Greetings Everyone and Welcome to 1st Degree Discovery Lab.

I hope you will enjoy what we have to offer here.

Our goal is to help you know how to apply the things you learn here at Sacred Mists to your daily routine. Our path is something that everyone should practice and let it become a natural part of your daily life.

Being more aware that we are naturally magickal and have to power of the universe is something that many only dream about.

We can read and read about being wiccan and think about it, but until we apply our knowledge...it is not a part of us and we cannot claim to be Wiccan...anymore than a janitor can claim to be a doctor. They can read all about how to be one, but if it is not evident in their daily life, If they do not practice thier knowledge..and take the steps necessary to be what they claim, then it is not so.

Before we start, I would like you to be sure to have a pen(cil) and paper in front of you so you can do some exercises with me. and also so you can take notes when you need to. I will give you a moment to make sure you have that availale...This is something you should always come to lab and study halls with...ok?

I will not be touching much about the "intro lesson" as it is basically something that you just need to read and do...so with that said, is there any questions about the Introduction that is not clear to you?

I ask that you be sure to join all the groups of Sacred Mists College...This is kind of like different buildings on Campus..You need to enter to be able to access what is in that building.

This is a big college and we try our best to keep it running smoothly. To do this, we need to hear from you, the studentbody, to know if there are any concerns that can be improved or tweeked for easier understanding.

So know that we are always open to you. Student Services is the area to start at when you have a concern. If you do not get saticaction there, then post it to the MAIN GNERAL BOARD where most everyone accesses daily.

***CHECK TIME***

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Lesson # 1 deals with our Deity...How many of you know or claim a Patron God or Goddess?

Today we are going to look at some and my hope is that you will go away with a better understanding of Spirit and how to allow them to help you in your path of the wise.

First, lets look at how we look at our deity. As witches most of us see the gods and goddesses as deities to be honored and worked with as part of our daily life.

Tell me how you percieve them.

I would like you to write down the name of a deity that is coming to your mind at this moment...just write the name down without overthinking what is right or wrong. Write down the name of a Goddess...now write down the name of a God.

Ok..now that you have chosen your deity...please name the Deities you chose ...

For this lab experiment, I want you to think of these deitiess as your patron God & Goddess and find out everything about them that parallels with you at this time. They came to you for a reason and I want you to think about why they are prompting you right now.

Now...what do you know about this deity...and why do you think the name came to your mind above others ?

Know that people of ancient cultures went much by feelings rather than names...and this is what you should do in thinking of deity...Goddess is there with you to help out and guid you. Names are only lables but do have significance as you will see...

but think of it in this way...Your mother is there in you mind as your mom...when you call her and talk to her or are in her presence...what do you call her...do you address her by her name or just "Mom"?

It is this way in daily life...Goddess is the "Mom" word...

We tend to use NAMES of the Goddesses when we call on them to work with them in magick...

There is power in a name...it is like the tale of Rumplestiltskin...there was no power that the maiden wilded until she found out what his name was...there was powerful magick in the name.

It is similar with deity...That is one reason we may call on Brighd if we want help in a fertility rite or a new beginning...where we may call on Durga if we were facing a battle or needed protection.

Do you have any questions so far?

Now...I would like you to take a moment and grasp that you will be working with deity daily ...with this in mind...let's move to the Wheel of the year...

We are getting close to the end of our wheel this year. Why do you think we have our New Year so much differently than what the calanders depict?

We celebrate the union of the Goddess and the God in the Great Rite..this is in the unerworld that this is happening and may be one reason why other faiths tend to look at us as "consorting with their devil"...when it is really only celebrating the beginnings of life. deep within the womb of Mother Earth and the mysteries that are sacred.

This is a perfect time for you to be beginning your studies as you can keep a journal of the wheel. I would like you to prepare this and actually start your Journal on Samhain. You can report on the 1st degree board some of the things you entered and learned from each sabbat if you would like. I think it would be great if you did this.

Let's go ahead and folow the wheel now...

The Wheel of the year is the cycle of the seasons that turns from birth to death to rebirth once more. This has been the way of the Earth through the seasons forever. and we have experienced it throughour our life whether we practiced wicca or not.

Our new year is pronounced SOW-wen or sah-veen and spelled Samhein. This is a greater sabbat and one that we always have much fun as it is our biggest holiday.

Here is where the Goddess sees Her love, the God that has accompanied her through the wheel, pass on to the Underworld.

During this time...The veil is thinnest time of the year and is possible to feel the powers of the otherworld as the Lord & Lady unite one last time in preperation for the nest turn of the wheel.

On October 31st the veil between the living and the dead are at it's thinnest. so what types of things comes to mind for you to do?

Next is Yule...December 21st..the longest night of the year...

This is a very decorated sabbat as we think about how our Blessings of inner wealth. We celebrate and as with the Christian holiday, we exchange gifts...in ancient times it may have been a gesture to help the less prepared to get therough the winter.

