Conjuring Power and
the Aspects of Divinity
Everyone wants to conjure power. Intimidation on the job, mind-games in relationships, wearing masks of fear when others get too close—all these head trips are the result of someone wanting power and someone losing it. Being a powerful magickal person won’t get you shit in the end if you do not work in balance and harmony. The secret to power is not attempting to take it from someone else or strategically overcoming an opponent. The mystery lies in moving through life without disturbing or disrupting the harmony of other humans or the Universe in general. To be powerful, you must learn to remove negativity from yourself and your environment, and become one with the divine energies of the Universe. Only at that point will your magick be above the others. And then, you won’t care.
Although the work in any ritual or rite is most important, it cannot be done effectively without some sort of acknowledgment to Divinity, even if that acknowledgment is silent, as in most folk magick. It is assumed that you have worked numerous circles and drawn down both the moon and sun in standard ritual format before you begin this chapter. Here, we are going to explore conjuring on a deeper level, learning to raise power and accomplishing harmony in all facets of your life.
In modern Witchcraft, there are ten ways to raise/enhance power:
Meditation
Aspecting (a form of possession) and invocations
Trance and astral projection
Potions, including herbals, incense, and wines
Dancing and/or drumming and rattles
Blood control, as in biofeedback (not in trying to strangle someone)
Working with stellar/earth/sun/astrological energies
Chants and sacred breath
Spells
Sex
Notice I left out the scourge. I did that on purpose. You cannot tell me that beating on yourself or someone else is an action of harmony. It’s demeaning, and it doesn’t belong in the Craft of today. With all the other wonderful ways to raise power, I cannot believe anyone would choose this. You are most welcome for that soapbox dissertation, now on to better stuff.
Traditional Witchcraft speaks of the eight paths to power, most of which are listed above (minus the scourge). Due to my years of study of Pow Wow chants, I have learned that chants and sacred breath do not necessarily fall in the same category as spells, where you mix this and that to satisfy a need. Therefore, I’ve separated chants from spells. Of course, you can use chants and spells together—they work great in unison.
These ten ways of raising power can be combined, if you’d like. For example, you can drum, chant, and aspect together, or perhaps mix an herbal tea, use a rattle, and cast a spell. It is your choice and you should pick the combinations that work best for you. Of course, the only way you are going to find that out is if you take the time to experiment.
The Wiccan mystery here is this: Learn to aspect power by melding with it. This will add speed to what you wish to accomplish.
the power wheel game
This is a game of challenge that you can play by yourself or with your magickal friends. You will need:
One large piece of poster board
A compass
Colored markers (ten different colors and black)
One game spinner
A one-minute timer (you can get hourglass ones or use a stopwatch)
On the poster board, draw a big circle using the compass, and divide the circle into ten slices. Color each slice a different color. Label each slice with one of the ten paths. Attach the spinner to the middle of the circle.
To play
Spin. You must make up a rhyme about that path of power and say it three times in one minute. You cannot repeat another person’s rhyme or use another individual’s idea. For example, if the person beside you made up a rhyme about a blue egg meditation, you cannot use the same theme. There are lots of laughs with this game and fierce competition. If you get the rhyme in one minute, you receive ten points. If you fail, you lose ten points. When you are tired of playing, add up the points and see who is the winner!
Your Work
Project 1: List the ten paths of power and describe each one until you understand fully what they entail.
Project 2: Play the Power Wheel Game.
Project 3: List the ten paths of power and design a working to go with each path. Perform as many of these workings as you can. Keep accurate records.
Drawing from Mother Earth
I cannot take credit for the original idea of this conjuring. MorningStar came up with it for an assignment on circle casting and quarter calls in our advanced classes. She wrote:
We as pagans, spend a great deal of time drawing down energy, celestial energies of the moon, the sun, the stars, or perhaps all three. I believe that we need to address the imbalance that we thereby create and begin to draw up energy from the earth. Consider that the earth is infinitely and eternally bathed in the energies of the heavens: the planets, the stars, the sun, and the moon are constantly sending subatomic energies via light and motion that interact with the atmosphere and particulate makeup of our planet (Earth). This energy is absorbed/dispersed/used by the planet, which is a living entity unto itself. This energy is also converted for use by the living creatures that inhabit this planet. Solar, lunar, stellar, and planetary energies that wind up in storage in the earth are probably stored in the earth’s core. The rest of the energy resides in objects that humans term inanimate (read: inferior), rocks and minerals. Pagans and magicians are well aware of the power that resides in crystals. They are also aware of the ley line energy that traverses the earth, plotting of which allows them to pinpoint the locations of power places. There are sacred objects/tools that are repositories of energy, mostly from being charged by a magickal practitioner, but these energies are minuscule in relation to the amount of energy available in the Universe.
Rather than passively grounding, as we all do, MorningStar proposes we begin to actively receive earth energies and draw them, as we already are familiar with drawing celestial energies. Some of you will say, “Well, I already knew that!” Before you scoff too loudly, try this magnificent, personal circle-casting and invocation.
the circle of stars
Much like in the original Pow Wow folk magick stance, stand with your feet apart, with your receptive hand at your side. Move your hand out about one foot from your body.
Open your palm, and hold your palm toward the ground. Put your dominant hand down at your side, and move it out in front of you about eight to twelve inches. Turn your palm up.
Imagine you are slipping the palm of your dominant hand into a handle on a big lid. Close your fingers around that handle. (Now you will have a fist.) Close your eyes and imagine you are touching Earth Mother and pulling her toward you. Very slowly, begin to pull up on that handle.
Take your time and keep pulling. You will feel the energy moving up through your feet and into your solar plexus (where it may explode a bit—keep pulling).
Keep pulling until the energy reaches your crown chakra at the top of your head. (Believe me, you’ll know it when it gets there). Your arm should be folded near your head by this time. Allow the energy to pulse until you think you can’t hold it anymore.
Quickly straighten your arm out in front of you, open your hand, and hear a “Kaboom!” in your head.
Wasn’t that fun? Now let’s do it again and take it a step further. This time, rather than “Kaboom,” envision a golden beam emanating from your hand. Make it a beam of love for the planet. Envision it leaving your hand and creating a waterfall of golden healing life for the planet. How did that feel? Different?
Let’s try another tactic. Think of a person you want to send loving, healing energy to. Put the person’s picture on a wall in front of you, at eye level. Stand back about four feet. Raise the power again. This time, shoot your hand out toward the picture and drop your palm down to direct the beam of loving energy toward the picture. Record the time you did this. Contact your friend and ask how he or she felt.
Call a different friend on the phone. Tell your friend that you are going to conduct an experiment. Ask him or her to sit by the phone for the next five minutes. Hang up. Raise the energy, think of your friend, and send a message of “call me” with the beam of energy. Did your friend call you back? How quickly? How did your friend feel during the time you were raising power? Record your experiment and explain to your friend that every time he or she gets that feeling, you will be trying to make contact.
