Wiccans, Stand Up Against Sexual Assault

“This is so disturbing. All the rich and powerful men who gang together to protect themselves when we see evidence of their sexual abuse of women,” my friend, Jessica, said.

 

“Yes. And I realize that this is a crucial moment in history,” I replied. Jessica and I continued with a significant conversation. From this conversation and others like it, I have thought a lot about what is going on.

Use Anger as a Stepping Stone for Positive Change

When I was a child, I felt like I did not matter. My brother was given preferential treatment. He tormented me, and my parents’ neglect gave me a clear message that he was worth more to my parents than I was. My brother even went so far as to hold me down underwater (at a neighbor’s pool), terrifying me because I needed air! His friends, all boys his age, did nothing, to help an eight-year-old little girl. They just watched me being assaulted.

 

With the #metoo movement and with a woman testifying Thursday about the sexual assault she endured, we, women, are now taking our place as worthwhile people who will not stand by while such abuse continues in our society.

 

Perhaps, like me, you were taught to just swallow your anger.
Now is the moment for a new approach.
Use anger as a stepping stone for positive change.

 

We, Wiccans, know that there are times when we must stand our ground and even actively defend ourselves. During one of my meditations, I used my astral-sword to defend myself.
Methods of Defense and More …

 

Here are some suggested actions you can take.
  • Meditate and keep yourself strong – Keeping your spirit whole and healthy is the foundation for everything.
  • Call Upon the Goddess – In meditation and prayer, ask the Goddess to strengthen you.
  • Volunteer in the community with an organization that helps women in need.
  • Vote for representatives who focus on women as worthy and valuable. Register if you have not done so earlier.
  • Work magick to heal those who have been attacked. This can be as simple as a Prayer to Heal:

Lord and Lady,

grant those who have been wronged by sexual violence
now the power to heal.
May you find these actions to be supportive.

Blessed Be,
Moonwater



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Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Try My Online Course

Break Free with Goddess: Wiccans – How You Can Get Free of Worry, Illness and Anxiety and Enjoy Abundance, Health and Confidence

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power

Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Real Magick

Beyond the Law of Attraction to Real Magic: How You Can Remove Blocks to Prosperity, Happiness and Inner Peace

Goddess Has Your Back

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Book

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You

Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident


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The Hidden Truth About a Wiccan Incarnation

“I did not want to be in that car accident. Nothing you can say to me will change my mind,” my friend, Rhonda, said. She was loud, real loud.

“Okay,” my other friend, David, replied.

“Don’t tell me that I chose what I wanted to happen in this incarnation—”

“I wasn’t—”

“Don’t say that there’s some lesson in all this—”

“I didn’t—”

“All right! What could be a lesson in all of this…?” Rhonda said, then she sat down. David just sat there for a moment or two. Just breathing. Just letting Rhonda calm down.

Some time ago, at a gathering of friends, David suggested that we make choices before we incarnate here on earth. These choices give us challenging situations to help us learn certain lessons while we’re here.

I once heard a speaker say, “If it’s true that we make choices before we incarnate—maybe we better hope that we didn’t say, ‘I want to learn patience.’ I could imagine a person in your soul group raising his hand. He says, ‘I’ll help you with that. I’ll be your first husband.’”

As I was reflecting on this, I had a thought. A disturbing thought. What if I chose to go through the hardship of gaining weight, becoming obese, and then struggling to lose weight?

I chose this? NO!

Or maybe? Could it be that I planned to go through this weight-trouble so I could learn empathy for others?

Wait a minute. Wasn’t I already in the empathy-club?—with enduring the torture from my brother when we were kids. (I was a tiny girl when he held me down, drowning in a neighbor’s swimming pool. There was more….)

Over and over again, I hear about women who were attacked in their younger years, and they did something to get “bigger” or at least, to “be unattractive to male attention.”

Author Roxane Gay was gang-raped when she was 12 years old. She writes in her book, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, “I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.”

I have dropped 32.6 pounds. I’ve kept them off. To me, I think that bringing my Wiccan faith into the mix has helped.

Sure, I make certain to cast Circle and to gather with my coven.

I often do a candle-lighting ritual. (I certainly light a candle to say ‘thank you!’ to Goddess Squat for parking spaces!)

