Growth Beyond Dreams

I am happy to announce that in 19 months I have had over 10,000 page views. This month saw another benchmark, with an all time high of 95 page views in a day. I have an audience in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, this something I never anticipated. When I began my blog it was born out of a need born in therapy. I realized that I felt I had no voice and needed to Give Voice to my thoughts and feelings.The URL for my blog reinforces this; Audiam Vocem literally means to verbalize, or speak out loud, i.e. Give Voice.

In the intervening 19 months I have encountered and virtually befriended many great people. Words alone cannot express the gratitude and appreciation I have for you all and the continued support you show for me and my path. So with as much heart and LOVE as I can express in this imperfect medium, Thank You. I look to the future with renewed vigor and optimism. This is a gift I can never fully repay, I shall be forever in your debt.

Many Blessings.
Keep up the Great  Work.
By the Powers Within and Without.
Pax, Amor, Lux.
So Mote It Be.

Open Source Lesson #3

Let me start by apologizing for the lateness of this lesson, I have been busy frolicking in the fullness of Mother Nature's Bosom. Now, let's get on to the lessons for this installment. I will be introducing three new ideas, well practices actually, that will prove to be very useful to any path one may choose.

Breath Control

Before we begin, play this video from MC Yogi, it will prepare for what is to come.

So let's talk about Breath Control. In the Hindu world this known as Pranayama; look it up on Google, there are many great resources out there. I recommend this article at Yoga Journal for a brief introduction, read it here. Dr. Israel Regardie recommends that one practice breath control after reaching a state of relaxation using the methods we discussed in the previous lessons; specifically awareness and body awareness. There are as many methods as there are traditions and teachers within those traditions. Many people find the four fold breath the easiest to master at first. The concept is simple:

Inhale to a count of four. Hold for a count of four.

Exhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of four. Repeat.

That's it. This technique will help you to quite your mind and develop focus, both of which are essential to achieving results from your work. I also like the Magickal Breath as described by Donald Michael Krieg. The method I use most I first came across reading a biography of the mathematician Kurt Gödel, his technique was simply to lie on one's back (corpse pose or shavasana) and inhale slowly and deeply, then exhale slowly and deeply. This will allow you to relax completely and frees your mind to focus completely. Raven Kaldera wrote this about breath and it's use in the Northern Tradition Shamanism he advocates. Breath Control is essential to and the foundation of all ritual work. It is the breath that opens the way, the element Air, the power to know. Find the technique that works best for you and practice everyday.

 Ritual Space

Up until now I have mostly talked about relaxation techniques , a little ritual, and some theory, but no discussion of the tools of the trade. There are many theories about this, but every school of thought agrees on one thing; an altar. How one goes about constructing that altar is as varied as the crafter. As proof I offer up one my favorite tumblr sites, Fuck Yeah Altars. I personally think of altar space more like a workbench for my Reality Engineering Experiments, but more on that at a later date (I promise.) For now have a gander at my space:

So for starters lets build a shrine to be developed into an altar space. The difference between an altar and a shrine is intention. Shrines are usually devoted to an aspect of the divine, such as, the Divine Feminine, or the Divine Masculine, or Universal Love. Conversely an altar can be devoted to one aspect alone or multiple aspect like those mentioned above or to a seasonal celebration, or Physical or Metaphysical Forces. Rather than duplicate the good work done by others, I will simply refer to these two links on E-How, everything you need to know is there. How to Create a Personal Shrine and How to Make a Shrine. There you go easy peasy.

Godforms and Archetypes

Since the idea of shrines has been introduced, now seems to be a good time to discuss concepts of divinity. When this subject comes up, I am reminded of the lyrics of an old Love and Rockets song, that goes something like this;

Live the life you love, Use a God you trust, 

and don't take it all too seriously

That sums it all up for me. Find a Godform or Archetypal Figure that dovetails with your personal philosophy and path-work.There are so many to choose from that I will only recommend two books that may help you make a choice. The Witches God and The Witches Goddess by Janet and Stewart Farrar, read them both. Also read up on Jungian Archetypes, this will help on your way. I really don't want to influence your decisions too much so I will encourage to develop your own relationship with the divine. That being said I will share my vision of the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine with you. My vision of the Feminine Divine I call Owl Woman and the Masculine Divine I call Señor Jackalope. If you want to know more about how I use these forms message me. Beyond this I will leave you to your own devices, after all you did not choose this path to follow some other person's vision.

