Faerie Animal Allies

Faerie Animal Allies are encountered on Vision Quests, in mundane life, and in dreams. When they appear, they can be powerful messengers from the Realm of the Faerie Folk. It is important to be able to acknowledge their presence and decipher the message they have for us. Here are a few attributes for some Faerie Animal Allies that you may encounter. The Faerie Celtic names for these animals are in parenthesis.

Adder, or Snake (Nadredd): wisdom, reincarnation, and cunning. If you see a snake while Faerie Vision Questing, be prepared for the power of Transformation to enter your life. The snake represents the life-death-birth cycle.

Badger (Breach): tenacity and courage. The Badger will teach you perseverance and endurance in the face of adversity. The badger is a powerful protector of both material possessions and ideals held close to the heart.

Bat: The bat is a messenger of the Shadow Worlds. The bat may portend a message from the Under World, or your sub-conscious.

Bear (Arth): strength and stamina.

Bee (Beach): The bee is industriousness, hard working, and very family/clan oriented.

Blackbird (Lon Dubh): The blackbird imparts mystical secrets. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Boar (Bacrie): The boar is sacred to the Goddess. It is both cunning and ferocious.

Bull (Tarbh): strength and potency. The bull is the symbol of mobile power.

Butterfly: If a butterfly is seen while Vision Questing, no negative energy will be in the immediate energy.

Cat (Caoit): The cat is a strong protector in confrontational situations. As a prowling animal, the cat is also a strong guardian of inner powers.

Cock: The power of the voice to chase away the nights phantoms. i.e. the calling at dawn.

Cow (Bo): Sacred to the Goddess Brigit, the cow symbolizes contentness, nurturing and providing for daily needs.

Crane: Associated with both the Cailleach and Manannan Mac Lir, the crane was a bird of the Moon, magick, shamanic travel, secrets, and reaching deep mysteries. The crane also represents the logical mind, as well as patience while healing occurs.

Crow (Badb): Associated with Macha, Babd, and the Morrigan, the crow is a symbol of conflict, war, and death. Its skill is wisdom combined with trickery. It is also the protector of sacred records. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Deer (Abhach) or Stag (Sailetheach): The White Stag is a messenger and guide from the Other Worlds. Following the animal often leads to a Quest through the Other Worlds. The deer represents grace, swiftness, and gentleness.

Dog (Abach, Mada) or Hound (Cu): Under World hounds are white with red ears. They chase and punish the guilty. They represent tracking skills, and companionship, as well as a protective companion.

Dolphin: Associated with Sea Deities like Mannan Mac Lir, the represent harmony, balance, and travelling from rough to smooth waters.

Dragon (Piastras, Horm): wealth, the raw powers of nature, the treasures of the sub-conscious mind.

Eagle (Iolair): wisdom and long-life. The eagle represents keen sight, knowledge of magick, and swiftness. The eagle is a strong ally when traveling into new territory. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Eel (As-chu): adaptability, wisdom, inspiration, and defense. A good protector when defense is needed.

Fox (Mada Rua): cunning, slyness, perceptive. The fox makes fools out of those who chase it.

Frog: shamanism, magick, nasty illusion with something wonderful hidden within

Hare or Rabbit (Coinin): Sacred to Adraste, the hare is a symbol of virility, divination, and swiftness.

Hawk (Aracos): Connected to the willow, the hawk is a messenger between this world and the Other Worlds. It is of greater skill and strength than other birds and thus symbolizes clear sightedness and far memory. It teaches us how to receive and interpret inner and outer signals. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Heron: Same as the crane: Associated with both the Cailleach and Manannan Mac Lir, the heron was a bird of the Moon, magick, shamanic travel, secrets, and reaching deep mysteries. The heron also represents the logical mind, as well as patience while healing occurs. Through the heron, one finds magick in nature.

Horse (Cab-all, Capall): stamina, endurance, and faithfulness. Sacred to Epona and Rhiannon, the horse was a faithful guide to the Other Worlds.

Magpie: omens and prophecies. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Mouse (Luch): secrets, cunning, shyness, the ability to hide. If you see a mouse in a Vision Quest, pay attention to the surrounding details.

Otter (Balgair): enjoying life, recovering from a crisis, faithfulness, friendliness, being helpful to others. The otter can provide valuable assistance in the Other World.

Owl (Cailleach): Associated with the Crone, the owl is a guide to and through the Under World. It has keen sight at night and is a flawless hunter. The owl teaches us to silently observe life and gather Information in order to gain understanding.

Pig (Muc): spiritual food for the shaman. The pig was the magickal, sacred food of the Tuadha De Dannan.

Raven (Bran): Associated with the Morrigu, it represents the battle cry of an upcoming life crisis. It is a powerful protector if one can gain its favor. All Faerie birds are messengers from the divinities.

Salmon (Brionnfhionn): Very wise and magickal creatures in Faerie Celtic Lore. The salmon helps you to get in touch with ancestral and archetypal wisdom. They represent wisdom, and the acquirement of knowledge.

Sow (Airc): Associated with the Goddess, the sow is a beast of death and rebirth, as well as fertility.

Swan (Eala): Swans help with the Interpretation of dream symbols, transitions, and spiritual evolution.

Wren (Dryw, Dreoilin): Sacred to the Druids, the wren's musical notes were used for divination. It is a messenger of the deities. It also represents the power of strengthening and cleansing.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Sepharial - A Manual Of Occultism
Aninymous - The Angelical Alphabet
Aleister Crowley - Alice An Adultery

Animal Healing Spell

"Spirits of the Forest, an animal is dying, Take the Life force of this spell and save it."

