Marriage, Birth, Death, and Channeling
Handfasting
HANDFASTING IS THE Wiccan word for the marriage ceremony. Unlike the Christian form, where the man and woman are locked together “till death do us part” (even if they later grow apart and eventually come to almost hate one another), the Wiccan ceremony joins man and woman “for so long as love shall last.”When there is no longer love between them, they are free to go their separate ways.
These days most couples write their own Handfasting Rite. I here give the Seax-Wica rite as an example. You may like to use it as it is, or just as a basis for your own ideas. Read it carefully. In addition to being very beautiful, I think you will find that it makes a great deal of sense.
Handfasting Rite
This rite should be performed during the waxing of the Moon. The altar may be decked with flowers and flowers may be strewn about the Circle. If the coven normally wears robes, for this rite it is suggested that the bride and groom at least be skyclad; preferably the whole coven.
It is traditional in the Seax-Wica for the bride and groom to exchange rings. These are usually gold or silver bands with the couple’s (Craft) names inscribed on them in runes. These rings rest on the altar at the start of the rite. The priapic wand is also on the altar.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and priestess kiss.
Covener: “There are those in our midst who seek the bond of handfasting.”
Priestess: “Let them be named and brought forward.”
Covener: “ . . . (groom’s name) . . . is the man and . . . (bride’s name) . . . is the woman.”
Bride and groom move forward to stand facing priest and priestess across the altar—bride opposite priest and groom opposite priestess.
Priestess (to groom): “Are you . . . (name) . . . ?”
Groom: “I am.”
Priestess: “What is your desire?”
Groom: “To be made one with . . . (bride’s name) . . . , in the eyes of the gods and the Wicca.”
Priest (to bride): “Are you . . . (name) . . . ?”
Bride: “I am.”
Priest: “And what is your desire?”
Bride: “To be made one with . . . (groom’s name) . . . , in the eyes of the gods and the Wicca.”
Priestess takes up sword and raises it high. Priest hands priapic wand to bride and groom. They hold it between them, each with both hands.
Priestess: “Lord and Lady, here before you stand two of your folk. Witness, now, that which they have to declare.”
Priestess replaces sword on altar, then takes her athame and holds the point of it to groom’s chest. Groom repeats the following, line by line:
Priestess: “Repeat after me: ‘I, . . . (name) . . . , do come here of my own free will, to seek the partnership of . . . (bride’s name). . . .
I come with all love, honor, and sincerity,
wishing only to become one with her whom I love. Always will I strive for . . .
(bride’s name) . . . ’s happiness and welfare.
Her life will I defend before my own. May the athame be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare.
All this I swear in the names of the gods.*
May they give me the strength to keep my vows. So mote it be.’”
Priestess lowers her athame. Priest then raises his athame and, in turn, holds it to the breast of the bride. She repeats the oath, line by line, after him:
Priest: “Repeat after me: ‘I, . . . (name) . . . , do come here of my own freewill, to seek the partnership of . . . (groom’s name) . . . . I come with all love, honor, and sincerity, wishing only to become one with him whom I love. Always will I strive for . . . (groom’s name) . . . ’s happiness and welfare. His life will I defend before my own. May the athame be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare. All this I swear in the names of the gods.* May they give me the strength to keep my vows. So mote it be.’”
Priest lowers the athame. Priestess takes up the two rings and sprinkles and censes both. She hands the bride’s ring to the groom and the groom’s ring to the bride. They take them in their right hands, remaining holding the priapic wand with their left hands.
Priest: “As the grass of the fields and the trees of the woods bend together under the pressures of the storm, so too must you both bend when the wind blows strong. But know that as quickly as the storm comes, so equally quickly may it leave. Yet will you both stand, strong in each other’s strength. As you give love; so will you receive love. As you give strength; so will you receive strength. Together you are one; apart you are as nothing.”
Priestess: “Know you that no two people can be exactly alike. No more can any two people fit together, perfect in every way. There will be times when it will seem hard to give and to love. But see then your reflection as in a woodland pool: when the image you see looks sad and angered, then is the time for you to smile and to love (for it is not fire that puts out fire). In return will the image in the pool smile and love. So change you anger for love and tears for joy. It is no weakness to admit a wrong; more is it a strength and a sign of learning.”
Priest: “Ever love, help, and respect each other, and then know truly that you are one in the eyes of the gods and of the Wicca.”
All: “So mote it be.”
Priest takes priapic wand from couple and replaces it on the altar. Bride and groom each place ring on the other’s finger and kiss. They then kiss priest and priestess across the altar, then move deosil about the Circle to be congratulated by the others.
