Sulum Factum Magus

Everyone of us, sooner or later, will face some challenge regarding our health. Whether it is recovering from an illness or accident, or dealing with some chronic disease like arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome, there are some things the wise person can do to accelerate their healing, or better manage their condition. An old Chinese saying is that disease comes in at the mouth, while misfortune comes out of the mouth, meaning to take care what you eat and drink, and what you say. A similar understanding was held by the old herbalists of the physico-medicalist tradition. They held that all disease began in the digestive system. This wisdom has largely been lost to the average person in the modern day, who sees no problem with stuffing themselves with fast food, soft drinks, cakes and sweets, washed down with coffee and alcohol. However this will eventually catch up with one, sooner for those with a weak constitution, later for those with a strong constitution. Recovery from any accident or disease is difficult with such a diet. Nature’s way is to go back to the simple basics. A simple diet based around whole grains and vegetables, with a significant proportion of raw foods provides the optimum nourishment, in my opinion. Supplemented with fruits, herbal beverages, and adequate protein in the form of eggs, tofu, meat, beans or fish, this can be the foundation for recovering health.

Many diseases, especially chronic disease, are associated with inflammation in various tissues of the body. Naturopathy addresses inflammation by ‘alkalising’ the body through a dietary regime that excludes sugar, caffeine, alcohol, pastry, recreational drugs, a diet that de-emphasises meat, processed flour products, and that emphasises whole grains and vegetables. The anti-inflammatory action can be accelerated with juices, such as carrot, celery and especially wheat grass and barley grass. These days, it is no trouble to include wheat or barley grass in the diet, as powdered versions are available. It is a very simple approach, and over time, will improve very many conditions. However many people would rather suffer with their conditions than try an approach that requires them to give up their coffee, beer or wine, or eat a salad each day. They would rather take a pill, and carry on as before.

Eventually, however, one gets to a point of being willing to try anything, when the pills stop working, or start having side effects. The simple approach of nature is often the last port of call. Some are too far gone for help. Others however, find improvements can be obtained.

One needs to develop discipline however, in order to persevere with what in our society is perceived as a strict and puritan dietary regime. One must put up with ridicule, and people’s attempts to lure you from the ’straight and narrow’. If you are like me, there will be many failures, which will lead to a return of symptoms, and all the annoyance they cause. However, eventually one learns to be unconcerned by the opinion of others, and make one’s health one’s only concern.

One should not follow such a diet in a spirit of denial, as this also does its damage to the soul. The way to follow such a diet is in a spirit of generosity – giving your body what it needs to work well in optimum health. The principle of moderation can also come into play. The occasional glass of wine, or cup of coffee, or piece of cake is probably not going to be a problem. But that depends on your condition and your body’s sensitivity.

In my own case, I have lived with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for almost thirty years. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of frustration and heart ache it has caused me. And while I can’t claim to have cured the condition, I do know how to manage it with diet and exercise in order to minimise its impact on my life. The diet above is the central plank of the way I prevent it getting the upper hand. This is supplemented by use of herbs from time to time that nourish the liver and kidneys, herbs such as licorice root, dandelion root, burdock root, saw palmetto berries, and marshmallow root. You will notice that these are predominantly roots, which to me carries elemental Earth energies into my system. This helps to counteract the over active Air energies I associate with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – usually, for me, a result of excessive use of fine motor movements in the fingers. Another thing I have found to be helpful is massaging my wrists and forearms with hemp oil, which contains anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids. Avocado, with garlic and lime juice on toast, is also something which seems to help. Turmeric is also a wonderful anti-inflammatory. Put half a teaspoon of dried turmeric per cup of brown rice whenever you cook up rice. My own theory about why my symptoms arise is that my tendons are too tight, and need to be stretched a bit. So I also have some exercises which I do regularly for stretching the connective tissues of the arms. In traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver is said to rule the tendons. Hence the use of liver herbs outlined above. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also associated with poor Kidney function, as it often arises in people on kidney dialysis machines. Hence the use of Kidney herbs.

Putting all these together usually enables me to avoid flare-ups, or recover reasonably quickly when they occur. And also, perhaps most difficult of all, I need to manage the amount of work to be done with the fingers….

I hope that others may find in the ideas above something of help in their own encounters with disease.

Blessed Be,

Robyn.

Here is a cheap and simple kitchen remedy that you can try. I call it the “Witches’ Cure”, though you will hear naturopaths speak of something very similar as a liver cleanse. However it does far more than cleanse the liver! Here is what you do. Take two cloves of good quality organic garlic, three if they are small, and crush them into a glass. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon or lime over the garlic, making sure you squeeze out the lemon or lime with a hand citrus squeezer so you get some of the pith and express some of the oil from the skin. Add three teaspoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil, and mix vigourously with a teaspoon for a few minutes. Then drink the mixture, tossing it down like a tequila slammer, otherwise it will taste pretty disgusting. This should be done first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, for a period of three weeks. Don’t eat for at least half an hour afterwards. Have a break for a week, then repeat for another three weeks. Continue on in this fashion until you have achieved your desired cure, then switch to a maintenance regime, of one week of “cleanse” followed by three weeks without. Take some acidophilus culture or live culture yoghurt in the non-cleanse week to help correct the intestinal flora.

