Seeds of Possibility

Black Moon 23, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Seeds. Genesis in a capsule. A seed contains everything to grow, bloom, and produce progeny. From humble beginnings, eh? Let it come to pass that this article will contains seeds with such power. That is my goal here to plant seeds, ideas, or memes, into as many fertile souls as I can. This is a working given to me, to set free into the world, whose full manifestation is beyond my imagination. Much in the same way as one cannot see a tree no matter how hard one stares at an acorn. But first let me tell you a story.

A Story of the Earth

Pom ov Possumbility, Copyright2014, Sasquatch Jones

I have been in the Earth. Deep into the Earth, die Unterwelt, at the roots of it all. I have been given gifts, seeds to share. Between meditations on death, Geist Arbeit, heart chakra openings, and a growing community of support, I have been blessed with a amazing gift. I present the Pomegranate of Possibility, infinitely filled with juicy kernels of wisdom, each containing a seed full of infinite possibility. From the fertile soil, which is the flesh of the Goddess herself, comes a gift from the Underworld, but be forewarned, once you eat of this fruit, you will never be the same.

I am tapping into roots. The first thing  to emerge from a seed  is the root. The roots provide sustenance to the emerging plant, that is how life begins, our roots sustain us. Working roots, whether vegetable or ancestral, always gives  sustenance to new work. I venerate the dead, as the song says, pray for the dead and the dead will pray for you. Some of them are personal, others are Elevated Ancestors, but all of them inform my work and provide me with sustenance, as all friends and allies do. As we pass through this Season of Earth, remember your roots, draw upon their strength.

Feast Upon Possibility

While tapping into my roots, I began remembering stories my Grandmother told me, and something started to stand out. When my Grandmother was a girl, most of the businesses in her hometown were owned by people who lived in her hometown. Think about it. A community supporting each other. That is what we are all seeking is it not? Most of us give far too much of our earnings to Corporations, large faceless and invested with far too much power. We have the power to change that and we are, every time you give your money to independent business people and artisans you are voting for a better world. Did I lose you?

Queen of the Crossroads, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Consider for a moment our consumer culture as it goes through its Annual Orgy of Excess. Every dollar spent at a major retailer, gives more power to the lobbies that the owners of those companies give donations. So your dollars end up exerting influence in the true political system. When you buy from Independent Business People you subvert this system. I am not naive enough to believe that this is all it takes to save the world, but it could be the beginning of an alternative economy. You never know what will grow from a seed, but if you plant enough, you will always bear fruit. So vote for a better world by supporting superior craftsmanship, independence, and the reality you wish to manifest.

Share the Love

If you don't know where to start check out some of my favorites from around the way.

HOUSE OF ORPHEUS
LONE STAR BOTANICALS
WOLF & GOAT
NATURAL MAGICK SHOP
TVEIR HRAFNAR
THREE CATS AND A BROOM
CAULDRON CRAFT ODDITIES

Underneath the Snow a Seed Grows

Every seed is also a Snowflake. You might be planting beans or okra, but how each seed manifests will depend upon the experiences it has. No two are the same. Again I am planting seeds and waiting for manifestation. The fruits of past plantings are harvested, and being enjoyed. Others are only beginning to bear fruit. Return to the Pomegranate of Possibility as often as you need, its inspiration is infinite. Plant your seeds, and dig into your roots, good things await you.

Heathen Brujo, Copyright 2013, Sasquatch Jones

Waters of Rebirth- An Open Source Magick

My latest adventures with the element of water have lead me to some of the most wonderful depths within myself. I have finally realized why no coven, group or lodge has ever been right for me, no matter how much I might like part of the system the whole thing never FELT right. That my friends has opened doors previously closed and revealed immense vistas for exploration. Until I understood how much the Great Work depends on Love, I was unable to progress. Love does not abuse, love is strong enough to pursue Joy Unabashed. Love will instruct the soul's path through the heart. Without this element passion is scorching but joyless, inspiration becomes mental masturbation, only coupled with love can the other elements rise towards manifestation.

I have decided to devise my own system and share the results here, however I invite you to join the journey. Starting May 1st, for no other reason than its my birth month, I will begin detailing a program for defining your own system.After that I will share my own projects between the first and fifteenth of each month and together we will form own Magicks, free from cultural baggage. An, Open Source Magick, if you will.

