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BIG NEWS!
Hello, Witchlings!
I know I said we’d be getting back into the Elements series, then totally did not. The Elements will be coming back eventually, but there’s some exciting big news I couldn’t wait to share with you. A lot has been going on. We now have new Numerology-based card readings on our Youtube channel, plus some videos coming that I think you’ll really enjoy.
In my writing life, I’m beginning a new project and working to finish my next couple of novels. In addition, and most importantly, I’ve been writing the scripts for the Covenpath Course. Once all the scripts are complete (and there are many!), I’ll record and create the videos. While each lesson is pretty simple in its completed form, the process is slow and much more complicated than it looks.
“But how does it look?” You’re probably not asking. Well, now you can get a taste of the coming Covenpath Course.
I’ve been slowly revealing this in my private groups. Now, I’m ready to share it publicly. This mini-course is the Maiden’s Circle Introduction to Wicca, and is the first lesson in the full Covenpath Course. AND for the first 100 people to sign up, you can get it for nearly half the usual price (by using the link below)! Can’t wait to share with you, Witchlings!
So, are you ready? Click the picture to check it out!
Be sure to let me know what you think if you take the course. And remember that this is just one full lesson in the overall Covenpath Course. Also, by taking this mini-course, you qualify for a discount when the full course is available. See you there, Witchlings!
Yours always,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Maiden’s Circle Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Check out our forums and say hi! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news.
5 Witchy Things To Do After A Vacation
Merry meet, Witchlings!
It’s been nearly a month since our last post, so I want to share a brief life update with you. We’ll get back to the Elements series in our next post, but I figured a personal update or something different every now and then couldn’t hurt.
First the Update
My partner and I returned home a few days ago from a lovely two-week vacation to the UK. Life got very busy leading up to our departure, and most of my writing took a backseat to other tasks and entertainments. We’d planned and saved for this trip for over a year, and with how busy this last year got, it was so very needed.
I read so much!
Being able to read for enjoyment has always been one of my favorite pastimes, but I haven’t been able to binge-read in years. The last four weeks or so, leading up to and during the trip, allowed me to read the first full series I’ve read since my teen years (and only the second full series in my life). It reminded me a lot of why I write and why I adore certain stories.
Now that I’m back, I’m more excited and motivated than ever to continue the variety of projects I’ve got in store for you. Still, even after a refreshing break, I always need a little time after a long vacation to get back into the dance of my everyday life. In addition to time, there are a few things I need to do to settle back into my home space after being away for so long.
If you’ve ever left home for a few days, you may have noticed that it feels different when you return. Whether the place is empty or occupied by a cat-sitter, the energy of our apartment shifts when we’re gone. To get our place’s vibes back into balance after a long separation, here are some of the things I like to do within 24 hours of getting home.
Five Witchy Things I Must Do After Vacation To Reconnect To My Home
Shower
It may not sound witchy right off the bat, but showering is a well-known tool for spiritual cleansing. Of course, for me, I’m usually more concerned of getting the grime of travel off of my skin. Whether it’s eighteen hours on a Greyhound bus or ten on a plane, the recycled air filled with the respirations of a hundred other people always leaves me feeling sticky. It’s typically my first thought upon getting home.
In addition to body cleaning, there’s something very grounding about showering in your own home. Using my own tub, knowing the perfect position to turn the knob for my preferred temperature—it all serves to reconnect me with my sacred space. It’s a step I can never skip, and I tend to do it within an hour of getting home.
Express Gratitude
Once the grunge of travel is off of me, I begin to assess the moment. Either immediately after my shower or during it, I start thinking about all the things I’m grateful for to further ground myself.
I’ll typically say thanks for getting home safely (especially since flying kind of freaks me out), and I’ll give thanks for having a place to rest, for my pet, my books, my friends, and all the things that remind me of the best parts of my life.
So, even though I may feel a longing to go back to the freedom and adventure of a trip abroad, it’s easy to feel joy for all the good stuff I’m returning to. We may already be planning our next trip a year and a half away, but I can focus on all the things I’m grateful and excited for in the meantime.
Clean (Both Physically and Spiritually)
I typically try to clean our apartment just before we leave, so that I have less to do when we get back. Sometimes, though, we have a cat sitter stay at our place to avoid upsetting our fluffy girl, Brooklyn, too much. While they don’t go “hog-wild”, most people I know aren’t nearly as particular about cleanliness as I am. Because of this, I tend to go into deep-clean mode after anyone else has stayed at my place.
