JULY 2008
We had lots of stuff going on in June. For many it was the end of the school year and the "official" start of summer vacation (or winter if you are from in the southern hemisphere)!!! Hope everyone had a Blessed Litha (or Yule). We had a wonderful Sabbat Celebration here in the guild. Congratulations to our Contest Winners:
Litha Tek-Tek: Korealia
Yule Tek-Tek: x_Yami_x
Poetry Contest: Korealia
MC Raffle: Brandi West
Congratulations are also in order to Korealia, for her MC winning suggestion of a guild gift exchange. We received lots of great ideas in our Suggestion Contest, many of which will be implemented here in the guild. Thanks guys for all of your input!!!
We have quite a few new members around the guild this month, so if you see them be sure to give them a warm welcome!!!
July
2: New moon at 10:18 pm
4: Independence Day (USA)
12: Midsummer Wiccan Exposition (Chicago, IL)
18: Full moon (Blessing Moon) at 3:59 am
30 - Aug. 3: Wisteria Cornstalk Festival (Southeastern OH)
August
1: Lammas or Lughnasadh
1: Imbolc (Southern Hemisphere)
1: New moon at 6:12 am
1: Total solar eclipse
Dates: June 22 - July 22
Element: Water
Quality: Cardinal
Symbol: The Crab
Nature: Negative, Feminine
Day: Monday
Metal: Silver
Gem: Pearl
Color: Grays, Greens
Governs: Chest, Breasts, Stomach
Key Words: I Feel!
Positive Influences: Nurturing, protective, traditional, sensitive, understanding, caring, intuitive, tenacious.
Negative Influences: Self pity, moody, clinging, manipulative, overly-emotional, insecure
Ruler: Moon
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There are no Sabbats in July, but Aug 1st brings us Lammas in the Northern Hemisphere and Imbolc in the Southern. Our August newsletter will have all the details on both so you can plan the perfect celebration - don't worry we'll have the issue out before the end of the month so you will have plenty of time to get ready!
Materials:
4ft dowel- 1" in diameter or a tree branch of the same approximate size
ball of twine
scissors
straw, thin willow twigs, broom corn or pliable herb stock.
How To:
Take the straw or other herb stalk that you have chosen and soak overnight in luke warm salted water. The water swells the stalk slightly for bending without breakage, and the salt dispels former energies. When ready, remove stalks from the water and dry for just a bit. Not too much or the stalk will stiffen up, again.
Place the dowel on a table where you have room to work. Start lining the stalks along the dowel , about 3 inches from the bottom, moving backwards. Begin binding the stalks to the dowel with the twine. Tie very securely. You may add as many layers as you like, depending on how full you want the Besom to be.
When stalks are secure, gently bend the top stalks down over the binding. When all have been bent over, secure the stalks again with more twine a couple of inches under the first binding. Allow to air dry for a day or two.
The dowel can then be stained, painted, or carved into to make personal. Remember to consecrate and charge at the next full moon
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This topic has come up any number of times here in the guild(and elsewhere) so I thought it would be a good idea to share the following article:
Recently I was asked the following question:
Quote:
I feel an attraction to Wicca, and the God and Goddess, and I really want to go ahead and become Wiccan. But I just don't really know how? I've asked every Wiccan I've came across, and they've either been a Hard-Gard and said I had to be initiated, or a fluff bunny, who I know I can't believe. How do I become Wiccan?
I find this question, in many slight variations, constantly being asked today. Sometimes it's by total Fluff Bunnies looking to get in on what they see as the newest fad, but it's also a question often asked by the truly interested. In many cases it may be an issue of missing the forest for the trees: one becomes so focused on being a part of something that truly calls to them they perhaps lose sight of why it called in the first place.
First, I need to be absolutely clear on a point. Wicca is a religion. It is not a club or an organization. There are no membership cards and no dues (unless you work with a group, in which case you'll probably be expected to help cover the cost of materials). There is no pope or council determining who is a Wiccan and who is not. Each of us, whether we are a Hard-Gard ("If it ain't Gardnerian, it ain't Wicca"), or an academically minded Eclectic, can argue until we're blue in the face as to the proper definition of Wicca, how we choose to use the word and who we consider to be included within the term, but we can't for a moment stop you from believing whatever it is you believe. We don't have possession of our gods. We can't say "No, she's my goddess. You can't worship her," although we might object that certain approaches are incorrect, poorly founded or contrary to the nature of the goddess in question.