That wraps up this installment of Open Source Magick. Keep up your daily practice and build a shrine, or if you are ambitious build an altar. If you have any questions comment below or contact me on Facebook. Keep up the Great Work! So Mote it Be.

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

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......

Iacchus Global Rite

Iacchus was one of the first deities to whom I found myself being a dedicant . I have kind of fallen out of practice over the years but I will participate in the Global Rite on February 14th, 2014. You find out more at this website: http://dionysosrite.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/the-first-annual-global-dionysos-rite-february-2nd-2014/

Hillbilly Hoodoo and Other Magical Meanderings

There are many currents crossing and composting in my psycho-spiritual world currently. Many fine readings over at the Autonomous Individuals Network. This is what one branch of TOPY has evolved into, which has become reborn  under Genesis P-Orridge's care into the One True Topi Tribe. Ultraculture also has much fine cerebral stimulants for the discerning psychonaut. I am glad to see that Chaos is alive and thriving.

In a more traditional vein I offer up the following, ConjureMan Ali's book on St Cyprian. This saint is probably the absolute best of the Mighty Dead to work with in American Hoodoo. If you want some really deep Pomba Gira, Santeria, Palo style education, check out Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold's blog The Starry Cave. 

If you want all out freaky check out Labanna Babalon; you'll thank me in the morning.

Or this wonderfully surreal bit from MGMT:

The world is spinning out of control and beautiful visions are filling my dreamspace. My shamanic starship is set to full tilt and I don't plan on touching down anytime soon. I will soon be be presenting a lengthy and scholarly post about the benefits of being a Solitary Witch in the Occidental Esoteric Tradition, wherein i will profess my undying love of all things from the Crispy Fringe. Stay tuned my dear lovelies, IT just keeps getting weirder and wilder. Pax, Amor, Lux.

Season of the Hunt

The Nights are cooler and the leaves are turning and falling to the ground, the season has changed. In this time of the year many turn to thoughts of the holidays with all the attendant ritual that their traditions require. There is another ritual enacted at this time of the year that seems to get ignored or vilified far too often, I speak of The Hunt. The Hunt and the Huntsman are such an integral part of humanity and it's myths, that one need not hunt for very long to find tales of The Hunt. A simple Google search will render much useful information, but I want to talk of the hunt from a ritual perspective and explain the profound power and responsibility of being a huntsman. Come into the woods with me.

Look at the image above, do you feel like getting lost there? Probably not, it would not take long for something to take notice of you, something that could eat you. One of the first thing the Hunter knows is that everything is Hunter and Hunted. The real challenge would be finding woods like these, not many left in the world. These are old growth forests, primeval and untamed, now a days mostly isolated and clinging to survival . Enter the Huntsman, a common theme in huntsman myths, is the idea of the huntsman being the barrier between order and chaos, the Forest and civilization. He was understood to be a guardian figure who both protected civilization from the beasts in the woods, but also protected the forest from the ravages of civilization. There is a sacred trust which must be fulfilled by the huntsman, One may take what one needs to survive from the land, but one must return something to the land. Protecting the land from wanton destruction was and still should be viewed as a sacred act.The reason is simple, our home is disappearing.

