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C A U L D R O N A N D C A N D L E #74 -- June 2006 A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum website: http://www.ecauldron.com/ message board: http://www.ecauldron.net/mb/ newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ shopping: http://www.ecauldron.com/mall.php http://www.ecauldron.com/doxysbazaar.php In this Issue: [00] Editorial Notes [01] Cauldron News * The Cauldron's Virtual Picnic Continues [02] Cauldron Discussions [03] Pagan Announcements * Ancient Circle [04] Book Reviews: * Wicca Unveiled * Witch Hunts [05] Articles * Nine Very Effective Astral Projection Techniques * Interpreting Your Dreams [06] Flamekeeping: Human Relations [07] Software Gadgets: The Column * Zurpy -- Save Stuff & Access From Any Computer * FightGear -- Open Source Flight Simulator * PIXresizer - Very Easy Image Resizing [08] Grimoire: Spell of the Sea Shell [09] Pagan Webmaster: Web Designing Tips for New Web Designers [10] Recipe: Hush Puppies [11] Support The Cauldron [12] Newsletter Information (Including How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ LOOKING FOR PAGAN SUPPLIES? Visit The Cauldron's Pagan Supply Store (An Affiliate of Pagan Shopping Online) http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [00] ========= ========= EDITORIAL NOTES ========= Welcome to the first May 2006 issue of Cauldron and Candle. You are receiving this issue because you subscribed. To learn how to unsubscribe, see the last section of this newsletter. I'd like to remind everyone of a couple of painless ways to support The Cauldron if you are in the market for web hosting or pagan supplies. Buy directly from our links: Dreamhost -- Pagan Friendly Web Hosting http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Pagan Supplies http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php Randall Sapphire Editor and Publisher, Cauldron and Candle Co-Host, The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum [01] ========= ========= CAULDRON NEWS ========= by The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum Staff ========= ===== ===== The Cauldron's Virtual Picnic Continues ===== LyricFox is continuing to gather summer recipes from our members for the Cauldron Cookbook. Please post your favorites. http://www.ecauldron.net/cncsocial.php?m=655.1 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ PAGAN-FRIENDLY WEB HOSTING * * Now with 20 GB Web Space & 1000 GB Bandwidth * * http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Dreamhost offers high-quality, low cost web hosting with a dedication to free speech. Pagan sites are welcome! Read why we use Dreamhost for The Cauldron's web site: http://www.ecauldron.com/web/whydreamhost.php Starter Plan Features * 20000 megs web space * 1000 gigs/month bandwidth * 3000 email boxes (POP3/IMAP) * 75 ftp/shell accounts * host unlimited domains/subdomains * php4, php5, cgi, fastcgi, ssi * zend optimizer, ruby on rails * unlimited MySQL databases * announcement lists * discussion (aka mailing) lists * Jabber server * Crontab and Shell access * Web-based Control Panel * One-Click installs of the Wordpress blog & PhpBB forum * 1 free domain name * helpful tech support * and much more! All for $9.95 a month with a $49.95 setup fee. Pay for a year in advance and there is no setup fee. Pay two years in advance and the price drops to $7.95 a month. (And there is a 97 day money back guarantee!) Visit Dreamhost for Affordable, Pagan-Friendly Hosting http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [02] ========= ========= CAULDRON DISCUSSIONS ========= Recent Discussion Topics on our Message Board ========= In an average month, over 200 new discussion topics are started on The Cauldron's message board. Here are a few of the more interesting recent discussions. It's not too late to join in. Thanks to Feedburner, you can now receive an email every night on days we post new site news items to the main page of The Cauldron's web site. These emails contain a link to the new item and the first couple of lines of the news text. You can sign up for Feedburner's free news delivery via the form at the end of the site "News and Updates" section of The Cauldron's main web page. ===== ===== How Do You Pray? ===== Do you pray*? If so, is there a set structure you follow, or do you just sort of say whatever's on your mind? Are there specific existing prayers that you use sometimes, or do you come up with a new one each time? W/R/T the structure part, I'm particularly interested in how people end their prayers. "Amen" doesn't feel right to me, because it feels like a specifically Christian ending. Variations on "so mote it be" have a similar problem; they feel so Wiccan, and while I respect Wicca and all, it's not what I am. Nothing wrong with either one, they're just not me. I haven't yet come up with something more fitting, though, and just kind of saying what I have to say and not adding any kind of closing feels so incomplete. (*=I'm aware that there are many, many definitions of the verb "to pray", so I will specify that for the purposes of this thread, I mean it in the most strictly traditional sense, with the words and the addressing deity and all that. Dear God, such and such and such, amen. By so specifying, I do not mean to invalidate or ignore other kinds of prayer; I simply want to address this particular kind specifically and could not think of a way to differentiate other than by using the word "pray" and adding a somewhat lengthy footnote explaining myself.) * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=827.1 ===== ===== Does Being Pagan Imply Being Religious? ===== Lately I've been wondering whether I 'count' as a Pagan. According to the definition given in the TC's Pagan Primer: quote: "A Pagan religion is a religion that is not Jewish, Christian, or Islamic and self-identifies as Pagan." I fit this in that I'm not JCI, and often consider myself to be Pagan. My problem centres around the word 'religion' - I'm not actively religious, I perform no ritual or prayer. But I do follow a philosophy (Stoicism) that derives from a Pagan culture, and which gives me a definite conception of the Divine. I was wondering what people's views are on this? Is it enough to have a Pagan philosophical understanding, or must a person be actively religious to count as Pagan? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=815.1 ===== ===== Necessity of Teaching? ===== In another thread here, Everfool posted something that got me thinking: "I've met all too many people who practice magic that I don't think should be allowed to. I'm not inclined to try and teach *more* people about it." I found this interesting because I often end up teaching people magic, originally without thinking about it. I became aware of it and have been working on it consciously since then. It's one of the things I do in devotion to my gods. So, what about you all? Do you have the urge to teach? Is it a necessary part of your path? What makes a potential student suitable or not suitable in your opinion? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=801.1 ===== ===== You are WRONG! ===== Imagine that one day, a deity appears before you. Literally. And you know it, too. There's just a huge sense of power, divinity and absolute authority. Then the deity tells you: "You're WRONG!" and proceeds to completely demolish your religion. For example, there's no Apollo/Jesus/Freya/whoever you worship. Everything you believed in is dismissed as a sham. And you know this deity is telling you the truth. Would it affect you at all? Would you be concerned about getting the 'right' religion? Or would you not care? