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Updates for September/October
Merry meet, my darling Witchlings!
If you’ve been watching the YouTube channel, you might already know some of what I’m going to say, but I wanted to be sure to get these updates anyone who may have missed the news.
For the last two years, I’ve tried to maintain a weekly posting schedule. Of course, that hasn’t always been a successful endeavor, but I did my best. There have been quite a few changes in life over these two years, so it’s only natural that this blog and all my other projects change a bit, too.
In addition to life changes, my energy has had a shift over the last few weeks. That’s bound to happen at times. Whether it’s due to the loss of a loved one or physical illness, our personal energy often fluctuates. And, even though meditation can make the fluctuations a bit smoother, no one is immune to these shifts.
Instead of resisting, I find it’s best to simply go with the flow. So, I’ve made some changes to our posting schedule, as well as a few other Maiden’s Circle offerings.
So, what’s new?
Posting Schedule
As I mentioned above, we’ll be changing our schedule when it comes to these blog posts. For the past two years, I’ve tried to post weekly, but that’s no longer feasible. So, now I’ll be posting once a month, publicly. We’ll also have a private post for a select few. I’ll give you details about that in just a moment.
In these public posts, we’ll have our standard fare: series and updates. But, in the private blogs, we’ll be getting deeper into magick and spellwork. I’m looking forward to talking more about those topics. Of course, that doesn’t start until there’s demand for it.
Tarot Schedule
In addition to reducing my posting schedule, I’ll also be reducing the amount of tarot videos I post. For quite some time now, we’ve had “daily” tarot readings posted on the weekdays. While this schedule forced me to really train my intuition and allowed me to get some meditation in every day, it eventually got to be a bit overwhelming.
The daily schedule also began to eat into my writing time and the time I spent on other creative projects. That aspect of my life is just as important as the spiritual aspect, so it’s important to me that I have balance.
It’s that need for balance that has led me to reduce the amount of tarot videos I make myself record each month. So, official as of last week, I’ll be doing pick-a-card readings once a week and Life Path Number readings once a month. This change will give me a little more time and wiggle room when it comes to these readings.
Patreon
Of course, even though I am reducing my overall posting schedule, I wanted to provide a few special offerings for Maiden’s Circle’s most loyal supporters. So, Maiden’s Circle now has an official Patreon!
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have a way to maintain operations and keep a healthy, balanced life. I have been putting so much of myself—so much time and personal energy—into Maiden’s Circle, but it wasn’t providing me the stability necessary to continue at the rate I’ve been going. I have workaholic tendencies, and this Patreon is an effort to justify that work.
On Patreon, you’ll receive an extra private blog each month, as I mentioned earlier. I’ll also be offering a private monthly reading along with a spiritual channeling, a monthly live chat, some Maiden’s Circle branded gear, a free spell download, and more. What you receive depends on the tier level you choose.
So, if you want to directly support Maiden’s Circle, either click here or copy and paste the following link into your browser:
Https://www.patreon.com/mcca13
Thank you so much for your continued love and loyalty to Maiden’s Circle. It hasn’t gone unnoticed. Please know that you are appreciated. Since this update is coming so near the end of the month, this will be your only blog post this month. Look out for the next one in the first two weeks of October.
Thank you again and blessed be.
Yours in service,
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.
Air and the East
Hello! This is the second entry in our series on the natural elements. In this series, we’re going to have short entries on the main cardinal elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. We’ll explore their connections with other aspects of the craft, such as color and direction correspondences.
We’ll start with those basic correspondences, then move on to tools of the craft which are used to represent these elements. Then, we’ll follow that with various activities one can do in relation to the elements and finish off with elemental connections to the Zodiac.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this series, so be sure to leave comments and say ‘Hi!’ on the Facebook page!
Air and the East
While I’ve never seen a ritual opened in the East, I’m sure there are some traditions which do just that. In any case, since most traditional rituals begin in the North and move clockwise, Air usually follows, placed in the Eastern corner.
