Feng Shui the Witch Way

Feng Shui the Witch Way
by Freya Ray

We pagans are an eclectic bunch, right? Here is my particular witchy perversion of some of the fundamentals of feng shui. Basically, feng shui gives us a neatly categorized system that we can use to manipulate our outer reality. It's one big metaphor. The layout of our space corresponds to the layout of our lives, and changing one can affect the other. Creating a love altar is powerful. Creating it in the love corner of the house magnifies its effect.

Before we start, let's do a little self-inventory, just to prove to you that this whole thing has some relevance for you. Draw a square/rectangle that represents the floor plan of your house (the outer perimeter). If your house is not a rectangle, draw it as one anyway. By which I mean, if there's a chunk taken out, creating an "L" shape, draw the lines out until they complete the rectangle. Then you have a "missing" part of your ba gua. Ba gua literally means octagon, and believe it or not that's where we're heading with this rectangle concept. On the other hand, if one room is pushed out slightly, it might be "extra" stuff, and the overall line of that wall excludes it. With me so far?

Next mark the eight corners of your rectangle. Just checking to see if you're paying attention! I mean, the four corners, and the center of each wall. Now, either in your mind or by doing a walkabout, evaluate the current status of each of those eight sections. Describe them briefly on your piece of paper, using words like: neat, messy, cluttered, sparse, chaotic, dusty, clean, attractive, full, useful, empty, sacred, neglected. Really do this, as I think you'll be impressed by what you find in the next section.

(Pause.) You back? Let's see what your metaphor reveals to you. Here's the function of each of the eight corners. The ba gua is laid out over your house, as if you were standing at the front door looking in. In the center of the wall where your front door is located is career. The corner to your right is travel and helpful people. The middle of the right wall is children and new ideas. The back right corner is love and marriage. The middle of the back wall is fame. (In feng shui "fame" is the face or image you present to the world, rather than "I've got to be a rock star.") The back left corner is abundance and money. The middle of the left wall is health and family. The corner to your left is self-knowledge.

For example, let's say you described your back right corner as cluttered and dusty. Take a look at your love life. Is that an accurate description? Do you feel surrounded by ghosts of relationships or issues past and not sure how to clear that crap out of your romantic life? Well, the easiest place to start is by clearing that crap out of your love corner, and building an appropriate altar there.

Go through each corner and see how your assessment describes that area of your life. Then prioritize. Life is easier to handle if we do one thing at a time. Before you launch a plan to do up each corner, start with the one that feels most pressing to you. It could be the most neglected space physically, or the one that's weighing most heavily on your mind psychically. I should probably confess here that generally, in house after house, the back left and back right corners get more than their equal share of attention in my life. But hey, we all want to get paid and laid, right?

Clutter is the enemy of good feng shui. Feng shui deals a lot with chi, which is good energy, and sha, or bad energy. Sha is harsh, and travels in straight lines. Having your house directly at the end of a busy street is bad, as all that rapid, harsh energy blasts right at your house. Chi, on the other hand, travels in curves and spirals. Sounds a bit witchy, doesn't it? The overall idea is to entice chi to visit the areas of your life that need more energy. Actually, the ultimate goal is to get chi circulating freely throughout your entire life, but we're going to start with one area first.

Chi cannot worm its way into a stack of magazines, or inside boxes, and is overtly repelled by dirt and dust. Chi is quite finicky, in fact, and must be seduced by open spaces and shiny objects. Lure good energy back into a neglected area of your life by creating a space anyone would want to visit.

Step one is to clear out the area. Do this thoroughly. If you've got a situation in your personal life, why not just pull everything out of there? It will be worth it, I promise. Pull all the stuff off the piece of furniture, perhaps move the furniture. Clear a few feet in all directions. Now clean it. Dust, vacuum, smudge, clean the windows, wipe the baseboards, get the cobwebs.

Sit back and take a deep breath. See how you feel. Let's say you're working with your love corner. Do you feel like there's a greater sense of possibility now? Do you feel the beginnings of new hope wafting through you, bourne on a breeze of freely circulating chi?

Bring into your mind what you'd like to create in your love life (or with your children, travel plans, career, etc.) This vision might be crystal clear in five minutes, or you may spend a few days on this part of the process. But wait to start creating again in that area until you have an idea of your goal. Clarity is intent's best friend, and no altar is going to be of any use without clear and focused intent.

