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C A U L D R O N A N D C A N D L E #18 -- December 2001 A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum website: http://www.ecauldron.com/ mailing list/board: http://www.ecauldron.com/fregmb.php delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/CUSTOM7999/start newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ With a little help from The Witches' Thicket website: http://www.cros.net/soraya/ delphi forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/thicket/start In this Issue: [01] Editorial: Giving From The Heart [02] Poem: A Winter's Night [03] Feature Article: The Granny Phenomena [04] Review: Solar Arcs [05] Review: Write Your Own Magic [06] Review: The Craft [07] Review: Palmistry Quick and Easy [08] Review: Wiccan Roots [09] Recipes for Holiday Treats [10] Finnish Holiday Dishes [11] Humor: Martha Stewart's Pagan Yule [12] New Articles on The Cauldron's Site [13] New Web Polls [14] Support The Cauldron When You Buy at Amazon.com [15] Newsletter and Forum Info (Including How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe) +++ Submission Deadline for next issue: December 20, 2001 +++ Guidelines: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/submissions.php [01] ========= ========= EDITORIAL: GIVING FROM THE HEART ========= by Elspeth Sapphire ========= [I wrote this on one of my Christmas lists and thought it could stand to be said here also. I realize that some Pagans don't want to do anything that has any connection to Christmas, but I believe that giving has no real season....] One of the list members said: "I got to know the other patients there and wanted very much to do something for them. I was told that some of them have no visitors and get nothing for Christmas unless the home provides it. It about broke my heart." I have felt that way several times. That is why we try to go to one of the agencies that do gifts for seniors, as well as doing something for a child. I remember one year we took two names. The cards had a practical gift and a dream gift. I almost cried when I read that one of the dream gifts was a flannel nightie because the woman was always cold. We got in hold of the people running the gift drive and found out that she loved to draw and paint, but could rarely afford the supplies. Luckily, Hobby Lobby had a sale going on and we were able to find the money to buy a set that included chalks and paints and all the supplies to use them and was in a case that folded up. I will never know, but I like to think we made her holidays worthwhile. :) They aren't as widely advertised, but here in the Denver area, during the holidays there are gift drives for seniors, for those mentally challenged, for the homeless, for those with aids, and for taking a whole family. And pets.... must not forget them. :) I know a lot of people are short of money this time of year -- our family is shorter than normal ourselves. My husband is working two jobs and our housemate just changed jobs and the new paychecks won't come in until just before the holidays. However, most people don't understand the importance of even a package of hair decorations to a little girl. Or her own hair brush. You have to have worn shoes with holes in the bottom to appreciate how good a pair of warm socks feels or how nice it is to have =real= shampoo to clean your hair. I grew up in an area where Christmas was time off from school to play and maybe a couple of pieces of candy. My parents did their best, but for a long time, their best meant keeping food on the table. Still, when they heard of a family spending Christmas on the side of the road, they encouraged us to go through our few toys and pack up some for the kids of the family. I had gotten a new dress for Christmas that year [my granny had made it out of scraps], so I took my old dress. We packed up what would have been our dinner and took that also. I was only eight at the time, but I still remember the looks on the faces of the family..... For many years, I only had shoes and coats due to holiday drives like what is going on. I was lucky ... and I never forget it. :) My kids have been picking a Christmas 'angel' every year of their lives. Those cards with the names of those we have secretly helped go on our tree along with the ornaments to remind us that the season is about giving more than receiving. This is something that should be remembered year round. The homeless shelters, the battered women shelters, food banks, and aids projects need help all year. I tend to buy at BOGO sales and put the extra into a box to give away to the shelters and food banks. My daughter is currently making doggie 'blankets' for the pet shelter out of my scrap material and yarn. Once you get into the habit, it is easy to keep going. And people do appreciate the help... And if you can't give material things, then give your time.... your strength. Sorry... I didn't mean this to turn into a rant. :) I do feel strongly on this issue and wish I had the time and money to do more. :) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SEND A PAGAN POSTCARD You can send a Pagan Postcard from the menu of any of our web pages at http://www.ecauldron.com/. If you haven't tried our postcard site, give it a try. It has quite a few nice features. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [02] ========= ========= A WINTER'S NIGHT ========= A Poem by Seraphina ========= Sleep Sleep O Holy Mother Slumber Slumber so deep On this cold winter's night May your dreams take flight Snow Snow everywhere On the ground so deep May your Yuletide be wondrous and carefree Lights Lights shining bright over the land so far and wide From me to you and back again Have a merry winter's night. [03] ========= ========= THE GRANNY PHENOMENA! ========= written by Faerie K. ========= Originally published in Finnish in Vox Paganorum 2/01 ========= translated from the Finnish by Faerie K. ========= Grannies are in and popular, especially among many a Pagan. Preferring grannies already has a venerably long tradition, which seem to be still continuing. === === Some Characteristics of the Granny Phenomena === One of the most important characteristics of the Granny Phenomena is, of course, a granny. This "granny" isn't necessarily