Let’s go back to the “Kaboom.” Creating sounds in your head helps generate power. For example, you can start stalled cars by raising energy and thinking of the sound the car should be making if it is running. Once you practice, it works all the time. Try raising power again, but this time when you “Kaboom” it, envision a circular web of golden sticky stars around, above, and below you. You have created a magick circle whose job is to collect positive energy until you let it go—and you’ve done it in less than a minute.
If you don’t like the all-in-one shot, try this. Raise the power, then quickly drop your hand, with your palm slanted out. Direct the beam of golden light and walk the standard circle. How did that feel? Try it again, but this time use the following chant:
The cauldron of the Mother
her Mysteries wise and deep
rise now as I call thee
this sacred space to keep.
The Mother supports me
the consort defends me
the guardians surround me
with a web of golden stars
Above and below
around and about
I charge this circle
in and out
and legions await my word.
So be it.
To take down this circle, stand in the middle and raise your arms over your head. As you bring them slowly down to your sides, say:
The web of life is an endless circle
never to die
only to change form.
What was begun
now is finished.
Welcome home
these energies borne.
The circle is open
never broken.
It is so.
Stop your arms at your waist until you finish the chant, then drop them quickly (in one motion) to put the energy back into Earth Mother.
Perhaps you do not wish to cast a circle. Try the following prayer while drawing up earth energy:
Mother of all enchantments
Queen of the devas
Provider for all nature
thou who casts thy green ray
upon the children of earth.
Smile upon thy Witch and Priestess/Priest
who seeks thee here above
and lend thy sacred energies to this task of love.
Try pulling up energy from Mother Earth for simple matters:
Relieving stress
Regeneration during the midafternoon
Before an important business meeting or contract signing
Before a job interview
Before a divination sitting
When you are feeling blue
When you are in deep poop and time is not on your side
Try pulling up earth energy while:
Chanting
Drumming or using a rattle
Dancing
Doing an invocation
Working cord magick
Mixing incense or potions
Having sex (where both of you know you are doing this)
Working weather magick
Holding a healing session
Drawing Father Energy in Group Ritual
I’ve got another story for you. Not only does it show you a nice ritual, it has a lesson in it.
On June 16, 1994, MorningStar and Bats performed a group ritual for summer solstice for our open women’s group. MorningStar worked very hard on her ritual. She and Bats practiced long and hard for this special occasion. So hard, in fact, that they scared Bats’ cat to a useless ball of fur every time they practiced invoking the god energy—but that is another story.
Even though we are traditional, working Witches, we hold eclectic open rituals. We do this to afford those who normally cannot attend a chance to worship with a group, and to keep our students on their toes by assigning them rituals to write and perform. We are not incredibly picky about who can come, other than my standard rules: no drugs, no children under ten without their parents, no alcohol. It usually works out very well.
On this particular evening, we had three guests and seventeen of our traditional Witches. The evening began in a very upbeat way. All were encouraged to bring instruments, so we had quite a collection of drums, rattles, cymbals, bells, etc.
MorningStar began her ritual by doing a lunar salute and an altar devotion. She moved into her experimental circle casting, which she has permitted me to print here:
In this place that is not a place
in this time that is not a time
by my will I create
the “Is To Be.”
The Mother supports my feet
and her consort is by my side.
Above me, below me, and all around me
are the guardians
forming a web of golden stars
that contain the power raised herein
until I release it.
The legions await my word.
So mote it be!
The circle went up. It was steady, with a light vibration. With this circle casting she did not move about thrice, as is the custom. Instead, she stood in the center and erected her web of golden stars with her mind and her hands, as in the drawing Earth Mother example given previously. We wanted to see if it worked with so many people in the room. It did.
MorningStar proceeded to call the quarters. She mixed our traditional quarter call (that includes Celtic deities and totem animals) and added a request for a particular set of angels to appear. Although unusual, it worked. For some reason, several of us can see the angelic forces come when they are called. We have found that no matter what pantheon you are using, angelic forces meld with the other energies you choose for a specific working without any problems or chaotic after-effects. Several of us have been experimenting with angelic beings for quite some time with the express purpose of sharing our experiences with both our group and you. To that end, I found nothing strange in her quarter call. She summoned what she was supposed to, stirred what needed to be nudged a little, and called what had to be called for the ritual she designed.
The ritual proceeded. Deity was invoked through a mixed group of male aspects to enhance the power of the summer season. Although unusual, among the Celtic names, the Angel Michael managed to sneak in. I tell all my students not to mix systems; however, for every rule, there is a reason to break it. MorningStar’s logic was to mix male energies from the Celtic pantheon with one angelic being, to match the quarter calls previously given. It worked. The energy raised was astounding.
Great one of heaven
power of the sun
we invoke thee in thine ancient names
Michael, Balin, Arthur, Lugh, Tarvos, Cernunnos, Pan.
Come again as of old into this thine land.
Lift up thy shining spear of light
to protect us.
Put to flight the powers of darkness
give us fair woodlands and green fields
blossoming orchards and ripening corn.
Bring us to stand upon thy hill of vision
and show us the path
to the lovely realms of the gods.
So mote it be!
MorningStar then passed out tea candles for everyone. Outside, my father filled a small pool with water. It was dark. The moon shown gloriously in the heavens. The yard was hushed and waiting. Silently, we filed out of the house and encircled the pool. Each woman lit her candle from the needfire cauldron, and placed it in the pool to float, uttering the name of a forefather or ancestor whom she wished to honor or ask for assistance.
“Summer solstice is a time second only to Samhain,” said MorningStar, “for accessibility to the other worlds. Since it is a god festival for us, it seemed appropriate to stir the energy of benevolent forefathers, either Craft, Pagan, or in our personal lineage, to honor the male energy of the god. I borrowed from and slightly modified the Japanese custom of sending out little boats with lanterns in them as they observe their Day of the Dead. We wore black and white, which served to delineate the preponderance of light versus darkness, yet the light is waning as the Holly King takes over until Yule.” (In our tradition, we celebrate two divine births during the year—that of the Holly King and that of the Oak King.)
We filed back into the house. MorningStar passed out candles twined with male holly sprigs. The following prayer was repeated after her, one line at a time:
I will serve the great goddess
and give reverence to the great god.
I am a Pagan
a stone in the ancient circle
standing firmly
balanced on the earth
yet open to the winds of heaven
and enduring through time.
May the old gods witness my words
blessed be.
MorningStar thanked deity, released the quarters, and took up the circle. Again, she used an experimental procedure, where she did not move in the widdershins fashion. She did not move at all, but pulled it in with her hands.
It was lovely, moving in like a sweet golden mist. I was impressed. So, I thought, was everyone else. I, in my infinite stupidity, forgot we had guests. I have a nasty habit of doing that. Silly me, I really believe in perfect love and perfect trust—especially in ritual.
