Long time no blog! (WWW: Coven)

I fail... I know, I know...

Well... I'm no longer in a small town!

AND I'm trying out being a Vegetarian! Yeah... imagine that... a twig eating Wiccan... hah! (How original, right?)

I guess a ton has happened since the last post...

For one, I am now living almost 4hrs away from my home town in a much larger city with tons and tons and tons of people I don't know. I went from knowing absolutely everybody (or atleast someone that they knew) to knowing just my roommate and the new friends I am [attempting] to make at my new job.

So far I really, truly like it here. I just miss a couple of people from back home but I'm surviving. I can't wait until I get my first paycheck so I can really experience this town. I moved here with roughly $200 in my pocket and not a penny more. So... lets just say I'm just affording gas right now [barely] but it will be okay.... my job seems very promising and I love it there. The Goddess has given me the strength to journey on... yet again. :)

Umm... what else? What else?

My love life is still a train wreck... a very slow moving train wreck Matrix-style... Not that I'm complaining. I rather like my calm, boring (yet still exciting) love life right now. I'm still talking with THEE ex... yes... the big major one... *sigh* She's got me still, I guess... There are just some people that will never be removed from your life... even if you don't communicate with them anymore. Well, now we're communicating. I even bought a webcam... so yah... we do geeky aim convos with visuals now. (No kinky shit, you nasty minded tards!)

andandand...

It's a word day! So erm... here is your word. :)

Coven (Covan)

A Coven is an assembly of witches/wiccans that get together to form a circle, do some magic or even just get together; have coffee and talk about their children... A coven is no smaller than 3. In most traditional Covens are no larger than 13.

Wiki says:
"The word was originally a late medieval Scots word (circa 1500) meaning a gathering of any kind, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It derives from the Latin root word convenire meaning to come together or to gather, which also gave rise to the English word convene. The first recorded use of it being applied to witches comes much later, from 1662 in the witch-trial of Isobel Gowdie, which describes a coven of 13 members."

Also:

"The number of persons involved may vary. Although thirteen has been suggested as the optimum number (probably in deference to Murray's theories), any number above and including three can be a coven. Two would usually be referred to as a working couple (in any combination of sexes.) Within the community, many believe that a coven larger than thirteen is unwieldy, citing unwieldy group dynamics and an unfair burden on the leadership. When a coven has grown too large to be manageable, it may split, or "hive". In Wicca this may also occur when a newly made High Priest or High Priestess, also called 3rd Degree ordination, leaves to start their own coven. Wiccan covens are generally jointly led by a High Priestess and a High Priest, though some are led by only one or the other. In more recent forms of neopagan witchcraft, covens are sometimes run as democracies with a rotating leadership."

With all that said: I am not in a Coven, nor do I really desire to be in one. It's all personal preference, really. Also, some Covens charge you [money] to be apart of their group. Small fees are requested... some are understandable [circle items, group items, maybe helping with food and drink that is served, etc] and others are just ridiculous [being charged to be taught something from the craft just seems very Christian and greedy to me] and I will not be a part of it.

But please, don't take my bias against group practice as your own unless you've tried both. I can honestly say I have not tried to be in a group based practice... My lack of desire is a big reason but I'm not all people. I know some people who are in a coven and love every second of it and it fits their spiritual life style flawlessly. Maybe someday I will find a group of like minded people and we will call some circles together, I'm not completely against the idea... so please, don't let me make your mind up for you.

Blessed Be,
SallyD

(You can also thank Alicia for giving me the motivation to blog again.) :D

Wiccan Word of the Week (WWW: Circle)

There are so many ways to "Call a Circle" and there are many variations of a Circle that are practiced in Wicca. I will only be speaking of different circles found in Wicca, Calling a circle is an entirely different blog. :)

You've got a circle around a Star which it the Pentagram that I have discussed previously. A circle around a Pentagram means it's a closed pentagram and the elements within it is being controlled in some ways. (Since Wiccan's use their practice as some form of "control" in their lives, it only makes sense that their symbol reflects humanity in control)

The image of a Snake eating his own tail is an old Chinese proverb within its self. It shows Life and Death, very much like the circle of life but more disturbing, I think. Snake is alive, snake starts eating himself, snake begins where he ends. A lot of Wiccans believe not in an afterlife, but in reincarnation. (Reincarnation is when your soul is transformed or transplanted into a new being and a new life, trying to accomplish what your soul needs to do to ultimately purify its self and in time, be welcomed to "The Great Meadow")


When a Wiccan casts a circle, it isn't just a circle but a Sphere of Protection for the one in the middle (or surrounding) it. The circle is meant to protect everyone involved and dispel any negativity within the Circle. In Hocus Pocus you saw the older brother put a circle of salt around his younger sister to ward off evil spirits. Salt is often used in spells that are "heavy" on magic or if the caster feels they need an extra bit of protection, although Candles are reflected in the same way, as a ward against anything that might want to "Piggyback" the spell.

So basically, the idea of a circle is what goes around comes around. What lives, also dies. What dies can also live again. He who suffers can once again feel happiness. And all of that fun stuff.

There are Circles everywhere in life. When I think of a circle I think of a full moon, the highest peak of magical thinking... or the craziest time for the general public.... the highest tides and the brightest nights. I'm kind of obsessed with circles, you could say. I see them everywhere and a heed them when it's needed.

When you think of a circle, what do you see?

Blessed Be,
SallyD

Wiccan Word of the Week (WWW: Pentagram *pointing up*)

The Pentagram, which is usually famous for being an evil sign of Satan is actually quite passive and beautiful. For the purpose of this blog I will only write of the elements in reference to the pentagram, not as in calling a circle for they differ a great deal and it would just be too confusing trying to link them both equally and some of conflicts greatly. there will also be different answers for each element because there will always be different approaches to everything. Wiccans dwell in that gray area. Wiccans go with what feels right, not what is written in a book somewhere. Intuition is the only true guidance; everything else is purely a suggestion.

I will also break these down later on and link everything in this post so you can navigate through my blog via this post.

(For those that aren't aware: Wiccanism has nothing to do with Satan and we actually don't believe in Satan at all. No heaven or hell, so no one to dwell there either.)

Today I am going to speak of the Wiccan/Pagan Pentagram pointing North or upward. (The Pentagram pointing South or downward holds a different meaning entirely that most Wiccans don't recognize in their practice) The pentagram is also a symbol for humanity and to some point means self-improvement. Historically, a drawing of a person often is superimposed on the pentagram. (Like this)

Point: The top point, North, is the Spirit or deity.

Color: White/Purple

Alter Item: Chalice/Statue (as above)

Point: Going to the Right or East, the second point of the pentagram is the element Water.

Color: Blue
Alter Item: Chalice, bowl of water, Chalice full of water, a goldfish in a bag of water (I believe that was in the movie The Craft? lol)
Herbs: Elder Bark, Foxglove

Point: Keeping to the right, or South East the third point of the pentagram is the element Fire.

Color: Red
Alter Item: Dagger(Sword or Athame), a candle
Herbs: Hawthorne Shoots

Point: Now on the left side, or South West the forth point of the pentagram is the element Earth.

Color: Green, Brown or Black

Alter Item: Pentacle it's self, bowl of salt or soil, stones or gems.
Herbs:



Point: The East and the fifth point of the pentagram is the element Air.

Color: Yellow

Alter Item: Wand

Herbs: Eyebright, Dandelion