always a grandmother. "She" can also be a grandfather or some other (old or elderly) relative. Grandmothers are the most common relative in question, so in this article the words "granny" and "grandmother" are used to denote other possible relatives popping up in the Granny Phenomena. The Granny is usually left unnamed. She isn't "my grandmother Mathilda Smith from the Pineside house in the village of Millwither", but simply just "Granny". The reasoning behind leaving the Granny unnamed is often said to be duty to keep certain things secret/oaths of secrecy, responsibilities of not revealing an elderly person to witch hunters, and "this is how it's always been". The better known the location and the person in question, the more likely it is that the Granny is said to be long dead. There are practical reasons for leaving the Granny unnamed and/or declaring her dead: if the name isn't known or the person in question is no longer among the living, nobody can go and check with her the truth behind the claims. Nobody can possibly reveal the person riding on the Granny Phenomena to be a fraud, either. You can't, of course, ask the friends of the said Granny - the family secrets weren't revealed to any outsider at all. This secretive Granny has either taught the family traditions to her grandchild, or even initiated her to the family mysteries. For some strange reason, one generation is always skipped. Furthermore, the one being taught or getting initiated is, most often than not, the only one in her generation deemed fit enough to carry on the traditions. If you ask any details about the actual initiation or training, you won't easily get any kind of answers. Furthermore, you won't be told about the details of the teachings. For goodness' sake, these are things that are part of the family tradition and therefore no outsider has any business knowing them at all! However, for some strange reason, it seems to be rather common that teachings and mysteries which actually get published are misleadingly similar to material published earlier. The Books of Shadows of those "Family Tradition Witches" who came out of the woodwork after Gardner went public contained teachings interestingly resembling those of Gerald Gardner, while the secrets of "countryside Witchery" can be read in folklorists' books dealing with folk traditions. Sometimes including the folklorists' possible misinterpretations and/or with the geographical area of the traditions described in the books being different from where the famtrad claims to originate. The Granny story is used to build up a personal history: to stretch the roots of one's Paganism to way back to the beginnings of history and at the same time, to something that is a "better, more genuine" Paganism than the versions "everybody else" are practicing. The actual motives vary from one representative of the Granny Phenomena to another. For an ordinary everyday Pagan a Granny story brings along a feeling of belonging to something and of having a long history - instead of having been converted to Paganism and learned from books. At the same time, somebody with a Granny can look down on everybody else, building her ego. "Anybody can read books and learn from them, anybody can log on to the Net and download information. Anybody can claim to be a Witch/Pagan after doing the reading. I am not `anybody'. I have Family Tradition background and skills I've inherited from my lineage. I'm special and better than all the others." Or, to put it shortly: having a Granny gives some a reason to belittle all those poor souls without a Granny of their own. For Pagan authors and those striving to teach others, the initial reason for riding on the wake of the Granny Phenomena may be more driven by plain old monetary reasons. Advertising yourself and your teachings as "the unbroken continuum of ancient traditions kept secret for decades and countless of generations - and with my help you will be now able to tap into these mysteries" can win much more interested seekers (and bread on the author's and/or teacher's table) than another type of approach, albeit a more honest one: "I took bits of teaching from here, bits from there, smaller portions from many other sources, cooked it all up to a whole I spiced with some of my very own ideas", or even: "I copied this so called tradition from group X, but as I don't want to be just one of the many teachers of said tradition and instead want to have my name written down in Pagan history with a much bigger font size, I put a `Family Tradition' label on everything I copied and elevated myself as the highest teacher of my very own tradition." To put it in other words: it is quite possible to sell a greater number of books and/or to get larger amounts of students with a Granny story. The most appropriate target for people spreading Granny stories are relatively new or naive Pagans, who haven't as yet read enough Pagan literature (or interacted with other Pagans) to notice that there could be something fishy with certain claims of ancient traditions, or who are under the illusion that somebody being Pagan somehow makes her automatically more ethical than the rest of humanity and therefore incapable of committing fraud. Yet another reason for assuming a Granny is wishing to get status within the Pagan community - a status you otherwise wouldn't be able to get. It may be quite difficult for a beginner to get appreciation among fellow Pagans - depending on the Pagan community, of course - when you're still in the phase of relatively little knowledge, skills or practice. By utilizing the Granny Phenomena, you can try to gain admiring looks and at the same time cover your own greenness. After all, somebody carrying on a Family Tradition is not allowed to share her information with outsider. However, hinting about possessing secrets nobody else can get their hands on isn't forbidden at all. === === Very Short Pseudo-History of the Granny Phenomena === (And Some Famous Granny Owners) === The history of the Granny Phenomena within Neo-Paganism is rather Wiccan influenced, or at least inspired by what went on during the early phases of Wiccan history. After some quite successful Granny stories within the Wiccan community, other Family Traditions including non-Wiccan ones