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'Twas the evening of Samhain, and all through the place, were wytches preparing the ritual space. The candles were set in the corners with care, in hopes that the Watchtowers soon would be there.
We had on our robes - (as is habitual), and had just settled down, and were starting our ritual; When out on the porch there arose such a chorus, that we went to the door, and waiting there for us; Were children in costumes of various kinds, with visions of chocolate, shining bright in their minds.
In all of our workings, (we'd almost forgot), that we'd purchased great candy - we'd purchased a LOT! And so, as they flocked from all over the street, they all got some chocolate or something else sweet.
We didn't think twice of delaying our rite - kids just don't have this much fun every night. For hours they came, with the time-honored schtick, of giving a choice: a "treat" or a "trick".
As is proper the parents were there, for the games, watching the children and calling their names:
"On Vader, On Leia,
On Dexter and DeeDee,
On Xena, on Buffy,
On Casper and Tweety!
To the block of apartments
on the neighboring road;
You'll get so much candy,
you'll have to be TOWED!"
The volume of children eventually dropped, and as it grew darker, it finally stopped. But as we prepared to return to our rite - one lone child silently stepped out of the night.
She couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen. Her hair was deep red, and her robe, forest green. With a simple gold cord tying off at the waist, She'd a staff in her hand, and a smile on her face.
No make-up, nor mask, or accompanying kitsch, So we asked who she was; she replied "I'm a wytch. And no, I don't fly through the sky on my broom; I only use that thing for cleaning my room. My magical powers aren't really that neat, but I won't threaten tricks; I'll just ask for treats."
We found it refreshing, so we gave incense cones, a candle, some crystals... a few other stones... and the rest of the candy (which might fill a van). She then turned to her father (a man dressed as Pan), And laughed, "Yes, I know, Dad, it's past time for bed," and started to leave, but she first turned and said: "I'm sorry for further delaying your rite.... Blessed Samhain to all, and to all, a great night!"
Pagan parents face the same problem with Samhain that Christian parents face at Christmas. How do you maintain the dignity and meaning of the holiday when every store, newspaper and radio station is playing to the publics basest instincts and trying to make as much money from the holiday as possible?
Not everyone will agree with me, but my own philosophy is to enjoy the day without trying make to make it into a consciousness-raising session for the kids.
The day will come when your children will ask you what YOU believe should happen at Samhain, but until that day, make the holiday a fun day for the kids complete with trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, carving pumpkins, etc. If you absolutely can't stand the monsters and green-faced witches that are the general publics idea of Halloween, then decorate with pumpkins, corn, cats, moons, etc. Be dignified, but not stodgy!
If you want to meet with your coven or your Pagan community to celebrate in a more solemn manner, put the kids to bed early.
Part of the joy of any holiday is the "fun" stuff that goes along with it. Let your kids have fun while they may. There will be plenty of other people who will try to surpress their freedom and impose rules on them; until they are old enough to really understand the beliefs you hold, let your kids be kids.
(And if your child brings home a green-faced witch from school, try to have a sense of humor about it! Tomorrow will be soon enough to show him some beautiful Goddess paintings!)
As a child, did you ever make mud pies, but knew that your concoction wasn't quite right until you added that special blade of grass or flower or berry on top?
"Then you know the care a witch puts into his/her brew and the painstaking importance of every last magickal ingredient in his/her spell".
As an adult, have you ever prepared a meal for others and paid careful attention to the ingredients that you were using because you wanted it taste scrumptious along with being healthy?
"Then you have practiced a bit of kitchen witchery".
Have you ever looked up into the sky and seen clouds that resembled an animal or a person's face or some other object?
"Then you have divined like a witch".
Have you ever as a child (or even as an adult ) attempted to make one of those clouds disappear through the sheer power of your mind?
"Then you have practiced a little weather magick".
Have you ever spoken to your pet as if they were human, or known what they wanted by simply observing their actions or the look in their eyes?
"Then you have begun to communicate as a witch does with a familiar".
Have you ever felt sad and cried when something or someone you didn't even know got hurt or died?
"Then you have experienced one of the many feelings of the empathic witch".
Have you ever had a fortunate "coincidence" happen to you, or a project that seems to have flowed flawlessly, or written a book that feels as if it wrote itself?
"Then you've been introduced to synchronicity and the witch's secret of aligning with the Universe".
