Old Friends

In spite of the heavy snowfall we got yesterday the two crows I used to enjoy hearing each and every morning have come back to the site I work at. I'll have to see if I can nab a picture.

Yes... I like crows :P

Some thoughts on Spirits

Over the last couple days, one of the email lists I belong to has been having a discussion that is, at least somewhat, related to spirits. Combine this with a large number of conversations I've had with my wife throughout the last couple weeks and... well... needless to say I have an urge to talk about spirits a bit. In particular I want to talk about how we, as witches can build relationships with them, and why such a relationship even matters.

Since I started down toward this path several years ago (October 1994 or 1995) I have only really come across two modern pagan paths that really work with anything that might be called spirits. Both of these have rolled into my life in the past few years. The first, heathenry, a collection of reconstructionist faiths based on the customs, myths and folklore of the preChristian Germanic peoples. The primary spirits of this faith are the old Gods and Goddesses of said people, their own dead ancestors and the spirits of the land on which they live.

The second path, the one I currently walk down, is the 1734 system of witchcraft. The spirits of this system, so far as I've yet seen, are largely found within the letters that Roy Bower's wrote to Joseph Wilson. A detailed account of said spirits is somewhat beyond the subject of this particular bit of rambling - though, in truth, they aren't all that different then the spirits of heathenry above.

In both these traditions relationships are built through a combination of means. Reading, giving and working. How much emphasis they both place on each of these is varied somewhat, but both use all three. 1734, no doubt, has a fair bit of oral teachings connected with it as well, but I've not been fortunate enough to have these passed my way. The first means, reading about the spirits/gods, builds an image in the mind. It creates a sense or what we are to be working with, which makes it easier for us to find our 'connection'.

Giving gifts to the spirits, usually done in the form of an offering of food and drink, helps us to begin building our relationship with said spirits. In traditional heathen beliefs, such offerings are often thrown into a fire as part of a community feast. A smaller, somewhat more personal, ritual can be found scattered throughout the letters Roy Bowers wrote to Joe Wilson and Norman Gills. Personally speaking, I usually leave such offerings outside under a tree. This is what feels right, based upon the spirits I work with, as it allows the critters to “carry it to them” - additionally I see all trees as symbolic of the world tree, connecting our world to the various spirit worlds. Thus it is a close as I can get to handing it to them personally.

Direct workings with spirits is generally done through trance work. At this time I have not had much experience with this level of work except through light trance. As such it is done mostly via feeling, with images adding to that at times. Here is where the relationship starts getting a little more personal. It is also here that I plan to build more understanding to perhaps share later.

In the meantime, I'm curious if anyone else has thoughts on the subject?

On reading my discussion above I noticed I didn't even touch on the idea of "why such relationships are even important". Consider that an area for future discussion.

Going with a Blog Format

After 2 years of not updating my website, I've decided to save the monthly website fee and go with a simple blog. Given time I'll get it set up so my old site url (http://www.hedgewitch.net) will point to here.