This spell requires no ritual, but it can only be used on hurt animals and you must be Touching the animal (not suggested use for rabies). This is an ancient spell; it might not work, but don't let that discourage you. Believe in the power sent to the animal by you.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Aninymous - The Angelical Alphabet
Anonymous - Hypnotism Spells
Anonymous - White Magic Spells
Leo Ruickbie - Halloween Spells

Ritual To Find Your Spirit Guide

Items Needed:

Altar Candle, Day Candle (Monday-white, Tuesday-red, Wednesday-purple, Thursday-blue, Friday-green, Saturday-black, Sunday-yellow) , Offertory Candles - 3 Violet Candles, 3 White Candles

Tools

Athame to inscribe candles
Crystal ball or clear glass of water

Incense

anise, cardamom, and coriander.

Oil

jasmine, lemon, rose and sandalwood

Timing

Best done during the Mercury hour of the day, although any hour should work. Any moon phase is appropriate.

Preparation

Breathe deeply and build a ball of protective light around you. While soaking in your ritual bath, meditate on the whole ritual: the steps you will take and what you wish to say to your Spirit Guide when you make contact.

Ritual

Enter the circle in the Hour of Mercury. Light the incense. With the oil, dress the Altar Candle and the Day candle while concentrating on the purpose of the ritual. Light your Altar Candle and Day Candle and state your intent:

I am here to make contact with my Spirit Guide, and to acknowledge him or her.

With your Athame, inscribe Violet Candle #1 with the word "Spirit." Dress it with oil. Light the Violet Candle #1, direct your energies into it and say:

Here do I light the first Lamp of Spirit. May its light reach out across the barriers from this world to the next. May it make contact with that World of Spirit into which we will eventually enter.

Take your censer or incense wand and swing it around, sensing the whole area around the altar while rhythmically repeating the word "Merge" and building up energy to focus. Replace the censer and pick up Violet Candle #2.

Inscribe it with the word "Spirit" and dress it with oil. Put it back on the altar, light it and say:

Here do I light the second Lamp of Spirit. May its light also reach out across the barriers from this world to the next? May it make contact with that World of Spirit and help spread the light, illuminating the passageway between our worlds.

Again take the censer or incense wand and sense the entire area around while chanting the word "Merge." Build up your energy to focus. Take Violet Candle #3, inscribe it with the word "Spirit," dress it with oil, charge with your energy, light it and say:

Here do I light the third Lamp of Spirit. May the light from these three lamps blend and grow, dispelling all darkness and lighting the way that my Spirit Guide may come to me and speak with me here today.

Inscribe the three white candles with the word "Truth" and anoint each candle with oil. Light the three candles in the order of 1, 2, 3, and say:

Here do I build Truth.

As these candles burn throughout this ritual, Their Power generating nothing but truth in all that transpires between this world and the next. Through these candles there is truth in all Communications that come to me. Again cense the altar area while chanting "Merge." Replace the censer and continue chanting. Sit comfortably while chanting, and gaze into the crystal ball, or the clear glass of water. Continue chanting until you feel it is right to let the chant taper off. Continue to quietly look into the crystal ball or glass,
not trying to picture anything. Keep your mind blank, so whatever comes will appear and will come in it's own free will. Gaze into the center of the crystal, there is no need to try not to blink. Look into the crystal and blink naturally. Try not to notice anything in your peripheral vision, just the center of the crystal. Eventually a face or figure will appear. This may take a long time, or it may appear almost immediately. If it doesn't come at all within approximately 20 minutes, abandon this attempt, extinguish the
candles in the order in which they were lit, leave the altar set up, and try this ritual again in three days.

You should have results within a month at most. When a figure does appear, ask if he/she is your Spirit Guide. You will hear an answer, you may not hear it out loud, or even see the figures lips move, but you will be aware of the answer. This is how most conversations will proceed. You will ask your questions mentally (or out loud) and the answer will be clear inside your mind. Ask if you have more than one Spirit Guide. If yes, ask them to appear also. You may ask anything you wish to know, but it is better to establish a
connection first where your Spirit Guide may appear to you at any time, or at specific times, so that you can converse with any other spirits through him/her. When you have finished speaking with your guide, thank him/her, then sit for a moment with your eyes closed, meditating on all that you have learned. Extinguish the candles in reverse order to clear the circle.

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Prentiss Tucker - In The Land Of The Living Dead
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John Nash - Spirituality And Gender
Nevrom Ydal - Preparing The Ritual Area And Yourself
Raymond Buckland - Bucklands Book For Spirit Communications

Power Animal Lion

LION's Medicine includes patience, family importance, courage.

"LION, TEACH ME TO BE A PROTECTOR
POWERFUL, YET SILENT AND STILL.
I AM STRONG AND PROUD,
BUT KNOW MY WEAKNESSES."

Lion is a totem of Feminine power and strength. The male Lion sits and boats his Beautiful mane while the Lioness is out hunting, working and feeding the pride.

The male Lion is the protector of the pride, but he does not fight if he can avoid it. He would sooner bask on a rock as get into a brawl. Lion always tries a passive, calm approach before resorting to violence to protect what he loves. Lion knows that one must not underestimate the power of peace, and suggests that we release all out stress and frustration before making any rash decisions.

Lion teaches many lessons. He reminds us to examine our behavior to find flaws and weaknesses as well as strengths. He teaches us to keep our temper under control. He also teaches us the power of silent, unseen observation, just like Fox. And, most importantly, he teaches us the importance of family and of team work.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Richard Weiss - Recipes For Immortality
Sir William Stirling Maxwell - The Canon
Malcolm Mcgrath - Practical Magickal Evocation
Jacob Behmen - The Super Sensual Life
John Alan Halloran - Sumerian Lexicon

The Deer

The Deer's keynote is that of Gentleness and innocence a gentle luring to new adventure. While its cycle of power is that of autumn and spring. The deer has always captured the imagination of humanity. It is one of the most successful families of mammals, native to every continent except Australia. They have been able to adapt to every sort of habitat. The white-tailed deer, the mule deer and the caribou are three that are prominent on the North American continent. The moose and the wapiti (Elk) are also part of the deer family, but they are described separately.

