Conjuring the
Mechanics of Quarters
I’m ready to go. I have all my tools, my lighter, the water . . . okay. Breathe deep . . . good. Here goes the altar salute . . . right on target—yeah! Now, let’s see, I wanna do the quarters next. I memorized this part; should be a snap. Got it out of a new book, don’t you know. I turn to the north (right; I want to manifest something tonight) and I say:
Guardians-of-the-watchtowers-of-the-north-Element-of-Earth-and-all-ye-in-the-realm-of-Dragon-I-Bubblefox-High-Priestess-of-the-Logging-Tradition-do-summon-stir-and-call-ye-forth-to-witness-this-rite-and-to-guard-this-sacred-space.
Ha, I said that in less than twenty seconds and didn’t screw up. I’m on a roll! What’s next?
Whoa, Witchie! Park the broomstick, sheathe that athame, and sit a spell with me. What’s wrong with this picture? First, never spout a quarter call all in one breath. You are not an auctioneer. Take your time and visualize precisely what you are trying to manifest. In this example, Bubbleface (oops, I mean Bubblefox) pulled something out of a book without thinking about it first. Let’s dissect this particular quarter call and see what Bubblefox brought into the sacred space with her.
Guardians of the watchtower of the north . . . What’s a watchtower? Way back when, in tribal life and into the time of the castle, watchtowers were built for the protection of the people and as cover for a lookout. Sometimes they were connected by elaborate wooden bridges or more sophisticated stone walls running to the turrets at the four corners of a castle or fortress. Watchtowers were normally at the four corners of whatever needed guarding. When the watchtowers are called, they are seen as the guards we talked about earlier—the fellows or ladies (as you please) with big muscles, flashing teeth, and nasty, pointy weapons. Thus, your sacred space really becomes a square, flanked by the warrior types of the Universe.
Element of Earth . . . Bubblefox now mentions an element. Is she looking for the element energy or an elemental? There is a big difference here. Is she seeing dirt and growing things in her mind, or is she concentrating on an earth elemental, such as a gnome? Or, is she seeing the elemental as many of us do—formless, but with life energy of its own that has the capability of manifesting earth gifts to help her?
And all ye in the realm of Dragon . . . Before one calls a dragon, I highly suggest working with it in meditation first. Personally, I adore dragons, but would you invite any passing dragon to visit you? Even more interesting, are you summoning, stirring, or calling on this big fella? He most likely came from a specific culture. If you are doing a Celtic ritual and pull a Chinese dragon by the tail, you may find yourself in a cultural energy flux. There is a difference.
I, Bubblefox, High Priestess of the Logging Tradition . . . We will hope that Bubblefox has done some sort of dedication ritual and properly introduced herself, or gone through an initiation ceremony before hollering at the Universe that she’s doing some sort of ritual with the name of a tradition pinned to her torso. If she has done these things, then it is proper to let those she’s summoning, stirring, and calling forth know precisely who on the mundane plane is making all this ruckus.
Do summon, stir, and call you forth . . . Here’s the key: You summon elementals and element energies. You stir the ancestral dead (or anything that is sleeping and/or bigger than you). You call (nicely) the divine energies associated with that quarter (this includes anything on a higher evolutionary scale than yourself—there are lots of energies bigger than humans, with higher wattage).
How do these rules fit in with what Bubblefox is doing? Good question. I hope for her sake she is not summoning a dragon. They are a great deal older than we are and may not be interested in a pip-squeak person who calls herself Bubblefox. They expect humans to be well bred in their manners, which does not include frivolous demands on their time. A nice call of please-come-and-be-my-honored-guest-energy is appropriate for dragons.
How about the watchtowers? Is she summoning, stirring, or calling them? That depends on what she is envisioning. If she’s going to put a gnome in that tower, then she better be able to mentally tell him precisely what he is supposed to be doing, and, therefore, the word summoning comes to mind. If she is trying to connect with her own ancestral lineage (tradition or personal bloodline), then she would gently stir them. If she thinks she is addressing an angel, then calling fits the purpose. In traditional work, the quarters are also the home of a specific deity/totem animal. For example, if you were thinking of Artemis for the north, you would be using “calling” mode.
To witness this rite and to guard this sacred space . . . Who’s supposed to be doing what? Are they all witnessing or guarding? How are they doing both? Can they be doing anything else? If they are guarding, they are facing away from you and are probably outside of the circle. If they are witnessing, then they would be inside the circle, facing you, and you asked them to watch, not help. Here’s the clincher. If you are doing sex magick, for example, are you planning an exhibition for Divinity, the dead, and elementals? My, what a crowded room you will have! Not only that—which dead did you wake up? Or, should I say whom did you invite into your ritual or sacred space? Ghengis Khan? Florence Nightingale?
The point of this unusual example is threefold:
1. Always research any magickal formula before you use it.
2. Understand fully what you are saying and to whom you are saying it.
3. Visualize precisely what you mean and to whom (or what) your thoughts are being directed.
How you call your quarters sets the tone for your entire working, whether it be a simple spell, an act of devotion or meditation, or an important ritual. Don’t overlook the importance of the quarter call. It sets the stage for a great (or a crappy) performance. The better (and more logical) the quarter call, the more successful the outcome of your work. The purpose of the preceding exercise was to help you focus on what is coming out of your mouth. In the movie Dune, there is a speech by the main character that begins something like this:
Some thoughts have the power to be equivalent to a thing. Through sound and motion, these thoughts can come into form.
This character goes on to show how this can be done in their world with a metal box that emits a beam. In our world, the only tool you need is you.
Let’s look now at the various energies we find in quarter calls, and whether they are used before or after a circle is cast.
Your Work
Project 1: Write down what you currently say to call the quarters. If you use more than one type of call, write them all down. You will use this information later.
Project 2: Think these calls through. Is there something missing? Is there something there that you never really thought about, but don’t care for now? Circle these passages, then continue through this chapter.
Elements vs. Elementals
Depending upon what you believe, elements and elementals may not be the same thing. Some working Witches claim that those of the Craft do not use elementals at all—that this communication/procedure belongs primarily to ceremonial magicians. For the sake of argument, let’s try to define some differences between elements and elementals. Then you can choose what you would like to work with, and what you would prefer to leave alone.
An element can be recognized by one (or more) of our five senses. An element is part of our mundane world, belonging to this plane; therefore, the elements we normally work with in the Craft are earth, air, fire, and water. These four elements can describe the entire Table of Elements (remember science and the periodic chart?). I’ve always wanted to do a project where a spell is written for each element on the periodic chart. Anybody game? But, I digress (again).
An element does not think. If I pick up a handful of dirt and ask it how the wife and kids are, I’m not going to get an answer. When we pick up salt from the altar or dribble holy water to cleanse something, we do not envision that element as a thinking being. Elements belong to the plane where humans exist.