But I’ve brought a Goddess-style to my eating habits now. I’m on purpose with eating that which comes from the Goddess and dropping processed “food.”

Every day, I eat natural plants (unprocessed) and natural animal protein (unprocessed).

The big change is that I keep processed sugar and carbs out of my diet as much as I can.

Here’s my point: These changes have helped me in two ways: Get closer to my Gods and move forward with my healthy goal of weight loss.

32.6 pounds means a lot. I’ll put it plainly. I’ve backed away from a dangerous weight. You see, my mother has diabetes. My efforts have kept me away from that health problem!

I’m grateful to God and Goddess for Their Support.

I’ve learned that as I take better care of myself and I connect with God and Goddess, I do NOT need the extra weight to feel safe.

After all the neglect and physical abuse in my childhood … I can now be free.

Wait! Let’s pause here.

What a transformation!

What if I chose (on the spiritual plane before this incarnation) that I was going to take a journey in which I’d be hurt deeply, long for safety and then rise up to have a new goal … to … be … FREE.

Is that what you want, my friend? To be free?

Blessed Be,
Moonwater


 

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Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power

As a Wiccan I found this an inspiring read. Written in a way that makes it accessible to everyone irrespective of their current knowledge. – Shona Cathro

 

 

Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

I don’t generally write reviews on books I’ve read…but this time i feel lead to. This book spoke volumes to me, as if the author knew exactly where I’m coming from and what I’m struggling with. It’s not often a book can make me cry, but this one did by making me see the many blocks I’ve put up in my life. I knew they were there, but I’ve gotten skilled at pretending they’re not. Thank you for helping me see I’m not some freak because of circumstances throughout my life that have caused the blocks, and that i need to stop hiding from or burying them and face them one step at a time. – Crystal Sparks

 

Real Magick

Beyond the Law of Attraction to Real Magic: How You Can Remove Blocks to Prosperity, Happiness and Inner Peace

This book is a must have for all of those starting out on the spiritual path of Wicca and for all of those who are just looking for some light and love in their life. MoonWater SilverClaw uses her knowledge of Wicca and her personal experiences to not only teach the Law of Attraction in a clear manner but to help you use the Law of Attraction to better your life.

Through simple guided meditations and tips on living a happy healthy life this book takes you on a journey that will teach you how to love yourself, better your self image, and rid yourself of the negative energies that prevent you from reaching your goals.

This book covers many wonderful topics that will teach you basic magical practices as well as the theory and idea of “like attracts like” From setting up an alter to casting a circle and how to perform and find the magick that you are seeing in your life this book has so much to offer.

MoonWater SilverClaw is truly an inspirational writer for a newer generation of Wiccans and those seeking to use the natural energies of the earth to make changes in their life. Her writing style speaks from the heart because she has been where the reader is, she has used these techniques and steps to better her own life and now she is helping the reader use the Law of Attraction to better theirs – Amazon Customer

 

Goddess Has Your Back

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal

This is an absolute gem for the witch with issues. Rituals for things like self-esteem are something i have never seen before. Moonwater’s writing is engrossing and draws the reader in. I am a witch with PTSD M.S. and other issues and this book made me feel hopeful and capable. – t’air

 

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Book

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You

Ms. SilverClaw has written a book that is really great for the beginner wanting to learn about Wiccan or wants to start practicing the art of Wicca. I found this book wonderful, easy to read, and extremely helpful and informative. It covers everything from what Wicca is, the history of Wicca and how Wicca became misassociated with evil, along with how Wicca can help/save people’s lives. Ms. SilverClaw also discusses practicing Wicca either in a Coven or Solo, and all the things you need in order to have in order to perform your ceremony, and she explains what each item means. She explains how to create spells and gives examples to use, and explains the pitfalls of creating certain types of spells. Ms. SilverClaw has truly created a book that is a cast all net the seems to cover everything that I needed to know to begin practicing Wicca. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is searching for their first book on the topic and wants to start practicing the art of Wicca or is just curious about the topic. This is truly a Must Have book. – Tamra L. Shipman

 

 

Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

This is a terrific book! It is like talking to the author over a cup of tea like one of the bloggers says. –  Kitri

 

 

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The Ant’s Tale

Fire

The ant’s world was ablaze. Flames towered over the ant as it scampered back and forth. I saw the ant in peril on a piece of firewood in my camp fire. With compassion, I placed a stick next to the piece of firewood that was ablaze at one end. The ant rushed onto the stick.