While life goes on, this is most effective if you avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar during your “cleanse”. This will work as a liver cleanse, helping to detoxify the liver, and even expelling gall stones from the gall bladder. However it has a much more profound action than simply that. Let’s take the lemon or lime juice. This gives you a regular supercharged intake of bioactive vitamin C and bioflavonoids. This will counteract any kind of inflammation wherever it is in the body. It will also counteract any colds or flu, and boost one’s immune effectiveness. It will also benefit the body’s ability to heal connective tissue, including strengthening blood vessels and cell walls generally. It will also remove free radicals from the body, which are responsible for fatigue and degenerative disease.

But that’s not all. Garlic (it must be crushed in order to have its full healing effect) also has some profound effects on the entire body. Firstly it disinfects the gastro-intestinal tract, killing and debilitating parasites and unhealthy bacteria. Secondly it disinfects and sanitises the respiratory system, putting paid to colds, flus and bronchial infections. Thirdly it lowers the blood pressure, and thins the blood, working against athero-sclerosis.

The Olive Oil is also a profoundly helpful substance. It acts to stimulate the release of bile, which is part of the liver cleansing action. But bile is made from cholesterol, so this also helps to lower body cholesterol levels, especially if combined with a diet high in roughage and water soluble fibre. Olive oil also has a very soothing and healing action on the intestinal mucosa, and prevents the action of the garlic from becoming too irritating. Olive Oil also has some of the anti-inflammatory properties of the olive leaf extract that has recently become so popular. It also provides a source of essential fatty acids. It is important to use cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil, however, as it loses many of its healing properties when heated, and the chemicals used in extraction of lesser quality oils can cause damage in the body instead of healing.

This cure can address all sorts of ills, ranging from colds and flus, to heart and circulation problems, pain and swelling, varicose veins and haemorrhoids, feelings of fatigue, flatulence and poor digestion, headaches, poor memory, feelings of sluggishness, depression and listlessness, pains in the side or abdominal pains. It won’t cost you much, and may well immeasurably improve your health. Of course if your diet is crap, then the gains will be less profound and temporary. But if you eat well, with plenty of vegetables and salads, adequate protein intake, and keep up a bit of gentle exercise, the “Witches’ Cure” can do wonders. Taking it easy on alcohol and caffeine will help too. Of course, if you have serious health concerns or worrisome symptoms, you should consult a doctor – especially if you are on blood thinning medications, as the medications may make your blood too thin once the garlic gets into action, with the possibility of serious bleeding. Medications to reduce blood pressure may also be too effective once the “cure” gets going, so do work with your doctor if you are on any sort of medication.

Blessings,

Robyn.

There is quite a difference between the way the ordinary person looks at the world, and the way that an occultist or magical practitioner looks at the world. And this is nowhere more manifest than in the way that one approaches a problem. For the ordinary person, a problem is something to be ignored until it gets so bad that an expert has to be consulted! Well, at least for a lot of people! However for someone on a path of magical and personal development, a problem is an opportunity to grow in all sorts of different ways.

Firstly, it is a chance to develop personal qualities such as courage, integrity and perseverance. Secondly, it is a chance to develop magical skills.  Problems almost always have a direct cause. We manifest them ourselves, with the energies and thoughts that we habitually construct around us and within us. Of course many people reject this assertion, believing it to victimize the unfortunate as being the cause of their misfortune. However the adept doesn’t apply this maxim to others in judgement – only to him or her self.

So a problem in your life is a chance to use magical skills of perception to discern the underlying cause, in your own mind and emotional body, that has been the seed for the problematic circumstance to manifest around you. This concept appears in the Arthurian corpus as the relationship between the wounded king and the wasteland of his kingdom.

One key to this kind of discernment is the use of focussed attention. Many schools of body work hold that emotional wounds are held in the body as tension, pains and knots, where energy is tied up and unable to flow freely. A technique that can be of great value is to go into a meditative state or light trance, and place your attention on an area of your body where there is pain or tightness. Breathe slowly and deeply, and visualize the breathe entering and leaving your body through the pain or area of tension. Allow whatever happens to happen. You may find that certain images come to mind. Allow them to, but don’t seek to grasp them, or hold on to them. Just acknowledge them and allow them to pass. The same may occur with feelings and emotions. Indeed, you may be shocked at the intensity of feelings that can arise. However acknowledge them and let them pass without becoming absorbed in them.

Another tool that can be used is the direction of energy. Where attention is placed, anergy will follow. There are two currents of energy which I mainly work with at this time – the Earth current, and the Source Current, associated with the red and white dragons. The red current is hot and comes from deep in the Earth, and is wonderful for healing the physical body. The white current is cool, and comes from deep within the Spiritual realms, which I conceptualize as being at the centre of the universe. It is wonderful for healing the spirit and mind. Once you have breathed into a location of pain or tightness for a while, and unlocked the locus so that images or feelings are released, allow the flow of feelings and images to naturally come to an end. Then open up one of the energy currents by dividing your attention in two. Place one half of your attention on the source, the centre of the earth for the red current, or the centre of the universe for the white current, and the keep the other half of your attention on the place of pain in your body. The energy will begin to flow.  This flow of energy can dissolve the templates that have been formed in our body-mind-spirit system, which manifest as pain and tightness in the body, as negative thoughts and poor self image in the mind, and gradually manifest around us problems in relationships, job, etc etc that sooner or later come to a head.

