! ...
            Where's everyone going?

Gods and Goddesses disperse, mumbling. In the distance, the
ritual continues for hours and hours and hours...


[14]
=========
========= Cauldron Info
========= SUPPORT THE CAULDRON BY VOLUNTEERING TO HELP
=========

The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum was founded in December 1997 to
provide a friendly but serious discussion area for Pagans on the
Internet. We've grown a bit over the years. We now have an active
message area, a large web site with around 700 pages of
information (including well over 150 book and divination deck
reviews), and a monthly email newsletter. To continue to provide
and expand these services, The Cauldron needs lots of volunteer
help from our members and supporters.

Here are some of the things members and supporters can do to help
The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum thrive:

=====
===== Actively Participate In Our Message Board
=====

While our Delphi message board welcomes readers, we encourage
members to actively participate by posting their comments and
views in our discussions. One of the easiest ways to help The
Cauldron is to actively participate in our message board. The
staff especially appreciates members who start new topics for
discussion based on their own questions, opinions, or interests.

http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/start

=====
===== Articles! Essays! Tutorials!
=====

We are in constant need of original, well-written and accurate
articles, essays, tutorials, and other written items for both our
web site and for our Cauldron and Candle newsletter. There's no
real limit on length for web site articles. Here are a few areas
in which we always need articles:

* information on the beliefs and theology of the various Pagan
  religions, especially non-Wiccan religions

* information on holidays and festivals of the various Pagan
  religions, especially non-Wiccan religions

* recipes for oils, incenses, and food for the various Pagan
  holidays

* magick, spells, and ritual information

* herbal information

* positive articles on dealing with other faiths

* information on historical pagan cultures

* editorial/opinion pieces

Non-Wiccan material is stressed not because we don't want Wiccan
material but because good non-Wiccan material has been hard to
find. We have a web form you can use to submit an article for
consideration: http://www.ecauldron.com/persontestart.php

=====
===== Book Reviews
=====

While The Cauldron receives some review copies from a couple of
Pagan publishers, there are many books that can only be reviewed
on our web site if a member has a copy and writes a good,
objective review. The Cauldron is interested in reviews on the
more academic books used by reconstructionist Pagan religions as
well as on the books one finds on the Pagan/New Age shelf in the
bookstore. We have a web form you can use to submit a book review
for consideration: http://www.ecauldron.com/persontestbr.php

=====
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The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum is purposely a low graphics site as
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If you have friends or acquaintances who you believe would find
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If you have a web site where linking to The Cauldron: A Pagan
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As The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum uses as many free services as
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The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum also receives a small percentage
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If you purchase a lot of books, CDs, and other items from
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http://www.ecauldron.com/fradambooks.php

=====
===== Have Questions or Suggestions?
=====

If you have specific questions, proposals or other ideas we
haven't mentioned here, please email them to
rssapphire@ecauldron.com. (Unfortunately, Randall has to answer
general "Tell me more?" type questions with a request for a more
specific question. He's not trying to be rude, he just can't
think of anything general and useful to say that isn't said
here.)


[15]
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========= NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
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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
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We tried to publish it twice a month for a while, but real life
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If you have Pagan friends who you believe would be interested in
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===== SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
=====

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

Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet again!

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