Message #332 - FEEDBACK TO SYSOP (Private) (Received) Date: 11-18-92 22:44 From: Allen Robinson To: DRAGON Subject:: Wicca Cavern msgs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @PID: RA 1.11 @MSGID: 0:0/0 50a964bc #4130 Dt: 11-01-92 16:02 By: Gandlaf To: Paracelsus Re: questions <- #4129 > say. I appreciated your reply and apologize for not getting > back to you for a few days. Ah, responsibilities. I most definitely understand that! >Please tell me a bit more of your mentor. If I remember >correctly, you said you sought her out because you knew she >was a witch. How did you know? How long have you been >working with her? What is her "teaching method" like? I had seen some posts by her a long while ago about the subject, under an alias I think. So I posted to her that I was curious about it, and she and I and two others got together to discuss that, as well as just get to know each other. I have been working with her just this semester at school. She was a solitary practitioner for a long time, and just recently met us, and we formed the coven since then (to answer your other questions). There are four of us in this coven. Two of us are male. > As to the observance planned for Samhain, what sort of ritual > is planned? At what type of site? Is this for the coven or just you > and your mentor? The whole coven was to get together on Samhain. We were not going to cast any spells I think, but all of it is really academic now. Why, you may ask? Because my mentor is in the hospital, the other woman's baby was really sick, I had to take my girlfriend to the e/r. Basically the fates consipired against us. Let's call my mentor Stargazer from now on. >Gandalf, for example, does not, (I suspect) appear on your driver's >license. Sure it does, you know: Name: Gandalf Mithrandir Hair: white, Eyes: grey, Height: 65", age: 3500 yrs. :> > I was very intrigued by your choice of words "Shamantic > Wiccans." I have read some of Shamanism, but never thought > of the implications of a synthesis of the two. > By the way, tomorrow is my one-month anniversary on this > BBS. Might I be so bold as to request, again, admission to > the Circle Msg base? Already done! WICCA CAVERN #4136 Dt: 11-01-92 21:19 By: Gandalf To: Paracelsus Re: questions <- #4135 #4151 -> I asked Dragon to upgrade your access to the Wicca Circle. I suppose that he did not get to it. I could not remember your entire real name (since you and I have not had many non Wicca discussions) and I probably did not find you by your alias. I am going to try to stop by over there tomorrow after my lab and if he had not gotten to it them I will do it. Later, and sorry for the confusion! Blessed Be Gandalf WICCA CAVERN #4155 Dt: 11-02-92 22:49 By: Gandalf To: Junbo Re: questions <- #4151 > Well, I know practically nothing about WICCA except that it > appears to be a form of white witchcraft worshipping and > earth goddess. Could someone tell me a little more, > including a (very) brief history??? Well, a brief history would be a little difficult, but I will try. Wicca is just one form of, well, earth-magic I guess you could say. The real basis would probably go back to the stone age. But basically, the godheads of Wicca are the Goddes and God. The goddess and god are metaphors for the spirit that permeates everyone and everything, and which gave birth to the universe. The two polarities represent aspects of this spirit (which I call God(dess)) that are more "female" or "male." Therefore, the Goddess is mother, creator, nurturer, and the mysterious (sounds about right to me!) and the god is the hunter, hunted, sacrificer and sacrifice. There are a lot of stories that I don't remember well enough even to write down (nor do I have time). There is always the aspect of Witchcraft. All that is is affecting the interconnectedness of everything, as well as taking advantages of mental abilities that take effort to develop, just like muscles, or any skill you use them for. However, since they are less obvious, they never received the same attention. Also, they fell out of use in the West because after the ascension to power of the Christian states, they were looked down on, hushed up, and banned as evil "works of Satan." > Well, as sysop of this area, that decision is yours to make. > And I can understand how some members might feel that way.. > I am pretty much a confirmed agnostic myself, but there are > people in this area who would be VERY upset at any serious > discussion of a non-Christian religion. That is pretty much my thought, as well. If things go well, and or I meet you, then I don't think any harm would come of it. I just didn't want you to think that I was doing it to be a schmuk. > As I have indicated, I am mostly curious about WICCA. > Unfortunately, I am also ignorant of it, I probably don't even > kinow what questions to ask. :( Can anyone reccommend any > books available in a local library?? Well, for one thing, you could ask any of us here whether certain things you have heard about Wicca are true (that is the main reason I made up the public access area!) Also, I suggest "The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk. Buckland has a book out, but I don't like it myself. He takes himself too seriously, and the book leaves you thinking that you have to do everything he says just as he says it, which is not true. Wicca is a very individual religion, with an emphasis more on the spirit in which you approach the worship rather than the exact manner you go about it. WICCA CAVERN #4153 Dt: 11-02-92 22:28 By: Raven To: All Re: Coven I am a Wiccan, and have been for about thre years. I have ben practicing solitary, other than a few gatherings that I have attended, but now I am interested in being part of a coven. So, I am trying to form a coven in this area.. anyone interested, please contact me here. Or, if you are a member of an existing coven that would be willing to accept new members, please contact me. Also, if you know of someone who might be interested in forming a coven, but does not have access to a computer or this bbs, please relay a msg to them informing them that I am interested, and I can be contacted by mail at: Raven P. O. Box 764 Fayetteville, AR 72702 Thank you, and blessed be! WICCA CAVERN #4151 Dt: 11-02-92 20:29 By: Jumbo To: Gandalf Re: questions <- #4136 #4155 -> >Well, let's do it this way. Ask your questions here, in the >Cavern, and any of us will try to answer. However, the Well, I