So the first counter-question would be: when you are looking to become Wiccan, are you looking for a belief, or are you looking for a title ("Wiccan") and a membership? Or have you perhaps confused the two just a bit and started to believe that the belief somehow is communicated with a title? This is not an offhanded question. If you want to pursue religion - any religion - you need to understand your own goals and desires. Otherwise, you'll never realize them.
Wicca is not a spectator religion. While there is structure to what we do (the details of which are part of what defines Wicca as its own entity), it is not a rigid system of rules and requirements. Western society expects everything to come in neat little packages with easy-to-follow instructions, right down to our religion, and that's not what Wicca delivers. Wicca is esoteric: it is a path for finding truth rather than having truth dictated to us. There's a terrible number of people who have been led to believe that Wicca should say "perform the tree meditation twice a day, pray to the full moon, and leave an food offering outside your door every night and you will know the god and goddess (in 30 days guaranteed or your money back)." No honest Wiccan can (or will) offer that.
So while I cannot hand out a handy how-to guide, I can offer some general recommendations to those interested in following a Wiccan path. Ironically, I'll even break it down into an orderly list.
1. Answer the following questions:
. .Why are you interested in Wicca?
This requires two things. First, a working definition of Wicca. If you think you want to be Wiccan but can only define Wicca as "anything you want it to be," apparently you don't want to be Wiccan anymore than you want to be a poodle or a cheesehead. Second, you need some understanding of your own beliefs. If you have no beliefs then Wicca, in your mind, is no closer to the truth than Christianity, Hinduism, or Scientology. Try to be specific. "It makes sense," doesn't offer any clarity. What about it makes sense? And avoid negatives such as "I don't believe in Jesus." Not believing in Jesus makes you a non-Christian. It does not make you a Wiccan.
. .Why do you believe what you believe?
This question stumps an astounding number of people. Society has practically conditioned us to accept "I read it in a book," as an acceptable answer. Books have authors. Authors are human. Humans are imperfect. Just because something is in a book doesn't make it right. Not being able to provide a good answer doesn't necessarily mean Wicca is not for you. It does, however, at least illustrate where you need to be immediately focusing your attention. Blind belief is unhealthy.
. .Why do you do what you do?
Ritual without meaning is pointless. The ritual itself does nothing. The world will not end if we stop performing our rituals. There should be purpose to everything we do. If you cast a circle because "that's what Wiccans do at the start of a ritual," you're only going through the motions without accomplishing anything. There's a reason we cast circles as well as everything else we do.
2. Read, read, read. Read more.
Understand why authors say the things they do and decide whether you agree with them. There will be contradictions. You will need to seek your own answers on those matters. Just because two authors give two different ways to cast circles doesn't necessarily mean one of them is wrong. Rituals are often published because they are useful for many people. That doesn't guarantee a particular ritual is effective for you, although you should endeavor to discover why it works for other people before discounting it.
3. Here's some things for you not to do:
. .Don't rush. Wicca isn't going anywhere, and there is no race for enlightenment.
. .Don't turn Wicca into a collectible game. Working tools are important and hold great symbolism and meaning...but only if you understand the symbolism and meaning. So many books devote so much time to tools and other accouterments that Wiccans are frequently left with the impression that better tools make one a better Wiccan. They don't.
. .Don't accept anything blindly. If something doesn't make sense, research it. There's a lot of very silly ideas out there, half of which should be discernible by common sense. (No, I can't throw a refrigerator with my mind. Thanks for asking. No, my rituals were not handed down by illiterate cavemen either.) Questioning is good.
. .Don't try breaking Wicca down into neat and tidy rules. It's counterproductive. You're supposed to be broadening your understandings, not petrifying them into immovable laws.
. .Don't try to "look" Wiccan. Wiccans don't have a look, nor do they need it. The moment you try for the "look," you've relegated Wicca to a fashion statement.
. .Don't try to act Wiccan either, for the same reasons.
4. Study minimally for a year and a day
Not because the universe will disqualify your Wiccanness (and no, that's not really a word) but because we're talking about embracing a new religion, a new paradigm, a new understanding of the world. You're also eventually going to be pledging yourself to deities, and it's just rude to not go into that seriously. If you need more time, take it. (I studied four or five years before dedicating, and in retrospect that was still too soon for me.)