The group mind is an interesting entity. One can always tell if something is not quite right. Perhaps a gut feeling, a tingling in the arms, a niggling something at the back of your mind—everyone has their own warning bells. We must all learn to listen to our particular bell. That night I was fulfilling my function as elder (and homeowner, which always keeps me on my toes), and my inner bell was clanging louder than a marching band in full swing.
In the silence of the final bits of the ritual, I looked over at Bats. Her upper lip was sticking out. I nodded at her. She knew what she had to do. As the circle deflated, I swept over to MorningStar (in elder-type fashion, which is so much fun) and told her very loudly what a wonderful ritual it was. I hugged her and soon many of the “regulars” moved toward MorningStar, telling her what a great job she and Bats had done. No one looked for Bats as she is known for melting into the shadows after a show. The group began to break toward the kitchen, beelining to the coffee, or out to the food tables on the porch.
Bats, in her wonderful, mystical style, melded into the woodwork, circling the various small groups. I headed for the porch. Everyone was having a good time with lots of laughter and chatter. Slowly, they began filtering home.
“What did you come up with?” I asked Bats as she fluttered to my side.
“It’s the one holding court in the dining room.”
My eyebrows darted up. “Oh, no.”
“Mmmm, yes. This new one claims to be some sort of psychic.”
Bats meandered back into the dining room, with me trailing behind. There was our guest, seated in the middle of the floor, doing her thing, which normally is fine. We love new people and new skills, but the air was bad and my band was marching again. I looked over at Maven, who now carried a stern-old-lady look set firmly on her brow. Shit. I walked out to the porch, leaving Bats to keep an eye on our unusual princess.
I noted throughout the evening that our guest hardly spoke four words to me, though she knew she was visiting my home. She didn’t even say good-bye or thank me for allowing her to come. You know, the usual nice things you say to people, even if you hated the party. Bats, ever-vigilant, watched through the evening as the princess performed her feats of divination for many of our regulars. The only thing she said to any of us before she left was, “So, where is it next week?” The girl had no clue—no clue at all.
When most were gone, MaraKay, Maven, MorningStar, Cinnamon, and I sat bleary-eyed, discussing the evening. We do this a lot. Bats settled in the corner, as is her normal habit. The rest of us bantered ideas, observations, and good chatter about.
“So Bats, what did you think of our guest?” I asked.
Bats lips drew into a pencil point.
Maven was stoic.
MaraKay looked down from her vantage point of a chair, peering over her glasses at the rest of us on the floor. MaraKay hates to sit on the floor; besides, she has an excellent effect when she does the glasses thing.
Cinnamon busied herself by stirring a hole in the bottom of her coffee cup. I considered asking her if she was banishing or conjuring, but held my tongue.
“I despised her,” whispered Bats.
The others mumbled in agreement.
I said nothing. None of them are usually judgmental.
“She told MorningStar—to her face, mind you—that she made several mistakes in her ritual, and that she shouldn’t have called any angels.”
MorningStar’s face went pale, her eyes downcast. I was outraged.
We never saw our guest again, and in truth I never did know her name. Of course, she probably didn’t show for her encore because I did a manifest spell, which I will explain later. Our guest broke a cardinal rule of the Craft: she was impolite. A working Witch or Pagan (or whatever you choose to call yourself) never behaves badly in public, and never purposefully hurts the feelings of those who have worked hard to bring happiness and peace to others. This, too, is a Wiccan mystery.
If you visit a magickal person, whether or not it is in a group atmosphere, always do your best to be polite. Bring a small gift—a token of your appreciation for being invited. This goes back to your training as a child. You should already be well aware of good manners. If you are not, take heed to what Mother Silver says: “Show the integrity of your lineage at all times. In that way, honor and respect will walk with you always and precede you.” We’re not called the Children of the Shining Ones for nothing, you know.
drawing up energy for healing26
This is a simple task. It can stop a nosebleed in seconds, aid in healing wounds in half the normal time, reduce swelling for bee stings, etc.
Hold the area to be healed with your receptive hand.
Hold your power hand in the normal stance, and pull up the energy from the earth (do not use your energy; if it kicks in, fine; if it doesn’t, don’t worry about it).
Touch Divinity with your mind.
When your right hand reaches your shoulder, open it and visualize the energy you raised pulsing from your power arm to your receptive arm and into the person you are healing.
When you are finished, ground and center.
drawing up plants to help them grow
Even though you planted your little friends at the correct phase of the moon during the right astrological time, there seems to be a problem. Some are coming up fine, but others are showing signs of being obstinate. Try this:
Look at the plant and consider mentally what its deva looks like. Is it large, small, bright, soft?
Put the plants in front of you (on a sacred, flat stone, if you can). Shut your eyes and think of the deva.
See the deva and move into it (keeping your consciousness separate, but allowing the deva to touch you and you to touch the deva). Mentally request assistance for the health of the plants before you.
Move out of the deva. If it stays, fine; if it goes away, that’s okay too.
Recite the Mother Earth prayer as you put your hand over the plants, and begin to pull up the energy of the earth through the seedlings/seeds.
Release the energy as a gentle rain over the plants. Thank the deva and thank the goddess of the Earth.
I tried this for my moonflowers. My father had a great idea. We would plant moonflowers and morning glories, alternating them, beside the patio. We would hang taut strings to allow them to climb. That way we would have a beautiful fragrance both during the daytime and during the evening. The morning glories went to town. The moonflowers sat there, doing nothing. By mid-June, we were frustrated. Time for working Witchie-poo to do her thing! I erected an altar beside the neat little plant paddies. Yes, I said paddies. My father is a garden nut. (By the way, should you have the secret for getting rid of slugs, please let us know. We’ve tried everything from beer to orange peels. Nothing, I mean nothing, works!)
My dad mixed special growing things for the moonflowers and morning glories and put them in cute little containers right beside the bed they were to go in as soon as they got strong enough. I used the technique previously given, which greatly enhanced the growth of the moonflowers. How fast? The next morning, half the seeds had broken through the soil. Yowser! I also timed the procedure. Every evening, from new moon to full, I worked with the plants. I told them how much I loved them and that it was time to wake up and enjoy the harmony in our yard. I stroked them, tapped on the side of their little containers, and banished any negative energy around them with incense as close to midnight as I could. I figured moonflowers would have a thing for the Witching Hour, just like we do. To enhance the process, I used my New Moon Rattle. The result was spectacular. Further into the growing season, I would shake the New Moon Rattle to trigger the energy and say hello to the plants.
If you have a garden, try the following experiment:
Mentally, split the garden into thirds. Every morning draw down the energy of the heavens on one third. Draw up the energy of Earth Mother on one third. Leave the other third alone. On paper, so you don’t forget, check their growing process. What happened to your garden?
My garden went crazy. I had broccoli plants the size of banana trees (so I’m exaggerating a little bit). I harvested beans out the bazoo and my tomato plants got so big they advanced upon my strawflowers with vengeance. My father wants to know why the peppers are as big as softballs. Well, only the devas know for sure.
conjuring the power of wind and rain
Weather magick is not hard if you take the following into account:
Seek harmony first.