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=775.1 ===== ===== Fire and Air... Grumble, Grumble ===== What got me back on this particular treadmill of thought and grumbling is trying to apply myself studiously to Tarot reading again, but it relates to magical attributions as well. Most of us are used to seeing Elements linked to directions: Air=East, Fire=South, Water=West, Earth=North And some of us have customized this to suit where, for instance, the large bodies of water are with regards to our locations. Now, the other thing, tools are commonly linked to elements (and directions, on presumes). What I run into is fire=sword OR fire=wand, the second being more prevalent in many things I read. I really have a hard time with that one. In my experience, lol, fire BURNS wands! But fire helps produce a sword...being cut with a sword burns like fire, etc, etc, etc. I equate wand to air...to thought, etc. And fire to sword to will. Now, since I really am trying to get myself deeper into the Tree of Life spread and the Qabbalistic link-up with readings (don't ask me why, it just "sticks" for me in a way no other spread does) most of my sources are right back to the Wands=fire and it attributes this to Chokma. I can't get there. Also, it attributes knights to Chokma. For me, Tipareth is the 'saving' sephirah--- and knights do the saving, so it makes more sense to me to put knights there. And tho' knights have swords....I put wands and air there in my mind and just can't seem to wrench it out of there. This keeps screwing me up till I want to chew, throw, and otherwise act like a three year old with the book(s). My question is, then, how do you reconcile the gut "NOPE, Not working for me." with various source materials. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=769.1 ===== ===== Real Practitioners of Not Your Religion? ===== Randall's comment: "Every real Satanist I've known (teen posers do not count) have been self-centered to the point that the community is only important so far as it can aid whatever they want to do." got me thinking about differentiating between "real" and "not real" practitioners of religions, especially when it's a question of a religion you do not practice yourself and aren't a member/follower of. Especially the part quoted raise a question on whether the people Randall referred to fit the description he gave because all real Satanists actually are that way, or because people who call themselves Satanists but do not fit the desciption don't get classified as real Satanists... (especially as my personal experiences aren't that, well, negative) So, how do you (general you!) classify whether somebody saying they are, say, a Wiccan, an Asatru, or whatever actually is one? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=750.1 ===== ===== Women as Pre-Pregnant Beings? ===== o what are your thoughts on this? Good idea? Bad idea? Control oriented? Just common sense? From the Washington Post: Forever Pregnant Guidelines: Treat Nearly All Women as Pre-Pregnant New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncsocial.php?m=649.1 ===== ===== Miserable Pagan Communities? ===== I see alot of people mentioning how 'awful' their local communities are, how fluffy, how uneducated... Where are you people stumbling onto these groups? I've run into some weirdos, but never so out there that I would feel I needed to take measures to distance myself for fear of how someone might perceive me. I've always gone through the Vox, or Gaias Gateway/ COG for the groups I've hooked up with, as well as a couple of personal recommendations from friends and shop owners. While I didn't click(que!) with Reclaiming I saw it as a limitation of the path rather than an issue with the individuals - I would still go to their open rituals, and participate in local events book signings etc. I just have no desire to STUDY with them or persue the heirarchy. I understand the premise/ purpose of their workings, and while I go okay, this isn't a purpose I would come up with on my own it's still a valid one. So where are all these scary freaky groups? I want to see psycho- pagans. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=730.1 [03] ========= ========= PAGAN ANNOUNCEMENTS ========= ===== ===== Ancient Circle ===== AncientCircle@groups.msn.com is a brand new FREE e-group that is eclectic wicca and pagan. It is brand new and looking for members to start it out to chat and feel free. [04] ========= ========= CAULDRON REVIEWS ========= Most of The Cauldron's book reviews are now written by Mike Gleason. If you would like to contact Mike with comments about his reviews (or about books you would like to have reviewed), you can email Mike at: gleason.mike@ecauldron.GETRIDOFME.com ===== ===== WICCA UNVEILED ===== Wicca Unveiled: The Complete Rituals of Modern Witchcraft by J. Philip Rhodes Published 2000 by Green Magic ISBN 0953674509 192 pages Trade Paperback $14.99 (U.S.) http://www.ecauldron.com/cncbook.php?asin=0953674509 The subtitle of this book is just a bit pretentious (in my opinion). Had it included the word "Basic" in there, I certainly couldn't object. And then the copywriter got into the act with (on the back cover) "The First Comprehensive Guide to Working the Rituals of Wiccan Magic." Puh-leeze. Replace "The First" with "A" and, once again, I would have no objection, but as it stands. Mr. Rhodes makes a few statements in the first chapter that make me question his sincerity. He says "Wiccans are classed as 'white' or good witches." and follows it a few lines later with "Evil or "black witches" as they are sometimes called, differ greatly from Wiccans." Sidestepping the entire "witches aren't Wiccan' debate (which I don't agree with, by the way), I was taught (30+ years ago) that the whole white/black thing was non- existent. Those who work evil magick AREN'T witches. In the Foreword (page 7) he says "The rituals of Wicca are not set in stone and they allow for the individual to build their own character into the rites." He follows that up, on page 13, with "When a witch greets another of a different sex, the greeting is always given with a kiss." (emphasis added) There are, in my experience, no such things as "always" or "never" in the Craft. He continually makes reference to things that "must" happen. While these instances may hold true for the groups he associates with, they are by no means universal truths. I have never heard the white-handled knife called "the purist knife," but that may be because I am not in Britain. I am BTW- trained (Alexandrian, specifically), however, and never ran across the term in my training. Looking at the illustration of the altar on page 18 I am amazed to see that, among other things the "sword of power" (#14) looks suspiciously like a wine bottle and that the "white-handled knife" (#11) is most definitely a book. I would find it quite difficult to cut anything with that particular implement. Come on, now, let's pay attention to the details. I was not taught that coveners must "beat in the power" by "striking the disc (pentacle) with the flat of their hand." And that this occurs before charging any item. Granted, I am Alexandrian but, once again, I never encountered this in my training. Defining a spell as a "wish" as Mr. Rhodes does (on page 21) seems to me to be ridiculous. A spell takes a lot more energy than a wish. Perhaps he was trained in "wish-craft" instead of witchcraft. Okay, enough already. Having stated that the "rituals are not set in stone." he says (on page 29) "In order to work safely in the circle, the following procedures must be observed; failure to so will result in a forfeit - if not an accident." A FORFEIT!!?? What is this, an athletic contest? I have never, ever heard of a ritual being forfeit. (Okay, I retract part of that rant. Later in the book he refers to forfeits for taking too much time to do certain things, etc. He is obviously referring to what we Americans call "penalties" (i.e., a mild "punishment" to drive home a point). Granted that, in BTW circles, certain procedures are expected to be observed while, in eclectic circles, chaos may appear to reign; many of Mr. Rhodes' statements are extreme. The quarter candles do not, necessarily, have to be squat candles set in bowls. I have frequently seen votive candles (which I will grant are squat) placed in votive candle holders (which most definitely are not bowls), as well as glass-encased candles (which are neither squat nor in a bowl) used in BTW circles. The author places the working after the cakes and wine ceremony, which has followed the raising of power. So let me get this right - first you raise power, and ground it. Then you eat and drink which draws you more firmly into the material