Having a physically clean living space settles my mind, while the activity itself tends to bring me down to earth. If I mix up a batch of enchanted cleaning spray, I’m able to put magic into the actual structure with each spritz. Simply put, cleaning up after a trip plops me squarely back into the reality of my life.
After a physical clean, I need to clear the energy in the air. Depending on my mood, this can be done with smoke from a sage or mugwort bundle, cleansing mists sprayed throughout the room, a boiling potion allowed to evaporate into the air, or any other method that strikes my fancy. Whatever methods I use, the goal is to clear any stagnant or negative energy that may have settled in my home when I wasn’t there to do my usual spiritual upkeep.
Light Candles and Incense
Once all that old energy is cleared, it needs to be replaced with something positive and healing. To do that, I usually light a long-burning candle after blessing it with a prayer and dressing it in ritual oil. The candle burns down and, as it does, I go about my day, occasionally imagining its firelight filling the place with positive energy.
I basically follow the same concept with incense, letting it burn and visualizing the smoke spreading my whispered blessings through the air. While the incense tends to burn out quickly, the candle can last most of the night, often remaining alight until just before I go to bed sometime around sunrise.
Meditate
Finally, once my body and home are cleansed and we’re both filled with positive energy, I can take the time to actively meditate. I say actively because, throughout the whole process, from shower onward, I will typically be in a meditative state.
But, I think it’s important to sit down and focus entirely on meditating when all those other tasks are complete. The meditation can last from two minutes to half an hour, depending on my mood at the time. I usually focus on grounding and visualize my personal, internal light bonding with that of my cleansed and blessed space, as well as with the light of the planet and cosmos.
Bonus: Stare At My Pet
Of course, as I do all of these other things, I take frequent and long breaks to do one of the most relaxing things known to mankind: stare at my cat, Brooklyn. She’s a perfect grey Tabby with perfect ears who smells like pure magick. I honestly don’t know how I ever felt at home anywhere before I had her to come home to.
Traveling has always been a dream of mine, but leaving her makes each trip a little harder, and having her makes coming home a thousand times more exciting. She makes me feel like I’m “home sweet home” more than anything else.
These few things not only help me settle in after being away for a while, but they help me to realign spiritually. Seeing as I can’t bring my entire sacred space with me, my practice is temporarily altered whenever I go anywhere for long.
These things bring me back to me. They bring me back to the path, to my work, and to the things that bring me a sense of fulfillment. As much as I love to travel, I love my work and feeling like I have a purpose even more. Maiden’s Circle, writing, card reading, and all the things I hope to accomplish drive me every day and fill me with passion. And I wouldn’t give that up for a million dollars.
What sorts of things do you need to do to reconnect to your living space after an extended absence? How do you realign your energy after being away from home? Let me know in the comments!
Be blessed,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
P.S. This site is at risk of being lost due to a hefty bill. If you’d like to help support Maiden’s Circle, you can become a Patron of me as a writer HERE (and maybe switch over when Maiden’s Circle has an official Patreon). You might also want to request a personal tarot reading, which you can do HERE.
Check out our Maiden’s Circle Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week.
Check out our forums and say hi!
Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page!
PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news.
Maiden’s Circle Updates and Announcements
Hello, Witchlings
For the last 24 weeks or so, blog entries have had pretty much the same format. They each began in the same way and shared a basic structure. Now that the Ordains series has ended, I don’t know how to start a non-series post without feeling like a sailor stepping onto solid ground for the first time in months.
This entry is simply to give an update on Maiden’s Circle endeavors before we move into our next series. I’ll discuss a bit about that series’ focus at the end of this post. First, I’d like to share upcoming and ongoing news. If you’re subscribed to the newsletter, you may have heard some of this already, but I thought I’d go into just a smidge more detail.
First Up: Tarot and YouTube
If you’ve followed the blog for a while, you probably already know that I provide free daily tarot readings on the Maiden’s Circle YouTube channel. I started this channel back in 2015, but really began utilizing it for tarot on January 1st in 2017. It’s been a year and seven months to the day.
Those videos consistently draw between two and thirteen viewers, due to the fleeting nature of a daily message. While high numbers aren’t the main goal, exposure for Maiden’s Circle has always been part of the plan. So, I’ve been brainstorming ways to continue providing what I believe to be a valuable service—guidance through divination—in a way that might not only draw more interest, but will push me to grow and expand in my own practice.
Lately, I’ve studied some interesting things in pursuit of my faith, stuff I’ve always had an interest in but struggled to wrap my head around as a teen. I’d like to incorporate these new learnings into my practice, and it makes sense to continue that study on the channel.