emerged. Some were more and some less truthful with their origins. Back when it was said that "the only real Witch is a Wiccan Witch", "only Witch can make a Witch" and "Wiccan and Witch are synonymous", the Granny story served as something to get a (good) reputation with, a way gaining followers, and other similar purposes. When you didn't have Gardnerian initiation(s) under your belt (or didn't want to "use" one you had), but still very much wanted to get a part of all the interest people were showing towards a new religion on the rise, there still was another option: a Granny. By claiming to be a representative of a more genuine, real Family Tradition Witchcraft and having been initiated to this way, you could get followers. Especially, if you were also telling that "all the others" had learned their ways only through books/covens/otherwise "indirectly". This is the way the term "Gardnerian" was born. Robert Cochrane, self-proclaimed Witch Magister of a Family Tradition developed the term as an insult: they aren't Witches, they are Gardnerians. The originator of the Granny Phenomena is often said to have been Alex Sanders. Having tried to actually get into a Gardnerian coven, but not quite making it, Sanders didn't get disheartened. He got a hold of (stories exactly how this happened vary, but there usually is a Gardnerian priestess involved) Gardnerian texts. Sanders wanted credibility for himself, so he told that he got initiated by his grandmother. The story involved being responsible for a number of Witches and getting crowned as "King of the Witches" by the covens he led. Sanders was quite successful with his granny story. The media was interested and there were many interested students. When it came to the Gardnerians, well. they couldn't say much of the origins of Sanders' texts without breaking their oaths. Robert Cochrane (Roy Bowers), mentioned earlier, claimed at the early 1960's: "I come from an old family of Witches. My mother told be things told to her by her grandmother, who was told them by her grandmother." (paraphrased) However, it is also said that Cochrane was earlier initiated into Gardnerian Wicca, which would make his tradition originating from the same source that that of Sanders. To give an example of a more present day "very old tradition", there's the family tradition called "Order of the Royal Oak", calling itself an Orthodox Celtic Church dating from the 1660's and led by "Lady Amythyst". However, the tradition's website manages to talk about the founder of the trad and that she's Wiccan. What about Gardner himself? You could actually say that Gardner had a granny story as well. When he came back to England from the Far East, Gerald Gardner was already elderly and had spent too much time abroad to present a granny of his own. His "Granny" was old Dorothy Clutterbuck who initiated him to her coven and taught him Wicca dating back from times long past. These days, the history of Wicca is known better. Of the non-Wiccans, one could mention Raven Grimassi, who doesn't name the relative he claims was teaching him. However, he does tell that he was the only one being taught Italian traditions of his family of three brothers. Interestingly, it took years of previous studies of Wicca and Occultism, before Grimassi brought forward his first "Strega tradition" called Aridian. Aridian tradition includes (which the author these days admits) Wiccan influences. The authenticity of Grimassi's family tradition is being questioned by Italian Witches and Pagans actually living in Italy, pointing out inconsistencies and downright faults in Grimassi's texts. Grimassi, on the other hand, says this is due to jealousy instead of any faults in his books. === === The Finnish Granny === The granny phenomena among Finnish Neo-Pagans could be, in part, explained with the fast urbanization of the 1960-1970's. The parents of many a Neo-Pagan were born on the countryside, but left the agrarian life with its agrarian customs, moving to a town. For many a new town dweller, the countryside represented suffocating insularity, very harsh discipline within the family, continuous heavy work and living in the past. Once out of the agrarian life, they weren't that interested in old ways or traditional folk beliefs. To them they held no "exoticness", but were a part of everything they wanted to leave behind. With the descendants of new town dwellers, the situation is different. They don't have the same "burden" on their shoulders as their parents do, so they're able to view the agrarian ways of life quite differently. To them, the countryside represents something romantic and the old folkways are new and exotic instead of being "it's just the way it has always been". To them, farming traditions are represented by nice holiday memories, not the harder day-to-day toil. === === The Portrait of an Imaginary Rider on the Granny Phenomena === Let us have an imaginary example of somebody utilizing the granny phenomena. We'll have her be a relatively young woman called Lisa. (Of course, our example could be elderly, male and called Matt - but stereotyping is quite permitted when one is creating a caricature!) Lisa has found Paganism, one way or another. She might have bumped into it through a newspaper article, while surfing the net, via a friend, or by reading an interesting book. Taking into consideration the amount of information available on different Pagan religions, it's most likely that the first religion she encountered was Wicca due to the large amount of information (albeit varied in quality) available on Wicca. With deepening interest, Lisa reads more on the subject and gets familiar with for example the worldviews of Pagans and Witches, their ways and skills. Part of what she reads starts to sound suspiciously familiar - for example healing with hands or using herbs, seeing things before they happen, giving small gifts to the earth, talks of elves and fairies, or beliefs connected to food. Lisa starts to ponder the familiarity and thinks back to her stays at her grandparents. Then it hits - the insight. "Oh my goodness, it was my granny who was talking about things like this and she taught a little about it to me as well! My granny is a Pagan and a Witch! It's as clear as day!" Lisa's heart is pounding