The ant crawled half way up. But then it frantically jumped off the refuge-stick I offered and dashed back toward the flames.

Again, I placed the stick right in front of the ant. This time it got back on the refuge-stick, and I swiftly lifted the stick and placed it on the ground some distance from the camp fire. The ant was safe.

Sometimes we make bad decisions despite God’s and Goddess’s warnings. The Gods, in their compassion, save us from our own stupidity.

Earlier today, I drove on the freeway. When a large truck cut me off, I slammed on the breaks. My car slid down the freeway until the wheels regained traction. With fast reflexes and the Gods’ grace I was safe!

Sometimes we are given intuitive guidance to go into a new direction, but our fear sends us back toward the flames. Some people stay in a bad marriage or in a bad job because these are the flames they know. Uncertainty seems to be too much to bear.

We, Wiccans, can call upon the Gods to guide us. They are present. They walk beside us on our journey through our lives. (I wrote a book on this: Goddess Walks Beside You.)

The Gods try to be as supportive as possible. All we need to do is ask for help and then step forth on the new, better path. (It’s better than getting burned.)

Blessed Be,
Moonwater

P.S. To sign up for our E-Newsletter click here.


Looking for gifts?

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See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:

Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

 

 

Goddess Has Your Back

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal

 

 

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Book

The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You

 

 

Real Magick

Beyond the Law of Attraction to Real Magic: How You Can Remove Blocks to Prosperity, Happiness and Inner Peace

 

 

Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

The Down and Dirty about Love Spells

Roses

The Down and Dirty About Love Spells

I really like this guy. Can you do a love spell for me? Wiccans are faced with this question a lot.

Love spells can be quite sticky. There’s a right way and a wrong way to approach them.

The Wrong Way to Do a Love Spell

Janet really likes Mark. So she buys a book on love spells from the local book store. She finds one she likes and performs the spell that night on Mark.

The next day she sees Mark. There’s something different about him. Soon he asks Janet for a date. During the date Mark can’t keep his eyes off Janet.

In the next days, Mark can’t get enough of Janet. At first she quite enjoys the attention. He calls every night.

Then he follows her to the gym, grocery store, a movie theater. He shows up at her house unexpectedly, at all hours of the day and night.

Now, every time she sees Mark, Janet jumps, startled.

Janet wanted love; she now has fear.

Do you see what happened? Janet made her own stalker by casting a love spell upon him. Two terrible details arise when you impose a love spell on someone. First, it’s unethical to mess with someone’s free will. Second, one could create a pattern in which a stalker may become violent.

The Right Way to Cast a Love Spell

Ellen hasn’t been on a date in quite a while. At an evening class she attends each week, she likes three guys, but she’s not sure about them.

She wants to find the right fit and someone who truly loves her. So Ellen decides to do a love spell. Ellen first decides to make the love spell about herself—that is, she seeks to become more accepting of love. During her ritual, she writes down what she’d prefer to find in a mate. She asks the Gods to guide her and that special person to meet.

A few days later, a guy named Sam arrives at the evening class. Sam is meeting one of the other three guys who attend the evening class. Sam strikes up a conversation with Ellen. Some days later, Sam asks Ellen out on a date. They really hit it off.

Do you see the difference?

Janet did a love spell on Mark, and such an imposition should never be done.

On the other hand, Ellen did a love spell to make her more accepting of love and to be able to see the one she was looking for. She also asked the Gods to help guide both her and her right match to find each other.

That’s a big difference.

Love Spell

What you will need:

  • Pink candle
  • Rose Oil to dress the candle. (You can make Rose Oil by diluting rose essential oil into olive oil. Make sure it is the therapeutic grade essential oil.)
  • Candle holder for pink candle
  • Loadstone
  • Table for the altar
  • Candles and candleholders for the four directions in the colors that represent each (red for south, blue for west, green for north, yellow for east)
  • Red candle for the God and a green candle for the Goddess. (These candle colors are preferable but not mandatory. You may also use white candles, which represent all colors.)
  • Working candle to represent the element Fire
  • Cup or chalice
  • Athame
  • Pentagram
  • Sword. (If you don’t have one, use an athame to cast the circle.)
  • Incense
  • Censer
  • Dish of salt, preferably sea salt
  • Bowl of water
  • Bell or chime
  • Altar cloth to keep wax and the other things off the table
  • Wine or juice and some sort of cake
  • Lighter
  • Taper (Light the taper by using the working candle. Then use the taper to light the other candles.)