5. Build a relationship with your deities.
For many, this involves a lot of patience. After all, you don't gain a new best-friend overnight. It involves time and effort and an honest rapport. Don't feel you need a name for them immediately either. You are attempting to identify those who have called you. You may identify them by qualities before you can by name. You are not choosing a deity from the god store. Whatever you do, avoid those websites and books that list 200 deities and give a one-sentence description of each. "Catherine Noble Beyer: writer of websites" is an incredibly poor summation of me. Why should we view "Athena: goddess of war of wisdom" as any more helpful? Gods aren't objects. They're beings.
5. Talk to people. Ask questions.
The Internet, while being a source of a lot of really bad info, is also a source of answers if you look in the right places. There are a variety of forums and mailing lists out there that contain really helpful and informed people. Seek them out. Be aware that most places will have both good and bad contributors, but spending a little time with them should give you a pretty good picture of who to listen to and who to ignore.
Once you have decided that it's time to formalize your relationship, solitaries generally perform a self-dedication ritual. The purpose is a formal declaration of your devotion to your gods. How you do this is up to you. Some people use elaborate ceremonies while others do little more than cast a circle and meditate. Plenty of sample ceremonies can be found on the web if you're curious as to what other people have done. Above all, however, you must remember that anything you gain here comes from the content and purpose of the ritual, not the ritual itself. If you don't mean what you say or understand what you're doing, then you're just wasting your time with a ceremony
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This month we will learn about Fehu and Uruz. These two runes work well as a pair because they both have to do with the manifestation of productive energy. In the case of Fehu, this force is primarily directed toward growth and wealth, luck and love, while Uruz is both more powerful and more abstract, governing physical health, or even the manifestation of divine energies on the physical plane.
Discussion Thead
Pronunciation: “FAY-hu”
Meaning: Wealth, Cattle
Fehu is herds and fertile fields… Freely, Freyr finds wealth for friends.
The Ancient Meanings
“Wealth” is the first most basic meaning for FEHU in all the old rune poems. It was the origin of the English word “fee”. However the word itself originally meant livestock, especially cattle. Like the Celts, the early Germanic peoples were a cattle culture. Dairy producers were a staple of the diet. The most valued beasts were kept through the winter in one end of the communal longhouse. The animals which could not be fed until spring were sacrificed to honor the Gods and to feed the people. One way or another, wealth was counted in cows.
However prosperity can be a mixed blessing, as we can see in the story of how Siegfried wins the treasure from Fafnir (who is guarding it in dragon form). Several people have died before he even gets to it, and then impelled by their greed, his wife’s brothers finally kill him. In the end, their refusal to revel the hiding place leads to their deaths as well. In fact no one gets the gold as, Hagan (Siegfried’s murderer), finally throws the gold into the Rhine - a deed that is still celebrated by a statue in the city of Worms.
One way to avoid the problems mentioned above is if the wealth is shared while the owner is living, and it that way there will be nothing for heirs to fight over. In Iron Age society, generosity was the greatest of virtues, and very often the connection is mentioned between cattle-wealth and the right use of prosperity. In general the moral is clear - wealth is to be guarded, but not hoarded. Nor, should one fall into a false sense of security. Welcome though it may be, it must be taken as a gift from the Gods. Neither the fruits of the earth, nor the love of others can ever be owned. They are loaned to us only, to be used productively and shared with others. True riches are the wealth the soul gains from a live well lived.
Modern Meanings
Modern meanings of this rune can be varied depending on the author. One believes that the kind of wealth represented by cattle is that which grows when cared for, which can produce more money when wisely invested, but that the rune sometimes means the need to conserve resources. On the other hand it is seen as motion and expansion of power, mobility, luck and fertility.
It seems logical to associate this rune with the Norse deities Freyr and Freyja, who names begin with the same sound. They are the second generation of the Vanir, the other clan of Gods (though they later move to Asgard). They govern the fertility of the land and the creatures that live upon it, especially the increase of flocks and herds. As fertility deities their influence extends naturally into the areas of love, and also commerce. In this context this rune could also be associated with Njordh, God of commerce on the sea.