I’m Taking A Journey Of Self-Exploration
In addition to divination videos, I’d like to offer a series in which I discuss various witchy/spiritual topics. I’ve been in a process of exploring my own beliefs and knowledge, searching for gaps in what I think I know and refreshing what I might have forgotten. I’m doing this because, the more I try to step into the role of a teacher, the clearer I see how little I actually know. And that is very little.
Even so, I’m constantly learning. Every day, I pick up something new, and I am incredibly grateful to recognize how far I’ve come since starting this path eighteen years ago. My life is full of blessings beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and I owe much of that to my faith. Even in hard times, of which there are plenty, I am blessed with a charmed life. (And I’m not just saying that because A Charmed Life is one of my favorite witchy books, I genuinely mean that my life seems to be touched by the Divine in many ways.)
I want to share the beauty and spiritual healing that my practice has brought to me. In order to do so, I need to be confident in my understanding of the material I’m sharing, as well as proactive when it comes to learning as much as I can about our universe. One of the things that helps me feel like I’m serving the Pagan community is the YouTube channel, so I figured, why not do the series there?
There will probably only be one a month, as I realize I’ve had a pretty ambitious year so far. Still, I feel called to reach out to our community in this and numerous other ways.
The Academy Finally Has An Open Enrollment Date
That said, I’m not quite ready to reveal it just yet. I will, however, be announcing the exact date enrollment opens for the Maiden’s Circle Covenpath course in September of this year. I truly believe this course will help so many people find their way.
This course has been a labor of intense love for nearly five years. It sometimes feels like the more I put into it, the more that has to be done to get it just right. Its construction seems to have overshadowed one of the coven’s main purposes, which is to create an in-person community of people who share a similar understanding about the world. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that this course will do exactly that.
Creating a 12-month Pagan course is a long and often tedious process, especially when one is doing everything on their own. From lesson-planning to video-scripting/recording/editing and slide creation, a lot more has gone into this than I originally expected when I started Maiden’s Circle. Heck, I just imagined I’d give lectures to groups of women and host rituals.
Now, much of my life and soul are wrapped up in Maiden’s Circle, and I know this is the right path. I feel more true, more authentic, and generally happier than I’ve ever been before because I have Maiden’s Circle in my life. I am so thankful for whatever muse put the thought in my head, and I am thrilled to be this much closer to sharing it with my community.
I’m Going On Vacation and Starting A New Series
Over the last twenty-odd weeks, I tried something new with this blog. The goal was to connect this blog to the Covenpath course by focusing on one of the subjects in an early lesson. It also provided steady material for nearly six months, giving me one less thing to have to think about.
This format worked out well, I believe, so I’ve decided to try it again. This time, the subject matter deals less with moral questions and instead focuses on the basic cardinal elements nearly all witches learn about in the early stages of our path.
That is, I’ll be doing a series on various topics relating to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. I’m hoping this series will be a bit more fun than the Ordains, which was occasionally something of a headache. This series will also lean more on the informative side than the personal response thing I did with the Ordains, so expect shorter entries for a while.
Be sure to check for the first entry on July 8th, then every week after that. The 29th and the 5th are up in the air at the moment, as I’ll be away from my computer those days. If I can get the entries written up in advance, that’d be great, but I’ve never successfully managed that…so, we’ll see.
I suppose that’s it for now. Thank you so much for your continued love and support. Things are slow-going, but they’re moving forward. I’m excited to see what other changes arise throughout this year! See you next time and blessed be.
Love,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Check out our forums and say hi! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
The Ordains 22: Follow the Rules or Be Banished From Earth
This is the final entry in a series on a set of Pagan guidelines known as the Ordains. The Ordains, as we know them today, can be found in the works of Gerald Gardener, Aleister Crowley, and more. Maiden’s Circle uses a simplified version that has been edited and altered to reflect our core beliefs.
Read to the end for a special note!
“A Witch who knowingly breaks the Law (Ordains) will not be permitted to incarnate on Earth again.”
I can already hear the collective groans. The notion that breaking a certain list of rules will lead to some sort of cosmic punishment is reminiscent of certain dogmatic religions. Because of my upbringing, the first to come to my mind is Christianity, but there are tons of religions that uphold a similar concept.
Don’t fret, witchlings. Even though the intro for each entry has stated that the Ordains in their current form represent our core beliefs, this one doesn’t actually fit that mold. This last Ordain won’t be found in the Maiden’s Circle Book of Shadows. It was included in this series to demonstrate how everything must evolve with time, including religion.
Personally, I believe that, without change, there can be no growth.