Understand that elements have their own process of life, which is not the same as yours.
Learn to become one without fear.
After you learn the technique, never play with the weather simply because you are bored.
I first learned to work with the sun by associating it with Kernunnos. Every day during the summer season, I walked outside and around my property, thanking the god for blessing us with his sunshine and the goddess for sending her gentle rains. I would close my eyes and become one with the warmth upon my face, touch the red behind my eyelids, and mentally move into the energy of the sun. Once I was familiar with the energy of the sun, I moved into a more complicated arena—storms.
Storms are another matter, and I briefly touched on that issue earlier. The technique is simple. The only thing required on your part is trust.
Step into a storm. You don’t have to physically step into a storm, but when you are learning, physical contact does make it exciting and helps to set the energy of the storm in your mind. A word to the wise here: Don’t be a fool. If a tornado is coming your way, don’t stand in its path. If it is thundering and lightning outside, don’t become a human lightning rod. Use your common sense, please. You can easily stand at your window and look outside while the storm is active.
Become one with that energy. Focus on the physical aspects of the storm. Close your eyes and reach out with your mind. Touch the storm gently, allowing it to understand you are there.
Focus on harmony and peace. Ground and center, as in any magickal practice. Allow the calm inside you to move outside your body and around you. Allow the calm to touch the storm.
Move into the energy of the storm with your calm mind. You must not be afraid. If you fear, it won’t work. If you seek personal power, forget it—you may even sizzle on the spot.
Talk to the energy of the storm and introduce yourself. You don’t have to talk aloud; you can speak in your mind.
State your need and why you need the storm to abate, lessen, move on, etc. Your intentions must be pure. If you move the storm away from your home, it will go to someone else’s backyard. Is that what you really want? Consider carefully your intentions and instructions.
Move out of the storm. Focus again on yourself by grounding and centering.
Focus on peace and tranquillity. Walk away, where you cannot see the storm.
Trust that your request will be carried out.
After you have worked this way a few times, you will be able to touch storm energy for various purposes from mundane to magickal. For example, one Sunday afternoon I ran out for groceries. I could see there was a storm hanging in the heavens, but the cupboards were bare and I had to go; besides, although we’d had a lot of rain that spring, the ground was dry as a bone. Remember the Mary going over the mountain on Ascension Day thing? I knew all the plants and trees needed the water. It wasn’t my place to begrudge the world some rain.
It took me an hour to do my shopping. As I was standing at the checkout, sheets of rain slashed into the parking lot. People everywhere ran for cover.
“Could you put everything in plastic?” I asked the bag boy.
“Don’t want it to get wet, huh? Well, you could pull up to the front here and one of our boys will get wet for you, and put your groceries into your car.”
I nodded politely. Since when did any grocery employee stand out in pouring rain to load groceries into your car? I don’t know how it is where you live, but when it rains in Pennsylvania, grocery employees scatter like leaves in a fall wind. You’re stuck loading your own darn groceries.
The girl continued scanning my food and the fellow rammed things into the plastic bags. I looked out the big plate-glass windows at the ominous clouds and mentally called to the god and his symbol of the sun, asking for a brief respite until I could get to my car and load my groceries.
In a minute or two, I turned to the bagger and said, “Look at that, the clouds have broken in the middle of the parking lot and the sun is shining.”
He shrugged his shoulders and went on stuffing.
I paid my bill and walked outside. I thanked the god for his sunshine (right over my car), and asked the rain to be gentle as I made my way to my vehicle. The rain now fell in light, misty droplets. I loaded my groceries, returned the cart, and thanked the rain for her kindness and asked her to make sure the plants and trees in the area got enough water.
As I drove out of the parking lot, the clouds closed over the sun. At home, I removed all the groceries from the car and brought them into the house, then turned and looked out the screen door. “Thank you again,” I said, “for allowing me to drive home without danger from the torrential rains.”
With that, the storm took up where it had left off about twenty minutes before. I closed the front door and attended to my family. My husband wandered in from the living room to help me put away the groceries.
“Did you get wet?”
I grinned as I pulled a honeydew out of one of the bags. “No, not really.”
To pull high and low pressure areas toward/away from you, get a map and watch the weather on television. Pinpoint where you are. Watch where the weather is that you wish to access/deflect. On the map, draw a path from where the weather is to where you want it to go. If you wish to stall a weather front, draw a spiral over it. To deflate disastrous weather, draw a red X over it or make a balloon around the bad weather, and put a big pin in the balloon. Of course, a word to the wise here. Don’t mess with the weather for fun because you will get your little paws smacked sooner or later. Always ask permission before you go fooling with the order of things.
Invoking/Aspecting Divinity
Working Witches differ on this topic. Some feel that asking for the presence of Divinity in the circle is enough. Others feel that the only form of divine possession that should be practiced is through the process of drawing down the moon or drawing down the sun in generic form by saying “the goddess” or “the god.” When one draws down the moon/sun, it can be done alone or with a partner. Here is a drawing down the moon ritual designed for those who like the Celtic Craft and wish to incorporate the powers of the Morrigan. Before you scream, let me assure you:
It works.
I’ve done it many times.
I’m still breathing.
My life is good.
drawing in the morrigan
(by MaraKay Rogers and Silver RavenWolf)
Begin with standard options (altar devotion, salute, circle casting, and quarter calls).
Stand in the north (the home of the Morrigan). Say the following while you anoint yourself with oil:
Blessed be my feet, that have brought me to the gates of Lir.
Blessed be my knees, that kneel at the sacred altar of the Morrigan.
Blessed be my womb (phallus), which brings (hath brought) life into the world.
Blessed be my heart, may it beat in wisdom and strength.
Blessed be my arms, that shall wield the power of the Morrigan.
Blessed be my lips, that shall utter the sacred names and speak only the truth.
Close your eyes, raise your arms with palms out, and say:
Hail, great goddess Morrigan, Queen of the Sildhe,
ruler of Uindimagos.
I of the realm of Fal salute thee in adoration.
The Guardians of the Four Cities lay down their treasures
before thee
but all I can offer is my love and trust in you.
Draw an invoking pentagram in the air. Again, close your eyes, raise your arms with palms out, and say:
I call upon thee, O great Morrigan, threefold goddess of power.
From the depths of Lir, from the world of man, from the reaches
of Uindimagos,
do I call on thee
to descend upon my body
thy servant and priestess/priest
and lend your energies to me this day
as I walk in the human world
ever seeking balance.
Isn’t that great, you say. So, what do I do with it? First of all, in this particular case, you would be aspecting Divinity. Before you begin, you must focus in your mind what you wish to work for, be it more stability in life, wisdom, protection of home and family, physical prowess (she is a battle goddess, after all), winning a courtroom or boardroom battle, dealing with a criminal, etc. These are all good topics for the Morrigan. Of course, you could use any archetype—the Morrigan is simply an example. The main difference here is that when you close your circle, you are not going to release the energies of the Morrigan. Instead, you will hold the energies with you until you have finished the task for which you called her. This is called aspecting and works very well, as long as you remember to work in harmony with the Universe.
