Ignorance And Tolerance

I came across a little sign in my favorite fabric shop yesterday. It was shaped like a tombstone (of the Halloween decoration persuasion), and had cobwebs and spiders:

Here Lies

Hilda Haggy, Witch

Burned at the Stake, 1702

in Salem
(Or Some Other City)
during
Wick a Witch Week

Now, of course I still go there for my material to make clothes. Of course I still greet Pam, the owner, when I come in to make a purchase. And, of course, I still smile, purchase, talk, joke, and freely associate with these "Christians-that-so-rudely-put-up-an-offensive-decoration." And there's a very simple reason why.

Ignorance is something we deal with every day. It can be simple, such as "I'm sorry officer, I didn't know the speed limit here was '55'," to complex as in the person who treated you so poorly because their brother died (but you were, of course, ignorant to that fact). I simply put the "offensive decoration" in the same category as a child who doesn't understand why in the world the orange won't flush down the toilet, and blew it up.

As Americans, we have two things we accept. First, we accept that (on paper) we have the right to practice any religion we choose, assemble peacefully as we choose, and print or say anything we choose, thanks to that wonderful document, the Bill of Rights. This constitutionally protected freedom we accept gladly; we even use it at times to get out of being told we shouldn't say the things we want (or do the things we want).

The other thing we must accept as Americans, is that our citizens, like it or not, are for the most part, Judeo-Christian. It was founded by the Judeo-Christians who conquered this land, shaped by their descendants and is still run by their progeny today. In fact there are very few witches or other followers of the Path who were not born to Judeo-Christian parents and households (i.e. born to Pagans who were descendants of same).

For some of us, this second reality is as difficult to accept as a shot when we have the flu. We rail against it, expect our poor, confused brethren (GASP! yes, I called them brethren) to accept us for what we are, and pay no mind to the sensibilities that were forced upon them by their well-meaning parents and guardians. We become bitter when those sensibilities affect their attitudes toward us, and some of us even go out wearing Pagan jewelry not simply because we like it, but because we're itching for a brawl.

There isn't much written about what we do with about ignorance. But you can use the Wiccan Rede as a guide here, because here you ARE harming others when you "Do What Thou Wilt." If you react to ignorance with bitterness, you are harming yourself, and run the risk of harming the object of your bitterness. You may even cause harm to other Pagans in your area if you poorly represent your community (especially if the person observing your behavior is partial to white hoods and burning crosses, like they are in my neck of the woods).

It is a much wiser choice to redirect the hurt and angry energy caused by inconsiderate or ignorant behavior and attitudes. If you use this energy to create a good situation or even a rapport with the person, you will find your rewards much more pleasant. If they don't come immediately, remember that karma sometimes takes a while to manifest.

Non-pagans don't have to be on the opposite side of the fence in other facets of our lives, either. We are Pagans; that doesn't give us leave to be anti-social. I know many Christians that I still consider friends, who I would still trust with my life, even after many years I many years separated from them by belief. And although they laugh very hard when I say it, I consider them among the Christians that "get it." I know who I am. I would not give up my Paganism for anyone. I do not, however, fault or begrudge anyone else THEIR beliefs, no matter how different they may be. I consider theirs a rather natural reaction to anyone who lives a Pagan life, considering the environment in which they live.

Try to understand what a Judeo-Christian society is expecting of them. Understand that they are people just like you, trying to make sense of their universe. Understand that religious programming, no matter how much you disagree with it, is hard to break. Attempt to understand them, and be patient. And you will find that eventually, they will extend you the same courtesy, even if it takes a few thousand years.

by Black Arawn

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The Difference Between Evoke And Invoke

Evoke is to "call forth" or "to recreate imaginatively or remind" whereas Invoke is an appeal for help or support.

Invoking and Evoking

What's the difference, and how do I do it? (As always, this is based on personal opinion)

One of the most confusing things that beginners deal with, apart from circle casting, is Invoking and Evoking.

First of all, it may seem that there is little difference between the two, or maybe little point in doing it.

But this is an important part of ritual, and is done quite frequently.

What is Invoking, and what is Evoking?

Evoking is when you ask a Deity, elemental, etc. to be present in the circle. Invoking is when you invite the Deity, etc. 'into' yourself, and for a time you 'become' that Deity.

Why do it?

You invoke or evoke to ask the Deity(s) to attend your ritual.

When done well, a Deity will actually be present in your circle: you will be able to communicate with them, and they will be able to help you with whatever you have planned.

(This is one reason that it is so very important to be clear in your intentions, and to have thought them out beforehand- the Deities are present, they are inside your circle, and they can see you).

Which one is best to do?

If you are a beginner, I would highly recommend sticking to evoking.

For one, personally I find it easier to do.
For second, it is more objective, and easier to figure out if you did it right.
Third, being more objective, it's harder to fool yourself into believing you did it properly if you didn't.