I recommend studying as much as possible, seek inspiration everywhere. I find my own inspiration in topics as diverse as Chaos Magick, Thelema, Voudon, Tantra, HooDoo, Traditional Witchcraft, Hedge-witchery, Shamanism, Pronoia, and the Church of the Subgenius. My teachers consist of Jung, RAW, Rob Brezsny, Lao Tzu, Peter Carroll, Allen Ginsberg, Mark Twain, and Santa Claus. If you want to do some pre-study, I recommend the following books:
1.Pronoia by Rob Brezsny
2.The One Year Manual by Dr. Israel Regardie
3.Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland
4.Undoing Yourself with Energized Meditation & Other Devices by Dr. Christopher S. Hyatt
5. The Magicians Companion  and The Magicians Reflection by Bill Whitcomb

These are in no particular order are not necessary, just extra credit if you will. I shall be posting the first installment soon, stay tuned. As always I shall keep you apprised of progress with the Elemental Workings.

"All for one and each man for himself." - The Black Adder

Catching Up

Sometimes life just takes off and one must do their best to stay in stride and still take time to stay in alignment. After spending so much time charging sigils and working elemental rites on top of my other various and sundry workings, banishings, bindings, lunar rites and so on, the seeds of my labor are bearing fruit. Firstly my Water Elemental Rites are revealing much, I had interesting experience with others on the internet, went through some intense dentistry recently, my spirit guides are nudging me onto new projects, and I have begun to a clearer picture of my new working model. So now, on with the show....

Water Workings

This spring has begun with more than its fair share of emotional tests. Definitely stand by my decision not to work the elements in the typical conjunction with the seasons, and also to start on cross-quarters rather than the traditional quarters. Everything seems to flow together into one confluence, hopefully I can ride this current without it turning into a flood. My elemental still eludes me, but I think I have felt its whiskers across my feet. The water will not be enough, I must get down into the mud. the psychic sludge that feeds all my avoidance issues. I am finding pranayama and mindfulness meditation to be particularly effective so far, but the final plunge has yet to be undertaken. Next stop, the murky bottom.

Ocelot

In the midst of some heavy soul searching concerning my worthiness to be a spiritual advisor, I had the following interactions with Ocelot over at The Serpent and The Foxglove. First I responded to this post. Go ahead and read it and my comment below. This went on to this mention in another post:

On the other hand, as Tao Jones so wisely said in his comment, "The glib response is to say, 't's all for a purpose' but I won't bullshit you with that stale Judeo Xtian surrender." Sometimes defeat is just that. It's not cleansing or making room. It's just failure. And that's what scares me - that it's time to sell the tack and the horse and just get back on the boat, and I'm just not accepting that. 

I must admit I felt somewhat honored to know that a few words to a stranger that seemed to be riddled with the same self doubt that I had recently experienced had made an impact. But Universe and Ocelot had more to teach me. That became apparent when I read this:

Better Pissed Off Than Pissed On, Or Why Tao Jones Is Right.

That is the title of Ocelot's latest post. I felt a lump in my throat. On one of the hardest days I've had in a while, when all the death, illness, self doubt and depression threatened to overwhelm me this post came like a lifesaver to a man about to drown. These words spoke straight to the center of my being:

 And I looked at Tao's comment again, him saying he believes in me, and thought, how? He doesn't really know me. But maybe he does. Maybe Tao is a little smarter about me than I am, right now. Maybe he's right, and the thing to do is dust off my sandals and keep moving toward where I'm really supposed to be.

I realized that I gave the advice I most needed to hear to someone else and in the process helped myself. I am a spiritual advisor even when I am not trying to be. This is in my blood. The water of my life.

Trance Zen Dental Omissions

I wish this was exciting as the title suggests, but it is not, sorry. I have lost three teeth and under gone the first of three root planing procedures, almost as gruesome as it seems. That is unless you are me and spent years neglecting oral hygiene and then the relief from pain is so great that any pain endured in the actual procedure is mitigated. I can taste food with more depth and pleasure. My breath has had its offensiveness cut in half. This is not really magical, its work, but then again so is magick. Where this has affected my magick is in the new found self confidence I have from reclaiming myself. I fell into the abyss and have lived to tell the tale, perhaps that is why the final plunge into the murky depths scares me, when I fell in, I nearly died. Hopefully this time I have prepared myself properly with just the right magical techne to get through.