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale followed by games and merriment.
As I said at the beginning of this lesson, in many religions marriage is meant to be a lifetime partnership. Even though it may turn out that after a few years a couple find they are really unsuited to one another, they are stuck for the rest of their lives. This invariably leads to great unhappiness for husband, wife, and any children. Although Witches most certainly do not encourage casual partnerships, they do recognize the fact that some marriages just do not work out ideally. When this is the case, and when all attempts have been made to settle any differences, then they will dissolve the partnership with the old ceremony of Handparting. This, of course, is never undertaken lightly.
Handparting Rite
Before the ceremony the couple will sit with the priest and priestess and work out a fair division of their property, plus provision for support of any children of the marriage. A scribe will make note of this and the record will be signed by all. If either husband or wife are not available for the rite (by reason of relocation, ill health, or whatever), then a Witch of the appropriate sex may stand in for the missing party. The rite will take place in this fashion only if there is a signed agreement from the missing party, together with the marriage ring.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and priestess kiss.
Covener: “ . . . (Husband’s name) . . . and . . .
(wife’s name) . . . , stand forth.”
Husband and wife stand before the altar, husband facing priestess and wife facing priest.
Priestess: “Why are you here?”
Husband: “I wish a handparting from . . . (name). . . . ”
Priest: “Why are you here?”
Wife: “I wish a handparting from . . . (name). . . . ”
Priestess: “Do you both desire this of your own free will?”
Husband and wife: “We do.”
Priest: “Has a settlement been reached between you regarding the division of property and (if appropriate) care for the children?”
Husband and wife: “It has.”
Priest: “Has this been duly recorded, signed, and witnessed?”
Covener-Scribe: “It has.”
Priest: “Then let us proceed, remembering that we stand ever before the gods.”
Husband and wife join hands. They repeat the following, line by line, speaking together.
Priestess: “Together repeat after me: ‘I, . . . (name) . . . , do hereby most freely dissolve my partnership with . . . (spouse’s name). . . . I do so in all honesty and sincerity, before the gods, with my brothers and sisters of the Craft as witnesses. No longer are we as one, but now are two individuals, free to go our separate ways. We release all ties, one to the other, yet ever will we retain respect for one another, as we have love and respect for our fellow Wiccans. So be it.’”
Priest: “Handpart!”
Husband and wife release each other’s hands, remove their marriage rings and give them to the Priestess. She sprinkles and censes them, saying:
Priestess: “In the names of the gods do I cleanse these rings.”
She returns them to the couple, to do with them as they wish.
Priestess: “Now are you handparted. Let all know you as such. Go your separate ways in peace and in love—never in bitterness— and in the ways of the Craft So mote it be.”
All: “So mote it be.”
Then shall follow the ceremony of the Cakes and Ale and the Clearing the Temple.
Generally speaking,Witches are very open-minded people, especially where religion is concerned. They have no hard and fast “commandments”; no catechisms. They feel that all should be free to choose the religion that best suits them. It would seem obvious that there can be no one religion for all. Temperaments differ. Some love ritual for its own sake; others look for simplicity. All religions lead in the same direction, simply taking different paths to get there. Witches feel that all should therefore be free to choose their own path; all, including the Witches’ own children. A child should not be forced to follow a particular religion just because it is the religion of the parent(s). For this reason, most Witch parents try to give their children as wide a view of religion as possible, that the child may make a free choice when ready. It is naturally hoped that the child will choose the Craft, but it is not forced. Far better that the child be happy in a religion different from the parent than that she or he become a religious hypocrite.
For the above reasons, there is no Craft “baptism.” Instead, in a simple ceremony, the parents ask the gods to watch over the child and give her, or him, wisdom in choice when older. The child will be fully initiated only when old enough to decide for herself or himself. The exact age will, of course, vary from one child to another, Until that time the child should certainly be encouraged to participate in Circles and to “get the feel” of the Craft. When ready, the initiation will be conducted by the priest and priestess, or, if they so wish, by the parents acting as priest and priestess.
In virtually all branches of the Craft, anyone may leave at any time, should they so wish. They are also free to return again, at anytime, should they so desire. There would be no need for a second initiation.
Birth Rite (or Wiccaning)
This may be performed at any of the rituals, prior to the ceremony of Cakes and Ale, or it may be done as a rite in itself, preceded by Erecting the Temple and then followed by Cakes and Ale and, of course, Clearing the Temple.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and priestess kiss.
Covener: “There is an addition to our number. Let us give her/him due welcome.”
