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Venus writes: I am inspired to write about handfastings because I want more than anything to ‘tie the knot’ with my boyfriend of seven years. For him, I am grateful to the Goddess and God. (I love you Daniel ~ Venus)

History of Handfasting



Handfasting at one time was the only way that couples could be engaged and/or get married because the church let the civil government of the period handle these matters. The very word handfasting got it's origin in the wedding custom of tying the bride and groom's hands (actually, wrists) together. In some versions, this is only done for as long as the ceremony lasts, but in others, the cord is not untied until the marriage is physically consummated. Handfasting is the marriage rite used toady by many Pagans and Wiccans.





The term itself comes from the custom of shaking hands over a contract. It is a custom steeped in old tradition. In most Pagan traditions today it may mean a non-state registered wedding or one in which a marriage license is filed. For some it is a year and a day, renewable "so long as love shall last" and for others a commitment to be together through many lives.







There are probably as many different rituals for this as there are pagan traditions. The hands are generally bound with a cord as part of the ritual, hence the saying “tying the knot.” One custom is that while facing each other, the couple placed their right hands together and then their left hands together to form an infinity symbol while a cord is tied around their hands in a knot. Another custom is that the man and woman place their right hands only together while a cord is used to tie a knot around their wrists.



If a handfasting was performed with the two left hands together, without the tying of the knot, as was the custom of rich and influential German nobility, it meant that the woman was a mistress and would not be able to claim the name, inheritance, property, etc. of the real wife and was only in the protection of the man.



Her offspring would be taken care of as legal heirs second in line to the man's legal and first wife. Having lots of children was once the only form of "Social Security" in one's old age. The previous combinations were all considered legal and binding in an engagement or marriage except for the “left hand ritual.”

Two-handed handfasting still constituted a fully legal marriage throughout Europe whether the blessing of the church was sought or not. Clergymen, of course, recommended that newlyweds attend church as soon as possible after the signing of the contract and the handfasting.





Marriage is now one of the Seven Sacraments that had been ignored by the church for centuries. Only the very wealthy and affluent could afford church marriages. Handfastings were under the jurisdiction of common law rather than canon law. In the 16th century in Switzerland, if couples were seen in public drinking together they could be considered married.



Modern Day Handfastings



In this age of quickie marriage and instantaneous divorce, the ancient tradition of handfasting makes more sense than ever. Handfasting is a binding commitment between two loving persons that requires no bureaucratic licensing and no lawyers to undo. Death cannot end a handfasted union; there is no 'til death do us part' in the ceremony.



There are two basic types of handfasting: the first to signify a betrothal, traditionally for 'a year and a day'. If all goes well, and after the year-and-a-day the two intended lovers are still up for it, a second handfasting binds the two forever --heart, mind, body and spirit-- for as long as love remains. The only thing that can undo a handfasting is a lack of love.



The handfasting ceremony usually takes place outdoors, in as natural a setting as can be found. Usually, the handfasting ceremony is presided over by an elder of whatever spiritual group the betrothed belong. Sometimes the couple chooses to do their own private ceremony. So long as their intent is correct and love is true, there really is no 'wrong' way to perform a handfasting.





Some basic elements are typical; words and gestures are offered, acknowledging reverence for nature and the elements. Ancient ancestors are invited and kindly spirits invoked. The betrothed gaze lovingly and deeply into one another's eyes and whisper promises to each other as the elder gently binds their wrists together with a cord. This is the actual 'fasting', the cord signifying love and knots indicating the tender bondage of their mutual commitment.



After the ceremony, the newlywed couple may jump over a broom, leaping together into their new life as one. Traditional 'cakes and ale' or other delicious treats are shared afterward and guests are encouraged to dance and cavort well into the night.



There are many articles on the web regarding handfasting rituals and ceremonies but it is worth mentioning here that you can write your own ritual and create your own ceremony according to your desires and customs. Handfastings may include: circle casting, use of an altar, invocation of the goddess and god, vows, out-of-doors ceremony, presence of a priestess and priest, use of fire, flowers, and consecration of rings.



I leave with this native prose:



Cherokee Wedding Prayer



Father Sky please protect the ones we love. We honor all you have created as we pledge our hearts and lives together. We honor Mother Earth - and ask for our marriage to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons We honor fire - and ask that our union be warm and glowing with love in our hearts We honour wind - and ask we sail though life safe and calm as in our father's arms We honour water - to clean and soothe our relationship - that it may never thirst for love



With all the forces of the universe you created, we pray for harmony and true happiness as we forever grow young together.