Aspecting should always be done in a magick circle, and you should always be specific on both your intent and the archetypal energy you choose to use. When aspecting for a focused working, keep in mind the use of planetary hours, astrological movements, and moon phases. All these can enhance the practices of a working Witch and give you a safety net to overcome the various things that can cause a working to fail. For example, if you are tired or stressed, but it is the right lunar phase, or it may be the wrong lunar phase, but the right planetary hour and day, etc. Angelic beings are incredible sources of power for healing rituals or invocations, and can override the wrong day, wrong hour, or wrong lunar phase.
Aspecting energies of particular archetypes can last from a few days to over a month, depending upon the circumstances. Here is one I wrote for the retrieval of wisdom. Try it and see what you think.
the retrieval of wisdom
Best phase: New moon.
Best day: Monday for wisdom, psychism, and a close relationship with the moon (if you need wisdom for a specific working, check your correspondence tables).
Best hour: Moon.
Best sign: Pisces.
Supplies: One large, flat stone; one iron cauldron; one black candle; 1⁄4 charcoal briquette presoaked in lighter fluid (If you are outside, you can use three or four); a small bowl of water; illuminator candles, if needed; a small handful of dried patchouli.
Setup
Place the stone in the west. Put the cauldron in the center of the stone.
Put the black candle on the southern edge of the stone. Put the bowl of water on the western corner of the stone.
Ritual
Begin with standard options (altar devotion, salute, circle casting, quarter calls to guard only).
Go to the west and light the candle.
Light the briquette(s) and sit before the cauldron, meditating until the briquette(s) becomes a glowing ember.
Take several deep breaths; ground and center.
At the end of each stanza, flick a drop of water from the bowl into the cauldron, then sprinkle a tiny bit of patchouli through the steam.
Invocation
Perfect is the Cauldron of the Cailleach
it glitters and glows in the dark
in the sanctuary of the west
in the land of Tir-na-nog.
Wisdom is what I seek of the Cailleach
power to do what is right
my mind is freed in her presence
my heart is open to her sight.
Clarity I hunt in her sacred grove
attendance from her guardians I seek
from the land of the living I journey
to protect and to bless the weak.
The wolf, she now howls in my favor
the raven, she circles in flight
the bear, she brings me her power
the stag, he brings me his might.
In the company of the Cailleach I stand
in the circle of the ancestral stones
I call forth the essence of the ancients
to fill this Witch’s bones.
Magick now dances around me
upon the rim of her cauldron bright
I pull in the wisdom that’s needed
and let mystery move in the night.
The eyes of the Spirit are upon me
for I have been given the sight
it is with reverence I bow now before her
in thanks for this gift of light.
Relax and meditate. When you are through, ground and center. Thank the Cailleach, dismiss the quarters, pull up the circle, and clean up the area. If you can, allow the briquettes to continue to burn.
One note of caution: Charcoal briquettes are dangerous to your health if burned indoors, which is why I suggested using only a small piece, should you be inside. This ritual is better done outside or with something else as your source flame.
Conjuring Power with Drums and Rattles (and Things Your Mother Tried to Take Away from You When You Were a Kid)
The beat—it’s all in the beat. There is a Celtic holiday on March 1 called Whuppitie-Scorrie, when adults and children alike take whistles, musical instruments, rattles, and drums and prance about the property to raise the sap in the trees and wake up Earth Mother. If you don’t own any instruments, don’t despair. The first year our family celebrated this holiday, we used wooden spoons and pots and pans. It was great. My neighbors thought we were insane—me in the lead on a cold, frosty day, trailing four children madly banging pots and pans both inside and outside the house. In the summer, our kids take up the assorted instruments we’ve collected around here and “make music for the devas.” Although only one of my children is musically inclined, the devas on our property don’t mind much. Everything grows nicely.
Don’t despair if music is not in your soul. My mother constantly played out the “let Papa sleep” scenario when I was a kid. My father worked night shift for many years, hence my mother’s hatred for any noise above a whisper. Also, I can’t read musical notes—to me they look like black bubbles with dangly strings playing kick the squiggly “S” thing on the side of the page. That doesn’t stop me. I’ve got lots of toys that don’t require musical knowledge—bells, chimes, rattles, drums, cymbals, and whistles from all over the world that even an inept like myself can handle. My favorite is a round, clay whistle (the size of the palm of my hand) from Peru called an ocarina (oh-kah-ree-nah). It makes sweet, flute-like sounds and is supposedly one of the oldest musical instruments known. This pre-Columbian instrument was used throughout the Andes to imitate the songs of birds or call herds down from the mountains. (So said the tag when I bought it.) I can make it imitate the sound of doves, which is an old trick to bring good weather. I also use it to call the various devas on my property. Through meditation I designed a soft call for each one.
All musical instruments, including rattles and drums, can act as triggers, much like you were taught earlier with the hand motions. To achieve a specific state of mind, delve into using different patterns of sound. If you can’t make a lot of racket (and I understand this completely—you won’t find me stomping on the floor and banging a drum at midnight when my children are sleeping—I play out the “let children sleep” scenario quite well), don’t worry about it. There are many small instruments out there you can purchase inexpensively that won’t wake both the living and the dead. A small set of panpipes, for instance, can make a strong musical note or a simple whisper, like a breeze meandering through a summer night. My ocarina can be played softly as well. Small rattles are quiet, too.
Another fun adventure is to make rattles all by your lonesome. As I am not musically inclined and don’t know much about the subject (and you thought I could do everything—fooled you!), I tend to look toward more practical and easily made objects. During the harvest season, pick up five nice-sized gourds. (I do it every year. Someone can always use a rattle.) Dry the gourds over the winter. Hang them in a loft, or in one of those metal baskets for storing vegetables. Don’t worry if they get weird in color or look like they are molding; keep turning them and they will dry. In the spring, begin shaking them to loosen the seeds inside. Eventually, they will break loose and you have the makings of a great, natural rattle. If you want to get ingenious, choose the power month of August to decorate them. Design and paint one on the full moon, the new moon, and the dark of the moon. Use them for moon rituals that deal specifically with those phases. Use the fourth rattle as a sun rattle, and the fifth, if you like, as a rain rattle. Heck, you could even make lunar and solar eclipse rattles! There is no end to the possible creativity. Make a deva rattle by wrapping it in silver bells to wake everyone up, including the neighbors, of course, on Whuppitie-Scorrie!
conjuring moon power
Working Witches are familiar with the standard phases of the moon:
Full: good for almost all types of magick and power raising
New: especially good for new beginnings
Dark: for lifting or throwing curses, banishing unwanted energies
Waxing: growth
Waning: disseminating
These are the five standard phases of the moon that occur in thirteen cycles throughout the year.