Each type of deer has its own special qualities and characteristics, while sharing some of the qualities of all deer in general. Caribou, for example, make long migrations twice a year, reflecting the need for those who have it as a totem to use that same pattern in their life. They begin running in fall and early winter, and these then are the power times. The mule deer is also a wanderer. It never follows the same path twice. This is part of its natural defense, making it less predictable to predators. Most of the Information in this section will focus on deer in general, and the white-tailed specifically.

The name "deer" has several variations on its origin. These may provide clues to past lives for those with this totem. The Anglo-Saxon word "deor" was a general word for animals and was often used just in the general sense. In the German language, it has its root in "tier", simply meaning wild animal also. It can also be traced to the Sanskrit "mriga", also meaning wild animal.

To many the deer is considered the most important animal ever hunted. The hunt of the deer is what transfers our civilization to the wilderness. There are many stories and myths of deer luring hunters or even kings deep into the woods until they are lost and begin to encounter new adventures. One such example is found in the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Sir Gawain follows a white hart to many adventurous encounters. A reading of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur will also provide more examples.

The deer is also a central religious image for Buddhism. Buddha is often pictured with a deer, and legend tells how he first preached in a deer park. This image itself reasserts the meaning of the deer as representing innocence and a return to the wilderness.

The white-tailed deer is the most common in the United States. One of its most outstanding features is the set of antlers that the male develops. In other members of the deer family, i.e. reindeer and caribou, both the male and the females grow them. The antlers are solid bone, and they are shed every year. Antlers grow behind the eyes and are very protective.

Each year until the age of five, the antlers grow bigger and with more points. If you encounter a deer in the wild, try to make count of the number of points. This will tell you some of the significance the deer will have for you. Remember that numerology can help define the essence.

Antlers are symbols of antennae, connections to higher forms of attainment. Deer with antlers thus can be a signal to pay attention to your inner thoughts and perceptions, as they are probably more accurate than you think.

The antlers are shed every year, and each year they grow back larger and with more points, for five years. If a deer has entered your life, look for new perceptions and degrees of perceptions to grow and expand for as much as the next five years. It can indicate that there will be opportunities to stimulate gentle new growth increasingly over the next few years.

One to two young are born. Fawns are born a color that protects and hides them. In the first few days, they hardly move, and the mother nurses them often. This is very significant for those with this totem. Many societies taught the importance of staying with the new-born for a prescribed period of time. No visitors, no family members other than the father were allowed to contact with the new-born. Even today in the Muslim religion, a mother who breast feeds for a prescribed time makes that child her own, whether or not it is her biological child. This kind of attention and separateness enables the child to link with the family more strongly and protects the new-born from subtle outside influences.

Our auras or energy fields are electromagnetic and exchanges of energy do occur With Other people and places. The kind of energy a child is exposed to can have strong effects. Until the child's energy is strong and firmly grounded, it should be protected from extraneous influences.

The deer leads us back to the primal wisdom of those old teachings. It reminds us to establish a strong healthy connection with the child before we expose it to many people and other strange energies. It is a reminder that there is a tradition that is natural and suitable for family units and for the health of the young. It is for the child's best interest.

After the first few days, the fawn can usually stand and follow its mother about. Doe fawns may stay with the mother for as much as a year. The buck or male will usually leave after a few months. The father takes no part in the rearing of the young; it is all the rule of the mother. Again this can be a reminder for us to move gently back to the traditional family unit and roles. It may indicate, if the deer has shown up in your life, that you have gotten too far away from the role that would be most beneficial to you at this time.

A deer's senses are very acute. Its vision is designed for clarity at a distance. It is especially effective at detecting contrasts and edges in dim light. Its hearing is equally acute. Anyone who has deer as a totem will find increasing ability to detect subtle movements and appearances. They will begin to hear what may not be said directly.

When deer shows up in your life it is time to be gentle with yourself and others. A new innocence and freshness is about to be awakened or born. There is going to be a gentle, enticing lure of new adventures. Ask yourself important questions. Are you trying to force things? Are others? Are you being too critical and uncaring of yourself? When deer shows up there is an opportunity to express gentle love that will open new doors to adventure for you.

CHANT

Woodland dreams of intuition come with the graceful deer.I greet you, graceful brothers of the forest. Your gift of magic will brighten my life. Transformation will come to me. Like you, I stand listening to the drum beat of life, Poised to follow my guiding spirits.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Charlotte Fell Smith - John Dee
Paul Foster Case - The Life Power
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Third Eye

The Life Power

Book: The Life Power by Paul Foster Case

These pages contain the substance of my talks at the Hotel Astor during December, 1922, in a form which is better suited for study and reference. What is here given in a few pages might easily be expanded into a good-sized book, hence it must be studied and pondered upon, not merely skimmed through.

The purpose of our work is the Unfoldment of a higher consciousness, in order that we may obtain a better Understanding of cosmic law expressed through human personality. When this higher Consciousness and better understanding take form in action, we shall develop more skill in applying our knowledge of cosmic law to the solution of every-day problems.

To succeed in this understanding we must learn how to control and direct a force which, although it is occult, is really "hidden in plain sight," inasmuch as everything in our environment is a manifestation of it. The first step toward gaining the knowledge which shall enable us to control and direct this power is to learn that although many names have been given to it, all these names are attempts to describe a single reality.

Download Paul Foster Case's eBook: The Life Power

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Sri Swami Sivananda - Thought Power
Idres Shah - The Book Of Power
Paul Foster Case - The Life Power

Pagan Manners Or Are There Any Dead Animals In The Soup

Book: Pagan Manners Or Are There Any Dead Animals In The Soup by Grey Cat

I can hear the outraged screams already. there are people out there who believe that the very idea of "Pagan Manners" is a conflict in terms; that "manners" are outdated, dishonest and hypocritical. Well, think again. Manners constitute the only successful technique ever discovered by humankind to enable groups and individuals, holding moderately disparate views, customs or beliefs, to get along Together. There are things more improtant than manners; but, without manners, its unlikely that a discussion will ever go to them.