Parents move to stand across the altar from the priest and priestess. They hold the baby.
Priest: “What is the name of the child?”
Parents give the child’s name—the name by which it will be known in the Circle until old enough to choose its own name.
Priest: “We welcome you, . . . (name). . . .”
Priestess: “Welcome, and much love to you.”
Priest and priestess lead parents and child three times, deosil, around the Circle. Parents then “offer” the child—they hold the child over the altar.
Parents: “We here offer the fruit of our love to the gods. May they watch over her/him as she/he grows.”
Priestess dips her fingers in the salted water and gently wipes them over the baby’s face. Mother then passes the child through the smoke of the incense.
Priestess: “May the Lord and the Lady ever smile upon you.”
Priest: “May they guard you and guide you through this life.”
Priestess: “May they help you choose that which is right and shun that which is wrong.”
Priest: “May they see that no harm befalls you, or others through you.”
Priestess (to parents): “We charge you both, in the names of the God and of the Goddess, to lead this child, with love, through the highways and byways of life. Teach her/him the ways of the craft that she/he may learn to honor and respect all life and to harm none.”
Priest: “Teach her/him of the Lord and the Lady; of this life, of all that went before and what may come after. Tell the tales of the gods and teach the history of our Craft. Teach her/him to strive for that perfection which all desire and, when the time is right, hope—but do not press—that she/he joins with us and becomes truly one of our beloved family.”
Parents: “All this will we do. So do we pledge.”
Priest and Priestess: “We bid welcome to . . . (name). . . . ”
All: “Welcome!”
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale.
Because of the Craft belief in reincarnation, death is a time for celebration rather than grief. Death signifies the completion of a learning period. The individual has “graduated” and will be going on to other things. This should be celebrated. Sorrow, then, is a sign of selfishness. We are sorry for ourselves, that we have been left behind, without the love and companionship of one dear to us.
There are no hard and fast teachings on what should be done with the body after death. After all, it was only a shell for the spirit, or soul, that inhabited it and has now gone on. Many Witches (I think, probably the majority) favor cremation; others leave their bodies to hospitals. It is a personal choice. Few, if any, Witches see the sense of the elaborate and (for the relatives) expensive trappings of today’s funerals.
Crossing the Bridge (at Death)
This rite may be performed at any of the other rituals, prior to the Cakes and Ale, or it may be done as a rite in itself, preceded by Erecting the Temple and followed by Cakes and Ale and, of course, Clearing the Temple.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and priestess kiss. A single long note is sounded on a horn, by one of the coveners.
Covener: “The horn is sounded for . . . (name of deceased Witch). . . .”
All: “So be it.”
Priestess: “That today . . . (name) . . . is not with us, here in the Circle,
saddens us all.
Yet let us try not to feel sad.
For is this not a sign that s/he has fulfilled this life’s work?
Now is s/he free to move on.
We shall meet again, never fear,
and that will be a time for further celebration.”
Priest: “Let us send forth our good wishes to bear her/him across the Bridge.
May s/he return at any time
s/he may wish, to be with us here.”
All take their athames and point them at a spot behind the altar, facing the priest and priestess. They imagine the dead Witch standing on that spot, looking as they best remember her or him. They concentrate on sending love, joy, and happiness from their bodies, along the line of the athame, into the imagined body. This continues for a few moments. The priestess signals the end by replacing her athame and saying:
Priestess: “We wish you all the love and happiness we may.
We will never forget you.
Do not you forget us.
Whenever we meet here, you are always welcome.”
All: “So mote it be.”
All now sit and if any present wish to speak of the deceased, they may do so. If no one else, then at least the priest and/or priestess should speak reminiscently of the dead Witch, remembering especially the good and happy times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale.
The Intuitive Process
The word psychic means that which pertains to the spirit or higher consciousness. The word occult means that which is hidden from the uninitiated. In fact, there is nothing hidden or mysterious about your beyond-the-physical abilities. They are a part of every single one of us. Just as we each have arms and legs, fingers and toes, so do we each have beyond-the-physical abilities. These abilities are very much in evidence in some people but lie dormant—awaiting recognition and utilization—in others. And just as physical abilities differ in individuals, so do these psychic abilities. By testing your physical strength in different tasks, you find what you are capable of and what you are not. So it is with your psychic strength. You need to test it, to exercise and attempt, in order to find out your true capabilities.
Let us look first at channeling—the tapping into the collective consciousness in order to obtain needed information.
Categories of Channeling
The ability to channel information falls into two general categories; the physical and the mental.
