The Magic of Building a Shrine for Hekate

 

            For the last eight years, my magical partner and I have built a shrine at the Starwood Festival. Seven of those years the shrine was called the Gaia Shrine. There were two incarnations of Gaia, the first one being a paper mâché sculpture originally built for a Pagan Pride Day ritual in Indianapolis and the second one was a reimagined version created out of a fashion mannequin that now lives in my altar room.

In 2023, at the close of the festival, I made an offering to my goddess Hekate at the crossroads where we always set up the Shrine. The offering was simple, 4 eggs covered in honey. However, my ask was big. And it was incredibly important. As I placed my offering there at the crossroads, after the Shrine had been packed up and we were ready to make the drive home, I also promised that should She be able to assist us in the way I asked, next year the Shrine would be solely dedicated to Her.

            She came through. All the way through! And so, in May of this year, after thinking and planning (and worrying and doubting myself), I got to work on what would be Her Shrine.

            At first, I thought I would create a small sculpture, or at least smaller than what both the Gaia sculptures had been. I envisioned her being about 3 feet tall, able to stand on a pillar. After I constructed the structure of her body and prepared to make her arms and head, I started getting nervous.

            “What if the face looks bad? What if her arms look weird? Can I even do this?”

            These questions echoed in my head for weeks.

            In early June I knew I had to get moving on this. Starwood is always the second week of July. It was now or never. And I had made a promise. Putting aside the sculpture, I drove down to Home Depot and grabbed a supply cart. I marched to the insulation aisle and picked out a 1.5” panel of 4’ x 8’ pink insulation board. In the parking lot, I probably looked nuts, hacking the thing down to a size I could fit into my Jeep! But I did it and got it back home.

            Before I was a birth worker, I did visual merchandising and design. I went to art school for 5 years, and “did windows” in NYC and various shops on Long Island. In the past, I’ve carved stacks of fall vegetables for window displays as well as a whole “Egyptian temple” for a liquor store out of this insulation foam. I knew I could work with this and felt more comfortable with the medium.

Something I’m not great at drawing is faces. Staring at the panel, I was unsure of myself again. But then I remembered that I had a projector! “Just a little help from that would be ok, right?” I asked myself.

The minute I stepped back after tracing her three faces onto the panel I had painted solid white; I was in love! And most importantly, I was excited. Now I knew I could really pull this off.

Over the next month, I painted and carved. I carved out every line I drew to give the panel a bit of texture. There were some mistakes, but I rolled with them, working them out as I went. There were even cat claw marks because apparently pink insulation foam feels really good to scratch up according to my cats! After a few fails, I learned to use an epoxy filler and fixed spots they left, knowing that maybe they were just little blessings (even though it was frustrating to deal with).

As she emerged from the panel, I got more and more excited to share Her with the community I love so much. While I knew everyone always received Gaia so well, sometimes when we get used to things, we take them for granted. I was excited to bring them something new.

Finally, after figuring out how to get the flames of Her torches to light up (because we can’t simply paint them on. They had to light up!), She was ready for the road trip.

We set out earlier than we did in other years as we had another covener with us, and I wanted to try to get the Shrine set up the Tuesday we arrived considering that Wednesday night was our Hekate ritual. I wanted that set up right across from the ritual site, and I wanted the three of us rested and ready. The three tents went up easily, we got the panel set up, and decided that the final touches could be done Wednesday morning.

Then the winds from Hurricane Beryl arrived.

Wednesday morning was an absolute mess. We lost two of the three tents, including my big 10x20’, and we had to pull everything down. Everything. I had never been there when it was so windy, and I felt so defeated. There was no way we could fight that wind and put the Shrine up in time for it to be there for ritual. Well, maybe we could have, but then the risk was being exhausted from the work and the heat, and not having the proper energy for ritual. All rituals require the practitioners to be rested and ready, and the one we were doing required even more, as we were bringing Hekate in to speak through a trained Seer in what we call a Trance Prophesy ritual. I never really know how long those rituals will go either, at least when we aren’t restricted to a venue rental, because I never know how long the deity will speak to the group, nor how many people will want to ask a private question, and so basically, I knew we had to leave the Shrine down and wait. Also, I had to stay the course and not fall apart. So, I took a deep breath, gave in, and stopped being upset.

Here's where my real learning started and from here starts the magic of setting up Her Shrine.

As I walked back and forth through the crossroads, from our Shrine area to the ritual area, setting things up, I noticed a man standing and simply waiting. I somehow knew he was waiting for me. We greeted each other and he started walking with me, asking if I had a moment.

In his hands was a wooden branch, rather straight and about 4 feet in length. He told me it was one of the torches that would light the bonfire on Saturday night. If you’ve never been to Starwood, you should know that the Saturday night bonfire is the culmination of the event, and where some of the most magical experiences of my life have occurred. He asked if I would be willing to put some energy into the torch and I accepted. I asked him which torch this was, as each year the torches all have different names.

“This one is called Steadfast.”

I could cry now thinking about it. I almost cried then.

I accepted and asked him what he specifically wanted me to do, and he said he would lead me on a short, 1-minute guided visualization. I took the torch and held it, closing my eyes.

“Ground,” he said. “Ground down into the Earth. And now reach up into the sky. Center yourself.”

I did so.

“Now, turn and face the storm.”

The storm. I thought of the literal storm that had just taken down my shrine. I thought of the storm of my work as a birth worker, and how much the abusive maternity system had hurt me and the women I’ve worked with in the last 17 years. I faced both those storms, and other storms that ran through my mind, and felt the strength of being calm and steadfast. I felt the strength of that torch, what just might have been one of her torches, and remembered that the name I chose 10 years ago upon my Ordination as a Priestess of Hekate and a High Priestess within the Temple of the Hallowed Gods meant Torchbearer.

I could be steadfast. I could face the storm. And I did. I am.

The Shrine went up on Thursday, and it was gorgeous. It was everything I wanted it to be, both for Hekate and for the community. So many sweet offerings were left through the next few days, and those that weren’t biodegradable, I took home and plan to keep in a small treasure box that will follow along any time the Shrine is set up.