I couldn’t say for sure why Air always follows after Earth, but my own theory is that this is due to the actual rotation of the planet. Earth is the dominant element because, well, it’s our home. And because of the Coriolis Effect (a phenomenon that pushes air and water currents either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the hemisphere) we in the Northern Hemisphere—where Wicca and similar crafts originate—naturally follow the clockwise direction.
So, that explains why we move from North to East, but why is Air associated with the Eastern corner? I think this may bear a slight stretch of the imagination. If you’ll allow me, I’ll take you through what’s running around in my head.
Picture yourself in space. It’s large and infinite, but no air moves there. There’s no atmosphere. Now, see yourself floating downward, safe and unafraid, towards Earth. You see Earth and know it’s there, so it influences your senses even before impact. Then, you enter the atmosphere. Air is the next element to influence your senses as it breezes across your skin.
So, in this macro, zooming-in sort of scenario, Air follows Earth because it’s the second we come into contact with. And, since East follows North, Air resides squarely in the Eastern corner.
Of course, that’s just my theory, and there are a ton more from a million other sources. I’d suggest looking into your own path or paths that catch your interest to see why they associate certain elements with a corresponding direction.
Since I’ve pretty much explained why I believe Air corresponds with the East in this section alone, I’ll tell you some of the reasons I think Air is a wonderful element of the craft.
Air is Uplifting
Have you ever been out on a nice day, where the sun wasn’t too hot and the breeze was just right? Those are the kinds of days in which nothing can dampen my mood. Because I spend so much time inside sitting at my computer, I prefer the days I do go out to be nice.
Of course, living in my city means “a nice day” differs depending on the season. Still, my favorites are those bright-but-not-too-hot Fall or Spring days when the wind is blowing just hard enough to make my skirts dance. Just as the breeze raises my skirt, it also lifts my spirits. Those days are often good-mood days, barring something terrible happening.
The buoyancy Air offers to birds, balloons, and plastic bags can be tapped into energetically. We can use that symbolism to raise our spirits and heighten our vibrations to improve both our lives and our magick.
Air is Calming and Cool
Sticking with our weather example, there are days in New York when the heat can be truly oppressing. It sticks to our skin like paste, and all we want is a cool breeze to bring sweet relief.
Or, say we’re in a crowded station and the proximity of hundreds of people begins to overwhelm us. Our chest tightens and our anxiety is suddenly through the roof. All we want is to be able to take in a nice, clean, full breath of air.
Air has a way of soothing our discomforts. It can cool our heads when we’re angry if we take a walk. It can calm our overactive minds through meditative breathing. We can use air to create balance before our rituals through breath exercises, through dance or moving through the air, or through meditation with incense smoke. We can use air to bring a sense of peace and focus to our rituals, as well as a bit of levity to counteract the somewhat “heavier” elements.
Air is My Element
The main reason I love the element of Air is that it’s the element associated with my Zodiac sign. We’ll get into the Zodiac in a future article, but I will say that I resonate pretty deeply with the generally accepted Air sign personality traits.
For one thing, Air signs are known to be big on communication. As a writer, singer, occasional actress, and Pagan teacher—pretty much everything I do relies upon my skills as a communicator.
It took me years, though, to get to the point where I could speak up for myself, let alone for or in front of others in any capacity. I was in my mid-twenties before I finally grew into this aspect of my sign. Now that I’ve found a voice for myself, I want to use it to free myself of old mindsets and help others do the same.
Of course, that long and ever-growing resume is yet another trait of my sign. Constantly moving from one project to another, taking on more work than I probably should—not because of some societal declaration that I must do so, but because I have an endless stream of ideas running through my head and they’re all super exciting. Those are the traits given us by Air.
Before I learned about my signs and numbers—the various charts that can help us understand ourselves—I lived in a state of resistance. I followed a path I thought I was “supposed” to follow and it led me into depression and confusion. I struggled so much with my identity. Then, I began to really understand my charts and explore sides of myself I’d suppressed. After all—art doesn’t pay. Writing isn’t a job. So, why bother?