Have you ever had everything go wrong, or struggled to write even a simple sentence, or felt strangely down and out-of-sorts for no reason?
"Then you know the first step of the witch's secret of how s/he knows s/he is *not* aligned with the Universe".
Have you ever spoken a quick prayer for your safety or the safety of others?
"Then you have practiced one part of a witch's protection spell".
Have you ever wished it would stop raining and then the sun made a sudden appearance, or ever wished someone would just go away...and they did?
"Then you have touched on the powers of a witch".
Have you ever been attracted to or studied ancient mythology and become familiar with names such as Zeus, Artemis, Aphrodite... Diana, Jupiter, Venus... Isis, Horus, Bast... Freya, Odin, Thor... Brigid, Cerridwen, or Lugh?
"Then you know something of a witch's pantheon and who s/he might be consorting with".
Have you ever woken up refreshed and said "hello" or "good morning" to the sun?
"Then you have hailed and honored one of the many witch's Gods".
Have you ever gotten so angry that unwittingly whatever you were holding in your hand broke... felt your pulse quicken during a scary movie... found something so funny that you couldn't stop laughing at until your sides hurt... or been on the tail-end of a "whip" at the roller skating rink?
"Then you have experienced a wee dose of raised energy".
Have you ever planted a garden and firmly patted the rich dark soil around a seedling, sat by the heat of a fire and wondered what fire actually was, gone swimming in the ocean and felt its undertow grab at your feet, or listened to the howls of the wind before a storm?
"Then you have played with aspects of the Elements a witch works with".
Have you ever "wow"ed at a sunset or sunrise, the largeness of the moon as it crests the horizon, the wrath of the ocean waves during a storm, or.. (insert your own "wow" moment here)..?
"Then you have felt what a witch feels all the time".
Have you ever daydreamed of making love in the grass under a full moon, or in a field of lavender under a blazing sun, or in the water of a pristine lake under a canopy of twinkling stars, or on the beach in the rain during a thunderstorm?
"Then you have dreamed of what a witch does".
Have you ever sunk your teeth into a ripe peach or melon, savored the flavor of mint or butter pecan ice cream, or enjoyed a slice of freshly-baked apple cinnamon pie?
"Then you have tasted the sweetness of a witch's Goddess".
Have you ever marveled over how the crystals grew inside that geode, or over the intricacies of a seashell's form, or over the infinite pattern of a fractal, or over the face that looks back at you in the mirror?
You insist that your boss call you "Rowan Starchild" because otherwise you'd sue for religious harrassment. (Score double for this if you don't let that patronizing bastard call you "Mr. or Ms. Starchild.")
You've ever confused the Prime Directive with the Wiccan Rede.
You've ever cast a spell with twenty-sided dice.
You said it was bigotry when they didn't let you do that ritual in front of city hall. It had nothing to do with the skyclad bit.
You picketed The Craft and Hocus Pocus, but thought that the losers who picketed The Last Temptation of Christ needed to get lives.
You've ever publicly claimed to be an elf, alien, vampire, faerie, or demigod, and been genuinely surprised when not everyone took you seriously.
You've ever publically claimed to be the reincarnation of Gardner, Merlin, Aleister Crowley, King Arthur, Cleopatra, Morgana Le Fay, or Jim Henson, and been genuinely surprised when not everyone took you seriously.
You've suddenly realised in the middle of a ritual that you weren't playing D&D.
You've failed to realise at any point in the ritual that you weren't playing D&D.
You've suddenly realised that you are playing D&D.
Your Book of Shadows is a rulebook for Vampire: The Masquerade with notes in the margins.
You've ever affected an Irish or Scottish accent and insisted that it was real.
You talk to your invisible guardians in public.
(Score double if you save places for them in crowded restaurants.)
(Score triple if you admit to having sex with them)
You've ever claimed to have met the Vampire Lestat or Dracula.
(Score double if you got into a fight and escaped)
(Score triple if it was no contest)
You own a ceremonial bong.
You've ever tried something you saw on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch.
You've ever had to go along with someone's ludicrous story because it was twice as likely to be true than most of the crap you spout.
You expect your employer to exempt you from the random drug testing because of your religion.
You've won an argument by referencing Drawing Down the Moon, knowing damn good and well they haven't read it either.
You've ever referenced the Great Rite in a pick-up line.
Someone has had to point out to you that you do not enter a circle "in perfect love and perfect lust."
(Score double if you argued the point.)