“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble…”



The cauldron is an ancient vessel of cooking, full of magical tradition and mystery. It is often the focal point of rituals. During the spring rites you may have it full of fresh cut flowers. During the winter you may have a small fire in it to represent the returning heat and light of the sun (the God) from the cauldron (the Goddess). The cauldron may be used for scrying by filling it with water. The witches cauldron should be made of iron with three legs. The opening should be smaller than the widest part. The shape of the cauldron represents mother nature, and the three legs the triple goddess.











The cauldron is a symbol of transmutation, germination, and transformation. But above all is symbolizes the womb, and therefore, is a Goddess symbol as well. In Celtic lore the cauldron is the symbol of the underworld. In Greek and Roman mythology the cauldron was hidden in a cave.



The belief that the cauldron symbolizes the womb of the Great Goddess arises from the concept that everything is born out of it and returns to it. The original cauldron symbols were gourds, wooden vessels, or large shells. Eventually the symbolism of metal cauldrons became linked to the hearth and home because they were used to cook meals. This latter aspect merged the Great Goddess with the Great Mother, as the cauldron combined them into a single deity.



Cauldrons have held a magical significance in many cultures throughout the centuries. In ancient Ireland, it was believed, cauldrons were never depleted of food during feasts. In ancient times they were use for human sacrifice, which was related to death and rebirth. In Greek mythology the Witch goddess Medea restored people to youth in a magic cauldron. Some relate the cauldron to the Holy Grail (since the Grail is supposedly the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper), and speculate this was why some Christians were not too eager to seek the Grail because of its association with the cauldron and the Goddess.

For centuries, sleep and dreams have been widely used in the magickal/spiritual practices of many cultures. Many feel that dreams reveal much to the dreamer and, sometimes, if one focuses their mind hard enough, one can change their life or, better yet, find their "direction" in life through their dreams.



Since even science hasn't been able to explain away all the mystery regarding sleep and dreams, old fears and ideas about our "nightly adventures" remain today. Just saunter on down to your local bookstore or page through a current magazine on "psychic" phenomena. There are tons of stuff on how to lucid dream, how to interpret your dreams, how to keep away nightmares, tell the future through dreams, etc. Sometimes there's so much "stuff" it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.





Most of us who keep a dream diary or journal already do some dream magick. A dream magick practitioner recalls their dreams and records them, either by writing them out in notebook form or recording them on audiotape, in order to later study and analyze them. Dreams have a lot to say about us and the way we perceive our world. By studying the images in our dreams, we can come to a better understanding of our world and ourselves. Sometimes, we can weed out specific information from our dreams, which we can use to help us deal with a situation or resolve a problem. What better way to deal with what bothers us than by “sleeping on it”?



Have you ever, before going to sleep or while in the process of daydreaming, successfully recalled an image of a friend, place, or specific sensation (such as a scent, taste, or sound) and were actually able to re-experience that image/sensation without actually "experiencing" it? This is creative visualization and it is the key to all magickal operations and practices, especially so in dream magick.



Thinking visually is natural for us, but focusing on your visual images is a bit harder. Dream magick practitioners, through meditation and actual dreaming, recall and concentrate on a specific image that represents a person, place, thing, or situation which they wish to gain insight on. Through this visual “focusing”, they can program their minds to re-experience a dream or real life event.



The benefits of this are practical: in order to have power over our "inner-enemies" (which are our problems, insecurities, obstacles, etc.) We must name them and know them and not allow ourselves to walk “blindly” through life where we will not be able to learn from them and resolve them.



When we are faced with a situation where normal answers fail and frustration sets in, the last resort most of us turn to is the realm of the Spirit (this is where prayer comes in--where we appeal to that which is higher than us for guidance and intervention). To a magickal person, dreams are an invaluable spiritual and practical resource of helpful information.



In dreams all physical laws and worldly logic are set aside. For it is here, in the dreaming state, that we can produce the most change--this is what magick is all about. Anything is possible within our dreams. Use this power!



The main point of dream magick is to gain insight on life, confront that which perplexes us, change our perception of “what's going on” to “what's really going on”, and do something about it in our waking lives.



How to Start Your Own Dream Journal:



1. Place a notebook and pen -- preferably new ones -- by the bed, and keep them there.

2. If you're planning to use your daily journal, find a way to differentiate dreams from daily entries: start at the back of the book, use another color, or highlight.