and filled with pride and happiness. She isn't just another ordinary everyday Pagan newbie or a beginner Witch. She's one of the rare and admirable people, one in a family tradition! Lisa's mother (or father) isn't at all aware of this wonderful fact, but this just has to mean that granny didn't consider her (or him) worthy of being taught the family ways so the tradition skipped a generation like it traditionally does. There's nothing new in that, Lisa has been reading about things like that. "My granny has hidden her being a Witch quite well," ponders Lisa, but continues to herself: "Not that it's surprising. All the other neighbors are so bigoted, they'd burn my poor granny if they found out she's a Witch." When meeting other Pagans Lisa explains her background with pride, feeling at least a little (if not more) superior. She's got a Granny, others don't. They are just book-learned, or at the very best been taught by somebody belonging to a tradition that has been founded by somebody. Her situation is different. Hers is a family tradition and whatever she can learn from books (and over the net, and reading lists) is just more butter on her family tradition bread. But who am I to say that Lisa's granny isn't really a Pagan and a Witch? I can't, of course. There have been people skillful with the Witch's ways and/or having reputation of being a Witch around the countryside in different parts of the world since times begun. However, it's much more probable that Lisa is one of the riders on the Granny Phenomena and that her grandmother might be quite upset for being considered a Witch or - goodness gracious - a Pagan. If asked, she would quite likely call herself an ordinary, devout, proper Christian and everything her silly granddaughter is thinking about being "witchery" is just part of the old customs that have always been practiced in the village. And that's that. ("However, the late old Esther in my home village. People were talking about her a bit. I think she was a Witch. Once she gave an evil eye to my poor mother's cow and what do you know, she never gave that much milk after that than before! But I'm not one of them, no.") Being so excited about her "tradition", Lisa has overlooked a number of facts. Unlike what many sources claim, all Paganism wasn't "rooted out" or "driven underground to be guarded by highly secretive family traditions" long ago. Part of the traditions lived on in one form or another, changing for with time and blending into the ordinary life getting Christian influences and/or otherwise becoming "folk traditions" without being associated with Witchcraft of Paganism. The existence of traditions among the eldest of the family doesn't necessarily mean that the family is any more Pagan than the next one, or give proper cause to claim the existence of a family tradition. It's quite likely that granny's next-door neighbor could tell about quite similar old ways and teach quite similar skills if somebody went over and asked her as well. For example foreseeing things before they happen, like knowing when there will be visitors coming over, can be considered by the granny (and other villagers) quite normal and handy in the world of long distances and poor communication. Elves, brownies and fairies are part of traditions, which have always just been there. Knowing the healing properties of herbs and learning spells or incantations to help has been important in the areas where you just couldn't pop into the doctor's office when feeling like it. Healing with hands can be considered a gift from the Christian God etc. To put it shortly: in most cases the material is of more wide-spread (as opposed to family-kept) traditions that aren't necessarily considered Pagan at all by their practitioners. Don't mistakenly think that all this would mean that Lisa should throw everything she learned from her granny away due to the non-Paganism of the traditions and feel depressed. Not at all! What she could throw away is the idea of belonging to a family tradition unless it truly is the case. In case of uncertainty, one can always ask the granny in question. Passing traditions on to the next generation is important - whether the traditions are "truly Pagan" or not. Otherwise they will be lost with time. So, let us be proud of our grannies, but not stupid and proud. Even paths that started off with a granny story can become something worthwhile and important to many people. Not because of the granny story, but by their own merits. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CAULDRON AND CANDLE WEB SITE The Cauldron and Candle now has its own web site where we store our back issues for easy reading. http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [04] ========= ========= REVIEW: SOLAR ARCS ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Solar Arcs: Astrology's Most Successful Predictive System Author: Noel Tyl Trade Paperback, 460 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: September 2001 ISBN: 0738700541 US Retail Price: $19.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738700541/thecauldron With the advent of computer programs able to calculate and draw astrological charts, anyone can hang out their shingle and claim to be an astrologer. Unfortunately, the true art of astrology is not in the mathematics of chart making, but in the interpretation of that chart once made. Noel Tyl's newest book, Solar Arcs: Astrology's Most Successful Predictive System clearly demonstrates this often forgotten fact. All one really needs to know about the calculation of the Solar Arcs is described in about one page of text in the first chapter of this book. The majority of the rest of the book is devoted to how to interpret the results of those calculations. This is where Tyl's book really shines. He teaches interpretation by example. First he uses the charts of famous people (Queen Victoria, Ted Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy-Onassis, and others) to demonstrate both how Solar Arcs work and the fact that they do work. Later examples are from some of the author's own consultations which show how Solar Arcs are interpreted for normal people. Some of these include transcripts of the author's consultations with the client. These are nice not only for seeing