Now, I can happily say I am definitely an Air sign. Letting myself pursue the things I love, instead of doing the things everyone else wants me to do, has provided me with balance and freedom like I’ve never known before. Yes, I have taken on more work than might seem normal, but I’m doing what my soul directs me to do. And just knowing that leaves me feeling light and airy.
How do you use Air in your ritual work? Do you use it for more mundane things, like calming panic attacks or just cooling yourself down? Do you associate any other directions with Air? Let me know in the comments!
With infinite blessings,
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.
Earth and the North
Hello! This is the first entry in our series on the natural elements. In this series, we’re going to have short entries on the main cardinal elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. We’ll explore their connections with other aspects of the craft, such as color and direction correspondences.
This series starts with those basic correspondences, then moves on to tools of the craft which are used to represent these elements. We follow that with various activities one can do in relation to the elements and finish off with elemental connections to the Zodiac.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this series, so be sure to leave comments and say ‘Hi!’ on the Facebook page!
Earth and the North
If you’ve ever attended a Wiccan ceremony, you may have noticed that most rituals begin with participants facing the North. This is more common than the Maiden’s Circle tradition of starting in the West. North is the default direction for most navigating tools, so it makes sense that people consider it the “dominant” direction. (The University of California, Santa Barbara has this interesting and short article on why that is.)
Of course, Pagans have a number of different reasons for why we start our rituals in certain, specific ways. For some, it’s simply because that’s what they were taught. For others, we make a connection with the corresponding element. In this case, that element is Earth.
I can’t speak to why other Pagans may associate Earth with the North, but I can tell you why I do.
Earth is Grounding
In ritual, we call elementals or guardians to join us from their associated directions. Guardians of Earth share traits with their element, as you might imagine. And, as one of its names suggests, Earth has a grounding nature.
Grounding, in witchy terms, is the process of connecting metaphysically with the earth’s core. It allows us to stabilize our energy and connect with our fellow practitioners. This is because we associate the earth with a solid foundation. It symbolizes stability, strength, and wholeness.
When we need to ground, we imagine the energy of the planet filling us with the essence of those traits, and it allows us to feel strong and ready to do the tasks ahead of us. Perhaps that is why so many Pagans start rituals in the North, as that grounding energy is necessary for effective spellcraft.
Earth is Cold and Dark
Imagine what it would feel like to be buried deep underground. The heavy soil piled on top of you and blocking out the light. It’s a scary thought, a reminder of life’s harshness, and of the dichotomy between vitality and death.
What does that have to do with the North? That harsh cold can be found at our northernmost peaks. Admittedly, the southernmost peaks have even colder temperatures. But where I’m from, the North is known for its cooler climate and harsher weather.
If you’re wondering why “cold and dark” would be considered a good aspect of Earth, know that it’s simply a matter of perspective. For some, “cold and dark” describes their ideal aesthetics. Personally, it reminds me to be grateful for the warm and bright aspects of life.
It also shows me what I’m capable of withstanding. So, by enduring the harshest of winters, I am made stronger. And I am that much more thankful when the spring comes around.
I Was Just Taught That Way
When I was just a few years into my Pagan study, I had the honor of working with a variety of groups in both high school and college. By that time, most American Pagans knew pretty much the same associations thanks to the torchbearers of our community such as Scott Cunningham and D.J. Conway.
These witches paved the way for writers and Pagans like me with their books, and they established certain connections that many of us still adhere to today. That is, Earth corresponds with the North, Air with the East, and so on.
Whether it’s arbitrary or not, I couldn’t say. All I know is that these associations make sense to me. They just feel right. Sure, that probably sounds a little woo-ey, but look around—this whole blog is woo-ey!