Elements are not considered dead because they don’t have a thought process as we understand it. They do have energies to work with and are willing to share their world with ours. Elements can be invoked before or after a circle is cast. It is your choice.
An elemental, on the other hand:
Is normally invisible to the untrained eye
Has some sort of thinking process attributed to it
Is considered a spirit that represents an element
Does not normally belong to the human plane of existence
Is comprised totally of the element it represents
Elementals do not look the same to everyone. Some see them as vaporous forms, colored in the same way as the element they represent. Others envision them with human attributes, but not quite. Some people feel them as waves of energy. What makes elementals so hard to pin down is the variety of ways in which they are experienced by occult practitioners. The elementals I’ve been fortunate enough to see with my human eyes were in the form of lights and flames. I’ve seen balls of white light dancing before me as I walked the dog one fat full moon evening. I’ve watched blue tongues of flame zip merrily about the feet and arms of my Craft sisters. It is easier for me to see them at night.
When you see elementals, you may not realize it. You’ve got to be quick of eye and your brain must allow you to process the information. If you don’t believe in elementals, you aren’t going to see them.
There is also argument about the thinking process of the elemental. Most working Witches feel that elementals have more of an animal mentality—meaning they are not mean or good, nor can they plot a fantastic, page-turning novel. At least, not on their own. This does not mean they are powerless. Elementals are attributed to an element and direction, as the list indicates.
Gnomes: Earth, north. Givers of material gain and stability. The rulers of the forest. Seen as “Little People” or green light. Protectors of outdoor circles and groves.
Sylphs: Air, east. Givers of wishes, knowledge, and dreams. The rulers of the weather. Envisioned as “faeries” or white light. Delicate beings with beautiful wings. Protectors of magickal applications.
Salamanders: Fire, south. Givers of passion and creativity. The rulers of fields and fire or blue flames. Envisioned as dragons or lizards. Protectors of hearth, home, or business.
Undines: Water, west. Givers of love and friendship. The rulers of all water. Envisioned as merpeople, sirens, or pink lights. Protectors of the gates of death and karma.
The idea that the elementals belong to ceremonial magicians could have come from the tool that is used to employ and control them—the pentacle. I’m sure you know that the pentagram (usually with one point up) is the five-pointed star. It is called a pentacle when a circle is drawn around it. Each point of the pentagram stands for an element, and the uppermost point represents divine Spirit. The circle signifies the melding of all elements through the work of humankind and indicates the Wiccan mystery of oneness. It has been rumored that King Solomon wore a pentacle on his left hand, and the pentacle/pentagram predates Christian legends. Therefore, rather than belonging to a single religion, the pentacle can be considered universal. For a complete definition of the pentagram, check Doreen Valiente’s An ABC of Witchcraft.10
An upside-down pentacle represents chaos, and is rarely used by working Witches. As I have stated before, however, you will find it employed in a traditional, second-degree initiation ceremony. I have seen it used in one other instance, in a cauldron ceremony to prevent a fanatical group from marching in a large city where it was feared violence would ensue. The ceremony worked. The leader of the fanatics was jailed for another offense, and the remainder of his group was subsequently sued for previous actions. The march never materialized.
Oh, but we are not done yet. Next on this list are artificial elementals. Let’s quote Donald Michael Kraig on this one.
An artificial elemental is something which you, by force of will and magickal techniques, create to do your will . . . a type of talismanic magick without the talisman.11
This type of elemental does not belong in quarter calls—it is formed for a specific magickal application, that includes using watchtowers for quarter calls.
Now, would you summon, stir, or call elements and elementals? Remembering the information I gave you before, you decide. Elementals can be called/summoned/stirred before or after the circle is cast. (Notice I didn’t give you the answer.) Again, there is debate here among magickal people. Some feel that only humans and divine energy should be within the cast circle, therefore, elementals are not welcome. Others feel that to use elemental energy, that energy must be permitted within the boundary of the circle. Finally, you must decide whether you are going to work with a cast circle when working with elementals. The predominance of opinion is: Never call an elemental unless a circle has first been cast. Conversely, it is quite acceptable to call an element into sacred space where no circle is cast. The choice is yours.
elemental calls
(Use together or alone)
The east, the sylphs, the knowledge, the wind
positive forces, I call you in.
The south, the drakes, the hearth, the fire
aid this night in my desire.
The west, the mers, the love, the water
I conjure my need into matter.
The north, the gnomes, the roots, the grove
bring your gifts, I make it so.
The center, the Spirit, the life, the force
I call you now to open your doors.
release
The north, the gnomes, the roots, the grove
fare thee well, I send thee home.
The west, the undines, the love, the water
fare thee well,
back you go to Gaia’s cauldron.
The south, the drakes, the hearth, the fire
fare thee well and never tire.
The east, the sylphs, the knowledge, the wind
fare thee well, with peace I send.
The center, the Spirit, the life, the force
I ask you now to shut the doors.
In perfect love and perfect trust
hail and farewell.
Your Work
Project 1: Learn to work well with all of the elements. Scott Cunningham’s books Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic and Earth, Air, Fire & Water: More Techniques of Natural Magic are excellent workbooks for both the beginner and the adept. Too many times more experienced Witches forget about the fun we had when this was new to us. It behooves us to go back through the element information from time to time. Like a good movie, you can always learn something new.
Project 2: In meditation, meet the gnomes, sylphs, salamanders, and undines. You may be surprised later, when your alert self takes the dog for a walk and runs into them.
Project 3: Develop a quarter call that deals primarily with the elements and use it in ritual. Record your experiences.
Project 4: Develop a quarter call that deals primarily with the elementals and use it in ritual. Record your experiences.
Watchtowers
We’ve mentioned watchtowers before, but let’s cover them again. If you use watchtowers, you are working with a square, not a circle. There are four corners in this type of application, each attributed to a direction. Watchtowers can appear as those big guys (or gals) who look like they have spent a great deal of their time at the local gym. Considered warrior energy, they are dressed according to the pantheon you are using. Watchtowers are summoned to guard; therefore, watchtowers are called after a circle is cast, giving them something (the circle and its contents) to guard. Viewed this way, there is a square of energy outside your circle energy. You must make the choice as to whether you will be summoning, stirring, or calling these energies.
Again I remind you (lest a rabid reviewer begins to salivate with poisonous fangs over this book) that different Witches deal with magickal applications in a variety of forms. The subject of watchtowers is a prime example. Some working Witches view the watchtowers as a type of angel or angelic being. Others see the watchtowers as a structure inhabited by a super/angelic being. In fact, you’ll find Witches from a Catholic/Italian background who interpret the watchtowers as Grigori. The Grigori are extremely tall male beings who supposedly took human female mates, fathering a race of giants.
There are evil Watchers and good Watchers. Those seen as positive in nature are familiar to just about any person, no matter their religious background. The familiar Watchers are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.