how Solar Arcs work but also as an example of how an experienced professional astrologer interacts with his clients. There is quite a bit more to this book, however. Later in the book, Tyl covers Tertiary Progressions which use the moon to focus in on predictive timing. The last chapter is a detailed examination, with examples, of the process of rectification. Rectification is the process of determining an individual's birth time when such is not known or is not known accurately. Two useful appendixes follow. The first is a set of "Quick Glance Transit Tables" which give the positions of the planets Mars through Pluto on the first day of every month from 1940 to 2040. These tables are designed to allow one to find key Solar Arc transits quickly without having to wait for computer printouts. The second appendix provides interpretive guidelines for all possible Natal and Solar Arc Midpoint pictures (over 1,100 combinations). Solar Arcs is definitely not a book for a beginning student of astrology. The advanced student, however, will find the techniques in this book a very useful addition to her astrological tool chest. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bksa.php [05] ========= ========= REVIEW: WRITE YOUR OWN MAGIC ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Write Your Own Magic: The Hidden Power In Your Words Author: Richard Webster Hardback, 254 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: June 2001 ISBN: 0738700010 US Retail Price: $9.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738700010/thecauldron Richard Webster has written a large number of popular books on occult subjects generally aimed at the complete beginner. I've always ignored them. However, the title of his latest book, Write Your Own Magic: The Hidden Power in Your Words, intrigued me. The market hype made this book sound like a book on magick for the complete beginner that wasn't just a grimoire of prewritten spells. I decided to give it a try. While I will not be putting this book on my most recommended list, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The author covers "word magick" for the beginner in a friendly and understandable manner. There is a good mixture of design your own magick and prewritten spells. A wide variety of types of word-related magickal methods are described, albeit usually briefly and without a lot of background or theory. Write Your Own Magic has more of a "New Age" feel to it than it does a "Pagan" feel. While this may bother some Neo-Pagans, it does not affect the overall usefulness of the book to the novice. The first five chapters of this book are general background material. The author accompanies this material with anecdotes from his own experiences. Magickal ethics in covered in the third chapter. This is the only place I have a major problem with this book. The author believes that one should never do magick for another without their permission. Unfortunately, the example he gives of why someone might refuse magick sounds like someone who was willing herself to die because she was depressed after the death of her husband. While a depressed person may claim not to want help, that's usually the disease talking (and should not be listened to) from what I've read. The seventh chapter gives magical methods from around the world for sending a wish out to the universe. The next chapter covers making written amulets and talismans. Next is a brief chapter on using crystals and gemstones. The tenth chapter talks about mandalas. This is followed by a short chapter on group work. The last chapter of the book discusses more formal spells, with a good number of prewritten examples. Overall, this is a good magickal cookbook for complete beginners. It stands above many of the others on the market by providing general methods for doing magick as well as prewritten spells. While this requires a bit more of the reader than a collection of prewritten spells does, it gives the reader the tools he needs to use magick for his own needs -- even if those needs were not directly covered in the book. If you know someone who just wants to be able to use simple magick to improve his life, this is a good book to recommend. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwyom.php [06] ========= ========= REVIEW: THE CRAFT ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows Author: Dorothy Morrison Trade Paperback, 213 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: June 2001 ISBN: 1567184464 US Retail Price: $14.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567184464/thecauldron Dorothy Morrison is one of Llewellyn's best authors on Wicca and Wiccan magick. The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows is another well-written Morrison book. From its title and cover, it's obviously a Wicca 101 book designed to attract those whose interest in the subject may have come from television and film. The foreword by Raymond Buckland annoys me as it seems to perpetuate the myths that Wicca and Witchcraft are the same thing and that the witch cult theories of Margaret Murray have been confirmed. While I respect Buckland as a Wiccan elder, this book would have been better off without his introduction. Unlike many Wicca 101 books, The Craft is light on theory and heavy on practice. The only chapter that is more theory than application is the first chapter, "Walking the Path" which covers the basic beliefs of Wicca. From there, the reader moves quickly on to learning about the Wiccan deities and the elements in the second chapter and about things like timing, candles, colors, herbs, and stones that can boost the effectiveness of magick in the third chapter. These two chapters introduce the main feature that sets this Wicca 101 book apart from the many others on the shelves, a large number of short, practical exercises to help the reader grasp and learn to actually use the material presented. These chapters (like the entire book) are filled with Morrison's poetry, ready to be used in magick or ritual. The second part of this book talks about the tools of Wicca. The wand, the cup, the athame, and the pentacle each get a chapter of their own. Each chapter explains the purpose of the tool, how to obtain or make it, how to consecrate it, and provides several