Rules change and, while most of the Ordains are essential to my own practice, this one reminds me to accept those changes. They’re not only inevitable, but they’re necessary for us to fulfill our various paths throughout our lifetimes.
The men who created most of our laws lived in a different era. Their views about the world are old and outdated today. Even in their time, people were already beginning to question these kinds of ideas. And the idea of a witch simply deciding these Laws aren’t for them leads to their soul being forced into some arbitrary quarantine from Earth—well, that idea has no place here.
In my own practice, I believe that a soul will reincarnate if it needs or wants to, regardless of what choices were made in its previous life cycle. Of course, if it chooses to, I believe they may need to face karmic consequences. This leads into the second reason we’re including this Ordain in our series.
It makes us question what really happens after life ends, and what the consequences may exist for breaking the main Law of “Harm None.” No one alive can say for sure what happens after we die, though plenty will tell us their theories. Whether it’s ascension into some netherworld, reincarnation, or oblivion, everyone has some belief concerning the afterlife (or lack thereof). I shared some of mine above.
This old law is just one belief, representing the mindset of a man from another time.
Throughout this series, I hope I’ve demonstrated how no law is 100% all the time. I believe that goes for all laws, especially those of men. Occasionally, this puts us in a grey area. Who decides which laws are to be followed and when? I feel that, if we follow the most important one, “An ye harm none,” and if we let ourselves be guided in love, we might make the right choices. If we try to live in a way that helps other people and is good for our planet, breaking the Ordains or other written laws isn’t going to lead to any sort of punishment—at least not spiritually.
(I am in no way suggesting anyone engages in illegal activity, just to be clear.)
What I believe in is the freedom to choose. No spiritual law written by humans can dictate what our souls are called to do. The only law that must be honored in the Maiden’s Circle tradition is that you harm none, save for in defense of yourself or others who request your aid. Naturally, though, it’s up to each of us individually to decide what that means for us.
What do you think of this or any of the past Ordains? Do you believe we face punishment or banishment from Earth if we break this or other spiritual laws? If so, why? Is there something we must do to be allowed to incarnate again? Do you believe in reincarnation?
P.S. This is the end of our series on the Ordains. This has been such an interesting journey, and I sincerely hope it was educational and entertaining for you. Stick around. Next week, we’ll have a brief update before moving into our next series. See you there!
P.P.S.
Please forgive me for posting this so late in the week and missing last week’s post altogether. For the last month or so, I’ve been considering closing the blog. I have posts planned until next year, but in two years, I just haven’t seen the growth I’d hoped for. I love writing about Pagan things and feeling like I’m providing a service to my community. Over these last two years, however, I’ve added so much to my life—all of it I adore. Some things just take a little more out of me than others, and I’m searching for the best way to manage it all while still taking care of myself.
In any case, I’ve decided to continue this blog for as long as I have ideas. That’s how I feel for now, anyway. Sure, there may be only about three of you out there who read it, but all three of you are appreciated! And in the future, I know it’s going to be a valuable resource for the Covenpath students. Plus, writing this blog is good for my practice. It forces me to routinely check in with myself, which I believe is a good thing.
So, I’ll have to ask you to forgive me when the blog is occasionally late. I tend to take days off to care for myself when I notice stress or depression creeping up, and that’s not likely to change. It’s the best way I know to keep stable. But I will make sure you get something from me every week. If not a full blog entry, I’ll drop in with something.
Thank you so much to those of you who are here, and who encouraged me to keep going. And thank you to those who’ve been here all along, lurking in the shadows.
I love you and blessed be.
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Check out our forums and say hi! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
The Ordains: Part 19 – Safe Within The Magick Circle
This is the nineteenth entry in a series on a set of Pagan guidelines known as the Ordains. The Ordains, as we know them today, can be found in the works of Gerald Gardener. Maiden’s Circle uses a simplified version that has been edited and altered to reflect our core beliefs.
“A Witch uses the magickal circle as a physical and non-physical representation of a temple on the earth plane.”
This isn’t really something one might have a lot of opinions on. It’s pretty straightforward in meaning and, I believe, most witches would be hard-pressed to disagree. Our Circle is sacred, and we all acknowledge that simple fact, no matter how a Circle is constructed.
I’d be overstepping it if I said that every witch in the world casts the magickal circle, but all of the witches I’ve met have done so at some point in their lives. It’s safe to say this is a common practice. If you’re reading this, then you probably already know what the magickal circle is. For those of you who don’t, I’ll gladly explain.