Watchers and watchtowers are connected to early stellar cults. The four stars (called the Watchers) were Aldebaran, Watcher of the east, attributed to the Vernal Equinox; Antares, Watcher of the west, attributed to the Autumn Equinox; Fomalhaut, Watcher of the north, responsible for the winter solstice; and Regulus, Watcher of the south, connected to the summer solstice. Astral towers were constructed to house the Watchers. When lunar and solar religions replaced the stellar cults, the Watchers were reduced to minor deities of wind (in the Greek pantheon) or principalities of air (like the Christian angels). The sigil showing that magick was either ending or beginning was the pentagram.
To some, Watchers are the same as both stars and angels, or referred to as beings of light. They have been called the Shining Ones (as we see in the Celtic legend of the Tuatha De Dannan) and were said to have fathered children with these shining (magickal) characteristics. Whether the Watchers came from the stars, or represented the stars themselves, is open to theological debate.12 (I would like to thank MorningStar, a very close friend and tradition sister, who researched this stellar information.)
Another concept of the Watcher is an animal-like thoughtform designed and enhanced by the magician/Witch. Its mission is to gather data rather than to protect.13 A final note here from the writings of MorningStar:
Witchlore also holds that it is the Watchers who assist in the spiritual growth of the Witch and who escort him or her to the next realm after physical death. Nothing is ever hidden from the Watchers, and some see them as the lords of karma. This is not to be construed as heaven/angels for the good or demons/hell for the bad, but rather the assurance that as ye sow, so shall ye reap. Karma is delivered promptly and objectively.
watchtower call
Watchtower call
Aldebaran light
east I draw
come this night.
Watchtower call
Regulus might
south I draw
protect this site.
Watchtower call
witness Antares
west I draw
to work with star faeries.
Watchtower call
Fomalhaut aid
north I draw
with my blade.
Shining Ones
of stellar sight
assist me please
throughout this rite.
release
Hail and farewell
(Fomalhaut) (Antares) (Regulus) (Aldebaran) bright
safe journey now
into the night.
Peace and harmony reign supreme
blessings upon you.
Your Work
Project 1: Either draw or find a picture of what the watchtowers look like to you. In meditation, introduce yourself and learn to understand this energy. Record your experiences.
Project 2: Develop a quarter call that deals primarily with the watchtowers and use it in ritual. Record your experiences.
Project 3: Try the watchtower call given in this section. Record your experiences.
Faeries
There are reams of material available on faeries, so I’ll be brief. The best place to research faery energy is not a book of magick, but tomes on myths, local legends, and archeology. For example, if you say: “Guardians of the watchtowers of the north, element of earth, and all ye in the realms of faery . . .” after a circle is cast, this is what you are really saying:
I’ve cast a circle and called the watchtowers from each compass direction to guard it. I’m asking the element of earth (not the elementals) to come in, and I’m calling everything (both good and bad) from the realm of faery. What I’m going to do with them depends on the remainder of my quarter call. Do I really want to ask them to witness and guard? There are all sorts of faeries—some considered good, others not so good. I’ve got to do my homework when dealing with the enchanted world. Unlike an element or elemental, the faery realm encompasses many levels of intelligence, ethics, and abilities. I must choose wisely.
Here is a table to get you started:
|
Direction |
King |
Color |
Rule |
|
East |
Paralda |
Red |
Trees, flowers, winds, mountains |
|
South |
Djin |
White |
Fire, volcanoes, passions, fields |
|
West |
Nixa |
Grey |
Lakes, ponds, rivers, oceans |
|
North |
Ghob |
Black |
Earth, gems, minerals |
Faery lore is a hotbed of debate among magicians. Every culture and every country has its own opinions on what faeries are, where they came from, whether they are real or not, and how they should or should not be used. In the Craft, there are two distinct uses of faeries—by those who are primarily interested in the historical and archeological correctness of the information, and those who turn more toward the mythical and creative aspects of working with faeries. Since neither sect has blown up, I think it’s safe to let intuition be your guide.
Your Work
Project 1: Develop a quarter call for the faery realm. Try it in ritual. Record your experiences.
The Airts
Airts (Gaelic) are associated both with compass points and with winds. For too long, American Witches have been using European correspondences when working with the winds/airts. In my Pow Wow research, I discovered it is important that magickal people work with local weather patterns. This will require research on your part and you must answer the following questions:
Which wind brings heat and dry air?
Which wind brings cold and dry air?
Which wind brings warm breezes and rain?
Which wind brings chilly and wet conditions?
Match these winds to their cardinal points. While you are at it, consider unusual occurrences or landmarks in your locality. For example, is there a mountain in the west? Does it have a local name? How does it fit in with your magick? Have you worked with this mountain energy? Does the mountain protect you from storms? Are there any legends about this mountain? An unusual occurrence would be a type of wind or storm that is linked to a certain direction, or it could be an energy line, atmospheric conditions, etc.
The working Witch must be farsighted. If you live in a tornado-prone area, then watch what you are calling during that season. The same would go for dry winds in a forest area or ground-shaking magick on fault lines. Jumping up and down and chanting your guts out to wake up Mother Earth on a known fault is downright stupid.
I’m not trying to get you so superstitious that you lose your head and constantly worry about wild magick. I believe the Universe does have a safety net. You should, however, still be responsible with your magick and carefully plan every action you perform, both mentally and physically. This includes doing the proper research for the area you live in, the tools and herbs you use, and the words coming out of your mouth.
One of the most difficult concepts I’ve dealt with in teaching is the power reservoir of the students’ locality. I have a heck of a time getting students to understand that where they live and the energies that reside there are extremely important to the work they do. It takes several months to get this idea across. I haven’t decided if this mental block comes from too much book reading and not enough practical application, or from the technological age sucking something vital from their thinking process. To me, it’s very scary. Regardless of the answer, it is useful to the working Witch to be fully aware of his or her surroundings at all times (magick or no magick).
Local legends can come in handy. For example, there is a legend in southcentral Pennsylvania that goes something like this:
When Mary goes over the mountain wet on Ascension Day,
there will be numerous rainstorms for the next forty days.
With this rain comes hefty breezes, and the ground will be dry.
When Mary goes over the mountain dry on Ascension Day,
there will be few rainstorms for the next forty days.
The rain that does fall will nurture the earth.
Mary, here, of course, indicates Christ’s mother. Because the legend gives her the power over earth and rain, she is also secretly associated with goddess energy. I imply hidden because people in this area would have a cow if they knew they were talking about a Pagan controlling the weather. Whoever made up this saying was no magickal dumbo. If it rains on Ascension Day (again, we can thank MorningStar for this bit of trivia she picked up from a local farmer), then we can expect hefty breezes and dry ground. Therefore, if the Witch has planted herbs or special flowers, he or she will need to take extra precautions that all are protected/staked/and watered correctly. Never underestimate the power of local lore.