world. THEN you work magick? Mr. Rhodes' traditional training shows through at various points, most notably the statement (on page 47) that "...because of the chemistry that exists between a man and a woman, the power that they can raise is greater than that of a single person, or a group of one sex." The gender equals polarity equation is part of that training. The illustrations opening "Drawing Down the Moon" and "Drawing Down the Sun" have been swapped, which is another reason I say "Pay attention to the details." I must admit that I always have a problem with books of this sort. On the one hand they serve a valid purpose. But on the other hand there is that line in the Second Degree Initiation: "I do solemnly swear of my own free will In the presence of the God and Goddess That I shall never reveal the secrets of the craft to any Save it be to a worthy person. Properly prepared, In the centre of a magic circle such as I am in now." (page 90) It can be argued that the "secrets" can only be conveyed by experience - I know, I've used that argument myself periodically. But giving the full text of all the rituals to someone with no experience and no one to guide them, is questionable, in my opinion. Once again, on page 169, I find myself questioning Mr. Rhodes's training. He says: "The Priestess makes a supplication to the God of the Underworld for the safe passage of the coven and the absolution of their sins." (emphasis added) I'm sorry - sins? As in breaking the commandments of the gods? Since when? If I wanted absolution of sins I'd go back to the Roman Catholic Church. I was under the impression (give to me by my initiators) that I was expected to take personal responsibility for my actions. I have never encountered the "absolution" concept from any Wiccan I've ever known. Finally, we get to the appendices. The correspondences in Appendix A are a good start for anyone interested in investigating this aspect of magick. The incense recipes in Appendix B offer some intriguing ideas, although I am not so sure about the Saturn incense (it seems to have way too much asafetida for my taste). The Tables of Planetary Hours are poorly designed, again in my opinion. And they suffer from the common defect of not explaining how to determine the length of the "hours" which, except on Equinoxes, are never 60 minutes in length. For Planetary Magick such details are important. For those initiated into British Traditional Wicca the information contained in this book is unnecessary. For an Eclectic initiate, it provides a look at how "the other half" works. For the non-initiate it may be fascinating, but ultimately of little use. My feelings are ambivalent, at best, about this book. It was not as good as I had hoped; nor was it as bad as I had feared. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ NEED PAGAN OR MAGICKAL SUPPLIES? Shop Paganshopping.Com via The Cauldron's Pagan Supplies Store http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ===== ===== Witch Hunts ===== Witch Hunts: Out of The Broom Closet by Kerr Cuhulain Published 2005 by Spiral Publishing ISBN 097554036X 302 pages Trade Paperback $18.95 (U.S.) http://www.ecauldron.com/cncbook.php?asin=097554036X For those of you who have never heard of Kerr Cuhulain before, a little background on his experiences may be helpful. Mr. Cuhulain is a twenty-seven year veteran of the Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) Police Department. He has seen, first hand, the results of the misunderstandings, both unintended and intentional, regarding Pagan beliefs - lives ruined, families destroyed, and religious agendas advanced. The first few pages of this book are enough to frighten even the most jaded among us. From several "official sources" he cites evidence of occult activity to be looked for such as jewelry, gongs, audio/visual recording equipment, music with an occult theme, candles, silver implements, incense, needles, oil, seashells, and the list goes on. Amazing! If you use massage oils and candles to enhance your lovemaking you too can be considered a Satanist. Having been an active member of the Craft community for nearly as long as Kerr has been in law enforcement (I wasn't very active in my early days) I' ve run across a lot of these allegations myself. I am always amazed that (allegedly) intelligent individuals can be taken in by them. I found a number of editing errors in this book which, unfortunately, seems to be an increasing problem in many of the current crop of books. In this case, they mostly consist of dropped words. I'm not sure if this is better or worse than the improper spacing which I see quite frequently. I also found one missing citation (footnote #112 on page 119). Unfortunately, another common editing error I saw was the frequent misuse of the apostrophe (as in "it's" instead of "its"). Not a huge problem, I'll admit, but since Kerr is quick to point out the unprofessional aspects of the Satanic Conspiracy advocates and the "occult experts" in their publications it bears correcting in the next edition of this work. I was also disappointed to see one mis-attribution in the text (Arthur Edward Waite is cited as Edgar Arthur Waite on page 161) although the correct name is given in the Bibliography. Over the past couple of years I have read and reviewed a few books intended as resources to help Wiccans explain themselves and their beliefs to family and friends (Wicca Demystified and When Someone You Love is Wiccan for example). This is the first book I have seen which is aimed at helping Wiccans to deal with those in authority (other than Kerr's first book (Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca). Every once in a while I recommend that readers of my reviews purchase an extra copy of a book (to donate to local libraries, for instance). Well, in this case I suggest that, as well as getting one for yourself, you also purchase a copy to give to the your local police department. Whether or not they will pay any attention, I don't know. I suspect they may, given Kerr's background. While I don't always agree with Kerr's definitions or terminology I do have to say that they come far closer to the understanding of most Wiccans I know than the drivel put out by the a lot of the "experts" the law enforcement community relies upon. Kerr repeatedly points out the tendency for the "experts" to mix together wishful thinking and inability to discriminate between fantasy and reality in their definitions and interpretations (if I were Terry Brooks I would be asking these folks for compensation since they use creations of his "Shannara" series in their lists of demons. Oh, wait, I imagine that these experts see these books as recruiting tools, just like "D&D," "Rainbow Brite," and "Captain Planet." In the final chapter he gives some suggestions about how to "come out," if you are so inclined. He then follows it with a short glossary and a Bibliography. [05] ========= ========= ARTICLES ========= ===== ===== NINE VERY EFFECTIVE ASTRAL PROJECTION TECHNIQUES ===== by Abhishek Agarwal ===== Astral Projection is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. It is a process by which the human consciousness temporarily leaves the physical body and functions independently, while the physical body remains still and passive throughout. There are hundreds of techniques available that induce Projection. But since there is no universal method that would work for everyone to attain conscious projection, we will discuss some different kinds of techniques. You should know them all to decide which one suits you best. In this section we will discuss some most popular and widely used techniques of experiencing an OOBE. 1. Rope Technique : This technique has been formulated by Robert Bruce and is one of the most effective techniques around. A key ingredient to this projection technique is an invisible, imaginary rope hanging from your ceiling. This rope will be used to exert dynamic pressure at a single point on your astral body to force its separation from the physical. Reach out with your imaginary hands and pull yourself, hand over hand, up the strong, invisible, imaginary rope hanging above you. You will feel a slight dizzy