All Greek to Me

For information on The Evil Eye and Greek Coffee Reading, check out Alexia Amvrazi's pages:

http://www.athensguide.com/journalists/articles/evileye.htm
http://www.athensguide.com/journalists/articles/coffee.htm

Gemstone Terminologies 1

Check this out (lovely pictures and info I haven't seen anywhere else).

http://www.bwsmigel.info/Lesson6/DE.Optical.Phenomena.html

'Time Off' for Religious Festivals

My workplace issues a calendar of religious festivals. It covers Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish holidays ('holy' days). I'd love to get my 'holy' days recognised on that calendar, yet I can't, for three reasons...

The first reason is fear of persecution. I am well aware that the 'head' of my 'firm' is a practising 'Christian', although there is an appearance of religious tolerance in the place: We have a Minister on call (though no nurse), we have a 'Prayer Room', which is mostly used by the Muslims in our working community, we have regular visits from Buddhists offering meditation classes ('suggested' donation £5 a time).

The second reason, though, is that I can't actually classify my true faith. As discussed in a previous thread, I can't apply the words 'Wiccan' or 'Pagan' to myself. I am a witch, albeit a suburban one. It is acceptable now to put 'Jedi' on forms under the category 'Faith', but 'Witchcraft' isn't going to get by without considerable comment, and possible loss of employment, since I work with minors and 'witch' is still mistakenly read as 'satanist' or 'paedophile' by many people, including most (non-wytchy) employers.

The third reason, though, and the main reason why I don't fight the system, is that my holy days aren't officially recognised. I have known a Catholic colleague fight to get her extra holy days recognised, but if I declared my true faith, I might stand to lose all those nice extra holidays like 'Christmas' that I now get by default. Bummer, eh ?

Mind you, many of the Christian holy days do coincide with wytchy ones, as do some bank holidays etc., so really am I just being pedantic when things like this occur to me ?

For the record, there's also an appearance of social difference and gender tolerance here too, but I don't expect I'd get 'Poly Day' off work either...

The Power of Words

On the topic of what we call ourselves, try this article out for size:

http://www.twpt.com/ohmy.htm

Am I either 'Neo' or 'Pagan' ?

Having read an article at A Pagan Soujourn I am beginning to wonder about both of those terms. I haven't ever really considered myself 'Neo', as what I am interested in, what I do and what I worship don't any of them have much to do with what's 'new', but rather (I believe, anyway) with what is very old indeed. In the light of the article on this other blog, though, I can't profess to be 'Pagan' either, it seems. I don't live "on, with and from the land". I would die if I was left to do that, though perhaps not as quickly as some might.

A modern lifestyle is severely at odds with my beliefs and my wishes for the world, but I do have to ask myself sometimes if I am being 'real' about my Faith ? Can I be, when I am a suburbanite living in a deeply industrialised and power-source dependent country ? It's one of the big issues for me. Yet I don't want to give up my comfortable, dry home with it's clean, piped water, flushing toilet and central heating.

I increasingly cast sidelong glances at the ideas of political activism and eco-friendly living and environmentalism and wonder if I should get more involved. Yet the reality is I don't even like or enjoy gardening.

It's a challenge for me to 'walk the walk' as well as to 'talk the talk'. I try, though. I recycle, I try to control my consumerism, I am aware of my surroundings and of Nature and try to stay attuned to the world, I protest attempts to steal away greenbelt land, I vote for people I think share my concerns and who might be able to hold power long enough to do something more than I can do as one person standing alone. Is it enough ? Honestly, probably not. But it's better than doing nothing.

Browsing Other Blogs

I've been taking a look around to see what others are doing pagan-wise, and have found some nice places and some useful places. It fascinates me how many varieties of pagan / wiccan / witch /shaman etc. there are ! The best will eventually find their way into my links list.

Sex Magick

Yeah, I know...

Anyways, about this sex magick thing...

I have a hang up about having sex with a relative stranger, even if he claims he's an incarnation of my God at the time he's laying it on me. Purely and simply I'm not going there. If the God wants or needs sex with me he can have a word with my boyfriend and they can come to some arrangement about possessing him for a while.