It also symbolizes hope for the future and the gift of the Lady for giving birth to the Sun Lord.

This is the time when the battle of the Holly and Oak king is witnessed , bringing in the birth of the SUN...so the Oak king then reins and the Sun God is born to bring light back to the frozen earth that has been draped in darkness.

What do you think the Yule Log represents?

How can you decorate to bring to your mind throughout the winter that this is happening ?

Next is Imbolc...some call this Candlemas altho, I do not personally use that term as it reminds me of the catholic celebrations..and I prefer to keep it in my own pagan path...hehehee...

What do you think this represents?

Think about it being "groundhog day"...whish the little tradition that the newcasters like to tell us ll about his shadow and his prediction...if they only knew th TRUE meaning...lol!

In our tradition this is the time we celebrate the renewing fertility of the Earth.

The Goddess , at this time, is recovering from childbrith, and the God is a small child.

This is also the time of "the fire in the belly" . Some feel it as a restlessness like "cabin Fever"...

How would You celebrate this sabbat?

Ostara is pronounced oh-STAR-ah. This is the Spring Equanox. March 21 usually...The time is perfect to celebrate new beginnings and fertility.

Isn't it interesting that the Christian takes their celebration from the name of our Goddess Ostara (Eostra)...Goddess of spring.

Tell me how you would make this Sabbat come alive for you.

This is the time that the Lord and Lady are seen as young and innocent. The day and night are of equal length and as the days that follow get longer, it signifies that the Lord and Lady are starting to notice each other...the youth is coming to the curious stage.

Beltaine is our next turn of the wheel. May 1st...it is pronounced BEL-tayne and is the second of the Greater Sabbats. This is "May Day" to the average person...

The Lord has reached manhood and the Lord of the Hunt is at hand. He and the Lady have courted through the springtime and this is the time when they unite in a handfasting.

In this act, they help the Earth burst forth with life and new growth.

Have you ever made "may baskets" as a child and hung them on a neighbors door...not even knowing that this is a witchy practice to let them know that love and fertility is in the air?...lol

Do you know what a Maypole is?

Next sabbat is the Summer Solstice which we call Litha (pronounced LEE-tha)

This is the longest day of the year.

Here is when The Lord and Lady are at their peak and all is green and growing...your life is usually fun and carefree..

This is also when the Battle of the Holly King and the Oak king again commenseds for the baton of power...so the Oak King who is ruler of the Waxing sun looses the battle to the Holly King who rules the waning sun.

So the Holly king retrats to the ever-turning wheel of the stars called the Silver Wheel , the magickal realm of Arianrod and awaits silently for the winder solstice.

What do you think could be done to celebrate this lesser sabbat?

(Response: Bonfires...purification...working and playing with the fae...doing garden magick.)

Lughnasadh which many have trouble pronouncing is simply pronounced LOO-NA SAW or LOO-nus-uh . is celebrated on August 2nd.

Some refer to this sabbat as Lammas , but again, I prefer the original to the Christianized version . So I will always hold Lugh as the God of this sabbat ..this is named for Him just as Ostara is named for the Goddess Eostara.

This is the first harvest and reffered to as the "Feast of Bread". This is when grain crops are harvested and made ready for storage for winter.

The Lord and Lady are thinking of the wonderul season togther and are looking out over their bounty that is ripe and soon will be gleaned. Their pride shows as the inkling of finality is in the backs of their minds.

Since we just recently celebrated this sabbat...what things did you do to make it special in your home?

Now we look at our last turn of the wheel...Mabon, pronounced MAY-bon or MAY- boon. This is the 2nd harvest and the time fo the tree harvests as well as the berries and vine crops.

This lesser sabbat is celebrated on the Autumn Equanox, wich is around August 21st. Night and day are of equal length on this day and from then on..the days will grow shorter.

The Lord is preparing for his death coming at Samhain and the Lady is watching with a mournful sigh. Together they look over their year together and they celebrate their life and their thankfulness for their companionship together.

What things would you do at this sabbat?

Think about what Sabbats are and associate them with the turning of the seasons. We are nature based and should naturally "Feel" the sabbat as well as celebrate them...

As you celebrate and prepare early to keep the seasons alive...this helps you to stay in tune with the natural energies of the Earth and Her seasons.

While the Sabbats are celebrated by honoring both, the Lord and Lady, the Sabbats do mainly follow the life cycle of the Lord...we will look more into the Lady and her reign during a later Lab that deals with the Moon energies and Her Rule.

I hope this has given you an idea of how to plan and prepare for these times...and know that you can put your alter up...decorate your home...your sacred space and plant your yard in daily celebration and honor of the daily wheel. The decorations in town bring new ideas as you recognize that everyone, whether they know it or not...DO celebrate our 8 sabbats of the year.

You can do this daily and know that you are applying what you know to what you do.

Blessings to you all!.