In earliest times, Freyr’s animal may have been the deer. Certainly the rune has the appearance of an antler, which is Freyr’s only weapon at Ragnarok. His sword was given in payment to Skirnir to win the giant maid Gerd as the God’s bride, whose marriage was consummated in the sacred barley field. Through this we can see the direct association the Vanir has with fertility and the importance of bread and beef as staple foods.
Today, wealth is represented not by cattle, but by money, which is also a symbolic form of energy. Money gives power, but it becomes useless if it is conserved to tightly. For the community to prosper, money and energy have to move on.
If horned beasts belong to Freyr, gold is an attribute of Freyja. The first episode in the conflict between the Aesir (first clan of the Gods), and the Vanir occurs when a Gullveig (intoxication of gold), who is usually considered to be an aspect of Freyja, enters the hall of the High One.
Voluspa: 21
The war I remember, the first in the world,
When Gullveig with spears was gashed
And in the hall of Har she was burned.
Three times burned, three times reborn,
Often and again, yet ever she lives
When Gullveig with spears was gashed
And in the hall of Har she was burned.
Three times burned, three times reborn,
Often and again, yet ever she lives
After this demonstration, the Gods decide that making a treaty with the Vanir is the better part of valor. The question we are left with is this…Is Gullveig inherently dangerous, or are the problems caused by the Gods’ hostility? The power represented by the Gullveig is a basic human drive, and although greed can cause serious problems, when gold delights instead of destroying, it can be a positive thing. To be productive, the force of FEHU must be kept in motion by the exchange of GEBO or the harvesting of JERA.
It has been pointed out that “fire” is often used in kennings for gold, as in “fire of the dragon’s bed” or “fire of the creek”. At certain times a flame was believed to burn above burial mounds in which treasure was hidden. Whether in the form of gold (symbolizing and facilitating the exchange of energy among living things) or the sexual energy that is the immediate cause of physical fertility, FEHU carries a fiery power and can also represent the life force.
Interpreting and Using FEHU
FEHU is always a rune of productivity, though the context may vary. Spiritual or artistic creativity, physical fertility, or the ability to create or to maintain wealth can be indicated, or it may signify an improvement in one’s finances or health. If it is surrounded by runes of caution, it may indicate a need to conserve physical or emotional resources, or suggest poverty and an inability to use the resources at hand. If you are using FEHU in a spell or invocation, be sure to specify what kind of fertility you mean, or you may find that your “flocks and herds” are increasing, not your bank account.. Inscribe this rune in your checkbook, and use in connection with GEBO in spell work to promote exchange. FEHU is also used in gardening when you are encouraging your plants and flowers to grow. Write it on a garden stake and stick it into the ground next to the plant, or on the tag that is attached to the plant.
FEHU can also be used in any work that involves the Vanir or with Freyr and Freyja specifically. Inscribe it on your forehead to increase attractiveness and sexual vigor (but be sure to formulate your intentions clearly so that you get LOVE, not FERTILITY - unless you are trying to get pregnant). FEHU is one of the runes used to invoke passion, productivity, and prosperity in a couple being married.
When Fehu is appears in a rune reading it can mean any of the above depending on the question asked and the nature of the other runes that surround it. In general it is considered a good fortune rune.
Pronunciation: “OO-rooz”
Meaning: Aurochs (wild ox)
Uruz…Aurochs, urges earthward Spirit strength to shape creation.
The Ancient Meanings
There is some disagreement on the actual meaning of this rune, but most tend to follow the Germanic interpretation, which is that URUZ refers to a wild member of the cattle family - an auroch. The Norwegian rune poem gives the word the meaning “slag”, while the Icelandic makes it “rain” or “drizzle”. In German, Ur is also a prefix designating something as original or primordial. At first glance, all of these interpretations would seem to be contradictory. However, a synthesis of modern commentators leads to some ingenious interpretations involving the ways in which wild, energy can be brought into manifestation.
Modern Meanings
All of the modern writers on the subject follow the aurochs interpretation for the meaning of this rune. For Thorsson, URUZ is Audhumla, the primal cow who was born when the cosmic fire met the primal ice. Her licking released the first being, Buri, from the ice, and her milk fed the giant Ymir, from whose body the world was made. Thus, URUZ, is the archetype, the pattern of creation whose energy shapes matter, the wild force of creation. He notes that the horns of the ox point up, but the rune points down, releasing spiritual energy into manifestation.