Once you have a plan, it's time to create a space that will support that plan rather than hinder it. In areas of your life that are more acceptable already, you may decide to leave random things there. Like, if you feel pretty good about your general state of self-knowledge, and that's where the CDs and stereo live, you might just dust it off and call it good. But the area you're working on now is your biggest issue, and you might as well get obsessive about using this metaphor to turn it around.

Only put things back in the corner that support and represent your vision. You are creating an altar or shrine to revitalize a neglected or unsuccessful part of your life. Start with a decision about furniture. What would best represent your intention? For the wealth corner, you might decide on a heavy glass-fronted cabinet with decorative pieces inside it, or an immense aquarium. For the love corner, a handcrafted table with elegant lines to support a more traditional altar arrangement. If you've got three children and they're all experiencing different issues in their lives, you might hang three small shelves on the wall, each dedicated to one child.

Get creative, and remember to think metaphorically. If you've got money issues, the money corner is not the place you want to put the table with the trick leg that has to be propped up just so in order to remain standing. Do not allow a plant you placed in the health corner to die of neglect or creeping crud.

If the corner you're concerned about is one that's missing, you've got a couple of options. If you can, do something outside that extends the energy of the house out to that missing section. You could put a concrete bench or a lamppost to mark the corner, or plant flowers to draw energy there. If you don't have that option, you can use mirrors to draw energy in from outside. If you've got these kinds of special issues, there is a library of books on feng shui available at your favorite metaphysical bookstore, or you could find a consultant to assist you.

The furniture's in place, now it's time to decorate. Carefully select items that feel like they represent your intention. Now is when you get to work with color. Here are the color correspondences:

• Career: black
• Travel and helpful people: black, gray, white
• Children and new ideas: white
• Love: red, pink, white
• Fame: red
• Wealth: red, blue, purple
• Health and family: green
• Self-knowledge: green, black
  

This is just one way of doing the colors, and actually, the way I define the corners is just one way of doing that too. Feng shui is an ancient art and science, and there are lots of different opinions, just as you can ask three different pagans what the east represents and get three different answers. Use this information as a launching point and do more research if you're moved to, but most importantly use your intuition as the final judge.

I mentioned shiny pretty things earlier. Chi likes mirrors, electrical things including lamps, fresh flowers, fish, plants, sparkly crystal balls, candles, incense, crystals, pictures, fountains and offerings. Many of the standard altar items are consistent with feng shui recommendations.

Let's design a sample love altar. In the back right corner of the house, you've placed a polished rosewood table under a sparkling clean window. On the other wall, you've hung a rose-colored glass mirror, a collage representing what you seek to create in your love life, or a picture in rose tones that speaks to you of love. Perhaps a Renaissance couple surrounded by angels, or a stylized nude couple staring into each other's eyes.

Under that, you arrange an attractive altar on the table. You put fresh flowers in the clear glass vase every week, always in red, white and pink shades. Two large white pillar candles stand near each other, speaking to the twin flames of your love. Or two red ones, speaking to the passion you intend to ignite. A scroll bound with red ribbon contains a clear, concise description of the relationship you seek to create. A small photo of your still-in-love grandparents on their fiftieth anniversary lives in a silver frame. Rose quartz, an incense burner, a small cross-stitch of a picket fence with cute little flowers in front of it and the first gift your husband ever gave you complete the arrangement.

As you arrange things on the altar, keep your intention clear in your mind. This is a powerful process because it anchors your intention into physical form. Affirm your intention as you create, again as you pass the altar, again as you light or blow out candles or incense, again as you dust, again as you rearrange and refresh. You must keep the energy moving there - setting it up once and walking away will only bring temporary change. For a truly uplifting metaphor you must continue to support its vibrancy. The most powerful chi in your home is your own, so you must entice yourself there as well.

Watch out for others who might damage your metaphors. For example, feng shui says that in a house with many more windows than doors, the children will tend to be uncontrollable. The cure for that is to place bells on the front door. Don't ask why, it's an ancient magical system. As a teenager, my family moved to a house with many floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the house. My mother hung bells on the front door because she liked the sound, never having heard of feng shui. I took those bells off the door and hid them over and over and over. Our power struggle was clearly manifested around that particular psychic alarm system, which I resented fiercely.

Without knowing why she's doing it, your unemployed wife might keep stacking old papers in the career corner. Your roommate who can't quit spending money to save her soul might swipe the candles off the wealth altar to put on the dining table. Or the child who hates going on family trips might keep setting coaster-less drinks down on the travel altar. They are reacting to your attempts to change the energetic balance of your lives. You can negotiate with them, asking them to respect the newly cleared place. Or, see if you can't get them to articulate their fears about the issue. "Okay, Mommy and Daddy like to go on trips, very much. Is there any way we can make this fun for all of us? Or perhaps you'd like to stay with Aunt Jackie?" Your family will make their areas of resistance known clearly, if you watch their actions with metaphorical eyes.