sensation inside you as you do this. This feeling of vertigo will intensify the more you pull on the rope. Keep climbing, hand over hand, ever upwards, and you will feel the vibrations start. Your whole body will seem to be vibrating and you will feel paralyzed. Concentrate single minded, on climbing your rope. Don't stop. Next you will feel yourself coming free of your body. You will exit your body in the direction of your imaginary rope and will be hovering above your body. You're free at last! 2. Watch Yourself Going To Sleep : Lie down comfortably on your back, facing the ceiling. Relax your body and clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Relax even more. Tell yourself that you are going to watch yourself in the act of going to sleep. You must be very clear about your intent. You're going to let your body sleep while your mind will remain alert throughout the entire process. Tell yourself you will retain consciousness even while your body is going to be in complete "trance". As you relax completely, you must learn to recognize the rather strange, distinctive sensations you feel as your body moves into the sleep state. You MUST stay aware as this unfolds. At a certain point, you will feel that your body is feeling heavy and numb. You are on the right track! Pay close attention to all your bodily sensations. You may feel yourself swaying or floating. You might even find certain parts of your body tingling. There might be vibrations running from your head to toe. You might even hear a strong buzzing sensation in your ears. Whatever the sensations, do not panic as these are very good signals that you are on the verge of experiencing an OOBE. You have to then visualize that you are rising up from your bed and floating towards the ceiling. How would it feel if you could actually float? Try to make the experience as real as possible. Hold this image for as long as you can. If everything goes on well, you might suddenly find yourself outside the body, floating near the ceiling! 3. Monroe Technique : Robert Monroe, one of the foremost authorities on Astral Projection devised this method. You have to first relax your body. This is a very important step. Then try to go to sleep, but don't fall asleep. Maintain your awareness between sleep and wakefulness. This is known as the hypnagogic state. Then deepen this hypnagogic state and start to clear your mind of unwanted thoughts. Simply look through your closed eyelids at the blackness in front of you. Then you must enter an even deeper state of relaxation. The next step is to induce vibrations throughout your body and intensify them. These vibrations have to be controlled and intensified further. This is the moment when the Astral body will separate from the Physical body. You then simply have to "roll-over" and you will find yourself out of your body. 4. OOBE from Lucid Dreams : Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming. In a Lucid Dream a person is already "out" of his body. In order to achieve Astral Projection from Lucid Dreams, you have to first become obsessed with OBEs and you must really DESIRE it. You must read everything you can about it. You must think about it every free moment that you have. Once your mind is besotted with the thought of OOBEs we will need triggers and affirmations so that you have a Lucid Dream. During the day keep thinking: 'Tonight I'm going to have a Lucid Dream'. Remind yourself of this all day long. And - and this is the important part - keep asking yourself during the day "Am I dreaming now?" With a few days of practice, you'll have programmed your sub- conscious to induce a Lucid Dream. Once you are in a Lucid Dream, and know that you are dreaming, you would also know that you are not in your body. You can then will yourself to see your bedroom. In most cases, when you do this, your dreamland will suddenly disappear and you will find yourself in your bedroom, floating above your body. 5. Displaced-awareness Projection : Close your eyes and get into your usual trance-state Try to sense the entire room, at once. Feel yourself just above your shoulders and seeing all around. Be very passive about what is going on. Then imagine that your Astral Body is slowly rotating by 180 degrees. Once you finish your mental rotation, your Astral head should be where your physical feet are, and your Astral feet would be where your physical head is! With this firmly in your mind, try visualizing the room from this new direction. The idea is to forget about where you really are, and displace your sense of direction. When you do this correctly, you will find yourself getting dizzy. This is normal. When you are comfortable with this, the next step is to imagine floating towards the roof. Try to make it as real as possible. You may suddenly find yourself "popped" out of your physical body! 6. The Jump Technique: The Jump Technique, when done well, can wake up anyone in their dreams and make them Lucid. However, it does need to be done well. This is how the technique works: We repeatedly need to ask ourselves during the day whether we are in a dream or not. It is important that we do this not just for the sake of asking ourselves the question, but because we really want to know where we are. We should really doubt that we are in the Physical. So in order to prove where we are, we jump as if we were going to fly. If we are in the Physical, we will land back on the ground. But during a dream, when we jump, we will defy gravity and float. When this is done for a few days, you will soon find yourself in a dream in which you are jumping to check whether you are in a dream or not. As soon as you jump, you will find yourself floating, thus triggering a Lucid Dream and an OOBE. 7. Muldoon's Thirst Technique: This is not one of the most pleasant or effective methods designed by Sylvan Muldoon. In order to use this technique, you must refrain from drinking for some hours before going to bed. Throughout the day increase your thirst by every means you can. Keep a glass of water in front of you and stare into it, imagining drinking, but not allowing yourself to do so! Then before you sleep, eat a pinch or two of salt. Place the glass of water at some convenient place away from your bed and rehearse in your mind all the actions necessary to getting it: getting up, crossing the room, reaching out for the glass, and so on. You must then go to bed, still thinking about your thirst and the means of quenching it. At night, you might awaken in your dream and you will find yourself walking towards the glass of water. With any luck the suggestions you have made to yourself will bring about the desired OBE. 8. The Stretch-out Technique: Lie down, shut your eyes and relax your body. Imagine your feet stretching out and becoming longer by just an inch or so. Once you have this picture in your mind, let your feet go back to normal. Do the same with his head, stretching it out an inch beyond its normal position. Then, get it back to normal. Then alternate all between head and feet, gradually increasing the distance until you can stretch out both your feet and head to about two feet or more. At this stage imagine stretching out both at once. This exercise will make you feel dizzy and often start the vibrations. After some practice, you will experience floating sensations and you can then tell yourself to rise up towards the ceiling. You are out! 9. The Hammock Technique: Visualize yourself lying in a bright white hammock, stationed between two palm trees on a secluded beach. Imagine the feeling of swaying in the wind, and recreate that feeling now as you visualize yourself swaying from side to side in the hammock. Repeat this visualization for as long as it takes to bring forth the vibrations, and when you feel the vibrations, just "roll-out" of your body. Whichever technique you choose, you are unlikely to get a result on the very first night, or even on the first few nights - so take your time with them and try not to get frustrated when nothing happens at first. But I promise you will soon start to see some results. === === About the Author === Copyright Abhishek Agarwal. If you want to know more about Astral Projection, download Abhishek's exhaustive free 167 page ebook on Astral Projection from http://www.astralprojectnow.com/. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ PAGAN FRIENDLY WEB HOSTING AT DREAMHOST http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Dreamhost offers high-quality, low cost web hosting with a dedication to free speech. Pagan sites are welcome! Read why we use Dreamhost for The Cauldron's web site: http://www.ecauldron.com/web/whydreamhost.php $9.95/Month Plan Features: 20000 megs web space -- 1000 gigs/month bandwidth -- 3000 email boxes (POP3/IMAP) -- 75 ftp/shell accounts -- host unlimited domains/subdomains -- php4, php5, cgi, fastcgi, ssi, zend optimizer, ruby on rails -- unlimited MySQL databases -- announcement lists -- discussion lists -- Jabber server -- Crontab and Shell access -- Web-based Control Panel -- One-Click installs of the Wordpress, PhpBB, and many more -- One FREE domain name -- 1 free domain name -- helpful tech support -- much more! Visit Dreamhost for Affordable, Pagan-Friendly Hosting http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ===== ===== INTERPRETING YOUR DREAMS ===== by Clare Gibson ===== Many of us suppress our emotions in the waking world -- especially extreme ones -- for fear of somehow alienating those around us, or else of appearing dangerously vulnerable, or even of disgusting ourselves. This means that the only way in which we can "safely" express our true feelings is in dreamland. Dreams that are flooded with a positive emotion may furthermore often be categorized as wish- fulfillment dreams, while those that are blighted by a negative emotion may be classed as safety-valve dreams. Below is an analysis of two emotions common in dreams: fear and freedom. === === FEAR === If you had a nightmare that left you paralyzed with fear, you probably awoke feeling very relieved to realize that it was just a dream, and you may have spent most of the next day trying to push it out of your memory. However, these types of dreams are underlined by our waking fears -- which are very real, though perhaps repressed -- which are likely to appear in our dreams again and again until we confront and resolve them. === Symbolic and Verbal Associations Unconscious fears; phobias Something (or someone) that one finds "monstrous" Repressed personal qualities or characteristics External threats A call to action; the "fight or flight" response === Positive Interpretations If you have a waking phobia of spiders, did you wake up in a panic after dreaming that hundreds of giant, hairy arachnids were crawling all over you? Or, if you suffer from a fear of heights, did you have a nightmare in which you found yourself dangling precariously over the edge of a very high cliff? If so, your dream was probably just mirroring your waking phobias, especially if something in the real world has recently triggered your fear. And, as scary as your dream may have been to you, your unconscious mind probably selected the nightmare scenario as a "call to action," in order to urge you to confront and conquer your fear. If you have a recurring scary dream, you may find it helpful to tell yourself that when you next have the dream, you will not run from whatever it is that frightens you, be it spiders or boogeymen, but will instead stand and face whatever it is. If you do, you may be surprised to find that the dream consequences are not as bad as you imagined them to be, which will help to allay your fear and hopefully put an end to the dreams. === Negative Interpretations The unconscious will sometimes portray our fears in monstrous form. Did you have a dream in which you were being pursued by a hideous, fanged monster that had run you down and was about to overtake you? If so, the monster was most likely a symbol of something that you fear in the waking world that you feel is threatening to consume you. Doing some free association may help you to figure out whom or what your dream monster represented. Was it your predatory lover? An ogre-like teacher? Your own "green-eyed" beast of jealousy? Could your dream vampire have represented your energy-sapping friend? (Or had you just watched a vampire movie on late-night television?) Once you have identified the source of your fright, you will be better able to arm yourself in order to do battle with whatever it is that is troubling you. === === FREEDOM === Sometimes our dreams may fill us with an exhilarating sense of freedom or liberation. And when we awake from this sort of dream, we may feel somewhat let down or disappointed to realize that we must now deal with the more mundane reality of the world. Dreams of flying may be the most literal or obvious form of freedom dreams, but almost any dream scenario may fall into this category, depending on our own subjective feelings and experiences. === Symbolic and Verbal Associations Exhilaration Escape; release Casting off your shackles "Being yourself " "Flying high," or "floating free" === Positive Interpretations In your dream, were you soaring over beautiful mountains and valleys, or running carefree through a meadow of wildflowers? Or did your dream self rise up and walk out of your tedious office job for the last time? Dreams in which we finally break away from the chains and shackles that bind us -- physically or emotionally -- are likely to fill us with an overwhelming feeling of euphoria. Wish-fulfillment, escapist fantasy dreams of this sort are special treats from our unconscious minds, sent to us in order to make up or compensate for the tedium or drudgery of our day-to- day lives. These dreams may provide us with the little extra boost that we need in order to cope with daily life--and if we heed their message, they may even encourage us to release ourselves from whatever (or whoever) is holding us back or sapping our vitality in the waking world. === Negative Interpretations If you felt extremely sad or depressed after waking from a dream in which you experienced ultimate freedom, do you feel that the dreariness and the confines of your current life have chained you down so firmly that there is no way of ever escaping to happiness? For instance, are you in a relationship that is making you feel trapped or claustrophobic? Are the demands of others, or of your workload, stealing your time, your energy, or your individuality? Do you long for a more exciting, stimulating relationship, job, or life? Do you desire the freedom to "be yourself "? If so, your unconscious mind was probably using your dream in order to urge you to seek appropriate help to take the necessary steps to release yourself from whatever situation is confining you. Though your dream may have provided you with a temporary release from your troubles, you may continue to experience your waking sadness until you make a conscious effort to cast off your shackles -- whether they were put on you by yourself or by others -- and to live your life in whatever manner you find personally fulfilling. === === About the Author === Clare Gibson is the author of numerous books on dreams and astrology. This article is part of an extract from her book: The Ultimate Dream Decoder. The full extract can be read at http://www.browsebooksforfree.com/books5-5. [06] ========= ========= FLAMEKEEPING ========= Inner Relations ========= by HeartShadow ========= HeartShadow is following her own religious path. She calls it FlameKeeping. This regular column will present articles on FlameKeeping, many taken from HeartShadow's FlameKeeping blog at: http://flamekeeping.blogspot.com/ ===== ===== Human Relations ===== Part of what religions speak to is the relationship between humans and each other, and humans and the greater world. We do not live in isolation, but instead are deeply nested in a world of overlapping responsibilities and friendships that ripple outwards, linking every person to everyone else. What does this mean? Humanity is interdependent upon each other, and upon the planet on which we live. All is part of the Divine, and we are all part of each other, unable to survive without the rest of creation. We believe in self-reliance and self- sufficiency, but the only way we can believe such a thing is by viewing all that we do rely on as nonexistent and unworthy