That’s all I have for you today. I’m hoping this series has a bit of a lighter tone than that last one. I spent half the year writing about a pretty serious topic (which I encourage you to read for a more in-depth look at the core beliefs that make up the Maiden’s Circle tradition). Now, I’d like to be just a little less strict for a while.
I hope you enjoyed this start to our new series, and I’ll see you next week for Air and the East.
What other reasons would we associate Earth with the North? Do you associate any other directions with this element in your own practice? Let me know in the comments!
Love,
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.
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
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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!
The Ordains: Part 14 – Achieve Spirituality Through Acts of Love
This is the fourteenth 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.
“Witches understand that the ultimate act of spirituality is the act of positive creation through love.”
As a child, before dedicating myself to this faith, I believed I was a Christian. At that time, my church taught us that God was a very specific type of being. God was a man—or at least, a “He.” God loved the people who claimed to love him—regardless of whether they hurt others. They only needed to repent and be forgiven, no matter how many times they repeated their actions. And God loved to punish anyone who questioned him or believed in something different.
To be clear, I’m only speaking of what I gathered from the few Christian communities I was a part of. This is in no way a reflection of every single Christian. It’s just what I was taught. Which was that questioning God or the pastor, questioning one’s “elders”, or questioning the Bible or related stories meant one risked eternal damnation in the fiery pits of Hell.
Naturally, as evidenced by this blog and my life-to-date, the teachings of my church and others I’d attended didn’t sit well with me. The idea that our worship should be based in fear of a jealous and vengeful deity always seemed ridiculous to me. Even if I do believe that jealousy and anger are characteristics of the Divine (and I do), the idea that those are Her main personality traits never felt right.
At some point, I found the idea that God could be about more than Hellfire and commandments. That I didn’t have to live my life in fear of breaking some arbitrary rules about who I could love or what questions I was allowed to ask was truly a game changer. This was around the time I began looking into Wicca, and I came to the personal conclusion that the God I was taught about as a child wasn’t the true essence of the Divine.
I will always believe that the true essence of God, of divinity, is love.
When I figured that out, it blew my mind. The belief that God is Love became the early foundation for my spiritual practice. I chose to approach my faith with that belief as my guide, and it’s led me to where I am today.
Today, I’m secure in my spiritual beliefs. Even as I regularly evaluate and alter them, my beliefs remain always grounded in the thought that Love is the Divine’s most important gift to us and is Her most prominent aspect. It is her love that leads me through life—in both good and bad times.
This ordain supports that belief for me. I feel closer to the Divine and more in-tune with my spiritual guides when I engage in loving acts. When doing spellwork, meditation, manifestation, and anything else related to my craft, I do it in the name of Love. In fact, in my experience, those things work best when I actively remember to put myself in the headspace that emphasizes the love in my heart.
Sometimes, I do this by simply remembering what makes me happy. Other times, I’ll play with my cat, Brooklyn, or dance to joyful music. I’ll look at pictures of some of my happiest times and sing at the top of my lungs. All these things serve to raise my vibrational energy to that of love, and I’ve found that my craft work is far more effective than when I just jump right into it with no joy-building warm-up.
Often, in online forums and in-person Pagan groups, I hear people complaining about how their spells don’t work or about how they feel negativity around them all the time. Unfortunately, many of those people seem to carry worry or fear or sadness in their hearts. They have trouble finding joy, and therefore trouble feeling the elation that one has when experiencing a surge of Divine love. That, in turn, makes craft work difficult.
Eventually, as you traverse your Pagan path, you’ll no doubt hear about the concept that what you send out will return to you.
Many people seem to think of this in terms of Karma or the Law of Three. Personally, I don’t think Karma affects us in our current lifetime, rather it determines our next life cycle, and I’m not crazy about the Law of Three, either. Instead, the concept that “what you send out will return to you” refers to something that occurs at many levels—not least of which, the energetic level.
When you carry fear, worry, and other negative energy, these are the things you’ll attract. Unlike magnets, when it comes to energy, like attracts like. So, when we make a concerted effort to fuel our everyday thoughts and actions with the energy of love, we invite more love into our lives, along with all of the positive energy that accompanies it.
