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Drawing Down the Moon

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This is an extremely important ritual in many neo-Pagan Witchcraft traditions. During the ritual the high priestess of the coven enters a trance and becomes the Goddess, which is symbolized by the moon. This transformation is accomplished with the help of the high priest, who invokes, or draws down, the Goddess into the high priestess.
The origins of the ceremony can be traced to classical times. Ancient Thessalian witches were believed to control the moon, according to an old tract: "If I command the moon, it will come down; and if I wish to withhold the day, the night will linger over my head; and again, if I wish to embark on the sea, I need no ship, and if I wish to fly through the air, I am free of my weight."
In the modern rite, the high priestess has the option of reciting the Charge of the Goddess, a poetic address written be Doreen Valiente, a high priestess in the Gardnerian tradition (see Gerald B. Gardner, or delivering a spontaneous address.)
Drawing Down the Moon is one of the most serious and beautiful rituals in neo-Pagan Witchcraft. Depending on the altered state of consciousness (see Altered States of Consciousness) of the high priestess and the ceremonial energy raised, the words that come forth can be moving, poetic and inspiring. During the Drawing Down the Moon, many women connect with the power of the Goddess and therefore with the power within themselves.
To capture more of the essence of this rite the description of it given by Margot Adler in her book Drawing Down the Moon will be paraphrased. After listening to a tape called Drawing Down the Moon sent to her from a coven in Essex, Adler writes: "I did not know it then, but in this ritual, one of the most serious and beautiful in the modern Craft, the priest invokes into the priestess (or, depending on your point of view, she evokes from within herself) the Goddess or Triple Goddess, symbolized by the phases of the moon. She is known by a thousand names, and among them were those I had used as a child. In some Craft rituals the priestess goes into a trance and speaks; in other traditions the ritual is a more formal dramatic dialogue, often of intense beauty, in which, again, the priestess speaks, taking the role of the Goddess. In both instances, the priestess functions as the Goddess incarnate, within the circle."
On the tape the background music sounded as if it might have been Brahms. The voices of the man and woman possessed an English accent. Clear were the words of the invocation:
Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called Artemis, Astarte, Melusine, Aphrodite, Diana, Brigit, and many more other names�?
Judging from Adler's descriptions this one ritual of Drawing Down the Moon can, and sometimes does, embody many of the major activities of modern Witchcraft. Generally the ritual is conducted within a circle, sometimes called a magic circle. The circle is a place set apart; its physical location makes no difference, because in the mind it becomes a sacred place through its casting and purification. It is a placed between worlds where the gods are met.
Within the circle psychic power is raised, a work that is known as "raising the cone of power." This is accomplished through music, chanting, and dancing that can at times combine the wills of the participants. When the priest or, more often, the priestess senses the cone of power has been raised she can focus and direct it with the mind toward its destination. One such destination, or purpose, is the psychic healing of someone who is sick, or the purpose might be to seek something which is needed by someone.
This is the essential reason why gods and goddesses are invited into the circle. When the moon is drawn down, the high priestess often enters a trance in which the Goddess possesses her. Acting as the incarnate Goddess, the priestess speaks and acts as the Goddess. The circle's psychic power now becomes Goddess power. Frequently this is thought of as a mystical experience, and possibly it could be class as monistic mysticism. Similarly, when the God force is drawn into the circle, the high priest becomes the God incarnate. The latter ritual is known as Drawing Down the Sun or Drawing Down of the Horned God or Calling Down the Moon.
The state of the altered consciousness that the high priest or priestess experience during the ritual determines the after effect that is felt, some priestesses have said they feel the presence of the Goddess within them for days afterwards. Others have reported seeing changes within some persons following such rituals, but also say there are pretenders.

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The Goddess--I, Introduction and History
 
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Introduction
In Neo-pagan Witchcraft the Goddess is the very essence or central figure of the Craft and worship. She is the Great Mother, representing the fertility which brings forth all life; as Mother Nature she is the living biosphere of both the planets and the forces of the elements; she has roles of both creator and destroyer; she is the Queen of Heaven; and she is the moon. She possesses magical powers and is emotion, intuition and psychic faculty.
The Divine Force within the Goddess is believed to be genderless, but within the universe it is manifested as male and female principles. Often within the worship of the Divine Force the Goddess, or the female principle, is emphasized to the exclusion of The Horned God, or the male principle. But, theoretically both are recognized.
The Goddess has many facets, names and aspects. Although in witchcraft and Neo-paganism she is mainly worshiped in her aspects of the triple Goddess: Virgin, Mother and Crone.
History
Goddess worship dates back to Paleolithic times. Many anthropologists speculate the first "God " or gods of the peoples were feminine. This coincides with ancient creation myths and beliefs that creation was achieved through self-fertilization. Within the concept of creation the participation of the male principle was not known or recognized yet. The Goddess was believed to have created the universe by herself alone.
From this belief came the agricultural religions. It was thought that the gods only prospered by the beneficence and wisdom which the Goddess showered on them. Evidence appears to indicate most ancient tribes and cultures were matriarchal.
Although this maybe true, there seems to be little evidence that the feminine portions of these societies held themselves superior over their male counterparts. Generally Goddess worship had been balanced by the honoring of both the male and female Deities. This is illustrated by the belief in and the observance of the sacred marriage of the Sky God and Earth Mother in many global societies.
Among the first human images discovered are the "Venus figures," nude female figures having exaggerated sexual parts that date back to the Cro-Magnons of the Upper Paleolithic period between 35,000 and 10,000 BC.
In southern France is the Venus of Laussel which is carved in basrelief in a rock shelter. This appears once to have been a hunting shrine which dates to around 19,000 BC. In this carving the woman is painted red, perhaps to suggest blood, and holds a bison horn in one hand.
Also in Cro-Magnon cave paintings women are depicted giving birth. "A naked Goddess appears to have been the patroness of the hunt to mammoth hunters in the Pyrenees and was also protectress of the hearth and lady of the wild things."
Other female figurines were discovered dating back to the proto-Neolithic period of ca, 9000 - 7000 BC, the Middle Neolithic period of ca. 6000 - 5000 BC, and the Higher Neolithic period of ca. 4500 - 3500 BC. Some of these figurines were decorated as if they had been objects of worship. In black Africa were discovered cave images of the Horned Goddess (later Isis, ca. 7000 - 6000 BC). The Black Goddess images appeared to represent a bisexual, self-fertilizing woman.
During the predynastic Egyptian period, prior to 3110 BC, the Goddess was known as Ta-Urt (Great One) and was portrayed as a pregnant hippopotamus stand on her hind legs.
The Halaf culture around the Tigris River, ca. 5000 - 4000 BC, had Goddess figurines associated with the cow, serpent, humped ox, sheep, goat, pig, bull, dove and double ax. These things were known to the people and became symbols representing the Goddess.
In the Sumerian civilization, ca. 4000 BC, the princesses or queens of cities were associated with the Goddess. A king was associated with God.
Throughout the eons of history the Goddess assumed many aspects. She was seen as the creatress, virgin, mother, destroyer, warrior, huntress, homemaker, wife, artist, jurist, healer and sorcerer. Her roles or abilities increased with the advancement of the cultures which worshipped her.
She could represent a queen with a consort, or lover. She might bear a son who died young or was sacrificed only to rise again representing the annual birth-death-rebirth cycle of the seasons.
Throughout the centuries the Goddess has acquired a thousand names and a thousand faces but most always she has represented nature, she is associated with both the sun and moon, the earth and the shy. The Goddess religion, usually in all forms, is a nature religion. Those worshipping the Goddess worship or care for nature too.
It might be acknowledged that author Barbara G. Walker made two comments concerning the thousand names of the Goddess. The first is that "Every female divinity in the present Encyclopedia (Source: 56) may be correctly regarded as only another aspect of the core concept of a female Supreme Being." The author's other comment is, "If such a system had been applied to the usual concept of God, (giving him the different names and titles which people throughout the centuries have attributed to him), there would now be a multitude of separate 'gods' with names like Almighty, Yahweh, Lord, Holy Ghost, Sun of Righteousness, Christ, Creator, Lawgiver, Jehovah, Providence, Allah, Savior, Redeemer, Paraclete, Heavenly Father, and so on, ad infinitum, each one assigned to a particular function in the world pantheon."
Both comments may be considered correct when it is recognized that humankind is only able to speak of God, the Supreme Being and the gods in anthropomorphic terms. As it has been noted elsewhere, the human mind is unable to comprehend any godhead without the aid of anthropomorphism. But, many people such as Simon Magus have gotten themselves in serious trouble when calling God by another name. The early Church Father Hippolytus condemned Simon for referring to God as the Infinite Force.
The beginning of the Hebrew religion with its God Yahweh is said to have marked the end of the Goddess' Golden Age. Approximately this was between 1800 - 1500 BC when the prophet Abraham lived in Canaan.
The Christian Church, and especially the Roman Catholic Church, has fought hard to suppress or root out all Goddess worship. The Goddess along with all pagan deities were labeled as evil. But, little proof has been offered for this. One notable example is The Canon Episcopi.
Even though the Church attempted to completely abolish Goddess worship it never successfully did so. Remanents of it remained within the hearts of the people. An example of such devotion is seen within the actions of the people during the Church Council of Ephesus (432 AD). Until Christianized Ephesus had been a sacred city where the Divine Mother was worshiped by "all Asia and the world" (Acts 19:27). Also in this city of Ephesus, as elsewhere, she was called Mother of Animals. "Her most famous Ephesus image had a torso covered with breasts, showing her ability to nurture the whole world." During this council of bishops people rioted in the streets demanding the worshipping of the Goddess be restored. The prime candidate was Mary, the Virgin and Mother of Christ. The bishops conceded so far in allowing Mary to be called the Mother of God, but the forbade her to be called Mother Goddess or Goddess.
To the very present many, both Catholics and especially Protestants, wonder why Catholics have a great devotion toward the Virgin Mary. Few know the occurrences at Ephesus, and that this devotion is probably the long surviving remanent of their early ancestors' devotion to the Goddess.