These templates are somewhat like beliefs that we hold about ourselves, or the world, little scripts that give us direction, that we play out in every facet of our lives. To the magical practitioner, any problems we might have can only be temporarily solved, unless these templates are removed or re-written. The flow of energy can be used to dissolve these templates, simply by intending to do so.

Thus we come to the second part of the magical approach to problems. The creation of new templates that better serve  our ends. In contrast to some eastern paths, which seem to seek to transcend or remove such templates, the western path as I understand it is about taking charge of these templates, and energizing them in a constructive manner.

Once the flow of energy comes to a stop, and the templates have been dissolved, which may take one a number of occasions over months or even years, one can begin creating new templates. One way to do this is through affirmations. An affirmation can be enhanced by expressing it in symbolic language, and visualizing it as it is repeated. A practice to try after you have worked with an area of pain or tightness in the body, and become aware of the release of energy and thought patterns and old images therein contained, is to use those images and energies as the basis for a positive template reconstruction, an antidote, as it were, that corrects the negative pattern and transforms it into a positive pattern.

Express this positive template as a short sharp sentence – an affirmation – such as “I deserve prosperity, health and love”. Allow the correct affirmation for you to present itself in your light trance state. Ask the help of your guides or Deities. Then express the affirmation as a symbol. Use runes, astrological or alchemical symbols, or whatever symbols system you are familiar with. Another method is to take the consonants from your affirmation, only once for each, even if some letters are used more than once, and arrange them into a connected design which you can visualize. With your mind’s eye, place the symbol representing the affirmation at the location of the pain or tightness you are working with, and once again open the flow of energy. This time allow the energy current to flow through the symbol into your being.

This is just a beginning of course. As you work with these ideas, you will find your own wisdom, your own guidance, and your own way of best working with energy and attention to solve problems. Magic is seen by most who first come to the path as about effecting change within the world through application of focussed will. However after a while, one realizes that this natural process is going on all the time, twenty four hours a day. The wise person takes charge of what she is manifesting in this way. You may well find that there is little else that needs to be done in the way of magic!

Blessed Be,

Robyn :)

We all need to work within our limitations, despite what the proponents of infinite abundance might say. It is almost an article of faith in certain New Age circles that the bounty and abundance of Divine Spirit is infinite, and this extends to the physical conditions of one’s life – money, shelter, possessions, experiences and so on. The only limitation is in our our own minds, is the way such people construct their philosophy. This kind of idea, in my view, is born of the idea of an infinitely powerful and good God. If one is alligned with an infinite power, then the logical conclusion is that nothing is impossible, and if anything is found to be impossible, the fault is in the seeker, rather than the infinite power that they seek to allign themselves with. The idea of the infinitely powerful and good God is one side of a very old coin, that has its roots in the Gnostic conception of the world and existance – as created and controlled by two opposing principles – the principle of ultimate Good, and the principle of ultimate Evil. This philosophy is at the foundation of Western culture, and expresses itself through mainstream Christianity as the battle between Good (God) and Evil (the Devil). 

However those who observe nature and its workings observe that there is never infinite abundance of any resource. All life works within limitations. When the limitations of any environment are reached, life must srtrike a balance. Likewise in our lives. The resources available to any one person are limited. Limitations of time, money, physical health and enthusiasm are obvious. More subtle limitations also arise, like whether others are willing to play along with you to bring about what you desire. Even the richest person in the world is not completely free, but must work within the limitations upon them, or soon lose their wealth, or their health, or their relationships. The art of life, and in my view, the art of magic, is about making the most of what is, and where one find’s oneself – even though it may fall short of the lofty ideals born of infinite immagination. Making the most of things requires a keen sence of the limitations one is working under.

Another important lesson that can be learned from observing nature is that what is good for the Lion is bad for the Zebra, and vice a versa. Yet together, the balance of nature is maintained, and life goes on. Good and Evil depend on one’s point of view, and are not absolutes, and cannot, in my opinion, be attached to their respective Deities of infinite Good and Infinite Evil. The pagan concenpt of Deity is much more complex – our Deities can embody the contradictions of life, and recognize and help one become attuned to the natural cycles of life – the times of abundance, and the times of scarcity, the times of felowship, and the times of isolation, the times of joy, and the times of sorrow.

When one observes nature, one observes that much of life revolves arround the union of male and female genders to create the new generation. So the Neopagan viewpoint sees the world as created from the womb of the Goddess, and fertilised by the seed of the God. God and Goddess are not a duality of good and evil, but a duality of male and female, seed and womb, cup and blade, or yin and yang to use the Taoist terms to denote these energy principles.    What is born from the union, takes shape, grows, reaches its natural fulfillment, then fades and passes, making way for the new. The key here is that everything in this world, and everyone, has a nature, which we may grow into and fulfill. The acorn becomes only an Oak Tree, and never an Ash or a thorn. A pumpkin seed becomes a pumpkin vine, and never a tomato bush. Yet it seems that people make their lives revolve around becoming something at odds with their nature, taking to heart dreams and aspirations impressed upon them by parents, society, advertising or the latest fads and fashions.