One of the big differences I’ve noticed between having a Shrine for Gaia and a Shrine for Her great granddaughter, Hekate is that this Shrine seemed to gather devotees as well as people seeking to become devotees. A bunch of people came to the Shrine to seek my guidance or suggestions in working with Hekate, and this made me think of some of the vows I took upon my ordination. Even in the days and weeks after the festival, people have been showing up in my inboxes and sending messages, looking for guidance. Having participated in the Covenant of Hekate’s Torchbearer Bootcamp, I’ve been pondering whether or not I would create a Sanctuary. For a while I was unsure, not even having a clear picture of what my sanctuary would even focus on. However, in the last few days, as these things continue to happen, I think Hekate is telling me and showing me some things in order to help flesh out an idea. And all because I followed through with a promise and created a temporary Shrine.

May Her torches guide you wherever you need to go.

Tamrha Richardson

August 12^th, 2024

Link to Shrine Video

There's always room for our man, PAN!

Do we only mourn "nice" people?

     It's the 40th anniversary of John Lennon's murder in front of his home at the Dakota. 40 years since i woke up from a nightmare, headed into my parents bedroom only top hear the radio DJ cut in and announce it. I woke my parents up with the news. 

I've been seeing posts today with people saying, "John Lennon was an asshole. Why are people still mourning him?" 

I have so many thoughts.

First, I'm wondering how a 40 something year old person, the average age of people saying such things, knows John Lennon in order to know that he was an asshole. I'm 46. In the house I grew up with with parents who were massive Beatles fans, John Lennon was a serious hero. So I might be speaking from a slightly biased place and I'll be the first to admit that. But still, my question stands. 

You most likely didn't know him personally know that he was an asshole. Whatever information you've heard or read comes through another person. Another person that may or may not have known him and may be repeating hearsay and some other person's story of an interaction with him.

John Lennon, just like the other three Beatles members were some of the most famous and sought-after people in the world. Let's remember that their fans were so insane about them that they didn't tour after that first visit to the United States. They were basically a studio band! I can imagine when you're that famous you pretty much live the majority of your life under a microscope. And I bet that it's frustrating and exhausting and difficult a lot of the time, even if it's the life you sought out. If he wasn't always on his best behavior, can we blame him? 

John, Paul, Ringo and George were young men when all this started and young men, just like young women and young people make mistakes. They get married too young and they become parents before they're ready. Sometimes their dreams and aspirations get in the way of responsibilities that they have and they choose those dreams and aspirations ahead of familial responsibilities. When people take on responsibilities too young and parenthood too early, and have trauma from their own childhood past, they might not have the skills yet to do the right things. It's not an excuse if he in fact hit Cynthia. Not at all. And I too always felt bad for Julian (my first celebrity sighting and celebrity who said hello to me!). 

John made lots of mistakes with his first family, that's true. But let's remember we all make mistakes. 

From what I've read, in the latter part of his life he seems to have sought to do better. To be better. A better husband, a better father, a better man. There was a chunk of years in there that he didn't work. Instead he stayed home with Sean, the son he had with Yoko. Did you know he was on his way home to be with Sean when he was murdered? Maybe part of that was in recognition of the mistakes he'd made the first time and he wanted to do better. And only Julian can say what his relationship was like with his father towards the end, if John was trying to build a better relationship with him or if he had yet holding the skills to admit any wrongdoing and make up for that.

However...even if he was and remained an asshole, is it possible for those of us, the millions and millions of us who did not know him personally to mourn the artist and musician that he was every December 8th? Is that wrong?

I don't think so. 

If John was a down and dirty bastard, we can acknowledge that and we can also recognize and acknowledge and mourn and honor the artist that he was. I tend to think we was a human being with talents and faults, things to like, things not to like, a work-in-progress. Like all of us. Sadly, his progress was cut short. And please don't forget he was still someone's husband, father, and friend, asshole or not.

Ultimately, for us, he was an artist who influenced the world, pop culture, music, who got up the ass of a war hungry and hateful US govt and more. Because all of that, I feel he deserves recognition today and every time a Beatles song starts to play.

Blessed be, John. We are still imagining....even if you were an asshole at times. ;)

Regardless of the sentiment, point out the errors and exaggerations about our Gods and traditions

     Back on Long Island, when my boys were about two and three, I remember an autumn day at the library. The kids section at the Sachem Public Library was fantastic, someplace I enjoyed bringing them to play and look for books. 

    That day as I perused the books set out for display on top of the chest-high shelves, I spotted a book about Halloween traditions. It was obviously an older book - the binding and colors showing it's age. Thinking back now, I'm pretty sure it was from the 1960s. Anything that I could find that would help me teach my children about Halloween and the Celtic holiday of Samhain, of which Halloween was born of, was right up my alley. 

    Yet it only took me a few moments to feel my brow furrow. Very early in the book I came across a section informing the reader that there was a Celtic god of Death named Samhain. According to the author the ancient Celtics worshipped this deity and the holiday got it's name from him. 

    By this time I had been a practicing witch for 10 years. Never, ever, had I come across this before. It wasn't as if I was learning new information. I knew it was bogus. There is no Celtic Death God named Samhain. It didn't even break down the name into the "summer's end" translation. 

    A little jaunt of Google searching this phrase "Samhain Celtic God of Death" will turn up articles saying, basically, "yeah... no", but you will also turn up gems like this which are very reminiscent of the book. 

Samhain was known in Ireland as the "Lord of Darkness". The Druid religion was practiced by ancient Celtic tribes that populated Ireland and parts of Europe. This religion worshipped Samhain, the Lord of Darkness. Some writings also speak of Samhain as the "Lord of the Dead". But, today's scholars suggest that this is incorrect.... The Druid religion, dating back to about 200 BC, had priests and priestesses. These magicians (soothsayers or wizards) filled the most important roles in Celtic culture. At the time the Celtic tribes were close to nature. As a result, they worshipped many things in nature as their gods. No Druid god was more powerful ,nor more feared, than Lord Samhain. The roots of Halloween are traced back to the Druid religion and Lord Samhain."

via GIPHY

I'm not linking the holidayinsights site (a Yahoo site that looks like it was created in 1999) as it is not secure, but it kills me that while the person who wrote this states "but today's scholars suggest that this is incorrect," they still go on with the rest of it. I guess doing a bit of research on what scholars actually say was a bit too much work?