A delightful way to draw down the moon, no matter her phase, is by using a small hand mirror. This can be done either alone or with a partner, and is best done outside. You can also give everyone a small hand mirror in a group ritual. Here, though, the elder of the group is responsible for overseeing the process. She, or he, quietly walks clockwise in the circle, maintaining the energy flow, checking for blocks, and aligning mirrors where needed.
When: Full moon.
Where: Outside, if possible.
Supplies: One large flat stone in the center of your circle; one drinking chalice or cauldron and cup with fruit juice or another beverage; one hand mirror; one silver candle (place in the south—do not light); one small cauldron or bowl containing water (place in the west).
Setup
Go outside in full view of the moon. Put your chalice or cauldron and cup on the stone. Keep your mirror in your hand.
Ritual
Ground and center. Salute with the mirror and perform an altar devotion with the mirror.
Put the mirror in the palm of one hand and angle it so it reflects the light of the moon, slanted down, as you walk the circle thrice, repeating the casting. Keep your free hand positioned palm down to the ground.
I stir forth my ancient ancestors of the moon
walk once around,
I call forth the Mighty Ones of the hidden realms
walk once around,
I summon forth the primordial protectors of the quarters.
walk once around and stop silently at each quarter.
Bless and surround this sacred space with both power and protection.
Seal the circle by holding the mirror to your lips and placing it face down on the ground in the center of the circle, on top of your stone.
This circle is sealed.
Begin at the north:
I acknowledge and bless the element of earth.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger on the ground.
I acknowledge and bless the element of air.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the air.
I acknowledge and bless the element of fire.
Light the candle and draw your personal sigil in the air with the silver candle.
I acknowledge and bless the element of water.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the cauldron.
Invocation
In this night and in this hour
I call upon the moon’s great power.
Great Goddess of the Moon
queen of every realm
lady of infinite destiny
Protectress and Mother of Witches.
I call upon your wisdom
to pierce through the night
cast upon me your priestess/priest
thy loving gaze.
The enchantment has begun
from the heavens
power will come.
Raise your mirror and angle it so that the rays of the moon are reflected from its surface and onto your body. When my daughter, Falynn, and I do this in our garden, our backs are to the moon, so that we can capture the reflection before us. Begin with your genital chakra and work up, slowly, to the crown of your head. Bring the mirror back down and pull the energy of the moon into either your third eye or your abdomen chakra.
When you are finished, turn the mirror so that the light is now reflected in the cauldron or cup in the center of your circle. Let the rays of the moon cleanse, consecrate, and empower the drink. Put the mirror down and drink the liquid, imagining that it contains great wisdom and power.
Spend some time meditating or raising power for a specific purpose. Ground and center. When you are through, thank the goddess, acknowledge the quarters once again, and bid them farewell. Take up the circle in the manner you like best. Clear your area. Leave a gift for the devas.
For a group ritual, try the following:
As early as you can in the growing season, plant moonflowers. When they begin to bloom, plan a ritual on the full moon. Follow the ritual above, except add a large mirror in the center of the circle. Place the moonflowers around it along with some stones. You can use the stones to help tilt the mirror to reflect the moonlight during the ritual.
conjuring sun power
Summer is my favorite time of the year and I love to do sun rituals. In the Craft, the sun can be viewed as either male or female, so it appeals to everyone. Due to the high humidity in our area, I prefer to do my sun rituals at dawn or dusk. Every year I plant sunflowers and gather them in August, under the sign of Leo, as my tradition calls for. Before my harvest begins, I perform a ritual much like the following one.
Ritual
Ground and center. Salute with the mirror and perform an altar devotion with the mirror.
Put the mirror in the palm of one hand and angle it so it reflects the light of the sun, slanted down, as you walk the circle thrice, repeating the casting. Keep your free hand positioned palm down to the ground.
I stir forth my ancient ancestors of the sun
bright gods and goddesses, one by one.
walk once around,
I call forth the Mighty Ones of the hidden realms
sunrise (or sunset) energy at the helm.
walk once around,
I summon forth the primordial protectors of the quarters
sun energy at the borders.
walk once around and stop silently at each quarter.
Bless and surround this sacred space with protection.
Power of the sun be my reflection.
Seal the circle by holding the mirror to your lips and placing it face down on the ground in the center of the circle, on top of your stone.
This circle is sealed.
Begin at the east (place of the sun):
I, son/daughter of the Shining Ones,
acknowledge and bless the element of air.
The rising sun, wisdom won.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the air.
I, son/daughter of the Shining Ones,
acknowledge and bless the element of fire.
The midday flare, the dragon’s lair.
Light the candle and draw your personal sigil in the air with a gold candle.
I, son/daughter of the Shining Ones,
acknowledge and bless the element of water.
The sinking orb, where transformation is stored.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the cauldron.
I, son/daughter of the Shining Ones,
acknowledge and bless the element of earth.
The midnight hour of ancient power.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger on the ground.
Invocation
On this day and in this hour
I call upon the sun’s great power.
Great Goddess/God of the sun
Queen/King of every realm
Lady/Lord of infinite destiny/protection
Guardian and Mother/Father of Witches.
I call upon your wisdom
to pierce through the day
cast upon me your priestess/priest
thy loving gaze.
The enchantment has begun
from the sun
power will come.
Raise your mirror and angle it so that the rays of the sun are reflected from its surface onto your body. Begin with your genital chakra and work up, quickly, to the crown of your head. (We don’t want anybody burned). Put the mirror down. Face the sun. Mentally pull the energy of the sun into either your third eye or your abdomen chakra.
When you are finished, turn the mirror so that the light is now reflected in the cauldron or cup in the center of your circle. Let the rays of the sun cleanse, consecrate, and empower the drink. Put the mirror down and drink the liquid, imagining that it contains great wisdom and power.
Spend some time meditating or raising power for a specific purpose. Ground and center. When you are through, thank the god/goddess, acknowledge the quarters once again, and bid them farewell. Take up the circle in the manner you like best. Clear your area. Leave a gift for the devas.
There are numerous gods and goddesses of the sun. In the Celtic traditions, a nice trio is Brigit, Lugh, and Bel. For Dianic practitioners, try Sulis, Aditi, Solnitse, Hestia, or Lucina. Sulis is a Celtic sun goddess; Aditi is of Hindu derivation, meaning the Mother of the Lights of Heaven; Solnitse is a Russian sun goddess; of course, we know that Hestia is a Greek goddess attributed to hearth fires and fire drakes; Lucina is a Roman goddess sometimes called the Mother of Light.
