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| <---- (cont.) Something to keep in mind along your way through mine and others' interpretations of *the way* to practice witchcraft ... if you ever feel uncomfortable with something you come across in your workings, don't touch it until you know why. The less faith and more reservations you hold in regards to spiritual/magical practice, the less likely your yield will be fruitful in the end. This site is by no means meant to teach or to instruct, but merely to present my personal practices, works and beliefs. It is not an authoritative voice on anything outside my microcosm. Anyway, this is my collection, my story and my art. I hope you find something within it. ~*~ Dea Lilly ~*~ |
| the lilly pad |
| DISCLAIMER This site is intended for adults...not just people over the age of eighteen, but for mature adults. Think about it, folks. The ill-educated, ignorant, close-minded, and others of the same breed are definitely not welcome here. |
| kept by Dea Lilly |
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| created Aug 31, '01 |
| updated Sep 1, '04 |
| Indietro della Lilly I am 21 years old (female) who recently moved to the High Desert area in California. I live there with my husband Jeff, and we're expecting a baby in late October! I'm an easy-going girl who enjoys hanging with my friends, and being active in my faith.What you'll find here are my studies, essays, and ponderings, possibly some of my poetry, and also a compendium of witchcraft according to me. If you see anything on this site to be incorrect, please tell me about it! You can also feel free to contact me with your bitches, comments, compliments, and any other questions or inquiries that come up! I'll try to answer every email! I also have a guestbook where you can put your opinions, questions, bitches, et cetera. Leave your email with your post, and I'll get back to you, too! If you are interested in training with me, I am currently accepting students. You can find a link to my yahoo group by scrolling down to the section "Teaching Others". Take care & best wishes. |
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| What I Hope to Accomplish with This Site With this website, I hope to... a) provide a generalized view for the masses b)provide a very generalized resource for those on the path on non-Wiccan witchcraft c) blatantly express my views without fear of censorship. NOTE TO MY READER: This is my website (well, duh...). If there is something here that you read that you either dislike or disagree with, deal with it. The way of life presented is not yours to accept or reject. |
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| My Personal Experience with Witchcraft |
| My father grew up in a strict, fanatically Catholic household, and my mother was raised rigorously Mormon . Before the fallout of their marriage and the dissapation of my mother's spirituality, my family was quite active in the church - my parents taught Sunday school, and my dad was of the Aaronic priesthood. After my family split up, and my mom excommunicated herself, my dad took us to church until we lost interest & refused to go...to cut a long story short, religion became caught up with the generalized mind-fuck in my home, and I became an atheist by the age of ten. As I began searching for religious alternatives (around eleven or so), I found diabolical witchcraft and magic. When I discovered Wicca, I was about twelve. I started praying to the Lady and her consort, and practically became Dianic, until Celtic spirituality introduced itself to me, and I snatched that up instead because it just "felt right". After all, the whole point is to "keep an open mind, and incorporate all types of spirituality into your life" - which means to never really commit yourself to anything because something cooler and trendier just might come along, right? I was practiced Wicca blindly for a few years, until I stumbled upon a user chat room in Yahoo! called Why Wiccans Suck. I stormed in there ready to talk so much shit, but noticed the link and figured I'd better check out the ammo before getting caught in the crossfire. I accessed Contra Wicca, and the true history of Gerald Gardner, and that wonderful essay about the Burning Times by Jenny Gibbons. I realized that I was one of those pathetic people they described to the teeth on their website - a fluffy bunny ..... I was devastated. However, when I left that website I knew I needed to find something real, something with roots, not something that was created as a mix-n-match of world religion and spirituality. I wanted something that strived for genuity in practice and in history. I found old Italian witchcraft. Today, I have come into my own practice of "Lillyism" - It is my best educated compilation of reconstructionalized Italian traditionally-based witchcraft, with an emphasis on a spiritual simplicity that overshadows every aspect of mundane life. I do magical workings as needed, from simple practice to the more elaborate. I steer away from ritual unless I'm celebrating or commemorating a special occassion. I do not see the need to create sacred space (i.e., calling the watchtowers, casting a circle, et cetera), because I feel that all space is "sacred" in its own right, and you must work with the fullness of the energy in the area, rather than put so much effort forth to "banish and cleanse" ... part of the point of being a witch is learning to work with all energy. I also try to cut a lot of ceremonialism out of my practice. I do not have an elaborately set-up altar and special names for my cup, blade, wand, et cetera. Rather, I have a working space, and use as little as necessary aside from what is inside myself to "get the job done". |