Getting back to the airts, then, we find a passage by Doreen Valiente that gives us the following information:
The Gaelic airts had a traditional association of colours attributed to them. The east took the crimson of dawn; the south the white light of high noon; the west the brownish-grey of twilight; and the north the black of midnight.
She also gives us the following invocation (notice I don’t say quarter call):
Black spirits and white
red spirits and grey
come ye and come ye,
come ye that may!
Around and around,
throughout and about,
the good come in
and the ill keep out!14
With this invocation, you have called the four cardinal points (the four airts according to their color, with a bit of visualization) in one breath, rather than walking to each quarter. You are giving them a choice: “Come ye that may.” You’ve asked them to spiral on the outside of your circle, then you’ve invited them to come in. There is also a rider that says only the good spirits are allowed in and the bad ones aren’t invited. The word “in” tells us that a circle has already been cast. Are we done yet? No.
Notice there is one thing you haven’t included. You’ve not told them (the airts) which way to spiral in—deosil or widdershins—and does it matter? Well, you said “around and around,” so that means circular movement, one way or the other. From your training, you know that deosil (pronounced “jessel”) is clockwise motion, and widdershins is counterclockwise. That means that you might be physically (or mentally) moving in a specific direction while voicing this invocation. If you were doing positive magick, you would be moving deosil while you speak (or perhaps you would be envisioning the airts coming in deosil). If you want to banish something, like sickness or a bad habit, you would move widdershins. How many times will they or you circle? That is for you to decide. An old legend says three times, which is why some people walk around the circle area three times. If you say the invocation three times, you’ve solved that problem. Didn’t you do that already when you cast the circle itself?
Finally, at what direction do you begin? The invocation gives us a clue: black. Now, where is black? Black is the color attributed to north, falling right into line with my training, which says everything comes from the north. Not all Witches, however, like to start things in the north. Many have a great affinity for the east—the rising sun, and so on. Again, you have a choice to make. If you are an east person, you are going to have to reword the original incantation a bit and begin with what color? No peeking, please! Okay, the answer is red.
What’s this? You see a problem? Very good, because that means you have been following closely and now earn one Witchie star. Let’s look at the beginning of this invocation again:
Black spirits and white,
red spirits and grey . . .
Black spirits (north) and white (south)
Red spirits (east) and grey (west)
Oops! What have we here is not a circle at all, but an equal-armed cross, a landing pad for the center of your circle, where the altar is. Ah-ha! Thus, the call is an invocation and not a quarter call or circle casting, technically. Top, bottom, right, left is also the gesture of Thor’s Hammer and we move into another pantheon entirely. The equal-armed cross can refer to the four quarters of the earth as well as the four elements. Are you confused yet?
I beg Doreen Valiente’s pardon for slavering over her invocation—personally, I love it and use it a great deal in my work. My point to you is this: As there are any number of Witches, there are any number of ways to work magick. Somewhere, someday, someone will take your creations and tear them apart, piece by piece, to tell you what they like, what they think is inferior, or what doesn’t follow form. You must experiment until you find what works best for you. And, yes, indeed, it certainly is a lot of work. I’ve lost some very promising students because they had no idea as to how much work magick can be, how much research it takes, or how much experimentation is needed. They think that I am going to tell them the one fail-safe method for any number of things that include a blink and a zap, and that’s the end of it. Nope. I’m a tough taskmaster (we Virgos are good at that). A closed mind is the enemy, whether it is yours or someone else’s.
Doreen Valiente’s invocation is a good one. In the spring of 1994, I tried several experiments with this very invocation, without a long and drawn-out ritual or the obligatory quarter calls. I wanted to see what would happen. If it could stand on its own with the visualization I conjured ahead of time, linking the words to both thoughts and feelings, then I could share this with you, the reader. (You see, I never write instructions or mention anything as okay for you to do that I have not tried myself.)
When you have studied for a while, you will be able to conjure a mental circle and mix a spell or invocation at the same time. Let me be quite clear, however, that you must first do the basic stuff (like in To Ride a Silver Broomstick or any of the other wonderful beginning books on the market today) before you can jump into the mental thing.
Back to my experiments. The first was planned. My daughter was having trouble with that mouthy neighbor kid again. (Yes, the one you read about in HexCraft: Pennsylvania Dutch Country Magick.) Her little mouth was rattling on, calling my daughter a Satan worshiper and other such nonsense and causing great difficulty with my daughter’s friends. I had had enough.
I bought a small plastic container and filled it with the following:
Rose petals
White sugar
Brown sugar
Vervain (to make it go)
Dragon’s blood (for more power)
A slip of paper with my daughter’s name on it
I called my daughter into the room and together we sealed the container. I shook it to mix the contents, drew a pentagram in the air over it, and placed her hands on top of the container. I passed a dried, undecorated gourd over the container nine times in the beat of my Pow Wow magick. I placed my hands over hers, recited the Airt Invocation, then went into an ad-lib:
O lovely lady of the moon
grant now this day a little boon
around my daughter there shall be
peace, good will, and harmony.
In perfect love and perfect trust
I conjure this spell the way I must.
For the free will of all and with harm to none
now this spell is truly done.
Of course, I always add:
May all astrological correspondences be correct for this working
(from Laurie Cabot, and)
May this spell not reverse or place upon us any curse
(from Sybil Leek)
As with everything, especially when dealing with volatile human emotions, the next day showed only a little progress between my daughter and her acquaintances. You will notice that I did not target the other little girls. I have two reasons for that. First, my daughter must learn to step into harmony rather than plunge into rage. Second, a cardinal rule of the Craft is never magick a child. If you are the guardian of the child, as with my daughter, it’s okay to do positive things for him or her. We never magick children for whom we are not responsible for, however.
The word child here can mean one of two things (yes, I’m getting technical, but this is a modern world). For example, let’s say you live in a very bad part of the city. You’ve done your protection spells, but you are still worried about the safety of your child. Of course, you have several choices, including moving. Sometimes, though, circumstances may not permit flight. If you know for a fact that a thirteen-year-old or a nine-year-old is packing a weapon (such as a gun or knife), you can work to render both that individual and the weapon harmless. This child has taken on an adult responsibility—one of honoring (or not honoring) life. Therefore, you are not dealing with your everyday cookies-and-milk energy. You can (and should) also tell the appropriate authorities. I have always gone with the old adage “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and I don’t give a fig that it’s a Christian saying—if it fits, wear it. Another rule of the Craft is defend. Traditional Witches have different rules of practice on how they would handle such a situation. An evil or wicked person must not be coddled. Errors in harmony should be dealt with quickly. How you do that is an important part of your training and your moral fiber.