 

 This map from the USDA Forestry Service pretty much sums up how bad the situation has become. The Hunt is a sacred bond that ties the Hunter to the land and if the Hunter does not protect the land, there will be no Hunt. No rites of passage in the woods on a late Autumn afternoon. As the wild world slips away, something vital and important fades inside of humanity. Fight for the forests, fight for the Hunt, fight for our future. As long as there is wildness in me I will fight for the forest and all who live there, if you want to help follow the links below. You cannot become one with the Primeval Earth if there are no vestiges of it left. Do your sacred duty answer the Call of the Wild.

http://www.oldgrowthforest.net/

http://www.fseee.org/index.php/stay-informed/projects/1002599

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Hunt

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/huntsman.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hunting_deities

The Syncretic Artistry of Johfra Bosschart

Detail from Pillar by Johfra Bosschart

I have discovered a new occult artist, Johfra Bosschart, whose artwork is visually stunning and one of the best examples of Syncretism in a visual medium I have ever seen. Franciscus Johannes Gijsbertus van den Berg, was born December 15, 1919. At the age of 14 he begins a course in still life drawing at the Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague. He had his first exhibition in 1943, and in 1945 bombing during WWII destroys his home and most of his work. Undaunted he sees this as a "Great Liberation" that frees him to move forward without failures and shortcomings of his earlier work haunting him. In 1945 he changes his name to JOHFRA; FRA from FRAncisus, and JOH from JOHannes but in reverse order.  In 1946 he begins a friendship with a surrealist painter named Diana Vandenberg, they marry in 1952. They both join the Rosicrucians in 1953. In 1962 he leaves Diana and the Rosicrucians. In 1973 he begins the Zodiac series which is by far his most famous work. Some examples are here:

Sagittarus by Johfra Bosschart


Libra by Johfra Bosschart


Taurus by Johfra Bosschart

There many more fine examples of his work, I find the density and layers of meaning illustrated in his paintings awe-inspiring. I feel as if my personal belief path has been illustrated, by an Dutch Artist while I was but a child. This discovery is most serendipitous, and is a treasure beyond words. I shall spend many hours using Johfra art as a meditative aid and spiritual guidebook. Even though you passed on to the otherworld in 1998, I am still thankful for your gift.


The Vision of Hermes Trismegistus by Johfra Bosschart 

The Work Continues

My further air workings have led me into the Pyramid of Air. Clarity, Inspiration, Joy, and Wisdom, have become my tools, new sub-elementals have revealed themselves to me and soon I will post pictures of them. a wand is also in the making and will be consecrated soon, I  lost all my tools years ago to an evil landlord. Dismayed I went forth without self made tools for nearly ten years now. So I reacquaint myself with the elements and make new tools.

I am an avid collector of rocks, bones and feathers, if you have a need let me know. If you have items to share let me know. Looking for skeleton keys and would appreciate any leads.

Lastly, my new linguistic venture is under way,and soon I will be back in school. Going to keep going until I can teach college classes. Now to decide, Philosophy or Cultural Anthropology? Time to consult the oracles.

LOVE, Racism, And Media Manipulation

I'm not sure where to start really, but I will say that the situation is not as hopeless as it seems. Let me say a few things about Trayvon Martin, I hope to offer a perspective that few others have. T Thorn Coyle in her article, Confronting Racism is Spiritual Work, makes a great argument for considering this incident from a spiritual perspective. Her argument is not that we should turn this over to the Divine in hopes of a solution from on high, but rather we should solve the problem of racism as a matter of respect for the Creator. God Herself is watching to see how we handle this and many others matters on this planet. You see the way we treat creation is a reflection of our spiritual values. The reason so many people in modern society have disdain for the institutions of faith is that so many of them have violated the position of trust with which they have been vested. When people of Good Faith, regardless of tradition, begin to work together for the good of all, there will be no problem that cannot be healed by them. 

Let me get back to the Trayvon Martin tragedy for a moment, why is this important? On one level it matters because of the subtext of race and suspicion in America, for instance many Americans of European Heritage (I refuse to use "white" as it is an artifice)  have just learned about "the talk". As a punk rock son of of a baby boomer, I was given a similar talk in my teen years, although mine was a lot more about my choices and how they would be perceived rather than about how I would be perceived because of my skin color. The more disturbing aspect of this story, in my opinion, is the way the media chose to manipulate all of us with this tragedy. One of the main reasons it made the national headlines was because it involved racial tension, and nothing distracts people from the facts more than emotion. Reread that sentence. Yes I really believe that the national media in this country emotionally manipulates all of us away from the truth and exploits the weak spots in our national character. We as a nation keeping avoiding "the talk" about racial justice, inequality, and the nature of love.