| "Types" of Witchcraft I read somewhere that there are five different "types" of witchcraft to keep in mind when discussing the subject to any extent... First, there's diabolical witchcraft, the type believed to have exist during the Inquisition, with Black Sabbats and devil-inspired orgies and the like. Then we have Christian diabolical witchcraft, which is a cohesive blend of Judeo-Christian demonology and rural folk customs and witchlore, and it usually boils down to an elaborate and more often grotesque fantasy of a heretical tradition of Satan worship. The third kind of witchcraft we need to keep in mind is Pagan diabolical witchcraft, which is similar to Christian diabolical witchcraft, but lacking many Satanic overtones. The fourth is what I like to call Pagan beneficial witchcraft, which generally purports that a witch is a surviving member of some passed-down tradition of the old fertility cults of old Europe, thus clinging to Murrayite philosophy. The fifth is true witchcraft, which is when the witch uses magic (with or without religious/spiritual overtones) to effect change in one's life or reality. Magic is defined here solely as the control & direction of powers and energies within and around the practitioner |
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| Greetings... (or - How I Think You Should Read This) Hi! I'm glad you've chosen to look at my site. Before you venture further, I have some relevant information to share with you about myself. I am a witch of the left hand path. This site is reflective of my personal experiences, views and practices, and the main focus of this site is meant to be "witchcraft according to Lilly". I suggest you just scroll through the first few sections to get a feel for where I'm coming from, and know that not everything (maybe even not a whole lot) will be applicable and fitting in your practice and personal structure. (cont.) ----> |
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| How Witchcraft Got Where It Is In communal times, deity was addressed within a polar sense of male and female, with a God and a Goddess. As social structure implemented the ruling class, this called for a certain level of heightened deification and new gods were "revealed" to appease the changing mentality of humankind. The dominant male deity figure sprang up from the introduction of formal dogma geared toward supporting rulership within the social structure that is condoned by its own creation (God). Yahweh, God, Allah, Buddha and Brahma (the lead deity figures of the major world religions) were - and still are - not reacheable by the common man, hence necessity of a priesthood (i.e., the ruling class), while robbing the common folk of control of their own lives, for better or for worse, and rationalizing a ruler backed by religious authority and military presence. Today, with the decay of the extreme dictatorship, humanity is faced with redefining religion (as well as our conection with it) within the confines of our society to keep up with the times and changing mentality and evolution of the human race, along with the forced acceptance of the unfamiliarity of other cultures (read: being politically correct), and we are exposed to a new freedom where it is acceptable (in theory, not necessarily in practice) to openly practice whatever faith you choose. The path of witchcraft is a reconstruction of our most educated hypotheses on rural folk attitude toward life, spirituality, energy, and how we combine all of that in our endless quest toward reaching divinity. It is also a restoration and a reformation of those doctrines, induced with mysticism, occult theory, and a defined system of our interaction with the energies and powers within and around us. I hope to eventually publish a piece on the historical life of witchcraft (a work currently in progress), that starts by covering the Pagan practices of old Europe (i.e., Druidism, Norse practice, fertility cults, and other influences), moving also through Greco-Roman times, and Celtic spirituality, and on into the birth of Christianity. There will also be pages devoted to the witch hunts of Europe, the development of secret societies and early-modern European/American occultism, the birth of Wicca, and finally, what witchcraft is today. Please look for updates here in the future - I'll keep you posted. I feel it pertinent here to include some links (Wicca, according to the Armed Forces, as well as the Principles of Belief, and also this lovely little publication, a Declaration of Independence from the Principles of Belief), because Wicca, as maddening as it may be to practitioners of traditional witchcraft, is what modern