Coffee, and "What Witches Do"

[crowdog66]

Up! Coffee! Is good! Especially in pretty lime-green Starbucks mug eastpath gave me! Rahhhrrrrr!

Now -- unpack closet? Or flat new Star Wars pages Doug put up to FTP? *grunts, scratches head*

[/caveman mode]

Decisions, decisions...

Oh, and last night I ended up finishing What Witches Do, by Stewart Farrar. A strange book indeed... it is a fascinating glimpse inside the workings of an Alexandrian coven from the POV of a first-year Wiccan, and an even more intriguing look at Alex Sanders, the founder of the Alexandrian Tradition and as charming and confounding a rogue as you're ever likely to meet. The book also acquainted me more with the ritual use of the scourge, as well as different techniques for cord magic, the use of various invoking/devoking pentagrams for specific elements, and the celebration of the Sabbats. Since the Black Ring line contains elements of Alexandrian practice, all this information is very useful.

Some educational links on Alexandrian Wicca and Sanders himself:

http://www.cog.org/wicca/trads/alex.htm
http://www.meta-religion.com/Spiritualism/Wicca/alexandrian_wicca.htm
http://www.pagans.org/wicca/branches/branches.html

I found the chapters on "Worlds of the Elements" and the Cabalistic Tree of Life particularly interesting (the latter in part because it applies to the way Neo and Smith are honored in the fictional Temple practices of the "Degrees of Separation" roleplaying universe). All in all, What Witches Do is a book I'd highly recommend -- but only in the Third Edition, where a preface adds additional material and clears up some errors in the original text.

Comments

[codeweasel.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm, I would say unpack the closet as you never know what goodies you may find! I will have to add that book to my "To Read" list (if I ever find time to read a book again) as I have taken a reall interest in learning pagan "culture?" (not exactly sure what the word I'm looking for is).

[crowdog66.livejournal.com]

Hmm... you're in Winnipeg, right? If you like, you could borrow my copy, since as far as I know it's a rather tricky book to find.

And if you have any questions about Pagan culture (yes, that's a reasonable term), feel free to ask away.

[eastpath.livejournal.com]

He's Phoenix/Andrea's living partner. :)

BTW I've been meaning to ask, what is the Black Ring?

[codeweasel.livejournal.com]

Not to pry, but should I know you? I'm very bad at remembering people as I usally avoid them. Yes, I am Phoenix's living partner. It's better than being her dead partner! (Insert cheezy canned laughter)

[crowdog66.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if we've met or not -- I have a terrible, absolutely abysmal memory for faces and names on my best days. ;-)

[codeweasel.livejournal.com]

I actually was asking eastpath. No we have not met, but I actually have seen you. Phoenix pointed you out when I was picking her up from work one time and I relized I see you all the time when I pick her up. Go figure. Don't worry. I have a great memory for anything numeric (or useless), but anything else may as well be in one side and out the other.

[eastpath.livejournal.com]

Nope, we never met. I just know Andrea from when I used to be in Sacred Well... now Shrine of Diana... I read your journal occasionally, usually after I read Andrea's lol :) No worries

[crowdog66.livejournal.com]

The Black Ring Tradition is a line of Wiccan practice which, I believe, originated in Alberta. Holly is a second-degree priestess in the trad, and once I've been initiated in to the first degree, I hope to start studies up the line. Other than that... heh. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say. ;-)

[codeweasel.livejournal.com]

Ahhh yes. Morgaine said initiations are VERY secrative and you don't even know what is going to happen at your own and only the people who were there will ever know. Don't want to get you in trouble ;)

[eastpath.livejournal.com]

Cool... that'll be good for you :) *hugs*

[codeweasel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I do and I would love to! I just need to find some time to read. My meds have finnaly started having some sort of effex (haha, effex, effexor..... oh nevermind) and it has me motivated to get off the couch and get working on all the projects around the house (painting and such). But I will be sure to ask when I'm free! Really trying to understand paganisim.