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March 12, 2001
Briar Rose.... Re: Roses & Thorns.... CraftWork Circle 12-Mar-01
Welcome Stars**!!! That was a great chat and I look forward to being able to share some time with you again.*s*

((((mindi, haggar, Yama, Stars, gander, shazner and all)))) Great Monday I hope for all... How is every one and I hope that all your wishes are coming true....

I wanted to talk about a few things that I feel deeply and that I want to share perspective on with all of you.... Feel free to jump in with personal opinions, experiences or just plain jump in!

I recieved an email yesterday that made me think of some of the discussions we've had here on what is actually "spell worthy" and what is not...

This email was from an acquantance... One who has just started to "practice" witch craft - and who bases her "knowledge" on movies and books and TV shows. Without giving away her personal business - the jist is that a co-worker did something that she doesn't agree with, and since she likes her - she "wants a spell" to get this other person home and back to work with her.

She doesn't really understand why my answer to her plea was, "There is no reason for you to do a spell - she made her choices, and you have no control over them, nor should you." I went on to tell her that at this point, she is not yet adept enough to cast a successful spell without the energies of the person she is doing it for. Furthermore that, ethically, it is not respectful of another's free will to do any Craft work without their implicit, or at least implied, permission. I knew this would not make me popular with her.*LOL

The reason why I bring this up, dovetails with some of the requests that I have recieved in the past, and I'm sure some of you have received: People seem to think that magicks can solve ANY problem, and that it's "one size fits all." they want the control they feel they can get through them - and they never recognize that there is a "checks and balances" to magick. A perfect example is (I won't even go into, "I torn my blouse, give me a spell to fix it."*ROTFLMAAO)- "My boss is a loser and I want revenge." Well, that isn't even a clue to what TYPE of spell would be appropriate. There is a free flowing form to magick - but if you do not have the basis of the actual problem, how are you going to even approach changing it's outcome? There are many other factors that are involved in a situation like that. Some of you know how I approach these situations already. But for the sake of those who haven't been in on my practicing I would like to explain how I usually do the "analysis" to decide what type of spell to do: If this person is actually harming you in a physical or emotional way - then your first order of business is to either protect yourself or to remove them from your sphere. Normally you can go with protection and be fine. However - if this person is also spreading lies/rumors about you, or really threatening your lively hood and personal life - then you will be better off BINDING them so there is no overflow of their mischeif into other aspects of your life. If this person is actually maliciously doing all they can to hurt you in ways that you have no defense against - then it's time to say, "I send you into the darkness that YOU have created. I wish you the same that you have done to me, times three. As Karma is sown, so shall you reap - remove thyself away from me." Like I said - It is a matter of the actual situation, and no Craft work should be undertaken without thoroughly looking at the situation FIRST. In my opinion - you never do MORE than is actually needed at the time. It's better to do just enough to try and difuse the situation, and not enough to cross the line into "Removing free will" from the other person. This is also the same for magicks done for making your life better, like a new job, love or lifestyle change... Do the least intrusive work, that gives you a specific need fulfillment. I do NOT have a problem with ANY type of magick as long as it's done ethically. By that I mean - I will do a love spell, as long as I approach it from, "I love you... Please see me in a light that allows you to open your mind to recieving that love." or "I feel a great need to talk with you, and I am sending you energy to open your heart, think of me and remember the love that you hold/held for me in your time.... Please pick up the phone."

We have recently discussed the major problem with the media's coverage of Witch Craft... I am soooo with you ((((Yama))))*LOL Have you all noticed that they never even address the fact that The Craft is a whole BELIEF SYSTEM! It is not an exercise in mental masturbation, it is not a "play toy" that replaces real time dealing and making day to day choices... It is a belief that we are part of the greater whole and that whole is filled with energy, that as a piece of the web - we can attach our energies to the greater energy and create change that WE need & want in our lives. It can not be stressed enough that we all "need" things that we really do not "Want", and that if you simply work for what you need - you won't have the focus and intent to apply the emotion needed to accomplish what you are preparing to do. The perfect "for instance" is that we all NEED shelter, well - we could all get along with a lean-to on the side of a garbage heap. But do you really WANT that?*LOL Would you even have enough emotional interest to TRY a spell for it?~g~ I didn't think so... Goddess knows I wouldn't.*LOL