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The Horned God

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In Neo-pagan witchcraft, where much emphasis is placed upon the Goddess, the Horned God, or Cernunnous, is equally important. He contributes the male role or part in the male-female polarity. He is worshipped. In rites he is personified by the high priest just as the Goddess is personified by the high priestess. The high priest sometimes wears an antlered headdress or a horned helmet.
It is believed the Horned God represents sexuality, vitality, the hunt, logic and power. But, he does not exploit his attributes nor will he let them be exploited. He is considered to be gentle, tender and compassionate in a masculine manner.
The Horned God, the most "male" in the conventional sense, of the Goddess�?projections, is the eternal Hunter, and also the animal which is hunted. He is the beast who is sacrificed that human life may go on, as well as the sacrificer, the one who sheds blood. He is also seen as the sun, eternally hunting the moon across the sky. The waxing and waning of the sun throughout the seasons manifest the cycle of birth and death, creation and dissolution, separation and return.
The horns of the Horned God are believed to represent his domain over the woodlands, and his association with the bull and ram, the animal consorts of the Goddess. His horns also symbolize the crescent moon, the symbol of the Goddess, and represents the increase in all things and waxing fertility.
In art, the Horned God, or Cernunnous, is represented as half man and half animal. This possibly represents the natural union between man and nature.
Neo-pagans believe that there is no association between the Horned God and the Devil. They say Christians have confusingly tried to make such a connection.
The high priest also personifies the Horned God in the performance of two of his duties as the guardian and keeper of the coven. Performing these duties allow the high priestess to carry out the spiritual work of the coven.

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I  Introduction

Witchcraft, practice of magic or sorcery by those outside the religious mainstream of a society; the term is used in different ways in various historical and social contexts.
Many people participating in the contemporary revival of witchcraft, known as the neopagan revival, identify themselves as benign witches. Therefore, the practice of witchcraft should not be associated with evil or the infliction of harm, nor with diabolism (the invocation of Devils). In addition, many accusations of malicious witchcraft—especially in some primal societies and in early modern Europe and North America—have been unfounded and have sprung from irrational fears and social anxieties.
This article discusses witchcraft under three main headings: sorcery, with reference primarily to witchcraft in primal and ancient societies; diabolical witchcraft, with a focus on the persecution of alleged witches in Europe and the United States and on the social pathologies that accompanied this persecution; and modern witchcraft, dealing with contemporary witchcraft in the neopagan revival. These are different phenomena, and perceptions of witchcraft drawn from one arena cannot be applied indiscriminately to another.
II  Sorcery
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Simple sorcery, or the use of magic accessible to ordinary people, such as setting out offerings to helpful spirits or using charms, can be found in almost all traditional societies. Although the distinctions are often blurred, practices such as these differ both from religion, in which gods are worshiped in awe or implored through prayer to help, and from the sophisticated arts of alchemists and ceremonial magicians. Sorcery is intended to force results rather than achieve them through entreaty, and it is worked by simple and ordinary means.
 

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Janus is the Roman god of gates and doors (ianua), beginnings and endings, and hence represented with a double-faced head, each looking in opposite directions. He was worshipped at the beginning of the harvest time, planting, marriage, birth, and other types of beginnings, especially the beginnings of important events in a person's life. Janus also represents the transition between primitive life and civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the growing-up of young people.
One tradition states that he came from Thessaly and that he was welcomed by Camese in Latium, where they shared a kingdom. They married and had several children, among which the river god Tiberinus (after whom the river Tiber is named). When his wife died, Janus became the sole ruler of Latium. He sheltered Saturn when he was fleeing from Jupiter. Janus, as the first king of Latium, brought the people a time of peace and welfare; the Golden Age. He introduced money, cultivation of the fields, and the laws. After his death he was deified and became the protector of Rome. When Romulus and his associates stole the Sabine Virgins, the Sabines attacked the city. The daughter of one of the guards on the Capitolian Hill betrayed her fellow countrymen and guided the enemy into the city. They attempted to climb the hill but Janus made a hot spring erupt from the ground, and the would-be attackers fled from the city. Ever since, the gates of his temple were kept open in times of war so the god would be ready to intervene when necessary. In times of peace the gates were closed.
His most famous sanctuary was a portal on the Forum Romanum through which the Roman legionaries went to war. He also had a temple on the Forum Olitorium, and in the first century another temple was built on the Forum of Nerva. This one had four portals, called Janus Quadrifons. When Rome became a republic, only one of the royal functions survived, namely that of rex sacrorum or rex sacrificulus. His priests regularly sacrificed to him. The month of January (the eleventh Roman month) is named after him.
Janus was represented with two faces, originally one face was bearded while the other was not (probably a symbol of the sun and the moon). Later both faces were bearded. In his right hand he holds a key. The double-faced head appears on many Roman coins, and around the 2nd century BCE even with four faces.

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Love Magick
 
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In this rambling, I will talk about the ever present topic of Love Spells and also offer some guidance on the use of any spell, ritual or potion for manipulative purposes. By manipulative purposes, I am referring to a working where the object of said working is not aware it is being done, nor have they consented to such a working. In Love Magick II, I will discuss the times and situations where Love Magick *is* appropriate and does not violate the Rede.
Of course this is only my opinion and it *is not* intended to embarrass anyone. These are simply my thoughts on a subject which gets batted around quite frequently, so take it for what is worth. From the mail I receive from those who have made or seen these mistakes happen, I'm confident they are shared by the majority who are experienced in this path.
The primary question one must consider before undertaking any ritual working, especially where Love Magick is concerned is, *Is This Working Consistent With The Basic Tenant of HARM NONE as expressed in The Rede.*
Upon asking yourself the following two questions, you can effectively analyze the reasons to either justify or dismiss the working.

What is my intent in performing this work?

Is this spell or ritual influenced by anger; hatred; lust; greed; jealousy or envy.
If your answer to question number 1 is found within question number 2, then as a Wiccan and follower of the Light Path, you must abandon this spell or ritual because it will not be consistent with the Rede.
Likewise, if question 1 is answered by question 2 and you continue, you can no longer rightfully call yourself Wiccan. A True Wiccan will not use manipulative magick to negatively influence another for their own personal interests. The whole purpose of following this path is to live in harmony and balance with the natural rhythms of life, not to manipulate them to suit a selfish goal. At this point, you need to refer to yourself as a follower of the Dark Path since manipulative magick for personal gain without consideration of the outcome falls within that realm...
Harsh words? You betcha... Does it make you uncomfortable? Good...
By undertaking such an action without the consent or approval of another, you are clearly disregarding the Rede and using your gifts for purely selfish reasons. Therefore, you are setting forces in motion which will ultimately have negative impact in one way or another and you are practicing Dark Magick.
You must remember that once you create and release this energy as a thought form, it will acquire life, form and substance. It will run it's course, and the final outcome through the laws of cause and effect may not be what you wanted. The potential for great harm to both yourself and others are clearly evident in such a working. This is especially clear when you consider that you will eventually need to absorb this energy back into yourself after it has ruined your life and the lives of who knows how many others...
Let's look at a potential outcome of such a working for a moment...
You create a Love Spell, focus your energy and release it toward your victim. I use the word victim because that is what you have just made this person if they are unaware of your work and have not given their consent.
Through the laws of magick, your victim begins to fall hopelessly in love with you or the person you performed this spell for. So much so that they become increasingly dependent as time passes. They can no longer function without your presence and guidance. You cannot get a moments peace because they constantly have to be with you. You can no longer function at work because they are calling every ten minutes. They become increasingly jealous, possessive and suspicious because they cannot have all of your time. The list of undesirable effects could go on and on and can become more than a little frightening.
Ultimately, you must ask yourself the following questions. Would *you* want someone doing this to you, and if you truly cared for someone, how could you risk doing something like this to them? In my humble opinion, it does not show a very high regard or respect for others or yourself and the decision on whether or not to proceed is clear.
I caution you that non consentual Love Magic is a double edged sword and borders on the manipulation of another human being against their *Free Will.* It is also dangerously close to Psychic Rape and is considered highly unethical by most who practice the Craft.
I hope this has given those who have considered using such practices food for thought. While my opinion may not be shared by all, it illustrates the need to consider all potential outcomes before focusing and releasing a spell. 