The final result of this magickal operation? It took about a week and a call to the school counselor, but the animosity moved from a fever pitch to grumbling to silence. One of the little girls got caught hitting my daughter while she was standing in line and the other was severely reprimanded.
Is this the end of the story? No. A moon cycle passed—all was quiet on the daughter front. The next cycle commenced and hell broke lose. This time that nasty little girl ganged up on my daughter and my kid was physically hurt. Step one? Well, I aspected the Morrigan and went brooming into the school. With the counselors, I straightened out the difficulty with the girls, but dragged home a very unhappy and tearful little daughter.
Back to both the magickal and mundane drawing boards. Doreen’s invocation worked perfectly the first time. The magick held for thirty days, but karma is as karma does, and sometimes, no matter what you do magickally, it is not going to solve the problem forever unless you take strong action on both the mundane and the astral planes. After much contemplation, I discovered my daughter was suffering from low self-esteem and that the fear bug had bitten her with malice. She was pulling conflict toward herself. She is smaller than all the other children in her class and was allowing their size and their big mouths to intimidate her. This time I worked magick to raise her self-esteem and sent her to karate school. No more problems.
The second experiment I have to share came up unexpectedly. One June evening, a nasty storm began to blow. Before the rain descended upon us, I ran outside to rescue the flats of flowers my father had not yet planted in our yard. With them stowed away, I turned to face the oncoming storm. I’ve experienced many of these spring tantrums before. The light from the patio cut through the darkness to outline the perfect flower beds and garden my father had worked so hard to plant in the last two days. I knew the storm stood a good chance of destroying everything he had done. His work would have been for naught and he truly loves the land we live on—each plant nestled in the ground, put there with great care. I couldn’t stand by and allow the plants to be damaged, or worse.
I am sure my neighbors now think I am possessed, for I was wearing one of those long, lightly knit dresses with plenty of skirt (pink, no less). I rarely, if ever, make an overt show of magick, especially in public. But “cut and be damned,” as a friend of mine used to say, so I stood with my back to the street, facing the yard and the jaws of the oncoming storm. Putting my hands out in front of me, I closed my eyes and became one with the storm. I could feel the wind whipping around me, my hair stinging the air like the Morrigan herself, and my pink skirt billowing out behind me. At that point, I recited Doreen’s invocation, concentrating on my visualization of the four airts, how I wanted them to move, and where I wanted them to go. Rather than ad-libbing words this time, I mentally showed my concern for all the living creatures and plants in our yard, letting my love for the earth lent to my family permeate my entire being.
In my mind, I visualized the storm blowing over our yard, not touching a single blade of grass or stem of flower. I did not command. I asked nicely in perfect love and perfect trust.
During the visualization, the wind died to a standstill three times, then picked up with renewed force. I lowered my hands slowly, grounded, and centered. At the moment I clicked once again with the mundane world, the back screen door slammed.
“What ’cha doin?”
Ah, kids. They’ll do it to you every time. A working Witch learns to be patient. As my child walked out to meet me on the patio, there was no magnificent change in the weather. I put my arm around her and walked into the house. One does not add negative thought to any magickal working. We talked about popsicles, then I went back to my writing.
The result? The rain came in gentle waves. No thrashing winds. No screaming, howling gales rending our flower beds or garden. No shingles, trash cans, or patio furniture spewing forth across the lawns—just soft, gentle, life-giving rain.
Two days later, a tornado sped toward my town. When it reached the town limits, it picked up its tail, and skipped over the town. The other town was affected, however.
Your Work
Project 1: Get to know the weather patterns of your area. Buy a local map and pinpoint where you are. Keep a record of all types of weather patterns and how they associate with your area in everyday life, during the full and new moons, or when you work magick.
Project 2: Work with the indigenous energies of your area.
Project 3: Try Doreen Valiente’s invocation. Record your experiences.
Angels
Before the argument begins, let’s shut it down. Regardless of what you may have been taught, angel energy has been mentioned in legends and historical records long before the advent of Christianity. Angels do not specifically belong to Christians, though their scholars have done a tremendous amount of research and myth-building to accommodate them. In fact, if you desire to do some serious study, you will find that angelic beings appear in many cultures, races, and religions across the globe.
We had a discussion one circle night on the subject of angels. Remember that Witchcraft includes many people who practice their sprituality in a myriad of ways. It is possible for a Jewish woman to practice both the Craft and Judaism. It is possible for a Catholic gentleman to practice the Craft and Catholicism. It is possible when you let go of the idea that one group is right and the other is wrong. It is possible when you transcend the idea that Divinity belongs to only one group of individuals. It is possible when you understand that Divinity manifests in a variety of ways within and without the human mind. Humans, thank goodness, are not the center of the known Universe.
So, what was our discussion about? Well, I thought you’d never ask. There is a difference in how angels and angelic energy are perceived and used in the standard religions of today. In Judaism, angels fit within the Tree of Life. An angel is responsible for each sphere and other angels who work within that sphere. In Catholicism, angels fall into a detailed hierarchy called the Nine Choirs. In Protestant sects, angels are rarely identified. In fact, in the King James version of the Bible, only three are mentioned by name: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. I guess this is because you aren’t supposed to ask them for help. This brings up another point that one of our Baptist-in-her-past ladies mentioned, “We were told that you couldn’t talk to them. It was like they were prevalent at the time of the story, but are dead to us now.” So true.
Many Witches get skittish when discussing angels. Angels, after all, may have been a large part of the religious structure they left behind, and, therefore, they do not wish to incorporate them in their Craft studies. I don’t have a problem with that. It is their choice. Other Witches feel that angelic energy is strictly new-age stuff. Since many new-agers have heart failure around Witches but really like angels, I can see how this train of thought might occur. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t believe in angels or angelic energy if you are a Witch. Again, we are discussing a matter of choice, not a matter of hard doctrine.
If you are going to use angelic beings in quarter calls, you will have to do some research. For example, in the Nine Choirs breakdown, seraphim (not the archangels) are the head honchos. Seraphim, however, may not be the energy you want; after all, they are dragons, have six wings, four heads, are flaming—and, oh yes, their wings are covered with eyes. As a seraphim is the closest to divine energy, they resonate pure thought and pure love. Since anything pure is beyond human comprehension, I don’t think it is such a hot idea to call a seraphim. But (yes, I realize you are not ever supposed to start a sentence with this word; however, this is important) you should also be aware that certain angelic beings hold various ranks, and, therefore, it is okay to work with them. Michael, for example, is considered a seraphim and an archangel. Go figure.