Magick is not "Supernatural Power" we hold, it is SUPRA-Natural power we tap into and bend. And if we are not holding a vested interest in the situation or the desired outcome - than we do not have enough emotion or influence to direct that energy to any real effect. To really practice the art of spell casting, the majority of us need to have full focus, concentration and EMOTION to put into our work. This is how we align ourselves to the greater universal energy to create change. That is also why dance/movement, ritual and "formulaic" words/actions are implemented by most practitioners to accomplish their spell craft. That is also why it is in the Witch's best interest to keep their work to situations that have no other way to approach them. Sure, I humbly admit every once in a blue moon- I can bewitch with a glance or change an outcome of a situation with what would appear to be minimal effort or even focus... But, that isn't in fact true. It is an equation of 50 parts unrestrained desire, 10 parts focus and 40 parts PRACTICE!!!! But, regardless of those times - most Magicks are a lot of expended energy and emotion! It would drive me to the brink of insanity to be doing that more than a few times a year... That is why "Small magicks" are wonderful for situations that need energy and are starightforward in desired outcome. MAnifested Visualization is one form of that, so is sending energy out for others or for yourself in meditation or a simple candle spell - or even using a mojo bag. These are things that you give focus and energy to a little at a time, and then the cumulative effect is sent into the universe to create the change at the time it is best to become reality.

This is also why many people in this time of the universe will never completely harness the power of the Witch. People are too busy with other things to balance and focus. It happens to ALL of us... It also has a lot to do with this "instant gratification" mind set, "Fast Food Syndrome."*LOL We want it all and we want it NOW - and if we don't get it yesterday, then we say - "Fine screw it." and move on, feeling that we "never really wanted it anyway..." Bull pucky! The nature of the beliefs in the Craft are about time and space being endless. That what is worth having is worth the time to allow it to manifest in our lives. You can always tell a pop witch.*LOL They are the ones who are "throwing spells" at every little thing and never waiting to see if the first work did change anything.*S* They are looking for the "guaranteed, all purpose - quick fix." Well, there is none... much of Witch craft is waiting and believing and letting the nature of the universe and our part and energy in it work.
Briar Rose

((shazner))) That is normallythe way with those types, but since I am not up on the situation, I fele that you have found a great way to force the goodness n and the evil out.*S* A lot of times the cleansing and fixing is INSIDE of US, not the other person. Noone can do to you what you do not allow them to do... It's a common theme in witchcraft and all other religions. If you need a specific work for a specific reason, just holler. I'm sure that someone can give you a charm or a talisman to get these people to leave you alone.
Okay - now for the other part of the equation... This is simply my opinion, and I am interested in everyone's ideas on this...

I mentioned yesterday that 'Pop Witches' and the media never seem to be interested in the "Religion/Belief System" of the different forms of Witchcraft. They simply want a "spell for this..." and if you try to get more information or to explain the results or implications of different spells and how they work - they glaze over or disappear with some "What a nosy bitch..." type remark?*LOL

This is a very real gripe of mine... My position is that without the belief system that the Craft work stems from - you will almost never be able to use the spells you get. PERIOD! That the spells and rituals are just an extention of the belief system and without having knowledge of how the belief system works, your spells will not work. There is a deeper bond between a witch and her beliefs than just doing "spells", and without her/his beliefs - the spells have no real power.

I was raised with parents: One an atheist, who was very psychic, seeking for ghosts/spirits/aliens/tarot and Oracles and had no actual beliefs in the form of "an all powerful force" that guided or cared about the human progeny that sprung up from the muck of evolution, but who believed that we each create our own life from actions and descisions we make throughout our lifetime. He also believed that we each had been given a general outline by past "collective consciousness" and past lives - that set us on a "path", but from there we had total autonomy on what we did from there. In other words, "Fate" set us in a certain family by genetics and from there, things are about taking control or not.*S* The other was afraid of anything that had to do with beliefs or religion or anything that didn't have a physical form and an easy explaination. Preferably not "Because it's the way of the universe/Higher power."*LOL