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Magickal Motives

A Mirror of Magic Motives
Do you consider yourself a magician? What type? White? Black? Shades of Grey? For a quick reality check, complete this easy questionnaire and then decide for yourself.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall reflect the Truth and show me all."
Involution? <-------------- or --------------> Evolution?
Instructions: For each item, circle the number from 1 to 5 that most accurately describes your thoughts, feelings, and actions now. Try to see yourself as you would actually appear to others. For best results, complete all items before reading any of the analysis or comparison comments.
1. I often feel sick. <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel healthy.
2. I usually feel impatient. <--1 2 3 4 5--> I usually feel serene.
3. My thoughts are confused. <--1 2 3 4 5--> My thoughts are clear.
4. My focus is on myself. <--1 2 3 4 5--> My focus is the group.
5. I often create conflict. <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often create harmony.
6. I often feel depleted <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel vital
7. I anger easily <--1 2 3 4 5--> I forgive easily
8. I am often led by desire <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am often led by will
9. I often criticize others <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often encourage others
10. I often create suffering <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often create healing
11. I often tell lies <--1 2 3 4 5--> I usually tell the truth
12. I am often vengeful <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am often forgiving
13. I am attracted to dark <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am attracted to light
14. I often act helpless <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often act helpful
15. I tend to restrict others <--1 2 3 4 5--> I tend to free others
16. I usually hoard <--1 2 3 4 5--> I usually share
17. I act cruelly <--1 2 3 4 5--> I act compassionately
18. I am more ignorant <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am more intelligent
19. I rarely feel grateful <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel grateful
20. I encourage separateness <--1 2 3 4 5--> I encourage unity
21. I am mostly harmful <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am mostly harmless
22. I often act irresponsibly <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often act responsibly
23. I am often taking <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am often giving
24. I often feel hateful <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel loving
25. I tend to tear down/destroy <--1 2 3 4 5--> I tend to create/build
26. I often act through might <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often act through right
27. I am usually greedy <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am usually generous
28. I usually feel spineless <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel courageous
29. I am mostly egotistical <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am mostly humble
30. I use nature <--1 2 3 4 5--> I cooperate with nature
31. I am mostly selfish <--1 2 3 4 5--> I am mostly selfless
32. I often act foolishly <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often act wisely
33. I often feel Soul-less <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel Soul-full
34. I often use <--1 2 3 4 5--> I'm often useful
35. I speak hurtful words <--1 2 3 4 5--> I speak healing words
36. I often feel full of fear <--1 2 3 4 5--> I often feel full of faith
37. I try to control others <--1 2 3 4 5--> I try to control myself
38. I excuse my vices <--1 2 3 4 5--> I master my vices
39. I have many prejudices <--1 2 3 4 5--> I have no prejudices
40. My rituals serve me <--1 2 3 4 5--> My rituals serve others
41. I rarely listen to my Heart <--1 2 3 4 5--> I listen to my Heart
42. I want power over others <--1 2 3 4 5--> I want power over me
43. I expect something for free <--1 2 3 4 5--> I do something for free
44. I focus on manifestation <--1 2 3 4 5--> I focus on consciousness
45. People are to be exploited <--1 2 3 4 5--> People are to serve
46. My will be done <--1 2 3 4 5--> Thy Will be done
Analysis:1. First--add up the total score for all items. A. Total scores between 230 and about 165 strongly suggest motives, thoughts, and patterns of behavior that are expressing light and love and that are more altruistic than selfish--more service-oriented than self-centered. The higher the score, the clearer the tendency towards white magic. B. Scores between 161 and about 115 suggest thoughts, motives, and actions operating in the gray area that are neither clearly white nor black. The higher the score the clearer the tendency towards white magic. The lower the score the more leanings are toward the dark. Fence sitting is precarious! Be vigilant! C. Scores from about 110 down to 46 strongly suggest motives, thoughts, and patterns of behavior that are regressive, dark, and selfish distributing darkness, selfishness, and hate. The lower the score the clearer the leanings towards darkness--and away from the light. Great danger exists at this level of functioning!
2. Another method of scoring is to add up all the scores and then divide the total by 46. Scores of 3.6 to 5 = very unifying, loving tendencies, light/white Scores of 2.5 to 3.5 = fence sitting, gray area, neither dark nor white Scores of 1 to 2.4 = very separative, hateful tendencies dark/black
Comparisons between White and Black MagiciansIt's been said once we become aware of some area of Truth, we become responsible for its use. Another way of stating this is, the greater the knowledge, the greater the penalty for abusing it--the sin excusable in the child, may be unforgivable in the adult. We will now present a summary of introductory-level comparisons between the white and black magician. These comparisons are based on materials quoted in the bibliography. White magicians serve others, black magicians serve themselves. The motto of a white magician could be "right makes might." The motto of the black magician could read "might makes right." The white magician tends to build, the black magician tends to destroy. White magicians seek to gain control over themselves, black magicians seek control over others. It is forbidden to interfere with the free will of another human being. White magicians use the forces of love, selfless sharing, service, unity, and synthesis. The black magician uses the forces of hate, greed, aggression, revenge, selfishness, and separatism. The white magician seeks attainment through growth while the black magician seeks attainment through force. While the white magician does something for nothing, the black magician wants something for nothing. White magicians consecrate their lives to study, meditation, and service. They mold themselves into the Plan that they may be of the greatest service to the greatest number. Black magicians prostitute the use of wisdom and its accompanying power to gratify personal ambition, desire and greed. While the white magician tries to prove self-worth through purity of living and sincerity of motive to be entrusted with power to serve, the black magician seeks to gain authority over spiritual powers through force instead of merit to manifest personal desire. The white magician prays humbly "thy will be done." The black magician shouts egotistically "my will be done!" The white magician has, as his or her motive, the benefit of the group, while the black magician works alone for his or her own selfish desires. The white magician works towards the evolution of consciousness for the good of all, the black magician works towards material manifestation for personal gain. Differences exist between the two paths both in motive and in method. The work of the white magician will include all that supports the expansion of consciousness, unity, synthesis, and goodwill. The brother or sister of the dark side recognizes no unity with their fellow human beings, they only see in them people to be exploited for the furtherance of their own ends. They respect no one and will use anyone to get their own way. They don't care about the suffering they may cause as they relentlessly pursue their ambitions and desires. Where desire runs rampant, a black magician is in the making! The acts of black magicians are motivated by intense selfishness and separateness. Instead of cooperating with the laws of nature, the black magician wants to use them to satisfy personal desire. The forces operating behind and through the black magician thrive on every thought, feeling, word and action of egotism, hate, bigotry, revenge, separatism, selfishness, cruelty, ugliness, and deceit. The forces operating above and through the white magician thrive on every thought, feeling, word and action of selflessness, love, goodwill, inclusiveness, forgiveness, oneness, service, compassion, beauty, and truth. Energy follows thought. We are responsible for the energies and forces we distribute in the world via our thoughts, feelings, words and actions. We can choose what types of energies we use and transmit. We hope this brief, introductory-level tool was helpful in the analysis of your motives for magical work.
 

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Preparing for Magick
 
Casting Circles and Calling Quarters
The circle is the sacred space in which magick is worked, where Witches can meet with the Goddess and God. The word "circle" may be misleading, though, because actually what you are creating is a sphere that encompasses all participants and the altar.
The magick circle defines the ritual area, holds in personal power and shuts out all distractions and negative energies. You can use objects on the ground to show the boundaries of the circle, such as stones, flowers, branches, candles (my favorite) or crystals. You don't have to use anything to mark the boundaries of the circle, if you don't wish to. Those are just suggestions.
 
The circle is formed with personal power which is felt and visualized as streaming from the body to form what, to me, ends up looking like a bubble made of mist. Some use their athame, or magick knife, to direct this power, others use their hands. Once the energy is flowing through your fingertips or athame, walk the circle clockwise, envisioning the mist (or bubble, or light, or whatever works for you) trailing outward from you to form the sphere. When the circle is completed, shut off the energy by shaking your hand or simply pulling the energy back into yourself.
Once the circle is cast, you are ready to call the quarters if you wish.
There are many different energies and beings that can be called, summoned or stirred to protect the circle or witness your ritual - from watchtowers to angels to faeries to elementals to element energies.
No matter which type of quarter call you use, when working with quarters, envision a door or opening of some kind and visualize the energy or being that will be coming through that door to guard the circle.
All quarter energies should be thanked and released in the same manner they were called.
I'll give you an example of the type of quarter call I use during New Moon rituals. As I call each quarter, I face that direction and hold out my athame with both hands, feeling the energy from that element flowing into me:

To the East, I invite the powers of Air
To blow out the old and bring in the new
on your winds of change
To the South, I invite the powers of Fire
To burn away regrets
And shine your gentle rays upon me for growth
To the West, I invite the powers of Water
To cleanse me of negativity
And purify my thoughts
Let your renewing strength bury all ills
And open new paths before me
 
I like to use elemental energies during quarter calls, although I sometimes use angelic energies. Because the New Moon is a time for new beginnings, you'll notice that my quarter calls reflect the type of magick that will be worked inside the circle
Do some research and get to know the energy you will be using. If you use elemental energies, take some time to meditate on each element and figure out its properties and correspondences.
When you are finished with your spell or ritual, release the circle exactly opposite of the way you cast it. Pull the circle back into your athame or whatever tool you used in your casting, and release and thank any spirits or elementals you called. T
here are literally thousands of ways to call quarters and cast circles. I've just given you an overview, because it's always best to figure out what works for you. I work very well with element energies, but you might have an affinity for something else. A good book to read on casting circles is Silver Ravenwolf's "To Stir a Magick Cauldron".
 

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Preperation
Your Altar:
 
You may use anything that has a flat top.. I use an old trunk with a piece of plywood on it. Be creative.. As for a cover I use white because of it’s kind of a multipurpose color. Although some magic specifies a color then what ever color is specified should be used. Again, be creative... Keep in mind that candle magic is usually done in condensed areas so keep things as simplistic as you can, especially your candlesticks and censors.
Incense:
There are some who believe that incense is unimportant in candle magic. I cannot imagine performing candle magick without the incense. The type that you use may be specified in a specific spell, if that is the case by all means use that. Generally, I use three kings incense as well as vervain. Vervain gives the spell working a little umph. But then again nothing is set in stone.. Be creative.
Incense symbolizes Air... as the smoke rises our thoughts are carried up into the universe.
Preparing of the Practitioner:
Prior to your spell working prepare yourself a nice relaxing bath. Add a hand full of sea salt to get your charges set where they need to be. Light a few candles, turn off the light and relax. Clear your mind of the junk you have picked up through out the day. Visualize the water washing all the negativity away from you. It is very important that your mind be at ease and clear prior to any spell working.
Types of candles:
Any type of candle can be used for candle magic as long as it has been cleansed and consecrated prior to use. Although beeswax candles are higher in price than store bought candles, they are more powerful because they are produced from nature. As with any other tool, the candle made by the practitioner for a specific purpose captures the energy of the practitioner. Many experienced Witches will use only candles they have crafted themselves because of this.
Cleansing & Consecrating:
This is a very important step and should not be omitted. Cleansing removes all the negative energies that the candle has picked up along the way. As with all supplies you want your candles to to be as free of psychic debris as possible. Submerge the candle in sea salt and the ask The Lord and lady to bless it. I could give you the phrasing but I think it is better when it comes from your own heart.
Dressing Candles:
Dressing the candle with oil is as important as any other step. Use whatever oil you prefer or what a specific spell asks you to use. Personally, I use lotus a lot... but again that is my preference. what is important is the direction you dress the candle. To bring something to you, rub oil on the candle in a downward motion from the top to the middle and then from the bottom to the middle.
To send something away from you...you rub the oil from the middle of the candle out to the ends. Never make a back and forth motion as this defeats the purpose. Dab the remaining oil from your fingers onto your third eye and on your breast bone. Then say the following:

“I cleanse and consecrate this candle in the name of the Lord and the Lady. May it burn with strength in the service of the light.�?
Then state your intent or the purpose of the candle.
Inscribing:
If you inscribe a candle you should use your Athame. The same principle as dressing the candle is used...
To draw something to you, write from the top to the middle, and then from the bottom to the middle.
To repel things, write from the middle to the ends.