The way of the wise is to seek to know and understand one’s true nature, to accept it, and allow one to grow into its fulfillment. To some, this may appear to be the way of limitation, accepting that we can’t be or do anything we want. To the wise, it is the way of freedom – for in fulfilling one’s true nature, one most truly makes connection with the deep magic of alignment, fulfillment, and becoming, the deep magic of allowing the child of promise, the off-spring of the God and Goddess, to fulfill its destiny. The way is to keep the mind, its goals, and its aspirations harnessed to the deep knowledge of self that is deeper than the thoughts, closer than the heart, and flows ever upon the cord that connects us to the Great Mother, so close as to be imperceptible, which recognizes no ‘otherness’, only life in its becoming and transformation in the ever whirling spiral dance of life.

Blessed Be

Robyn :)

I recently posted an article about the water cure, explaining how to ease the pain of taking a cold shower by using a bucket of cold water and a washer instead, and washing up each limb section by section, working up towards the heart. However I neglected to mention what to do afterwards! According to Brother Aloysius, the traditional sequel to the bathing, or watering as he calls it, is to put on a woollen shirt or robe, and go to bed, and stay there until dry. Alternatively, one may vigourously exercise until dry.

It’s a bit much taking to bed in a wet woollen shirt on a daily basis, so here is what I do. I towel dry in a way that is reminiscent of skin brushing, starting at the extremities and working up to the heart. The method is to hold the two ends of the towel, one in each hand, and use it like a rope, drying by rapidly pulling the towel backwards and forwards, and gradually moving up each limb towards the heart as you do so.

Start at the left foot, which is easier if you put your toes on the edge of the bath, keeping the other foot firmly on the ground. Lean against a wall if possible, to avoid losing your balance. Then vigourously pull the towel backwards and forwards over the bottom of the foot, at the same time moving it along towards the ankle. Do this three times, and then repeat on the top of the foot. Do the same thing with the towel wrapped behind your calf, and then on the shin. Work up both legs, segment by segment, front and back, three times each. Then the back and front of the body.

You’ll have to be a bit creative doing your arms, as of course there is only one hand available for towelling. But try to get a similar vigourous movement that simultaneously vibrates and massages the muscles, while also gently exfoliating the skin. Finish by towelling the neck, and then backwards and forwards over each shoulder. Lastly use your fingers inside the towel to do your face. Follow the same principle, try to both vibrate the muscles and exfoliate the skin. Of course rubbing too hard is not advised, as you don’t want to hurt yourself, or break or over stretch the skin. So be sensible about it. If you have any medical conditions that might be affected, such as weak bones, damaged joints, slipped discs, displaced vertebrae or skin problems or sores, or have problems with balance, make sure you consult an appropriate health professional to make sure there is no risk of further harming yourself!

You will find it’s actually quite an invigorating way to start the day. Well that’s my story for now. However I am sure my resolve will be tested once winter comes around!

Blessed Be,

Robyn

In the olden days, there was something they called the water cure, which consisted of bathing, washing, or being sprayed with cold water. It had a great following in the USA, apparently in the 1800s. It was the brainchild of a German fellow called Sebastian Kniepp, and is given in detail in the book “A Healer’s Herbal,” by Brother Aloysius, first published as “Comfort to the sick”, in Holland in 1901. In my ignorance, when I first encountered the water cure, I believed that any benefits were due to hygiene – due to an impression that people in those days didn’t bathe – at least not nearly so much as they do now a days.

However I have since come to realise that there are some very sound principles behind the water-cure, and that it can work very well today, as well as it did in yester-year. It is unlikely, however, for most people these days have become soft and conditioned to their comforts, such as hot running water.

Now what is wrong with having a nice hot shower, I hear you asking? Well, I have come to the conclusion, that it is all about the circulation. Many diseases, ranging from depression, allergies, asthma, and doubtless many others, are either caused or exacerbated by poor circulation. Now that isn’t a medical opinion, it is a personal observation, and one that I expect will be dismissed out of hand by most. But if you are one of the small number of people who are open to such ideas, you might like to improve your health and safeguard against disease with the water cure.

When you have a hot shower or bath, you open all the pores, and the blood moves to the surface. There is a feeling of relaxation and lethargy. The blood moves away from the internal organs. When you get out of the bath, the open pores and the superficial circulation continues. There is a loss of body heat and internal energy. One becomes vulnerable to chills. When you have a cold shower or bath, the pores close, and the superficial blood vessels constrict, sending the blood deeper into the internal organs. There is a feeling of vigour and energisation. There is an increase in internal energy, and a generation of internal heat.

That is the simple crux of the matter. Starting the day with a hot shower, de-energises the body, and makes one vulnerable to colds and flus, through the open pores and the superficial blood circulation. Starting the day with a cold immersion does the opposite. It energises the internal organs, helps to cleanse and renew them, and closes the pores against cold and flus.