Physical channeling is that which relates to, or has an effect on, physical objects. This would include psychometry, pendulum (radiesthesia), tea-leaf reading (tasseography), card reading (cartomancy), etc.
Mental channeling is that which deals with impressions received on some level of conscious awareness.
Included in the mental category are clairvoyance (“clear seeing”), clairaudience (hearing), clairsentience (sensing), and telepathy (thought transference).
Mental channeling includes the ability to function in precognitive (knowing before the event), retrocognitive (after the event), and present time frames.
A further division of channeling should be noted. That is, the difference between “trance” and “conscious” channeling (the trance condition can be further divided into deep, medium, and light states). Generally speaking, the term trance indicates the lack of conscious activity on the part of the psychic, or channel. In a deep trance, the channel is not consciously aware of what is occurring during the process and will not retain any memory of the event. In a medium or semitrance state, the channel usually has some conscious awareness of what occurs and retains some memory. In this case, the conscious mind acts as an observer but does not actively participate in the channeling of the information. In a light trance the knowledge during, and later memory of, the event is more pronounced. The conscious memory, however, still functions only as an observer and takes no active part.
In the case of conscious channeling, the psychic’s conscious awareness can, and often does, actively participate. Not only are the higher levels of consciousness receiving and assimilating information, but the conscious awareness is receiving and analyzing data on the physical level (such as physical manifestation of emotional response, including body language, facial expression, and voice inflection).
Clearing the Channel
To become a channel, you must remove the debris that blocks or impedes the flow of information. You must rid your mind of all of the rubbish accumulated throughout your lifetime so that a clean environment exists in which to develop those powers latent within you. You must overcome your inhibitions, false values, uncertainties, indecision, and criticism of others. Some major considerations are as follows:
1. Controlling the mind—to clear the way for the higher mind, you must learn to control and focus the conscious mind. Consider how you seem to have a thousand thoughts rushing about at any given moment. This shows how you scatter your energies, giving only a small percentage of your energy to any one idea or action at a time. If you learn to control your mental energies and give undivided attention, you have the force; the power to achieve any goal, the power of creation.
2. Removing emotion—worry, fear, anger, envy, rush, and noise are as much a poison to your spiritual system as arsenic would be to your body. True spiritual qualities entirely eliminate these poisons. Total faith leaves no room for worry. Unrestricted love allows no room for hate, envy, anger, and greed.
3. Self-examination—as a truth seeker, you continually examine yourself. You must determine your ideals and beliefs. You must achieve clear and concise determination of what is right and wrong for you. Just as you cannot judge another, you cannot be judged by any other than yourself. You must determine your ambitions and analyze your motivation. You must determine your goals and define them clearly. You cannot complete a journey without a specific objective. For example, you would not merely go to a certain city to visit a friend. You would go to a specific street, a specific building, and a specific apartment. Not only must you define your objectives, you must also place them in priority and pursue them accordingly. As you select, prioritize, and pursue your goals, you must adhere to the creed “An’ it harm none.”
4. Possessiveness—one of the most difficult obstacles for many to overcome is possessiveness. Our possessions (people and things) rule us while only pretending to be our slaves. They demand our time and money. They tie us down to a specific place and severely complicate our lives. They bring jealousy, greed, envy, and hate. This does not mean that we should deny ourselves our possessions. We are meant to possess all things, share all things, and to have power over all things. But we are not meant to have power over one or two things to the exclusion of all others. Consider your feelings concerning your possessions. Who is the master and who the slave? Learn to transform petty possessiveness into the great spiritual feeling of sharing and unity.
5. Love—learn to truly love. Many misconceptions exist concerning this subject. It is too often viewed as a rather selfish emotion or as lust. You must learn of the higher love; unselfish love. Learn to love well enough to release people and things rather than to cling to them, Your love should be understanding and forgiving. You need to realize that each individual has his or her own path to follow, his or her own experiences to assimilate, in order to fully develop. You must let the individual tread their own path at his own pace. You should give love. You should be love. You must learn empathy for all—and sympathy for none.
6. Meditation—finally, you must master the silence in which the higher self speaks. As I discussed in the previous lesson, it is through meditation that you learn to concentrate and focus your attention on the higher level. The daily session of meditation clears the cluttered mind and produces the clear channel that can be used at will.