Whispers in My Ear

During a recent self blessing ritual, working through my pranayama, I felt an itch in my ear. As I entered a trance state, I heard whispers. Through out my meditation, I heard whispers. All of them urging, nudging, suggesting. So after listening to these gentle hints in the breezes of spring, I have decided to rekindle my interests in the Hedge Witchery of Wales, and Celtic Hedge Witchery in general, coupled with deeper studies in the realms of hermetic-ism. These spirits that guide me are trusted allies and their gentle persuasions usually yield the sweetest fruits, so off I endeavor.I shall as always, keep you apprised of my progress.

Mane Novum

The Latin for New Dawn, and that's how I feel right now, as if I just awoke from a long winters nap and the vagaries of spring are in full bloom. All the fauns and satyrs are afoot. The earth opens. I seem to be formulating a model and plan to use as a template for healing. Those plans will start small and grow. For now I must concentrate on my pranayama and shamatha. New workings, new sorcery, more necromantic transmissions, and renewed outlook. The future looks bright indeed, right on the other side of the murky depths.

Spring Reading List

Here is my reading list for Spring, what are you reading?
1. Witchcraft Medicine by Dieter-Storl, Ebeling and Ratsch
2. Rereading Plants of the Gods by Schultes and Hoffman
3. Tubelos Green Fire by Shani Oates
4. Freedom is a Two Edged Sword  by Jack Parson
5. Still reading Triumph of the Moon  by Ronald Hutton

I am eagerly awaiting Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Can't wait to make some cunning worts from this book.

This Thing Called Witchcraft

It's a funny thing we do, this thing called witchcraft.Why would one choose such a path? What drives a person to turn their back on the "known" world and instead engage with "unknown"? Who is this strange soul walking the hedgerows, alone? Deep in the forest where only beasts and hunters roam?

I ruminate often on topics such as these, pondering why those such as Ourselves do this strange thing we call Magick, with a k to distinguish it from illusion. Then with all the audacity we can muster that ultimately everything is illusion and reality is largely a matter of consensus and opinion. I am of the opinion that I do concur withe consensus. I walk with others, the shadows, monsters, fairies, animals, and the desolate spaces. Like a "weed" I take root anywhere, but I prefer the quiet places where nature can sing to me her song.

I do not know or care if my path fits the design of other more Orthodox paths, but as Harold over at The Alchemist's Garden says;

Orthodoxy, shmorthodoxy. Like art, the bottom line is whether magic works. I can testify that using ordinary ink on paper does indeed work, and so can thousands of other magic workers in the course of history. I am sure you have had similar experiences in your magical practice. Sometimes the simplest magic that was never a part of any big huge impressive tradition is the most powerful, and sometimes the most orthodox magic that has the best and most props and cool ingredients and secret words is a huge flop. Partly that’s because of the skill of the practitioner, but partly it’s also a question of the spirits or the energy or the will of the gods or whatever we want to call it. Sometimes the universe works with us and sometimes it works against us.

That pretty much squares with my own experience as I briefly mention in my previous post.What matters most is whether or not you get results. Learning how to fine tune your work so that you yield the results you want is an entirely different affair. With practice you get better results, with work you produce results. Reread that, I use it as a mantra. If you want shortcuts, this not your path. If you want something for nothing, this is not your path. If you are expecting Hollywood style powers, this is not your path.

So we return to the essential question, why do we do this thing we do, this thing called witchcraft? Let's be honest it is fun. What other spiritual path invites you to have an inquisitive mind, does not condemn you for enjoying sex, and says that a walk in the woods is holy? The impulse to learn is encouraged although one must remember that experience is the best teacher and the whole of existence is constantly communicating a lesson. I have never fit in well with off the rack culture, the big box may be fine for some, but no matter how big it is still a box.I need open source culture; That Thing In The Desert, Witchcraft,online communities, wikileaks, Hackspaces, Makerzones, and I need a spirituality that embraces and encourages that state of mind. 

That I believe is why I do what I do......

Tradition, Lineage, and the Solitary Witch

In the wonderful world of spirituality there are many valid expressions of this thing called Witchcraft. Every tradition and lineage has a different take on what the term Witchcraft means, perhaps this is why it has such broad appeal. Whereas I will not disparage the beliefs of others, I do firmly believe that at heart every Witch is a Solitary. What I mean by that is despite tradition or lineage, no advancement on the path of Witchcraft can be made except by the individual.

The last sentence seems on the surface to be a very obvious statement, but there is not agreement on this subject. Many coven traditions are suspicious of the Witch who has never worked with others, and some magickal traditions cannot even be worked as a solitary. These would be traditions that rely heavily on the conferring of degrees and grades. Amongst these Gardnerian Witchcraft and the OTO are probably the best known. I will not pretend to have either the expertise or the patience to cover all such traditions but rather, I will talk briefly about Traditional Witchcraft, Wicca, the tendency to use credentials instead of "actuals" and delve briefly into my very biased preference for my own solitary path.