Love? Yes, that thorny four letter word that Visionaries like Jesus, John Lennon, Mother Jones, and Ira Sendler use so eloquently. The reason that I bring up love is that I believe it is the only thing that will cure this illness. I'm talking about love as a real world skill that must be practiced in order to realize its full expression. If one does not practice what Erich Fromm calls "an act of will", one loses a sense of connectivity to others and fails to find fulfillment. The most successful way to develop trust and strengthen ties with others is communication. Only love can open one up to have the soul searching conversation this illness demands. It must start with people of European descent. We must give up the vestiges of privilege that the artifice of "whiteness" conveys. We must love our fellow humans enough to stop the injustices committed by the cultural imperialism of ages long past. We must accept that we can affect change only within ourselves and that there are many voices in this conversation. We must take responsibility for our wrongs, either by listening or educating. We must be willing to stand with our brothers and sisters against injustice. Love will guide us all towards these goals. Love can no longer be a platitude we give lip service in the houses of the holy, it must become a rally point for action.

This is why the media will continue to highlight these cases and ignore gun violence in general. When speaking of teen deaths alone the numbers are far too high, but when you start looking at all gun related deaths it is simply tragic. Why is it that every media outlet in the country was all over the Martin/Zimmerman case but only the Huffington Post  has carried the story of Temar Boggs on a national level? Because of our susceptibility. Yes, that's right, as long as we continue to let the media manipulate us through our fears, prejudices, and  lack of compassion, they will continue to do so.I have seen internet memes that ask what if Mr. Zimmerman offered Mr. Martin a ride home that night, would the outcome have been different? I don't know, but if Mr. Zimmerman had just once broke down and cried over the fact that he killed another human being, regardless of race and age, maybe we would be having a very different conversation.

I believe, and this only my opinion, that the utter lack of compassion shown by Mr. Zimmerman is why so many can not accept the verdict. The jury did what they believed to be right under Florida law, which is the real miscarriage of justice. The Stand Your Ground Law (SYGL) is not about love or compassion. It is sad that our society has gotten to a place where we are legally sanctioning murder, and members of our nation applaud it. This is on American soil and has nothing to do with drones. We as a society have begun to say that life is so insignificant that if you feel sufficiently threatened by someone you can kill them.That was Marissa Alexanders mistake, she did not kill her husband, so the state of Florida punished her for respecting life. Yes it is that simple, and no I am not being dramatic. The facts are there.

Back to love. Here we are in a nation that claims to build its laws and ethics on a Christian foundation. I am not strictly christian nor am I anti christian, many great things, such as the abolitionist movement, for example, were accomplished by christians throughout time, as were horrors. So I maintain a fairly neutral stance on christianity. That being said, one of the basic tenets of the christian faith is respect for life, right there in Exodus 20:13 "Thou shall not Kill". Then Jesus commanded his followers to love one another as they loved themselves. So why do we as a nation have laws sanctioning murder? Fear of love. Love erases boundaries, class distinctions, and bonds us together as humans. With love we get to actually appreciate one another as individuals rather than a race, an age, a social class, or any division our minds can devise. There is no longer a need for hierarchy based on artifice. Will some lose their privilege? I guess, if you call coercion reinforced by violence a privilege. That is what racism is, the erroneous belief that by accident of birth one has the right to devalue another life and to build institutions of power to reinforce this so called right.

In the spirit of George Carlin, I will call this what it is: HORSE SHIT. Most of the time I do not condone vulgarity when trying to make a reasoned argument, especially about love, but sometimes the truth can not be expressed in any other way.When we are brave enough to love in a manner that allows us to be vulnerable, to be empathetic, open to other perspectives, perhaps we will heal not only our wounds but others wounds as well. When we can honestly in perfect love and perfect trust enter into each others houses, with a willingness to help and to learn, then we will grow the flower of love. Goddess bless you all.

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.