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Magick and Spellcasting
And yes, that's spelled correctly
There is an essence that runs though all things, a power that is part of the divine. It unites every thing with every other thing, and so we are all at some level connected. We tap into that essence when we attempt to get closer to our gods or when we work magic. This essence is frequently called magic, although there are a variety of terms employed. A belief in this essence is an intrinsic part of Wicca.
Many Wiccans describe all energy work as magic, whether it is a practical spell, the casting of a circle, or a religious ritual. Others consider the term magic to be equivalent to spellcasting. Most Wiccans do practice spellcasting, but it is not required. Some Wiccans do not cast spells at all, and many others do it only occasionally. This site originally used magic to refer to spellcasting, but I am attempting to clarify those passages.
Modern society frequently tries to tell us that the belief in magic is superstitious and silly, and some people's perceptions of it are. You're never going to shoot lighting from your fingertips, nor will you win the lottery because you lit a green candle. And you're certainly not going to become the Big Pooh-Bah of Magic because you picked up a copy of spells from some Big Name Pagan. The following quote sums it up better than I ever could:
Magick[sic] just does not work the way that people of today want it to. Magick has it's limitations and it's uses. It is not here to solve every aspect of life's problems and challenges and it is not a replacement for facing and accepting your responsibilites.[sic] Magick has it's place and the results do not come without hard work and extreme dedication to your respected traditions. The results of Magick are also not going to just present themselves to you [in] an extremely visual manner. 1
Magic (by whatever definition) requires dedication, concentration, and belief. If reading someone else's spells let's you better focus on other things, so be it, but there are just as many practitioners who write their own spells because it helps them focus on the task at hand. Moreover, a religious ritual will accomplish nothing if it means nothing to those performing it. It is not the gestures or the words that make magic effective, but the power and the will within us that these things help to evoke.
Magic works better on yourself than on other people. Some people write this off as psychological, and perhaps they are partially right. The effort you put into a spell makes you much more aware of the change you want in yourself. When the target is yourself, the target is generally more likely to also take other, non-magical actions to reach the intended goal, and this is crucial. Magic is a nudge. It is not going to find you a well-paying job if you haven't mailed out any resumes and spend all day on the couch. That is just as unreasonable an expectation as firing lighting from your fingertips is.
The relationship between prayer, miracles, and magic is complicated. They may all ultimately stem from the same font, but they are approached by vastly different avenues. Prayer is ultimately a request, magic is a command, and miracles are events out of our control entirely, performed directly by the will of the divine. (The concept of miracles is more clear in the context of religions like Christianity, which believes in a strong distinction between the divine and the mortal. Defining miracles in a Pagan context is more problematic, and one I generally avoid.)
Certainly there are actions within Wicca that straddle definitions. However, to entirely remove the division between prayer and magic is extremely problematic. Magic is an expression of will. It requires a commanding mind to work it. It has no room for "please" and "if the Goddess wills it", because such mentalities dilute the overall mental frame of mind. (Besides, if the Goddess wills your spell not to work, do you think she's going to be stopped because you didn't give her permission to interfere?) Prayers, on the other hand, require sincerity and a certain humility. It is intrinsically up to the deity addressed whether a prayer is answered. Ordering a goddess to manifest is absurd.
Some may cast a spell in the name of a certain deity, something like "In Hekate's name, I will that.." This still involves the willpower generally associated with magic - it needs to be approached as a command that you are giving, not with the expectation that Hekate will now take care of whatever it is that you want. Moreover, you had better be sure that your magical work is, in fact, in line with Hekate's interests. If you claim to act in the name of another, that should actually be what you're doing. Throwing in the name of a random deity is unuseful and disrespectful, at best. (I have this image of Jesus slapping his forehead and shaking his head when Christian fundamentalists shoot abortion doctors or cheer the deaths of soldiers "in Jesus's name." I also envision a thought bubble over his head saying something like "Keep me out of this. This is NOT what I taught!")
Now, as to that bizarre "k" in "magick":
 "Including the "k" differentiates magick you do with directed thought, candles, herbs, oils, stones, and incense, from the magic with a "c" that a magician does on stage strictly for entertainment purposes...To be quite honest, the other reason I prefer to spell magick with a "k" is just because it looks neat, different, & unique." 2
I'm not astounded people do this. I'm just astounded people actually actually say it.
Aleister Crowley is the one responsible for adding the word "magick" to the occult vocabulary. He did express the wish to separate "real magic" from stage magic, although I see no reason why this is needed. The English language has tons of words with unrelated meanings. I've discussed magic in religion and history classes for years, and not once has anyone ever confused Celtic beliefs with David Copperfield. However, Crowley also wanted to separate himself from the magic (no "k") practiced by the Order of the Golden Dawn and others. Quite frankly, Crowley was an attention whore and loved drawing divisions between himself and others. It's a lousy reason to start spelling a word differently.
Conversely, Crowley also gave reasons why he changed the word by adding a "k", such as the mystical significance of the numbers 6 (the number of letters in "magick") and 11 (K is the 11th letter of the alphabet). He also gave a distinct definition of what "magick" meant: "the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." Will here is True Will - basically your higher and ultimate purpose in life. Hence, casting a spell to get Bobby to date you or a higher allowance would not be magick. So, when people use magick in this capacity, it makes sense. Interchanging it indiscriminately with magic, however, is silly.
Unfortunately, the real reason most people speak of "magick" is that which the Bunny above confessed to. Likewise, that reason has generated such English language abominations as "majik", "majick", "magik", and "majic". It's an attempt to be "kewl". If the only way you can define yourself as unique is by abandoning basic grammar skills, you might want to reassess your life. I promise that there are better methods.
I use the five letter spelling throughout this site. However, when I am quoting someone (such as above) and they use the term magick, I keep their spelling, just as I keep any spelling errors.
 "'Magick' is the correct, historical spelling."
Yes, "magick" was once considered an acceptable spelling of the word, just as "olde" was an acceptable spelling of "old". That doesn't make it any less pretentious now. About three hundred years ago all sorts of words ending in "ick" lost their "k". A couple hundred years before that English didn't even have standard spellings. Try reading the original Robin Hood stories or Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in their original English. The varying spellings make them almost unreadable.
And for the record, Gerald Gardner used the term "magic" in his books.
 

lesson1.page15

Systems of Magick

There are many different types of Magick that yu will find along your journey. These are "forms" or different "techniques" that are applied for your magickal goal or desires. They can be combined or used separately. However and whatever you find most is that which works for YOU!!!
Color Magick - This technique is used in various other forms and is the most widely used in relation to your desires. Color has the ability to enhance, modify, lessen, or change our moods & emotions, even our perceived desires. A color is chosen to represent the goal or desire of that which you are attempting. You can impliment it in to all other forms and techniques.
Symbolic Magick - This is a system which uses different symbols to represent various ideas, people and goals. Numbers can also be used. A good self-made symbol represeting the thought form or the elements or whatever you wish, is the most powerful magick as it is your own, and any of the altar or ritual forms you choose.
Poppet or Representational Magick - This system utilizes the figure of someone in which you are working the spell for. This helps in visualizing the main desire and the end result. These figures can be made from just about anything and are widely sold at many shops. But again, the best is the one you make yourself. It personalizes it even mor both for the person and for you. A lock of hair, a piece of clothing, even a photo or picture from a magazine will work just as well also.
Talismans and/or Amulet Magick - These are "charged" magickally and usually worn or carried on the person for protection, good luck or any reason you want. It is a type of representational and a type of symbolic magick combined. There are many types, figures, combination, pices and items you can use for this purpose. Many are worn around the neck or carried in a pouch. Anything you carried with you is your "good luck" charm.
Herbal Magick - This also can be implemented in many forms of magick. Used as talismans and amulets in a pouch or a dream pillow for dreams or good nights sleep. Combined inside a candle for a scented or enhanced energy for your goal. There are literally hundreds of different types of herbs readily available and each one can have its own specific use or a myriad of uses. Many are cultivated at the correct Moon Phases, both sown and harvested in order to maximize the magickal effects. This is a very ancient system but is still widely used today.
Candle Magick - One of the oldest forms of magick as well as one of the easiest. Fire has held our fascination for many centuries and its uses are seemingly unlimited. Its use in Magick is not only extremely effective but you can also use the many other forms and techniques along with it. Color, Representational and Herbal Magick being the most used in conjunction with Candle Magick.
Knot Magick or Binding Magick - This utilizes rope, string, yarn or even shoelaces to signify the desire. It is used in conjunction with many of the other forms and is a type of representational magick also. Some carry the tied desire around with them, wear it, untie it to represent release. The color, form and energies are all used when practicing this type of magick.
Crystal Magick - Each stone or gem has its own magickal property. Here again, you will find wide differences in each attribute. It is used to enhance a spell or used on its own. The power of the Stone is amazing, you will find the beauty is attractive enough, now you will find that each can help you in a variety of way. Many healers use this system as the vibrational power of the Stones are useful in many ways.
Elemental Magick - This is the use of the different elements, Fire, Air, Water and Earth. Even the directions of each one has its own magickal properties. Each has its own aspects and is used in very nearly all forms of Magick. These are very important and there is wide differences in the different properties attributed to each. It is up to you to find what works the best for you