society identifies as witchcraft, when, in fact, it is merely a religion that has adopted some (and I stress ) of the practices and tenets of witchcraft. This is an excerpt of the entry for "Witch", taken from The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, by Barbara Walker. I found it quite interesting, and hope you'll enjoy it. "WITCH" --- There were many other words for witches, such as Incantatrix, Lamia, Saga, Maga, Malefica, Sortilega, Strix, Venefica. In Italy a witch was a strega or Janara, an old title of a priestess of Jana (Juno). English writers called witches both "hags" and "fairies," words which were once synonymous. Witches had metaphoric titles: bacularia, "stick-rider"; fascinatrix, "one with the evil eye"; herberia, "one who gathers herbs"; strix, "screech-owl"; pixidria, "keeper of an ointment box"; femina saga, "wise-woman"; lamia, "night-moster"; incantator, "worker of charms"; magus, "wise-man"; sortiariae muner, "seeress"; veneficia, "poisoner"; maliarda, "evil-doer". Latin treatises called witches anispex, auguris, divinator, januatica, ligator, mascara, phitonissa, stregula. Dalmation witches were krstaca, "crossed ones", a derivative of the Greek Christos. In Holland a witch was wijsseggher, "wise-sayer", from which came the English "wiseacre." The Biblical passage that supported centuries of persecution, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22:18), used the Hebrew word kasaph, translated "witch" although it means a seer or diviner. ***Skeat's Entymological Dictionary derived "witch" from medieval English wicche, formerly Anglo-Saxon wicca, masculine for wicce, feminine: a corruption of witga, short form of witega, a seer or diviner; from Anglo-Saxon witan, to see, to know. Similarly, Icelandic vitki, a witch, came from vita, to know; or vizkr, clever or knowing one. Wizard came from Norman French wischard, Old French guiscart sagacious one. The surname Whittaker came from Witakarlege, a wizard or a witch. The words "wit" and "wisdom" came from the same roots. Something else of interest is the fantastic essay entitled Recent Developments in the Study of the Great European Witch Hunt. |
| Beliefs & Ethics Here, I have placed a link to a compilation of the beliefs and ethics extrapolated from the Vangello della Streghe (the Gospel of the Witches). Although my path does not dictate any set of dogma or specified law governing behavior, I personally identify with the teachings found here, and provide them here to establish a more complete picture of what my spirituality entails and encompasses. I identify with this system of beliefs and ethics (for the most part, anyhow) because the terms laid out in our dealings with other and the Self are very assertive, respectful and healthy, and aligned with how I choose to act in my life. |
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| The Left Hand Path Well, there are several ways people have chosen to define the left hand path (LHP). I feel, personally, that it is best set out by the Temple of Set, which says that to be of the LHP, one must do two things... First, one must adhere to the principle of antinomianism. Secondly, one must practice initiatory technique (i.e., magic and ritual) for the purpose of spiritual dissent ("a process of using the ideas and actions of the Seeker to create or realize an immortal, individual, potent, and powerful essence that will survive death." - Balanone's ToS FAQ). I have also provided a link to this interesting site about the Beliefs of the Left Hand Path, which lays out common aspects of LHP practice today. It's worth checking out, but I do have a quick note on this site: first, the use of mind-altering, mood-changing chemicals (drugs) is NOT something encouraged within the LHP, and I personally disagree with this practice in a ritualistic setting, or anytime you are hoping to work magic, as it takes you further from your true Self. You are adding a chemical into your body to affect change within yourself, when you should be affecting change within your Self with the powers and energies inherent to you and your reality, not with some physical aide. Second, selfishness, per se, is encouraged in the respect that you should strive to satisfy your Higher Self; the LHP does seek to displace Ego from one's Self. Also, obedience to one's own beliefs and ethics, as well as self-sacrifice in order to attain the goals of the Higher Self are encouraged. |