The Eskimos consider the sun a female aspect and the moon her male counterpart. Grian in Irish and Scottish Gaelic is feminine. Other goddesses associated with the sun are Amaterasu (Japanese), Brunissen (Celtic), Hsi-Ho (Chinese), Igaehindvo (Cherokee), Knowee (Australian Aboriginal), Nahar (Syrian), Sapas (Phoenician), Sekhmet (Egyptian), Sul (British), Surya (Hindu), and Suwa (Arabian).27
An Irish name for the sun is Tethin (to the Scots, Teth; modern version Teine or Tine), meaning burning or fire, and is feminine. Dineen’s 1923 Irish Dictionary gives the noun Mor (or Mora) to indicate the sun. She Who Shines on the Elves relates to Sunna. There are a few Wiccan traditions that celebrate the dual goddess on Midsummer—Grian and Aine. Grian represents the birth of the sun, and Aine the death and withdrawal of the skirts of the sun’s rays into the realm of faery.
If you are into Egyptian stuff and the cycle of the sun, you may wish to choose Ra for sunrise, Ahathor for noon, Tum for sunset, and Khephra for midnight. Ra is a falcon-headed god, whose head gear includes a solar disk with a serpent, the sign of Osiris. Ahathor (better known as Hathor) is definitely feminine. She wears a headdress of horns and a solar disk, and has the head of a cow (not extremely romantic, I know). Hathor, by the way, was that good old golden calf that Moses was so bent out of shape about. Guess that female competition was too much for him, eh? With Tum, we are back to male again (which is fine—I’m a supporter of balance in all things); he is bearded. In Khephra, we are dealing with a sacred beetle (not Beatle, for you sixties fans) facing a sun disk. In envisioning this symbol, look to the scarab.
If you are a Southwest American fan, check into Anasazi, the Ancient Ones, for seasonal cycles of the sun in the Hopi and Zuni Indian traditions.
conjuring star power
Many individuals, working Witches or no, believe our ancestors reside among the stars. Some think they will be back to collect us some day. Others feel they have never been far away and have been keeping track of our progress. We know the stars are always there, so the time of day you choose to conjure star power is entirely up to you. For maximum effect, a starry night, whether winter or summer, is ideal.
Ritual
Ground and center. Salute with the mirror and perform an altar devotion with the mirror.
Put the mirror in the palm of one hand and angle it so it reflects the starlight, slanted down, as you walk the circle thrice, repeating the casting. Keep your free hand positioned palm down to the ground.
I stir forth my ancient ancestors of the stars
walk once around,
I call forth the Mighty Ones of the starry realms
walk once around,
I summon forth the primordial protectors of the quarters.
walk once around and stop silently at each quarter.
Bless and surround this sacred space with both power and protection.
Seal the circle by holding the mirror to your lips and placing it face down on the ground in the center of the circle, on top of your stone.
This circle is sealed.
Begin at the north:
I, a child of the stars,
acknowledge and bless the element of earth.
Bring earth energy to create and meld.
North star, send me your blessings.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger on the ground.
I, a child of the stars,
acknowledge and bless the element of air.
Bring air energy to create and meld.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the air.
I, a child of the stars,
acknowledge and bless the element of fire.
Bring fire energy to create and meld.
Light the candle and draw your personal sigil in the air with a white candle.
I, a child of the stars,
acknowledge and bless the element of water.
Bring water energy to create and meld.
Draw your personal sigil with your finger in the cauldron.
Invocation
On this night and in this hour
I call upon the stars’ great power.
You who are the mystery of the cosmos
who gives life to the Universe
Great Goddess of the stars
Queen of the heavenly realms.
Let there be beauty and strength
power and compassion
honor and humility
mirth and reverence
within me
as I drink from the cauldron
of your starry night.
Thou hast been with me from the beginning
and you are that which will be attained
at the end of my desire.
I call upon your wisdom
to pierce through the night
cast upon me, your priestess/priest
thy loving gaze.
The enchantment has begun
from the stars
power will come.
Raise your mirror and angle it so that the stars reflect from its surface and onto your body. Begin with your genital chakra and work up, slowly, to the crown of your head. Place the reflection either at your third eye or your abdomen chakra.
When you are finished, turn the mirror so that the stars are now reflected in the cauldron or cup in the center of your circle. Let the stars cleanse, consecrate, and empower the drink. Put the mirror down and drink the liquid, imagining that it contains great wisdom and power.
Spend some time meditating or raising power for a specific purpose. Ground and center. When you are through, thank the Star goddess, acknowledge the quarters once again, and bid them farewell. Take up the circle in the manner you like best. Clear your area. Leave a gift for the devas.
Notice the star chant contains a variation of the Words of the Star goddess, which are as follows:
I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the Mysteries of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. I call unto thy soul to arise and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the Universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore, let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.28
Conjuring Power with Trance Work
Trances are states of deep meditation. They are not Madame Rosie uttering gibberish at a séance, feigning to speak to the dead among the tingling of bells and the heightened fear of her clients. States of trance have been practiced by spiritual and magickal people all over the world, in almost every religion, since the concept of Divinity was incorporated into the human condition.
The trance work I am familiar with contains eight levels. Notice my words here—I am familiar with. Different mystical schools have various opinions on the levels of awareness that can be achieved. As with all mystery training, what works best for you is important.
The eight levels are:
1. The Gate of Healing: Imagine a large, circular shower area decorated with thousands of mosaic tiles of every color imaginable. When your spirit/mental self steps into this shower, all negativity of this plane and any damage done to you (either mentally or spiritually) will be washed away and repaired. The working Witch should stand within this astral shower every day to enhance abilities and maintain good health.
2. The Gate of Dreams and Creation: Includes dream workings of all types, both during regular sleep time, induced sleep, and meditative experiences. Here, ideas and passions of creation (music, dance, artwork, writing, etc.) can be accessed to their heights and depths.
3. The Gate of Knowledge: Deals primarily with communication, including telepathy, astral projection, conversations with both the living and the dead, and those waiting to be born. This also includes guides, guardians, teachers, and masters.
4. The Gate of Memories: Here we find your personal history, all the lifetimes you have lived, the lessons you did and did not incorporate, the abilities and skills that you have and have not taken advantage of. Remember that you can aspect skills and pure qualities of yourself in various lifetimes to assist you in this one.
5. The Gate of History: Holds the hall of Akashic records, the thousands of temple records stored over the centuries, the history of any lineage, people, clan, or group of souls.
6. The Gate of Purpose: Reveals the mechanics of almost anything, from actions of people to countries and assists the seeker in the positive arrangement of his or her own life. It also may be accessed to help others, should your intentions be pure. On a more distinguished level, it reveals the purpose of the Universe and your place within it. The gate of what is yet to be.
7. The Gate of Unity: The home of perfect love and perfect trust—the silver thread that binds the Universe together. The realm of perfection in all things, both past and present, living and inanimate, as well as things yet to come.
8. The Gate of Divinity: Few are able to go here, the place of the union of all selves with the divine.
Your Work
Project 1: For the first week, carefully study each of the gates indicated. Check your research material, search for correspondences and rituals that may assist you. I suggest that although you plan for several of the gates, do the work in linear fashion until you create a pattern for yourself. For example, in wishing to work with the Gate of Dreams, you could make a dream pillow of herbs that both magickally and medicinally reduce stress and bring peaceful sleep. Timing, such as a Sunday or during a full moon, would be ideal for such a special journey.