First, to keep things clear, I use “magickal circle” and “Circle” interchangeably, with “Circle” capitalized to denote its spiritual importance to me. We witches use the Circle to create a sacred space where we can safely practice magick and worship the Divine.
To create a magickal circle, one needs little more than intent.
That said, most of us do prefer to use certain tools that allow us to physically mark the space as sacred alongside our spiritual efforts. This serves in not only giving our minds a type of anchor, so that we’re grounded and focused on the task at hand, but it brings together our earthly world and the spiritual one.
Witches use a variety of methods to create their Circle; some even use different methods for different occasions! Here at Maiden’s Circle, we have a basic Circle-building structure that we feel is useful in all occasions. The full method is taught in our upcoming Covenpath course, but I’ll go over the basics here.
Generally, all of our Circles start with an activity to help participants ground themselves and focus on the upcoming ritual. This could be anything from a few deep breaths to a full on meditation to singing and dancing—anything that gets us grounded in the space and within our bodies.
Once we’re grounded and our intentions are focused on our purpose—whatever reason we’ve chosen to create the Circle—then we’re ready to erect our Circle. This usually means calling to the four cardinal corners of the earth (North, East, South, and West) and asking their spiritual guardians to protect us while we work. In our practice, these guardians are represented by four major elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.
We would then hold an object that represents each element in its corresponding direction and call upon those guardians to join our Circle and protect it. Many witches also call upon a deity or two, often a feminine and masculine pair.
Lastly, we would visualize an orb of light growing around us, covering our space and solidifying it as sacred.
This is our temple. This is our church. It exists where we choose to create it.
Of course, once we’ve completed our Circle, it’s important to respect the space we’ve built. A good rule of thumb is: if you wouldn’t do it in a public church, you shouldn’t do it in your own Circle. Naturally, there are many exceptions, since public churches tend to have a very different idea of what’s appropriate.
But, what I mean is if it would be disrespectful to a spiritual space, you might want to avoid it. For example, you wouldn’t want someone coming into your Circle and starting fights. You wouldn’t want someone to enter your Circle with cheesy or greasy fingers and then proceed to touch all of your ritual tools. So, don’t do it to yourself or to anyone else’s Circle. In general, when you’re in another person’s sacred space, you’ll follow their lead for how the space should be treated.
Over time, we all figure out what works best for us in Circle. Even people in covens have their individual methods in addition to the coven’s style. Like most things in witchcraft and Wicca, we have the benefit of being able to cast a magickal circle in whichever way suits us.
However we create our Circle, I believe it’s a useful practice for every witch. The Circle allows us to have a sacred space anywhere we choose, it protects us from any ephemeral beings that are up to no good, connects our mundane lives with the Divine, and enhances the magickal energy of all of our workings. We are truly safe within the sacred Circle.
Do you cast a magickal circle? Do you cast it for every work or only during certain rituals? Is it an important part of your practice? Share your responses in the comments!
With many blessings,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
The Ordains: Part 18 – Don’t Ask Them To Pay
This is the eighteenth entry in a series on a set of Pagan guidelines known as the Ordains. The Ordains, as we know them today, can be found in the works of Gerald Gardener. Maiden’s Circle uses a simplified version that has been edited and altered to reflect our core beliefs.
“Do not set a price on your magickal work.”
This one is complicated. I’ve always had mixed feelings about money in general, and this law didn’t help. As early as ten years old, I learned the necessity of money. I also learned how discussions about money made people uncomfortable and therefore needed to be avoided. This created a confusion and uneasiness around money that I struggle with today.
My rocky relationship with money made it easy to accept this law into my practice at a young age. In fact, I held to the belief that it was unethical to charge for magickal work throughout the majority of my Wiccan life. In recent years, however, my viewpoint has taken a natural shift. The more I’ve come to understand just how unhealthy my views on money have been, the more I question this old adage.
After all, it was written in a time when society was structured differently.
No matter how “enlightened” Gerald Gardner might seem to us today, he was still a product of his time and, as such, his views on money reflected a rejection of mainstream society. Whereas a musician who made a lot of money was considered a “sell-out,” a witch who received pay for magickal work was cheapening the practice. This was also a time when many people believed that money was the root of all evil, so it stands to reason that Gardner would have had some hang-ups.
Nowadays, most Pagans have a different idea of how money works. Many of us see it as one of a million methods of transferring energy. I struggled with this concept for years before coming to accept it. Intellectually, it made some sense. If you exchange money that you earned for goods, how is that different from exchanging time or efforts for goods? You’ve just added a physical representation of your effort.