lesson1.page16

A True History Of Witchcraft
Allen Greenfield
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"The fact is that the instincts of ignorant people invariably find expression in some form of witchcraft. It matters little what the metaphysician or the moralist may inculcate; the animal sticks to his subconscious ideas..."
Aleister Crowley
The Confessions
"As attunement to psychic (occult) reality has grown in America, one often misunderstood and secretive branch of it has begun to flourish also - magical religion..."
J. Gordon Melton
Institute for the Study of
American Religion, Green Egg, 1975
"Curse them! Curse them! Curse them!
With my Hawk's head I peck at the eyes of
Jesus as he hangs upon the cross
I flap my wings in the face of Mohammed &
blind him
With my claws I tear out the flesh of the
Indian and the Buddhist, Mongol and
Din..."
Liber Al Vel Legis 3:50 - 53
"If you are on the Path, and see the Buddha walking towards you, kill him."
Zen saying, paraphrased slightly
"Previously I never thought of doubting that there were many witches in the world; now, however, when I examine the public record, I find myself believing that there are hardly any..."
Father Friedrich von Spee, S.J. , Cautio Criminalis, 1631
Having spent the day musing over the origins of the modern witchcraft, I had a vivid dream. It seemed to be a cold January afternoon, and Aleister Crowley was having Gerald Gardner over to tea. It was 1945, and talk of an early end to the war was in the air. An atmosphere of optimism prevailed in the "free world" , but the wheezing old magus was having none of it.
"Nobody is interested in magick any more!" Crowley ejaculated. "My friends on the Continent are dead or in exile, or grown old; the movement in America is in shambles. I've seen my best candidates turn against me...Achad, Regardie - even that gentleman out in California, what's - his - name, AMORC, the one that made all the money.."
"O, bosh, Crowley," Gardner waved his hand impatiently, "all things considered, you've done pretty well for yourself. Why, you've been called the `wickedest man in the world' and by more than a few. And you've not, if you'll pardon the impertinence, done too badly with the ladies."
Crowley coughed, tugged on his pipe reflectively. "You know" he finally ventured, "it's like I've been trying to tell this fellow Grant. A restrictive Order is not enough. If I had it all to do over again, I would've built a religion for the unwashed masses instead of just a secret society. Why, the opportunities! The women!"
Gardner smiled. "Precisely. And that is what I have come to propose to you. Take your BOOK OF THE LAW, your GNOSTIC MASS. Add a little razzle-dazzle for the country folk. Why I know these occultists who call themselves `witches'. They dance around fires naked, get drunk, have a good time. Rosicrucians, I think. Proper English country squires and dames, mostly; I think they read a lot of Frazier and Margaret Murray. If I could persuade you to draw on your long experience and talents, in no time at all we could invent a popular cult that would have beautiful ladies clamoring to let us strip them naked, tie them up and spank their behinds! If, Mr. Crowley, you'll excuse my explicitness."
For all his infirmity, Aleister Crowley almost sprang to his feet, a little of the old energy flashing through his loins. "By George, Gardner, you've got something there, I should think! I could license you to initiate people into the O.T.O. today, and you could form the nucleus of such a group!" He paced in agitation. "Yes, yes," he mused, half to Gardner, half to himself. "The Book. The Mass. I could write some rituals. An `ancient book' of magick. A `book of shadows'. Priestesses, naked girls. Yes. By Jove, yes!"
Great story, but merely a dream , created out of bits and pieces of rumor, history and imagination. Don't be surprised, though, if a year or five years from now you read it as "gospel" (which is an ironic synonym for `truth') in some new learned text on the fabled history of Wicca. Such is the way all mythologies come into being.
Please don't misunderstand me here; I use the word `mythology' in this context in its aboriginal meaning, and with considerable respect. History is more metaphor than factual accounting at best, and there are myths by which we live and others by which we die. Myths are the dreams and visions which parallel objective history. This entire work is, in fact, an attempt to approximate history.
To arrive at some perspective on what the modern mythos called, variously, "Wicca", the "Old Religion", "Witchcraft" and "Neopaganism" is, we must firstly make a firm distinction; "witchcraft" in the popular informally defined sense may have little to do with the modern religion that goes by the same name. It has been argued by defenders of and formal apologists for modern Wicca that it is a direct lineal descendent of an ancient, indeed, prehistoric worldwide folk religion.
Some proponents hedge their claims, calling Wicca a "revival" rather than a continuation of an ancient cult. Oddly enough, there may never have been any such cult! The first time I met someone who thought she was a "witch," she started going on about being a "blue of the cloak." I should've been warned right then and there. In fact, as time has passed and the religion has spread, the claims of lineal continuity have tended to be hedged more and more. Thus, we find Dr. Gardner himself, in 1954, stating unambiguously that some witches are descendants "...of a line of priests and priestesses of an old and probably Stone Age religion, who have been initiated in a certain way (received into the circle) and become the recipients of certain ancient learning." (Gardner, WITCHCRAFT TODAY, pp 33-34.)
Stated in its most extreme form, Wicca may be defined as an ancient pagan religious system of beliefs and practices, with a form of apostolic succession (that is, with knowledge and ordination handed on lineally from generation to generation), a more or less consistent set of rites and myths, and even a secret holy book of considerable antiquity (The Book of Shadows).
More recent writers, as we have noted, have hedged a good deal on these claims, particularly the latter. Thus we find Stewart Farrar in 1971 musing on the purported ancient text thusly: "Whether, therefore, the whole of the Book of Shadows is post-1897 is anyone's guess. Mine is that, like the Bible, it is a patchwork of periods and sources, and that since it is copied and re-copied by hand, it includes amendments, additions, and stylistic alterations according to the taste of a succession of copiers...Parts of it I sense to be genuinely old; other parts suggest modern interpolation..." (Farrar, WHAT WITCHES DO, pp 34-35.)As we shall discover presently, there appear to be no genuinely old copies of the Book of Shadows.
Still, as to the mythos, Farrar informs us that the "two personifications of witchcraft are the Horned God and the Mother Goddess..." (ibid., p 29) and that the "Horned God is not the Devil, and never has been. If today `Satanist' covens do exist, they are not witches but a sick fringe, delayed-reaction victims of a centuries-old Church propaganda in which even intelligent Christians no longer believe." (ibid., p 32).
One could protest:, "Very well, some case might be made for the Horned God being mistaken for the Christian Devil (or should that be the other way around?), but what record, prior to the advent 50 years ago of modern Wicca via Gerald Gardner, do we have of the survival of a mother goddess image from ancient times?"
Wiccan apologists frequently refer to the (apparently isolated) tenth century church document which states that "some wicked women, perverted by the Devil, seduced by the illusions and phantasms of demons, believe and profess themselves in the hours of the night to ride upon certain beasts with Diana, the goddess of pagans, or with Herodias, and an innumerable multitude of women, and in the silence of the dead of night to traverse great spaces of earth, and to obey her commands as of their mistress, and to be summoned to her service on certain nights." (Quoted in Valiente, WITCHCRAFT FOR TOMORROW, Hale, 1978, p 32.) I do not doubt that bits of pagan folklore survived on the Continent through the first millennium - Northern Europe remained overtly pagan until the High Middle Ages. But what has this to do with Wicca?
Farrar, for his part, explains the lack of references to a goddess in the testimony at the infamous witch trials by asserting that "the judges ignored the Goddess, being preoccupied with the Satan-image of the God.." (WHAT WITCHES DO, p 33). But it is the evidence of that reign of terror which lasted from roughly 1484 to 1692 which brings the whole idea of a surviving religious cult into question. It is now the conventional wisdom on the witch burning mania which swept like a plague over much of Europe during the transition from medieval world to modern that it was JUST that; a mania, a delusion in the minds of Christian clergymen and state authorities; that is, there were no witches, only the innocent victims of the witch hunt.
Further, this humanist argument goes, the `witchcraft' of Satanic worship, broomstick riding, of Sabbats and Devil-marks, was a rather late invention, borrowing but little from remaining memories of actual pre-Christian paganism. We have seen a resurrection of this mania in the 1980s flurry over `Satanic sacrificial' cults, with as little evidence.
"The concept of the heresy of witchcraft was frankly regarded as a new invention, both by the theologians and by the public," writes Dr. Rossell Hope Robbins in THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WITCHCRAFT & DEMONOLOGY, (Crown, 1959, p.9)"Having to hurdle an early church law, the Canon Episcopi, which said in effect that belief in witchcraft was superstitious and heretical, the inquisitors caviled by arguing that the witchcraft of the Canon Episcopi and the witchcraft of the Inquisition were different..."
The evidence extracted under the most gruesome and repeated tortures resemble the Wiccan religion of today in only the most cursory fashion. Though Wicca may have been framed with the "confessions" extracted by victims of the inquisitors in mind, those "confessions" -- which are more than suspect, to begin with, bespeak a cult of devil worshipers dedicated to evil.