3. Get a flashlight, your writing will stay legible and you won't disturb your partner or roommate.

4. Set up the journal with page numbers, an index, etc. A ribbon or other bookmark will be especially useful.

5. Record a memorable dream or two from the past. What made these dreams important? What do they mean to you now?

6. Before you go to sleep, bring your attention to remembering dreams. Program your brain to wake up after each dream. Tell yourself over and over that you will do this.

7. When you wake up -- during the night or in the morning -- try to recall dreams before you open your eyes.

8. Record dreams immediately whenever you can. Try to write down all that you can remember in detail.

9. If you have to get going, take just a quick note or two.

10. Don't wait too long before writing out the whole dream.

11. Note recurring dream symbols. You might record them in an index. What do they mean to you?

12. Reread your dreams once a month or so. Notice any patterns.





Tips:



* Spiral notebooks can be kept open, and allow you to write lying down.

* Look for imaginative leaps or connections. For example, does a place represent a person, or vice versa?

* Write dreams in present tense/first person, but notice who you are, and when.

Ceridwen lived at the bottom of Lake Bala with her husband, Tegid the Giant, and her two children; her lovely daughter Creirwy, and the hidious son, Afagddu. Deciding to make her son more attractive, Ceridwen devised to create a potion of wisdom and knowledge. While she went to gather the needed herbs, she set the boy, Gwion, to watch the cauldron. The potion was to brew for a year and a day. At the end of that time, there were only three precious drops left at the bottom of the cauldron. While Gwion was stirring, the potion popped up, and burned his thumb, which he stuck into his mouth. Realizing at once who Ceridwen was, and what she would do to him now that the potion was gone, Gwion fled the lake with Ceridwen on his heels.









Gwion changed into a hare to escape his pursuer. Ceridwen swiftly changed into a greyhound. Gwion flung himself into the river, and became a trout, Ceridwen changed into an otter and followed him. Gwion leapt from the water, and became a swift, soaring through the air. Ceridwen became an eagle, remaining close to him. Gwion flew into a farmer's yard and changed into a grain of wheat, hiding himself in a pile of hen-scratch. Ceridwen changed herself into a hen and ate the pile of scratch, devouring Gwion.



Upon resuming her normal form, she discovered herself to be pregnant, and plotted to kill the traitorous Gwion upon his birth. But, once the child was born, her resolve faltered and she set the infant in a basket on the tide and left him to his fate.



A fisherman who set his traps in one of the inlets of the sea found the child, exclaiming at his appearance with the words, "Radiant Brow!" or, "Taliesin!" and this became the boy's name. Taliesin became the greatist bard of Wales, and the bards after him called themselves the Sons of Ceridwen.

“Don't let a black cat cross your path, or you will certainly come upon a string of bad luck.”



At various times, and in different cultures, the cat has been regarded as holy or as a diabolical beast, as a bearer of good fortune or as an omen of evil. The witchcraft of the Middle Ages turned the black cat into a creature that changed shape and helped perform rituals and spells for the witch. Popular superstitions say that if a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it and mothers should always keep cats away from babies because they are said "suck the breath" out of the child.



The ancient Egyptians honored cats of every color. Cats were mighty and strong, and held sacred. Two of the most amazing goddesses in the Egyptian pantheon were Bast and Sekhmet, worshipped as long ago as 3000 b.c.e. Family cats were adorned with jewelry and fancy collars, and even had pierced ears. If a cat died, the entire family went into mourning, and sent the cat off to the next world with a great ceremony. For thousands of years, the cat held a position of divinity in Egypt.



Around the time of the Middle Ages, the cat became associated with witches and witchcraft. Around the late 1300's, a group of witches in France were accused of worshipping the Devil in the form of a cat. It may be because of the cat's nocturnal nature that it became connected to witches -- after all, nighttime was the time they held their meetings, as far as the church was concerned. Some witches were purported to have the ability to shape-shift into a cat nine times, hence the archaic belief that cats have "nine lives".











While October may be the favorite month of thousands of humans, who excitedly plan their costumes of spooks, vampires and monsters, in anticipation of Halloween, cats, particularly black cats, have little cause for celebration this month.