Now it can be quite shocking to have a cold shower. A better way of getting the benefits is as follows. Fill up a bucket with cold water. It doesn’t have to be freezing cold. Fifteen to twenty degrees Celsius is fine. Then wet a washer, and wash your face and back of the neck. Then re-wet the washer and thouroughly wash your left foot. Re-wet the washer, and thouroughly wash down your left leg from ankle to knee. Re-wet the washer, and do your left leg from knee to buttock. Follow on doing each segment of the body, moving from extremity towards the heart. Right foot, right lower leg, right upper leg, left hand, left fore arm, left upper arm, right hand, right forearm, right upper arm etc. Re-wet the washer for each new section of the body. Finish off by doing the lower back, the stomach , the upper back, and chest – always moving towards the heart. Start each cold washer on the outer side of the limb, or the back of the trunk, then move to the inner side of the limb, or the front of the trunk. This is because the back and outer sides of the limbs are less sensitive to the cold, and this will be less of a shock to the system. Finally do the groin and rectal areas, which should be done last for reasons of hygiene.

This procedure is much less shocking to the body than a cold shower. It is also more beneficial, as it gradually concentrates the circulation within the torso and the internal organs.

A lot of men shave with hot water. Shaving should always be followed by splashing cold water on the face to close the pores, or the application of cold wet washers. Indeed, this was the original idea behind aftershave. The evaporating alcohol produced coolness to close the pores – the scent which seems to be the reason for it these days was secondary. However I believe that alcohol may cause damage to the skin over the long term, and it is much better to simply use cold water or cold wet washers on the face after shaving.

There is another very good reason for getting into the habit of the cold water bath. And that is that it exercises one’s mental toughness and exercise of will. The magician should not be at the command of his or her bodily weaknesses, but should be able to over-come minor discomforts in order to harness the rewards of greater health.

The benefits of the application of cold water will gradually manifest themselves over time, as this becomes part of your daily habit. Along with proper diet and good exercise, it is something that can contribute to long lasting health and vigour to an advanced age.

Blessed Be,

Robyn :)

Australia, and in particular Sydney, has just survived the visit of the catholic pontiff. One of the most interesting issues surrounding the visit, in my opinion, were the calls for a pontifical apology for the many cases of sexual abuse perpetrated by catholic clergy. Having had a catholic upbringing, and attending a catholic boys college, this issue has something of a personal relevance. Although I was not personally subject to any sexual abuse, and had no first hand knowledge of any at the time, it was common knowledge in the playground that there were certain members of the teaching staff, not all of them priests or brothers, either, whom one had to be very vigilant around. Indeed, a common playground cry in those days was “Bums to the wall, bums to the wall!”, whenever one of these questionable characters strolled by, thus informing the perpetrator that their activities were public knowledge, at least amongst the students. Adults, however, teachers, clergy and parents, found these cries disrespectful taunts, and treated them as something to be punished, rather than as the warning signals which they obviously were. Perhaps there were also innocent teachers who suffered these taunts. However it seems clear now that underneath this smoke, was a deadly fire, damaging and burning many lives.

When I think about this, and why the warning signals were ignored, I come to the conclusion that our society treats children with contempt and mistrust. The initial assumption is that they are lying, being nasty, or otherwise acting mischievously. Somehow, children, our society seems to assume, are naturally inclined to being naughty, and it is only through discipline, and in those days, corporeal punishment, that the evil is driven out of them.

The origins of this child-hating attitude lies, I believe, in the very doctrines of Christianity itself. The doctrine of original sin teaches that we are all tainted, at birth, with the sinfulness shown by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Baptism, is supposed to wash away the taint of original sin, but it is, apparently, ineffective, if the attitude of the teacher-clerics is anything to go by. This belief in the intrinsic evil of children caused the clergy, in my school days, to be great believers in the discipline of corporeal punishment. They took delight in the strap, the cane, and six of the best.

Even today, we have adherents of this view spouting their nonsense in public. Recently the leader of the state opposition in Queensland, was defending the right of parents to smack their children, saying he was smacked as a child, and it made him a better person – seemingly unaware of the irony of his remarks. Having been raised in a culture of physical and corporal punishment, I regard physical discipline and smacking of children as child abuse. It breaks my heart to see parents smacking their two year olds with repeated slaps. “Stop that, or I’ll give you something to cry about”.

I am a great believer in establishing clear boundaries, and consequences for anti-social behaviour. Establishing in children the consciousness of interacting positively with others, and the need to respect other people emotionally, physically and spiritually is, or should be, one of the principal jobs of parenting. Personally, I feel no need to resort to physical coercion, intimidation or violence to achieve this end.

Indeed, I believe that attempting to teach respect, love and consideration through beatings and physical intimidation is misguided in the extreme. Most often, it results in people who become hardened to their own suffering, and that of others, and all too often, people without scruples about using intimidation and the threat of violence to get their own way in adulthood.