Have fun with it. And expect a miracle or two.

Freya Ray is a professional psychic, shaman, write, and teacher. In readings she accesses the Akashic records and the client's Guides, bringing her clients the most useful information available for life's challenges and adventures. Her writing has appeared in the Sedona Journal of Emergence, the New Times, the Awareness Journal and the Magical Journal. She can be reached for comment or for psychic readings by phone at (206) 276-4290 or freya_ray@yahoo.com For full information on her practice and a writings archive, check out http://www.freyaray.com

Basics of Druid Magic (part 4)

The Druid's Eight-fold Year

The Druid's year is divided into eight spiritual high days. Four of these are solar and masculine days. They correspond with the summer and winter solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes. The other four are considered lunar festivals and are associated with feminine energies.

Samhain (October 31): Samhain is the Druidic new year. This is a time when the veil between this world and the Otherworld is thinnest. It is believed that all souls who died within the previous year move on to the Otherworld to be reincarnated. This is a time to connect with one's ancestors. Bonfires, costumes, jack-o-lanterns, and apples are all part of the lore of this day.

Alban Arthuan (the Winter Solstice, December 21): This is the winter solstice and shortest day of the year. It is traditionally celebrated with bonfires, yule logs, evergreens (such as holly, pine, and ivy), stag horns, and bells. Ancient Druids performed a rite of cutting mistletoe from oak trees with a golden sickle on Alban Arthuan.

Imbolc (February 1): Imbolc is the Celtic candle festival. It marks the middle of winter. A single candle is kept burning from dusk until dawn upon this day.

Alban Eiler (the Vernal Equinox, March 21): This is the spring equinox. It is usually celebrated with colored eggs, rabbits, and other symbols of fertility and virility.

Beltane (May 1): Beltane marks the beginning of the Celtic summer. It is celebrated with free sexuality, may poles, gathering flowers, feasting, and making-merry.

Alban Heffyn (the Summer Solstice, June 21): This is the longest day of the year. It is celebrated with needfires, leaping between twin bonfires, rites of inspiration, and picking sacred solar herbs.

Lugnassadh (August 1): This is a Celtic harvest festival. It is celebrated with sports, games, and other festivities.

Alban Elved (The Autumn Equinox, September 21): This is the Druid Thanksgiving. It is celebrated with feasts, harvest fruits and vegetables, corn husks, and wicker men.

The solar festivals, the Albans, are celebrated with a ritual or a ceremony. The lunar festivals may be celebrated with a party or social. Of course, there are no prohibitions against combining a ritual and a social event. However, the main focus of the Albans should be the ceremony, and the main focus of the lunar festivals should be social.

Basics of Druid Magic (part 3)

Elements of a Circle and Circle Casting

All magic should take place within a magic circle. This circle is a magical place outside of space and time that protects the magician from negative influences during his workings. The circle is a symbol of infinity and eternity in that it has no beginning and no end. The circle is created with a sword, dagger, staff, or wand. A properly created circle creates a boundary, or magical force field around the magician. This field stretches out across the dimensions, and can be visualized three dimensionally as a sphere. The circle serves as an amplifier for the energy the magician is building up inside it. It contains this power until you are ready to release it. All supplies and implements should be within the circle before you cast it. Crossing the boundary of the circle once it is cast is deemed unwise.

The basic elements of the circle include candles and representations of the elements of earth, air, water, and fire. An alter with a pentacle or other magical or spiritual symbol may also be included. A candle is placed in each of the four cardinal directions: East, South, West, and North. The colors of these candles are different for the Druids than they are for other traditions. A red candle in the East represents the rising sun. A white candle in the South represents the noonday sun. A grey candle in the West represents twilight. A black candle in the North represents midnight. (Side note: OSC recommends larger pillar type candles for the elements, as opposed to tapered candles, for group ceremonies. These are long lasting and can be used over and over again. Black and grey candles can be difficult to find. We're not staunch traditionalists, so these can be substituted. A very dark blue can be substituted for black. Silver or a very light sky blue can be substituted for grey. If you prefer to stick with tradition, candle making supplies are available at many arts and crafts stores.) East is governed by the element of Air represented by incense, South by Fire, West by Water, and North by Earth represented by salt. A fifth element of Spirit dominates the center of the circle. The elements of fire and air are associated with the Father, God, and masculine energies. The elements of earth and water are associated with the Mother, Goddess, and feminine energies. The boundaries of a circle can be marked with stones, if desired.