Much has been said about violent indignities that may be practiced on black cats at this time of year, but a more subtle cruelty has surfaced in recent years. Some shelters have noted slight increases in black cat adoptions shortly before Halloween, with many of these cats returned to the shelters in the days following the holiday because "He just didn't work out." One might assume that these people just wanted another Halloween decoration for their house - a black cat in the window, perhaps, or a "familiar" to go with that new witch costume. It probably did not even occur to them that this practice is cruel and inhumane. This kind of individual typically thinks of cats as property, and not as sensitive beings who suffer real trauma from being dragged back and forth from shelter to home and back again.



It is true that statistics on black cat torture during October are lacking. Most of the stories we hear are false, and some, have been drummed up simply for their shock value. The mystery is that the problem can be self-fulfilling. Young minds are vulnerable, particularly the minds of youths who have themselves been abused. When they hear stories of ritual Satanic abuse of cats, a spark ignites, and a new crime wave is off and running, with a "stray" black cat the target. Ritual sacrifice still exists.



On Halloween night, keep your cats locked inside the house, so they will not panic and slip out when trick-or-treaters come to your door. Even the calmest of cats can become upset at endless doorbell ringing and youthful voices shouting "Trick or treat!" Enjoy your holiday while saving your kitties from unnecessary stress.

As a triple Goddess, Hecate represents Maiden, Mother and Crone; mind, body and spirit; and birth, life and death. As Mistress of the Night, She represents the three stages of the lunar cycle of New, Full and Dark. Hecate symbolizes the dark within us, the part of our psyche we refuse to acknowledge. Many ignore the wisdom, the strength and the truth of Hecate because our fear of the darkness is so strong. Hecate is associated with the dark side of the moon, but this is the true Moon. The Moon has no light of its own, only reflected light from the sun.



Hecate, Greek goddess of the three paths, guardian of the household, protector of everything newly born, and the goddess of witchcraft -- once a widely revered and influential goddess, the reputation of Hecate has been tarnished over the centuries. In current times, she is usually depicted as a "hag" or old witch stirring the cauldron.











A beautiful and powerful goddess in her own right, the Greek goddess Hecate was the only one of the ancient Titans who Zeus allowed to retain their authority once the Olympians seized control. Zeus shared with Hecate, and only her, the awesome power of giving humanity anything she wished (or withholding it if she pleased).



Usually classified as a "moon goddess", her kingdoms were actually three-fold . . . the earth, sea, and sky. Having the power to create or withhold storms undoubtedly played a role in making her the goddess who was the protector of shepherds and sailors.



A lover of solitude, the Greek goddess Hecate was, like her cousin Artemis, a "virgin" goddess, unwilling to sacrifice her independent nature for the sake of marriage. Walking the roads at night or visiting cemeteries during the dark phase of the moon, the goddess Hecate was described as shining or luminous.



Hecate was usually depicted with her sacred dogs, although Hecate and even her animals, were sometimes said to have three heads and that they could see in all directions. Although usually depicted as a beautiful woman having three human heads, some images are fearsome indeed (one with a snake's head, one with a horse's, and the third a boar's head).



This farsightedness, the ability to see in several directions at once (even the past, present, and future) featured largely in her most famous myth, the abduction of Persephone. For it was the goddess Hecate who "saw" and told the frantic Demeter what had become of her daughter.



The goddess Hecate continued to play an important role in the life of Persephone, becoming her confidante when she was in the Underworld. Hades, thankful for their friendship, was more than hospitable, honoring Hecate as a prominent and permanent guest in the spirit world. Surely this had the effect of enhancing her reputation as a spirit of black magic with the power to conjure up dreams, prophecies, and phantoms.



Hecate's ability to see into the Underworld, the "otherworld" of the sleeping and the dead, made her comfortable and tolerant in the company of those most would shun out of fear or misunderstanding.



In her role as 'Queen of the Night', sometimes traveling with a following of "ghosts" and other social outcasts, she was both honored and feared as the protectress of the oppressed and of those who lived "on the edge". In Rome many of the priests in her sacred groves were former slaves who had been released to work in her service.



Food was often left at the crossroads to honor Hecate, especially at junctions where three roads converged --what we often call a "Y-intersection". Frequently a pole was erected at the intersection and three masks would be hung from it to pay homage to Hecate and to request her guidance in helping to choose the right direction.



Three-faced masks also adorned the entrances of many homes, honoring the goddess Hecate who could, of course, wield her influence over "the spirits that traveled the earth" to keep them from entering the household.



It is hardly surprising that a woman who needed to make a trip alone at night would say a brief prayer to Hecate to seek her protection. The goddess Hecate, like her cousin Artemis, was known as a protector of women, especially during childbirth.