But it goes deeper than simply the doctrine of original sin. There is also the question of sexual innocence and celibacy. As I discuss in my book the Great Work, the concept of celibacy is based on the idea that divinity and sexuality do not mix, and that to be pure, and a suitable emulator of Jesus Christ, one must refrain from any sexual expression, not only in action, but also in thought and imagination. The reason this is thought to be so is that creation is conceptualised as balanced between the ultimate good (God) and the ultimate evil (the Devil). Any union of opposites is mapped onto this basic paradigm, with one side of the coin acquiring a gloss of goodness, and the other acquiring a sinister gloss.

Thus the inevitable conclusions are reached: day is good, night is of the devil, man is good, woman is of the devil, humanity is good, nature is of the devil, reason and rational thought are good, emotion, intuition and instinct are of the devil, activity and progress is good, rest (idleness) is of the devil. These days, our society is not quite so stark and medieval in its outlook, but underneath our so-called modernity and rejection of superstition, lies the very same basic worldview as medieval Christianity. Even in the cartoons, the goodies battle the baddies, re-enforcing the view that the world is driven by the endless battle between good and evil.

This viewpoint, in my opinion, is a destructive and unhelpful one for this period in history, and needless to say, out of step with the viewpoint that underpins many pagan philosophies. The pagan viewpoint that I espouse sees the universe as the creation of equal and complimentary principles: the generative and nurturing (female) archetype, and the inseminating and activating (male) archetype. With this worldview, sexual congress is seen as a resonance with the divine creative process that gives rise to the world. Sexuality, thus has the potential to unite one with one’s divine nature. In the Christian based worldview, sexual congress is seen as a flirtation with the devil, or the lusts of the flesh, something that separates one from one’s divine nature.

Now human beings have evolved to have and enjoy sexual activity. They are blessed with emotional and hormonal drives and desires to seek out sexual partners, and to couple with them. The pagan viewpoint of my path is to honour this aspect of our nature, and to seek to intensify the resonance with the archetypal forces of Divinity. This has the potential to transform the self and one’s relationships, by harnessing and expressing the creative power of the universe in concentrated form. However, indiscriminate and unconscious pursuit of these drives can and does bring pain and heartbreak. Therefore recognising the powerful nature of sexuality, an ethical dimension ought to surround sexual expression – based on mutual consent freely given.

In our society, we have established guidelines for when mutual consent can be freely given, and these guidelines involve the age of the parties, and whether there is any relationship of power or responsibility, or use of any physical, emotional or other form of coercive pressure.

In the Christian clergy, we find people who have, more than most, taken to heart the worldview of Good versus Evil, and where sexual expression is definitely on the Evil side. Clergy are only human, and left to their own devices have just as many sexual thoughts and urges as anyone else. However these thoughts are a source of guilt for such people, as they have bought into a worldview where such natural inclinations and thoughts are seen as the temptations of the devil, and a sign of evil working in their lives.

They may well begin to see themselves as corrupt, guilty, and undeserving. Perhaps they see their young charges as innocent and happy, and desiring this same innocence themselves, an innocence which they have constructed as lost, they wish to possess it again, by sexually possessing these (in their minds) objects of innocence.

In any case, normal modes of sexual expression are denied them. They are in a position of trust and authority. Sexual possession of the innocent may allow them a perverse return to their own sexual innocence – temporarily at least. For of course given the world view they adopt, they must be conscious that their actions are “of the devil”. This leads to greater guilt, and a greater need for redemption, and a greater attraction to childhood innocence. In short, a vicious cycle of sexual predation on the young.

While the Christian religion in particular, and our society in general, sees the world as balanced between Good and Evil, and caught in the everlasting battle between God and the Devil, there will be no let up in the line of abused children.

And it is not just the priests. We are an entire society lusting after the innocence of youth, and at the same time rushing to corrupt and take advantage of youthful innocence to turn a dollar, in marketing, sales to children, TVs, movies, toys, music and so on. However attempting to fulfil this drive to recover our innocence by purchasing the appearance of innocent childhood, will provide no more than temporary relief.

To really reclaim our innocence is to reclaim the sacred nature of sexuality, and the sacred nature of creation, and to erase the brainwashing that says that the union of male and female in sexual congress is evil, and to erase the brainwashing that says that the union of a male and female divinity is blasphemous. It is not blasphemy. It is the beauty of creation, seen through innocent eyes. The reclamation of sexual innocence is not easy, as it requires, for most of us, a fundamental change in world view. Such changes require effort and commitment. However, for the practicing pagan, such a change sneaks up on one. The God and Goddess become real, and their union more than a metaphor. The recreation of the world occurs within the crucible of ritual, every time the Sacred Marriage of God and Goddess is ritually enacted. In time, one looks out upon the world and sees in every process and circumstance the sacred wheel of becoming – the interaction of the fertilising and generative principles, producing their offspring, and continuing on the cycle of life. There is no place for guilt or shame about sexuality itself, and no drive to recover sexual innocence – which in extreme form is, I believe, one of the drivers of child sexual abuse in our society, especially by clergy.

I don’t imagine that changing world views will remove all sexual exploitation. Nor do I believe that the pagan community is itself free from this scourge. There will still be selfish people who think more of satisfying their own desires than about the effect they might be having on others. But I hope that an airing of these issues will help in understanding how to overcome and reduce the sexual exploitation of children in our society.