As you continue to work with the six steps outlined above, the channel will gradually begin to clear, and bits of information will start to filter through. Usually, the process is so gradual that you may not even detect it at first. Many times the initial clues are bits of knowledge that have no consciously known source. They may be completely new ideas, concepts, or realization of new truths. Channel opening can also be expressed in what seems to be an improved memory. In any case, it is seldom dramatic. You will not suddenly “become psychic” . . . but gradually, over a period of time, new truths, new knowledge, and new awareness become yours.
The channeling of intuitive information should be a normal state of awareness. As you develop, you will find that you cannot always turn it on and off at will. It is frequently quite involuntary. You may meet people for the first time and realize that you “know” things about them. You may sense conditions in their past or future. You may “see” things or persons connected with their lives. At other times you may want to know or sense things but find no impressions whatsoever. In time, as you use your abilities and exercise them, you will find that the information is becoming more and more available. Eventually you will find that you can call down information almost at will.
Listening
One way to help your development is to make a practice of listening to those inner urges. For example, suppose you have a particular route that you always take returning home from work. One afternoon, as you reach a certain intersection, you feel the inclination to turn down a certain tree-lined lane. Of course the conscious mind begins immediately to argue, “You don’t have time. The family is expecting you; the lawn must be mown before dark; etc., etc.” Ignore the conscious mind and listen to that inner urge. Turn down the lane. There is a reason. You may find a beautiful pond or a flowered yard or hillside that fills you with the joy of nature and gives you a needed spiritual lift. On the other hand, you may not seem to notice anything worthwhile. You may take the alternate route home with no notable experience. You may never hear of the terrible accident that occurred at the intersection two blocks down—at the exact time that you would have driven through! Whether apparent or not, there is a reason!
External Focal Points
The Pendulum
If you are seeking the answer to a particular question, it is often helpful to use an external object as a focus, in order to eliminate outside influences and conscious mind distortion. The use of such an object does not affect the information in any way. It merely occupies the individual’s consciousness and focuses awareness on a particular point. One such focusing device is the pendulum. This allows you to obtain a simple “Yes,” “No,” or, “Not yet determined” answer to the question.
The pendulum itself should be made of natural mineral products. The weight should be attached to a small chain about nine inches long (the chain may be of almost any material except animal products). The preferred material would be metal such as gold, silver, brass, or copper. Aluminum is not recommended because the electrical process used in its manufacture may be disruptive to your auric field.
A “Yes/No” answer card, as shown in the illustration (figure 8.1) may also be used.
To use the pendulum, place the answer card on a flat surface such as a table or desk. Seat yourself comfortably in front of it. Clear your mind of all extraneous thought. If you desire, say a small prayer such as the Seax-Wica Psalm given in lesson 2. Ask the gods for protection and guidance in receiving true answers. Hold the chain with your right hand (left, if left-handed) about seven inches from the weight. Suspend it over the center of the answer card, about half an inch off the surface. Holding the pendulum steady, ask your question. Make sure it is one that can be answered “Yes” or “No.” Do not try to make the pendulum swing. You will find that although you try to hold your hand still, the weight will swing backward and forward along one of the lines on the paper, thus giving an answer to your question. You do not need to ask the question aloud; you can just think it.
Should the pendulum swing around in a circle, or not swing at all, then either your question was ambiguous—in which case you need to rephrase it—or else the answer cannot be given for some reason.
The pendulum can be used not only to answer questions, but also to locate objects and people, in the manner of a dowsing rod. The joy of the pendulum, however, is that it can be used from the comfort of your own home. The idea behind this is that the pendulum indicates on a small scale what is happening on a large scale, or at a distance. For any of these things—following a trail, finding a lost object, searching for water, or even diagnosing an illness—it is as well to use a pendulum with a definite point to it. Sit at a table with a map before you of the place to be dowsed. The larger the map’s scale, the better. Move the pendulum slowly across the map, in the same pattern you would follow if you were walking on the spot. When you “reach” the site of the material for which you are searching, the pendulum will indicate it by swinging rapidly in a circle or spinning around. When looking for a lost person, or stolen property, you can follow a similar procedure. For something lost, draw a rough sketch of the area, the house or room where you think it was lost. Again move the pendulum systematically
Figure 8.1
about, while concentrating your thoughts on the missing object. Again it will rotate to indicate where the object is. An alternate method is to hold the pendulum over the answer card and, with a finger of your other hand, point to the sketch map and ask, “Is it here? . . . Is it here? . . . ” etc.
To follow a trail, move the pendulum slowly along the roads as shown on the map. At each crossroad ask the pendulum which is the right road to take. In this manner you can easily trace a route taken from point A to point B.
For more on the pendulum, see Color Magick by Raymond Buckland (Llewellyn Publications, 1983 & 2002).