Not only was Hecate called upon to ease the pains and progress of a woman's labor, but especially to protect and restore the health and growth of a child.



Similarly, Hecate played a role that, in contemporary times, we would describe as "hospice nurse", helping the elderly make a smooth and painless passage into the next life and staying with them, if need be, in the otherworld to help prepare them for their eventual return to the earth in their next life.



Familiar with the process of death and dying as well as that of new birth and new life, the goddess Hecate was wise in all of earth's mysteries.

Those who practice cheiromancy are generally called palmists, palm readers, hand readers, hand analysts, or cheirologists. Everything matters in Palmistry...the size of the hand, it's shape, color, texture, the nails, depth of lines. The hand you use to write with is your dominant hand. The lines on this hand change through the years due to the electromagnetic images from your brain which know your life path. Lines can add on. Once added they do not go away. The other hand is your destiny hand. It generally remains the same throughout your lifetime.









Earth hands are generally identified by broad, square palms and fingers, thick or coarse skin, and ruddy color. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually equal to the length of the fingers.

Air hands exhibit square or rectangular palms with long fingers and sometimes protruding knuckles, low-set thumbs, and dry skin. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually less than the length of the fingers.

Water hands are seeable by the short, sometimes oval-shaped palm, with long, flexible, conical fingers. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually less than the width across the widest part of the palm, and usually equal to the length of the fingers.

Fire hands are characterized by a square or rectangular palm, flushed or pink skin, and shorter fingers. The length of the palm from wrist to the bottom of the fingers is usually greater than the length of the fingers.

The three lines found on almost all hands, and generally given most weight by palmists:



The heart line is the first of the major lines examined by a reader. It is found towards the top of the palm, under the fingers. In some traditions, the line is read as starting from the edge of the palm under the little finger and flowing across the palm towards the thumb; in others, it is seen as starting under the fingers and flowing toward the outside edge of the palm. Palmists interpret this line to represent matters of the heart, both physical and metaphorical, and believe it can indicate emotional stability, romantic perspectives, depression, and stoicism, in addition to various aspects of cardiac health.

The next line identified by palmists is the head line. This line starts at the edge of the palm under the index finger and flows across the palm towards the outside edge. Often, the head line is joined with the life line (see below) at inception. Palmists generally interpret this line to represent the person's mind and the way it works, including learning style, communication style, intellectualism, and thirst for knowledge. It is also believed to indicate a preference for creative or analytical approaches to information.

Finally, readers look at perhaps the most controversial line on the hand, the life line. This line extends from the edge of the palm above the thumb and travels in an arc towards the wrist. This line is believed to represent the person's vitality and vigor, physical health and general well being. The life line is also believed to reflect major life changes, including cataclysmic events, physical injuries, and relocations. Contrary to popular belief, modern palmists generally do not believe that the length of a person's life line is tied to the length of a person's life.

Additional major lines or variations include:



A simian crease or fusing of the heart and head lines, has special significance in that both emotional as well as reasoning nature have to be studied from this line alone. The peculiar line is thought to be a combination of the head and heart lines on such hands that are separately marked on the rest of the hands.

The following guide can assist you in reading your own palm. A helpful tip is to use a water-soluble black ink and make a hand print on a sheet of blank paper. Once it dries you should be able to see all of the lines on your palm, including minute details that may not normally be visible by looking at your "naked" hand.



LINES



Ovals on the heart line denote - divorce, separation. A long heart line: Overly romantic. A straight heart line: The mind rules the heart. The heat lines ends on the Jupiter mount: You want to control relationships



Above the heart line: A "V" denotes empathic qualities. A "U" from the Jupiter to the Apollo finger: Gay person.



Horizontal lines under the Mercury finger: Karmic relationships: Long lines that run across the palm of the hand to the Mount of Venus (past lives) (thumb) denote marriages or 'living together'. (They are marked the same way).



Vertical lines: Full ones that cross horizontal lines: Your children should you decided to have any. Short lines: Miscarriages, abortions. (This will come up on the father's hand as well).



Head Line: Education: College--crosses the entire palm. Masters Program--has branches from the primary Head Line. Small branches: Other courses of study.



Life Line: Surround Venus Mount (thumb) Starts from above the thumb and goes to the wrist. If not connected to the Head Line: Caretaker, independent thinker, will give a lot in this lifetime, usually first or last child in the family-- or the only child (if the space is really wide). Double line: Depression, needs therapy at some point. A "V" closer to the wrist: a divorce A split in the line: Moving far, changing destiny



Lines that follow the Life Line of your Venus Mount (thumb area): Spirit Guides, Past Lives.