BB,

Robyn

One of the most important tasks, I believe, for any person, is to do something each day that nourishes the soul. One’s soul is rather like a neglected child for most of us. Concern for it rates quite a way down the ladder, after things such as money, sex, food, social position, and the many day to day concerns and occupations of life. Some people have even forgotten that they have a soul, and give it no thought at all.

The result is a life that is shallow and unsatisfying on a deep level. Victories, and achievements satisfy for a day or two, only to pale into a sense of vague disquiet. There is the feeling that there must be something more than this.

By the same token, life is no more or less than what we make of it. The pity of it is that many feel driven to make of their lives an arena in which the soul plays no part.

But what exactly is the soul, and how does one nourish it? The soul may be described as the deepest part of a person’s being, that part which is most intimately connected to the collective divinity of life. The soul means to some the spiritual part of a person’s being, which lasts eternally, and takes form within a physical body. There is the idea here of conflict between the soul, which is of spirit, and the needs and requirements of living in the material world, within a material body, an idea related to the philosophical dualism of the christian religion – which has been the subject of a previous post.

From my point of view, the struggle for Soul Expression is a battle not between good and evil, but rather part of the dynamic of spiritual growth. I myself believe that the soul is one’s true self, the spiritual core that transcends any particular life, and the part of one which seeks to drive one’s life and being in the most positive direction.

What does it mean to nourish the soul? The soul desires to be made manifest in one’s life. It desires to create a vehicle for its own experience, an experience of love, joy, and creativity. It desires to grow in wisdom and understanding. Thus it may desire experiences of sickness, death, conflict and misery in order to experience its own inner strength, and develop the ability to rise above such circumstances. However much misery in the world occurs, not through the action of soul expression, but through the lack of soul expression.

A person’s soul loves to express its joy and love and merriment with life. But more than this, a person’s soul has a guiding purpose, a reason for existence. Unless this reason for existence is comprehended, and acted upon, the soul pines and withdraws. This guiding purpose is different for each person, and each incarnation. It represents one’s most important life lesson. Usually people have a mistaken idea of their soul purpose. They adopt the aspirations and goals sanctioned by society, parents or peers, and shut off the messages from soul, in order to fulfil these non-soulful aspirations. In the long run, the achievement of these aspirations provides no lasting fulfilment. I have discussed this in more detail previously.

So how does one nourish one’s soul? Without doubt, the single most important thing is to simply intend to do so. Most people, deep in their heart of hearts, have an idea of what their soul yearns for. Whether it is singing, dancing, writing, gardening, healing, providing a fair business service, cooking, pursuing some scholarly subject, carpentry or what ever. However the yearning of soul is always a yearning to service. The dimension of service to others, or to life itself, is a hallmark of any soul purpose. Howeve it is unfashionable these days to see onself as in service to life, and so few have room in their lives for their own soul purpose. Consequently unhappiness stalks them like a shadow.

So take the time today to enquire into your soul purpose. It will emerge in the stillness of self which is produced by meditation, or by a walk in a beautiful natural landscape, or by listening to uplifting music, or whatever way you can contrive to still the incessant clamouring for attention of the rational mind.

In many old wisdom tales, including those of the Celtic world, there is the idea of the light and dark twins – two brothers who battle for supremacy in the natural world, and by implication in the life of each person. One resonance with this ancient mythological motif is that the dark twin is the aggressive and in-your face one, that incessantly demands attention, and whose actions are marked by selfishness. This is the rational mind in control of the life force and energy. It feels itself the centre of the universe, and the most important being of the universe. It is Mordred in the tales of King Arthur. All of us, without exception, have this aspect within us. In fact, it is what most of us take for ourselves, until shown otherwise through magical development or spiritual training. The other aspect is the light twin. This is the soul self, who exists to serve the Greater Good. This is Arthur himself, who overlooks the petty foibles and treacheries of his companions in pursuit of the Greater Good. The soul self, as does Arthur, often suffers a fatal wound from the dark twin, and is taken back to the other world to recuperate under the care of the Goddess. However the soul self is never defeated, and will return in due course, to complete its cycle of evolution and growth, and to solve the conundrum of how it may serve.

The choice of how one lives one’s life is a personal one. For me, it comes down to making the noble choice, to follow the calling of the soul, in spite of the many set backs and hardships that this necessarily entails, in a world geared up to repudiate the spiritual sensibility. I invite you also to make the noble choice! Start today, by finding a way to nourish your soul self.

Blessed Be,

Robyn

In a time of trouble or sorrow, to invoke the healing and/or protection of the Lady Brighid try the following:

Light a candle (Beeswax best), and place it on your altar (in the
east is best), along with image or icon (if available).

Prepare yourself and create space as you normally would, then say the
following with appropriate visualisation:

“Lady Brighid, thy healing flame in my belly, thy transforming flame
in my heart, thy inspiring flame at my brow.”

“Lady Brighid, thy mantle arround me, thy strength within me, thy
blessing upon me”

“Moon crowned Brighid of the undying flame, as spring follows winter,
so in me”

Visualize whatever you wish to be done with being placed into the
Lady’s flame to be transformed positively. These can be either
external circumstances or your own negative qualities.