Before creating a magical circle, the magician should be well grounded and focused. There are many ways to do this, OSC (Old Order druids) recommends either the "Rite of Three Rays" and the "Gnostic Thunderbolt".

The Rite of Three Rays

Description:

This Rite is the equivalent of a druidic Gnostic Pentagram Ritual. Instead of the Pentagram, it uses a form known as the "Awen", which is three rays eminating from a central point.

The right (gold) ray represents the masculine attributes of the Sun,

The left (silver) ray represents the feminine attributes of the Moon,

The center ray (the crystal ray) represents both and neither, the ray of possibility.

Procedure:

1. Raise the arms above the head, taking in a deep breath. As you lower your arms, intone the vowel "I". Make sure that your breath ends just as your arms hit your side.

2. Repeat this last step, except intone "A" as you lower your arms.

3. Again, repeat this step, but intone "O".

4. Finally, repeat the step, but intone all three sounds (I, A, O) together into one continuous sound and breath. Picture the rays as you draw them. The "I" is the left ray, the "A" is the middle ray, and the "O" is the right ray.

The Gnostic Thunderbolt

Description:
The Gnostic Thunderbolt is a mutation of, and can be used interchangeably with, the Gnostic Pentagram Ritual. It's purpose is to imbue motivation and momentum to the participants, whilst banishing unwanted influences at the same time. It is highly recommended for opening a temple, and as a preliminary to other work, but is not well applied to healing aims.

Techniques Employed:
Breath control, sound concentration, image concentration, sound vibration.

Procedure:

1. Inhale. Starting just beyond the head, either shoulder, or either hip, draw the first point of the Thunderbolt. Simultaneously, visualize a blue sphere lighting up between the eyes, and sending a thread of light to the point. Vibrate "Iiiiii..." in a high-pitched tone until the lungs are emptied.

2. Inhale. Trace a straight line from shoulder to opposite shoulder or hip, or from the head to either hip. Visualize a yellow sphere lighting up in the throat, sending a thread of light to the second point. Vibrate "Eeee..." in a slightly lower tone.

3. Inhale. Trace a second line, again as if drawing a pentagram. Visualize a red sphere in the center of the chest, and sending its light to the third point. Vibrate "Ahhh..." in a tone lower than the previous vibration.

4. Inhale. Trace a third line. Visualize a purple sphere in the genital area, sending its light to the fourth point. Vibrate "Ohhh..." in a lower tone.

5. Inhale. Trace the fourth line. Visualize a green sphere encircling the feet and disappearing into the ground, and sending its thread to the fifth point. Vibrate "Oooo...".

6. Do not draw the closing bar of the pentagram! Instead, remain completely motionless and hold your breath for as long as possible. Concentrate your attention fixedly on the sound of your blood rushing through your carotid arteries. Know that the rumbling you hear is the eternal explosion of the Thunderbolt. You are part of the thunderbolt, moving endlessly and mindlessly onward.

7. Continue to hold the image and sound in the mind while holding your breath. When you finally must breathe, envision the thunderbolt fragmenting with a tremendous roar and sending octarine sparks into and through you.

8. Repeat the seven steps above, drawing the thunderbolts about you to describe a 3-dimensional shape of whatever kind suits you.

9. Declaration of intent, i.e. "We will that we never end where we had begun. We will that we shall begin."

Drawing casting the circle is usually done clockwise with a staff, wand, athame, sword, hand, or other magical phallic object. It is useful for participants to visualize blue, protective energy streaming out of the object to create the circle. The boundaries can be visualized as a circle or a sphere surrounding the participants. The High Council of OSC like to visualize this energy as blue flame. We usually use this symbolism in the ceremonies we create for our chapters. Elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth are consecrated. Then candles are lit in clockwise order starting with the East. Once this is done, the circle has been cast.

Once a circle is cast, magical spellwork, rituals, and ceremonies can be performed. Gods, goddesses, or other spirits can be invoked or invited in. More power can be generated within a circle by walking around inside it clockwise thus building up the energy inside. Chanting and/or drumming inside a circle can also build up the energy within. Walking counter-clockwise within a circle is used for banishing rites and ceremonies.