Fate / Career / Destiny Line: Runs from the wrist straight up to the Saturn (middle finger). Career / careers: will often branch in many directions which will determine changes in career and goals in one's lifetime.



Doubled line denotes: working at 2 careers at the same time.



Travel lines: Run along the outside palm from the heart line to the wrist. This needs to be viewed with a palm print to see where the person will travel next! Many lines: Traveling for business as well as pleasure. A few long lines: Major trips that change your destiny, often seen in the old years.



Money lines: From outside of the Venus Mount to the heart line. Run upward from the wrist. May have stars, bars or various other markings to indicate money and how you will get it. A wide "V" in that area: cash settlement. Darker / deeper lines: Finances increase Scattered lines: Make lost of money but at various times in your life. Palm prints denote: white space in that area: you will lend money but never get it back: learning lessons with money. How many lessons depends on how many white areas are between the life line and the thumb on your palm print.



Other lines: Pentagrams [goddess energies], Stars, Circles, Triangles, The letter "M", the letter "V".



All markings depend on the area of the hand where they are found.



Many markings on a palm do not mean you are an old soul. Many people have few lines and are old souls. Blue collar workers have fewer lines--usually just the basic lines.



FINGERS



Divided into 3 sections each with a different reference on each finger. Length of each section, and images on your palm print tell much.



Jupiter finger (index): Leadership, Self Esteem, The Teacher, Organization, Punctuality, The Limelight. A strong determined person will always have a long Jupiter finger, as do teachers, and performers.



Saturn Finger (middle): Destiny, The Corporate World, Karma Long finger: Lots of karma to work out. Section closest to palm: Your family Section in the middle: Business world Section near the tip of the finger, your spiritual path



Apollo Finger (ring): Creative, Metaphysical, Health If it points to the Saturn finger: Your have karma in the metaphysical realms.



Mercury Finger (pinky): Communications: Writing, Computers, Media Much can be gleamed in this area with a palm print as so many people are in the communication fields now. A short finger: does not go up as high as the third section on your Apollo finger: Not great with writing, but will overcome this by working with others. If the Mercury finger bends in: You hold back what you need to say!



Venus finger (thumb): How stubborn / or giving you are. It can be straight (stubborn) ---or bent (subtle)—the giver. Check both hands as they may be different.



The lengths of the Jupiter and Apollo fingers must be compared. If the Jupiter finger is shorter the person is often a late bloomer as he / she will follow the dictates of others and will not seek their own goals until their thirties.



Spaces between fingers: Wide between Saturn and Jupiter: Will overspend.



Holding out the hands: When hands are placed down on the paper for the palm print: Wide open: Friendly, outgoing. Big space between the Mercury (pinky) and Apollo (ring) fingers: Will move, needs lots of freedom and space.



THE MOUNTS



The mounts refer to the fleshy lumps that appear on your hand, the high spots or "mountains" on the plane of the hand. The most prominent ones are roughly at the base of each finger and thumb. These are named after the finger or other feature which they are nearest. In general, the larger the mount the stronger the characteristic in the person.



Jupiter (under index finger) - religion, pride, respect

Saturn (under 2nd finger) - morbidness, sadness, interpersonal relationships.

Sun (under ring finger) - artistic talent

Mercury (under pinky finger) - inventiveness

Upper Mars (directly under the Mount of Mercury) - courage

Moon (directly under Upper Mars, large) - imagination

Venus (under thumb, across from Moon) - love

Lower Mars (above Venus, across from Upper Mars) - indifference

"They told me if I would not confess I should be put down into the dungeon and would be hanged,

but if I would confess I should save my life."

-Margaret Jacobs



Let's take a trip back in time for a moment, shall we?

The year is 1500. Thousands of your friends, relatives, and even enemies are being tortured, hung, burned and worse. Your local church says that it's in the name of God to protect others from the devil's ways, but you're not sure you totally agree with what's going on. Now stop for a moment. Answer these questions.





1.) Do you have a birthmark, mole, disfigurement, or do you even have a pimple?

2.) Are you a liberal type?

3.) Do you like to dance?

4.) Do you have a pet cat, mouse, snake, or goat?

5.) Do you own a broom?

6.) Do you speak out against what you don't believe is right?