That brings me back to my day at the library. There was even more errors in the book (yes, I stood there and read the whole thing). The specifics I can't now remember, but that Samhain Death God is permanently etched in my memory. Was I supposed to put it back on the shelf? I pictured a kid using it for a school assignment... and I was soon headed to the Children's Services Desk to take up the issue. Because I'm that Mom and that Witch.

Fast forward to Social Media. Over the years I've seen some real doozies put into meme format. From claiming the Babylonian Ishtar is why the Christian holiday of Easter is named as it is to Horus/Heru the Egyptian God, son of Isis/ Aset and Osiris/Ausar, having twelve disciples and being born on December 25th. We all know the "Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland and that represents Pagans" story. Folx. Please. Listen to the Irish scholars and practicing Pagans and Witches from there. Please and stop perpetuating this.  

The other day, I once again saw someone share a meme littered with issues. 

    While the sentiment is really sweet, there's info here that's simply not the case. Let's take a little journey through this one, shall we?

Just like there is no Celtic Death God named Lord Samhain, there is no Scandinavian fertility god named Yule 

    Yule comes from the word Jól, sometimes seen as Jul, and the holiday Jólablót. It is celebrated for 12 days starting the night before the Winter Solstice on what is called Modraniht, or Mother's Night. Having been in a Asatru Kindred for a bunch of years, we took deep dives into sagas, mythology, magic, Seidr and while we came across many gods and goddesses, including a god named Freyr, one of the Vanir and brother to Freyja who fertility was one of his areas of expertise, there never did pop up a god named Yule. 

    With so many Norse deities that play into this time of year, like Odin, Hodr, Frigga or even a figure like Frau Holle, I don't know why the creator of this meme chose to name this "god" Yule. Maybe they had a book like that one I found at the library. 

Since when did Wiccans invent the wreath or originate decking the halls? 

    Wreaths date back to ancient Greece and Rome. Wicca dates back to 1930s, 1940s. 

    Decking the halls with holly? They did that in ancient Greece and Rome, as well as pre- Roman Britain. I even found that the ancient Chinese use their native holly species in decorations for New Year's festivals in February. So, there's a little head scratcher.

Druids weren't kissing under the mistletoe

    I mean, I'm sure many of my Druid friends do so today, but as for the origins of this? Let's follow this back. 

    Since ancient times, mistletoe was used by Greeks and Romans in various medicines and tonics due to it's healing properties. From menstrual cramps and epilepsy to ulcers and poisons*, they were using it in medicines. As for the Druids, here's where the romantic edge peeks in. Mistletoe blooms when all other things are frozen. Therefore it speaks to vivacity and it was given to both animals and humans to increase fertility. 

    Mistletoe plays an important role in a Norse myth in the death of Baldur, the son of Odin and Frigga. When it was prophesized that Baldur was to die, his mother made every living thing promise not to harm him. Unfortunately, she missed the mistletoe. Loki gets involved and well... Baldur eventually does die when a sprig of mistletoe is thrown at him. Later myths speak to his returning life, and since Baldur was beloved and beautiful and bright, I can see a Solstice connection possibly being there. 

    It seems the kissing thing started in England in about the 18th century when the vivacious and fertile mistletoe appeared in Christmas celebrations. And considering that Christmas used to be a rowdy and raucous time (we'll get to that history in a bit), dropping some of those proper social morals at Christmas time and stealing a kiss from that cutie you've had your eye on, seems to have caught on and lasted. So I guess this should say, "You don't have to be English to kiss under the mistletoe."

Saturnalia trees are a stretch

    Oh, the Saturnalia. I have to wonder what my ancient Roman ancestors were up to on this most raucous of celebrations. A Mardi Gras like atmosphere is what I hear it was like! The dates have changed over time with days like the 17th of December being the start (under the Julian calendar used at the time, the Winter Solstice fell on Dec 25th). From one day, to three days to a full seven days business and state life closed down, certain societal morals were put aside, slaves could go where and say what they wanted and were even known to sit at the heads of their master's tables and be served by the family. Classical togas were set aside for more colorful clothing, citizens spent time socializing, gambling, singing, partying, playing music and feasting. It was a time to party down in Roman town! 

    Where do those greens come in though? Well, There's two different ways -  agricultural and the New Year. Stay with me... this is a mish-mosh.

    We now tend to focus on the Saturn of astrology, the great workhorse, the one who restricts, who keeps the time, who points you to the struggles you must go through and the work you must do. And this is all true of him in ancient Rome. However, he is also their god of agriculture. While it did vary in this Mediterranean area of the world, the sowing season starts in October and goes through January. So, by December 17th, the focus may have been in wrapping up that workhorse of a job. Just like those greens we hang now, the hanging of greens here is an act of sympathetic magic. We want to see the spring return. I imagine they wanted a successful growing season that would lead to the harvest. 

    Plus, this is ancient Rome. We have festivals all over the place on that calendar, or calendars, and one that fell in that same time frame was the celebration of the birth of Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun, which I'll get to later. Around the corner from all this is the new Year celebrations of Kalends, celebrated on the same calendar day as we celebrate now. Again we see candles, greenery and gift giving. Are they specifically for the New Year or is it a continuation of celebrating Saturn? I don't know. But that's what was going on, and it makes it real obvious how these ancient celebrations bled into modern Christmas traditions. 

     So, while the ancient Roman holiday of the Saturnalia involved decorating with greens, to specifically say they put up trees is a stretch. Look into actual tree worship and Germany around the 16th century and you'll find the first trees at Christmas. 

Odin, St. Nicholas, Sleipnir... no problems with that

    I'm not sure I ever saw sagas or myths of Thor bringing gifts, but as the protector of humans, maybe he was a helper... like a Norse elf? 

    No. No. Do not perpetuate that. They had their elves and I doubt Thor wants to be equated with them regardless of whether they hail from Lightalfheim or Swartalfheim! ;)

Mithras and December 25th

    This is one where I'm all... ehhhh. I mean yes, but also...

    Above I talked about all the mish-mosh of Roman festivals and calendars. Many gods, many festivals. Many cults of gods. Some state recognized, some not. In this culture, like many ancient cultures, syncretism, or the blending of deities and traditions, is extremely common. Think temples to Isis-Artemis or Zeus-Ammon. Cultures and cults see similarities in their gods and over time lines blur. There's some blurring going on here with Mithras. I'm not about to write a dissertation here, because I never could, but he's the basic understanding I've learned.