You can do a lot of interesting work with angelic energy, Witch or no. Guardian angels come from the lowest level of the Nine Choirs and are closest to humans. So close, in fact, that they have many humanoid attributes and are most susceptible to human failings. The rulers of this choir or sect of angels are familiar to you: Michael, Gabriel (often seen as the only female among the group), Raphael, and Auriel (sometimes seen printed as Uriel).
|
Angel |
Quarter |
Responsibility |
Color |
Depiction |
|
Michael |
South |
Protection |
Blue |
Big dude with a nasty sword |
|
Gabriel |
West |
Regeneration |
White |
Triple goddess with lily |
|
Raphael |
East |
Healing |
Green |
Big guy with six wings |
|
Auriel |
North |
Manifestation |
Red |
Associated with the ever-turning sword |
I’ve not given you much description, simply because I want you to do your own research. This should include both scholarly work and meditation practices. If you are thinking, “Gee, Silver must’ve been Catholic before she was Wiccan and that’s why she’s giving me all this angel stuff in this manner”—wrong. Of the research I’ve done on angels, the Nine Choirs method of cataloging appears to be the easiest. I am well aware that there are Judaic angels, Islamic angels, Zoastar angels, etc. If any of these structures appeal to you, by all means investigate them.
A 1978 Gallup poll showed that 54 percent of Americans believed in angels . . . in 1988, the Gallup survey found that 74 percent of American teens believed [in angels].15
I would like to know what that poll states now, as I don’t know a single person, Witch or no, who doesn’t believe in some type of angel.
It is generally agreed that angels and angelic energies are beings unto themselves. As humans are not horses nor horses humans, neither are angels capable of being human or vice versa. Angels are considered higher on the evolutionary scale than humans. They are not the same as the archetypal energies with which Wiccans work. It is also agreed that most angels like to help humans. Angels don’t always look human, either. Cherubim have four faces and four wings (not the cutesy babies you might imagine); thrones are huge spinning wheels with lots of eyes; dominions speak fire; virtues are too brilliant to look at; powers are dualistic—some good and some bad. The good ones look like people with wings and the bad ones like leopards. The principalities are assumed to look a bit like humans, as well as the archangels and angels. When you are working with angels, however, you are in a different ballpark, and you must research the rules of the game thoroughly before suiting up.
During our circle work, especially when the need is great or when I’m not feeling up to par, I will pull angelic energy into the spell. When I do, MorningStar has a habit of looking over at me with a secretive smile. She says, “You were pulling in those angels again, weren’t you?”
There are scads of stories about single angelic helpers or even legions going into battle during World War I to assist the Allies.16 New-agers have latched on to angelic beings with fury. Why? Because they don’t have to move far from structured dogma to include angels. It is okay to believe in other planes if angels are the inhabitants; therefore, the possibility of other worlds and other spirits removes the fear of the end without sending them to hell for believing in something their religious doctrine dislikes. While this type of belief is not a surprise to Wiccans, the working Witch should always remember his or her own awe when encountering various planes and beings before condemning other individuals for their belief in angels. To each his or her own is an important Wiccan mystery.
Your Work
Project 1: Choose an angelic system and study it.
Project 2: If you would like, work in ritual with angelic beings. Record your experiences. Even if you do not choose to work with them, keep them in mind for your nonmagickal friends who are in trouble. Your studies may well assist someone in his or her time of need.
Totems
Humans have always marveled at the skills and cunning of animals. It is natural for us to seek companionship and sometimes a particular quality from the animal kingdom. In the Craft, you will find animals (totems) associated with quarters, although it is not necessary. Many working Witches have personal totem animals with which they work that do not coincide with specific directions or are not involved in their personal quarter calls. Totem energy is also found in the art of shapeshifting.
Most traditional Witches have a specific totem animal or animals attributed to each of the four quarters. Sometimes these energies are activated with the quarter call, and other times they are not. This choice depends both upon the tradition and the type of work to be done. Totem animals are viewed as mystical powers rather than a singular animal. Singular animal totems, however, do come into play in more personal work, such as vision questing. Traditional totems usually come from the indigenous animals of the area where the tradition was born. For example, Celtic totems include horses, bulls, stags, ravens, wolves, bears, and boars. (There are other animals; this is a simple list.) These animals were all found around the area where the Celtic peoples lived.
Before creating or drawing in totem energies for quarters, you will have to do some research for yourself. Your choices should be based on:
Your affinity for the animal.
Its mundane and spiritual characteristics.
Its availability in your locale.
Long before you call this energy, you need to introduce yourself to the totem while in sacred space and have a chat, or at least learn how to mix your energies with those of the totem. If mixing scares you, don’t sweat it; work around your fear. Here, I will admit, the traditionalists have it over the solitaries as these animals are pre-chosen for the working Witch. That doesn’t mean, however, that the traditionalist Witch cannot work with other totems independently. Regardless, he or she must still learn to work with the pre-chosen totems, just like the solitary has to educate himself or herself about the chosen totems. There is no way of getting around it.
Refined totem work can be extremely advantageous to the working Witch. As I am sure you have guessed, the wolf is one of my totem animals, although it is not part of my traditional totem array. When I want to send a strong message to someone, the wolf carries that information for me.
Here is a prime example of how it can be used (Don’t you just love these stories?). As you know by now, I have both an open study/healing group and a closed group. During one open evening, Diane began to tell the others around the table about an astounding vision she’d had the week before. “I was lying in my bed,” she said, “I opened my eyes, and there was this big silver wolf standing over my chest. It scared the hell out of me, with its mouth open and fangs dripping! What do you think it meant?”
Diane was fairly new to our group. Some of the oldsters cast a sidelong glance at me, but didn’t, thank goodness, say anything. Later, when most of the others had left, I turned to one of our regulars and grinned. Diane was chatting to another woman on the other side of the table. “So,” I said, “what do you think of that wolf thing?” Some of the women started to snicker.
Diane looked over at me and smiled halfheartedly. “What’s so funny?”
“How’d ya like the wolf?” I said again.
Her smile got bigger, but her eyes were questioning. “What do you mean? I don’t have a clue.”
One of the women close to Diane jabbed her with a finger and said, “Silver. Wolf. Message. Get it?”
Diane has the most beautiful dark eyes. They were roving at this point.
“Oh. Nooooooooo,” she said, finally fixing me with a hard stare.
Yes, indeed. The week before, Diane was approached by one of the more unstable floaters who visit my house from time to time. Most of the people in the group know who they are and don’t think much about it. My house serves as a safe place for many types of people. Those who come here regularly keep an eye on those who breeze in and out. Along these lines, we found that one of the occasional visitors had a habit of trying to whip up business deals in which others work their cans off and those with the idea rest on their laurels. (History does precede everyone.) Diane had been approached by this person and I was trying to warn her to watch her step, hence the materialization of the wolf as she was considering plans with the unstable individual.
“Oh, duh!” was all Diane said after the explanation. I tease her now about sending silver wolves—has she seen any lately?
There is debate on the origin of power animals. Some magickal people believe that the formation of an astral power animal is much like an artificial elemental, meaning it is entirely built by your thoughtforms, or your energy work. Others, like myself, believe that it takes both the collective consciousness of the animal kingdom from whence you draw, and the energy/will of the magickal person to create an astral power animal. The choice of what to believe is yours.