7.) Do you sometimes give your husband or mother grief or do you "obey his/her every command like you should?"

8.) Have you ever had any enemies or just someone who didn't think highly of you?

9.) Have you ever lived near someone that lost their job? Had a pet that died? Had a bad crop? Had a family member that died? That got sick?

10.) Have you ever gone out for a walk by yourself after nightfall?

11.) Has there ever been a hailstorm or even a wicked thunderstorm in the same area that you live?





Answering yes to just one of these questions would have gotten you tried, persecuted, tortured and either hung or burned at a stake between the dates of 1100-1700. Men, women, children, the elderly, the crippled and even pets, all ended up as victims during the Witch Craze (aka The Burning Times and Witch Hunts/Craze). More middle-aged women than any other were tortured and killed though.

During the times when man was just discovering and concurring "new frontiers", fears began to develop of the unknown that lie ahead in these "new worlds". These fears lead to the largest global killing spree on any scale. Many refute that the Burning times all started with the two girls who claimed they were "bewitched". But in fact, the start of the hatred towards Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches started far, far earlier during the renaissance period. When the Christians first arrived on the British shores, they encountered the Pagans and their rituals. At first they worshipped side by side, but in time the Christians realized that the Pagans had a much larger following than them so they decided that something needed to be done to get more followers of Christ in their churches. Pagan Sabbats were starting to be broken up by groups of people against their ways. Pagan temples were being destroyed. And eventually all of the beautiful ways, practices and the worshipping of the Old Gods was outlawed. The Pagan God was perverted into the depiction of the Christian Devil to scare away others from "the temptation of those heathen practices". Celebrations that turned into Christian Holidays were conveniently dated close and even on the same date to Pagan Sabbats to further deter others from going to the gatherings. Pagan followers had to practice in secret and seclusion. They were no longer sure of who they could trust with their true feelings. Eventually, the old clans split up in fear of being caught and they moved far away from the newcomers. The Christians had the law on their side and they kept a very watchful eye on their congregation. Anyone with thoughts, notions, or opinions different than that of the teachings of Christ were shamed, teased, persecuted and forced to leave or be jailed. Fear and hatred started to breed...one thing lead to another and the Witch Craze was starting to happen.





The most infamous Witchcraft Trials was the Salem Witchcraft Trials in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Although only 30 were killed there, it was ironic how a "fresh start in a New World" ended up as a killing spree on innocent victims. reasoning in the trials in the New World included political tensions, land related grievances, disease and religious repression. Because of the strict religious society of the time, with it's adamant upbringing of children to follow the Bible, it created a very strong belief in the Devil. (By this time the Christians and Catholics has already done a "great job" of spreading the word that the Pagan God was actually the Devil in the Bible.) So it only took the hysterics of two young girls (Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams), one of them was the daughter of Rev. Samuel Parris, to start off the madness of the Witch Hunts there. The two girls became interested in the magickal culture of a West Indian slave named Tituba, who was incidentally was "owned" by Rev. Parris. They started doing divinations about future husbands, and various other things. When some of the towns people caught them in the act of doing some of the divination techniques on their own, they quickly claimed they were bewitched to do it to save their butts. Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne were the first named by the two girls and arrested as the perpetrators of their "bewitchment" on February 29, 1692. From that point on, neighbors and friends instantly became back-stabbers and foes.



In the year 1233, Pope Gregory IX instituted the Roman Catholic Inquisition in an attempt to gain popularity for Catholicism and his church. In 1320, Pope John XXII requested that the church officially declare Witchcraft, and the Old Religion of the Pagans, as a "heretical movement" and a "hostile threat" to Christianity.





The single most influential piece of propaganda that fueled their campaign was commissioned by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484 . He instructed the Dominican monks, Heinrich Kraemer and Jacob Sprenger, to publish a manual for Witch-hunters. Two years later the Malleus malificarum, or "The Witches' Hammer" was produced. The manual was used for the next 250 years in the church's attempt to destroy the Old Religion.



--Excerpt from the Malleus Malificarum--

"He must not be too quick to subject a witch to examination, but must pay attention to certain signs which will follow. And he must not be too quick for this reason: unless God, through a holy Angel, compels the devil to withhold his help from the witch, she will be so insensible to the pains of torture that she will sooner be torn limb from limb than confess any of the truth. But the torture is not to be neglected for this reason, for they are not equally endowed with this power, and also the devil sometimes of his own will permits them to confess their crimes without being compelled by a holy Angel."