After the ceremony is complete, the candles are extinguised in reverse order. Whatever deities or spirits were invited into the circle are thanked for their presence and asked to depart in peace. circle is broken by making a counter-clockwise sweep with the staff or other object. The energy from the circle is now sent out into universe to fulfill whatever mission was appointed to it.

Basics of Druid Magic (part 2)

The Lesson of Balance

A Druid recognizes both the need for balance and the need for imbalance in life. A Druid lives between worlds. He lives between balance and imbalance, light and dark, order and chaos, gods and goddesses, yin and yang, good and evil, masculine and feminine, solar and lunar, science and magic, spiritual and material, work and play, optimisim and cynicism, helping others and looking out for himself, life and death, and the list goes on. A Druid acts as a fulcrum balancing and moderating these forces wisely to achieve his goals.

Each of the concepts above point out a duality in the universe between apparent extremes. There are several lessons to be learned by acknowledging these distinct energies and their respective polarities.

The first of these lessons is the lesson of the forces of balance and imbalance, of order and chaos. Both are necessary in life, and neither should be seen as necessarily "good" or "bad". Balance and order are the states that most of us would claim to strive for in our lives. Most of us would probably consider imbalance or chaos in our lives to be negative and undesirable. The thing is imbalance often promotes learning and growth, and if our lives were perfectly balanced life would become dull and stale. Men often need challenges to overcome. Some scientists even argue that men are hardwired for competition. Challenges can stimulate new ways of thinking and new ways of doing things. Overcoming a challenge can bring a sense of accomplishment. Chaotic forces and imbalance can make way for better and more constructive pursuits, and constructive pursuits can sometimes be destructive. Lack of challenges can lead to apathy. Destruction and evil can come in the form of either Light or Darkness. Fanatics and zealots follow both paths.

A Druid recognizes both the Light and Dark, and the Masculine and Feminine, as two equal energies, each a balance of the other. We do not judge Light as "good" or Dark as "bad"; we see the dance of Light and Darkness as the driving force of life. This is represented by the light and dark seasons in the Wheel of the Year. Darkness has within it its own light. The Light has within it its own dark. Without the dark, there would be no Shadow to add depth to what we see and know. The Light symbolizes the Masculine principle which takes action on what the Feminine has received.

The psychologist, Carl Jung, introduced the concept of the "Shadow" as a very powerful part of our psyches. The shadow usually encompasses negative aspects of ourselves that we refuse, often unconsciously, to accept as being a part of ourselves. He has written that if we ignore or deny our Shadow, it will show up at the most inopportune times, and sabotage our best efforts. Without initiation the individual remains trapped in the dualistic mindset of his religion of birth and misinterprets this light-dark polarity in terms of good and evil. Dark is not the same as evil. Reclaiming the dark, hidden, and sometimes scary parts within is to accept and integrate our shadow into ourselves as a whole person. Doing so makes us stronger and more powerful people.

Another lesson in balance has to do with group energies. When working with group energies and polarities, we can look to modern physics to envision how our energies interact. It is a proven scientific principle that opposite polarities attract, and when they come together they cancel each other out. In physics, two poles of a magnet attract each other, but when they come together they cancel out their respective magnetic fields. Two batteries connected together at the poles drain each other's power. If you put two batteries together where their poles are working together, you increase the power output. This can be extended to human behavior and magical energies as well. Equal and opposite forces cancel each other out. When working for anything constructive, it is best to work with people with similar goals and energy. Doing so increases the energy field, and therefore increases the chance of success. Magically, the power of a solitary practitioner is weak compared to the power of a group using it's collective energy for the same goal. This concept can be applied to masculine and femine energies as well. Masculine-feminine energies cancel each other out. Masculine energies are considered solar, or sun based. Feminine energies are lunar, or based on the moon's cycles. Men and women are socialized differently and often have different ideas about the world around them.

Scientists even point out differences between men's and women's brains and body chemistry. This is in no way meant to imply that one sex is superior or inferior to the other, or any less deserving of respect. Working in mixed gender groups is to mix differing energies and different expectations. Even though Celtic society was matriarchal, the Druids themselves were men and women. The term "druid" literally means "oak men" or "men of the oak." While we believe that it is possible, even desired, for women to practice Celtic lore and magic.

Basics of Druid Magic (part 1)

Law of Three vs. Law of Reaction

Wiccan's and some other magical traditions hold to something called the "Law of Three". The basic tenet of this law is that whatever you put out into the universe, good or bad, by magical means will come back to you three times. Other traditions talk about karma or karmic law, which equates to basically the same thing. Many druids adhere to these laws. There are other traditions such as Vodoun and pre-Gardnerian folk witchcraft that don't hold to these laws at all. In Druid tradition, we adhere to something called the "Law of Reaction".

