Return to Cauldron and Candle Archive

C A U L D R O N A N D C A N D L E #78 -- October 2006 A Publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum website: http://www.ecauldron.com/ message board: http://www.ecauldron.net/mb/ newsletter: http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ shopping: http://www.ecauldron.com/mall.php http://www.ecauldron.com/doxysbazaar.php In this Issue: [00] Editorial Notes: In the US? Vote In November! [01] Cauldron News * October Challenge * Really Great Hosting Deal from Dreamhost * Buy Gifts at our Pagan Supply Store [02] Interesting Recent Cauldron Discussions * Ritual Sex and the Cult of Diana * Virtues: Curiosity * Solitary in a Group Religion? * Right Beliefs vs. Right Actions? * Family Beliefs/Folk Lore? * Starting Communities * Pronouncements from On High, Do You Obey? * Congregational Support? * Gods of our Ancestors? * When Do (Don't) Messages/Events Come From Gods? [03] Pagan Announcements * None this month [04] Book Reviews: * Christianity: The Origins of a Pagan Religion * The Mystic Foundation * Garden Witchery [05] Articles * Astral Difficulties * How to Predict the Future using Spinning Objects [06] Flamekeeping: The Virtues of Doubt [07] Software Gadgets: The Column * Find and Run Robot -- Program Launcher for Keyboard Maniacs * FlashGet -- Award Winning Download Manager Now Free * FreeRAM XP Pro -- Freeware Memory Manager/Optimizer [08] Grimoire: White Candle Spell For Blessing [09] Pagan Webmaster: Some Simple Guidelines to Writing Better Web Content [10] Recipe: Shrimp and Mushroom Chowder [11] Support The Cauldron [12] Newsletter Information (Including How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ LOOKING FOR PAGAN SUPPLIES? Visit The Cauldron's Pagan Supply Store (An Affiliate of Pagan Shopping Online) http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [00] ========= ========= EDITORIAL NOTES ========= Welcome to the October 2006 issue of Cauldron and Candle. You are receiving this issue because you subscribed. To learn how to unsubscribe, see the last section of this newsletter. Elections are coming up in the US in November. If you are in the US, I hope you are registered to vote and will actually vote on election day this November. This is a very important election. The entire House of Representatives is up for election and one- third of the Senate. This election will probably determine the course of the US country, so get out and vote. YOU VOTE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT ONLY IF YOU ACTUALLY CAST IT. VOTE ON ELECTION DAY. Personally, I'm so fed up with the current course of this country that I'm voting a straight ticket for only the second time in my life. However, I don't care how you vote, I just want you TO vote. The staff of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum and this newsletter would like to wish a Happy Samhain to those of our members and readers who are celebrating it at the end of October. If you are interested in finding out more about Samhain, you can visit the Samhain section of The Cauldron's web site: * http://www.ecauldron.com/samhainindex.php Finally, I'd like to remind everyone of a couple of painless ways to support The Cauldron if you are in the market for web hosting or pagan supplies. Buy directly from our links: Dreamhost -- Pagan Friendly Web Hosting * http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Pagan Supplies * http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php Randall Sapphire Editor and Publisher, Cauldron and Candle Co-Host, The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum [01] ========= ========= CAULDRON NEWS ========= by The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum Staff ========= ===== ===== October Challenge ===== Thank you to Mandrina for this month's Challenge. In October, your Challenge is another one of those "something new" things. This time it's music. I challenge you to listen to a kind of music you haven't really listened to before. Check out a CD from the library, borrow from friends and family, maybe even get a few MP3s. (The Cauldron has a listing of free and low-cost legal download sites.) Listen. Give it a fair chance. Even if it doesn't grab you right off the bat, try to find something you like about it. Keep your mind open. I recognize, of course, that this may seem a near-impossible task for some of us who have very eclectic tastes in music. I would encourage everyone to really, really think about this and see if there's not something that they haven't listened to before... But if you honestly can't think of anything, I don't think it would be cheating to just pick something you haven't listened to much. Most people, even if they listen to and like everything, will tend to have some genres they only listen to occasionally--try to hit one of those. What kind of music will you be listening to? * http://www.ecauldron.net/cncsocial.php?m=1479.1 ===== ===== Really Great Hosting Deal From Dreamhost ===== Are you looking for a web host for your web site, your family's web site, or maybe just email addresses for you and your family that you can take from ISP to ISP and never have to worry about small mailbox size limits? Dreamhost has always been one of the best deals in low cost