In 1541, Witchcraft was made an illegal offense in England, and in 1604 a law decreeing capital punishment for Witches and Pagans was adopted. Forty years later, the New England colonies also made death the penalty for the suspicion of Witchcraft. By this time, the true followers who remained loyal to the Old Religion were in hiding and Witchcraft had turned into a secret underground religion after an estimated one million people had been put to death in Europe and more than thirty condemned at Salem, Massachusetts, in the name of Christianity.



A clip from the book of Exodus states, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". This quote, alone, sealed the fate for many of the accused as well as the true followers of the Olde Ways. However, this is a false translation. What has been translated as "witch" comes from the Hebrew chaspah, a "poisoner" or murderer. The verse can be reinterpreted to mean not to tolerate people who poison--or murderers. This is very different from condoning the brutal murder of witches. Regardless, the witch hunters were able to claim the backing of God in their tasks, and the support of towns folk that would not question their methods.



The reasoning behind why the Witch Hunters were so interested in their "work" was largely due to their financial gain. The estate of a convicted witch was confiscated, and so more witches would mean more wealth. Torturers, executioners, and others involved in the persecutions benefited as well. The costs of torturing, imprisoning, and executing the accused came from the accused’s own purse. Additional money was made from the selling of charms and amulets to ward of the curses of witches; and even a person who did not buy such a trinket would fall under suspicion.

Finally in 1711, the General Court reversed twenty-two of the thirty-one convictions. It was not until 1957 that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reversed the remaining guilty verdicts finally acknowledging the errors of Salem Witchcraft Trials.



Unfortunately, when the persecutions finally ended in the 18th century, the stereotype of Witches, Wiccans, and Pagans as devil worshippers, murderers, etc, sadly remained for those who practiced within the true teachings of Witchcraft.







KILLING of WITCHES



Some numbers of the unknown:

17,000+ killed in Scotland from 1563 to 1603

70,000 killed in England after 1573

40,000 executed between 1600-1680 in Great Britain

22,000 executed in Bamberg, Germany 1610-1840

30,000 burned by the Inquisition

300+ killed in South Africa between 1986 and 1996

100+ killed in Indonesia, 1998

The Wheel turns inexorably from Dark to Light and to Dark once more. We see the days grow short, as gentle breezes turn to stiffening gales. Day is weak and wan while night is strong, solid.



The God is dead, and so for this interval the Goddess mourns the loss of her consort. We irresolute mortals feel alone, forsaken in a great cosmos filled with Cimmerian black and teeming with chaos.



The veil that separates our world from the next is thin and rent in places, allowing those things which we fear to enter our lives and haunt the ever lengthening nights. As we behold the birth of an infant year, we seek refuge from the cold cruel night and the fell creatures harboured within the purpled shadows.



It is a time of introspection, of solitude; a time to remember those whom we have lost, and to contemplate new direction for our coming year. As the Samhain fire burns, we toss into it all of our failures, our fears and our faults, expelling them from our lives even as the fire quells the dark, relegating shadows to the corners where they can no longer disturb us.



This is the third, the final harvest, the harvest of the soul, when we reap what we have sown. Hopefully, it has been a good year, and we have gathered enough to sustain us through the long dark, cold. We hold the laughter and love close for warmth, keeping the fear and trepidation at bay with the light of friends and family. If our harvest is meager, we are alone, huddled into ourselves to wait, hoping the light will be soon coming, and that the next harvest will be more abundant.



The time between Samhain and Yule is the time of the Crone, the Dagda, Calleach, Morrigu, powerful, dark and wise... imposing and compelling at once. The cycle remains faithful to nature's laws: to all that lives, comes death. While some threads are long seeming and others cut short, in the end, we all enter the eternal cauldron. Just when the dark seems all powerful, the Goddess begins life anew at Yule, with the rebirth of our fledgling Sun, God of light and warmth. The light grows in strength with each passing day and soon begins to warm us with His ever maturing presence. Hope is freshly kindled as we see that from the cauldron of death springs life over and again with every turning of the Wheel.



And so the Wheel turns back into Light, from Yule to Imbolc to Beltane, through Midsummer and back into the Harvest Time again. As we follow the Wheel, we can see clearly that from Dark springs Light in an eternal spiral of birth, death and rebirth.



From Death to Life

From Dark to Light

Erase my strife

Illumine my night

Warm my heart

Reduce my pain

The Wheel must start

To turn again.