A basic scientific principle is that "for every action, there is an equal reaction." Or put another way, everything we do has consequences that are built upon our previous actions. Sometimes the outcomes are exactly what we wanted, other times they're not. We are responsible for our own actions and the reactions they get - magical or otherwise. We don't hold that unfavorable reactions are necessarily the direct result of bad karma, or a punishment from the universe. We believe that the universe is neutral when it comes to morality, though many god-forms are not. Even if the universe isn't morality neutral, it wouldn't necessarily have the same standards of morality that we do. Many practitioners of magic cite the neutrality of the universe as a reason for always adding the phrase "with harm to none" at the end of a spell or magical working. The reasoning goes, suppose you cast a spell asking for money. If you don't specify with the "no harm" phrase, you may just as easily get your wish when a wealthy relative unexepectedly dies and leaves you his inheritance. You may have just been hoping to win the lottery. The universe makes no moral distinctions in carrying out your wish. Usually magic follows the line of least resistance and manifests along the lines of highest probability. We find it amusing that many magicians cite the morality neutral universe theory as a reason to add the "harm to none" phrase, and then contradict themselves by claiming that the universe will enforce its morality through karma or the law of three. Either it is moral, or it isn't. We believe it is neutral, at least in terms of human understanding.

So, if we believe that the universe is morally neutral, then how do we explain negative reactions or outcomes to magical workings? First and foremost, magic is based strongly on individual belief. If you don't believe in magic, you'll never see magical results. If you believe that what you are doing is wrong and that the universe will punish you for it, you'll see results that support your beliefs. You may even subconsciously play a part in bringing your worst fears about. Another reason magic might not give you the results you planned is because the results you asked for weren't the results that you really wanted in the first place. You don't always get what you ask for, sometimes you get what you need. You may have asked for a new job, but you really needed more money, so you get a raise instead. Your subconscious or higher consciousness may not always agree with your conscious wishes. A third reason why magic might not give us our desired results is a lack of experience on the part of the magician. Since magic is based on individual belief and the inner workings of the human mind, results aren't always predictable.

Besides our belief that the universe is morality neutral, we diverge from the three-fold and karmic laws for other reasons. If we believe that people receive three-fold whatever they put out into the universe, good or bad, it really doesn't explain why so often in life bad things happen to good people, or why some very negative and self-centered people get ahead in life. In fact, in modern life, it is often those people who don't concern themselves with others that get ahead. Also, the original druids, witches, and other magicians were oblivious to such a law. While modern magicians argue about whether it is morally acceptable to cast love spells or to do anything that affects anyone or anything but oneself, the original folk magicians were casting love spells on whoever caught their attention, cursing their neighbor's crops and livestock, and hexing their rivals. The three-fold law is a fairly modern invention. It was first seen as part of the Gardnerian tradition in the mid-twentieth century. No mention of it is ever made of it before that time. It was originially seen as a part of their initiation ceremonies, and may have been a way that over eager initiates were kept magically in check.

Some traditions hold that it is spiritually pious to seek a life of poverty, chastitity, and dare I say it, pure "wimpiness". They also hold that magic shouldn't be used for any kind of personal gain. The Bethany Coven Of The Oak does not hold to these beliefs. We believe that it is the responsibility of each person to do whatever he can to better his own life. In fact, when we believe that a higher sense of spirituality can be attained when we no longer have to struggle for life's necessities. Spirituality based in suffering and struggling acts more as a crutch that hinders higher spiritual pursuits. Druids live both in the magical, spiritual world and in the materialistic world of men. Achieving balance between the two, and improving yourself and situation in both, is important to your success as a whole person. We may have been taught that spirituality and materialism cannot exist together, and that it is selfish and wrong to do magic for personal gain. These beliefs are a hold-over from Christian beliefs and influence. They have nothing to do with working magic. If we believe this, we place ourselves in a trap that prevents us from manifesting by magic what we need in our lives. The Ancient Celts had no trouble reconciling materialism and spirituality, because they realized that each is present in the other, and that matter is only solidified spirit. One can be materialistic in the sense that he is concerned with his material well-being, and yet not be superficial or controlled by material things. One can enjoy the comfort of wealth without being fake or shallow. We also hold that human sexuality is sacred in all its forms. As for "wimpiness", we do not believe that you should be a doormat when it comes to protecting yourself or your loved ones. We believe that one should act in life with intent and confidence. Anger, and even retaliation, can be justified if it seeks to prevent an injustice from being repeated, to right a wrong, or to teach a lesson. Allowing a wrong or evil to exist unchecked is harmful to everyone.