Working with power animals is not difficult, if you have been a good working Witch and have practiced your meditation sequences faithfully. In meditation, call forth your chosen animal. Make friends with it. That’s all you do for the first month. Each evening, spend a few moments getting to know the astral animal. Supplement your impressions with research at your local library on its characteristics, natural environment, food requirements, etc.
During the second month, pathwork with your chosen animal in meditation. Go for walks with it, envision various scenes and what the animal’s response would most likely be, etc. Keep a record of your experiences. Begin talking with the animal. Yes, communicating in your natural language is okay. Hold conversations, tell jokes, spin stories together. Your power animal is now becoming your best friend.
In the third month, you will go into meditation, call on your power animal, and ask it to perform certain small tasks. For example, I would ask the animal: “What color hat is my friend Lisa wearing today?” Of course, the questions should be those that have answers that can be checked out later, but you don’t know the answer at the time the question was formulated. Send the animal out, come out of your meditation, and go about your business. Sometime later, go back into meditation and call upon your power animal to give you the answer to your question.
This is a small example of the use of a power animal. For more information on power animals and shapeshifting, please refer to To Ride a Silver Broomstick17 for detailed instructions.
Your Work
Project 1: If you haven’t chosen a totem animal already, do your research and find one.
Project 2: Work with your totem animal both in meditation and ritual.
Project 3: Learn to send your totem animal out as a watcher.
Project 4: Learn to send your totem animal out as a protector.
Don’t forget to record your experiences with these projects.
Archetypes
In your Wicca 101 studies, you should have thoroughly covered the various forms of deity. In Wicca, we call many of our deities “archetypes.” If you have not covered this information before, you are going to have (yes, it’s true) more research on your hands; you will need to refer to some introductory books for this information. Check the suggested reading list in the back of this book for a detailed listing.
If you have already chosen your pantheon, or work with several pantheons, all the better. Here again, traditional Witches have a specific set of deity energies they work with regularly. Various members of the pantheon take their places at the quarters in ritual. There is no reason why a solitary Witch cannot do the same thing, though it will take planning on your part. Remember the old rule, and don’t mix systems or pantheons.
Instructions to these deities during a quarter call should be specific. They are to guard, bring energies, protect, etc. If you are planning to do a separate invocation during a rite to a deity, it should be different from those at the quarters, and belong to the same pantheon and system of the quarter deities.
Your Work
Learn to work with different archetypes, one at a time.
Mighty Ones/Ancient Ones
These are beings like the watchtowers, with one exception—they are humans who have transmuted through many incarnations and hold ancient knowledge that can be beneficial to us along our path. Ancient Ones have no delineated names, other than belonging to an element or cardinal direction. Ancient Ones should not be confused with archetypes, who might have once been human. These beings can also be seen as the grandmothers and grandfathers of our chosen lineage. This is especially true in traditional work, but there is no reason why a solitary cannot meditate and research his or her own lineage or chosen pantheon bloodline. Many working Witches light a candle to their ancestors with every working they do, asking for assistance from either energy or blood lineage. By the act of bringing the flame into being, you are:
Mystically lighting your path across time
Dispelling ignorance and fear of the unknown
Linking your energies with the energies of the Ancient Ones, which remain open until you psychically close the door, or physically close the door by extinguishing the candle
Keep in mind that a few Witches see these Mighty Ones with the same characteristics of guardian angels, which is perfectly acceptable. As I was trying to write this chapter and explain these concepts, one of my friends said, “Why are you attempting to fix what isn’t broken?” I thought about that for awhile and came up with the following answer.
I’m not trying to repair something that is damaged. I’m trying to define and mold it to what will work best for me. Not everyone is comfortable with traditional verbiage, even traditionals. Sometimes, when we try to change things, we don’t think them through clearly enough, or we get too poetic for our own good. We need to keep the reasoning behind our actions clear. We need to understand what we are saying and why we are making a particular motion or gesture. The only way we can do that is to tear apart what we know already works, and figure out why it does. In that way, we can find the true meaning and stop using the junk that creeps in over time.
Your Work
Project 1: In meditation over several days, meet the Ancient Ones.
Project 2: Invite them into ritual and work with them.
Quarter Review
Let’s go over the different energies that can be called from, into, or around a quarter:
1. Elements (earth, air, water, fire)
2. Elementals (spirits of earth, air, water, fire, akasha)
a. Devas
b. Sylphs
c. Undines
d. Salamanders
e. Gnomes
3. Watchtowers
a. Stellar
b. Angelic
c. Otherworld beings of strength
4. Airts
a. Black (north, midnight)
b. White (south, noon)
c. Red (east, dawn)
d. Grey (west, twilight)
5. Angels
a. The Nine Choirs (Catholic)
b. The Tree of Life (Judaic)
c. Zorostar
d. Islamic
6. Totems
7. Archetypes
a. Minor deities
b. Legendary figures
8. Mighty Ones/Ancient Ones
a. Blood lineage
b. Psychic/initiation lineage/current group mind
c. Guardian beings
9. Winds (covered in the sacred space chapter)
10. Dragons
These are all practical Wiccan Mysteries/ceremonial Wiccan Mysteries that can be drawn upon at any time (remember, time as we understand it does not exist). You can begin working with one set of Mysteries, then evolve into another, and another. Eventually, as did the Ancient Ones, you will wish to mix and match the various energies to your liking. All it takes is (groan, growl, pant) a little research and a lot of experimentation.
We’ve talked about these quarter calls in and out of the ritual circle. To this point, I’ve talked about them as a set, a group of four. Usually they are linked to compass points, no matter whom or what you summon, stir, or call. Also until now, I’ve talked about the ritual circle but have not conjured it for you. That is in the next chapter. I have a good reason for this. Before you begin casting your little fingers about, you should be thinking about what you will be doing and planning carefully. What you are going to put into your ritual circle should be decided in advance, not slung in as an afterthought. Your quarter calls are as important as the casting of the circle itself—never forget that.
When you become more experienced at working with the above list, you may not wish to call, summon, or stir the entire set of energies. For example, when Diane works for regeneration and psychism, she opens only the west quarter after casting her circle. Those energies she calls include:
Element: West (water)
Totem animal: Horse (Epona)
Archetype: The Cailleach (wisdom)
Ancient Ones: Of her blood (Irish) and traditional (Black Forest) lineage
Rather than using her full altar (which remains in the north, as our tradition dictates), she uses a large, portable, flat stone; therefore, within her ritual circle stand both the permanent and portable altar. If her work is serious enough, she may first call the entire set of watchtowers to guard the circle, but will not make motions at each quarter. Rather, she will invoke their aid (as in the call of the airts), then continue her work from there.
