http://www.wiccanweb.ca/ Canadian Wicca & Pagan community site offering daily updated news, resources, events and information en-ca http://www.wiccanweb.ca/images/logo_transparent.gif http://www.wiccanweb.ca/ achriel@wiccanweb.ca achriel@wiccanweb.ca (Achriel) http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26505 By ROCCO LaDUCA Kimberly Simon, 16, of Marcy, was raped and murdered in 1985. Steven P. Barnes, also of Marcy, then 22, was convicted for the crimes. His 1989 conviction was tossed out after appeals by the Innocence Project based on DNA evidence. The last hours of Kimberly Simon’s life in 1985 were likely spent with a group of young men who worshiped the devil, tortured cats, used hallucinogenic drugs and sexually abused women, according to investigators who have been probing her homicide for the past 16 months. “They built quite a reputation for themselves,” District Attorney’s Office Investigator Richard Ferrucci said of the Satan worshipers. “To the people they were close with, they did not try to hide the fact that they were involved in this sort of stuff. It was sort of a shock value, and they really enjoyed putting that out there for people to know about.”Witness accounts have placed Simon in the company of these Satan worshipers during the night of Sept. 18, 1985, at a popular hangout spot for youths along the Sauquoit Creek in New York Mills called “Three Bears,” Ferrucci said. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26504 By Jess Folks new to Heathenry today, particularly if they are coming from Wicca or another Neo-Pagan faith, usually tend to ask two questions when it comes to being Heathen in the modern day: - Is it necessary to (or, How can I) learn galdr and/or seiðr? - How do I know who my patron/matron deity is? These are questions that I have encountered frequently in my own conversations with new Heathens and/or people interested in Heathenry, and the answers to both are simple. - Knowledge of galdr and/or seiðr is not necessary to be Heathen. - You are not required to have a patron/matron deity. Some people can get very frustrated with new folks asking these kinds of questions, but the simple fact is that they originate within the context of Wicca and Wiccan-derived Pagan beliefs, where adherents are generally encouraged to find a patron/matron deity, and where the study of magical practises and concepts is a backbone of education and training. Although I have been told that they exist, I have not personally encountered a Wiccan who did not do magic, and most Neo-Pagans I have met have a definite patron/matron deity. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26502 by Jason Pitzl-Waters It’s time for the Pagan hysteria watch, where we spotlight some stories and editorials that get a wee bit over-excited in their rhetoric. Let’s start with an obvious source, conservatives defining environmental activism, and agreement with the scientific consensus concerning climate change, as a “new paganism”. Yes, it must be a “religion”, because “more and more evidence is surfacing against global warming claims”, even though the majority of that “evidence” has been overblown and distorted in the media, and the scientific community is being increasingly bullied by activists and politicians for not changing their position on global warming. Maybe they want to prove it’s a religion by producing martyrs? In any case, while times are tough for Al Gore (a “high priest” of the “new paganism”), our current President doesn’t escape accusations that he’s involving us all in paganism! http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26501 Reviewed by Fionnchú Buddhism beyond Asia's explored by 22 scholars in this 2002 collection. It focuses on the transformation, since the later 19c, of the Buddha's teachings into Western, and cross-cultural, and analytical transformations that try to retrieve a purer, primitive, or truer original teaching. Thomas Tweed sums up these evolving trends: "If modernist Buddhists have de-mythologized and rationalized traditional Buddhism one may say that post-modernist Buddhist practitioners secularize and psychologize modernist Buddhism." (60) Tweed distinguishes a "migrant religion trajectory" from a "missionary-driven transmission," in turn separate from a "demand-driven transmission" as the three methods of current transfer. (62-3) He notes how the 'foreign' religion might have deliberately been fetched from abroad by sympathizers and initial converts. In the case of Buddhism, texts in Asian languages were transmitted and published, Buddhist ideas and practices were adopted, and Asian teachers were invited to lecture." (52) Westerners rely on Eastern exchange, as transport, globalization, and immigration thicken the ties rather than allow the crude models of Orientalist domination or imperial manifestation to control the emergence of a dharma-practice adapted not only to secular First World settings, but contemporary capitalist and countercultural markets all over Asia, Brazil, Oceania, and North America. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26500 Using a simple length of rope, Alex Stewart-Pole and Jenni Birch will become partners for “a year and a day” through the ancient ritual. A handfasting can then be renewed for the same or a longer period. Aside from the lashing of hands, the couple will jump over a fire, chant and recite vows. A design student at the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE’s Mt Gravatt campus, Mr Stewart-Pole, 19, said: “We’re planning to one day go to Northampton in England, which is like the pagan capital of the world, to do our ‘10 years and a day handfasting.” Holland Park High School student Jenni, 16, said of the handfasting: “We’ll just see how it goes.” Jenni’s mother and pagan high priestess Sue Birch, of Lawnton, will perform the ceremony. Paganism takes in a range of spiritual beliefs including Druidism, Wicca and modern witchcraft, and is based on the worship of nature and its cycle of birth, growth, death and renewal. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26499 By Ilkka Pyysiäinen and Marc Hauser Considerable debate has surrounded the question of the origins and evolution of religion. One proposal views religion as an adaptation for cooperation, whereas an alternative proposal views religion as a by-product of evolved, non-religious, cognitive functions. We critically evaluate each approach, explore the link between religion and morality in particular, and argue that recent empirical work in moral psychology provides stronger support for the by-product approach. Specifically, despite differences in religious background, individuals show no difference in the pattern of their moral judgments for unfamiliar moral scenarios. These findings suggest that religion evolved from pre-existing cognitive functions, but that it may then have been subject to selection, creating an adaptively designed system for solving the problem of cooperation. Adaptation or by-product? Religious beliefs are ubiquitous across cultures and time, and understanding the origins and evolution of religion is a question that has attracted significant attention and debate. Some scholars claim that religion evolved as an adaptation to solve the problem of cooperation among genetically unrelated others. Others propose that religion emerged as a by-product of pre-existing cognitive capacities, but then, through both biological and cultural evolution, might have evolved into a system that is well-designed to solve problems of cooperation. Here, we review these alternative proposals, and then introduce a moral psychological perspective that, we argue, provides novel insight into this debate. Specifically, recent work in moral psychology supports the view that religion evolved as a cognitive by-product of pre-existing capacities that evolved for non-religious functions. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26498 By Betty Kirkpatrick Glamour in Scots meant enchantment, magic or witchcraft. It also meant a spell, especially one that affected the eyesight of the recipient of the spell, as in to cast the glamour ower the een. If this happened to you, your view of things became very different from the reality. English has Sir Walter Scott to thank for its acquisition of the word glamour. Some of his work had quite a following in England and in a note to one of his narrative verses he explained Scots glamour in the sense of spell and how this spell was said to distort people’s image of things. You can begin to see how we acquired the modern sense of glamour. Casting the glamour ower the een made people see things unrealistically. Acquiring modern glamour needs the help of cosmetics, designer labels and bling. So both senses of glamour have a deceptive quality. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26497 By Mary DAlba Violet (Viola odorata) is also known as Blue Violet, Sweet Violet, English Violet, Common Violet or Garden Violet. Its origins are Europe and Asia but can also be found in North America and Australasia. In India, it is known as Banafsa and is used to help with tonsillitis and sore or tender throats. Violet originated from Io, one of Zeus’s many romantic interests. Zeus’s wife Hera found out about Zeus and Io and, in a jealous rage, changed her into a heifer. Zeus, having pity on her, changed her into the beautiful violet. Violet is known to bring wonderful results when used in rituals with just women. It is said if you collect Violet at the beginning of Spring, your dearest wish will come true. It is also burned during the Spring Equinox as a sign of Spring. Violet is also known to bring change in luck and fortune and can be used in ritual or magick to do so. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26496 By Rick Koster I think we have some pagans living in our part of town. Several, actually - and not all in one big, leafy communal house, either. They're sprinkled about the neighborhood like elf-dust. Which is fine. Pagans on the whole are a fairly interesting if occasionally goofy set of folks - whereas I'm just sour-tempered and my car is ugly and smashed into the backyard fence at a comical angle on a bed of empty beer cans. By comparison, "occasionally goofy" isn't a bad thing at all. Most of the "goofy" part comes via the names the pagans adopt to replace their given names. "Chuck" and "Donna" and "Todd," for example, might well have become, in their new pagan guises, "Stormlight," "Ravenwidow" and, well, "Todd," who wanted to change his name to "Celtic Dragon-Lord" but his wife had just given him a box of thank-you cards embossed with "Todd" and so "Celtic Dragon Lord" will have to wait until the cards are used up. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26495 By Swain Wodening There has been a lot of talk this past year about regionalism. This is nothing new and has been a topic for most of my Heathen life (which is now in its 23rd year). On the surface it sounds well and good. Organize regional gatherings, form a regional thing, and all will be dandy. Folks will communicate, get together, and do things together. The problem is without a guiding national organization it rarely works out that way. I can name several regional organizations that went the way of the buffalo. All organized with the best of intentions. The Great Plains Ring operated in the Midwest for a couple of years before going belly up, as did the Texas Asatru League, and the Indiana Asatru Council, once one of the most active regional organizations has not seen activity in years. The same can be said of regional lists. The Central States Heathen list was once very active, and even hosted a couple of gatherings. It is now lucky to see twenty posts a month. Regionalism, at least up to now has not worked with a very few exceptions. I have a theory why and it centers on diversity. With a national organization, all the individuals, kindreds, and fellowships generally share a common interest and common goals. Like attracts like. But with a regional organization, the only common denominator is that of proximity. And more is needed than mere physical proximity for an organization to work. That is why in say, a small area like Dallas-Fort Worth you see more than four fellowships. Beliefs, how rituals are done, customs and traditions, and esp. personalities differ from group to group and do not always mix well. An individual regional group is therefore almost doomed from the start. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26494 By Dan Vergano An unearthed tomb on Crete reveals a dynasty of priestesses reigned on the isle during the "Dark Ages" of ancient Greece. In an Archaeology magazine report, writer Eti Bonn-Muller details the results from last summer's excavation of a tomb at Orthi Petra at Eleutherna on Crete, where a team found the burials of a high priestess of Zeus and three acolytes this summer. "People then may have considered them sorceresses, or intermediaries with the gods," Bonn-Muller says. Led by archaeologist Nicholas Stampolidis, the team dates the four burials to 2,700 years ago. Earlier digs had discovered the remains of other women, buried together in large "pithos" jars from 2,800 to 2,600 years ago. All of the women appear related, based on distinctive features of their teeth, the team reports. "What's really remarkable is the find shows these women were a dynasty that lasted at least 200 years in this location," Bonn-Muller says. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26493 By Sorita d'Este The idea that Artemis was only worshipped by women in the ancient world, which is a common one amongst modern pagans, is simply not true. Men often played a role in ceremonies honouring her, though in a very different way and for different reasons from women. In Sparta during the Roman period, young men had to undergo severe flogging on the altar of Artemis Orthia, the scourging would continue until the entire altar was covered in their blood. this ritual flogging was known as diamnastigosis, and was a test endurance through which the men had to demonstrate their willingness and worthiness to be devotees and warriors fighting in the name this goddess. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26492 Reviewed by Gwennie All One Wicca is a textbook on Wicca written by Kaatryn MacMorgan-Douglas for UEW – Universal Eclectic Wiccans. On the back cover it says that this is ‘The most important book you’ve never heard of…’ and I couldn’t agree more with this statement. The book is divided into five parts: 1. The Religion – which talks of wicca and what it is and is not. There are 13 chapters in this part covering everything from Wiccan circles, to Gods and Ethics. Part 2 is The Grimoire, which has 13 chapters full of your typical Grimoire content; herbalism, corn dollies and divination to mention some. Part 3 is called A UEW Book for Shadows and Light. It has 24 chapters of spells and rituals. Part 4 is a dictionary of paganism and part 5 contains appendices and helps. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26491 By Sannion The name’s Hermes. Yeah, that Hermes, the busiest god on Mount Olympos. You name it, I’ve probably got my hands in it. Commerce, language, thievery, agriculture, religion: these are just a few of the things I’ve invented over the centuries. I’m the one who sends you dreams at night. I control the roll of the dice. And when you die I’ll be there to guide you into the next world. When the gods wish to communicate with mankind, it’s me they trust to deliver the message, especially father Zeus who employs me as his personal pimp and hitman. You’d think all that would be too much for even a dozen gods, but I handle it pretty well. What can I say, I’ve always been a good multi-tasker. But even my considerable talents are taxed when it comes to fulfilling my duties as herald of the gods. You see, when the gods decide to call one of their grand assemblies it’s my responsibility to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Do you have any idea what that actually involves? No. No you do not. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26490 By Jennie Johnston It is human nature to put down roots. Our community, our home, they are not just where our hearts are but where our roots can push into the earth and bring us grounding. As pagans we tend to set down roots or acknowledge them in a concrete way. A hedgewitch may be intimate with every square foot of woods behind her house, a city dwelling druid may have deep conversation with the oak tree that shades his apartment balcony, and the Wiccan family can make a sacred space in their sunroom where each member can rejuvenate in times of stress. All of these situations and the many millions more that arise in the small moments of our lives can create a strong bond with where we live. The place that holds our living is full of routine, schedules, meals, laughter, tears and rest. We rely on home to bring us a sense of peace, shelter and familiarity. Children need a sense of security and bond to place more than adults do. They are not as capable of finding anchors for security within their bodies until they are much older, so they rely on their caregivers and their home for their grounding. When faced with moving to a new house it is very important to prepare children, even more so than the logistical aspects like packing and cleaning. Depending on what age and stage your child is at they can participate and comprehend the moving of the family abode in different ways and personality will definitely determine how they are affected as well. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26488 By Stuart Laidlaw Under the cover of darkness, our worst traits come out. We lie, we steal, we cheat. We expect others to do the same. All because the lights are out, a new study says, and we think we can't be seen. "Anonymity can license unethical behaviour," says Chen-Bo Zhong, a professor of organizational behaviour at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management and lead author of the study. Published in the latest issue of Psychological Science, his study found that people in dark rooms or wearing sunglasses assume their actions cannot be monitored, and soon begin taking ethical liberties. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26487 By MetallicUrsine Crows and Ravens are the creatures of the otherworld, and are also portents of omens, magic, witchcraft, death, regeneration, and prophecy. And in truth, anything black was considered a creature of the devil, such as black dogs (the howling of a dog was the announcement of death, and dogs have had a long deep association with death and the otherworld) , black cats (up until the 19th century crows or ravens were seen as witches in disguise, a bad omen as ill-wished as the crow in seeing or crossing paths with like a black cat; and as well as up to 1922 in Somerset the black cat was considered to be a creature of the devil, but to own one was to have its owner looked upon as having a lucky talisman – showing the duality of the folklore) , black horses, and also black birds of most types, such as magpies. Two crows seen was called a “corbie coupling, ” from the Latin word for crow (coracicus, corvinus) . Its powers of omens stopped inaugurations of Archbishops (Such as with Adamson of St. Andrews in 1586 by a man named David Ferguson saying the crow was cawing “Corrupt!” in portent to the intended Archbishop) to battles, to births, peace, etc. And later on, it is still linked to agriculture, as we have the scarecrows, and the folk art of the crow always with the harvest, and even in modern France there is a festival dedicated to this bird in the light of agriculture. And anyone who’s lived with crows, knows them as more than mere birds, some call them “feathered humans” in their ability to speak, and bond with humans. Travelers would look to see a raven to foretell a fruitful journey, or one of ill-luck or death. In 40 B.C. Virgil writes in his Eclogue IX “If a timely raven on my left hand had not warned me at all costs to cut short this last dispute, neither your friend Moeris nor Menacles would be alive today.” As well as folkloric sayings of “As a crow flies” in relation to describing distance and time relations. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26486 by John Shepard Materials required: On the altar are brown candles, a Tootsie Roll (the great big one, as the athame), a large glass with milk in it (the chalice), a small dish of Nestle's Quick and a spoon, a small dish of chocolate sprinkles, a plate of cupcakes, and some Yoo-Hoo along with a goblet. CLEANSE THE SACRED SPACE HPS: (take the small bowl of chocolate sprinkles) Chocolate sprinkles where thou art cast No calories in thy presence last. Let no fat adhere to me And as I will so mote it be! Nestle's Quick where thou art cast Turn this milk to chocolate, fast. Let all good things come to me, and make my milk all chocolatey! CAST THE CIRCLE HP: (using a tootsie roll) CALL THE QUARTERS HP: Mousse of the East, Fluffy one! Great prince of the palace of dessert! Be present we pray thee, and guard this circle from all moochers approaching from the East. Fondue of the South, Molten one! Great prince of the palace decadence! Be present we pray thee, and guard this circle from all diets approaching from the South. Cocoa of the West, Satisfying one! Great prince of the palace of thirst! Be present we pray thee, and guard this circle from all carob approaching from the West. Rocky Road of the North, Cold one! Great prince of the palace of crunchy! Be present we pray thee, and guard this circle from all cheap imitations approaching from the North. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26485 By Swain Wodening Most Heathens know how to do symbel (Old Norse sumbel), or some form of it. What many do not know, is there is a proper format to make an oath during symbel. Just as symbel has rounds so too do the oaths have their parts as well. To see this, look at Beowulf’s oath to slay Grendel: The first part is what is called a gielp (OE), a boast of one’s ancestry: Wassail Horthgar! I am Hygelac’s kinsman and thegn I have many great deeds, done in youth. Then comes the béot (OE) or the oath to do something. In Beowulf’s case, slay Grendel. To preserve space, I am not quoting it here (Beowulf was a wordy fellow), but suffice it to say he reiterates his oath to slay the beast several times, and that he was sent for this purpose. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26484 by Kristin Barton The reference in the Wiccan Rede to “nine woods” refers to the Celtic reverence for trees and the tradition of creating “need fires" in which the nine sacred trees were burned. According to the Clannada na Gadelica, a Gaelic culture education organization, there is little scholarly evidence as to which woods are the nine. Iain MacAnTsaoir writes in his article “Festivals Part 1-Preface v.1.1” (www.clannada.org/docs/frestpre.html), “The need fires themselves were built with nine sacred woods, which were ignited by an oak bow and rod. There are several places where these lists can be found. In the Silver Bough Vol. 1, by MacNeill, we find the following… Choose the willow of the streams, Choose the hazel of the rocks, Choose the alder of the marshes, Choose the birch of the waterfalls, Choose the rowan of the shade, Choose the yew of resilience, Choose the elm of the brae, Choose the oak of the sun, -no definite ninth tree specified, but MacNeill believes it could have been… holly, ash, or pine.” http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26483 Considered a “lost Game”, Fidchell appears in several ancient Irish epics and chronicles. Under the name of Gwyddbwyll it also appears in the Welsh Mabinogion and seems to have been held in peculiar reverence throughout the British Isles. The playing of Fidchell was essentially a royal pursuit, restricted to the nobility and druids, as they often prove their noble rank by showing they can play the game. Also that the boards were sometimes, despite the game’s name, made of gold or silver and set with precious stones; and that it was believed that sometimes the game could magically play by itself. Besides being an intellectual pastime for the nobility, Fidchell had a prophetic dimension, echoes of which linger in the Mabinogion account of King Arthur’s game with Owein in the midst of battle. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26482 Is a woman's place in the home? 1 in 4 say yes: poll Women head governments, run companies and comprise about half the world's workforce, but a global poll shows that one in four people, most of them young, believe a woman's place is in the home. The survey of over 24,000 adults in 23 countries, conducted by Reuters/Ipsos and released on the eve of International Women's Day, showed that people from India (54 percent), Turkey (52 percent), Japan (48 percent), China, Russia, Hungary (34 percent each) and South Korea (33 percent) were most likely to agree that women should not work. And, perhaps surprisingly, people aged between 18 and 34 years are most likely to hold that view, not those from the older, and more traditional, generation. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26481 By Mary DAlba Today we are going to discuss Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of Fertility, Love, War and Sex. She was likened to Venus, Aphrodite and Inanna. Ishtar and her cult are associated with sexuality including sacred sex and prostitution. Her symbol is the eight pointed star. Ishtar was known to have many lovers, however, she treated them cruelly. Her love was known to tame wild animals and could be trouble for even the gods she consorted with in her travels. Ishtar is known to be cruel and a punisher, not caring who she destroyed in her path to get what she wanted. One of the more popular myths regarding Ishtar is her decent into the underworld to get her lover Tammuz. She was made to travel through seven gates to reach the Underworld. At each entrance, she was made to remove a piece of clothing or jewelry. When she finally reached Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld, she was bare of everything but herself to ask for his return. Ishtar did get Tammuz out and as she traveled back up through the seven gates, she retrieved her clothing and jewelry. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26480 A pagan rocker died at his drug-den farmhouse after a witchcraft ritual went nightmarishly wrong. Junkie Jason Barriskill — who worked in the Tayto Castle food lab — was found slumped at his isolated home in Tandragee, Co Armagh, a fortnight ago. His body was surrounded by occult symbols and his sprawling 60-acre property housed massive opium and cannabis labs. Sunday Life can reveal pony-tailed guitarist Barriskill, 34, was a ‘priest’ in a sect founded by occultist Alesteir Crowley whose writings influenced rock stars like Jimmy Page and Ozzy Osbourne and son of Stephen Barriskill — leader of Tandragee’s ruthless ‘Farmers Boys’ dog-fighting gang. http://www.wiccanweb.ca/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=26479 Reviewed by CelticScholar Anne Ross is a well-respected writer on the Celts most of her books are on the Celtic Reconstructionist lists and that tells you a lot because as a rule they are very picky. This book is a part of a series called Everyday Life Of…The other two books in the series are The Everyday Life of the Vikings, and The Everyday Life of the Anglo-Saxons. The book is copy righted to 1970 so right off you know it is an old book, with outdated information, though not much of it is. People who are not new to the Celtic history will probably not find anything new in this book. What impressed me though is the fact that she not only talks about the history of the Celts but their culture, society, and religion too. She starts her survey when the Celts first burst onto the scene, and ends it at 500 CE. Up front she tells you the limitations of the book and the aim she hopes to achieve with it. The limitations are as follows: limitations in the evidence available (this of course has changed from the 1970s to now), and limitations of space. The aim of the book is to find out something about the pagan Celtic world; about its origin; about the people who lived in it, what they did and how they conducted their day-to-day affairs.