Of course, that would be true in an ideal world where money wasn’t used as a means for control and separation amongst the people. In reality, there are some issues with money that I believe everyone who hasn’t always had it can sympathize with. In our country, it’s used as a weapon and a method of hierarchical control for certain unsavory sorts.
Still, as a simplified concept, I can see money as an energetic exchange.
This shifting of opinions has helped me to feel a little less squirmy about making money through spiritual pursuits. I realize now that, if I am to follow this path, I need to be healthy. I need to make sure I have food, a safe place to call home, and the freedom to create; only then am I able to fulfill the purpose I believe Goddess has for me. And, in our current society, money is the tool that allows me to have those things.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Over the years, I’ve spoken to many witches who agree that this “Law” is old-fashioned. If we’re to thrive in the current systems and still do our spiritual work, we need to be able to pay our bills.
Someday, we’ll have a world in which everyone is guaranteed a home, food, security, and healthcare without having to worry if they miss one paycheck. A world where people are free to pursue their true cause in life.
For now, we witches need to adapt to survive.
There are limits, of course. While I’m fine with charging for tarot, spell kits, teaching magick, and the like, I’m a little less comfortable with the idea of doing actual spells for other people—especially if those people aren’t there in person to lend their energy to the work. I firmly believe that magick comes from within each of us; and if we have no personal ties to the subject of a spell, it’s not likely to do anything.
Some witches may feel it’s perfectly fine to cast spells for others in exchange for some sort of payment, but I’ve never felt good about that. Even so, I try not to look down upon those who do make money that way. Like I said, we’ve all got to eat and live. So, as long as a witch is behaving ethically and not taking advantage of others, I choose to withhold judgment.
In my eyes, this law speaks to those who would manipulate and lie to coerce people into paying them for magickal workings. This is utterly disgusting, predatory behavior and, unfortunately, we see it all the time. It’s impossible to walk through Manhattan on a Saturday without some street-side “psychic” telling you that you’re carrying a dark shadow. People like that are part of the reason legitimate readers and healers aren’t taken seriously.
Unfortunately, those folks probably aren’t going anywhere.
It’s up to the rest of us to act with honesty and to treat our craft and those who come seeking it ethically. I don’t believe a witch or an artist or teacher or anyone should have to forgo the basic necessities for living a healthy, balanced life—nor do I believe one should have to choose between doing spiritual work or taking some arbitrary “day job” to make due. If a person is drawn to spiritual work, they should be able to do so without the fear of not meeting their basic needs.
What do you think? Should people charge for any spiritual work? Should we find other means of making money while still doing spiritual work? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Abundant blessings to you and yours,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
Brief Update and a Rerun
This week, I’ve been dealing with some personal things, so I’m still catching up. It didn’t feel right to leave you hanging, though, so I’ve found an entry from my now-inactive blog, Voix de Wilder, to share with you. I believe this piece does a good job of explaining my thoughts on things like “fate” or “destiny.” While my views have shifted slightly, a lot of what I said back then still stands, and I think it’s important to explore our own mindset over time. I’m still learning and always asking “why.”
I also wanted to take a break to let you know how things are going concerning the course and other Maiden’s Circle endeavors. As you know by now, Maiden’s Circle sends out a newsletter each time there’s a new update. Lately, that’s pretty much only been notifications of new blog entries and whatever news comes up that week. Do you like that format? Would you like more in the newsletters?
In any case, I want to let you know that our Covenpath course is coming along slowly, but surely. Each week, it gets a little closer to publishing. I want this to be as valuable as I can possibly make it, so I’ve spent many hours researching to make sure we provide the right amount of information while keeping in mind that this is a self-study course. As soon as it’s ready, you’ll be the first to get an email. Make sure you’re signed up for the newsletter, because only those people will get the massive discount of $13 (as opposed to $133). That’s $120 worth of content just for joining the newsletter!
The closer we get to going live, the giddier I become. I sincerely hope this course provides a sturdy base for your witchy practices and that it can lead to a huge growth within Maiden’s Circle. The fact is, I’m looking for coven members. It’s important we all have a similar understanding of the Maiden’s Circle practices, even with varying practices of our own. That means, new members would need to take the course. (That said, enrollment in the course doesn’t automatically mean initiation into the coven.) So, with the launch of the Covenpath course, I hope to see growth in our numbers. If it isn’t clear already, I have a deep need to share this journey.
To help sate that need, Maiden’s Circle now has a learning group on Facebook! The group is meant to foster discussion and learning from one another and is just a bit more formal than other groups I admin. This is because I truly want to have an engaged Pagan community where everyone expresses themselves and participates. I want to hear about your beliefs and practices so that we can connect with one another on a more personal level. So, be sure to check that group out, as well as the Bacchans of Witchsfest group for even more fun, witchy posts.