Traditional Witchcraft vs. Wicca

According to Wikipedia Wicca is : a modern pagan, witchcraft religion. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and it was introduced to the public in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant. It draws upon a diverse set of ancient pagan and 20th century hermetic motifs for its theological structure and ritual practice. The word witch derives from Middle English wicche, Old English wicce (/ˈwɪttʃe/) (feminine) "witch" and wicca (/ˈwɪttʃɑ/) (masculine) "wizzard".^{[1]
  
And Traditional Witchcraft is defined thus: a term used to refer to a variety of contemporary forms of witchcraft. According to British Traditional Witch Michael Howard, the term refers to "any non-Gardnerian, non-Alexandrian, non-Wiccan or pre-modern form of the Craft, especially if it has been inspired by historical forms of witchcraft and folk magic".[1] Another definition was offered by Daniel A. Schulke, the current Magister of the Cultus Sabbati, when he proclaimed that Traditional Witchcraft "refers to a coterie of initiatory lineages of ritual magic, spellcraft and devotional mysticism".[2]} 
  

^{My Solitary Ways}

<sup>Whereas, both Wicca and Traditional Witchcraft have initiatory lineages, there is also room for the solitary practitioner, who either does not have or want access to covens. I personally began with Wicca as espoused in Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft . As time went by, I found myself drawn more and more to writings of  Robert Cochrane, and Andrew Chumbley, and so my sojourn into Traditional Craft began. I believe this transition was facilitated by my studies of Celtic mythology and Anglo - Saxon Heathenism, and a budding interest in Chaos Magick. There simply were no Traditional Craft covens where I lived and definitely few to no Chaos Mages, so I worked alone.

After moving to Austin, Texas in the early 1990's I found a thriving Pagan community and began to associate with others of a like mind. Time after time I would be questioned about grades and degrees and eyed suspiciously when I confessed to solitary studies. This is when I also decided to stop declaring that I practiced Magick and instead began saying that I DID Magick, more raised eyebrows. Oddly enougt the folks that seemed most open to my independent spirit always belonged to either the OTO or the Temple of Set, this lead me to realize that I really was dubious of organizations that would have me as a member.

Over the years I have developed my own path out many varied and seemingly disparate schools of magick. My personal path consists of a combination of Anglo-Saxon Heathensim, Traditional Witchcraft, Chaos Magick, Medieval Germanic Santeria, Bon Shamanism, Tantra, Taoism, and Syncretic Philosophy. There is not a coven nor would I want one, that can support my diversity of spiritual exploration. I am a Mage and a Sage.</sup>

^{Hard Polytheism vs. Soft Polytheism}

^{Again I will refer to Wikipedia for a succinct though not complete comparison of Hard and Soft polytheism.}
"Hard" polytheism is the belief that gods are distinct, separate, real divine beings not psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces. Hard polytheists reject the idea that "all gods are one god." "Hard" polytheists do not necessarily consider the gods of all cultures as being equally real, a theological position formally known as integrational polytheism or omnitheism.
This is contrasted with "Soft" polytheism, which holds that gods may be aspects of only one god, psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces.
Soft Polytheism is prevalent in New Age and syncretic currents of Neopaganism, as are psychological interpretations of deities as archetypes of the human psyche. English occultist Dion Fortune was a major populiser of soft polytheism. In her novel, The Sea Priestess, she wrote, "All gods are one god, and all goddesses are one goddess, and there is one initiator."^[22] This phrase is very popular among some Neopagans (notably, Wiccans) and incorrectly often believed to be just a recent work of fiction. However, Fortune indeed quoted from an ancient source, the Latin novel The Golden Ass of Apuleius. Fortune's soft polytheist compromise between monotheism and polytheism has been described as "pantheism" (Greek: πάν pan 'all' and θεός theos 'god').^[who?] However, "Pantheism" has a longer history of usage to refer to a view of an all-encompassing immanent divine.

I find myself more in line with soft polytheist and am definitely syncretic in my belief thanks to my study of Jungian Archetypes. Most, although not all of the Traditional Craft people I have met over the years tend to have more of a hard polytheist stance. This is more pronounced amongst revivalist traditions like Asatru.