One need only read a few of the accounts of the time to realize that, had there been at the time a religion of the Goddess and God, of seasonal circles and The Book of Shadows, such would likely have been blurted out by the victims, and more than once. The agonies of the accused were, almost literally, beyond the imagination of those of us who have been fortunate enough to escape them.
The witch mania went perhaps unequaled in the annals of crimes against humanity en masse until the Hitlerian brutality of our own century. But, no such confessions were forthcoming, though the wretches accused, before the torture was done, would also be compelled to condemn their own parents, spouses, loved ones, even children. They confessed, and to anything the inquisitors wished, anything to stop or reduce the pain.
A Priest, probably at risk to his own life, recorded testimony in the 1600s that reflected the reality underlying the forced "confessions" of "witches". Rev. Michael Stapirius records, for example, this comment from one "confessed witch": "I never dreamed that by means of the torture a person could be brought to the point of telling such lies as I have told. I am not a witch, and I have never seen the devil, and still I had to plead guilty myself and denounce others..." All but one copy of Father Stapirius' book were destroyed, and little wonder.
A letter smuggled from a German burgomaster, Johannes Junius, to his daughter in 1628, is as telling as it is painful even to read. His hands had been virtually destroyed in the torture, and he wrote only with great agony and no hope. "When at last the executioner led me back to the cell, he said to me, `Sir, I beg you, for God's sake, confess something, whether it be true or not. Invent something, for you cannot endure the torture which you will be put to; and, even if you bear it all, yet you will not escape, not even if you were an earl, but one torture will follow another until you say you are a witch. Not before that,' he said, `will they let you go, as you may see by all their trials, for one is just like another...' " (ibid., pp 12-13)
For the graspers at straws, we may find an occasional line in a "confession" which is intriguing, as in the notations on the "confession" of one woman from Germany dated in late 1637. After days of unspeakable torment, wherein the woman confesses under pain, recants when the pain is removed, only to be moved by more pain to confess again, she is asked: "How did she influence the weather? She does not know what to say and can only whisper, Oh, Heavenly Queen, protect me!"
Was the victim calling upon "the goddess"? Or, as seems more likely, upon that aforementioned transfiguration of all ancient goddesses in Christian mythology, the Virgin Mary. One more quote from Dr. Robbins, and I will cease to parade late medieval history before you.
It comes from yet another priest, Father Cornelius Loos, who observed, in 1592 that "Wretched creatures are compelled by the severity of the torture to confess things they have never done, and so by cruel butchery innocent lives are taken..." (ibid., p 16). The "evidence" of the witch trials indicates, on the whole, neither the Satanism the church and state would have us believe, nor the pagan survivals now claimed by modern Wicca; rather, they suggest only fear, greed, human brutality carried out to bizarre extremes that have few parallels in all of history. But, the brutality is not that of `witches' nor even of `Satanists' but rather that of the Christian Church, and the government.
What, then, are we to make of modern Wicca? It must, of course, be observed as an aside that in a sense witchcraft or "wisecraft" has, indeed, been with us from the dawn of time, not as a coherent religion or set of practices and beliefs, but as the folk magic and medicine that stretches back to early, possibly Paleolithic tribal shamans on to modern China's so-called "barefoot doctors".
In another sense, we can also say that ceremonial magick, as I have previously noted, has had a place in history for a very long time, and both these ancient systems of belief and practice have intermingled in the lore of modern Wicca, as apologists are quick to claim.
But, to an extent, this misses the point and skirts an essential question anyone has the right to ask about modern Wicca - namely, did Wicca exist as a coherent creed, a distinct form of spiritual expression, prior to the 1940s; that is, prior to the meeting of minds between the old magus and venerable prophet of the occult world Aleister Crowley, and the first popularizer, if not outright inventor of modern Wicca, Gerald Brosseau Gardner?
There is certainly no doubt that bits and pieces of ancient paganism survived into modern times in folklore and, for that matter, in the very practices and beliefs of Christianity.
Further, there appears to be some evidence that `Old George' Pickingill and others were practicing some form of folk magick as early as the latter part of the last century, though even this has recently been brought into question. Wiccan writers have made much of this in the past, but just what `Old George' was into is subject to much debate.
Doreen Valiente, an astute Wiccan writer and one-time intimate of the late Dr. Gardner (and, in fact, the author of some rituals now thought by others to be of "ancient origin"), says of Pickingill that so "fierce was `Old George's dislike of Christianity that he would even collaborate with avowed Satanists..." (TOMORROW, p 20). What George Pickingill was doing is simply not clear.
He is said to have had some interaction with a host of figures in the occult revival of the late nineteenth century, including perhaps even Crowley and his friend Bennett. It seems possible that Gardner, about the time of meeting Crowley, had some involvement with groups stemming from Pickingill's earlier activities, but it is only AFTER Crowley and Gardner meet that we begin to see anything resembling the modern spiritual communion that has become known as Wicca.
"Witches," wrote Gardner in 1954, "are consummate leg-pullers; they are taught it as part of their stock-in-trade." (WITCHCRAFT TODAY, p. 27) Modern apologists both for Aleister Crowley AND Gerald Gardner have taken on such serious tones as well as pretensions that they may be missing places where tongues are firmly jutting against cheeks.
Both men were believers in fleshly fulfillment, not only as an end in itself but, as in the Tantric Yoga of the East, as a means of spiritual attainment. A certain prudishness has crept into the practices of post-Gardnarian Wiccans, especially in America since the 1960s, along with a certain feminist revisionism. This has succeeded to a considerable extent in converting a libertine sex cult into a rather staid neo-puritanism.
The original Gardnarian current is still well enough known and widely enough in vogue (in Britain and Ireland especially) that one can venture to assert that what Gardnerian Wicca is all about is the same thing Crowley was attempting with a more narrow, more intellectual constituency in the magickal orders under his direct influence.
These Orders had flourished for some time, but by the time Crowley ` officially' met Gardner in the 1940s, much of the former's lifelong efforts had, if not totally disintegrated, at least were then operating at a diminished and diminishing level.
Through his long and fascinating career as magus and organizer, there is some reason to believe that Crowley periodically may have wished for, or even attempted to create a more populist expression of magickal religion. The Gnostic Mass, which Crowley wrote fairly early-on, had come since his death to somewhat fill this function through the OTO-connected Gnostic Catholic Church (EGC).
As we shall see momentarily, one of Crowley's key followers was publishing manifestos forecasting the revival of witchcraft at the same time Gardner was being chartered by Crowley to organize an OTO encampment. The OTO itself, since Crowley's time, has taken on a more popular image, and is more targeted towards international organizational efforts, thanks largely to the work under the Caliphate of the late Grady McMurtry. This contrasts sharply with the very internalized OTO that barely survived during the McCarthy Era, when the late Karl Germer was in charge, and the OTO turned inward for two decades.
The famous Ancient and Mystic Order of the Rose Cross (AMORC), the highly successful mail-order spiritual fellowship, was an OTO offspring in Crowley's time. It has been claimed that Kenneth Grant and Aleister Crowley were discussing relatively radical changes in the Ordo Templi Orientis at approximately the same time that Gardner and Crowley were interactive.
Though Wiccan writers give some lip service (and, no doubt, some sincere credence) to the notion that the validity of Wiccan ideas depends not upon its lineage, but rather upon its workability, the suggestion that Wicca is - or, at least, started out to be, essentially a late attempt at popularizing the secrets of ritual and sexual magick Crowley promulgated through the OTO and his writings, seems to evoke nervousness, if not hostility.
We hear from Wiccan writer and leader Raymond Buckland that one "of the suggestions made is that Aleister Crowley wrote the rituals...but no convincing evidence has been presented to back this assertion and, to my mind, it seems extremely unlikely..." (Gardner, ibid., introduction) The Wiccan rituals I have seen DO have much of Crowley in them. Yet, as we shall observe presently, the explanation that `Crowley wrote the rituals for Gardner' turns out to be somewhat in error. But it is on the right track.
Doreen Valiente attempts to invoke Crowley's alleged infirmity at the time of his acquaintance with Gardner:
"It has been stated by Francis King in his RITUAL MAGIC IN ENGLAND that Aleister Crowley was paid by Gerald Gardner to write the rituals of Gardner's new witch cult...Now, Gerald Gardner never met Aleister Crowley until the very last years of the latter's life, when he was a feeble old man living at a private hotel in Hastings, being kept alive by injections of drugs...If, therefore, Crowley really invented these rituals in their entirety, they must be about the last thing he ever wrote. Was this enfeebled and practically dying man really capable of such a tour de force?"
The answer, as Dr. Israel Regardie's introduction to the posthumous collection of Crowley's late letters, MAGICK WITHOUT TEARS, implies, would seem to be yes. Crowley continued to produce extraordinary material almost to the end of his life, and much of what I have seen of the "Wiccan Crowley" is, in any case, of earlier origin.