of consideration. We are part of a greater world, and it is through seeing our interrelation we can find our true selves and how to interact with others. We like to see ourselves as individuals, in control, having the power to change our lives and the lives of those around us. The problem with this view is not that it’s false, but that the power that we have is not always what we think it is. We have ultimate control over our emotions, over our actions and reactions, although we do not always have control over what the choices for those actions are. We are not responsible for the choices set before us, however, only the ones we choose to take. Power is responsibility. The two cannot be separated out, one cannot have responsibility without the power to do something about it, nor can one have power without the fact that how you use that power will affect other people. As we have power over ourselves, so do we have responsibility for ourselves, for being what we desire to be and making the choices we believe are right. Seeing ourselves, our powers and responsibilities, in a clear manner is essential to improving our relations with other people and the world around us. When we ignore our responsibilities, we betray ourselves and the world around us, causing a rippling effect. Even as the Divine teaches us, so do we teach the Divine, and when we betray, and are untrustworthy, and claim that power is not linked inexorably to responsibility, we tell the Divine and the world around us that their power is not linked to their responsibility either. We do not exist in a vacuum. Everything we do affects others, teaches others, and we must be careful to make sure the life we lead is one we have no shame of being used as an example to others. Questions: * How are we related? How are we separate? * Why are we not responsible for the choices set before us? Why are we responsible for which choices we take? * How does having power over ourselves give us responsibility? What responsibilities does it give? [07] ========= ========= SOFTWARE GADGETS: THE COLUMN ========= Interesting Items From The Software Gadgets Blog ========= http://softwaregadgets.gridspace.net/ ========= The Software Gadgets Blog aims to present a different "software gadget" every weekday. A software gadget is a program or addon that is both interesting and useful -- and often free. This column highlights three of the programs listed recently. Many more were listed and you'll find more gadgets like these added every week at the Software Gadgets Blog at: http://softwaregadgets.gridspace.net/ ===== ===== ZURPY -- SAVE STUFF & ACCESS FROM ANY COMPUTER ===== Okay, this really isn't my thing as I only use one computer, but I received an email from a friend who loves Zurpy and begged me to mention it. Zurpy is a new (and free) web service that allows you to: Save your bookmarks, text clippings, images, files, and news feeds in one place. Easily tag and find what you've saved. Access your stuff from any computer anywhere. If you move from computer to computer during the day, I can see how Zurpy could be useful. Unlike some of the social sites that do similar things, your info belongs just to you on this site -- what you save apparently is not shared with others (at least not intentionally). It's easy to use as well. Once you register, you drag a bookmark to your browser's link bar. When you click the link, a window appears where you can save and tag a link, newsfeed, image, file, or text note. The url and feed are pre- filled with the info from the site you are on. However, there doesn't seem to be a search, other than a way to limit the displayed items to those with a specific tag. Rating: 3 Stars Price: Free Web Site: http://zurpy.com/ ===== ===== FIGHTGEAR -- OPEN SOURCE FLIGHT SIMULATOR ===== I've crashed a large number of airplanes (and one space shuttle, but that's another story) in my day. Fortunately, they were all simulated fights (and crashes). I've used a number of flight simulation programs over the years -- from primitive things that ran on my old Apple II to spiffy Windows flight simulators from Microsoft. In many ways, the open source FlightGear is most interesting of the lot I've tried. There is a lot of terrain available to crash on -- I mean fly over (3 DVDs worth and growing), a growing number of aircraft to fly, and it runs nicely on just about any modern system with a 3D graphics card -- with accurate flight physics. From the FlightGear web site: The idea for Flight Gear was born out of a dissatisfaction with current commercial PC flight simulators. A big problem with these simulators is their proprietariness and lack of extensibility. There are so many people across the world with great ideas for enhancing the currently available simulators who have the ability to write code, and who have a desire to learn and contribute. Many people involved in education and research could use a spiffy flight simulator frame work on which to build their own projects; however, commercial simulators do not lend themselves to modification and enhancement. The Flight Gear project is striving to fill these gaps. FlightGear is an open-source project. This means as long as you abide by the terms of the GPL license you may freely download and copy FlightGear. Anyway can have easy and open access to the latest development source code. Being an open- source project, we have made our file formats open and easily accessible. We support standard 3d model formats and much of the simulator configuration is controlled through xml based ascii files. Writing 3rd party extensions for FlightGear (or even directly modifying the FlightGear source code) is straightforward and doesn't require a large amount of reverse engineering. This makes FlightGear an attractive option for use in private, commercial, research, or hobby projects. FlightGear has the ability to model a wide variety of aircraft. Currently you can fly the 1903 Wright Flyer, strange flapping wing "ornithopters", a 747 and A320, various military jets, and several light singles. FlightGear has the ability to model those aircraft and just about everything in between. A multi player protocol is available for using FlightGear on a local network in a multi aircraft environment, for example to practice formation flight or for tower simulation purposes. With FlightGear it is possible to choose between three primary Flight Dynamics Models. It is possible to add new dynamics models or even interface to external "proprietary" flight dynamics models. World scenery fits on 3 DVD's. (I'm not sure that's a feature or a problem!) But it means we have pretty detailed coverage of the entire world. Accurate terrain worldwide, based on the most recently released SRTM terrain data.) 3 arc second resolution (about 90m post spacing) for North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. FlightGear ships with an extensive 109 page manual. The main problem with FlightGear is there is so much there. No only so much to download, but so much to do in the simulation. The basic download for Windows is 135 megs. Fortunately, you can download just the areas of the world you are interested in flying over, you don't have to download all 12 gigs or so of world data to use the program. You can get the program and scenercy files on DVD for a fee -- and unless you have a really big pipe broadband connection, you may want to take advantage of this option if you want all the scenery -- especially as the money from sales of these DVDs goes to support FightGear and to support various charities. . Rating: 4.5 Stars Operating System: Windows, Linux, Solaris (sparc/x86), SGI, Mac OS X, FreeBSD License: Open Source (GNU GPL) Price: Free Version Reviewed: 0.9.10 Web Site: http://www.flightgear.org/ ===== ===== PIXRESIZER - VERY EASY IMAGE RESIZING ===== I suspect everyone has one. A friend or relative who just doesn't understand image files and how large they can be when they come off their digital camera. No matter how many times to explain to them that no one really wants their 18 meg 1600x1600 pixel picture of Fido sleeping in email, they continue to send them. You've even tried showing them how to use the photo-editing software that came with