Pagan manners are fairly simple and have nothing to do with which fork you use or how to word an invitation. They have to do with respect for others' feelinsg and beliefs. They most specifically have to do with recognition of the fact that you should "judge not th path of your brother or sister for their path is sacred." Manners are also the only way of attempting to grant everyone the personal space which each of us needs. There have been a number of attempts to write down a list of "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" which will cover Pagan Life.

Download Grey Cat's eBook: Pagan Manners Or Are There Any Dead Animals In The Soup

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Medieval Grimoires - Libellus Magicus Or The True Magical Work Of The Jesuits
Harriet Beecher Stowe - Poganuc People Their Loves And Lives
Jantina Helena Looijenga - Runes Around The North Sea And On The Continent
Edward Carpenter - Pagan And Christian Creeds Their Origin And Meaning
Grey Cat - Pagan Manners Or Are There Any Dead Animals In The Soup

The Shaman Call

THE SHAMAN'S CALL

The Night Bird's call draws evening near,
Stars and planets in the Darkening Sky appear,
People of the day to their beds retire,
Except for some Old Souls about a fire.

Sounds begin to rule the night,
As the Sun's bright rays fade from sight.
Evening noises begin to grow,
Cricket, Owl, and Wolf's lone howl.

Deeper into the Night we go,
The landscape lit by the fire's glow,
One old man begins to sway,
And one lone drum begins to play.

Boom goes the drumbeat soft and slow,
Tapping out the Heartbeat of the World Below,
Boom echoes the drumbeat's call to go,
To begin the ride to the World Below.
The flames leap high into the night,
And the World around us takes to flight,
Senses shift in the darking light,
And the Darkest Cave draws our sight.
Enter the Cavern, down we speed,
Into the Underworld the Drumbeat leads.
Faster than Dragon, than Hawk, than Snake,
Down the path the Shaman's feet race.
Deeper and deeper into the Womb of the Night,
Till up ahead appears the Light.
Boom thunders the drum, and the walls seem to shake,
And out of the Cavern I stop by a lake.
I look around and I see Land so bright,
That I know mortal eyes have never beheld this sight.
In the Sky wheels Gods and Dragons in Flight,
While bathing in the Lake is the Goddess of the Night.
Her eyes see me clearly and I'm pierced by their Sight,
There is no hiding in the Night of Her Light.
The Animals come to Her call as she sings,
And drumbeat from above gives me wings.
Into the Sky my form changes still,
On Hawk wings I ascend from the hill.
Higher and higher into the Magical Sky,
I soar on Wings lit in Magical Fire.
This Bond, this chain, this freedom sublime,
The Shaman's gift, boon, bane, the Drumbeat Divine.
The Dream that brings Visions into the Night,
The Night that is brighter than any Daylight.
The sight of a Tree draws me near,
The Great World Tree has brought me here.
The Tree of All Knowledge grows out of sight,
Even Hawk eyes are dimmed by it's light.
Form changes swiftly, Snake am I now,
Across the World Tree I wander uncowed.
The Tree of Life, of Knowledge, of Power and Death,
The Tree that for Shaman will give Shaman Breath.
The Drum fills my body,
My brain is on fire,
Visions of Forces dance in the Light,
And the drumbeat caresses me, somewhere in the Night.
The Tree fades from view,
My Soul takes to flight,
And into the World, Dragon Stalks the Night.
Back to the Cavern the worm passes nigh.
Drumbeat calls, caresses, commands,
Back to the Waking World the drumbeat demands.
Up Through the cave I ascend in the Night,
Form shifts so slightly in my bemused sight.
Dragon claws to Human feet,
And to the fire where the Shaman meet.
Around the fire slowly the Drummer keeps beat,
Drawing home the Voyagers to the fire's night heat.
Glazed expressions look into the night,
But in Shaman's eye is still the Light.
Slack faced expressions for others to see,
But in Shaman's eye, is the Fire that Frees.
Shaman stares into the fire,
Then quietly into the night he retires.
Off to his rest he fades from sight,
Until the Drum calls once more to Night's Light.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Zoroaster - The Chaldean Oracles
Anton Szandor Lavey - The Satanic Rituals
Anonymous - The Enochian Calls

What Is Shamanic Ecstasy

From the Greek 'ekstasis', ecstasy literally means to be placed outside, or to be placed. This is a state of exaltation in which a person stands outside of or transcends his or herself. Ecstasy may range from the seizure of the body by a spirit or the seizure of a person by the divine, from the magical Transformation or flight of Consciousness to psychiatric remedies of distress.

Three types of Ecstasy are specified in the literature on the subject:

1. Shamanic Ecstasy
2. Prophetic Ecstasy
3. Mystical Ecstasy

Shamanic ecstasy is provoked by the ascension of the soul of the shaman into the heavens or its descent into the underworld. These states of ecstatic exaltation are usually achieved after great and strenuous training and initiation, often under distressing circumstances. The resulting contact by the shaman with the higher or lower regions and their inhabitants, and also with nature spirits enables him or her to accomplish such tasks as accompanying the soul of a deceased into its proper place in the next world, affect the well-being of the sick and to convey the story of their inner travels upon their return to the mundane awareness.

The utterances of the shaman are in contrast with those of prophetic and mystical ecstasy. The prophet literally speaks for God, while the mystic reports an overwhelming divine presence. In mysticism, the direct knowledge or experience of the divine ultimate reality, which is perceptible in two ways, emotional and intuitive. While these three varieties of ecstatic experience are useful for the purposes of analysis and discussion, it is not unusual for more than one form of ecstasy to be present in an individual's experience.

However, it can be argued that, generally speaking, there are three perceptive levels of ecstasy.

1) The physiological response, in which the mind becomes absorbed in and focused on a dominant idea, the attention is withdrawn and the nervous system itself is in part cut off from physical sensory input. The body exhibits reflex inertia, involuntary nervous responses, frenzy.
2) Emotional perception of ecstasy refers to overwhelming feelings of awe, anxiety, joy, sadness, fear, astonishment, passion, etc.
3) Intuitive perception communicates a direct experience and Understanding of the transpersonal experience of expanded states of awareness or consciousness.