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| What Witchcraft is to Me Witchcraft is a very big word with a lot of interpretations. To some, witchcraft is Wicca. To others, witchcraft is Celtic spirituality. Still, to others, witchcraft is familial tradition. I have been asked by so many people what my interpretation is, and obviously, I must have an opinion sine I use the word in a self-labeling sense. I am a witch. Witchcraft, to me, can be one of two things. Witchcraft is, first and foremost, the science where one uses their own energy or the energy around them to create change. Secondly, witchcraft is the spiritual art, the way of life and doctrine of spiritual theory and practice where one holds in revere their own safety, health, welfare and happiness, and seeks to live in balance with the earth and energies around them, and to actively participate in their life in such a role that takes power, knowledge, application through wisdom, and the ability to confront and work with the light and dark sides of reality in an equal and sound manner. As a witch, one is the power, the source of divinity, by the very breath in their lungs and that magic spark of life, light and intuition that they hold inside. We are the real power: It is our power that gives our magic its strength. I label myself as a practitioner of traditional witchcraft of the left hand path, using the Italian pantheon to define the various energetic facets of my macrocosm within a practical symbolic context. I personally identify with the teachings of the Gospel of Aradia. I practice witchcraft daily through meditation, mind and bodily exercise, and magical workings. I follow the cycles of the moon, and celebrate accordingly when it is full. There are alos four days throughout the year that I hold in reverance to note the passing of the seasons. My life has been so affected by the practice of witchcraft. As a young adolescent I struggled to be socially acceptable, to "fit in", and always failed because of my insecurities, and an inability to be assertive, and communicate my thoughts and emotions with others. I was very unhappy, and consistently made bad decisions for myself. Through the doctrines of witchcraft, I have rediscovered myself as a beautiful being with so much potential who is in control of her life, and then takes responsibility for her choices and the consequences thereof. Through the use of my own energy and that of my surrondings, I can create change in my life in so many ways. If there is anything I want or need, I know I can always turn to witchcraft to aide me in achieving it. As long as I am willing to work for what I want in life, and put everything I have in to attaining my goals, I can get anywhere in life, and reach my fullest potential. That is one of the goals of witchcraft - to reach as far as you can, and strive to be the best, to supercede normalcy. |
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| "Magick"??? Although I personally do not employ this practice, most magicians these days will spell the word magic as "magick" or (newer still) "majik". This practice can be traced back to Aleister Crowley, who used the "k" to represent sexual magick, the "k" standing for "khu" (Egyptian - the higher self/soul; one's source of power) and/or "kteis" (Greek - vagina). It's also been said that this spelling holds a special numerological value. |
| Magic Theory When I "do magic", I first take the energies inside of my Self and concentrate them on my intent, so that when I push those energies out of my Self, they are directed by my intent to create change in that specific way as to satisfy my intent. It is a process of energy manipulation, if you will. After I concentrate my own energies on my intent, I then, if necessary, call upon and direct outside energies (that of the elements or those contained within other entities like people, animals, or supernatural beings) to combine with my energies and also go out to create a change which satisfies my intent.Although I personally do not employ this practice, most magicians these days will spell the word magic as "magick" or (newer still) "majik". This practice can be traced back to Aleister Crowley, who used the "k" to represent sexual magick, the "k" standing for "khu" (Egyptian - the higher self/soul; one's source of power) and/or "kteis" (Greek - vagina). It's also been said that this spelling holds a special numerological value. |
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| My Journey and Sharing the Path Today, I observe the cycles of the moon and the four seasons in an effort to further attune my Self with the energies I work with as found in Nature. I also celebrate any personal days of power or special observance as I see fit. I also practice workings as need be in order to get the things I want ("spells"). As far as sharing my path with others, I am on several e-mail lists to discuss my practices with others, as well as to learn and educate about witchcraft in general. I answer questions as asked, and speak when I have something to say, but other than that, I don't have a soap-box, I am not currently affiliated with any groups (although I am looking sporadically), and I do not currently have any students. I know a few people who have been seeking my direction in a very loose, informal sense, and I also have a few people who I feel comfortable getting together with every now and then for celebration or workings. |