weeks' worth of exercises that show the reader how to actually work with the tool. The Cauldron, the besom, the black mirror, and the white-handled knife are covered briefly in a single chapter. The final chapter in this part of the book discusses what the author calls the ultimate magical tool, the human mind. After a couple of pages on meditation, this chapter gives 22 weeks worth of progressive exercises for the mind designed to improve its ability to work with magick and ritual. The third section of The Craft is a single chapter on casting a circle. The author provides a complete poetic ritual for opening and closing a circle, and leads the reader through it step by step. The final portion of this book covers celebrating the esbats and the sabbats of the Wiccan year. In the esbat chapter, Morrison provides celebration ideas (but not complete rituals) for each of the thirteen full moons in the year. The chapter on sabbats does the same for each of the eight festivals of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year. While this book presents many ideas and ritual pieces for esbat and sabbat celebrations, it does not present complete rituals. A number of appendixes (dream symbols, magickal uses of plants and stones, deity associations, a version of the Wiccan "Book of Law", and a listing of places to obtain supplies) and a suggested reading list round out this book. The Craft is "yet another Wicca 101 book." There are a large number of such books available in bookstores today. Morrison's entry in the field is strong in the practical "how to" material but weak in the area of theory and background. In my opinion, that weakness really hurts this otherwise good book. There are far too many Wiccans in the world today who only have a very superficial knowledge of beliefs and background of the religion they profess to follow. Unfortunately, this book is likely to increase those numbers. If there is ever a second edition, I hope the author will add 20 or 30 pages of Wiccan theory and background. Done well, that would turn this average Wicca 101 book into an excellent Wicca 101 book. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bktcawbos.php [07] ========= ========= REVIEW: PALMISTRY QUICK & EASY ========= Reviewed by Randall Sapphire ========= Palmistry Quick & Easy Author: Peter Hazel Trade Paperback, 223 pages Publisher: Llewellyn Publication date: September 2001 ISBN: 1567184103 US Retail Price: $9.95 Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567184103/thecauldron In the late 1960s, I spent most of my allowance one week to get a thick paperback book entitled The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences. One of the chapters in this book was on palmistry. I found the subject fascinating. Unfortunately, while there were some illustrations, there were not nearly enough for such a visual subject, so I never could actually learn palmistry from this book. If I could have had Peter Hazel's new Palmistry Quick & Easy thirty years ago, I might have grown up to be a palm reader. The major part of Hazel's book is a step-by-step guide to reading a hand, complete with enough illustrations to make the text clear and usable. This guide consists of 300 or so things to look for on the hand, presented as questions like "Is the thumb... ...Long? ...Medium? ...Short? ...Quite stiff, inflexible, and unyielding? ...Rather supple and flexible?" Each question is accompanied by a paragraph or two of interpretation for when the answer is "yes." The illustrations usually make exactly what you are looking for very clear. There are about 165 pages of these questions, answers and illustrations to work through when examining a hand. With practice, the author claims that one will need to refer to the book less and less. I can't personally attest to that claim, but I can say that I found actually reading a hand to be a relatively easy, if time-consuming, task with this book. There is a bit of history, theory, and methodology at the beginning of this book in a section entitled "Notes." There's also an interesting section at the end of the book explaining how palmistry can be used by astrologers, parents, personnel managers, and marriage counselors. This is followed by a brief description of other methods of viewing the hand, including the traditional one from medieval texts. Palmistry Quick & Easy is an excellent book for anyone interested in learning how to read hands. If you are interested in palmistry but, like me, have found other books lacking because you need good illustrations -- and lots of them -- to be able to tell a life line from a bee line, this book definitely deserves a place on your shelves. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkpqae.php [08] ========= ========= REVIEW: WICCAN ROOTS ========= Reviewed by Brock ========= Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival Author: Philip Heselton Paperback, 320 pages Publisher: Capall Bann Publishing Publication date: December 2000 ISBN: 1861631103 US Retail Price: Order from UK Wiccan Roots represents an attempt by Philip Heselton to examine in great detail the setting, circumstances, and people surrounding Gerald B. Gardner's initiation as a witch in 1939, and the events which followed therefrom. It is the result of a significant amount of original research, and includes information which, insofar as I am aware, has not until now been available to many of the people who have an interest in this subject. In his Introduction to the book, Heselton says: I wanted to draw together what had already been published about the modern witchcraft revival, including vital books such as Gerald Gardner: Witch and obscure articles in defunct magazines, which could nevertheless reveal some unusual aspects of the subject. It would be safe to say that Heselton has been successful in that aim, at least. Whether the conclusions he draws from the information he has unearthed are justified is another question. Wiccan Roots begins with a fairly detailed examination of Gerald Gardner's life up to his retirement to England in 1936, establishing Gardner as a gentleman of independent means with a complaisant wife, and an active interest in esoteric subjects. After setting the scene by discussing the geography of the New Forest area, including