Credentials vs."Actuals"

I am not sure if this is always the case, but my experience has been one where those with degrees and grades, tend to be folks who can jump through the necessary hoops to attain their traditions acceptance but do not seem well versed in anything else. Let me clarify, magical and sorcerous technology covers a wide range of possibility, but often I have met individuals whose degrees and grades mean nothing more than blind obedience. This seems to me no different than mainstream religious thought.

Part of what drew me to  Witchcraft was its "outlaw" nature. Much like tattoos, the intervening years have seen a softening in society's stance towards witchcraft in general. This is due in part to many Wiccans fighting for the right to be free from persecution and recognized as a legitimate religious expression that deserves the same protection under the law as any other religion. Fine, but to my thinking this has also lead to a less potent form of witchcraft, which I call pop craft. Everyone has their own path, mine just happens to be antinomian, anti-authoritarian, and anti-hierarchical.

Actual Witchcraft, whether coven or solitary in its basis has always been, ecstatic, wild, and shamanistic. We confront the tame world of man and society, and instead find solace in Nature. We commune with the dead, cross the hedge into the land of the Fey, and speak with plants and animals. The memorization of rituals and dances are not as important, as healing a rash with comfrey, or sending a fetch to find something that has been lost. Group healing rituals to restore balance and peace to our overtaxed planet are great, but without an ability to also be able to affect change on the fly, I am dubious of one's claims of power. In fact, I am dubious of anyone's claims to power, if you are after power rather than empowerment, witchcraft is not the path for you.

There you have my rather nuanced and biased view of Wicca, Traditional Witchcraft and the Solitary Path. I welcome questions, comments, and criticisms, but have some sympathy and as always show some respect.

 

 

Hekatean Dynamics

    The Goddess Hekate, the goddess of crossroads, key bearer and torch bearer with hounds baying at her feet. Mistress of the shadow realms, Goddess of witch craft, and psycho-pomp, fairly impressive resume, wouldn't you say? There are other aspects as well, triple formed goddess of Earth, Sea. and Sky. The Creatrix of Light,The Light in the Darkness. In Greece she was known by many titles, Apotropaia (that turns away/protects)^[1],Chthonia (of the earth/underworld)[2],Enodia (on the way)^[3], Klêidouchos (holding the keys)^[4], Kourotrophos (nurse of children)^[4], Phosphoros (bringing or giving light)^[4], Propolos (who serves/attends)^[4], Propulaia/Propylaia (before the gate)^[5], Soteira (savior)^[6], Trimorphe (three-formed)[4], Triodia/Trioditis (who frequents crossroads)[4], and many others which have probably been forgotten to time. Some believe her to be of Thracian origin while others , such as William Berg believe she may have originated among the Carians of Anatolia. According to Berg Her name was even given to children, "Since children are not called after spooks, it is safe to assume that Carian theophoric names involving hekat- refer to a major deity free from the dark and unsavoury ties to the underworld and to witchcraft associated with the Hecate of classical Athens."^[7] 

    ^{Although Hekate has many aspects, and a rich and varied history, I would like primarily to discuss my personal relationship with her as Hekate Kleiduchos. Since I made a pact with Hekate, the details of which I cannot divulge, many things have happened all at once. First to come to my attention was this project, The Hekatean Prayer Book,   which aligns perfectly with where I am at in life and where I want to go. Then I get a call from a colleague, that opens a door to do some more of the kind of work I want to do. At this point I am not making money, but doors are opening and connections are being made, which what one would expect working with a key bearer. I continue to be amazed by how magickal my life has been in general, but especially lately. It's not just the business opportunities either, everywhere in every aspect the synchronicities are overwhelming. Hekate her self keeps popping up everywhere (true to the law of contagion) even for people who do not consider themselves devotees. I continue to get to know this energy that has been calling me since I first took an oath beneath the oaks on a full moon, some 30 years ago, in many ways both subtle and not so subtle. The crossroads have always been a mark of my magick and my art, as well as keys and torches, but until I acknowledged Hekate as progenitor of all this, everything was flat. Now through my personal relationship with her there is an intimacy and immediacy to my work that allows me to feel the flow. My work and my magick are one and the same, and they have become as natural as breathing.}

    <sup>Due to my increased understanding and confidence with magick in general and Hekatean magick specifically, I have decided to undertake a series of elemental workings. I will chronicle  my efforts and results here as a testimonial and a scientific record. The difference between screwing around and science is writing it down, at least according to a certain social media meme attributed to that guy from Myth Busters. So I will try to be as scientific as possible about a subject most esoteric. So stay tuned to the chronicles of the Hairy Wortcunner from Texas, it will be exciting y'all.