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| I'm providing here the student questionnaire I usually have a prospective seeker fill out before hand, to give me an idea of where they're coming from and what they're hoping for or expecting, as well as how our personalities would mesh in such an endeavor. After all, it really is a partnership to learn with someone else. Please do not worry about brevity when completing the following questions. Your answers are encouraged to be as detailed as possible. -Please provide your exact time of birth, date of birth, and place of birth, so that an astrological chart can be drawn up. -Please provide your full name as it reads on your birth certificate, so that a numerological chart can be drawn up. -Please provide a complete list of books you have read regarding occult studies, as well as your opinion on each publication and what you learned. 1. How long have you been interested, studying, and practicing witchcraft? 2. What led you to this path? 3. Do you have a preferred tradition of witchcraft? 4. How would you define your religion or spirituality? 5. How much do you know about basic witchcraft? 6. Have you ever been initiated by a teacher or coven on any level(s)? 7. Have you ever been initiated into a specific tradition? (What level?) 8. Have you ever been a part of a coven or study group? If so, why did you leave? 9. What do you consider your strong points, both personally and as a witch? At what magical skills do you excel? 10. What do you consider your weak points, both personally and as a witch? What magical skills do you wish to learn and/or perfect? 11. How does your family feel about your involvement with witchcraft? 12. Are you "out of the broom closet"? 13. What other religions have you studied or followed in the past? 14. Have you ever taught witchcraft to another person? If so, how was that experience for you, and for them? Is that person still involved within witchcraft? 15. What is your concept of deity? 16. What do you want to learn? 17. What form of divination do you (want to) focus on? 18. Why do you want to study witchcraft? 19. Are you willing to undergo an oath of secrecy about aspects of your training, including from your partner/lover/family/friends/et cetera? How do you feel about this? 20. You will need to set aside time for monthly & yearly celebrations, as well as study & personal growth. Do you have room in your life to fulfill these obligations? |
| Teaching Others "As the student learns, so does the teacher." |
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| Mythology Within traditional witchcraft, all energetic entities are viewed as separate, and neither greater or lesser than one another, respectively. Granted, some of these entities have attained more "power" so to speak in harnessing the energies around them and creating change within their realities that conform with their own personal will. The word "deity" is simply one more way to commonly identify an entity in accordance with its significance in the world of "magic" (i.e., energy direction). Within the italian tradition of witchcraft, there is a central group of deities identified by name and what aspects of reality they have the most influence over. You can choose to view these as separate individuals to called upon for aide, wisdom and other such things, or simply as an identification system for the energies you work with along your magical practices. I have included below a comprehensive list of those deities which are Italian in nature, ancestry and practice, including their name and the aspects they represent/work with. Within the Italian tradition of witchcraft preserved throughout the years, the faces of the Etruscan gods have mostly been preserved and utilized. I myself use the simple ways outlined by the Streghe within the studies of Charles Leland, and commonly recognize Aradia, Diana~Herodias~Lilith, and Lucifer as a very simplified break-down of the energies I work with in my sphere of magical practice. Listed below are the various other roots or traditions which contribute to the commonly recognized pantheon today, such as the mythologies of the Sabine, Etruscan and Sicilian cultures, the Roman and Greek pantheons, etc. ETRUSCAN Aita (Eita) ~ ruler of the dead; represents the underworld Aivas (Eivas, Evas) ~ ruler of terror Ani ~ god of the sky and beginnings; female counterpart = Ana Aplu ~ weather god of thunder and lightning Artumes (Artimi) ~ goddess of night and death, growth in nature Atuns ~ rebirth god, consort of Turan Cautha (Cath) ~ sun god Cel (Cilens) ~ Mother Earth Charontes ~ demon of death Cul (Culsu) - demoness; gaurd of the underworld Evan ~ goddess of personal immortality; of the Lasa Ethausva ~ winged lady, in service to Tinia Februus ~ purification, initiation and the dead Feronia ~ protectress of freedmen, associated with woodlands, fire and fertility Fufluns (Pacha) ~ god of wine, rebirth, spring, wild nature, fertility; son of Semia Horta ~ goddess of agriculture Herc (Horacle, Hercle) ~ strength and water Karun (Charun) ~ demon of death Laran ~ god of war the Lasa ~ Alpan, Evan, Racuneta and Vecu; female deities; gaurdians of graves Leinth ~ faceless goddess Letham (Lethans) ~ protecter; lives in Eita, the underworld Lusna (Losna) ~ moon goddess Mania & Mantus ~ gaurdians of the underworld Maris ~ agriculture; fertility; savior god Menrva ~ goddess of wisdom and the arts Nethuns ~ god of water and moisture Nortia ~ goddess of fate and fortune Persipnei (Ferspnai) ~ queen of the underworld Satres ~ god of time and necessity Selva ~ earth god; woodlands Semia ~ Mother of Atuns; earth goddess Sethlans (Vechlans) ~ axe god; fire; the forge Silenus ~ the satyr; wild nature Tarchies (Tages) ~ boy; oracle; voice of the