The Basic Circle Script

Note: This script is written for someone who is casting alone.

1) Knock three times on the altar. Ring the bell three times.

2) Use the lighter to ignite the working candle. Place the lighter down on the altar. (The other candles will be lit later when you use the taper.)

3) Light the charcoal (if you are using it) from the working candle. (The incense will placed on the charcoal later.)

4) Take your athame and place its tip into the flame of the working candle. Say:

I exorcise* you o creature of fire. And I consecrate and bless you in the names of the Goddess and the God that you are pure and clean.

(*Note: When we speak of exorcise here, we are purifying the item by driving out any negative energies.)

5) Trace a pentacle (a five-pointed star) in the air above the flame. Pick up the working candle and raise it up above you and imagine the Gods’ energy filling the candle’s flame. Place the candle back on the altar.

6) Take your athame and place its tip into the bowl of water. Say:

I exorcise you, o creature of water. And I consecrate and bless you in the names of the Goddess and the God that you are pure and clean.

7) Using the athame, trace a pentacle in the water. Pick up the bowl of water and raise it up above you and imagine your energy and the Gods’ energy filling the water. Place the bowl back on the altar.

8) Take your athame and place its tip into the salt. Say:

I exorcise you, o creature of salt. And I consecrate and bless you in the names of the Goddess and the God that you are pure and clean.

9) Using the athame, trace a pentacle in the salt. Pick up the bowl of salt and raise it up above you and imagine your energy and the Gods’ energy filling the salt. Place the salt bowl back on the altar.

10) Take your athame and place its tip into the incense. Say:

I exorcise you, o creature of Air. And I consecrate and bless you in the names of the Goddess and the God that you are pure and clean.

11) Using your athame, trace a pentacle in the air above the incense. Pick up the incense and raise it up above you and imagine your energy and the Gods’ energy filling the incense. Place the incense on the lit charcoal.

12) Take your athame and scoop up a blade of the salt. (Or you could your finger.) Place this pinch of salt into the water. Repeat this step two more times. Now, with the athame, mix the salt into the water and finish making consecrated water. With the athame, trace a pentagram over the bowl. Now, pick up the bowl of consecrated water and raise it up above you and imagine your energy and the Gods’ energy filling it.

13) Take the consecrated water (the salt and water mixture) and dip your fingers into it. Dab some of it on your inner wrists and forehead. Say:

I bless myself with Earth and Water.

14) Take the censer filled with the burning incense and wave the smoke over you. Say:

I bless myself with Air and Fire.

15) Take the consecrated water and use your fingers to asperge (sprinkle with consecrated water) the circle. Starting with north and moving clockwise, walk a complete circle around the perimeter, aspersing each corner as you go. When finished, place the bowl back on the altar.

16) Pick up the censer. Use your hand to wave the incense smoke around the circle. Starting with north and moving clockwise, walk a complete circle around the perimeter, waving the smoke as you go. Be careful not to burn yourself or anything else. When finished, place the censer back on the altar.

You have just cleansed the space and yourself. Now let’s continue by casting the circle.

17) Take the athame. Envision energy being channeled from you and coming out the tip of your athame [You point the athame outward, away from you as you create the circle.] Starting with north and moving clockwise, walk a complete circle around the perimeter. As you walk, say:

I conjure you, o circle of power, that you be a boundary between the seen mundane world and the spirit world, that you protect me and contain the magick that I shall raise within you! I consecrate and bless you in the names of the Goddess and the God. So mote it be!

18) Finish at the east quarter (direction).

Now it’s time to “call the quarters.” (This refers to the four directions.)

19) Pick up the athame and the taper from the altar. Light the taper from the working candle. Go and stand in the east corner of where your circle boundary is. Starting with the east candle, say:

I summon, stir, and call you up, o mighty ones of the East, element of Air. Come guard my circle and witness my rite.

20) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame. Then light the quarter candle for east. Say:

Hail and welcome!

21) Move clockwise to the south candle. Say:

I summon, stir, and call you up, o mighty ones of the South, element of Fire. Come guard my circle and witness my rite.

22) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame. Then light the quarter candle for south. Say:

Hail and welcome!

23) Move clockwise to the west candle. Say:

I summon, stir, and call you up, o mighty ones of the West, element of Water. Come guard my circle and witness my rite.

24) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame. Then light the quarter candle for west. Say:

Hail and welcome!

25) Move clockwise to the north candle. Say:

I summon, stir, and call you up, o mighty ones of the North, element of Earth. Come guard my circle and witness my rite.

26) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame. Then light the quarter candle for north. Say:

Hail and welcome!

27) Return to the altar. Using the taper, light the Goddess candle, saying:

Welcome, my Lady!

28) Using the taper, light the God candle, saying:

Welcome, my Lord!

You have now completed casting your circle.


 The Spell:

Take up the pink candle and sprinkle some of the blessed water on it and say:

You are cleansed by water and earth. 

Next wave the pink candle over the burning incense and say:

I charge and consecrate you by fire and air.

Do the same process with the rose oil and the lodestone.

Next, take your now cleansed and consecrated pink candle and carve your name on it with the word love.

Next dress the candle with the rose oil and say:

Little candle, I name you (your name) you now represent the love I attract to me.

Place the pink candle into the candle holder and place on the pentagram. Put the lodestone at the base of the candle.

Take the taper and light it from the working candle and light the pink candle saying:

I am love and love comes to me.

As the candle burns sit and concentrate on the candle flame, seeing love flowing in the form of light. When the candle has burned halfway down, take the candle and drop three drops of wax on the lodestone. Return the candle to its original place.

Continue to see the love radiating from the candle, and now also see the lodestone pulling love to you.

Watch the candle until it burns completely out. Carry the stone with you to help attract love to you.


Cakes and Wine Ceremony

After any ritual, it is important to replenish and ground your energy. Begin with wine or juice.

1) Take the cup from your altar and pour the wine or juice into it. Then take the athame and dip its tip into the wine or juice. Say:

As the athame is to the male, so the cup is to the female, and so joined bring union and harmony.

2) Pour some of your blessed wine or juice into the offering bowl or plate on your altar. Say:

To the Gods!

You can now partake of the beverage.

3) Take your athame and point it over the cake. Say:

Blessed be these cakes that they bestow health, peace, joy, strength, and that fulfillment of love that is perpetual happiness. 

4) Take one of the cakes (or just a piece) and place it in the offering bowl or plate. Say:

To the Gods!

You can now partake of the blessed cakes.

So, what do you do with the blessed offerings in the offering dishes? You certainly don’t just throw it into the garbage! They are gifts to the Gods. Take them outside to your garden where you can leave it on the ground to help nourish the Earth.

If you do not have a garden at your home, you can take the offerings out into the woods and leave them there. Some Wiccans who live in the city set the blessed offering out on their porch for local animals to partake. Be sure to only leave biodegradable food. Avoid wrappers or containers that will not decompose.

Closing Circle

It is very important to dismiss the energies you have called for your circle. Be sure to take down the magick temple (the circle) you erected. And certainly, dismiss the quarters!

To close your circle:

1) Take your athame and hold it up and stand facing the east. Say:

Hail mighty ones of the East, the element of Air. I thank you for guarding my circle and witnessing my rite. May you depart to your fair and lovely realms. I bid you hail and farewell. 

2) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame.

3) Continuing, moving in a clockwise circle, stand facing the south. Say:

Hail mighty ones of the South, the element of Fire. I thank you for guarding my circle and witnessing my rite. May you depart to your fair and lovely realms. I bid you hail and farewell!

4) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame.

5) Moving clockwise around the circle, stand facing west. Say:

Hail mighty ones of the West, the element of Water. I thank you for guarding my circle and witnessing my rite. May you depart to your fair and lovely realms. I bid you hail and farewell!

6) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame.