    Mithras and Sol Invictus, as well as Sol, are different deities. However, Mithras has an epithet Sol Invictus. An epithet is a word or a phrase depicting a quality or characteristic of a person, or in this case a deity. A familiar epithet for a goddess like Hekate is Chthonia or Lampadios or Enodia. This tells us we are specifically speaking to, or calling on, Hekate of the Underworld, the Lamp-bearer and of the Roads, or Crossroads, respectively. Going back to Mithras Sol Invictus, we see a blend of these deities but also a statement that Mithras has a quality of the Sun God. 

    

    Now, the December 25th issue. We see this lots of places (I blame that trash movie Zeitgeist for really kicking this as well as other exaggerations and total falsehoods into higher gear) where it's stated that Mithras was born on this date. However, the only record of Sol Invictus being born here is in the Calendar of Philocalus. Remember, Mithras and Sol Invictus are two different gods, and one being Mithras isn't even an official state cult (a cult like Pan's cult wasn't an official state cult either so we can say 'big deal' now, but keep your head in the ancient times for a second). There was no public face of this cult, unlike other mystery cults, so it had no ceremonies of it's own. Manfred Clauss, in Mithras: Kult and Mysterien wrote, "the Mithraic Mysteries had no public ceremonies of its own. The festival of natalis Invicti [Birth of the Unconquerable (Sun)], held on 25 December, was a general festival of the Sun, and by no means specific to the Mysteries of Mithras."

                                                                    ***************

    Let me repeat that I totally get the sentiment of that meme above. I really do. In divided, stressful and xenophobic times like this, where we've seen the religions of our Muslim and Jewish neighbors become targets, I understand the desire to say. 'Hey, let's all just get along! We can share traditions!" I'm 1000% behind that sentiment. 

    However,  I also want to do that without stretching the truth. Blame being a double Capricorn, ruled by Saturn twice over, just days away from my own Sol-ar return! I again picture those kids, or full on adults, coming to this path as newbies and spending time looking for that Scandinavian Fertility god Yule or claiming ancient Romans were putting up Saturnalia trees. We can point out of similarities without blurring the lines so much that they become untruths. 

Let other witches be the witches they need to be/Real Witches Don't Burn Other Witches. They Teach Them How to Fly!/ When someone disagrees with you& demands you prove your point to their satisfaction by writing logically sound defense, you can save a lot of time not doing that"

    Recently, the admin of Pagans and Wiccans of Indiana booted me from the group for commenting on this meme. I wrote, and I quote, "Nice... (but there's no Scandinavian Fertility Deity named Yule. ;) ) 

    Her condescending comments were incredible, even though she later claimed it was me who was misunderstanding her. I love it when people call me "sister", too. Babe, we ain't sisters. 

    What was even better was her passive-aggressive post yesterday with the above memes and the statement of "Don't burn a witch because they have the wrong info, aren't practicing as you believe they should, or you just don't seem to agree with them. Move on or come to an admin. That's what we're here for."

    This is mind-blowing. I guess what we do instead is boot a 20+ year practicing witch from a Facebook group for trying to point out an issue. That's some kick ass admin-ing right there! 

    This isn't gatekeeping, kids. This is education. This is honoring the past while respecting the modern tradition. I totally get that some people want to prescribe to the 'anything is witchcraft and I can do whatever I like" angle. If that's your way, you go for it! I respect that because it has nothing to do with my relationships or practice. You want to put up a Saturnalia tree and evoke Yule, the Scandinavian Fertility God, get on it! Just do it knowing that you aren't continuing ancient traditions but making new ones. I figured though that people would like to know that there's a total falsehood there. And while I don't have the receipts, I stayed completely respectful the entire time. 

    I suspect that someone's ego is bruised and this is how she's chosen to handle it. 

    Oh... and in case you were wondering, I got that old children's book pulled from the library. The librarians were so happy to know about those problems and asked me to write them all down along with a list of books to replace that one on their shelves. So I did. Michele Fox-Ferguson could take a few tips from those ladies. 

* use all herbs, including mistletoe carefully. Read actual books on herbalism and be responsible my loves!

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: A Capricorn's thoughts about the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 2020

Unless you aren't following astrology or astrologers, you might not be aware of the dreaded conjunction we have been experiencing since January 12th. Saturn and Pluto conjunct every 33 to 38 years or so, but when they do this in Capricorn, all hell breaks loose. Think World Wars, destruction and plagues like the Black Plague. 

Saturn is the task master, lord of time, structure, karma, the work we need to do. Pluto is the planet of death, tearing down all that needs to be swept away, not only from personal lives but to overarching systems like government and social structures.

I really thought this quote from Astrostyle hits it on the head. 

"The “rip it down to the studs” renovations that a Saturn-Pluto conjunction demands is rarely gentle. Pluto, the galactic Grim Reaper, has no problem destroying anything that comes into its path. The dwarf planet demands total transformation, and that means getting rid of whatever is keeping us stuck in an old groove. Saturn is like an uncompromising inspector and architect rolled into one. After peering in every corner, this planet will help us map a master blueprint for the new structures we need to put into place."

An interesting look at history of Saturn Pluto conjunctions, although not all in Capricorn here.

So, while this conjunction (also spiced up by Jupiter who's like "Let's blow this shit up even more!") is a long, slow, painful cycle of tearing down, it's not without purposes. The Renaissance occurred after a conjunction like this. 

 

As a double Capricorn ruled by Saturn, this dance Saturn is doing with Pluto all of this year has been a real struggle. But only because I let it be a struggle. I see now.

This alignment is doing me a great service. It's tearing down a lot of bullshit, things that aren't serving me anymore not only structurally but personally with relationships. With people. People I thought were my core, my center, who had my back. 

So now I sit back, with Saturn on my left and Pluto on my right and watch over the battle field and let them do their work, getting involved in the clearing out when necessary.