Gerald Gardner is himself not altogether silent on the subject. In WITCHCRAFT TODAY (p 47), Gardner asks himself, with what degree of irony one can only guess at, who, in modern times, could have invented the Wiccan rituals. "The only man I can think of who could have invented the rites," he offers, "was the late Aleister Crowley...possibly he borrowed things from the cult writings, or more likely someone may have borrowed expressions from him..." A few legs may be being pulled here, and perhaps more than a few. As a prophet ahead of his time, as a poet and dreamer, Crowley is one of the outstanding figures of the twentieth (or any) century. As an organizer, he was almost as much of a disaster as he was at managing his own finances...and personal life. As I understand the liberatory nature of the magical path, one would do well to see the difference between Crowley the prophet of Thelema and Crowley the insolvent and inept administrator.
Crowley very much lacked the common touch; Gardner was above all things a popularizer. Both men have been reviled as lecherous "dirty old men" - Crowley, as a seducer of women and a homosexual, a drug addict and `satanist' rolled together.
Gardner was, they would have it, a voyeur, exhibitionist and bondage freak with a `penchant for ritual' to borrow a line from THE STORY OF O. Both were, in reality, spiritual libertines, ceremonial magicians who did not shy away from the awesome force of human sexuality and its potential for spiritual transformation as well as physical gratification.
I will not say with finality at this point whether Wicca is an outright invention of these two divine con-men. If so, more power to them, and to those who truly follow in their path. I do know that, around 1945, Crowley chartered Gardner, an initiate of the Ordo Templi Orientis, giving him license to organize an OTO encampment.
Shortly thereafter, the public face of Wicca came into view, and that is what I know of the matter: I presently have in my possession Gardner's certificate of license to organize said OTO camp, signed and sealed by Aleister Crowley. The certificate and its import are examined in connection with my personal search for the original Book of Shadows in the next section of this narrative.
For now, though, let us note in the years since Crowley licensed Gardner to organize a magical encampment, Wicca has both grown in popularity and become, to my mind, something far less REAL than either Gardner or Crowley could have wanted or foreseen. Wherever they came from, the rites and practices which came from or through Gerald Gardner were strong, and tapped into that archetypal reality, that level of consciousness beneath the mask of polite society and conventional wisdom which is the function of True Magick.
At a popular level, this was the Tantric sex magick of the West. Whether this primordial access has been lost to us will depend on the awareness, the awakening or lack thereof among practitioners of the near to middle-near future. Carried to its end Gardnerian practices, like Crowley's magick, are not merely exotic; they are, in the truest sense, subversive.
Practices that WORK are of value, whether they are two years old or two thousand. Practices, myths, institutions and obligations which, on the other hand, may be infinitely ancient are of no value at all UNLESS they work.
The Devil, you say
Before we move on, though, in light of the furor over real and imagined "Satanism" that has overtaken parts of the popular press in recent years, I would feel a bit remiss in this account if I did not take momentary note of that other strain of left-handed occult mythology, Satanism. Wiccans are correct when they say that modern Wicca is not Satanic, that Satanism is "reverse Christianity" whereas Wicca is a separate, non-Christian religion.
Still, it should be noted, so much of our society has been grounded in the repressiveness and authoritarian moralism of Christianity that a liberal dose of "counter-Christianity" is to be expected. The Pat Robertson's of the world make possible the Anton LeVays. In the long history of repressive religion, a certain fable of Satanism has arisen. It constitutes a mythos of its own. No doubt, misguided `copycat' fanatics have sometimes misused this mythos, in much the same way that Charles Manson misused the music and culture of the 1960s.
True occult initiates have always regarded the Ultimate Reality as beyond all names and description. Named `deities' are, therefore, largely symbols. "Isis" is a symbol of the long-denied female component of deity to some occultists. "Pan" or "The Horned God" or "Set" or even "Satan" are symbols of unconscious, repressed sexuality. To the occultist, there is no Devil, no "god of evil." There is, ultimately, only the Ain Sof Aur of the Cabbalah; the limitless light of which we are but a frozen spark. Evil, in this system, is the mere absence of light. All else is illusion.
The goal of the occult path of initiation is BALANCE. In Freemasonry and High Magick, the symbols of the White Pillar and Black Pillar represent this balance between conscious and unconscious forces.
In Gardnarian Wicca, the Goddess and Horned God - and the Priestess and Priest, represent that balance. There is nothing, nothing of pacts with the "Devil" or the worship of evil in any of this; that belongs to misguided ex-Christians who have been given the absurd fundamentalist Sunday school notion that one must choose the Christian version of God, or choose the Devil. Islam, Judaism and even Catholicism have at one time or another been thought "satanic," and occultists have merely played on this bigoted symbolism, not subscribed to it.
As we have seen, Wicca since Gardner's time has been watered down in many of its expressions into a kind of mushy white-light `new age' religion, with far less of the strong sexuality characteristic of Gardnerianism, though, also, sometimes with less pretense as well.
In any event, Satanism has popped up now and again through much of the history of the Christian Church. The medieval witches were not likely to have been Satanists, as the Church would have it, but, as we have seen, neither were they likely to have been "witches" in the Wiccan sense, either.
The Hellfire Clubs of the eighteenth century were Satanic, and groups like the Process Church of the Final Judgment do, indeed, have Satanic elements in their (one should remember) essentially Christian theology.
Aleister Crowley, ever theatrical, was prone to use Satanic symbolism in much the same way, tongue jutting in cheek, as he was given to saying that he " sacrificed millions of children each year, " that is, that he masturbated. Crowley once called a press conference at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, where he announced that he was burning his British Passport to protest Britain's involvement in World War One. He tossed an empty envelope into the water. He was dead serious, though, about the "Satanism" of Miltonian eternal rebellion, and the "Satanism" of fundamentalism's dark fear of sexuality. The Devil, however; the Satanic "god of evil" was an absurdity to him, as to all thinking people, and he freely said so.
The most popular form of "Counter-Christianity" to emerge in modern times, though, was Anton Szandor LaVey's San Francisco-based Church of Satan, founded April 30, 1966. LaVey's Church enjoyed an initial burst of press interest, grew to a substantial size, and appeared to maintain itself during the cultural drought of the 1970s. But LaVey's books, THE SATANIC BIBLE and THE SATANIC RITUALS, have remained in print for many years, and his ideas seem to be enjoying a renewal of interest, especially among younger people, punks and heavy metal fans with a death-wish mostly, beginning in the middle years of the 1980s. By that time the Church of Satan had been largely succeeded by the Temple of Set. This is pure theater; more in the nature of psychotherapy than religion.
It is interesting to note Francis King's observation that before the Church of Satan began LaVey was involved in an occult group which included, among others, underground film maker Kenneth Anger, a person well known in Crowlean circles. Of the rites of the Church of Satan, King states that "...most of its teachings and magical techniques were somewhat vulgarized versions of those of Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis." (MAN MYTH AND MAGIC, p 3204.) To which we might add that, as with the OTO, the rites of the Church of Satan are manifestly potent, but hardly criminal or murderous.
LaVey, like Gardner and unlike Crowley, appears to have "the common touch" - perhaps rather more so than Gardner.
I determined to trace the Wiccan rumor to its source. As we shall see, in the very year I "fell" into being a Gnostic bishop, I also fell into the original charters, rituals and paraphernalia of Wicca.
The Charter And The Book
Being A Radical Revisionist History of the Origins of the Modern Witch Cult and The Book of Shadows.
"It was one of the secret doctrines of paganism that the Sun was the source, not only of light, but of life...The invasion of classical beliefs by the religions of Syria and Egypt which were principally solar, gradually affected the conception of Apollo, and there is a certain later identification of him with the suffering God of Christianity, Free - masonry and similar cults..."
Aleister Crowley in Astrology, 1974
"...if GBG and Crowley only knew each other for a short year or two, do you think that would be long enough for them to become such good friends that gifts of personal value would be exchanged several times, and that GBG would have been able to acquire the vast majority of Crowley's effects after his death?"
Merlin the Enchanter, personal letter, 1986
"...On the floor before the altar, he remembers a sword with a flat cruciform brass hilt, and a well-worn manuscript book of rituals - the hereditary Book of Shadows, which he will have to copy out for himself in the days to come..."
Stewart Farrar in What Witches Do, 1971
"Actually I did write a scholarly book about the Craft; its title was Inventing Witchcraft...But I spent most of the last fifteen years failing to persuade Carl Weschcke of Llewellyn or any other publisher that there was a market for it."
Aidan A. Kelly, Gnosis, Winter, 1992
"...the Gardnerian Book of Shadows is one of the key factors in what has become a far bigger and more significant movement than Gardner can have envisaged; so historical interest alone would be enough reason for defining it while first-hand evidence is still available..."
 