7) Moving clockwise around the circle, stand facing north. Say:

Hail mighty ones of the North, the element of Earth. I thank you for guarding my circle and witnessing my rite. May you depart to your fair and lovely realms. I bid you hail and farewell!

8) Trace a pentacle in the air with your athame.

9) Return again to face east. While walking the boundary of the circle, say:

Fire seal the circle round,
Let it fade beneath the ground,
Let all things be as they once were before.
The circle is now no more,
Merry meet, merry part,
And merry meet again!
So mote it be!


In the post, I have shared with you the wrong way and the right way for doing a love spell. Take care in how you go about doing a love spell.

A proper love spell will build you up and attract the right match for you.

[If you’re interested in prosperity spells and other spells, please see my book The Hidden Children of the Goddess and Beyond the Law of Attraction to Real Magic: How You Can Remove Blocks to Prosperity, Happiness and Inner Peace.]

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

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Keep The Connection

PinecrestTrail

Keep The Connection

My muscles ache and I’m wobbly on my feet. My Dad and I walk on a wooded trail in Pinecrest, California. My only thought is: Can I make it to the car?

On the drive back to our campsite, I think, I really need to go hiking more often. My muscles are just not in the condition I’d like them to be in.

Without enough hiking I lose valuable muscle mass and tone. And, without enough vigorous exercise, I’ll lose bone mass or even get a “flabby” heart, a cause of other health problems.

How does this connect with Wicca? We see something similar: without enough practice, you can lose your competency in the Wiccan path. Just as muscles become weaker due to lack of use, so does your proficiency in Wicca.

Out of practice in Wicca, your spells will not be as effective. They can even go bad because you’re failing to channel your energy to your desired goal. Such errors can cause undesired effects.

Fail to practice your faith and you may separate from nature which Wiccans hold so sacred. If you don’t pay attention to the cycles of nature (the cycles of life and the seasons), you may lose compassion for others who are going through personal cycles of growth and sometimes personal pain. Human beings live in a cycle of puberty, aging and other personal challenges.

Separating from nature, you may even lose compassion for yourself.

On the other hand, you can be diligent in your practice. You can exercise your Wiccan muscle just as you would support your body through physical exercise.

When your “Wiccan muscles” are in tune, you’ll take good care of yourself and stay aware of the Three Times Law.

Be good to your spirit like you’re good to your body through exercise.

Keep a diligent practice. Then you can avoid many situations of unintentionally hurting someone else. Through diligent practice, you are stronger and calmer. You have more patience.

So let’s flex all of our muscles to be both spiritually and physically healthy.

Blessings,

Moonwater SilverClaw

 

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Time for a Wiccan’s Familiar?

Familiars

Familiars

Time for a Wiccan’s Familiar?

About three years ago, a particular witch held a ritual in the woods each weekend. To her delight, a certain deer joined her each time. When I heard about this, I realized one can have a wild animal as a familiar–an animal, usually a pet, that helps the witch.

At one point, I was in a Wiccan learning group gathered in the woods and an owl joined us. Animals sense energy which makes them good working partners.

Animals are so proficient at using energy that they can literally move in and out of a closed circle and not harm or break that circle. So when your familiar moves across the boundary of your cast circle don’t worry, they won’t hurt it.

Small children can also cross your circle’s boundary without disturbing it. It’s only when we get older that we become unable to do that. The reason? Society teaches us to limit ourselves and so we unconsciously do so.

On the other hand, familiars do not have that burden. They can move and work energy in ways that many of us cannot. This is why witches and other magick users like to have a familiar.

However, don’t just run to an animal shelter and pick any animal and assume that the little one will be your familiar. An animal must choose to do so. If your little friend does not make that choice of being a familiar, you can just enjoy the company of your pet in ordinary life.

So how can I tell if my pet or an animal wants to be my familiar? Observe: Does the animal want to hang around you as you do a ritual? When you ground and center does your cat (for example) come and sit, to support you.

If you observe a particular animal in the wild repeatedly show up during your rituals, pause. Ask yourself, “Does this one want to be my familiar or is this just a random visit?” (Note: This does not mean that you go over and pet the animal. They do not want that.)

Sometimes, you may discover that this particular animal is quietly acting as a familiar for you.