Learning to Psychometrize
The steps, in learning to psychometrize, are easy ones requiring only practice with patience. Take eight or ten samples of different substances: cloth of various types, leather, fur, wood, metal, stone, etc. Sit quietly and, taking one object at a time in your hands, concentrate on it. Feel its texture. Think of its origins. Try to picture the tree from which the wood came; the animal from which the fur came, and so on. Work at the objects regularly, spending as long as you feel comfortable on each object but always going right through the complete set. It may be that you will get very definite impressions right away. But if you do not, continue as follows.
After a few weeks of the initial exercise, place each of the objects in separate envelopes. Have all the envelopes the same so that, outwardly, there is no way of telling one from another. Label them alphabetically. Go through the concentration again regularly, this time trying to pick up a clue regarding the contents of the envelope. You may guess the object itself or you may get an impression of its origins—the sort of thing on which you were concentrating before. Write down your impressions in a notebook, against the letters on the envelopes. After a few days, or weeks (depending on how often you practice), you may show a score something like this:
You can see that there is a certain pattern emerging. By the seventh try (in this example) you can get 50 percent correct. Others are very close. For instance, the two words “oak” and “bamboo” are frequently confused; as are “snakeskin” and “feather.”
Keep on with these sealed envelopes. Then introduce others. When you feel you are keeping a good, consistent score, try your hand at other unsealed objects. A friend’s ring, for instance. A letter, a photograph, a watch. As you hold the objects, start by thinking of them in themselves. Then ask yourself, who has handled them most? Where did they come from? When were they made? Practice all the time. Such an item as a coin has usually passed through too many hands to have gathered any positive aura. Concentrate more on objects of an individual nature. Whenever possible, check on the results you achieve and keep a written record of them. In this way, you can watch your progress.
The above exercises can be done quite well in a group. You can even arrange two teams and see which is the more accurate. Other exercises and tests will suggest themselves. Keep trying. Do not be discouraged . . . and keep those notes.
A Pocket Guide to the Supernatural
Raymond Buckland, Ace Books, 1969
Psychometry
All physical material has memory. It is not the memory of a conscious awareness, but it is the retention of manifested energy with which the material has come into contact. Further, if a person touches a particular object, a cosmic link is established between the two that will exist at least as long as the human lives and ofttimes long after. Thus, if you touch a chair, another person with developed channeling abilities could “read” you when she or he comes in contact with that chair, regardless of where you might happen to be at the time. The channel could “see” into your past, present, and even future just as easily as if you were physically present.
Psychometry, then, is the reception of impressions from a physical object. The impressions may come in the form of feelings, scenes, thought forms, color, emotions. They may come singly or in combination. Whatever thought, feeling, or sensation you receive should be carefully recorded.
To practice psychometry, begin with small items such as jewelry, that can be easily held in the hand. Something of the nature of a keepsake, which has been in contact with its owner for long periods of time, is best. The concentration of energy is stronger because of both the physical and emotional link that was established.
As always in using the intuitive process, the mind should be cleared before starting. Now, hold the object lightly between the hands. Feel the energy or vibrations that emanate from it. What do you feel? Is there a coldness; a warmth; a tingling sensation? What color(s) do you sense? What scenes come to you? Do you feel any kind of emotion? Again, have no expectations; be purely receptive. Feel; listen; look into the third eye. Move into any perceptions that you find. Examine them and become one with them. Then record them, exactly as received. Do not let your conscious mind interfere. Some people find they are better able to get their results holding the object in one particular hand, rather than in both hands; some hold it to the forehead, over the third eye; some hold it over the heart. Experiment. See which is best for you.
Interpreting Channeled Information
The greatest problem facing the channel (and sometimes the subject) is interpretation. As with dreams, the interpretation is best done by the subject. If you are channeling information on yourself, the problem is minimized. But if the reading is for someone else, you must be extremely careful. The information should be presented exactly as it is received.
Much of channeled information deals with the future. This is because the past is past. It is what the individual does from this point on that is important. Since you are master of your own destiny, you must accept the consequences of your own actions. Therefore, nothing is predetermined. Any information of the futures is only in the realm of probability, based on current conditions, and may be changed. An indicated disastrous relationship can be avoided either through avoidance of the relationship itself or through a change of attitude concerning the relationship on the part of the persons involved. A physical illness can be avoided by correcting the probable cause, such as an improper diet, balancing the emotional state, etc. Nothing has to be! The channeled information is merely stating that, as conditions exist at the moment, this is the probable result. If the individual desires a different outcome, it is within her or his power to bring it about. We create our own reality.