gods Tecum ~ god of the Lucomones (ruling class) Thalna ~ winged lady; lover of Tinia; goddess associated with childbirth Thesan ~ goddess of the dawn; childbirth Thethlumth ~ underworld deity; fate Tuchulcha ~ grotesque demon Thufltha(s) ~ a fury; inflicts punishment on behalf of Tins Tiv(r) ~ moon deity Tluscva (Tellus & Tellumo) ~ earth mother and father Turan ~ goddess of love, health and fertility; goddess of Vulci; accompanied by the Lasas; wife of Maris Turms ~ trade and merchandise; messenger of the gods Turns Aitas ~ leader of the dead Tvath ~ goddess of resurrection; love for the dead Uni ~ the supreme goddess of the cosmos; married to Tinia; forms the triad with her husband and Menrva Usil ~ sun god Vanth ~ female demon of death; lives in the underworld Vecu ~ prophecy; of the Lasa Veltha ~ original god of the Etruscans; patron; god of change and seasons Vetis ~ underworld god of death and destruction Sicilian Aci ~ handsome Sicilian shepherd; parented by Fauno and the Simete nymph; he was crushed under a rock by Polifemo the Cyclop in a dispute over Galatea Nymph and his blood shed gave origin to the Aci Trezza river in Sicily Aretusa ~ a virtuous nymph of the Elide; transformed into a font at Ortigia (by Siracusa) by Artemide when the Alfeo river falls in love with her after seeing her bathe. Alfeo is said to have reunited his waters to hers after following her through the sea Catinense (Cerere) ~ lived with Proserpina's daughter in Sicily; left when her daughter was taken by Plutone Ciane ~ nymph of Siracusa; befriended Persephone and tried to prevent her abduction by Adea, who changed her into a font when she failed, and began to cry. Anapo united his waters with her waters for love. Ciclopi ~ the children of Gea and Uranio, they were giants with only one eye; named Bronte, Sterope, Arge, and Polifemo, they made the lightning for Zeus in the shops of the Etna volcano. Cocalo ~ king of Sicily; he killed Minose as he was chasing Dedalo (Maze) into his city Dafni ~ parented by Ermes (Ermete) and a nymph, and was raised by the Muses; learned the bagpipe from Pan, inventor of the bucolic song; blinded for not holding faith to the Naide nymph (his lover); committed suicide by jumping from a rock; greeted by his father in the sky, and revered by shepherds Eolo ~ gods of the winds; son of Poseidone and Arnea; he had six male and six female children (all married to one-another) and they lived in the volcanic islands of Sicily named after him (Eolie); he gave Ulisse the winds in a leather bag, but when Ulisse's friends opened the bag, they caused a storm that sent them back to the Eolie islands, and there they were chased away by Eolo, who thought the gods were persecuting him Erice ~ parented by Venus and the Bute argonaut; king of Elimi in Sicili; founded Erice on the mountain now of the same name; built a temple there in honor of Ericina (Aphrodite); killed by Ercole over an oxe of Gerione's Ericina ~ aspect of Aphrodite; protectress of sailors Etna ~ a nymph; parented by Uranus and Gea; gave her name to the volcano in Sicily Galatea ~ nymph; parented by Nereo and Doride; loved by Aci, and after his death at the hands of the Cyclop, she transformed him into a river and united with him Leucosia ~ one of the sirens that bewitched the sailors near Messina with her sisters Partenope and Ligeo Lia ~ aspect of Diana, considered the lunar goddess to the Sicilians Ortigia ~ inslet in the gulf of Sircusa, where Alfeo transformed into a river; led to the Aretusa nymph, transformed into a font Artemide Paligi ~ demon twins; parented by Zeus and the Talia nymph; while she was in hiding from the persuction of Era underneath the earth, she birthed them, and they were pulled out of the ground near the Simeto river; Paligi means native two times; temple erected near their birthplace which became a gathering place for escaped slaves Polifemo ~ ciclope; parented by Poseidone and Toosa, blinded by Ulisse; fell in love with Galatea and crushed Aci with a rock in jealousy Psofi ~ parented by Erice; loved by Eracle Italian Actaeon (Cern, Kern) ~ stag-horned god of the forest Anteros ~ (Italian-Roman); god of love and passion; reigned over mutual love and was a patron for those who didn't return their love Aradia ~ witch goddess; came to earth to teach the magic of her mother, Diana Astraea (Astria) ~ goddess of truth and justice Carmen (Carmina) ~ goddess of spellcasting and of enchantments Cel ~ god of death and the underworld Comus ~ god of revelry, drinking and feasting Copia ~ goddess of wealth and plenty Corvus ~ messenger god Diana (Tana) ~ supreme goddess; moon goddess (also considered Earth and Star goddess); mother of Aradia; triad goddess (maiden, mother, crone); also the goddess of outcasts, outlaws, slaves and oppressed people; also formed another triad with Egeria, the water nymph (her servant and assistant midwife) and Virbius, the woodland god - they lived together in the Wood of Nemi near Aricia; the goddess of all witches Fauna ~ goddess of the earth, wildlife, forests and fertility; also symbolizes prosperity; also known as Bona Dea, the "good goddes" Faunus ~ (Italian-Roman); god of woodlands; symbolizes love; an aspect of Pan Frebruus ~ god of