While the physiological response is always present, the emotional response may or may not be significant when intuition is the principal means of ecstatic perception. Some have argued that beyond the intuitive state there is a fourth condition in which the holistic perception exceeds mental and emotional limitations and understanding.

The ecstatic experience of the shaman goes beyond a feeling or perception of the sacred, the demonic or of natural spirits. It involves the shaman directly and actively in transcendent realities or lower realms of being.

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The 12 Steps And Shamanism

Recently a local character in Alcoholics Anonymous here in the Worcester MA. area died. His name was "John the Indian" (he identified himself this way) and he was well known as an AA speaker all over the world, although he lived near central Massechu-setts. John had about thirty years of sobriety and was a great power of example to many people including Betty Ford who told him she had listened to tapes of his talks while she was in detox.

John's story intrigued many people. An Indian who had been orphaned on the reserva-tion when Tuberculosis wiped out his family, he had ended up on skid row after serving in the Canadian army during World War II as a dishwasher. He came to AA in his mid-twenties, an illiterate wine. (my note - this is NOT to imply that most alcoholics are on skid row. In fact most of them are people with nice families, a place to live, a car or even two, a job, etc. etc. etc. Less than 2% of the alcoholics in this country are on skid row). He ended up owning his own construction business after learning to read (from an elderly woman in AA who was a school teacher) and marrying a lady in AA with whom he raised a lovely family.

Because John had inspired me and so affected my life with his gift of simplicity, I was inspired to do a shamanic-style rite in his memory. I had always felt sorry for John because, in the process of his recovery, he seemed to have lost touch with the beauty of this heritage. Then it hit me; John WAS a shaman and anyone who truly worked a 12-step program was one too.

In BIRTH OF A MODERN SHAMAN by Cynthia Bend and Tayja Wiger (Llewelyn Publication box 64383, St. Paul MN. 1988) it states " A shaman is hard to define. There are no two alike..... what happens, a shaman goes through a catastrophe or a string of catastrophes that enhance certain abilities within him ( or her! )

.....Most often the Shaman has to go through a severe trauma, a severe illness or a severe psychosis and recover from it before he learns the recovery process that he can use."

The authors are quoting Tsonkawa, Tayja's teacher on the Shamanic path. (A Native American Medicine person)

Many other authors on Shamanism; Sunbear, Lynn Andrews, Amber Wolfe and Michael Harner, to name a few: echo this truth. A shaman is a person who goes through great suffering, usually in the form of a mental or physical illness, and then goes on to heal himself or herself. They are then able to use that same process to heal others.

This is what happens in a twelve-step fellowship. Through the process of healing oursel-ves, we come to the point where we can help others by "carrying the message" after having had a "spiritual awakening" as the result of taking the first eleven steps.
Here are some books that can help any Pagan, Shaman, Druid, Witch, Practitioner of Feminist Spirituality, or other Magickal folk as they walk the steps in the process of recovering, while retaining their own unique Spiritual Path.

TRUTH OR DARE by Starhawk (San Francisco, Harper and Row, 1987) This contains many references to the 12-step programs, especially Alcoholics Anonymous and Adult Children of Alcoholics, in a work on Wicca by a well-known priestess of the Craft who is also a Psychotherapist.

CRYSTAL CLEAR by Connie Church (Bew York, Willard books 1987) It contains a good section on how to use quartz crystals to help in relieving yourself of bad habits, compul-sions, and obsessions, specifically for use with the various twelve-step programs. (note - amethyst is traditionally said to help in all these areas)

BIRTH OF A MODERN SHAMAN, mentioned above, tells the story of a blind Native American woman who was a survivor of Child abuse and had been Psychotic as well as Alcoholic. This is the story of her complete recovery, including her eyesight, (document-ed by doctors) and the discovery of her Psychic gifts with her Native roots. Her healing occurred through a process that began for her in Alcoholics Anonymous.

THE TWELVE STEPS FOR EVERYONE published by Compcare (Minneapolis MN.) This is a non-sexist book on the steps by a grateful recovering member of Emotional Health Anonymous written in non-sexist language. The author draws heavily on the Eastern traditions of spirituality as well as the traditional Western monotheistic ones.

EVERYDAY A NEW BEGINNING Published by Hazelden corp. (Also in Minneapolis, MN. I believe) This is a daily meditation guide BY women in Anonymous fellowships and FOR women in these same self-help groups. Unlike the TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY book (published by the same company and widely used in AA) it doesn't use quotes from the Bible. Instead it uses quotes from various women authors. Many men also claim to have benefited from it due to its non-religious approach.

PAGANS IN RECOVERY a networking newsletter for Magickal folk, Shamans, Druids, Feminist Priestesses, Witches, Pagans, Pantheists, etc. who are in recovery via a 12-step fellowship of any type. It has contacts, reviews, articles, recovery techniques and more. It is a great source of support and inspiration to any Pagan in any of the Anony-mous support groups. It is $8.00 a year and the address is P.I.R. c/o Bekki 6500 S.R. 356 New Marshfield, OHIO 45766 ADDITION TO READING LIST

REFLECTIONS IN THE LIGHT by Shakti Gawain, published by New World Library, San Rafael, California 1978. While not ONLY for the 12-step programs this book does go into the problems of addictions in light of the New-Age, Psychic Awareness as well as many other subjects. It provides a inspirational message and/or a creative visualization exercise with a non-sectarian affirmation for each day. The book is neither sexist nor sectarian and is truly a beautiful aid to anyone seeking to work the program of recovery. It is also a great way to share what you are doing with friends who share your spirituality but not your program, as it makes no direct references to the 12-step groups at all. It is very useful to those of us who prefer a daily meditation to the "prayer" people in the monotheistic Churches and Synagogues tend to use in their application of the program to their lives.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Anonymous - Healing Gemstones And Crystals
Yves Kodratoff - Seidr Seid Sol Iss Burs And Nordic Shamanism
Israel Regardie - The Art And Meaning Of Magic

Power Animals Totem Animals And Spirit Animals

The use of a totem animal is not part of traditional Wiccan practice. However, as Wicca and other modern Pagan Practices evolve and blend together, many people who follow non-mainstream spiritual paths find themselves working with a mix of many different belief systems. Because of this, someone following a Native American or Indo-European shamanic path might find themselves working with totem animals. While totem animals or power animals have nothing to do with the Wiccan Religion, some people do incorporate them into non-Wiccan shamanic practices.