I'll be better for it in the end.

via GIPHY

Witchcraft isn't always pretty and sometimes the Gods have few f*cks to give

I doubt that what I'm going to write here will do justice to my experience this past Imbolc. It probably won't explain this enough for many people to understand or quite possibly believe. That's said, I'll still write it out as best as I can and should it be unbelievable or even if others disagree with me, at the end of the day that's not my problem. I will ask though that you read this in it's entirety.

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"How dare you? How dare you!?"

I recall shouting that, or really, I recall Brigid shouting that. I remember the voice echoing through the room that was completely silent yet was quite full of people who'd come to ritual. And I knew I had zero control of what was about to happen.


I was pretty tired at Imbolc but I've been much more tired in the past than I was that night. I'd been awake the day before for 24 hours due to a birth I attended where the baby came in the early hours of February 1st, the day of the ritual. I'd slept for about 4 hours before having to get up in order to get ritual gear packed and my home battened down for me to be gone for hours once again. So, yes. I was a tired High Priestess.

I very much looked forward to ritual. I thought we had a lovely plan and I always love Imbolc (however, anyone who knows me knows that every sabbat becomes 'my favorite'!). Brigid is a goddess close to my heart considering that both my own High Priestess and one of my sister Priestesses are both Hers. She has a special place in my home, the hearth belonging to Her. She helped us get this house and it was part of my promise to Her to make that space hers. So, I really love Brigid.

When our coven planned the ritual a few weeks before, we decided we wanted to bring Brigid in through Trance Prophesy, a technique I've been trained in and have practiced for 18 years. Along with Seidth training, my trance work experience encompasses 20 years. I've taught this technique to my coven and most all of them have been "on the seat" (the term we use for taking the role of the Seer) multiple times. We put all of our names in the pool and let her choose who she'd come through. I got picked.

Over the years, I've brought her through a handful of times. In what I can remember, I recall a strong, loving, wise Lady willing to comfort, to love on, to heal the people who came to Her. I've seen the same thing when others have brought Her through as well. I expected more of the same, especially since this was Her holiday.

That is absolutely not what occurred.

(bouncy goat because bouncy goat)

I've experienced angry or aggravated gods in trance. One of the first times I took the chair in front of a large group was at Harvest Home Gathering in Connecticut with some my teachers, Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone leading the ritual. The Morrigan, Brigid and Freya were all going to come through three Seeresses. I was bringing through Freya, as both Janet and Gavin are Her Priest and Priestess. Straightaway, Freya yelled at the gathering of about 100 people because no one was coming up to talk with Her once She arrived. 

"I'M NOT HERE TO TAP DANCE FOR YOU."

That's what came out of my mouth that She was borrowing. I'll never forget it. She was right, really. I mean, if you are going to go to a trance ritual, get your ass up there to talk to the Gods. It's a lot on the seer and don't waste the deity's time. Her scolding got people moving and from there I settled into the back of my mind and let Her work. Typically, I don;t recall much of what goes on.

Another time, in bringing through Apollo at the women's prison one Summer Solstice, I let Him through and suddenly felt the snarl crawl over my face. I panicked for a moment, but ... would you tell Apollo He can't be aggravated? I'm not about to so I got out of the way. And he too was right. The group had spent no time learning His myths, nor learning of His twin after deciding to work with Him and He was irked to be called upon because 'yay it's the Summer Solstice and He's a sun god!' My knowing much about Him wasn't enough and He sure as shit let us all know about it. The following Summer Solstice we called Him through again, having done our homework, and He was mighty pleased. I've never felt like I was levitating out of the seat before, that's how happy He was.

While the above things have happened, 99% of the time, in over 20 years of practice, the gods have been eager and happy to communicate. Considering that not by any means do all groups do this work, They seem to relish getting to talk through a trained seer. So here we were on Her holiday, expecting the Goddess of the Forge and the Well, Goddess of Bards and Poets, the Warrior, the mighty Brigid to come through.

I did not at all expect Her to come though so upset, so angry, highly annoyed and with very little patience. But that is exactly what happened. 

As stated above, I don't much recall what goes on when I'm on the seat most times. I'm not completely gone, but details are fuzzy and I don't remember exactly what's said by both the participants nor the particular deity coming through. This time, while things are still fuzzy, I do recall Her extreme emotions. I recall screaming. I recall crying a Goddess's tears and feeling Her complete frustration. 

"You do not listen. You just don't listen."

I remember Her crying that. 

I recall Her annoyance to be brought into circle to be asked "the same questions, and told the same things." I recall Her saying that we'd work with her today because it's Imbolc but that so many would put Her back up on the shelf until next Imbolc not paying Her much mind. 

All this said, She understood that we meant well. That we are simply human. And that She does love us. But this Imbolc, it seems she had few fucks to give. 

I've struggled a lot with what happened, not because I think that everything in Witchcraft needs to be happy and fun and safe. Because I honestly don't. I don't even want it to be. I've struggled with it because I didn't expect it and I know that for some people it was probably very startling, and possibly upsetting. I've also struggled because I've been left with the emotions of a goddess that until a day or so later I didn't understand. 

On the way to ritual, I mentioned to our Sage that I saw on Facebook the night before that Brexit was official as of 11pm British time, January 31st, which was just the night before. He stated that he'd seen it too but didn't really understand what Brexit was about. I told him that I'm no expert, but I did know that it meant the UK was leaving the European Union and that this causes lots of uncertainty, stress, economic issues regarding trade, security and migration, etc. Scotland wants to stay in the EU and there's Northern Ireland which is on the Irish island but is a piece that's a part of the UK...so a piece of that island won't be in the EU but the rest of it will. Or something like that...?

Our political state here on this side of the pond we share is such a daily cluster-fuck-mess thanks to the man-child in the Oval Office as well as all the soulless officials in the Senate, that there's no real time to fully follow what's happening in another nation (there's a link ahead to get caught up should you want). 

I have no idea why I asked him if he'd seen that about Brexit, but the only think I can surmise is that something big was coming down the pike and Brexit was at the core of it. I went researching after the ritual and after talking with my Priestess and sister Priestesses. I went to the Irish Times. Here are some of the headlines...