Note: Never try to force an animal to work with you. If you have a pet, but the little one just strolls away when you’re doing a ritual, let it go. Just love your pet for the other joyful moments you share. You do not need a familiar.

If you, at some time, find an animal that wants to work with you, it can be quite rewarding. Not only will your spells and other workings be more powerful, but you will also have a great friend by your side.

What a joyful experience.

Blessings,

Moonwater

Moonwater SilverClaw Logo

When You’re Down, A Way to Climb Up

Climb Your Way Out of Depression

Climb Your Way Out of Depression

When You’re Down, A Way to Climb Up

So what have you heard about the burden of depression?

If you’ve experienced it, you know what an oppressive malady it is. If you have not experienced it, it’s hard to convey the essence of the pain.

Ever since I was little, I’ve had feelings of hopelessness and unworthiness. Abuse in the form of beatings from my brother and neglect from my parents, intensified my hopelessness.

I never knew when abuse would fall upon me. There was no rhyme or reason. Abusing a little girl is inexcusable. But what was worse, as that little girl, I felt a torrent of twisted thoughts. I believed the abuse happened because I deserved it.

I’ve heard a number of times that some people had perhaps a teacher that provided the support they didn’t have at home. But I wasn’t that lucky.

I did what I could to survive. I avoided people.

To me, depression was living in a deep, deep hole. A dark place where I was alone. I felt that I deserved this dark place. I had no hope, no love, no respect. I felt worthless. My chest hurt. Just cold putrid rotting meat inside me. The depression made it move and writhe like a carcass filled with maggots. There was more: tar, shards of broken glass, rusty nails.

Escape! That’s all I wanted. At eight years old, I tried to hang myself.

The Gods intervened. The cord broke. Not just once, but every time I tried to commit suicide, the Gods saved me.

They poured their light into a places I never thought any light could reach. My heart and soul. When that happened it was indescribable. It was beyond an epiphany. It was beyond life and death. It was so miraculous I can’t describe the event. Only that it was life-changing in every way.

It changed my thinking, my speaking, my body. It changed my world. It changed me. I was not me anymore, and yet, I was. My memories were the same, my environment was the same, my story was the same.

I knew who I was, and where I had come from. But now it was all different. How I experienced life was completely new.

I still have depression. I no longer identify myself as “a depressed person.” I am a spirit who deals with depression systems. I take medication and I have a helpful therapist. Each day I have good moments. I reconnect with the Gods on a daily basis. Even as I write this, my altar gleams with a glowing candle.

The Gods gave me a gift of self-love. I want to show you the way to it. I can’t walk this path for you, but I can show you my own path and walk side by side with you on yours.

Here is a chant you can recite to yourself when you’re hurting:

By the Sun and by the Moon,   

Let the Gods’ light be my boon.  

 

Shining deep and shining far, 

May I be healed by every star.

 

I saw it then, I see it now,

Darkness be gone right here, right now!

 

You can use this short chant whenever you are feeling low. For example you can use this chant during meditation, lighting a candle or as a prelude to a meditation.

As always, let me know your experiences using this chant by using the comments box below. I would love to hear them.

Blessed Be,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Moonwater SilverClaw Logo

Autumn Harvest

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves

Merry Meet.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The trees change into their autumn colors, readying for their long winter slumber. We take this moment to reflect on our lives, looking at what we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come.

If last Fall someone would have told me, “You will be a blogger,” I would have laughed. Yeah right, a dyslexic blogger.

Well, I feel called to write this blog. And thank you for reading it.

Looking at this season and the blessings I have, I’ll share what I am harvesting now.

First, I appreciate my readers, without whom I’d have no reason for this blog to continue. I wish to serve my community and you’re helping me do it. Thank you.

I also wish to educate those who don’t understand what the craft is about. Some people may not yet identify themselves as pagan, but they’d like more information. I wish to be as open as I can to those who truly wish to learn.

Second, I am thankful for my editors, who guide me to improve my writing. I am now harvesting my editors’ kindness and patience. So thank you.

These are just a few of the things residing in my cornucopia this year. What’s in yours? What things are you harvesting right now?


Book Update

My book, The Hidden Children of the Goddess, is coming along nicely. The book has been “ping-ponging” between my editors and me.