When we flip the narratives in our own heads and actively inject love into our spiritual work, we may find the experience much more fulfilling and healing much more attainable. Anything we create in the name of Love will be divinely inspired, and so will be more connected to Spirit and our Higher Selves.
How do you imbue your spiritual practice with love? What do you do to raise your energetic vibration before working the craft? If you don’t do that, do you find it affects your magick?
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!
The Ordains: Part 13 – The Stories We Tell Ourselves May Harm Us
This is the thirteenth 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.
“Never lie to yourself for this is the ultimate act of deceit.”
I believe this is a tough one because most of us tell ourselves too many stories to count. Personally, as someone who is pursuing a career in writing fiction, I find that it can be quite easy to build a story in my head and even easier to believe it. The older I get, the more vigilant I have to be about what those stories are.
In the last two or so years, I’ve gone through some pretty big shifts emotionally, physically, and spiritually. And while the core of my belief hasn’t changed, a lot about the way that I practice and the way I think of myself is very different from five years ago.
Five years ago, I moved to New York with my mind set on following a particular path. At that time, I told myself I was being guided by Goddess and, if I didn’t take that exact route, I was a failure. Failure, in my warped mind, was equivalent to badness. So, when I moved here set on a certain course and I couldn’t hack it, that meant that I was bad.
The lie I had told myself was that people chose their path and stuck to it. Anything else was wrong.
It’s taken a few years to overcome those stories, as well as the fear of not living up to them. But I’ve realized that those stories don’t have to be true. When I accepted that, I finally began to feel like myself.
From childhood, I told myself so many stories. I listened to what people said about me,—that I was too quiet, that I was smart, that I was weird—and stepping out of those labels always left me questioning my identity.
But so many of those stories were false beliefs. Because they weren’t true, the part of me that knew that suffered. These lies I told myself led to near-constant confusion, depression, and feelings of worthlessness. They led to self-destructive choices and unhealthy compulsions. Things I’m still facing.
Nowadays, I’ve reached the point where I’m more aware of the things I tell myself. Of course, it takes work to actively try to change the kinds of thoughts that come into one’s mind. Many people knock the idea of positive thought, but it’s part of what’s kept me alive.
With words of affirmation, rephrasing negative thoughts, and reminding myself over and over that I don’t have to believe every thought that crosses my mind, I’ve found that my mindset is a lot more stable than it was a decade ago.
When we lie to ourselves, we’re robbing ourselves of the opportunity to feel peace. We’re stealing happiness from ourselves with dreadful stories.
How many people do you know are struggling to find a job? How often do you hear them say things like, “No one will hire me,” or “I just can’t seem to find a job.”? We lie to ourselves when we engage in bad behavior due to mental illness, but refuse to acknowledge any personal responsibility in the matter. These lies serve to absolve us and to temporarily free us from the hard work it takes to live fulfilled.
The more we believe these lies, the harder it becomes to understand ourselves and to truly feel joy. As we age, it becomes that much harder to find true freedom. That is, the freedom to be our most authentic, joyful, and spiritually-connected selves.
Many people think therapy or medication is the way to finding balance. I believe that those methods have extreme value in one’s healing process, especially therapy. That should be a resource that every person has access to. However, it sometimes feels like people use therapy as a tune-up, while doing little to no maintenance in-between sessions.
They go to a session, suss out their feelings, tell themselves they’re fine for a week, and then start the whole routine over. For whatever reason, many people seem frightened of the deeper, harder work. There’s no questioning of their beliefs and morals, no examination of their daily thoughts, no consideration for what they truly desire.
Instead, they continue on their routine. Work, home, dinner, entertainment, bed. In and out. Then, it’s back to therapy to discuss how they feel like they’re in a rut.
If we don’t work to reach the core of our problems and take the steps to solve them from within, then we can’t come to a place of true healing.