Gundarsson relates the “slag” and “drizzle” of the Scandinavian rune poems to the endless process of patterning, cleansing and reshaping that is the work of URUZ. It is the power drawn up by the Worldtree only to be released back into the Well of Urdh. This twin power of shaping and nourishment is symbolized by the two beasts that graze on the upper limbs of the Tree, the goat Heidhrun, who gives enough mead to satisfy all Valhalla’s heroes, and the hart Eikthyrnir, from whose horns flow the liquid that fills the cauldron-well of Hvergelmir, sources of all rivers.
Aswynn’s interpretation also focuses on this rune as a source of primal earth energy, a creative force that breaks down old forms and builds up new ones. For her, it also has implications of courage and endurance, and the correct application of aggressive energy. She feels that this energy is a vital part of the healing process.
Osborn and Longland point out that with URUZ, the domestic cattle of FEHU have become wild oxen, fiercely defending their territory. They remind us that horned helmets were worn for religious ceremonies (never in battle) during the early period and they suggest that horns signify the penetration of the other world. In URUZ, the momentum of FEHU can be harnessed to advantage.
A closer look at the Norse creation mythology reveals some interesting conjunctions of imagery. In the Younger Eddas (The Deluding of Gylfi) Snorri tells us that before our Earth was made, Muspelheim (the world of fire) and misty Niflheim existed. When the rivers flowing out of Mulheim “came so far from their source that the yeasty venom accompanying them hardened like slag and turned to ice. Then…a drizzling rain that arose from the venom poured over it and cooled into rime.” A little while later we learn that where the frost met with the warmth of Muspel it thawed and became the primal Giant Ymir and also the cow called Audhumla. In the Younger Edda, we find that the slag and drizzle of the Scandinavian rune poems transformed into the archetypal cow of the Anglo-Saxon poem.
URUZ is the result of a series of transformations that take place in the liminal space where opposites meet. From the chaos of creation, order emerges personified by the Divine Cow, but it is an order that depends on the tension of opposites. URUZ is energy and sustenance that has to be fought for, and it provides the energy to defend and preserve one’s community. However, in a natural society there is a cooperative and religious relationship between hunter and prey; each takes risks for survival, and the hunt is a transformative experience for both. When the uplifted horns of the wild ox sink earthward, the wild energy is changed into available resources, and there is food for both body and soul. This is also the energy that is used in healing, a powerful flow that revitalizes the patient by strengthening the will to live.
Interpreting and Using URUZ
In some contexts this could be a rune of manifestation - physical resources becoming available, spiritual energy producing results, or the need to organize and pattern energy so that it will be useable. Its position may say something about the physical energy or health of the subject. It could also imply the need to take an active role in getting or protecting resources, including nutrition, and if necessary, to take risks, to be willing to change. In a negative position it might mean that there is a difficulty in making a change or a need to get rid of the past. URUZ works to help other forces to manifest. Magically, URUZ is the act of pouring out an offering from the sacred horn. As a rune associated with the slow melting of glacial ice, it may indicate a need to pay attention to the direction in which one is expending one’s energy.
In spell work, URUZ can be used to increase energy or to make potential available, drawn on the forehead, for instance, when one is tired. It helps the powers of other runes manifest on the physical plane. Combined with FEHU, it promotes growth and prosperity; combined with LAGUZ, it would get things moving or perhaps bring rain. Combined with TIWAZ, it could help bring swift justice.
Source: "Taking Up The Runes" by Diana Paxson
Well it should be a great month! We're looking forward to seeing everyone hanging around (when you are not at the beach, pool, etc... blaugh ). If you are looking for a great way to earn some extra gold be sure to check out the Midnight Arcade - there are lots of games and prizes to be had for everyone!!! I also encourage everyone (if you haven't already) to really explore the subforums - there are a lot of things going on that you might miss out on if you never move off of the main page blaugh - not to mention we'd love to see you there!!! Also if you have any articles, art, poetry, trivia, or anything at all that you would like to submit for the next newsletter please feel free to PM it to MidnightLetter. If we use your submissions in the newsletter you will receive payment for your work - amounts will depend on type of work submitted.
Well...take care and have a blessed July!
B