purification, initiation, and the dead Fortuna ~ goddess of fortune, fate, destiny, blessings, luck and fertility; invoked when one wants to receive money by chance Jana ~ goddess of the moon Jove ~ (Italian-Roman); sky god Lethns ~ earth and nature; invoke during divination Lucifer (Dianus) ~ god of sun and light; brother and soulmate of Diana; father of Aradia Lucina ~ goddess of childbirth Lupercus ~ god of agriculture, wolf-god Marica ~ goddess of agriculture Nox ~ goddess of the night; sister of Umbria Pertunda ~ goddess of sexual love Tana ~ Star Goddess Umbria ~ goddess of witchcraft and hidden or secret things; rules with Dis in the underworld Uni ~ goddess of witchcraft; queen of the sky; caused lightning when angered, and also granted safe passage to infants at birth Vertumnus ~ (Italian-Roman); god of fruits Virbius ~ god of outlaws and outcasts; guardian of sanctuaries Tagni ~ god of witchcraft |
| Please come back... I work on this site almost *every* day, so when things are unfinished or incomplete, just give it a few days, and there'll probably be a whole new section for you to peruse! Thanks for being patient, and for checking out my website. Hope you liked what you saw!!! ~*~ Dea Lilly ~*~ |
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| -History, Theology & Mythology- Spells, Saints, and Streghe: Witchcraft, Folk Magic, and Healing in Italy - by Sabina Magliocco, an attempt by its author "to show English readers a glimpse of Italian folk belief and practice in their original cultural contexts, and to illustrate some of the ways that they differ from Stregheria, or Italian-American revival Witchcraft." A History of Candles & Their Use in Witchcraft Recent Developments in the Study of the Great European Witch Hunt - by Jenny Gibbons ... an AMAZING article! Diana & Lucifer - theological and mythological information The Golden Bough - (full text) by Sir James George Frazer, 1922. The Witch-Cult in Western Europe - (full text) by Margaret Alice Murray, 1921. Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches - (full text) by Charles Godfrey Leland, 1899. Etruscan-Roman Remains in Popular Tradition - (full text) by Charles Godfrey Leland, 1892. Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling - (full text) by Charles Godfrey Leland, 1891 Malleus Maleficarum - (full text), by James Sprenger & Henry Kramer, 1486. Translated by Montague Summers, 1928. Treatise of Marzianus: Description of the Gods - Tarot History ("the oldest tarot deck") -The Left Hand Path- The Temple of Set - homepage Antinomianism - an interesting article by Roger Whitaker Balanone's Temple of Set FAQ - approved by the Temple of Set -Wicca- Why Wiccans Suck - one of my most favorite sites... Wicca for the Rest of Us - "Seeds of a Wiccan countermovement" ... a pro-Wiccan site with a lot of good stuff to say! I was very impressed Contra Wicca - a great article about the history of wicca and its current commercialization The Secret History of Modern Witchcraft - by T. Allen Greenfield, 1997 I. The Legend of Witchcraft & the Origin of Wicca II. The Charter & The Book: Being a Radical Revisionist History of the Origins of the Modern Witch Cult & the Book of Shadows Gerald Gardner, Old Words & Old Laws - about the authenticity of his Book of Shadows US Army Chaplains' Handbook: Excerpt on Wicca The American Council of Witches' "Principles of Belief" The Declaration of Independence from the Principles of Belief Daven's Journal - yes, a Wiccan site by nature, but *different*...some very interesting works here... |
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| The pentagram is the simplest star shape that can be drawn with a single line. It's been called the endless knot, the goblin cross, the pentacle of the virgin, the seal of the microcosm, the star of knowledge, the pentacle of the Templars, the witch's funk, the wizard's star, the pentalpha, the pentacle of Solomon, the witch foot and the devil's star. The earliest pentagram in history appeared in the Uruk period (3500 BC) at the Ur of the Chaldees in Mesopotamia, on pot sherds, along with other symbols associated with the earliest uncovered developments of written language. In late period's of this culture's art, the pentagram stood for imperial power extending to the four corners of the world, and was commonly integrated into royal seals and inscriptions. Hebrews used it to represent Truth, and the five books of the Pentateuch. They also used this symbol in conjunction with the Seal of Solomon, or hexagram. In ancient Greece, it was called the Pentalpha, because it's geometrically made up of five A's, or alphas. There was no symbolic meaning attached to it, or any other letter of the Greek alphabet by their culture, for that matter. The geometry and metaphysical associations of the pentagram were greatly explored by the Pythagoreans, who held it as the symbol of perfection. It was afterward incorporated into post-Hellenic art, and can also be found in Tantrik art. The Gnostics called it the "Blazing Star" and used it in relation to night-time and sky magic. This was the first time it was used as a mystical symbol. The Druids found it to be a symbol of the Godhead, and in Egypt it stood for the