Now - I came into the belief system I have from my Mother's Mother (and input from my Father*s*)... I will say, she was a bitch - she was not a happy lady and she had a real way of pissing people off with her sheer personality quirks.*LOL She was a Cancer , and I swear she was a double Cancer! But - she was a WITCH, and I mean in the true aspect of the word. She was a Witch's Witch... She may not have been of one of the popularly prescribed forms/branches - but she was a witch never the less... She practiced a form that her Great Grandmother and her family had practiced for at least 5 generations back, and mixed it with additions from her Black and Native American "house keepers" that took over when her Mother died and left my Grandmother's Father (Mr. Walton) with 4 girls under the age of 9, my Grandmother being the second oldest at 6. As with most of these old Craft Families - nothing was actually written down, it wasn't safe to do so. It was all from an inner knowledge passed down in stories and actions
from Parent to child, and some of it was solidified and bent to fit the wisdom from the "other women" in my Granmother's life and from family relations with more information from group works and personal rememberances from her Mothers' family and friends... Her daughter turned so far away from it all when he rebeled against her Mother that she still fears anything that deals with beliefs outside of the need for money, food and shelter.

But, I learned that there is a Mother Earth, that there is a Father Sun and that everything in the universe is connected and that we have the responsibility to care for the Mother and respect the Father and the other spirits that exist in the Universe. That we have the power to ask those spirits to interceed when we need something that is outside of our influence r that we are having great difficulty in creating into reality because others are of a different mind than we are.~w~ But that we need them to GIVE US A CHANCE nd try to get what we want/need to live a healthy and a relatively happy life. There were a few relatively malevolent spirits... Mostly spirits from the humans that had lived before and left this earth unhappy or violently - and a few "Neutral Entities", like Coyote and the BlackMan that would help you if you needed serious protection, but that they were always the last resort, because they could make your life miserable, because they always need a "tradeoff" for their services. There were relatively large band of earth-realm helpers that would always be there as you needed shelter, food and little helps in life...Namely the Brothers and Sisters in the animal kingdom, The Feathered tribe and the trees, water and plants.... And the Rock People were to left to them selves, except when you needed information straight from Mother Earth.*S* Only go to The Rock People if you're dying' or someone you love is.... But collect them and place them in places of honor where you can allow them to sleep in peace and make sure they are cared for. (And always only if they want to come with you!)

That we were all connected and that by maintaining that connection, your life was already blessed and that you would never be defenseless as long as you knew how to cure and feed yourself from the natural beings around you. Thatthe real faith was that you will wake up until the day you die, that the world will spin without you interfering and that you should mind only your own business and that of those you cared about. Herbs and wedds are your friends and they each have secrets that they can teach you and magic, (in those days magick was not the normal designation) that they can help you perform. What is that other than a witch?*LOL But it was deeper than that... It was that there was only ONE person who could actually change your life, and that is YOU! You can ask for help, you can create a reality with that help, you can change the reality you get from others with that help... But YOU have to do it. And even though you respect and honor these other helpers, and spirits and tribes - they are also to respect you. If the Coyote steals the chicken you intended for Sunday dinner - you can kill it. If the tree is tearing up your house sewers, you can remove it. And if the Moon Lady isn't answering you, you are in your right to cuss her out for her lack of help - same with all the other spirits.*LOL BTW - Mother Earth and Father Sky are not active in the spirtual beliefs of my Grandmother - they are passive spirits that generally just deal with the everyday runnings of sun comin' up and going down, and providing a home for the rest of the actual spirits of the earth and the other planets are all brothers and sisters of these two... Also just bystanders in the whole process.

Her personal Spirit was the Moon - and the Moon Lady should be called upon whenever you need help to get a break in life or to find an answer to a question that is causing you to have trouble.

So - this is where my Craft work comes from - my beliefs... Without that belief, any spell I tried wouldn't work, in my opinion. I already KNOW that these characters are my friends and my brethren. Thatthey are there to help me and I am to respect them and them me. That there is more to the world than humans. Animals and everthing else has a strength and a spirit. Each is not able to live fully without the other. We all keep each other alive.

Now, my Grandmother and myself and, (as near as I can tell), her family from way back, always concentrated on the "Christian Holidays", except for May Day and Equinox/Solstice mini-celebrations, and outwardly, no one would have known what was going on*LOL... There are rarely reasons to do major spells. Most of it is taken care of by living your life well and being strong in your beliefs. And never underestimate making wise choices and not letting others talk you out of following your inner truth and best judgement.*S* And only in situations where you are given NO CHOICE, are you to resort to spells or other works... Job opportunity, love and health are among those.*LOL

Now - what am I missing in this post? Is there a way that someone that doesn't have the belief system of the universe being there and interacting in all of our lives be capable of pulling off "spells" and other rituals based on their use?

I am looking forward to all of your thoughts on this!

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