their camera to reduce the image and file size, but it is far too complex for them to remember, so they just don't bother. Especially since they can't see what the problem with their pictures is. Try giving them PIXresizer, a simple program designed to resize pictures. It makes resizing pictures a simple four procedure: load the image, pick the size from a list, pick the format from a list, and save the new smaller image. By default it saves to a different directory so the original is not overwritten. It even has an easy "apply recommended" option to automate steps two through four with usually quite reasonable defaults. PIXresizer makes sending rationally sized pictures via email easy. From the PIXresizer web site: PIXresizer is a photo resizing program to easily create web and e-mail friendly versions of your images with reduced file sizes. The reduced files are saved in a different folder, so your original images are not altered at all. PIXresizer offers several different resizing methods to choose from and can automatically recognize image sizes to calculate the best fit. In addition, it can convert between image formats (JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG and TIFF), rotate images, convert to grayscale and resize multiple images in batch mode. A great companion for webmasters and digital photographers. Options/Features * Simple Four-Step Workflow * Easy 'Apply recommended' option to make it even more user friendly * Works with single files as well as with multiple files all at once * Option to convert between graphics formats (.bmp, .gif, .jpg, .png, and .tif) * Can be used to create thumbnails (takes one move on a slider) * Smart Ratio Calculation (image proportions can be overruled by the user) * Error logging (checks for corrupted images) Do yourself a favor, download and try PIXresizer today. Then you can give it to friends and relatives who send you those huge pictures and be ready to show them how easy it is to use. Who knows, you might even use it yourself once in a while -- it loads much faster than Photoshop. Rating: 5 Stars Operating System: Windows License: Freeware Price: Free Version Reviewed: 1.0.9 Web Site: http://bluefive.pair.com/pixresizer.htm [08] ========= ========= From the Spell Grimoire: ========= SPELL OF THE SEA SHELL ========= To perform this spell, you must find a suitable sea shell in shallow water. Take the shell and dry it thoroughly. Draw a symbol of your desire upon the surface of the shell. The symbol must be draw with something that will easily wash off in water. Place the shell upon the shore (the sea shore is best, but any body of water large enough to have natural tides will do), so that the Tide will bring waves across the shell. Take care to note the phase of the Moon (waxing moon for the gain of something, waning for the dissolving of something). When the shell is in place, draw a triangle in the ground/sand, enclosing the shell completely. The symbol upon the shell must be facing upwards (toward the Moon). Meaningful words, or phrases, may be placed upon the shell also, or simply written in the ground/sand (inside the triangle). Chant the following toward the moon: Goddess of Moon, Earth, and the Sea, Each wish in Thy name must come to be. Powers and Forces which Tides do make, Now summon Thy waves, my spell to take. The spell is finished. Leave the area now. Once the waves come, then your wish will be taken out to the Old Ones. It will usually take about 7 days for a Lunar spell to begin to manifest, but can take as long as 28 days. === === About This Spell === This spell is taken from The Cauldron's Spell Grimoire, a collection of basic spells available on The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum's web site. You'll find more spells at: http://www.ecauldron.com/spells/index.php [09] ========= ========= Pagan Webmaster: ========= WEB DESIGNING TIPS FOR NEW WEB DESIGNERS ========= by Jim Pretin ========= [If you are running -- or thinking of running a web site (Pagan- related or not), you will find more articles, reviews, and other useful information at the following sites: The Cauldron's Pagan Webcrafting http://www.ecauldron.com/articles/archives/cat_webcrafting.php The Cheap Web Hosting Report http://www.cheapwebhostingreport.com/ ] === Introduction to Web Design Websites are such useful tools. They are great for sharing information, selling products, and staying in touch and up to date with family and friends. As a web designer with some "hard knocks" experience under my belt I would like to share some tips for getting started that should make the process a little easier and a little less confusing. The basics that you need to know about putting together a website are keep it simple, keep it relevant, and keep it accessible. === Keep It Simple Keep it simple is one of the most overused clichés in the business world but, in this case, it is an absolutely necessary cliché. By telling you to keep your website simple I am in no way advocating that you make it dull, uninteresting, and boring. Not at all, in fact, I am saying quite the opposite. If a website is too cluttered with visuals it will not be easy to navigate. If a person cannot find what it is they are looking for than they will not come back to your site, even if what they need is on your site. Make sure that your design has a specific focus. There should be a homepage that easily directs people to the specific section of your site that they need to get to. The last time I was exposed to the information I read that the average attention span of Americans is slightly less than two minutes. It becomes even shorter when they are browsing the Internet because there is so much to look at. If they cannot find what they want on your site immediately, there are hundreds of other places they can look. Also, don't put a lot of Flash stuff on your site; the extra time it takes up will make viewers impatient. === Keep It Relevant It is amazing the number of websites that are dedicated to one subject but then just throw all kinds of other stuff in there. If someone is looking to buy quilts they don't really want to have to wade through vacation pictures to get to the quilt page. Also, if someone is looking for a specific topic, subject, or item and they see something else when they get to your homepage, they won't stick around long enough to realize that they are at the right spot. They will leave and find another site to browse. That ties in with the simplicity of your site as well. Irrelevant material makes a website complicated. Even things like random 'jokes of the day' or comic strips, while funny I'm sure, will drive more people away than bring them in. === Keep It Accessible There are two things to consider when dealing with accessibility issues, outside accessibility and inside accessibility. These two, if mastered, will drive people to your site and keep them coming back over and over. These two, if disregarded, will leave you with a nice, clean, unused site that does nothing more than take up cyberspace. === Outside Accessibility In order for people to get to your site they have to be able to find it. Sure, you can hand out business cards and email the URL to all your friends, but that is not where the majority of your traffic comes from. You have to make sure that your site can be found by searching the major search engines. In order to do this, you have to have content that will register hits when web browsers perform a search. For instance, if you are selling woven baskets you, obviously, want to make sure that your site mentions, in a readable way, that you are selling woven baskets. You would also want to make sure that your site mentions that you are selling crafts as there are people who would be interested in buying your baskets but would search for "crafts for sale". These are called keywords and you want to make sure that you have enough of them to register when a search is performed. === Inside Accessibility This merely ties back in with keeping it simple. If someone goes to your site where you sell all different kinds of arts and crafts, but they are only interested in buying Popsicle stick bird feeders, you need to have an easy way for them to find what