Witch Tips: Researches and Checking Sources

At the end of my undergraduate career I have been reflecting on how important finding information is in all of the aspects of my life.  In my Pagan life, research skills have helped me deepen my spirituality and have sorted the fact from the fiction.  Information is powerful and essential to learning or creating a vibrant tradition.

• Works Cited Matter: If an article or book has a suggesting reading and a citation page, you can trace the author’s preparation and research.  This transparency is key.
• So Do Names, Sort Of: Leaders in the Pagan community who have published books tend to be experts, although should not necessarily be taken for face value.  In general if the work is a collaboration (married couples/romantic partners can break this rule though), written by experts in a particular tradition (i.e. Starhawk writing about Reclaiming), or is a scholarly work (example: Drawing Down the Moon), you’re good.
• The Internet Can Lie: While the Information Age is a fabulous, wonderful thing, anyone can post information and call it fact.  If you do not have access to books, look on websites such as the Witches’ Voice.
• Take Notes:  So you can review what you’re read.
• Go With Your Gut:  Sometime personal untested gnosis seeps into articles.  If you see a weird piece of information, double check it.

© Ariadne Woods

Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival Photoessay

Edinburgh Beltane Fire Festival Photoessay

Are All Sabats Created Equal?

Most witches, Wiccans, and Pagans follow the Eight Great Celtic Sabat model (although there are thousands of other traditions.  Read The Grandmother of Time by Z. Budapest and The Pagan Book of Days by Nigel Pennick for more information).  The benefit about following the natural world is the major holidays are nicely spaced throughout the year.  Getting bummed after Yule? Imbolc is right around the corner.  We are constantly celebrating life and the Earth and our faith.

Yet, I have found that try as I may to celebrate every holiday, I have noticed a pattern about how I approach the Wheel of the Year:

• Yule: Christmas (a very important day in my family) is a few days away and since that’s such a high stress holiday I am too wiped to stay up with the Goddess as she births the God.
• Imbolc: Very informal celebration.  This year I had my friends over for mead.
• Ostara: I always seem to forget about it.
• Beltane: One of my favorites, but it always falls on finals or reading days.  I do make an effort to do some sort of ritual, though.
• Litha: I go to a local farm festival with my mom every year and go home for a late night ritual.  One of the best days of the year.
• Lammas: So. Much. Baking.  Always a laid back holiday.
• Mabon: I adore Mabon.  Never miss it.
• Samhain: I celebrate it, but I always seem burnt out due to a variety of reasons.

I do not treat them all with the same amount of pomp and circumstance.  I mean, it’s not practical for me.  I have school, work, family, friends, boyfriend, extra curricular activities, taking care of myself, etc.  The prep time is not always there.

What ultimately drives celebratory worship is the connection to particular times of the year.  For me, I feel at home in summer and fall holidays.  They speak to my soul in such an empowering way, which is what matters the most about sabat celebrations.  That connection is key because that is what allows the worshiper to benefit spiritually from the ritual.

© Ariadne Woods

Witch Tips: Extending Earth Day All Year Round

Happy Earth Day!  As a witch I think that since I have the means to be green, it is my duty to live an earth friendly lifestyle.  Here are a couple of ideas that you can do to be a little greener.

• Be a Better Recycler: Check with your provider about what types of materials they take as well as the best way to sort the cans, bottles, and newspaper.  In addition, save soda tabs and bottle caps.  Organizations take them to further fund charitable projects.
• Buy Reusable Water Bottles and Travel Mugs: Not only will these purchases reduce the amount of recyclables, but also save you money in the long run.  Some coffee places will give a slight discount if you bring your own container.
• Turn Off Water and Lights:  Even if you’re brushing your teeth, turn the water off as you clean your teeth.
• The Twirly Lightbulbs: They do use less energy and cost less money on your gas bill.  If you are a college student and have little choice in lightbulbs, consider hanging Christmas lights as your primary light source.  I did the math, they use 1/3 less energy than the florescent lightbulbs my overhead lights use.
• Walk: If you don’t need to drive, then don’t.  Also, biking is great too.
• Become a Localvore:  Buying local products is not only really good for your local economy, but also uses less fossil fuels in transportation.  Local veggies and fruits tend to be cheaper, too.
• Reusable Bags: Throw a couple of reusable grocery bags in your car.  If you forget, you can recycle plastic bags at Target.

© Ariadne Woods

Cycles, Rituals, and Women’s Spirituality

Today I noticed two things as I woke up.  The first was that it was roughly 65 degrees, sunny, and bright.  Later as I walked about campus, several of the trees have bloomed and the community has taken to the lawns and decks.  As I write this post I am sitting at my sunny bedroom window, which is thrown wide open.

The second is that my period came a day early.

It’s been ten years since I first woke up with it.  I do not really remember it in the same way I do graduating high school, my first legal drink, or my initiation into Paganism.  It blends with the roughly 120 other times my courses have come and gone.  I didn’t have a coming of age ritual, but rather my mom bought me a box of pads, made me a cup of tea, and told me to ignore it.

That casual, flippant attitude always bothered me, the way this life cycle is treated.  Even the word period makes me uncomfortable, as if the biological process of being a woman isn’t something a part of me all of the time.  It’s not just a week of every month.  I am always an aspect of femininity.

When I embraced Paganism, the connection with the female divine was by far the strongest pull.  It’s not that I wanted a deity as an epitome of perfect womanhood.  In fact, I wanted a goddess who understands that the balance of anger, peace, joy, sorrow, power, weakness, life, death, newness, and tradition.  The illusion of ‘perfect’ in deity is ridiculous because the universe is not perfect.

However, the universe is steeped in cycles.  Life to death, school year to school year, etc.  Part of what the divine teaches us is how they relate and transform every day life.  There is no ideal to be taught, but rather how to live within the ever-present rhythm of life and self.

The way I have connected with personal cycles is to create a series of rituals.  They are driven by the need to connect to deity throughout the month, year, and stage of life.  While I missed out on my coming of age, I celebrate every birthday, end of semester, and yes even ‘that time of the month’ with prayer, offering, and respect to the Goddess and God.  By connecting with the divine in the seemingly routine parts of life, I draw them closer into my world and in turn am drawn into theirs.

So today I am relaxing and enjoying being a woman with a large mug of tea.

© Ariadne Woods