 

 
 
 

Lesson1.16b
Janet and Stewart Farrar in The Witches' Way, 1984
"It has been alleged that a Book of Shadows in Crowley's handwriting was formerly exhibited in Gerald's Museum of Witchcraft on the Isle of Man. I can only say I never saw this on either of the two occasions when I stayed with Gerald and Donna Gardner on the island. The large, handwritten book depicted in Witchcraft Today is not in Crowley's handwriting, but Gerald's..."
Doreen Valiente in Witchcraft for Tomorrow, 1978
"Aidan Kelly...labels the entire Wiccan revival `Gardnerian Witchcraft...' The reasoning and speculation in Aidan's book are intricate. Briefly, his main argument depends on his discovery of one of Gardner's working notebooks, Ye Book of Ye Art Magical, which is in possession of Ripley International, Ltd..."
Margot Adler in Drawing Down the Moon, 1979
Part One - Waiting For The Man From Canada
I was, for the third time in four years, waiting a bit nervously for the Canadian executive with the original Book of Shadows in the ramshackle office of Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.
"They're at the jail," a smiling secretary-type explained, "but we've called them and they should be back over here to see you in just a few minutes."
The jail? Ah, St. Augustine, Florida. "The Old Jail," was the `nation's oldest city's' second most tasteless tourist trap, complete with cage-type cells and a mock gallows. For a moment I allowed myself to play in my head with the vision of Norm Deska, Ripley Operations Vice President and John Turner, the General Manager of Ripley's local operation and the guy who'd bought the Gerald Gardner collection from Gardner's niece, Monique Wilson, sitting in the slammer. But no, Turner apparently had just been showing Deska the town. I straightened my suit for the fiftieth time, and suppressed the comment. We were talking BIG history here, and big bucks, too. I gulped. The original Book of Shadows. Maybe.
It had started years before. One of the last people in America to be a fan of carnival sideshows, I was anxious to take another opportunity to go through the almost archetypally seedy old home that housed the original Ripley's Museum.
I had known that Ripley had, in the nineteen seventies, acquired the Gardner stuff, but as far as I knew it was all located at their Tennessee resort museum. I think I'd heard they'd closed it down. By then, the social liberalism of the early seventies was over, and witchcraft and sorcery were no longer in keeping with a `family style' museum. It featured a man with a candle in his head, a Tantric skull drinking cup and freak show stuff like that, but, I mean, witchcraft is sacrilegious, as we all know.
So, I was a bit surprised, when I discovered some of the Gardner stuff - including an important historical document, for sale in the gift shop, in a case just opposite the little alligators that have "St. Augustine, Florida - America's Oldest City" stickered on their plastic bellies for the folks back home to use as a paper-weight. The price tags on the occult stuff, however, were way out of my range.
Back again, three years later, and I decided, what the hell, so I asked the cashier about the stuff still gathering dust in the glass case, and it was like I'd pushed some kind of button.
Out comes Mr. Turner, the manager, who whisks us off to a store room which is filled, FILLED, I tell you, with parts of the Gardner collection, much of it, if not "for sale" as such, at least available for negotiation. Turner told us about acquiring the collection when he was manager of Ripley's Blackpool operation, how it had gone over well in the U.S. at first, but had lost popularity and was now relegated for the most part to storage status.
Visions of sugarplums danced in my head. There were many treasures here, but the biggest plum of all, I thought, was not surprisingly, not to be seen.
I'd heard all kinds of rumors about the Book of Shadows over the years, many of them conflicting, all of them intriguing. Rumor #1, of course, is that which accompanied the birth (or, depending on how one looked at it, the revival) of modern Wicca, the contemporary successor of ancient fertility cults.
It revolved around elemental rituals, secret rites of passage and a mythos of goddess and god that seemed attractive to me as a psychologically valid alternative to the austere, anti-sexual moralism of Christianity. The Book of Shadows, in this context, was the `holy book' of Wicca, copied out by hand by new initiates of the cult with a history stretching back at least to the era of witch burnings.
Rumor number #2, which I had tended to credit, had it that Gerald Gardner, the `father of modern Wicca' had paid Aleister Crowley in his final years to write the Book of Shadows, perhaps whole cloth. The rumor's chief exponent was the respected historian of the occult, Francis King.
Rumor #3 had it that Gardner had written the Book himself, which others had since copied and/or stolen.
To the contrary, said rumor #4, Gardner's Museum had contained an old, even ancient copy of the Book of Shadows, proving its antiquity.
In more recent years modern Wiccans have tended to put some distance between themselves and Gardner, just as Gardner, for complex reasons, tended to distance himself in the early years of Wicca (circa 1944-1954) from the blatant sexual magick of Aleister Crowley, "the wickedest man in the world" by some accounts, and from Crowley's organization, the Ordo Templi Orientis. Why Gardner chose to do this is speculative, but I've got some idea. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
While Turner showed me a blasphemous cross shaped from the body of two nude women (created for the 18th century infamous "Hellfire Clubs" in England and depicted in the MAN MYTH AND MAGIC encyclopedia; I bought it, of course) and a statue of Beelzebub from the dusty Gardnerian archives, a thought occurred to me. " You know," I suggested, "if you ever, in all this stuff, happen across a copy of The Book of Shadows in the handwriting of Aleister Crowley, it would be of considerable historical value."
I understated the case. It would be like finding The Book of Mormon in Joseph Smith's hand, or finding the original Ten Commandments written not by God Himself, but by Moses, pure and simple. (Better still, eleven commandments, with a margin note, "first draft.") I didn't really expect anything to come of it, and in the months ahead, it didn't.
In the meantime, I had managed to acquire the interesting document I first mistook for Gerald Gardner's (long acknowledged) initiation certificate into Crowley's Thelemic magickal Ordo Templi Orientis. To my eventual surprise, I discovered that, not only was this not a simple initiation certificate for the Minerval (probationary-lowest) degree, but, to the contrary, was a license for Gardner to begin his own chapter of the O.T.O., and to initiate members into the O.T.O.
In the document, furthermore, Gardner is referred to as "Prince of Jerusalem," that is, he is acknowledged to be a Fourth Degree Perfect Initiate in the Order. This, needless to say would usually imply years of dedicated training. Though Gardner had claimed Fourth Degree O.T.O. status as early as publication of High Magic's Aid,(and claimed even higher status in one edition) this runs somewhat contrary to both generally held Wiccan and contemporary O.T.O. orthodox understandings that the O.T.O. was then fallow in England.
At the time the document was written, most maintained, Gardner could have known Crowley for only a brief period, and was not himself deeply involved in the O.T.O. The document is undated but probably was drawn up around 1945.
As I said, it is understood that no viable chapter of the O.T.O. was supposed to exist in England at that time; the sole active chapter was in California, and is the direct antecedent of the contemporary authentic Ordo Templi Orientis. Karl Germer, Crowley's immediate successor, had barely escaped death in a Concentration Camp during the War, his mere association with Crowley being tantamount to a death sentence.
The German OTO had been largely destroyed by the Nazis, along with other freemason organizations, and Crowley himself was in declining health and power, the English OTO virtually dead.
The Charter also displayed other irregularities of a revealing nature. Though the signature and seals are certainly those of Crowley, the text is in the decorative hand of Gerald Gardner! The complete text reads as follows:
Do what thou wilt shall be the law. We
Baphomet X Degree Ordo Templi Orientis
Sovereign Grand Master General of All
English speaking countries of the Earth
do hereby authorize our Beloved Son Scire
(Dr.G,B,Gardner,) Prince of Jerusalem
to constitute a camp of the Ordo Templi
Orientis, in the degree Minerval.
Love is the Law,
Love under will.
O
Witness my hand and seal Baphomet X
Leaving aside the misquotation from The Book of the Law, which got by me for some months and probably got by Crowley when it was presented to him for signature, the document is probably authentic. It hung for some time in Gardner's museum, possibly giving rise, as we shall see, to the rumor that Crowley wrote the Book of Shadows for Gardner. According to Doreen Valiente, and to Col. Lawrence as well, the museum's descriptive pamphlet says of this document:
"The collection includes a Charter granted by Aleister Crowley to G. B. Gardner (the Director of this Museum) to operate a Lodge of Crowley's fraternity, the Ordo Templi Orientis. (The Director would like to point out, however, that he has never used this Charter and has no intention of doing so, although to the best of his belief he is the only person in Britain possessing such a Charter from Crowley himself; Crowley was a personal friend of his, and gave him the Charter because he liked him."
Col. Lawrence ("Merlin the Enchanter"), in a letter to me dated 6 December, 1986, adds that this appeared in Gardner's booklet, The Museum of Magic and Witchcraft. The explanation for the curious wording of the text, taking, as Dr. Gardner does, great pains to distance himself from Crowley and the OTO, may be hinted at in that the booklet suggests that this display in the "new upper gallery" (page 24) was put out at a relatively late date when, as we shall discover, Gardner was making himself answerable to the demands of the new witch cult and not the long-dead Crowley and (then) relatively moribund OTO.
Now, the "my friend Aleister" ploy might explain the whole thing. Perhaps, as some including Ms. Valiente believe, Aleister Crowley was desperate in his last years to hand on what he saw as his legacy to someone. He recklessly handed out his literary estate, perhaps gave contradictory instruction to various of his remaining few devotees (e.g. Kenneth Grant, Grady McMurtry, Karl Germer), and may have given Gardner an "accelerated advancement" in his order.
Ms. Valiente, a devoted Wiccan who is also a dedicated seeker after the historical truth, mentions also the claim made by the late Gerald Yorke to her that Gardner had paid Crowley a substantial sum for the document. In a letter to me dated 28th August, 1986, Ms. Valiente tells of a meeting with Yorke "...in London many years ago and mentioned Gerald's O.T.O. Charter to him, whereon he told me, `Well, you know, Gerald Gardner paid old Crowley about ($1500) or so for that...' This may or may not be correct..." Money or friendship may explain the Charter. Still, one wonders.
I have a Thelemic acquaintance who, having advanced well along the path of Kenneth Grant's version of the OTO, went back to square one with the unquestionably authentic Grady McMurtry OTO. Over a period of years of substantial effort, he made his way to the IVo `plus' status implied by Gardner's "Prince of Jerusalem" designation in the charter, and has since gone beyond.
I am, myself, a Vo member of the OTO, as well as a chartered initiator, and can tell you from experience that becoming a Companion of the Royal Arch of Enoch, Perfect Initiate, Prince of Jerusalem and Chartered Initiator is a long and arduous task.
Gardner was in the habit, after the public career of Wicca emerged in the 1950s, of downgrading any Crowleyite associations out of his past, and, as Janet and Stewart Farrar reveal in The Witches' Way (1984, p3) there are three distinct versions of the Book of Shadows in Gerald Gardner's handwriting which incorporate successively less material from Crowley's writings, though the last (termed "Text C" and co-written with Doreen Valiente after 1953) is still heavily influenced by Crowley and the OTO.
Ms. Valiente has recently uncovered a copy of an old occult magazine contemporary with High Magic's Aid and from the same publisher, which discusses an ancient Indian document called "The Book of Shadows" but apparently totally unrelated to the Wiccan book of the same name. Valiente acknowledges that the earliest text by Gardner known to her was untitled, though she refers to it as a "Book of Shadows."
It seems suspicious timing; did Gardner take the title from his publisher's magazine? Ms. Valiente observed to me that the "...eastern Book of Shadows does not seem to have anything to do with witch-craft at all...is this where old Gerald first found the expression "The Book of Shadows" and adopted it as a more poetical name for a magical manuscript than, say `The Grimoire' or `The Black Book'...I don't profess to know the answer; but I doubt if this is mere coincidence..."
The claim is frequently made by those who wish to `salvage' a pre-Gardnarian source of Wiccan materials that there is a `core' of `authentic' materials. But, as the Farrars' recently asserted, the portions of the Book of Shadows "..which changed least between Texts A, B and C were naturally the three initiation rituals; because these, above all, would be the traditional elements which would have been carefully preserved, probably for centuries..." (emphasis added)
But what does one mean by "traditional materials?" The three initiation rites, now much-described in print, all smack heavily of the crypto-freemason ritual of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the OTO, and the various esoteric neo-rosicrucian groups that abounded in Britain from about 1885 on, and which were, it is widely known, the fountainhead of much that is associated with Gardner's friend Crowley.
The Third Degree ritual, perhaps Wicca's ultimate rite, is, essentially, a non-symbolic Gnostic Mass, that beautiful, evocative, erotic and esoteric ritual written and published by Crowley in the Equinox, after attending a Russian Orthodox Mass in the early part of this century. The Gnostic Mass has had far-reaching influence, and it would appear that the Wiccan Third Degree is one of the most blatant examples of that influence.
Take, for example, this excerpt from what is perhaps the most intimate, most secret and most sublime moment in the entire repertoire of Wicca rituals, the non-symbolic (that is, overtly sexual) Great Rite of the Third Degree initiation, as related by Janet and Stewart Farrar in The Witches' Way (p.34):

lesson1.page16c

 

The Priest continues:
`O Secret of Secrets, That art hidden in the being of all lives, Not thee do we adore, For that which adoreth is also thou. Thou art That, and That am I. [Kiss] I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man, And in the core of every star. I am life, and the giver of life. Yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death. I am alone, the Lord within ourselves, Whose name is Mystery of Mysteries.'

I read all of this.  There was a lot of good information, and I'm proud to say that I have covered this material during my studies.  I will continue reading all your information.  I just wish it would stick in my brain.

 

Thank you.