The book is now in round three of the editing process. Soon my editor will return my manuscript with her notes. Then I’ll continue to refine it. This book writing road has been a lot longer than I had expected. I’m hoping the end product of my labors will be sweet for my readers.

It’s important to me to serve those beginning the path of Wicca. I am hoping that my book educates and inspires those who seek the Path.

Blessed Be,

Moonwater SilverClaw

The Wiccan Altar

An Example of a Wiccan Altar

An Example of a Wiccan Altar

When I first started to learn from my mentor, it took me forever to remember where everything went on my altar. I would feel self-conscious about making mistakes. My mentor smiled and simply moved the item I had misplaced to where it should reside on the altar. So don’t beat yourself up if you need to use this picture for a while.

There are about just as many ways to set up an altar as there are people. Each person or group may have a certain way of doing an altar setup. Here’s an example of a Wiccan altar. Let’s start with the right side of the Altar.

  • As you can see at the top right is the “Cakes/Bread” You can use bread, cupcakes, cookies or a power bar for that matter. It should contain carbohydrates to nourish the body to replenish the energy you used during ritual.
  • Below that you can see the “Censer & Incense“. This incense burner has cone incense inside it. However, you can burn any kind of incense in this burner. Remember that incense, when burned, represents air on your altar.
  • You can see the “Taper (a long wick),” which is used to help light the candles. You light everything from the working candle. You can use the Taper to transfer the flame to another candle to light it.
  • To the right is the “Lighter” which is used to light the working candle.
  • Below that is the “Bell/Chime” that you use for ringing, when appropriate.
  • Continuing around in a clockwise direction is the “Pentacle”. You use the pentacle to help you focus your attention on your goal.
  • To the left of the pentacle is the “Athame” used to cast circle and to direct power.
  • Above the athame is the “Water in Bowl.” Water is one of the four elements and is used with the salt to make your holy water.
  • Continuing around we have the “Salt in Dish“. Representing Earth, Salt is put into the water.
  • Above the salt is the “Wine Filled Cup”. The cup as you remember is a female symbol and holds the wine/juice to be blessed.
  • Above this are the “Offering Dishes.”
  • Next you see in the middle the “Goddess Candle” and the “God Candle,” which are used to represent the deities.
  • Between the God and Goddess candles, find the “Working Candle,” which you use to light everything else during ritual. The Working Candle represents fire on your altar.
  • And flowers are always a nice touch for nature and the goddess.

We will discuss more on how to use an altar later. Have a great week!

Blessed Be,

Moonwater SilverClaw

Offerings

Leaf Offering

Leaf Offering

Offerings

Why do we give “offerings” to our Gods and what is an offering. When we ask the Gods for their help, and we receive it, we offer them thanks through offerings; so an offering is our way of saying thank you for the Gods’ help.

Now what is an offering? Offerings are things we sacrifice up to the Gods in thanks for their help.

Offerings can be things like:

I find the more I say “thank you” with an offering, the Gods really appreciate the gesture, after giving an offering, good luck often finds me. I have even made offerings just to show them how appreciative I am of all they do for me. Just because.

So how do I make the offering? Take (for example) a candle and state the name of the deity and why you are offering up the candle to him/her.

Here is an example of what you can say:

Squat, I thank you for the parking spot you gave me! I honor you with this candle.”

Then light the candle making sure to burn it all the way down.

This also helps us create a stronger bond with our Gods.

Offerings, Gratitude and Good News

Many of you have noticed the donation button on the sidebar of the blog. This button is there to help me keep this blog the Hidden Children of the Goddess going. It pays for helping keep the ads off the blog and maintenance fees, and recover registration fees.

Offerings, donations and gifts are an uplifting way to participate in life and in our community. Well, good news has come. Arthur has donated funds so we will be free of ads for one whole year. So I put out a big thank you to Arthur! I know a number of people who feel good when they are kind and helpful to another person or cause outside themselves. Helping others by being of service is why I blog. I am grateful to Arthur for his wonderful donation to help us and to help me continue my service.

Wondering how to donate to this blog? All you have to do is click the donate button on the sidebar and you can enter in any amount you like. It’s that simple, and it really helps the site.

Again, thank you Arthur!

Blessed Be,

Moonwater Silverclaw