know practically nothing about WICCA except that it appears to be a form of white witchcraft worshipping and earth goddess. Could someone tell me a little more, including a (very) brief history??? > experiences) so I think that the others might not appreciate > it if a non-practicioner were allowed in. :( Sorry, but I Well, as sysop of this area, that decision is yours to make. And I can understand how some members might feel that way.. I am pretty much a confirmed agnostic myself, but there are people in this area who would be VERY upset at any serious discussion of a non-Christian religion. As I have indicated, I am mostly curious about WICCA. Unfortunately, I am so ignorant of it, I probably don't even know what questions to ask. :( Can anyone reccommend any books available in a local library?? WICCA CAVERN #4172 Dt: 11-04-92 19:47 By: Jumbo To: Gandalf Re: questions <- #4155 #4177 -> > me!) and the god is the hunter, hunted, sacrificer and > sacrifice. There are a lot of stories that I really don't What kind of sacrifice(s) are we talking about here? Usually sacrifices are associated with evil and Satanism :( (unless it Lent, of course) :) > taking advantages of mental abilities that take effort to > develop, just like muscles, or any skill you use them for. I can attest that mental abilities require exercise to develop, nor are all abilities explainable in terms of conventional logic... > Well, for one thing, you could ask any of us here whether > certain things you have heard about Wicca are true (that is I have not yet heard anything about WICCA anywhere else but on this BBS. I am sure if anyone knew something was wrong, they would jump in and correct it. > That is pretty much my thought, as well. If things go well, > and or I meet you, then I don't think that any harm would > come of it. So far, Dragon and Merlin are the only sysops I've met. And Merlin's status has been in Limbo. So maybe we'll meet some time, maybe not, but most likely at Dragon's if we do. WICCA CAVERN #4177 Dt: 11-04-92 22:12 By: Gandalf To: Jumbo Re: questions <- #4172 #4201 -> > What sort of sacrifice(s) are we talking about here? Usually > sacrifices are associated with evil and Satanism :( (unless > it Lent, of course) :) Don't get all uptight on me now! I meant willing sacrifice (you know, the sacrifice of the soldier for his people, the sacrifice of the hunted to the hunter (tht is only willingly if you look at it a little strangely). Oh, what about Judaism, when you consider sacrifice? They were heavily into killing goats for ritual purposes, and people as well, depending on who you ask. As to the people I really have no opinion. > I can attest that mental abilities require exercise to > develop, nor are all abilities explainable in terms of > conventional logic... As can I, as can I :) > I have not yet heard anything about WICCA any where else but > on this BBS. I > am sure if anyone knew something wrong, they would jump > in and correct it. Probably anything you have heard about white witchcraft is about some form of Wicca. I use Wicca all the time here to avoid peoples weirdo questions if I used "witch" or witchcraft. > So fr, Dragon and Merlin are the only sysops I've met. And > Merlin's status has been in limbo. So maybe we'll meet some > time, maybe not, but most likely at Dragon's if we do. Well, I have met Merlin myself (through Dragon). I would be very interested in meeting you as I have seen you operate on the boards for as long as I have. Talk to you later, Gandalf WICCA CAVERN #4191 Dt: 11-06-92 09:46 By: Dragon To: Odie Re: why Wiccan <- #4132 #4192 -> why a god or goddess: human beings have a difficult time "dealing" with a creator that in actuality has no form, so their mind creates a form to relate to. if you meditate and god appears for you in your meditation, the form assumed by god is usually the one you can relate to; for a christian-christ,for a buddhist-buddha;for a wiccan-the goddess. this is cosistant in most cases,if you have no "form" in your mind, often god appears in the form of an older man or woman,often dressed in white robes. (the image of a wise teacher) dragon WICCA CAVERN #4195 Dt: 11-06-92 10:01 By: Dragon To: Melanie Lowery Re: animism <- #4131 #4196 -> * In a message originally to All, Melanie Lowery said: > Can anyone tell me where animism fits in with the Wiccan > religion? I have come across some journal articles lately > that speak about this, but not from any "knowledgeable" > base...Thanks - Melanie > the teachers from the east state that each living species on the planet(including plants) have a "deva"(a spirit that kind of consists of the combined consciousness of all living members of that species) which can be communicated with.a gift that can come to a human is to be able to communicate with the "oversoul" of a species.there was a community,sorry the name escapes me right now,which put forth a lot of information on this,they were a farming operation and had several people who could communicate with the devas,the plant devas would tell them what they needed to produce a good harvest for the people. dragon WICCA CAVERN #4196 Dt: 11-06-92 10:02 By: Dragon To: Melanie Lowery Re: animism <- #4195 findhorn was the name... dragon WICCA CAVERN #4204 Dt: 11-06-92 10:29 By: Dragon To: Jumbo Re: questions <- #4202 #4205 -> lets set up a pot luck for users and sysops,we can have it here if that is acceptable. dragon WICCA CAVERN #4205 Dt: 11-06-92 10:32 By: Dragon To: Jumbo Re: questions <- #4204 #4256 -> at my teachers small "centers" there were meetings once a week,we sacrificed up food(each brought a little fruit,nuts etc. it was offered up and placed on the altar,later in the evening it was removed from the altar and shared by everyone. dragon WICCA CAVERN #4256 Dt: 11-06-92 21:36 By: Jumbo To: Gandalf Re: questions <- #4205 > > What sort of sacrifice(s) are we talking about here? Usually > > sacrifices are associated with evil and Satanism :( (unless > > it Lent, of course) :) > Don't get all uptight on me now! I meant willing sacrifice Believe me, I am not uptight about this at all. I am aware of the practices of ancient Judaism, as well as modern Catholcism, although not a member of either group. So when you spoke of the god as sacrifice and sacrificer (I think that's what you said) I was wanting to know what kind of sacrifice and in what context. If I had freaked out... Well, I really don't know, but that wasn't it... TTYL ..end..