The problem with Pagan theology is that it's all based on experiential information, i.e., mystical experience. As someone with nearly 30 years in or around Paganism, I am all too aware of the perils of ascribing similar mystical experiences to the same source. It ain't necessarily so! Example: universal love can be variously attributed to Isis, Rheya, Aphrodite, Tammuz, Jesus, Buddha, various Hindu Gods and Giddens, etc. So, what I can say is that my experience suggests X is connected to Y. Admittedly, this is an awkward construction; however, this is the most I(or ANYONE) can claim in all honesty.
The upshot of all this is that I can claim no monopoly on Truth. To the best of my understanding, what I tell you is true. Mystical experience is, however, subjective. So, unless you and I are on the same wavelength, my Truth is your Lie. Proceed with caution, test everything I tell you and only then accept, provisionally, my description of Reality.
The easy thing to say about the Dance of the Year is that it is everchanging, and ever the same. Whether you embrace it or not, it certainly has an elegant ebb and flow! It is, of course, cyclic. Hmm, perhaps it can't hurt to expand on that. Cyclic means a pattern of events that recurs. It doesn't mean circular which is a series of events that identically repeat. The difference is subtle but important. The pattern is what repeats in a cycle, not the actual events themselves.
The pattern of the Dance moves changelessly from God to Gidden to God to Gidden, etc. Yet the events of the Dance vary as endlessly as the Dance itself does not. For underlying the Dance is Life/Death, everchanging and changeless.
It is still common even in the Craft, for people to deny or euphemize Death. It is a major flaw embedded in Western culture. The East has it's own embedded flaw, it rejects Life. So the East rejects Life, and the West rejects Death; where does this leave us? Simply put, in the Middle, an excellent place to stand from a magickal point of view!
This middle path can be uncomfortable as it is assailed from both Eastern and Western viewpoints. But the acceptance of both Life AND Death actually makes sense in the Dance. The whole Dance is rooted in balance, and dynamic balance, not some fixed position. Existence is in continuous flux between Life and Death. Therefore the Dance is the perfect metaphor for existence. The year cycle can be seen as a metaphor for a lifetime and so it is in Twyern. From birth to adolescence to maturity to old age and death; this is the Dance. Year to year, gender to gender, life to life, we tread the measures with the Gods. And THIS dance never ends!
Valire'brand of Spiral Ash
032303 rev.032803, 122505
HOW TO DO EFFECTIVE TWYERN RITUAL
Ritual is many things, but it is not just "going thru the motions". Effective ritual requires the operator to know just what the hell they're doing-and why. So, how does one effectively do Twyern ritual?
Twyern rites are aimed at uniting the operators with the Universe, this includes the Gods, but is not limited to them. What the Basic Rite does is to reaffirm the structure of the World in a symbolic way. Nothing new about that, but it is a conscious decision that the organization of the Rite re-enforces. As Weardians, we represent the Female and Male powers and, in a very real way, provide a conduit for their presence. Thus, as we mirror the structure of the World in the structure of the Rite; we ARE the Gods in miniature. Therefore, all we do in ritual is significant, and every word and gesture and movement is vitally important. On the other hand, it also means that even egregious errors are correctable.
At the heart of the Basic Rite, is the implied assertion that all Sacred Space is the Center of the Universe, and, that the operator(s) have the unique leverage this balance point gives. To be the Center is to be balanced in all directions. To be the Center is to be grounded in the Real world, as opposed to the superficial world that we usually live in. Ritual done from the Center is effective, powerful ritual; the more powerful as we approach the Center.
Let's just say that these rituals are ideally done from the Center.
Cosmic, hey? Not really, it's more like zen, being present in the here and now. "Right action from the still point" is another way to put it. Although, zen practitioners might be horrified to think of it that way; it is actually a pretty decent way for Westerners.
So, the Basic Rite is done as if you were Deity, since Deity ultimately occupies the Center.
The 24 yearly rites are a bit different. Ideally, the invocations are done by a pair, male and female. God invocations are done by the female Weardian, Gidden, by the male. Each invocation can be thought of as a version of "Drawing Down the Moon/Sun". The male calls the Gidden into the female Weardian and vice versa. The Presiding Aspect then effects the change of phase. So, there are three Aspects and phases in each rite. The Departing Aspect summons the Presiding Aspect who in turn effects the change to the Emerging Aspect.
Other things - Symbolic Great Rite is usual at the Wine and cakes part. If you are unclear on THAT, you need more training! Opening the circle - Thanks are appropriate, especially to the three Aspects of the year rite, and, of course, to the SkyFather/Mother and EarthMother/Father.
Cutting the circle follows. The Sacred Space is not "taken down"; our awareness of the Sacred is relinquished. This is important!