The Aura
The “body” of woman (or man) is actually composed of seven distinct elements. The first three (solid, liquid, and gas) form the physical body. The fourth element is called the etheric body and interpenetrates the physical. Generally, the etheric body extends beyond the confines of the physical body by about an inch. Next is the astral body. It extends
There is good evidence to show that a pictorial method is resorted to very largely by the spirits—mediums seeing what they describe, very often, when the more direct auditory method is not resorted to. The spirit presents somehow to the mind of the medium a picture, which is described and often interpreted by the medium. Often this interpretation is quite erroneous, resembling a defective analysis of a dream. Because of this the message is not recognized, yet the source of the message may have been perfectly veridical.
Let us illustrate this more fully. Suppose you desire to tell a Chinese man, who speaks not a word of English, to get a certain object—a watch—from the next room. It would be useless for you to say the word “watch,” because he would not know what the word meant. Probably you would tap your wrist, pretend to wind the watch, look at the hands, etc., in trying to convey to him your meaning. If this were not recognized you would have the utmost difficulty in telling him to get the watch from the next room.
Now suppose these antics, or somewhat similar ones, were resorted to by a spirit in his attempt to convey the word “watch,” perhaps to remind the sitter of a particular pocket watch he used to carry in his vest pocket. The spirit might well proceed as follows:
Medium: “He taps his stomach and looks at a spot over his left side. He seems to wish to convey the impression that he suffered much from bowel trouble, perhaps a cancer on the left side. Yes, he seems to be taking something away from his body; evidently they removed some growth. Now he is examining his hand. He is looking intently. Now he is doing something with his fingers. I can’t see what it is; a little movement. Was he connected with machinery in life? Now he is pointing to the door . . .” etc.
Such an interpretation of the facts, while describing his actions, is wholly misleading as to its interpretation. The symbolism has been wholly misconstrued and, inasmuch as the subject probably never died of cancer, had no bowel trouble, underwent no operation, and was never connected with machinery, it is highly probable that the message would be put down totally to the medium’s subconscious imagination, or even to guessing or conscious fraud! Yet, it will be observed, the message was in its inception completely veridical, the fault lying in the symbolism, misinterpreted by the medium.
Amazing Secrets of the Psychic World
Raymond Buckland & Hereward Carrington
Parker Publishing Co., N.Y. 1975
several inches beyond the etheric body. Then, beyond the astral body, are the mental and spiritual bodies. Due to their elasticity, and the speed at which they function, it is impossible to define physical limits for these last two.
Although the vibrations of the nonphysical bodies are too high a rate to be detected by the physical eye, the energy patterns that emanate can be seen by the adept. These energy patterns are what is known as the aura. Usually the energy of the etheric body is detected, or “seen,” first because of its denseness. As your perceptions improve, you can begin to detect the energy that radiates beyond the etheric body. Often it can be seen flowing, ebbing, and spiralling much like the northern lights. The colors detected are usually indicative of the person’s state of being. Thus, a person with a deeply spiritual state may exhibit blue and lavender. A person deeply in love may show pink, etc. (see “color” under symbolism in the “Dream” section of lesson 7). You should be cautioned about trying to see what another person sees. If you and a friend are reading auras, do not be surprised if one of you detects blue and the other detects yellow. Neither of you is necessarily wrong. Individual sensitivities are different and you are more sensitive to certain vibrations while your friend is more receptive to others.
Any state of the individual’s being causes reactions in the aura. Emotional states will primarily affect the color. Physical conditions not only affect color, but also cause peculiarities in the patterns of the aura, such as vortexes, holes, and sometimes dark spots. You should be careful in your treatment of information concerning auras. You may think that a male friend has a physical problem because of what seems to be a defect in his aura. Ask him if he has a problem in that particular area. But, if he denies it, drop the issue. What may appear serious to you at the time, could be just a minor irritation that is nearly healed. Remember the power of suggestion is strong and could turn out to be very damaging to some people.
Finding Lost Objects
How often have you spent minutes, hours, or even days, in a frantic search for some lost item? Whether you absentmindedly misplaced it yourself, or whether someone else moved it without your knowledge, it is not necessary to waste a lot of time and energy searching for it. In the first place, if you are filled with panic and fear losing the item, it might be that you have a lesson to learn about possessiveness. In the second place, if it is truly misplaced, neither logic nor emotion is going to be of much help. Of course, if you move everything in the house (assuming it is in the house), a systematic search may eventually locate it. But even though the conscious mind cannot readily find it, there are aspects of yourself that can. All you need do is listen to them.