To summarize, we hold to a law of reaction in magical working, and the threefold law. Whatever actions we take, magical or otherwise, create a reaction. Sometimes the reaction is exactly what we wanted. Other times it is not. We believe the universe is morality neutral. As such, it's a good idea to end each spell with a phrase such as "and harm to no one." Being morality neutral, the universe doesn't punish us for our intent. We do believe that a person doing magic should choose to act based on his own sense of morality, not because of fear of any kind of retribution from the universe. We believe that one can be both material and spiritual. One's material well-being is as important as their spiritual well-being, if one is to live a balanced life.

Druid Folklore

This is here to provide a general background that may help the student understand the roots of Druidic magic and lore, and nothing more. Should the student wish to learn more, there are many books and web pages devoted to the subject.

Druid folklore is rooted in Celtic folklore. The tribe of the Fomorians were the original inhabitants of Ireland. The Fomors lived mainly by the sea. Over the centuries many new races came to colonize Ireland. Some died in epidemics and battles, while others who survived were oppressed by the cruel Fomors. Much later, a race known as the Fir Bolgs came from Spain or Greece to colonize Ireland. They were actually three tribes: the men of Domnu, the men of Gaillion, and the men of Bolg. They intermarried with the Fomors and became their allies. These people divided Ireland into provinces and practiced strange magical rites. They continued to hold the country until the arrival of the Tuatha De Danann.

The Tuatha De Danann (children of the Goddess Danu) succeeded in their invasion of Ireland. Some legends say they came from the sky, and others say they came from some far away island (possibly even the mythical island of Atlantis). They came from four great cities: Finias, Murias, Gorias, and Falias. They were skilled in poetry and magic, and brought with them four great treasures: Nuada's sword from Findias, Lugh's spear from Gorias, the Dagda's cauldron from Murias, and the Stone of Fal (Stone of Destiny) from Falias.

They landed in Ireland on May 1 (Beltane), hidden by magic. They met the armies of the Fir Bolg and the Fomors, where they bargained for peace and the division of land. The Fir Bolg king refused. On the summer solstice the armies fought. King Nuada of the Tuatha lost his hand in battle with Sreng of the Fir Bolgs. King Eochaid of the Fir Bolgs was killed and the Fir Bolgs were reduced greatly in numbers. In a gesture of peace, the Tuatha De Danann offered them a portion of Ireland.

The Tuathan physician, Diancecht, made Nuada a new hand of silver that could move like the real one. Nuada had to step down from, as no Tuathan king was permitted to have any disfigurement. The Tuathan council attempted to wage permanent peace with the Fomors. Over time, the Tuatha De Danann suffered greatly at the hands of the Fomor, and the Fomor armies decided to run the Tuatha De Danann out of Ireland.

The Tuatha De Danaan prepared for war. They gave the sage Lugh the throne for thirteen days so that he could command the Tuathan armies against their enemies. Goibniu the smith replaced all swords and spears with weapons guaranteed to be deadly accurate every throw. Credne the bronze worker made magic rivets for the spears, hilts for swords, and rims for shields. Luchtaine the carpenter provided spear shafts and shields. The Dagda promised to crush the enemy with his gigantic club. Ogma vowed to kill the Fomorian king and to capture at least one-third of his army. Diancecht prepared to bring the dead back to life by putting them into a magic cauldron. Druids and sorcerers promised to hide the rivers and lakes and to confuse the enemy with acts of magic. These preparations took seven years. Just before the battle, the Dagda met Morrigu, the war goddess. In exchange for sex, she promised him victory in battle.

The two armies gathered on the eve of Samhain, and engaged in combat. This time the Tuatha De Dannan were always healed by the next day and their swords and spears made new. The Fomors became suspicious and sent Ruadan to spy on the Tuatha. He discovered the healing well, and the Fomorians filled it with stones, destroying it forever.

The two armies squared off in a final battle. Lugh challenged Balor of the Evil Eye, who was leading the enemy. When the Fomorians started to pull open Balor's eye, which could destroy everyone in his sight, Lugh drove the eye through Balor's head with a magic stone so that it looked back upon the Fomorians. I whole rank of the enemy were killed. The Tuatha De Danann were triumphent.