Valire'brand of Spiral Ash
100403, 122505
TURNING THE WHEEL: A Selfish Witch's Rationale for Altruism
"Witch's work is Turning the Wheel" (Steve Posch)
"An adult does what needs doing, or sees that it gets done." (Volkhvy)
"An ye harm none, do what you will" (Wiccan Rede)
Witches are shapers. We shape ourselves and we shape the world. Magick lies in our hands, and to let it lie fallow grates our sensibilities. Yet we have at root, responsibility for all we do - or not do. And always the choice is ours. But choice can be a scary thing and often it is easier to not do something than to do it. We've made some hard choices to get where we are today, lost friends and relations, and further risk looks pretty hairy. So we play it safe and confine ourselves to the little magics. A little self-development, some healing, maybe the odd weatherworking... But, a Witch's work is turning the Wheel. What track does the Wheel leave that shows we were here? What have we left for those who come after? After all, I'm selfish, those who come after will include me.
Huh? Remember this? "...Upon earth, I give the gift the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before..." . Sounds a bit like reincarnation to me. And if I'm coming back, it better have gotten better. Who wants to go through all the crap we went through to get where we are today all over again? Not this girl!
Witches are changers. We change ourselves and we change the world. It is our imperative. We change the world. It's what we do!
Why? A Witch's work is Turning the Wheel. The Wheel is not just the seasonal cycle, it is the path of Life itself that we celebrate in the Yearly Dance. To Turn the Wheel is to push the growth of Life into paths that will expand and diversify it. To maximize available choices.
Pagan dogma (and,yeah, we DO have some) is that we are responsible for our actions or inactions. Accepting responsibility is a marker on the road to adulthood. So, Witchcraft can be thought of as a road towards adulthood. And an adult does what needs doing.
So... What needs doing?
Valire'brand
090303 rev.100403
Witches are hedge-steppers; like artists, they are compelled to journey outside the edges of The-Way-Things-Seem and return with commentary on The-Way-Things-Are. Consequently, they are, like artists, feared and disliked. All transgressive people are.
Now a Witch is actually pretty rare. The job requirements are steep. The first and most important is the ability to hold more than one paradigm as simultaneously true. This I call “polycentric thinking”. NO SINGLE TRADITION OR PATH CAN CONTAIN A WITCH. If only because she will insist on seeing multiple truths in every issue. The Witch’s Eye sees at least 5 sides to every issue. One side, it’s opposition, the compromise between the two, how the issue appears from outside the disputation, and a direction for negotiation toward consensus.
Second, a Witch must care about a community, enough to share his insights with it. This is harder than it sounds. Many communities are singularly unloveable. Think about it.
Third, a Witch must be insightful. It does no good to bring the poor ideas back to the communities you care for. A Witch strives to bring the useful ones back. Since the community will nearly always resist change, only the best of these are worth the fight.
Fourth, a Witch needs to be intelligent and knowledgeable. Please note the ‘and’ in that sentence. Book learning is not enough, experience is not enough, thoughtful consideration is also required. And thought requires material to compare and contrast. Analytical skills eventually develop, if they weren’t present already.
Fifth, a Witch needs the compulsion to boundary leap. It takes a very peculiar bent to attain the nerve and ability to step out of the Here-And-Now into the Wilds ... and return. Return with insight on the community they left. For only from the Outside can a community be viewed as a whole.
So there is my Witches’ Rose of requirements for Witchdom. You’ll note that there is nothing about circle casting, Gods or Giddens. In fact, some folks who go by different names may qualify; while a great many Pagans don’t. So be it. If they can think polycentricly and have the other requirements they are, at heart, Witches. And function as such in their communities.
The Eye of the Witch is a fearsome tool. Many communities don’t survive that scrutiny; which is why Witches are hated. But the communities that breed Witches tend to be flexible. When they encounter another way of life they have been prepared by the Witches and so can adjust to the changes required. But the community without Witches, or with too few, cannot be prepared when Change pounds on its gate. So it shatters like glass.
Valire’brand
102206,rev.110406
Up to this point, I've spent a lot of time telling you how to be Twyern. Now, it's only fair to remind you that Twyern Witchcraft is a growing tradition. As your understanding changes, so will your practice.!
After you spend a couple of years Dancing the Dance, you will be ready to strike out on your own. Not only is this normal, it is obligatory if you wish to continue to grow. Certainly, I am not at the point I started from. There is much that is useful on this site, but, only you are qualified to judge what is relevant to your life.
Remember how the Standbok works, and use it to archive what is not readily useful. The Standbok is really one of the most important tools Twyern brings to the Craft for it allows you to organize your information - without losing it!
Valire'brand of Spiral Ash
100403