The Ordains series will continue next week, but I hope you enjoy this brief update and break. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or join us on Facebook. Until then, I hope you enjoy the entry below in which I discuss the ideas of fate or destiny. Blessed be!
Previously titled Sh*t Happens. First published Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Let’s just say that things happen, that sometimes events randomly fall together to create the perfect circumstances for certain things to occur. Let’s say that’s it. Things fall into place and things happen, without the hand of Fate or “the Universe.” This is, indeed, the view of many skeptics and self-proclaimed smart people. If that is the case, then we’re really just living to die, no? Shit just happens, and either it’s good or bad, but it’s never important. Moments aren’t special, so there’s no reason for sentiment and reminiscing. There’s no point to romance.
I’ve seen two reactions from those following this school of thought. Some people embrace it and adopt a devil-may-care attitude. They live life fast and hard. They live for the sake of experience. They live dangerously, trying anything new, ignoring the consequences. These people believe they could die young, so they live every moment doing whatever they please. Then, there are others who take this thought and find fear and misery in it. If there is no meaning, if their lives are just a series of random events, what is the point of living? These forlorn people often feel their lives are tragic, and tend to share their tragedy with others, leading to dysfunctional, often co-dependent, relationships.
It’s all very nihilistic, isn’t it? On the other end of the spectrum are those who believe that Fate rules the world. To these hopeful beings, every single event has a meaning, everything happens for a reason. They are always where they’re “meant to be.” There is some power in the universe that is watching over them, and even the smallest occurrences are meant for them. A leaf falling at just the right moment is some message for them to interpret, or there’s a raging storm because they’re having a bad day. Essentially, they believe the world revolves around them. Truly, their own world does.
Then, of course, there are those of us who are the most idealistic. We see the world as a gray area. Some things just happen because they do. Some things are destined. Not everything happens for a reason, but nothing is pointless. Life, ultimately, has a meaning amidst all the mundanity. We’ve seen the magic that can occur; we’ve seen what can happen when certain random circumstances come together and create the perfect setting for creating change.
The task, then, is to learn to discern the difference; and when you find the things that are significant, when you do receive messages from the Universe (or the Fates, God/dess, Spirit, the Higher Power, or what-have-you), you must determine what they mean. Perhaps it is just that I like puzzles, that I feel this is the most accurate idea of why things happen. Who really knows why some people fall into jobs they’d never imagined and end up finding their calling? Who knows what determines whether or not one person survives an accident? Is it luck? Or is it Fate that brings a person into another person’s life? A person that makes the other feel joyous and free? Or a person that leaves pain and destruction behind?
We search for lessons and often find them too late. It isn’t easy figuring out what is mundane and what is a whisper from the gods. I am happy that my mind works the way it does, but even that is a mystery to me. The life I lived as a child, the environment that raised me, could have a different influence. Instead of following in the footsteps of generations before me, I chose to take a new path. Though, I’m not entirely convinced it was a choice. I believe that, when it comes to destiny, mine is one of greatness. I do, however, have to make the choices that take me there; nothing is set in stone. I believe life will bring to me all I need, but it is up to me to make it mine, to keep it.
Some things are truly supposed to be in our lives, but we must work to prove we deserve them. Not everything that’s meant to be is easy. Not everything that’s difficult is a random occurrence or a “lesson learned.” Perhaps sometimes, the lesson is, “Don’t give up.” In that same vein, not everything that’s pleasant is fate. Sometimes, we’re just lucky; it’s just good timing. So, how do we figure it out? What do we do with the information once we’ve done that? How do we know which actions are “right”? I can’t answer that.
I am working to figure it out in my own life. There are things I see as signs, and but I am ever skeptical. Everything is a sign and nothing is. I am attempting to look at unique occurrences from as many angles as I can conceive. Of course, it makes me seem a bit…insane, but I’m not sure that matters. I am analyzing life constantly, and I can’t seem to let go of certain concepts, certain “signs.” I don’t know what’s happening yet, or why, but I know something in my life is changing. I don’t know which direction it’s going to go. All I can do is make the choices that I believe will bring me the most joy and fulfillment. I hope luck is on my side.
With love always,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings here, and subscribe to catch them every week! Have any questions or topics you’d like to see on the blog? Interested in writing a guest blog? Let me know in the comments or reach out through the contact page! PLUS Did you know we have an MCCA newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
#NotAllPaganTeachers
This post is a bit of a warning.