the village of Highcliffe where Gardner eventually settled, Heselton examines the Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship, which established the Garden Theatre in the village of Somerford, between Christchurch and Highcliffe. It was among the membership of the Crotona Fellowship, and the casts and crews of the various plays produced by the Fellowship in the Garden Theater that Gardner is supposed to have found "a small group of people apart from the rest." It is this smaller group which is supposed to have been made up of members of the New Forest Coven, and which eventually initiated him into "the Craft of the Wica." Heselton identifies several of these persons by name, and provides some details of their lives. Among these is the woman known as "Dafo," who became Gardner's initiator and first magical partner, and who later broke with him over the question of publicizing witchcraft. Heselton then spends several chapters addressing the issue of "Old Dorothy," more properly known as Dorothy St. Quintin Fordham (nee Clutterbuck,) and the nature of her involvement (if any,) in witchcraft and the New Forest Coven. He includes several excerpts from her "diaries" (which might be more properly characterized as journals or daybooks,) and while he admits that the evidence is far from conclusive, Heselton makes it clear that he believes her to have been both pagan and a practicing witch. The remainder of the book discusses the nature of the New Forest Coven, the legendary gathering of witches in the New Forest on Lammas Eve of 1940 to perform a great working to prevent an invasion of Britain by the Germans, and finally, some related issues, such as the possible influence of the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry on the modern witchcraft revival, and the possibility of a connection of some sort between the New Forest Coven and Sybil Leek's Horsa Coven. In his final chapter, Heselton outlines a scenario which is consistent with the information developed in his research, and which he believes provides a plausible explanation for the mystery that has always surrounded Gerald Gardner's account of his initiation. The book itself left me feeling ambivalent. Philip Heselton has clearly performed a great deal of original research, at no little cost to him in time and trouble. He presents the information developed out of his research in a clear and reasonably straightforward manner. It is, I suppose, the conclusions that Heselton draws from his information, and the manner in which he draws them, that trouble me. Heselton has a bad habit of suggesting in one chapter that the available evidence may indicate that such-and-such is true, and then beginning his reasoning in the next chapter as if the such-and-such mentioned in the previous chapter was an established fact. One sees this all too often in the popular press, (Holy Blood, Holy Grail being but one horrible example of this sort of reasoning,) but it is disturbing to find it in a work intended to be a piece of serious scholarship. Heselton also makes what I view to be a serious error in his interpretations of the various entries in Dorothy Fordham's "diaries." He clearly views her allusions to a number of common images from classical mythology in those diary entries as evidence that Dorothy was pagan. In doing so, he, ignores the fact that Dorothy, who was born in 1880, received the sort of private, classical education traditional for a young woman of Britain's upper classes during the late Victorian and early Edwardian periods. Flowery allusions to classical themes were common features in formal writing (particularly of poetry), in the society in which Dorothy was raised, without being accorded any special meaning beyond being decorative. Such things were, in essence, evidence that the author had been properly educated. The inclusion of such things in a piece of verse would only be considered significant of something else when viewed from the context of a society where such ornate forms of writing have fallen wholly out of favor. It is in large part because I feel that Heselton has not proved his arguments regarding Dorothy Fordham that I have problems accepting his conclusions in their entirety. That having been said, I must also state that I think that Wiccan Roots ought to be read by anyone with a serious interest in the history of the modern witchcraft revival. It makes a useful companion piece to Professor Ronald Hutton's The Triumph of the Moon, and Professor Hutton has in fact contributed a short forward to Wiccan Roots. In the long run, I think that Wiccan Roots' greatest value will be as an encouragement to further research and debate, rather than as a definitive resolution of the issues Philip Heselton has explored in its pages. Wiccan Roots is footnoted, and contains an index. It was published by Capall Bann, which unfortunately means that it has had only very limited distribution in North America. However, I was able to obtain a copy with little difficulty (albeit after a wait of several weeks) from the UK branch of Amazon.com. This review is available on our web site at http://www.ecauldron.com/bkwr.php ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ UPCOMING REVIEWS Here are a few of the books we'll be reviewing in future issues: SISTERS OF THE DARK MOON, RUNIC PALMISTRY, ASTROLOGY & RELATIONSHIPS, CELESTIAL GODDESSES, THE MAGICIAN'S WORKBOOK, INVOKE THE GODS, MAGIC OF QABALAH, CIRCLE ROUND, THE CRAFT COMPANION. Reviews often appear on our web site first, so check there for new reviews if you can't wait for the next issue of the newsletter. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [09] ========= ========= RECIPES FOR HOLIDAY TREATS ========= Collected by Elspeth Sapphire ========= === === Cherry-Chocolate Blossoms === 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup butter -- softened 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry liquid 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 3 to 4 drops red food coloring 2 1/2 cups Pillsbury BEST all Purpose or Unbleached Flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup maraschino cherries -- drained and chopped 48 milk chocolate candy drops or pieces Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food color; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in cherries. If necessary for easier handling, cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with candy; press down firmly. Remove from cookie sheets. Yield: about 4 dozen === === Irish Mist Brownies === Brownie: 1/2 cup butter 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs Frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1/3 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 to 3 drops green food color Drizzle: 1/2 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted Oven at 350 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup butter and 2 squares chocolate in 2-quarter saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn the chocolate mixture. Stir constantly until smooth. Remove pan from heat. stir in all remaining brownie ingredients until well mixed. Spread batter into greased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until brown begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely. Combine all frosting ingredients in small mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Spread over cooled brownie bars. Drizzle with melted chocolate chips. Cool completely, cut into bars. Store in refrigerator, tightly covered. === === Chocolate Malt Cheesecake === Graham Cracker Crust: 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar 8 tablespoons melted butter Cheesecake Filling: 3 (8-oz. blocks) cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup chocolate malted milk powder 1/4 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 eggs Oven 325 degrees. For the crust, in a large mixing bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press mixture onto the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake crust in oven for 6 minutes, then cool. Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla together in a large mixing bowl for about 5 minutes. Mix malted milk powder and milk, stir and pour into cream cheese, sugar and vanilla mixture. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each egg. Bake cheesecake at 325 for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for a few hours. Remove from pan. Garnish with freshly whipped cream, crushed malted milk balls and drizzle cheesecake with 1 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. Variation: Add 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels to batter. Cover cheesecake tightly, refrigerate at least 24 hours. === === Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies === 3/4 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder 3/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) Preheat oven to 375F. In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, sugars and vanilla about 2 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. In a medium size bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa,baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 7 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool on cookie sheets 1minute. Remove from sheet to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen. === === Zesty Cheese Twists from Potato Bread === Basic Potato Bread Dough 2 cups mashed potatoes 2 cups scalded, then cooled milk 3 heaping teaspoons yeast, dissolved in 1 cup hot water 1 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 2 teaspoons salt 10 - 12 cups white flour Mix , knead and set in large greased bowl until doubled in size. The Zesty Cheese Twists Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, set one aside and knead all the rest. Roll dough into rectangular shape 12 x 18". Spread with 1/2 cup of melted butter and sprinkle with the following spices: 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese 1 heaping tablespoon of Cheesoning (found in popcorn aisle) 1 cup of mozzarella cheese 1 cup of cheddar cheese Optional - sprinkle with oregano. Slide left hand under the left side and right hand under the right side. Flip right side over to middle of dough then flip left side over the top. Cut whole long rectangle in half or into 1" strips and pull and twist bread strips and press onto greased pan. Rise until double in size. Bake at 350ø for 20 - 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Use the remaining dough for second pan of Zesty Cheese Twists or for Cinnamon Rolls. === === Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake === [This is our traditional holiday cake and my grandmother's recipe. I have been known to put chocolate chips or other fruit instead of the dates, but I like it best with the dates. -- Elspeth] 1 cup nuts [I normally use walnuts] 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup boiling water 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup dates 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4 Tablespoons baking cocoa 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon vanilla Pour boiling water over fruit, nuts, and soda; let cool. Mix in mayo and sugar and salt. Combine dry ingredients and mix into the mayo mixture. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased pan. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Note: Since all ovens are different, the cooking time will vary. This cake is supposed to be on the moist side, so the standard sticking it with a skewer and seeing if it comes out dry won't work. I look for moist crumb on the skewer vs wet batter. Also, it should be a bit springy to the touch when done. === === Grandma's Divinity === [I will confess upfront that I have a love/hate relationship with this recipe. Like many candies, if it is too humid, it will not work. -- Elspeth] 2 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla 2/3 cup white corn syrup 2 egg whites 2/3 cup nuts, chopped Stir sugar, corn syrup, and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook without stirring until it reaches the hard ball stage. Beat egg whites until stiff. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream. Add vanilla, beat until it thickens and becomes dull looking. Fold in nuts, and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to cool. [10] ========= ========= FINNISH HOLIDAY DISHES ========= Collected by Faerie K. ========= For those who fancy something "exotic" |
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