they are looking for. Otherwise, they will just go somewhere else. It is always a good idea to have a search option for within your site to accommodate easy browsing. === === About the Author === Jim Pretin is a programmer and the proprietor of http://www.forms4free.com. [10] ========= ========= From the Cauldron Cookbook: ========= Hush Puppies ========= submitted by Texas Red ========= === Ingredients 3/4 cup corn meal 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 egg 2 teaspoons bacon drippings, melted 1/3 cup finely chopped onion Crisco or other vegetable shortening for frying === Directions Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, and mix well. Melt enough shortening in a skillet or deep fryer to completely cover the hush puppies. Heat to a temperature of 375°F. Drop batter by spoonfuls (approximately 1-1/2 inches in diameter), a few at a time, into the hot oil and deep fry until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and serve at once. Makes about a dozen. Note: Test your first hush puppy. Fry it until the color is right, then remove it and cut in half to make sure it is cooked through. Then you can eat it. === === About This Recipe === This recipe is taken from the Cauldron Cookbook, a growing collection of recipes submitted by members of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. You'll find more recipes at: http://www.ecauldron.com/cookbook/index.php [11] ========= ========= 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 over 300 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 new 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://www.ecauldron.net/mb/ ===== ===== 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/bnbarticleform.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/bnbbkreviewform.php ===== ===== Graphic Assistance ===== The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum is purposely a low graphics site as we value page download speed over flashy graphics. However, we are always willing to talk with artists who have ideas for well-designed small graphics (small in both physical dimensions and file size) that might enhance a specific article or page. ===== ===== Invite Your Friends ===== If you have friends or acquaintances who you believe would find The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum useful, please tell them about our site. If you are active in our message board and have friends who might enjoy them or have information to contribute, please invite them. ===== ===== Link To The Cauldron ===== If you have a web site where linking to The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum would be appropriate, simply providing a link to this web site is a big help. Our Link to this Site page explains how you can do this if you need help or want some simple graphic buttons to use: http://www.ecauldron.com/linktous.php ===== ===== Donations ===== As The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum uses as many free services as possible, our need for money to operate our site is currently lower than our need for the many items we list above. However, if you have a few dollars to spare, we would be honored to have your help in paying for our web site. You can donate by using either PayPal or the Amazon Honor System links below (we get about 85% of what you donate). Donate via PayPal http://www.ecauldron.com/donatepaypal.php Donate via Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P3903JRFVQVDN ===== ===== Amazon Purchases ===== The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum also receives a small percentage (usually 5%) from most items purchased from Amazon.com when you go to Amazon.com from one of the links to Amazon on our web site. If you purchase a lot of books, CDs, and other items from Amazon.com as many members do, going to Amazon.com through one of our links when you are going to make a purchase there is a painless way to help fund this web site. http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazon.php If you are a regular user of the US version of Amazon, you can help The Cauldron by replacing the URL of your ebay bookmark in your browser with the above link so that TC gets credit every time you visit Amazon.com. To do this in Internet Explorer or Firefox, find Amazon in your bookmark list. RIGHT click on it and select Properties from the popup menu which will appear. A dialog box describing your bookmark will appear. You'll see the standard Amazon url -- probably http://www.amazon.com/ -- in an edit box (labeled "Location" in FireFox and "URL" in IE). Erase that url completely and replace with one listed above, then click on OK. If you use Amazon UK, you can use this address http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazonuk.php If you use Amazon Canada, you can use this addess: http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazonca.php ===== ===== Ebay Purchases ===== Are you an Ebay user? Ebay has a new program that pays affiliates a small percent of the winning bid if the winning bidder enters ebay from an affiliate link (some like how our Amazon.com affiliate program works). So if you visit the US version ebay via the following link, the Cauldron will get credit for your bids: http://www.ecauldron.com/zebay.php If you are a regular user of the US version of ebay, you can help The Cauldron by replacing the URL of your ebay bookmark in your browser with the above link so that TC gets credit every time you visit ebay. To do this in Internet Explorer or Firefox, find ebay in your bookmark list. RIGHT click on it and select Properties from the popup menu which will appear. A dialog box describing your bookmark will appear. You'll see the standard ebay url -- probably http://www.ebay.com/ -- in an edit box (labeled "Location" in FireFox and "URL" in IE). Erase that url completely and replace with one listed above, then click on OK. ===== ===== Have Questions or Suggestions? ===== If you have specific questions, proposals or other ideas we haven't mentioned here, please email them to rssapphire00@ecauldron.GETRIDOFEME.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.) [12] ========= ========= NEWSLETTER INFORMATION ========= (Including how to subscribe and unsubscribe) ========= Cauldron and Candle is a free publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. The Cauldron intends to publish this newsletter once a month and often actually succeeds in doing so. We tried to publish it twice a month for a while, but real life interfered too often. This issue of Cauldron and Candle as a whole is copyright (c) 2005 by The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. 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. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of newsletter, The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum, or its staff. Publication of an article in this newsletter is not an endorsement of the authors position or any products and companies mentioned therein. 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 OR CHANGE EMAIL ADDRESS ===== You are receiving a copy of this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter via your web browser at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cauldronandcandle/join Or you can unsubscribe via email by sending a blank message to cauldronandcandle-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Be sure to send this message from the email account actually subscribed to the newsletter. If you have trouble unsubscribing by email, please use the web browser method mentioned above. If you need to change your subscription to a new email address, unsubscribe your old email address and subscribe your new email address. Note that you have to make these changes yourself. Yahoo Groups does not allow the list owner to make them for you. ===== ===== 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/ ===== ===== 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. ===== ===== 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@ecauldron.GETRIDOFME.com) or Randall Sapphire (rssapphire00@ecauldron.GETRIDOFME.com). Typos are, as usual, courtesy of the Goddess Eris.

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