The Wiccan mystery here is this: One learns to call, summon, or stir only what one needs for a given task.
When MorningStar works a circle, she calls a specific quarter for a planned task and acknowledges the others. You do not need to wake up every energy being in the Universe to tell them you are performing a given magickal or ritual task. You don’t need to be Ma Barker, pounding a wooden spoon on a big kettle at the top of your mountain to let everyone know it’s dinner time. The only instances when bells and whistles in the Craft (notice I did not say in ceremonial work) are to be rung are:
A dedication of a Witch
A Wiccaning (a birth)
An initiation or eldering of a Witch
A passing of a Witch (a death)
A sabbat or high holy day
When the Witch is in life-or-death shit
In this text, we will cover some of the instances above. As there are many excellent books on the market discussing sabbats, dedications, and initiations, I’ll not be covering those. I will, however, share some of my own religious and magickal rituals, as well as a few get-me-out-of-trouble-please-thank-you-very-much-in-advance practical rituals that have worked for me, or others with whom I practice the Craft.
Whether you are a solitary or traditional Witch, take some time to write out a few quarter calls for yourself. Start with an easy, generic one, and then work in a few that are more complicated and require both research and meditation exercises. You will be amazed with what you create.
Things to Keep in Mind
One of my students recently remarked, “I always wondered what the heck I was supposed to be doing when I’m working with the quarters. I would get up there and feel a wave of confusion as I spoke. This feeling of uncertainty would follow me throughout the whole rite, whether I was doing it by myself or with others. In fact, when I was doing my own stuff, I would invariably forget something. By the time I was done, I felt I had failed in the whole process.”
Here are some helpful hints:
Say the quarter call, circle casting, or invocation slowly. If it will help, shut your eyes so you can focus better. I’ve never read anywhere nor have been taught by anyone that you must have your eyeballs focused on the room or area in front of you. Mundanely, there is nothing there, anyway. You are calling otherworld energies, or at least things you can’t usually see with the human eye. If it helps you to concentrate, then by all means, shut your eyes. I do.
When working with quarters, remember that you are dealing with a portal or passageway to other worlds of some kind. Envision it as a door, an opening, a curtain parting, even a tube connecting that world with your circle world—it doesn’t matter, as long as you understand the concept of opening. To help you, design a gesture or visualization of this act. I remember reading that Dion Fortune visualized a personal sigil of power on a curtain before she proceeded with astral work.
Visualize what is to be coming through or guarding any quarter while casting your circle, invoking deity, or aspecting deity. Again, do your homework. You need to see very clearly in your mind who or what you are pulling toward you.
Feel, with your sixth sense (or other senses), what is happening around you. Do you feel hot, cold, calm, edgy? If you have done your homework, you know what feeling to expect. You may tingle, want to giggle (too bad for you if you are working with others who have no sense of humor), or feel the need to move. If you have a negative occurrence, stop, shut it down, and come back another day.
If you are participating in a group and you have been given the job of a quarter, you are responsible for that quarter from the time you open it until the time you close it. This also includes a circle casting, invocation, or aspecting. You are monitoring the energy—don’t just stand there gazing blandly at the group. Do your job. Quarter energies are funny, depending on what you are summoning, stirring, or calling. Most energies don’t like slackers and a few are irritated by a lazy Witch.
If you are working alone, you’ve got your hands full. Don’t call all the various quarter energies or invoke a ton of deities if you can’t handle them (times four, no less, if you are discussing quarters). Choose wisely and you won’t feel tired after your rite. Inundate yourself and you’ll probably want to sleep for a week, or feel vaguely out of sorts for the next few days. Rome wasn’t built in a day; neither is an adept working Witch created in one rite or ritual.
All quarters/energies must be dismissed/closed precisely in the manner in which they were called. Poetic license is wonderful—don’t take it here. The mark of an adept working Witch is a proper closure and takedown of the circle energies. A lazy Witch will be a hazy Witch the following day and have all sorts of strange things floating around his or her ritual space after all is supposedly completed. You also risk insulting the energies you have so graciously brought into your circle, then kicked out with a mere dismissal.
If you have:
Summoned: Dismiss and thank
Stirred: Farewell in peace and safety and thank
Called: Hail and farewell and thank
There is nothing worse than an ill-bred working Witch. A thank-you, whether it be in a quarter call or when you leave the house of the High Priestess/Priest, is definitely in order.
Also keep in mind the order of what you have done when you began your ritual. For example, if I cast my circle first, then called my quarters, then invoked deity, I should reverse the order of closure. I would thank deity, dismiss my quarters, then draw up my circle.
All workings with both divine energies and those of other planes should be done in perfect love and perfect trust or, as in sacred space—perfect love and perfect peace. Never conjure quarters, cast a circle, or work a spell without complete harmony in your heart. Even if you are angry, you must reserve that special place in yourself that can rise above fear and hatred. As your spirit evolves, so does your magick. This also requires a balance in your life. If your world is in tatters, don’t do magick for others. Ask for mundane and spiritual help for yourself.
All workings should have a goal. Haphazard work is not good in any type of religion or science. One needs clarity of thought at all times.
Our purest intentions are those in which we succeed the best. Here is where the Universe steps in. Okay, so you forgot to call a quarter, missed a beat on a chant, chose the wrong planetary hour. These things can be transcended by purity of thought and goal. This doesn’t mean you are supposed to be sloppy on purpose—then your intention would no longer be pure. It does mean that higher powers always look out for us, their children, and will fill in the gaps when we try our best. Seek to turn evil into good, rather than good into evil.
A working Witch does not mind summoning, stirring, or calling power, but is not driven by the quest of power for itself. Rarely do Witches use the ultimate power at their disposal. If one fears the medium or seeks to control limitless power, the Craft is not their home.
A working Witch carries no delusions, either of self, intentions, or others. Know the pond and your place in it.
A working Witch does not seek to control unlimited minions, either human or astral. We are not into the groupie scene. Each person must journey on his or her own path of spirituality alone, with his or her free will intact.
Now that I’ve beaten this subject to death, are you up to digging into circle conjuring? I certainly hope so, because that’s where we’re headed. All aboard!
10. An ABC of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente, Phoenix Publishers, 1973. Page 264.
11. Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig, Llewellyn Publications, 1988. Page 409.
12. The suffix “-el” on the names of many angels is the Sumerian equivalent of “shining.” In Old Welsh, a shining being is ellu; in Old Irish, aillil; in English, elf; in Anglo-Saxon, aelf.
13. Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune, Weiser Publications, 1930/1993. Page 194.
14. An ABC of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente, Phoenix Publishers, 1973. Page 2.
15. Know Your Angels by John Ronner, Mamre Press, 1993. Page 38.
16. Ibid.
17. To Ride a Silver Broomstick by Silver RavenWolf, Llewellyn Publications, 1993.