First of all, calm down. Close down the conscious mind. Rid yourself of emotion. Once you are completely calm and at peace, simply follow your inner urges. Do not think! Move; walk; be guided from within. I once found two keys thrown into the center of an overgrown field using this technique. I had not seen where the keys were thrown, yet, following my inner guidance, I walked to a certain spot, leaned over, and placed my hand within three inches of the missing keys!
There are times when the lost remains lost. Invariably at these times there is a lesson to be learned. Our higher selves sometimes choose this method to cause us to consider our placement of values, or to set in motion a needed series of experiences. At other times, the “help” may be external. Perhaps our spirit guides, in consort with our higher selves, create the conditions for that much needed lesson.
The pendulum of course, is an excellent means of discovering that which is lost, as was described above. Do not overlook it.
Sensory Deprivation
As an aid to developing or producing extrasensory perception, recent studies associated with the Department of Defense and the space program have turned to what is called sensory deprivation. The theory is that our normal living patterns have conditioned us to seek a certain degree of sensation (whether mental, physical, or emotional) during all waking moments. If the waking senses are eliminated and body movement is restricted, the body relaxes, mental and emotional tensions subside, and the consciousness achieves unparalleled freedom. Laboratory studies have used diving tanks, where the submerged test subject was kept in a weightless and motionless condition. Documentation of such tests reveals that extrasensory phenomena, including imagery, occur.
The Witches’ Cradle
Depriving the physical senses by external means is in no way a new idea. For centuries the Arabian dervishes have dangled from a rope around the wrist; Hindus have sat for days, weeks, or even months, in a lotus position; and members of the Craft have used a device known as the Witches’ cradle, to separate the consciousness from the physical.
There are several variations of the Witches’ cradle. Two are illustrated. All perform the same basic function of isolating the person from her or his physical environment and make physical movement all but impossible. Under these conditions, the consciousness is loosed from physical bondage and becomes free to roam beyond the physical horizon.
As illustrated (figure 8.2) in the first cradle the person is wrapped in a mummy-like shroud of leather or cloth. The arms are fastened down in straightjacket fashion. Leather straps hold the body in the iron frame while a leather hood shuts out sight and sound. The head is held in place by a leather strap or iron band, as shown. The cradle is suspended by a single rope so that it can swing and rotate freely to give complete disorientation with the ground.
Figure 8.2
Figure 8.3
The second variation (figure 8.3) is suspended by the leather sleeves. The leather sheath was cushioned with fur (modern versions use foam rubber) for comfort. The crossbar is suspended by a yoke to a single rope, again to provide ground disorientation. Notice that in both cases the spine is kept straight. Not only did the cradle produce sensory isolation, which aided freeing of the consciousness, it also aided the projection of the consciousness beyond the physical body . . . astral projection.
It is not necessary, nor recommended, that the individual use the cradle under normal circumstances. Such a device should only be used under the close supervision of someone who is completely knowledgeable in its use. The essence of its benefits can and should be used, however. A procedure to induce the proper conditions for freeing the consciousness is outlined in the method of meditation given in lesson 7. These meditation procedures, if properly and consistently used, can also provide deprivation of the senses, comfort of the body, and elimination of the senses that will free the consciousness.
Lesson Eight Questions
1. Write your own Handfasting Rite.
2. Keep a log of Birth Rites (Wiccaning) and Crossing the Bridge Rites below.
3. List the methods you have used to clear your intuitive channel. What were your personal impediments (blocks) for channeling? Keep track of channeled information below.
4. List some of the means by which you have developed your psychic abilities. What have been the results of these techniques used?
Examination Questions for Lesson Eight
1. Is the Wicca Handfasting Rite a lifetime joining of the man and woman?
2. At what age is a child initiated into the Craft?
3. What are the two main categories of channeling?
4. Give at least five of the major points you must address in order to clear your mind for channeling.
5. You have mislaid your car keys. You do not know whether they are in your bedroom, living room, kitchen, or at the office. How do you locate them? Give two methods.
6. You see a large break in your father’s aura, in the area near his heart. What would you tell him and why?
Please Read
How to Read the Aura; How to Develop Psychometry; How to Develop Clairvoyance all by W. E. Butler
Color Magick by Raymond Buckland
Recommended Supplementary Reading
The Principles and Practice of Radiesthesia by Abbé Mermet
Amazing Secrets of the Psychic World by Raymond Buckland and Hereward Carrington
*Names used for the gods may be inserted here.