Keeping the Peace - The Legacy of the Irish Border and how Brexit threatens 20 years of peace

Explore the Border - Crossings mapped: what happened in the Troubles and how they are today

The History of the Border - From Plantation to Brexit: Centuries of conflict to the return of peace

Fractious start to next phase of Brexit shows dangers for Irish economy

Five reasons why banks may not come to Ireland after Brexit

Life in Brexit Britain: The message is clear - fit in or get out


Brexit remains a collective English breakdown


Did you know that the Border (and we are talking the border between Northern Ireland which is a part of the UK and the Republic of Ireland for those who are unsure) had a Twitter account? 

The Irish Border signs off Twitter:"It feels like I won the battle but lost the war.'

The anonymous person behind the 2 year old account that had over 100k followers and brought a humorous but very smart and educational voice to the issues regarding the Border and those who live along it. It feels this way because while there will be no hard border again, there's still big problems. 


"Brexit is nothing if not ironic. From the beginning I worried that it would open up old divisions in Northern Ireland.

The UK suddenly having a constitutional convulsion, while forgetting that it had a finely balanced constitutional settlement to look after, was terrifying for everyone who has a memory of how we got to the Belfast Agreement and all that preceded it."

All that preceded it was war and death and bombings and division. Remember when U2 and Bono sang about a Bloody Sunday? 

While he's singing about a single incident of British soldiers killing 26 unarmed people during a civil rights protest during the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1972, it was just the tip of a long, painful struggle that cost many, many lives. 

This is Brigid's homeland. These are Brigid's people. This is a collective conscious issue.

It's not just about Ireland of course. The very name 'Britain' comes from... Brigid. 

From Druidy.org

"The name ‘Britain’ is a derivation of Brigit’s name. Britain was named for an ancient Celtic tribe, the Brigantes, who worshipped Brigit and were the largest Celtic tribe to occupy the British Isles in pre-Roman times. The tribe originally came from the area that is now Bregenz in Austria near Lake Constance. The word ‘brigand’ comes from this tribe of fierce warriors.

Her worship probably spread from the Continent, leaving place names behind, such as Brittany in France. Brigit place names are found in Brechin, Scotland, the river Brent in England, the river Braint in Wales, Bridewell in Ireland. Even London has a Bridewell.

The symbol of Britain – the Goddess Brigantia or Britannia, (still found on their fifty pence coin) is Brigid in her aspect as Goddess of Sovereignty or Guardian of the Land."

So, at the start of Imbolc, because the fire festivals began at sundown the night before, lands sacred to Brigid and beloved by Brigid were officially out of the EU beginning it's 11 month course of figuring out how it will relate to the bloc of countries in the EU. This, according to the NY Times will determine Britain's place in the world for decades to come.

52% of Britons who voted, voted Leave. That means the rest of the voters voted Remain. Remember the day after our 2016 election? Remember that feeling? Yeah.

(because I need to find slight humor)

It was Imbolc weekend and many covens, groups, ritual gatherings were honoring this particular Goddess. As I wrote earlier, not every group works with trance techniques the way Novices covens do. To honor a Goddess and evoke Her presence is vastly different than bringing Her in through Trance. I'm not about to suggest that any other group that did perform trance work got the same Brigid. We just happened to tap into that particular current, a current of an upset Goddess worried about her place of origin and the people that live there. She didn't have that many fucks to give about our problems, as real as they are. She's got the problems of millions on Her hands.

I know there's definitely been times where people have needed me in my role as an ordained High Priestess and I've had my own problems to deal with which may have resulted in me getting snappy. I'm going to bet that you can think of a time or two, or ten, where you've reacted this way as well in your own lives. We lash out, vent, and then deal with what's been brought to us. So did She.

As I sat here and did this research, I understood more of what occurred. I've asked myself why She didn't just let the Dagda visit with us if She was in such a bad place...but then I've thought about times that I'm wicked upset and how good it feels to vent. She vented. I hope that in some ways it helped Her.




We had a lot of new people at this ritual. By new I mean new to Novices. I loved looking out in our ritual prep and seeing those new faces. I do wish that I'd thought to really get more into explaining trance work and what one should do and what one should not do.

Kids... don't fucking argue with the gods. I am still really surprised with how many people did just that. A conversation is one thing. Arguing is another. Do you argue with your Tarot adviser? Your Rune Reader? Bone Thrower? If you do, you really shouldn't. And seriously, don't argue with a Goddess in a trance ritual.

#1 - it's disrespectful.

In Ancient Delphi, the place of the Pythia who was the oracle first for Gaia and later for Apollo, one of the messages on the way into the temple read Know Thyself. We are not talking 'know thyself' in our modern, soul searching, self-realization kind of way. That's not how they meant it. They meant "Hey. You. You are about to enter a sacred place and talk to an oracle. Know Your Place."

#2 - it's really taxing on the person who's lending their physical body to that deity.

I've never had to work that hard on the seat. Ever. While I can't exactly recall exactly what was said back to people, the arguing and talking over the Goddess by so many kept me less in the background as usual and doing some serious heavy lifting to keep the 'lines' open. Trance is already heavy lifting.

Ask your questions. Listen for your answers. Answer any questions they ask you and then thank them. Recall manners? Remember what you've been told and consider it as you would any divination results you'd use to determine your way forward.

I don't think I want to even get started on the few who attempted to riddle her with trick questions and skepticism. You have every right to your skepticism. Keep it in the circle and don't take it up to the seat. It won't go well for you.

This blog isn't an excuse as to what occurred, but my sharing what I've discovered as I try to understand it all. It took me about two days to stop feeling as if I wanted to lay down and just have a good cry. All I can say is that the remnants of trance work affect a seer. Gods can leave their "emotional scents" behind.

For those that attended, it's up to you to decide how to see all this. So far, I've had better feedback than I expected. I'm glad for that. For those that left with negative thoughts or perceptions, that's okay too. You get to make your own determinations. However, remember that until you yourself take the seat, make the descent and work this trance technique, your criticisms are lacking a big, big piece of the puzzle. 

Offer the Lady a candle, a Guinness, a bowl of soup or a bottle of whiskey. Or all those things. Or something completely different. It's still Her season. I think She needs it and would greatly appreciate it. 

Blessed Imbolc. 