This should be done every morning (dawn is best!) until the situation
is resolved, at which time give an offering of thanks to the Lady.

The candle should never be blown out, always extinguished with
moistened thumb and finger, or with candle snuffer. The candle should
be new at the beginning, and not used for any other purpose except
for lighting when invoking the protection and blessing of the Lady
Brighid.

If circumstances do not permit you to light a candle, then visualise
the entire sequence!

In Her service,

Robyn

Regular readers of these pages will know that I suffer from an irritable bowel, according to the medical profession. This seems to be compounded by a sensitivity to wheat and flour, and an underperforming ability to digest food! There was no help from the medical profession, apart from the advice to consume more fibre, and the reassurance that I wasn’t dying of some terrible bowel affliction! This itself was worth the cost of the doctor’s visit! Being of a witchy bent, I have always been interested in herbs, and how they may be used in supporting healing. Over the years I have investigated many different herbs, and tried quite a few of them to see whether they might do something for me. My latest fascination in the herbal world is with Angelica, partly because of the name, partly because it is a traditional witch’s herb, with a history of folk use in European countries, and partly because of its properties, which seemed to me to offer some prospect of alleviation of my intestinal dilemmas!

Angelica may be described as a stimulating tonic with carminative properties. The stimulating aspect refers to the ability to increase circulation and blood flow to the tissues, and generally increase the metabolism. Stimulants in herbal medicine are traditionally used short term to increase vitality in combating particular disease conditions, and to increase the effectiveness of other herbs. In the long term, they are contraindicated , as they can exhaust the body’s reserves, and lead to a collapse of health.

This tendency of a stimulant to exhaust, I thought would be balanced by Angelica’s tonic effect. A tonic in herbal medicine is a substance that, over the long term, builds and nourishes vitality. The carminative aspect refers to the influence on the digestive system, to dispel gas, mitigate griping and cramping, and to generally favour digestion.

Being a witchy type, of course, I needed to buy some of the dried root, tincture it in brandy, soak for three weeks, then decant into storage bottles, and to take combined with tinctures made similarly of burdock root, dandelion root and meadowsweet. The meadowsweet, by the way, I made as an alchemical tincture – the making of which I have described previously. Needless to say, the energy and consciousness that goes into the making of medicines is very important. However the preparations will work regardless!

As I have some experience with Chinese medicine from my days as a Shiatsu Practitioner, I tend to see the body in terms of yin and yang. After six weeks (with a one week break between two three week periods), I was able to conclude that Angelica adds a substantial Yang portion to the body. I noticed that my urine, which is typically clear and copious, became much more yellowish, scanty, and strong smelling. This is a sign of increased yang in the body (a good thing for me), or decreased yin (a bad thing for me!). So I decided to stop the angelica for a week or so. I found that the urine reverted to my normal clear copiousness in about a day.

This told me that the change was symptomatic rather than systemic. A systemic change should persist after the herb is discontinued, for weeks or months, or forever if you’re fortunate. The change is a response to a readjustment in the bodily system, under the gentle action of the herb. The system continues to operate in the readjusted way, even when the herb is removed. This is the desired form of herbal healing. A symptomatic change is a result of the action of the herb in the body. Once the herb is eliminated from the system, the symptomatic change disappears. This is useful for symptomatic relief, but does not produce, by itself, a true healing.

In my case, the appearance of the darker urine, the presence of yang in the body, was symptomatic. It was gone within 24 hours of ceasing the herb. However there was a more subtle effect that seems to have persisted. I found that after a week or so on Angelica (10 drops, 3 times a day) I was more energetic, more positive in outlook, and generally happier in disposition. My digestion was also better, and gut was less painful.

These effects, particularly on the disposition and outlook, have persisted, and so may be regarded as systemic changes. Of course, it is not just the Angelica, but the combination of herbs, but Angelica is a big part of it, in my view.

The thing that prompted me to give the Angelica a rest was the fact that I started waking up in the wee hours of the morning, unable to easily get back to sleep. Of course, this is a great time to practice some meditation and visualisation, but I was getting a bit run-down. This is just the sought of thing that one might expect when one’s yin becomes deficient – as from over-use of a herbal stimulant. So my next task is to look at building up my yin using tonics like licorice.

Why don’t I just go to a herbalist, I sometimes wonder, and get a mixture? Well on occasion I do. However when money’s tight it is not always possible! And besides, I really enjoy working with herbs, making preparations, observing their effects, and tuning in to their subtle energies and consciousness.

So the verdict? I will have another go a Angelica in a few weeks time, but this time I will add another tonic to my prescription! An option is licorice root. St Mary’s thistle is another option. Saw Palmetto berries also suggest themselves. I will let you know how it turns out!

P.S. While I am not a herbalist, I have made quite a study of herbs, and have studied traditional Chinese Medicine. I have taken courses in traditional western herbalism, Ayurvedic Herbalism, and nutritional healing. I have an extensive reference library. If you wish to treat yourself with herbs, I would recommend doing a course, and first gaining some knowledge!