The only way to solve our problems is to face them and be honest about why they’re there. I counsel everyone to do so. The world will be much better for it. No matter how scary that is or how much it hurts, look at yourself with clear eyes. Ask yourself the hard questions, then ask again a month later or whenever you’re feeling unsure of who you are.
This is something I’m still learning. There are still things that I believe or that I tell myself that I know aren’t true. There are moments when I question my motives and my work, but that’s just one story. It doesn’t have to be true, and if I can see the lie for what it is, I can get through it to see the truth.
Have there been times when you knew you were lying to yourself, but kept going with it? Why do you think some of us do such a thing?
With eternal love,
Lady Morgana Brighid HP MCCA
Check out our Monday to Friday Tarot readings on Youtube! 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 a Maiden’s Circle newsletter? Sign up to get updates whenever there’s a new blog post and any other MCCA news. Sign up now!
The Ordains: Part 5 – Honesty is the Witch’s Way
This is the fifth 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.
“Be truthful always, save when speaking would lead to a great harm.”
What does it mean to be truthful? One of my favorite quotes comes from my favorite musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic masterpiece, Jesus Christ Superstar. (The 1973 movie version.)
The quote comes when Ted Neeley’s Jesus is taken to the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate to decide Jesus’ fate—that is, whether to crucify him. Pilate sings during the trial, and in his song, he offers the lines:
“But what is truth? Is truth unchanging law?
We both have truths – are mine the same as yours?”
The first time I heard these lines, they struck me to my core. I was 17, zoned out on mood stabilizers and anti-depressants, and only a few months out of a brief stint in a psychiatric hospital.
Yes, in my never-ending search for truth, I’ve asked similar questions. But it was seeing that not-at-all-subtle movie that really sparked something new within me.
It changed the way I try to understand truth. That is, it helped me realize that the only truth I’m in control of is my own. The way other people understand truth depends entirely on them–their core belief system, their experiences, their desires.
I think we can all agree that some things are revealed as fact–things confirmed through repeated experimentation, mass experience–things like birth and death or like the basic need for clean water and sunlight to sustain life. Those are truths we all know and accept.
Even so, there are still people who deeply believe the world is only a few thousand years old (or flat, or that dinosaurs never existed), despite evidence to the contrary.
I don’t say that to make fun. Heck, it’s my truth that Fae live in the rivers and woods, that we exist in more than one dimension, that cards can reveal mysteries from the Universe–with little evidence to support those things.
However, I recognize a difference between holding a belief based on faith (even with a lack of concrete evidence), and believing something where all evidence points to that belief being false. So, while we all hold varying views of truth, some things are self-evident.
This tenet asks us to cultivate an awareness not only of our own idea of truth, but of the truths others hold dear. It asks us to speak and live in those truths.
But what if speaking our truth puts us or others at risk? This law covers that dilemma, too.
In today’s society, you may be surprised to learn that witches are still persecuted in various countries. In fact, just a few months ago, a woman and her children were killed by family members for practicing witchcraft. Whether or not she truly was didn’t matter. She was accused. And as we’ve seen in the past, that’s enough for some people.
That’s why coming out of the broom closet can be frightening. I know that I am open about not only my practice, but also about the fact that I’m a queer woman. For me, the need to share my beliefs in order to make a better world is stronger than the fear of other people’s ignorance.
In a previous entry, I touched a bit on the difficulties of being openly witchy. So, if you choose not to reveal that side of yourself (or anything that might inspire hatred), doing so would not be in contrast with this law. As much as it may hurt to deny any part of yourself, it isn’t being dishonest if you’re doing it for your own safety or that of someone else.
Remember, you deserve to feel safe.
For most of my life, before ever hearing of the Ordains, I’ve tried to be honest and transparent in all that I do. The older I get, the more important it is to continue the search for truth.
So, what is your truth? Let me know in the comments or find Maiden’s Circle on Facebook.
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!
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