Tamrha

PS.. For those into podcasts, we just started one on Anchor!

https://anchor.fm/hoof-and-horn

Imposing random rules on other people's magic

Recently, while perusing the Land of Facebook like ya do, I came across a person asking for help in a group dedicated to witchcraft and paganism. It was quite a situation and a very serious ask involving the safety of a child. Typically, I don't respond to requests for workings or spellwork, but because of the nature of this one, I recommended hiring a reputable Rootworker, supplied a resource name and scrolled away.

Because of the way Facebook is set up, I got notifications each time a person responded to this original post. Upon looking at the thread later in the day, I read a post that had me saying out loud..

via GIPHY

Apparently, according to the responder, this person wasn't to do an ounce of magic until every single last mundane action had been taken, and still they should be really careful and probably not do any magic at all because other people were involved in the situation.

I love an analogy, so I'm going to use one.

One beautiful summer day it starts raining. Maybe you're in Florida. You know how that usually happens on the daily down there. There's an umbrella by the door, however you can't use it according to the Keeper of the Umbrella. At least not yet. First, you have to go change out of the flip flops on your feet and go put on closed toe shoes. 

You do that and return. 

"Shorts?" says the Keeper of the Umbrella. "You have to go put on some pants. Gotta cover those legs because they could get wet."

You change into some warm pants and head back to use the umbrella. 

The Keeper shakes their head. "Hold on. You have a tank top on. You have to put on sweatshirt. Temperature is predicted to drop in his rain storm, you know."

Returning with a sweatshirt on, the Keeper asks where your rain coat is. "Wind is picking up."

You don a raincoat. 

"What about one of those plastic thingies that you put over you head and tie under your chin?" asks the Keeper. 

Finding one of those, you stand within reach of the umbrella wearing your closed toe shoes, pants, a sweatshirt, rain coat, plastic rain hat. "How about that umbrella?" you ask. 

The Keeper rubs their chin, looking you up and down. "Looks like you are dressed pretty well for the storm. Do you think you really need to use that umbrella after all?"

Changing your shoes or tossing on a sweatshirt, aka - doing the mundane work such as filling out the job application when you need a job, or signing up for dating app if you are looking for a new partner, or seeking out legal advice if a child is in danger - is always important. The likelihood of getting that job or date or protection is a lot less likely, or maybe not possible if we don't do the legwork.

However, this idea that we cannot employ magic until the very last t is crossed and i is dotted, to me, is ...

via GIPHY

There are more magical traditions and paths out there than I probably know about. From folk to ceremonial, hoodoo to grimoire, chaos to kitchen witchery and on and on and on. Each one is going to have it's rules or lack thereof, ethics, methods that just might differ depending on who you talk to. But this idea of not using magic until all possible 'mundane' options have been exhausted?

Why?

I think half the issue with many needs for magic is that there wasn't any magic being employed in the first place. If one is constantly doing magic out of a desperate need, or using magic when the shit is hitting the fan, because the shit is often hitting the fan, maybe that's part of the issue.

I'm not advocating for magic and no practical action. I mean, you have to fill out that application and not just sit in your house lighting money candles and making career dream boards. But to not employ magic to enchant a situation right alongside sending the resume? Not do spellwork to ensure protection on a regular basis, or health on a regular basis, or to create a continuous happy home and relationship?

Again, why?

If you aren't doing spellwork, you aren't practicing witchcraft. And if you are acting like the Keeper of the Umbrella over what and how other people work, you really ought to stop. If your ethics require you to exhaust every mundane option first, well... okay. But me? I'm going to slip on those closed toe shoes while I'm holding that umbrella, thank you very much.

On joining covens

In 1999, after I had spent a year reading whatever books on witchcraft and Wicca I could find at the local Borders Books, I went to the newly blossoming interwebs and began the search for a teacher or a group to help me learn. While I have always been able to learn well from books, I liked being in ‘school’, at least when I was studying something I enjoyed. So, if I could find me a witch-school? Uh… yes! Sign me up!

I’ve mentioned the mess of a situation that my first coven was many times in my person-to-person teaching and a couple of times in this blog, such as here. Twenty plus years down the road, I wish that I had had more information on what to look for in my search, in what the red flags were and how a healthy, safe and knowledgeable group functions.

As an ordained High Priestess of an established coven, I often receive inquiries on how a person might join us. While I’ll detail our process below, first I’d like to address some red flags one might come across in their search.

Secrecy –

While there may be certain pieces of information about a coven or tradition concerning the Mysteries and magic that is withheld or told only to initiates, the majority of a group’s practices and traditions should be known to any person considering joining. Whether or not a person is in agreement with or is comfortable with those practices should be decided before any dedication or even initiation occurs.

If a group is all about the secrets or hidden information, my bet is that they actually have no idea what they are doing, and that cloak of ‘it’s an oathbound secret’ is a cover for that cluelessness. Furthermore, if a group leader tries to limit your learning, preventing you from taking additional classes or reading certain books, that’s called control. And that’s a problem. I want all my students to be a better witch than I ever will be. If I haven’t read a certain book or explored an avenue of magic, knowledge, or other information, they by all means can and should if that’s where their interest takes them. When my first ‘HPs’ told me I wasn’t ready to read Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi, I should have clued in that it wasn’t because I wasn’t ready. It was because I was going to learn something she didn’t already know.

Consent-

Consent needs to be front and center. For example, I should be fully aware that a group might expect me to disrobe and do a ritual skyclad. I should know ahead of time that the children’s ritual I thought I was going to was really for adults and that there was a hired babysitter there who I didn’t know and who was going to put on movies too old for my 2 year old (yes, this happened). If I’m working with a group and moving through degrees, and I suddenly discover that I’m expected to have sex with the person in leadership in order to be initiated, imma be pissed.

While I don’t think that initiation needs to or even should involve a literal sexual act between coven leadership and initiate (unless that person is the initiate’s actual partner or spouse), I’m not the witchcraft police. If groups that do offer this are clear from the very start, that’s transparency and consent. Serious bonus points if they offer other options and alternatives for those who chose not to engage in sex for initiation. There are multiple ways to transfer that power and it need not always involve genitals, kids.

So, do not be afraid to ask questions about their practices. If they won’t answer most of those questions, or if you feel something is off… next!