It should be pointed out that sometimes, the use of totem animals and other Native American practices is sometimes seen as cultural appropriation when it's done by non-Native American individuals. Some European shamanic systems do connect with animal spirits, but the use of the specific word "totem" implies a Native American connection. It has a very specific, anthropological meaning, and chances are that if you have made a spiritual connection with an animal entity, it does not qualify as a true "totem." Be cautious what you call your beliefs, because you may find yourself taking ownership of a heritage that's not actually yours to claim. If you're not Native American, but are practicing some other form of shamanism, you may want to consider using the term "power animal" or even "spirit animal" instead.

A power animal is a spiritual guardian that some people connect with. However, much like other spiritual entities, there's no rule or guideline that says you must have one. If you happen to connect with an animal entity while meditating or performing astral travel, then that may be your power animal… or it may just be curious about what you're up to. Our Guide to Healing, Phylameana lila Desy, has a great piece on different types of animal totems and what they mean: Animal Totems.

Unfortunately, as often is seen in the Pagan Community, many times the connection to a power animal is simply the result of wishful thinking. When someone tells you they have a spirit animal, they'll almost always tell you it's the bear, the eagle, or the wolf. Why? Because these are animals that exemplify the characteristics we'd really like to see in ourselves -- we want to be strong and formidable like Bear, independent and mysterious like Wolf, or all-seeing like Eagle. No one will every tell you their "totem animal" is the wombat, the hedgehog, or the three-toed sloth.

There are a number of books available that discuss the spiritual nature of animals. Nearly all will tell you to "choose" your spirit animal based upon which animals you want to see first at the zoo or which ones you just find really interesting. Generally, in true shamanic practice, one meets their power animal through meditation or a vision quest. Often, it's an animal you never expected to encounter. If you are fortunate enough to have this take place, do some research on the animal you've connected with, and find out why that particular creature has attached itself to you. Animals have different symbolism in different cultures and societies. Take the time to do some research, and you may end up learning something new about yourself.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Samuel Sharpe - Egyptian Mythology And Egyptian Christianity
Pat Holliday - Miracle Deliverance Power Of Pagan Names And Christian Names
Stephanie Du Barry - The Witch And The Demoniac In Tudor And Stuart England
Anonymous - Healing Gemstones And Crystals
Kveldulf Gundarsson - Teutonic Magic The Magical And Spiritual Practices Of The Germanic Peoples

The Animals Of Salem

Salem Story: Reading the Witch Trials of 1692 by Bernard Rosenthal Cambridge University Press 1993

p.18 John Hughes, while testifying about seeing beast transform into Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, also mentions that on March 2 "a great white dog followed him and then disappeared, and then that night in bed he saw a great light and a cat at the foot of his bed." (from Narratives of the WC Cases 1648-1706 ed. G. LO. Burr)

p.21 Tituba's testimony included many animals...black dog/hog/man/yellow bird told her to serve him; yellow bird was accompanying Sarah Good (who had already given accusers legitimacy); also said she saw a cat with Good on other occasions

p.22 T. saw 2 cats, black and red. "What did the cats do? Tituba did not know. Had the cats hurt or threatened her? They had scratched her. What had they wanted of her? They had wanted her to hurt the children. They had forced her to pinch the children. Did the cats suck Tituba? No, she would not let them."

p.82 Bridget Bishop (owner of shuffle-board and cider teenage hangout) was testified against by Wonn, slave of John Ingerson. He "told a story of frightened horses, the vanishing shape of B.B. (at the time B. Oliver), the appearance of an unknown cat, and Mysterious pinchings and pain."

p.124 Martha Carrier: 7 yr. old daughter Sarah was induced to confess that "a cat, identifying itself as M. C., had carried Sarah along to afflict people when her mother was in prison."

:

Roger Bacon - The Mirror Of Alchemy
Reynold Nicholson - The Mystics Of Islam
John Musick - The Witch Of Salem

Do You Know Your Animal Totems

Begin the process of discovering your animal totems by examining the animals you have been most interested in & the times of your life that interest was piqued. Use the following questions to help determine which animals are probably totems to you in your life.

1. Which animal or bird has always fascinated you? (We are drawn to That Which most resonates with us. Those animals which fascinate us have something to teach us.)
2. When you visit the zoo, which animal do you wish to visit the most or first? (esp. children)
3. What animal(s) do you see most Frequently when you are out in nature? Have you had encounters with animals in the wild? (The animals we encounter, in their city environments or in the wild, have significance for us. We can learn from them, even if only about survival within that environment.)
4. Of all the animals in the world, which are you most interested in now? (Our interests in animals change. Yes, we usually have one or two that are lifetime, power animals, but others become prominent when there is something importance or specific to teach us.)
5. What animal most frightens you? (That which we fear the most is often something we must learn to come to terms with. When we do that, it then becomes a power. Some shamans believe that fears will take the shape of animals, and only when we confront them without fear do their powers/medicine work for us instead of against us. Such an animal become a shadow totem.)
6. Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal? (Historically, if a shaman survived an attack, it was believed that the animal was the shaman's spirit totem and the attack was the totem's way of testing the shaman's ability to handle the power.)
7. Do you have Dreams With animals in them or are there animal dreams you have never forgotten? (This is especially important if the dreams are recurring or if at least the animal image in the dream is a recurring one. Children often dream of animals, & attention should be given to these animals. They will often reflect specific spirit totems of the child.)