Finally, invoking can be especially difficult if you are conducting ritual alone.

How do I know which Deity to invoke?

Only one word of advice here: keep it simple. As a beginner, please don't invoke the Morrigan, Loki, Kali, etc. etc. etc.

Not that I'm saying these are 'evil' Gods, it's just that you will probably find it more than you can handle.

If you want a death Goddess, try Persephone.

If you want success in battle, try Ares or Victoria, if you want feminine power, try Diana.

If you want a trickster, try Mercury.

There's no need to climb a mountain to see over the molehill.

So, how do I do it?

Cleanse your space, cast your circle, call your element(als).

Generally, calling the Goddess is done in a 'Goddess position': arms and legs outstretched.

Calling the God is done in a 'God position': feet together, with arms crossed across the chest (no, you don't have to do it that way).

In doing the actual calling, you may or may not have something written down, or you might decide to adlib something; whatever suits you is fine.

While you are reciting the call, visualize in your mind how that Deity looks to you.

Are they short or tall, blonde, brunette, or redhead? Are they strong willed, poetic, young or old? How does their 'soul' look to you, what colour is their aura, what kind of personality do they have, how do they make you feel?

Send out a call to this image, asking them to come and join your ritual.

The hard part is learning how to call with your mind while you're reciting a spoken call. :)

Should I always cast a circle before Calling a Deity?

I would say definitely yes. There's nothing really wrong with calling on a familiar Deity at any time.

However, I would advise against calling a Deity you don't know well outside your circle.

Will this give me cool powers, like 'Sabrina'?

No.

How do I know if I've done it properly?

If you've evoked the Deity, and they do decide to come, you will probably notice it immediately.

The air becomes electric, you may notice a 'presence' in the room, the temperature may change. Heck, they may decide to give you a hug. :)

Can I invoke/evoke elementals?

Well, technically, any time you call the elements, or the elementals, you are evoking them.

I really wouldn't advise invoking any elemental. Stick with evoking for them.

How do I 'unevoke' a Deity?

Simple, thank them for coming, and mean it. Say you're glad they came, but now ritual is over, and thank you so much for stopping by.

Just be respectful.

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Numerology

How To Determine Your Number

You begin by taking your full name, example: Jessica Rae Jones.

You assign each number to a letter using the following table:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
S T U V W X Y Z

Jessica Rae Jones = 1511931 915 16551
Add the numbers together to get 54.
Reduce that to s simple digit: 9.
It's as simple as that.

There are two master numbers in numerology, 11 and 22. If you get a digit that is, say, 11, you can reduce that to a 2, or opt to stay at 11. Also, if you get a digit that is a 74, you may again stay at 11 or reduce it to a 2.

1= SELF DEVELOPMENT. Individuality, independence, initiative, inventiveness, self reliance, self sufficiency, leadership.

2= SELF-SURRENDER. Humility, submitting oneself to serve others, community work, kindness, co-operation, diplomacy, peace making, patience, listening, sensitivity to others.

3= SELF-EXPRESSION. Expressing in outer form the inner you, sharing thoughts/feelings/beliefs, creativity, artistry, beauty, using talents to benefit all, humor, friendship.

4= SELF-DISCIPLINE. Doing what need to be done, duty, work and service, self control, efficiency, organization, building, laying firm foundations, attention to detail, accuracy.

5= SELF-EMANCIPATION. Being free and learning what that means, adapting to change, unexpected situations, new ideas, exploration, adventure, travel, observing, learning to let others have their freedom.

6= SELF-HARMONY. Bringing harmony to others and to the situations you find yourself in, learning you are only in harmony when you meet your responsibilities to others willingly, learning the value of home and family and helping others, learning when to help and when to let others help themselves.

7= INNER-SELF. Finding wisdom within yourself, discovering the Self inside, leaning to think, analysis, study, reading, meditation, introspection, perspective, searching for truth, spending time alone and learning not to fear being alone.

8= SELF-POWER. Finding the power you possess and putting it to use in the material world, learning how spiritual laws lead to material success, learning to manage and achieve and accomplish material success without greed or selfishness or ruthlessness, being in business, learning to give so you can be open to receive.

9= SELF-LESSNESS. Sacrificing self interest to serve others, selfless service, learning to be loving, caring, giving and generous, being understanding, sympathetic and sensitive, learning to put aside prejudices, being what you would like others to be, being of help, making the world a little bit better.

11= SELF-ILLUMINATION. Seeking truth wherever it may be found (in quiet or confusion or in solitude or crowds), learning to use your intuition and trust it, having faith, seeing the best in others, living your truth, sharing your revelations, learning proper use of psychic powers, heeding inner guidance, being compassionate, being bold but humble.

22= SELF-MASTERY. Finding the great power within you and using it to do great things to benefit many others, learning not to limit yourself yet not glorify yourself (being guided only by the needs of humanity and how your abilities can be put to use in a big way), being a visionary and a builder.

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