Leadership Issues-

Who’s running this thing? What training, if any, do they have? Do they have a support system in place? While it’s perfectly ok to not have any training and start up a group of people who want to learn and practice together, this should be clear from the get-go. If someone tells you that they or whoever is in leadership of this group has training, that training should be verifiable. It’s been a while since certain people were playing the grandmother card (it was definitely played on me), but these days we could probably find a lot of grandmothers that are legitimately practicing, teaching their families and their students which is awesome! So, I’m not sure what those shady characters are spinning these days, but just check those credentials. Honesty in magical groups, just like in all areas of life, is important. Plus, the job of leadership is as tough as it is rewarding. Training and leadership support go a long way.

On top of that, what kind of person is this leader? While no one’s life is as perfect cake-walk and we all have areas of struggle, for the most part your potential coven leadership should have themselves together. If they are constantly asking people for funds, couch surfing, suffering with active and untreated addictions or mental health issues, if they are erratic, have anger issues, or verbally, physically or sexually abusive to others, they are not in a healthy place to be leading a coven or magical group. Don’t willingly circle with that kind of energy. Run, don’t walk. And while you are running, call out the ones who are sexual predators. No room for that shiz.

Actively Seeking Students or Coveners

(Hold on for a moment while this 80s girl has a Desperately Seeking Susan moment.

via GIPHY

…. … Ok, done.)

I get a twitch when I see this happening. It’s simply not how things should be rolling. Unless someone is offering a class at a shop or other venue and promoting that, there should be zero seeking of students both in-person and online, nor should anyone be actively combing their communities for potential coveners. Students should be seeking out their potential teachers and covens, not the other way around.

In my past, I once had to ask a teacher multiple times to become a student. She made me work for it. In my coven’s history, after a year or more of the same people showing up for rituals, we had an open invite meeting to explore if we wanted to form a coven. As a then Votary (what we term a Priestix in training), those that chose to unify into the Novices – IN coven with me, did so. It was the same pattern that occurred in the first Novices coven in NYC that I was a part of.

If you’ve got training and want to start a coven, start hosting open circles. Do meet and greets. Practice with people.  Have open conversations. Listen. See what happens in an organic fashion. Afterall, your role is that of service, not to be served.

Meeting Members

Here’s another thing that didn’t happen when I joined that first coven. I only met with the HP and HPs. Had I been able to meet the rest of the coven before joining, I would have met the woman who constantly put her hands on me without consent, and maybe my gut would have said ‘nope’.

Meeting the people in the coven is important for multiple reasons because these are the people that you’ll be in magical partnership with. It’s also important that they meet you. It may be the case that not everyone is public about their practices, so confidentiality is a must for all parties. Respecting that, a meet and greet should be in place.

Got Elders?

Are there any elders in this group or their connected communities? If there are, this tells you about established relationships, long term practice, etc. If not elders, are there members that have been involved in the group for a length of time or is there a revolving door or people in and out? While people in my prison circles come and go, as that’s the nature of things in that environment, the current members of my coven have all been there since it’s inception. Of course, people have left since our first unification, but today’s members have all put in over 6 years. Where there are elders there are usually healthy roots. And that’s a place you might want to put some of your roots down, too.

Structure

Coven Agreements, Code of Conduct, By-Laws?

All groups should have these in place and these documents should be in the hands of members and prospective members alike. While Witchcraft and Paganism typically attracts people who aren’t looking for structured paths, we have to have some sort of structure and stability in a working group. A healthy coven, grove, temple should really have these things in order to function as smoothly as possible. Such articles let prospective members know what to expect and gives current members parameters to work within, reminders of why we gather together, ways to approach problems that arise, and more.

And Finally..

This next part shouldn’t have to be said. These days though, we need to be both clear and out front with matters of racism, bigotry, and inclusivity. 

If the coven or working group you are joining has racist, bigoted or anti-LGBTQ+ views, drop that shit like a bad habit and call them out to your community members. Hatefulness to other religions should also not be tolerated. While I have a laundry list of issues with the Catholic Church into which I was baptized as a baby, I keep those issues separate from my Priestess and coven work. Furthermore, badmouthing any other path of Witchcraft, Sorcery, Heathenry, Wicca, ATR, etc. etc. is simply immature, low class and proof you’ve got a long way to go on your path. We have big problems to deal with out there and wasting time arguing about who does what, when and how is a waste of precious time.

This isn’t a one size fits all shawl here. Not every path works for every person. Find yours and don’t talk smack about those who consider themselves something other than what you consider yourself. If the woman beside me at the next festival I attend wants to call herself a Light Worker Witch, rock on, sister. You go with your Light Working Witch self!

How Novices-IN rolls…

Our process of joining our coven, The Stone Chalice and Rising Blade is posted on our Facebook page for transparency. We call this process ‘petitioning’ and the person going through that process is called a Petitioner.

In order for Prospective Petitioners to know if Novices might be the right fit for them, and they for us, we ask that one attends at least 2 public Sabbats. After that, interested parties then contact me to have a first discussion about joining. They then write a Letter of Petitioning which is shared with the coveners.

From there, we arrange an informal meeting with the coven. Here, we sit down and talk about what the Petitioner might be looking for, describe more in depth what we do, expectations we have, allow the Prospective Petitioner to ask questions. Finally, we see if attending coven meetings as a guest feels right for both the coven members and the Prospective Petitioner.

If coveners give clearance, and the Prospective Petitioner wants to proceed, they are then a Petitioner who is invited to attend at least four coven meetings. After this, should the Petitioner want to join the coven, a letter is written requesting admittance (further guidance on details explained for such individuals) and the coven will then make its decision with the guidance of the High Priestess and Sage.

Other covens and magical groups may have a different process, but it’s the process that matters not only for the protection of the coven but especially for the protection of the Petitioner. In Stone Chalice and Rising Blade, we respect our Petitioners enough to have such a process in place and at any time a Petitioner can decide that they do not want to join our coven. In those cases, they are wished well, and the process stops. According to our By-Laws, Petitioners are welcome to join us again for open Sabbats after 6 months have passed.

That’s it, kids! Ask questions, do your research, trust your gut. Ask the community about groups and what they might know about them. If you hear something sketchy, check it out with multiple sources, and don’t forget the actual source.

Oh, and if a group says they want to go back to the old ways, when people did sacrificial blood magic like the ancient days, try not to fall down laughing while you run yourself the hell out of there.