Suggested free e-books to read:

Anonymous - Meditation Of The Four Magickal Weapons
Correllian Times Emagazine - Issue 23 July 2008 Vol 2 Power Animals And Totems
Everfool - You Know You Are A Chaote When

Trading Places Exercise

Objective:

To trade places (mentally) with a dog or cat, or other animal.

Setting:

Home, Zoo, Wilderness, etc.

Instructions:

1. Relax your body as completely as you can. Calm your mind, eliminating all thoughts which do not relate to your intent and purpose. Sit so that you are comfortable, and as nearly as possible on the same level with the animal you will be working with. Lie down if you like. The important thing is that you are able to comfortably make eye contact with your animal partner in this exercise. It is also important to satisfy yourself that the animal is likewise comfortable and secure with you.

2. Take a deep breath. As you slowly exhale, look into the animal's eyes, and imagine that a part of your awareness is being transmitted through your breath into the animal's mind. Watch the animal breathe, and imagine that a part of its awareness is being transmitted into your mind.

3. Continue looking directly into the animal's eyes until you fell your Consciousness merge with the animal's consciousness.

Benefits:

As the boundaries between you and the animal dissolve, you may feel as if you've really traded places with a member of another species, as though a part of you has become the animal - this is the height of subjective merging. You may begin to feel compassion for another species. You'll also probably recognize some of the artificial differences between the human and animal worlds. You may be able to feel or sense the actual flow of the animals emotions and mental imagery. Should you accomplish this then it should be no trouble for you to contract with the animal to serve as your magical partner. Asking another to become such a partner also places upon you the responsibility of becoming its partner. I would not recommend contracting an animal to become your familiar and then treating the animal as a pet. A pet is Something you possess, own. A Familiar, to my way of thinking, is an individual who has entered into a mutually beneficial Relationship (partnership) with you, and therefore should be afforded the respect and consideration due a partner.

:

Rabbi Michael Laitman - The Kabbalah Experience
Anonymous - The Urantia Papers
Douglas Colligan - Strange Energies Hidden Powers
Anonymous - Vedic Experience

Power Animal Frog

FROG's Medicine includes cleansing, rebirth.

"FROG, LITTLE ONE With Great WISDOM,
TEACH ME TO CALL THE RAIN
TO MAKE NEW LIFE BLOSSOM FROM OLD WORRIES."

Frog's medicine brings the rain of cleansing, both Physical and spiritual. Frog will come to you at a time when you are worried, stressed, nervous, overwhelmed or weak. Take some time to cleanse spiritually and take a break from the troubles of life. From this cleansing comes rebirth. A Frog person has the ability to cleanse away negative energies whether by song, words, or tears. Frog may seem small, but his lesson is great. He teaches us that we must cleanse and release negative energies in order to conquer our daily problems. All too often we forget this, and let the stress consume us. Frog comes to you when you need a vacation to regain control of your life, enjoy this message.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Jacob Behmen - The Super Sensual Life
Stephen William Hawking - Space And Time Warps
Anonymous - Potentialities Of Loki

Fire In The Head Shamanism And The Celtic Spirit

Book: Fire In The Head Shamanism And The Celtic Spirit by Tom Cowan

It has been nearly ten years now since Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit was released. Ten years. That is a very long time for readers to encounter a number of other books on Celtic traditions, shamanism, and Celtic Spirituality in general. However, if we track back to 1993 when this book was first released we will quickly see that at that time there really had not been any sort of exhaustive study of the shamanic archetype within the Celtic traditions--which Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit clearly is.

Others who have reviewed this book and offered a less than gleaming assessment of the book are undoubtedly people who are seeking either more of a hands-on, experiential, or practical book on shamanic techniques (see Cowan's Shamanism As A Spiritual Practice for Daily Life), or something with a more classical scholarly 'feel' to it (see F. Marian McNeill's, The Silver Bough, W.Y.Evans-Wentz' The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries, or Celtic Heritage by the Rees'). However, for an overall introduction to the numinous power and energy of the shamanic archetype within the primal Celtic traditions Fire in the Head, even after ten years, is still the best introduction. It is a wide-sweeping flight into the themes and topics, devoid of the particularities of personal cosmology one sees in so many other Celtic books. Cowan gets out of the way so that readers can have their own experience and make their own assumptions. Certainly, once a person has read this it is time to read such works as Jean Markele's The Druids, Caitlin and John Matthews' The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom, etc., but, again, for an introduction to the core elements of primal Irish, Welsh, and Scottish animisitic spirituality this is still the best.

Regarding the exploration of witchcraft within Fire in the Head: All too often people assume that Witchcraft And Wicca are synonymous. They are not. Wicca, largely, was invented in the 1950's. However, witchcraft (both black and white)is well documented as having been practiced in different parts of the Celtic world, as well as the Anglo-Saxon world. I think Tom's exploration of witchcraft is in keeping with the premise of the book--to peel back the layers of European animism in general and see where the shamanic energies may exist.

Buy Tom Cowan's book: Fire In The Head Shamanism And The Celtic Spirit

Suggested free e-books to read:

Jarl Fossum - Seth In The Magical Texts
William Mansfield Groton - The Christian Eucharist And The Pagan Cults
Asbjorn Jon - Shamanism And The Image Of The Teutonic Deity Odin

Power Animal Coyote

COYOTE's Medicine includes shapeshifting, intelligence, cunning.

"COYOTE, TEACH ME THE PARADOX OF LIFE,
THE BALANCE OF THE DARK AND LIGHT,
THE Sacredness OF WHAT IS NOT SACRED AT ALL."

While one may imagine that Coyote represents a trickster (and he does), he also represents one worthy of trust. This is just one way he is a symbol of duality. He teaches us the importance of balance by being foolish and wise, silly and serious, simple and complex, happy and sad.