After the victory, Badb prophesied the coming of the end of the gods. The prophecy was fulfilled when the Gaelic Celts arrived. After two great and magical battles, the Tuatha were defeated and withdrew beneath the earth. Even so, they still had the power to hurt their enemy. The Dagda destroyed corn and milk, until the Celts made peace with the old gods. The basis of this treaty was that the Tuatha would receive homage and offerings from the Celts.

Some of the Tuatha De Danann chose to go to an island in the west called Tir-Nan-Og or "Land of the Young". Those Tuatha who stayed behind were given dwellings by the Dadga, their new king. He assigned each to a sidhe or hill. Each sidhe was the doorway to a beautiful underground realm. Because of this, the Celtic gods became known as the Aes Sidhe, or "People of the Hills". Every god was a Fer-Sidhe "Man of the Hill" and every goddess was a Bean-Sidhe "Woman of the Hill".

Druid History

"Druidry is not a religion. It's a philosophy and you can worship a God or a Goddess, it's up to you. You can be a Christian or a Moslem or anything else and still be a Druid." -- Kieron, a North-East Druid

There is a great deal of misconception about the ancient Druids. This stems mainly from the fact that traditions were passed down by word of mouth, and not written down. As such, much of what we know comes from second hand accounts. In rare cases, these traditions have continued to pass down the generations. Just like modern religions, there were many different sects and sets of beliefs. We can only speak for those traditions that have been passed down and speculate about the others. In traditional druidry, various sects and groups are referred to as "groves". Our modern ideas of the Druids have been distorted by role-playing games and modern Druidism has been overtaken by new age and environmental activists. We do not worship any specific god, goddess, demon, trees, the earth or whatever, nor do we try to impose universal "truths" on our members. Members are free to find their own religions and beliefs, or none at all. Our forebears did have a respect for nature, trees, animals, and certain geographical areas. This had more to do with energies and spirits that were thought to dwell in these, than any kind of worship. To the ancient Druid, harnessing and controlling these powers was seen as a way to achieve those things they wanted in the material world. Sometimes sacrifices were made in hopes of gaining favor with these "spirits".

Druids were the keepers of knowledge, advisors to rulers, and the judges of their time. They utilized the Brehon Law, a Law which was admittedly biased towards the more powerful individuals in society, but a law which they had absolute jurisdiction over. Druids were highly respected. One did not trifle with druids if he knew what was good for him.

Druids were neither good nor evil, they tended to be on both sides of morality in the petty affairs of civilized men. Ideas of ultimate good and evil are the realms of religion. Druids believed that every human being is completely responsible for his or her own actions.

Druids did believe in sacrifice. The nature of sacrifice is to give up something of one's own in order to gain something more important. Sacrifice often involved blood or semen, as these were seen as powerful substances of life. Our modern Order diverges from our forebears in that we do not make animal or human sacrifices. We do not believe that the life of another creature is ours to give, and therefore it is not a true sacrifice.

Sex as the generative force in nature is seen by Druids as something utterly sacred. There are no taboos regarding sex. There are no rules which prohibit nudity, pre-marital sex, multiple partners, bisexuality, or whatever. However, the physical act of sex is to be approached with great respect and responsibility.

Druids performed druideachta, which means magic. They did this through ritual, ceremony, and harnessing the forces of nature. It is important to note that our modern members do not have to believe in magic. If you do or don't, well that's your business. To some, magic may be seen as an act of psychology. Ceremonies and rituals may be seen as a way to focus and align the attention of members to a specific goal, or to generate a positive and confid! ent attitude that will bring about the desired results. People who are more scientifically inclined, might look to chaos theory and quantum mechanics, believing that an act of belief can affect reality on a quantum level.

There were three main classes in the Druid heirarchy: Bards, Ovates, and Druids.

Bards - In traditional Druidry, Bards were the keepers of tradition. They were the minstrels, poets, and storytellers of their time. Bard training lasted about twelve years. Bards learned grammar, the Ogham alphabet, folklore, philosophy, and druidic law. Bards were also expected to learn hundreds of poems and stories by heart. This was especially important since the ancient Druids did not believe in
writing anything down. Bards carried tree branches with bells on them. Wherever they went, the bells signalled people to be quiet so that they could tell their tales.

Ovates - Ovates were responsible for the mysteries of life and rebirth, and for their ability to transcend time. They could divine and foresee the future, and communicate with their ancestors. Ovates
learned augury, tree lore, herbalism, and healing.

Druids - Druids were judges, philosophers, teachers, and advisors. Druids were highly respected for their knowledge and insight. In traditional druidry, they trained over twenty years to attain their
position.