There’s a group on Facebook that claims to be a teaching group for witches (Witchy Witch Teaching Circle). It’s a pretty normal group most of the time. The admin, however, was found giving bad advice. When questioned about it, she blocked at least 4 people from commenting or posting in the group. Possibly more at this point. I think this is a dangerous response for someone who claims to be a Pagan teacher, to resist any kind of disagreement.
I also think it’s important to explain the situation. She posted a screenshot of a conversation in which she told a man that he couldn’t be a witch because he was Taoist, Buddhist, and/or Hindu. She said “being a witch means having only witchcraft as a belief system.” This post is in an effort to avoid that kind of misinformation.
What’s wrong with that?
Being a witch requires 2 things 1] the practice of witchcraft and 2] the choice to be called a witch. That’s it. I may not agree totally with the idea of a Christian witch, but I wouldn’t tell them they *can’t* be a witch if they so choose.
There is no such rule that states a witch isn’t allowed to follow different belief systems. Furthermore, witchcraft is a practice. Yes, it is based on a type of faith, but in and of itself, it is not its own “belief system.” And it isn’t an exclusionary practice.
Naturally, this was pointed out to the admin in question by multiple people. Her response, instead of considering that maybe she’d given some bad advice, was to block and ban every person who commented along those lines. Every one.
Petty and dangerous
To make such a claim as “being a witch means having only witchcraft as a belief system” is harmful, misleading, and a sign of dangerous leadership. To deny any questioning of a claimed religious teacher is borderline cult behavior.
This did not sit well with me at all. As someone who strives to be a Pagan teacher, who wishes to help and guide witches in need, I’m always on the lookout for dangerous and controlling behaviors. The Pagan community deals with enough misunderstanding and negative representation. We don’t need more.
It’s okay to ask and even correct a teacher
Keep your eyes open, Witchlings. Not every witch who claims to be a teacher wants to help you. Some just want to be religious leaders, to have followers, to never be questioned.
But I urge you to question. I urge you to speak out when information rings untrue, when something seems harmful, or just because it’s confusing. Speak up and question anyone who claims to be a religious teacher. The right teacher won’t mind.
Blessed be.
Lady Morgana Brighid, HP MCCA
Was I Born A Witch?
I’m in a lot of Pagan Facebook groups where Pagans of all traditions can come together to celebrate, grow, and learn. A question that pops up time and time again in these groups is something along the lines of How do I know if I was born a witch?
If you’ve wondered this yourself, you might have gotten some pretty varied responses. Well-meaning websites list anything from marks on your palm to just not giving a damn in general as “signs” that you’re born a witch.
Those erroneous articles aside, most practitioners know the truth: no one is born a witch. It’s true that some witches are born with certain spiritual gifts. You may have always “known” things beyond what you’ve been exposed to. You could even have been born into a family with a long-practiced witchcraft tradition. However, while anyone can be born with spiritual gifts—that doesn’t make one a witch.
What does make someone a witch is choice. You choose to practice witchcraft, to learn what it has to offer, and to make it a part of your life. No one else can tell you whether you are. No special marks or gifts. You choose to be a witch, and it’s as simple as that.
For most of us, it’s a lifestyle and endless journey. Sure, there are those who call themselves “dabblers,” but most witches have spent a significant amount of time learning our craft and incorporating it into our daily lives.
In the beginning of my own practice, I asked this very same question. Was I born a witch? I had many gifts and didn’t fit in with anyone, instead choosing to drift through social groups, mainly in shadow. I knew things others didn’t and saw the world differently from just about everyone around me. There are quite a few in online communities who’d claim those are signs I was a witch at birth.
I believe that I was born with the potential to become a witch. There are spirits, deities, and such varied otherworldly beings who interact with us on the earthly realm all the time. Whether in this realm or another, it’s possible for these beings to become attached to others. They may choose to guide and protect certain people, much in the way we might choose to help and protect our friends and family.
That’s why it might seem like witchery has been “calling” you. In a way, it has been. Some people are more inherently tuned into the spiritual realm and are therefore more likely to pursue a Pagan practice. Still, you are not a witch until you take on that mantle.
No one is born a witch, but most of us are born with the potential to become one. If you feel you’re guided to this path, I encourage you to pursue it for at least a year before deciding one way or another. Remember that no one else can decide for you whether or not you’re a witch—not relatives, not other witches, and certainly not strangers on the internet.
So, what are some of the signs you saw or experienced growing up that lead you to this Pagan path? How did you discover your connection with witchcraft? Let’s discuss in the comments!
With love always,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
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