Coyote is humorous and funny, but sometimes his laughter is a mask for his sadness and desolation. His laughter is really at the very brink of teats. He will do anything to make people laugh, even if it means being a Complete fool, as long as nobody discovers his secret pain.

The important lessons Coyote teaches us are to love our children, laugh at our mistakes and appreciate the paradox that is life – all is sacred, yet nothing is sacred at all.

Suggested free e-books to read:

Aleister Crowley - Alice An Adultery
Aleister Crowley - Amphora Or Hail Mary
Correllian Times Emagazine - Issue 23 July 2008 Vol 2 Power Animals And Totems

Witches And Cats

"The rise of Christianity in Europe heralded a fundamental shift in attitudes to cats. During the Middle Ages, the cat's links with the ancient, pagan cult of the mother goddess inspired a wave of persecution that lasted several hundred years. Branded as agents of the Devil, and the chosen companions of witches and necromancers, cats, especially black ones, were enthusiastically tortured and executed during Christian festivals all over Europe. It was also believed that witches disguised themselves as cats as a means of traveling around incognito, so anyone encountering a stray cat at night felt obliged to try and kill or maim the animal. By teaching people to associate cats with the Devil and bad luck, it appears that the Church provided the underprivileged and Superstitious masses with a sort of Universal scapegoat, something to blame for all of the many hardships and misfortunes of life. Fortunately for cats, such attitudes began to disappear gradually during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the dawn of the so-called Age of Enlightenment. However, not until the middle of the nineteenth century did cats eventually begin to regain the popularity they once enjoyed in Ancient Egypt."

Suggested free e-books to read:

Anonymous - Witchcraft And Wicca Faq
Kathryn Paulsen - Witches Potions And Spells
Edward Hare - Bewitched And Bothered
Louise Jackson - Witches Wives And Mothers

The Wiccan Shaman Druid Song

Lyrics by Eran (with help from Roisin)
to the tune of "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy"

I'm a Wiccan-Shaman-Druid,
I am new age through and through.
Decked in crystals from my head to toe,
With feathers and pyramids, too.
My spirit-guide is from Atlantis.
He's a Zen-Aztec guru.
Come and spend the weekend with us,
For two thousand dollars
You'll be a Wiccan-Shaman too.

I'm an Elvis-Loki-Viking.
I channel Ashley Montague.
In a former life I was a gypsy clerk,
Bull fighter, and troubadour, too.
I know five Illuminati,
They're a strange and motley crew.
There's a priest from ancient China,
He lives in my basement.
He is an Elvis-Viking too.

My coven is part Rosicrucian,
Mixed With Some Theosophy.
Add in some stuff from the Golden Dawn,
`Cause Crowley's just all right with me.
I've got twelve initiations,
I've seen all there is too see.
And watch out for those strange Co-Mason-Santaria-Druids,
They'll cement your chickens to a tree.

I've got a pipe ceremony,
Adapted from the O.T.O.
I use a sweatlodge for my Beltane rites,
The Maypole is just there for show.
I have got a glass athame,
With batteries to make it glow.
It's just great for calling quarters
In my new tradition:
The Lynn Andrews-Buckland-Starhawk Grove.

NOTE: This was the song sung by members of the MorningStar Coven during the Talent Show at DragonFest '95. I don't think they would mind you using it, just be sure to give credit, where credit is due!

Suggested free e-books to read:

Alice Bailey - Initiation Human And Solar
Max Heindel - The Rosicrucian Mysteries
Harold Macgrath - The Pagan Madonna

Animal Speak The Spiritual And Magical Powers Of Creatures Great And Small

Book: Animal Speak The Spiritual And Magical Powers Of Creatures Great And Small by Ted Andrews

Want to learn how to speak the language of critters, large and small? Easy-to-read and understand, Ted Andrews's bestselling Animal Speak shows readers how to identify his or her animal totem and learn how to invoke its energy and use it for personal growth and inner discovery. Nature lovers will love this insightful compendium, chock-full of touching stories about animals, natural history, and animal folklore. Readers will also learn magical animal rites and how to read omens. Animal Speak includes a Dictionary of bird, animal, reptile, and insect totems, which describe each creature's meaning. For example, if a person's totem is dragonfly, he or she was most likely excessively emotional and passionate in early years, learning with age to balance it with mental clarity and control. If a dragonfly suddenly shows up in your life, it means you may need to gain a new Perspective or make a change.

Totems are Spirit Guides (spirits who help you along on your journeys through life) that come to you in the form of animals. A Totem can be any animal that you have a strange connection to. This book is very good when it comes to the topic of Totems. Trust me, I've done a lot of studying and have seen a lot of information, but this has the most extensive collection of knowledge.

The best part of the book that is original that you can find few other places is it's huge dictionary of animal Totems. You can look up your Totem animal in the dictionary and it will give you the animal's history and folklore. It will also give you suggestions for someone who has that Totem. But that isn't the only good thing about the book. This book teaches you to find Totems if you don't yet knoww how. It tells you how to meditate to find your Totems, or, for the less patient, it gives other ways, too. Animal Speak also teaches you to read Totems in your life. Other topics include Things That you won't find in other books like the Preadator and Prey Theory, magic with bird feathers, honoring your animal Totems in many ways, and working with TOtem medicine. All of these are extremely useful and you can learn about the topic greatly. This good and all, but the book is not reccomended for beginners on Totem study and preferable for advanced people serious about the subject. The book is okay for starters, but some things are not explained as well as they should be for those who know nothing about Totems. Totems are a very interesting topic and this book is very good for the adventerous one that you know.

Buy Ted Andrews's book: Animal Speak The Spiritual And Magical Powers Of Creatures Great And Small

Free e-books (can be downloaded):

Nevrom Ydal - Preparing The Ritual Area And Yourself
Adolph Von Menzel - Historical And Literary Studies Pagan Jewish And Christian
Sirona Knight - A Witch Like Me The Spiritual Journeys Of Today Pagan Practitioners
Medieval Grimoires - Libellus Magicus Or The True Magical Work Of The Jesuits