# You claim to be a famtrad (hereditary), but you're not.
(Score double if you had to tell people you were adopted to pull this off.)
You claim to be a descendant of one of the original Salem Witches.
(Score to a lethal degree if you don't get this one.)
Someone once lost their boat delivering your ritual incense from Mexico.
You've ever used tongue delivering the fivefold kiss.
(score double if you did it more than once.)
You've ever used reincarnation as the intro for a pick up line.
(You may deduct this point if it worked.)
You think it's perfectly reasonable to insist that, since every tradition is different, and no one tradition is right, there's no reason not to do things your way.
You request Samhain, Beltaine, and Yule off and then bitch about working Christmas.
The thing that drew you to the Craft was the potential to dance with naked members of the opposite sex.
You strip in a club like the one in Porky's under your craft name, and consider it highly appropriate.
You've ever been psychically attacked by someone who conveniently held a coven position you crave, and suddenly had a glimpse into their mind so you could see how evil they were.
You've ever achieved position or influence in a coven by sleeping with half of it.
You claim yourself as a witch because how early you were trained by the wise and powerful such-and-such. Of whom nobody has heard.
You complain about how much the Native Americans copied from Eclectic Wiccan Rites.
You're not a hereditary witch but you have a good disposition to it because your ancestors (the ones before your German parents) were Native American or Irish.
You don't know the difference between Irish and Scottish, and you alternately claim to be both.
You think it's your Pagan Duty to support the IRA, not because of any political beliefs you might share, but because, damnit, they're IRISH.
You think the number of Wiccan books you own is far more important than the number you have read, regardless of the fact that most of your books are for beginners.
You hang out with people who each match at least fifteen of these traits.
You recognize many of these traits in yourself, but this test isn't about you. But, boy, it's right about those other folks.
I would like to add to this message by saying that whether you belive that homosexuality is right or wrong, it is still our responsibility as human beings to treat each other with love and respect. To me it doesn't make sense to hate someone because you do not believe in their way of thinking or living. - AG
Whether you are homosexual or not, you should repost this in support of your friends and loved ones who are. Love is not defined by color, creed, or gender.
I am the mother who is not allowed to even visit the children I bore, nursed, and raised. The court says I am an unfit mother because I now live with another woman.
I am the boy who never finished high school, because I got called a fag everyday
I am the girl kicked out of her home because I confided in my mother that I am a lesbian.
I am the prostitute working the streets because nobody will hire a transsexual woman.
I am the sister who holds her gay brother tight through the painful, tear-filled nights.
We are the parents who buried our daughter long before her time.
I am the man who died alone in the hospital because they would not let my partner of twenty-seven years into the room.
I am the foster child who wakes up with nightmares of being taken away from the two fathers who are the only loving family I have ever had. I wish they could adopt me.
I am not one of the lucky ones. I killed myself just weeks before graduating high school. It was simply too much to bear.
We are the couple who had the realtor hang up on us when she found out we wanted to rent a one-bedroom for two men.
I am the person who never knows which bathroom I should use if I want to avoid getting the management called on me.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who found the support system grow suddenly cold and distant when they found out my abusive partner is also a woman.
I am the domestic-violence survivor who has no support system to turn to because I am male.
I am the father who has never hugged his son because I grew up afraid to show affection to other men.
I am the home-economics teacher who always wanted to teach gym until someone told me that only lesbians do that.
I am the woman who died when the EMTs stopped treating me as soon as they realized I was transsexual.
I am the person who feels guilty because I think I could be a much better person if I didnt have to always deal with society hating me.
I am the man who stopped attending church, not because I don't believe, but because they closed their doors to my kind.
I am a warrior for my country serving proud, but can't be my true self because gays aren't allowed in the military.
I am the person who has to hide what this world needs most, love.
I am the person ashamed to tell my own friends I'm a lesbian, because they constantly make fun of them.
I am that son, that was disowned by my mother and father, because I was. But loved by other member's in my family.
I am the boy tied to a fence, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to die because two straight men wanted to "teach me a lesson."
This is the boy, Matthew Shepard. On October 7, 1998 Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson lead him to a remote area east of Laramie where they demonstrated unimaginable acts of hate. Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew died on October 12 at 12:53 am at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. KILLED BECAUSE HE WAS GAY!!!
---IF YOU BELIEVE THAT HOMOPHOBIA IS WRONG... REPOST THIS
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