1. Alberta Mildred Franklin, The Lupercalia, Columbia University, 1921, p. 68.
2.Jon D. Mikalson, Athenian Popular Religion, UNC Press, 1987, p. 76.
3.Sarah Iles Johnston, Restless Dead: Encounters Between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece, University of California Press, 1999, pp. 208-209.
4.Liddell-Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon.
5. Sarah Iles Johnston, Restless Dead: Encounters Between the Living and the Dead in Ancient Greece, University of California Press, 1999, p. 207.
6. Sarah Iles Johnston, Hekate Soteira, Scholars Press, 1990.
7.Berg 1974, p. 129.</sup>      

Out of the Broom Closet

     This will not be  a shock to most of my close friends, and I suspect most of my family already knows, but I have never made a formal declaration. I am a Witch. There now I feel much better about myself and the world around me. I have been on a deep spiritual path, for last couple of years, and one of the tenets of my faith is to maintain integrity. As long as I did not openly own that fact that I consider myself a Witch, I started to feel as if I was living a lie. My reasons are many, but ultimately they were all rationalizations. Well the (black) cat is out of the bag now and I will have to live with the consequences of this declaration, whatever they may be.

      So, before this discussion goes much further let me address a few things; I am a Witch not a Wiccan. I am a Neo-Pagan in the truest since of those words in that I borrow from many different traditions. Chief amongst these are Christianity, Buddhism, Hoodoo, Heathenism, and Hedgewitchery; which is an indigenous European form of Shamanism. Now I know that some of this may confuse some of you, especially the Christian part, but I will do my best to explain it all to you.

     First, let's discuss the difference between religion and spiritual practice. A spiritual practice is any set of actions one undertakes to bring oneself closer to the Divine, whereas religion is a set of belief about how to approach the divine and what manifestation the divine will take. To state another way spiritual practice is self directed action, and religion is a program to align oneself with a particular reality tunnel. In my ongoing pursuit of the divine I have found the self directed path to be the most palatable for me. If you know me you already know how obstinate I can be about doing it my way (cue Frank.) However I also find the thrill of discovery to be a major impetus for my chosen path; that being said I also know Christians and Buddhists who experience the same joy. How can this be, you may ask, well lets dive into that shall we?

     Let me use myself as an example, not very scientific I know, but then again this not a theological paper. Witchcraft or as I prefer to call it Witchery is a label I attach to my set of spiritual practices. My spiritual practices however are designed to lead me to that numinous state of union with the ineffable divine known variously as, gnosis, ecstasy, or mysticism. But William, why not just choose one of those names instead? Why label yourself at all? Why label yourself a Witch? In the words of Ayn Rand, for the very reason it frightens you.Seriously though, I shall explain and hopefully you will understand.

     Historically, no I am not going to start a long discussion of the history of witchcraft that is a an article for another day. Now where was I , oh yes, historically the term witch has been applied to many types of oppressed peoples. In days not so long ago the easiest way to cast out your enemy, was to trump up charges of witchcraft. This was usually not hard if the person was odd in any sort of way; too intelligent, able to cure illness with herbs, had prophetic visions, or was born with a physical deformity. The outcasts, the queer, the freaks and geeks of their day. I consider myself one who is not as others, but strangely enough there are others like me. This the real reason I choose the label of Witch, to align myself with others who use similar techniques in their spiritual practices. a community of support is important no matter what you do. What are these spiritual practices, you may ask. Briefly I will do my best to describe them.

     Let me start by saying that if you really interested in the totality of spiritual practices email me at sasquatchjones@ymail.com or friend me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/tao.jones.716 . If you are a practitioner we can discuss techniques, if you are a mystic of a different tradition, i.e. Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Sufism, Hinduism, etc,, we can discuss similarities and differences in our paths, and if you are interested in starting on your own self directed path tell me why I should be your guru. That last part was a bit of a joke, if you want me to be your guru I will give a reading list, a swift kick in the rear and send you on the path of brainwashing yourself into thinking on your own. If you want to Convert me to your way of thinking don't bother I'm a hard top ( non-convertible.) So let me lay out my basic tenets for you; Be Here Now, Maintain Integrity, Go with the Flow, Pronoia, Stay on the Path on LOVE. Nature is my temple, Hedgewitchery is my technique, and LOVE is my religion. May you not stray from your path, keep up the Great Work. I Love You. Namaste.