Law and Order 101

head_Galina-Krasskova_wp-19Discipline is essential to a mature spirituality.

So the theme for this issue is “law and chaos” and I have to completely admit that the concept of law warms my warrior’s heart. Sometimes I’ve gotten the feeling that my love of order makes me rather unusual within the generic Pagan movement, yet the key secret underlying law is discipline, a mode of being that lies at the heart of the warrior’s path. Moreover, that quality of discipline is a fundamental building block of engaged and passionate spirituality; absolutely essential.

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The Charge of the Goddess: A Wiccan Ethic

head_Diane-MorrisonIt has been my experience that many people get involved in Wicca because they like the lack of rules. We don’t have a lot of “Thou shalt nots.” All we have is the Witch’s1 Rede, they say. But there are many unspoken rules of ethics that we think of as being essentially “Wiccan.” Why? Where do they come from?

The answer should be self-evident but often isn’t. What is the one piece of liturgy that Wiccans really have? The answer is the Charge of the Goddess.

Most modern Wiccans treat this prose as a lovely way to invoke the Goddess. It does work well that way. But consider the original meaning of the word “charge”. It is a command, a responsibility laid upon someone, an exhortation, a duty, an injunction, or being entrusted with someone’s care. It is a series of rules!

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Birth of the Barbarian

columns_wp-24_13-01The “noble warrior” is nothing more than a Roman myth. 

He lives in that shadowy land where archetype collides with stereotype: the muscle-bound, wild-eyed, sword-swinging Viking. For good or ill he has become the popular image of Heathenry. The many other roles common in Norse culture — fisherman, farmer, trader, skald — receive much less attention than “warrior.” As Asastraur Ed LeBouthilier writes:

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Monotheism: Who’s Your Daddy?

Monotheism: Who's Your Daddy?

I casually flip through the bumper stickers at a metaphysical shop. One sticker in particular catches my eye, and I cease shuffling them. This sticker, with its cheery gold background and Celtic knot work border, proudly proclaims “Christianity has Pagan DNA!” Certainly the scribe of this phrase does not mean this literally, but rather simply means that Christianity was born of polytheistic roots.

Although I cherish the attitude of the phrase, the wording leaves me disconcerted. I know this as a “truism,” something I feel and understand is true, if limited. I’ve never encountered any biblical passage reading, “And you shall cut down an evergreen, yea, and bring it into your house each twenty-fifth of December,” nor have I found reference to the three kings wassailing the cedars of Lebanon.

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Magical Cleaning for a New Beginning

head_Deborah-Blake_wp-19Start getting ready for spring now.

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time for new beginnings. At Imbolc, in February, we celebrated the first tiny stirrings below the surface of the earth. At least, in theory. In reality, it can be difficult to get ourselves in motion during the doldrums of winter and even early spring. Especially if, like me, you live in a place where Brigid — or even Spring Equinox! — is as likely to be heralded by a snowstorm as by emerging tulips. So how do we push past the winter-induced lethargy and get our bodies and our lives moving in a positive direction? I respectfully suggest a major bout of magical cleaning. Here’s a three-step plan to bringing the New Year’s burst of energy into your life for more than just an evening!

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