Project 2: On successive weeks (beginning with the Gate of Dreams), start with your meditation sequence. You will move naturally into a trance state. You will know you are there—colors are more vivid, and sometimes so beautiful they are breathtaking. Sometimes they are colors that, in the mundane world, you have never seen. You may hear melodious sounds not thought of, or meet creatures not familiar to you. Keep a record of these experiences. From the Gate of Dreams, explore the second gate. Walk around; take in the sights. Above all, learn to be patient. Slowly, begin to explore the various avenues now open to you. Keep very good records. Your work on recall is as important as the journey itself.
There are also eight levels to the Underworld. Unlike the eight gates previously mentioned, which can be accessed without sacrifice, the eight gates of the Underworld, the realm of the Dark Goddess, can only be entered through the willingness of the seeker to give some part of self they hold most dear. This, in the Craft, is the purpose of the second-degree ceremony (using the three-degree system as an example). Here, the goddess (the seeker) journeys to the Underworld, giving up things held most dear in self, to be reborn in the eyes of the Great Mother. Illusion is stripped away, and the seeker is reunited with the world of the living at the end of the ceremony. Is the descent only a story? No.
Can a solitary Witch do the descent alone? Yes, I’ve seen it done, quite by accident, with no ill results. In fact, I’ve seen traditional Witches who have earned their first degree create the descent unconsciously through situations orchestrated by their higher selves. There are times when first-degree Witches are held too long by their teachers, for whatever reason, and the goddess takes it upon herself to lead the seeker down the spiral of the descent. No human can stop the designs of the Mother. Either she will lead the Witch to another teacher or assist the seeker in his or her descent alone.
The descent to the Underworld information is not given to you in hopes you will rush about and prepare a ceremony for yourself. It is provided to enlighten you about another of the Wiccan Mysteries available to the traditional Witch that is not seen or used by the eclectic or solitary Witch who has not had professional training. In mystery groups of old, drugs or snake venom were used to heighten or induce states of trance. Today, we teach the student that this is not necessary, because the human mind is quite capable of attaining such altered states through practice, rather than using a drug for a jump-start.
Before you go further, check the legends and mythos of your pantheon to examine how the various aspects of the goddess and god fit into the eight Gates of Light and the eight Gates of the Underworld. Are any of the deities gatekeepers? Do any of the archetypes fit a particular level? Work first with those archetypes with whom you are familiar, then research to find others who will help you access the other worlds. Record your findings. If they do not assist you in the future, they may assist another who comes to you with a question.
There are two ways to work the Gates of Light. The first is by passing through gate one to get to two, then through two to get to three, etc., always beginning and returning to gate one. Other individuals prefer to see the gates in a circle, where all can be accessed from the same starting point. Do not be surprised if, during meditation or trance state, a gate is barred to you. There could be many reasons for this, from the state of your health, the point of learning you have attained, to your destiny. Do not judge yourself too harshly should you not be admitted to the gate you choose.
The eight gates of the Underworld are dealt with in a linear fashion, from one to two, and downward until you reach the Dark Goddess. From her, you go back up, from eight back to one. I do not know anyone who has worked with these gates in a non-linear fashion, nor have I met anyone who has entertained the thought. The descent can entail a massive personality change and should not be done on a whim. In our group working, the seeker actively performs the dance of the eight veils (remember that one? Now you know where it came from) and meets the Lord of the Underworld. If we are working with a male initiate, he performs the march of the eight banners, and encounters the Dark Goddess upon her throne. Both ceremonies are equally moving.
When working with the Gates of Light, many people prefer to call a guide or angel as a companion. When working through the Gates of the Underworld, however, the seeker must go alone—no guide is provided or permitted.
If you are currently running some type of group, pathworking exercises can be designed by one sister or brother, and narrated by the individual in the group with the most pleasing voice, or one skilled in hypnotherapy. If you are working alone, you may wish to begin your journeys with peaceful music, and you can use various songs to act as triggers for the various gates.
The information you gather in trance state holds great power for the pure practitioner. Use it for selfish or cruel purposes, and the gates will be closed to you; the gifts you have received will be taken. Many working Witches report higher levels of psychism as they work through the Gates of Light or travel to the Gates of the Underworld. If you fear working alone, choose a good friend who is not condescending to assist you. If one is not available, ask the Mother. Surely she will provide one. You must only have patience and believe.
A note of help: When you move through the gates for past/future life information, it is far better to move with the intention of wisdom gained, rather than expecting an instant replay of a lifetime for your viewing entertainment. Look for information that will enhance your current studies and further your spiritual path, rather than worrying about lost loves or romantic fantasies. This gate will serve you better if you work with a sound goal in mind.
Divinity and You
Because I run a group, I’ve heard a few interesting sagas. I’ve seen bad choices (including some of my own), bad judgments (ditto here), magickal and mundane failures, and romances that have gone down the tubes or up in rockets, hearts, and roses. I’ve watched insecurities surface and abilities soar.
“I like Wicca,” says Lady Bats, “because it is something I can live everyday. It is simple and harmonious. Sure, I don’t have everything I want, but I’m happy.”
The most disturbing thing I’ve found in group work is a little monster called self-imposed politics. Its root is insecurity. The insecurity is germinated from the seeds of lack of faith and lack of practice. Scott Cunningham was right when he said you must live Wicca every day in order to reap its many benefits. It is not a sometime thing, to be dabbled with when the chips are down or you are bored. When members of my group run into extreme difficulties, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, I find out they have not been practicing their religion on a daily basis. They have not been doing their altar devotions. They have not been working on self-improvement rituals. They have not been banishing negative influences or energies from themselves every day. They have not been working magick on a regular basis in order to improve their skills. In plain words, they have not been doing all the solitary things that are required to become an adept. You must learn to work alone in all phases of the Craft to reach your life goals.
If you really want power, you must be dedicated to your work. I can teach you every ritual, spell, or trick I know and you won’t get the appropriate treat if you don’t apply yourself all the time. Sure, working Witches take breaks, vacations, or simply chill out for thirty days. These breaks, however, are ritually begun and ritually finished. You cannot attain balance if you do not understand the nature of balance. Not working or fulfilling personal religious needs creates an imbalance in our lives. If you do not include Divinity in your everyday life, power ebbs away from you rather than pooling with you. You cannot conjure harmonious power if you do not respect and honor Divinity every day. Me, myself, and I have got to learn to wing it together before we flock with others.
26. In two of my previous books (To Ride a Silver Broomstick and HexCraft [retitled American Folk Magick in 1998]) I concentrate on various aspects of healing. Although the process is simple once you are familiar with it, I suggest the student check these two books (or any of the other fine magickal and self-help books on the market) to get a complete background on magickal healing.
27. The Witches’ Goddess by Janet and Stuart Farrar, Phoenix Publishing, 1987. Page 40.
28. Version by StarHawk, whose fine spiritual work has aided each and every one of us.