People who might have glanced at my other site, 'Gender Irrelevant' will realise that this isn't about me being a prude. Sex is good. I like sex. What it is about is me being true to myself (and my love and respect for my partner).

For a start, I am an abuse survivor. For me, that adds extra emotional weight to having sex. Because of that history I flatly refuse to have sex without emotions being involved. 'Casual' sex is not something I indulge in. (I have in the past, but we make mistakes so that we can learn by them, and I try to be a good student).

Secondly, my partner isn't pagan or witchy or wiccan and I won't impose my religion's requirements on his emotional self. And I don't cheat, not even with 'deities'.

Thirdly, I feel sex magick is too open to abuse. Done well it is a marvellous thing, I have no doubt, but realistically there are very few people with the moral fortitude not to exploit and corrupt the Great Rite for their own ends. People are human, even the 'clergy' of my own religion. Plus, by the way, I don't do 'clergy' in Magick. Magick is about a direct line to the Almighty, no intercession required, thanks.

Finally, there's enough people going at it like rabbits, any given moment of the day or night, without the universe needing my sex magick energies to help it function.


I really do look askance at anyone who might say sex magick is a requirement for worshipping in their coven / tradition etc. It has it's place, but it's place isn't me, sorry and all. Just wanted to get that off my chest, having been browsing a few witchy websites today.

What makes a Tradition (1) ?

I've been surfing today on the topic of Traditions. It's one of my hobby horses. One of my big questions is what makes a Tradition ?

I do belong to a Tradition, and it is 'traditional' - ie it has a traceable history and origin and has been practised for a number of years by a number of people and those people have a consensus on what they should be and are doing. How long is long enough for something to be considered a Tradition, though ?

One of the sites I visited claims an eighteen year old history. Is that long enough ? It doesn't feel or sound long enough to me (not knocking them, though). Yet Traditions have to start somewhere... ? And what is the relationship between something 'traditional' and what we call a 'superstition' ? And how does 'superstition' relate to Magick ?


Here's what my current dictionary (Longman Active Study Dictionary, 2005) says:

"Tradition - a custom, belief, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time"
"Superstition - a belief that some objects or actions are lucky or unlucky"

(It doesn't have a definition for Magick (with a 'k').


I don't have the answers. If I did, I wouldn't be posting about this topic. The reason Tradition bugs me is because there are so many socio-political wranglings that go on about it amongst the pagan / wiccan / witchy communities, and people are so inclined to slag off each other's 'Traditions'.


I believe that many in my Tradition would pooh-pooh a significant amount of the material put out by the younger 'tradition' I mentioned earlier and be quite critical (even scornful) of the general 'tone' of that 'tradition'. I don't actually hold with that sort of behaviour, even if I might agree with the idea that my Tradition somehow has the right of it.

The reason people might have for doing that, though, is probably that they feel somehow other people claiming the badge of a 'Tradition' de-values their own system of beliefs. In a way it's a function of the 'My god is better than yours' atttude which prevails between the other major religions of this world.

How I talk to my Higher Being(s) is not anyone else's business, and that it works for me is good enough, and the same goes for you as far as I am concerned. So I won't point and laugh at you and yours, and I won't let you point and laugh at me and mine either.

But there's still that word out there... 'Tradition'.

Wytchy Resources

If you happen to be in York, drop into Odds Bodkins !

This is a lovely shop, small but crammed with many delights for the wytch, wiccan or pagan to explore. Located at Bootham Tower, adjacent to the art gallery and the drop off / pick up point for coaches visiting the city, the building which houses the shop is of historical interest, and the proprietors run talks about the history of the place as well as selling some fabulous bits and bobs.


If you happen to be in Manchester, drop into Crystal Carols, in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Carol stocks the most exquisite crystals you're likely to come across, all at very reasonable prices, whether you want just a small tumblestone or a pair of large cathedrals. Carol herself is a very nice lady, a trained crystal healer and Reiki practitioner. Her crystals are ethically sourced by her, in person, from all around the world. The retail shop is on George Street in Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester. (Carol also sells wholesale for those of you with empty store rooms and a few quid spare !).