underground womb. The Celts associated it with Morrigan. It was commonly used in the dark ages as a protection against evil, demons & witchcraft. In the folk song, "Green Grow the Rushes, O!" we find reference to hanging it above doors and windows as a personal protection ("Five is the symbol at your door"). Early Christians held widespread usage of this symbol as representation of the five wounds of Christ, as well as Truth, Religious Mysticism, and the works of God. It was a lesser version of the Cross, if you will. The Emperor Constantine the first incorporated the pentagram into his seal and amulet. When inverted, it was called St. Peter's Cross, because, as biblical legend tells us, Peter found himself unworthy of the same treatment as Jesus, and asked that he be crucified upside-down. During the times of the Old Testament, it was also the first and most important of the Seven Seals. It was also the symbol for the annual Epiphany feast of the Church (which celebrates the three wise men visiting the baby Jesus), and also proselytization of the true Gospel to the Gentiles, up until neo-Paganism adopted the symbol, at which point it was changed to be simply a five-pointed star. In legend, Sir Gawain had the pentagram in gold on his shield to stand for the five knightly virtues. Knights of the Crusades also had the pentagram emblazoned upon their shields to protect against witchcraft. In medieval times, it stood for truth, and was used as a personal protection against harm and demons. The upright pentagram stood for summer, and the inverted pentagram stood for winter. After the onset of the Inquisition, the pentagram commonly symbolized the goat's head as a form of the Devil as Baphomet. Thereafter it came to be known as the Devil's Foot. In Tycho Brahe's Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum (1582) we find a human body superimposed over the pentagram (with the head and outstretched limbs at each of the five points) and Hebrew for YHSVH in correspondence with the elements. Other such images have been created by Henry Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim and Robert Fludd. After this, the pentagram came to be known as a representation for the four traditional elements, combined with Spirit. In Freemasonry, Man as Microprosopus corresponds with the Pentalpha, and standsfor the sitting Master of the Lodge. The women's branch of Freemasonry uses the five-pointed star (two points up) as their emblem. In ceremonial ritual magic, it is used as a ritual flourish of the Athame, symbolizing invoking/banishing of elemental associations. In the nineteenth century, the pentacle also replaced the coin or disc as a suit in the Tarot deck when it adopted more Kabbalistic symbolism. The Muslims use the pentagram to symbolize the five pillars of faith and the five times of daily prayer, and the pentagram (both upright & inverted) is seen a lot throughout Islam. The Rosicrucians use the pentagram to represent earth, matter & stability. The Masonic Order holds the five points to the five points of fellowship. The first illustration to associate the pentagram with evil connotations was made by Eliphas Levi (1810-1875), showing the upright pentagram of microcosmic man beside the inverted pentagram of the goat's head of Baphomet. This led to concept of orientating good and evil with the pentagram shown one point or two points up. The Masonic Order holds the five points to the five points of fellowship. In or around 1949, Gerald Gardner adapted this symbol (one point up) as a significator of second degree initiation into his neo-pagan religion of Wicca. The same symbol combined with the upright triangle is used as a significator of the third degree. He also inscribed it on the altar pentacle, the points standing for the three aspects of the Goddess and the two aspects of the God. It is also used to symbolize the five-fold kiss of this faith (feet, knees, womb, breast, lips). In the 1960s the pentagram became a popular symbol to wear to identify oneself as a seeker of occult mysteries. The Church of Satan (formed by Anton LeVay) also adopted the inverted pentagram as its sigil. The pearl & iron pentacles and their associations with good and evil, are furthered today by the left & right hand paths of magicians and witches. The pearl pentacle (upright) most commonly symbolizes mind/spirit over matter. The iron pentacle (inverted) symbolizes spirit being ruled by the physical plane. We find in modern occultism an endless number of translations for the five points and what they represent, all encompassed by the circle of unity. Age: Baby, Adolescent, Adult, Middle Age & Old Age; Life Occurrances: Birth, Initiation, Love, Repose & Death; The Senses: Taste, Touch, Sound, Sight, Smell; the Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit; The Five Feminine Representations of the Biblical Mysteries; the cardinal directions: North, East, South, West & Center. |
| The History of Pentagram |
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| IF you are interested in pursueing training with me, I am currently accepting students. To apply, please visit my yahoo group, Silver Serpent Society, and join. You will be contacted further from there. |