web hosting. However, they've just got to be a fantastic deal. Disk space on their lowest cost account ($9.95/month, $7,95 a month if paid two years in advance) has just gone from 20 gigabytes to 200 gigabytes. To put this in perspective, my hard drive is only 120 gigabytes. Monthly bandwidth has doubled from 1000 gigabytes to 2000 gigabytes. You can still have up to 3000 mailboxes (POP or IMAP). What is means is that most people will never need to worry about running out of space or bandwidth with a Dreamhost account. Best of all, Dreamhost is free speech friendly. Unlike many web hosting companies who try to limit what you can say on your web page with "we don't want to offend anyone" fine print in their terms of service, Dreamhost's position is that if it is legal in California, they will host it. Heck, they will host porn sites (although this isn't something they plug on their home page), so they aren't going to care that the fundies are complaining about your Pagan site and demanding it be removed. Follow this when you sign up with Dreamhost and you will help fund The Cauldron: http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php To be sure The Cauldron gets credit, use the following code when you sign up: THECAULDRON and not only will you be sure The Cauldron gets credit by using this code, but you will get a small discount off your hosting price. You can't beat this deal -- you help The Cauldron, save a few bucks, and get great low cost web and email hosting. The Cauldron's main web site (http://www.ecauldron.com/) is hosted on Dreamhost and has been for three years now. ===== ===== Buy Gifts at our Pagan Supply Store ===== As many of you know, The Cauldron has partnered with Paganshopping.com to provide our members with a large selection of Pagan supplies at reasonable prices. When you visit our store at: http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php and buy something, your purchases help keep TC "on the net" at no additional cost to you. The holiday season is coming soon, so now is a great time to visit our store and shop for presents for your Pagan friends. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ PAGAN-FRIENDLY WEB HOSTING * * Oct 2006: Now with 200 GB Web Space & 2000 GB Bandwidth * * http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Dreamhost offers high-quality, low cost web hosting with a dedication to free speech. Pagan sites are welcome! Read why we use Dreamhost for The Cauldron's web site: http://www.ecauldron.com/web/whydreamhost.php Starter Plan Features * 200 gigabytes web space * 2000 gigabytes/month bandwidth * 3000 email boxes (POP3/IMAP) * 75 ftp/shell accounts * host unlimited domains/subdomains * php4, php5, cgi, fastcgi, ssi * zend optimizer, ruby on rails * unlimited MySQL databases * announcement lists * discussion (aka mailing) lists * Jabber server * Crontab and Shell access * Web-based Control Panel * One-Click installs of the Wordpress blog & PhpBB forum * 1 free domain name * helpful tech support * and much more! All for $9.95 a month with a $49.95 setup fee. Pay for a year in advance and there is no setup fee. Pay two years in advance and the price drops to $7.95 a month. (And there is a 97 day money back guarantee!) Visit Dreamhost for Affordable, Pagan-Friendly Hosting http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [02] ========= ========= INTERESTING RECENT CAULDRON DISCUSSIONS ========= Recent Discussion Topics on our Message Board ========= In an average month, over 200 new discussion topics are started on The Cauldron's message board. Here are a few of the more interesting recent discussions. It's not too late to join in. Thanks to Feedburner, you can now receive an email every night on days we post new site news items to the main page of The Cauldron's web site. These emails contain a link to the new item and the first couple of lines of the news text. You can sign up for Feedburner's free news delivery via the form at the end of the site "News and Updates" section of The Cauldron's main web page. ===== ===== Ritual Sex and the Cult of Diana ===== The other night, I caught this documentary on the city of Ephesus. During Roman times, the city had a huge temple to Diana. The documentary stated that followers of her cult would have sex in the temple as part of their offering. Furthermore, I remember reading once that Caligula allegedly was in this cult, and would take part in the same ritual. My question: Why would Diana be at the center of a cult that involved ritual sex when Diana was always perceived as being chaste? You'd think (at least I would think) that her cult would resemble the Vestals in this regard. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1710.1 ===== ===== Virtues: Curiosity ===== I promised you all this series of threads ages ago, and I'm finally starting them! Curiosity: Is it a virtue in your faith? How does it function as a virtue? Why do you think it is or is not a virtue? What does a virtuous person do w/r/t curiosity? How does it make one holier or a better person? Curiosity is part of the "Wisdom and Knowledge" group. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1541.1 ===== ===== Solitary in a Group Religion? ===== Let's say you're part of a religion in which community is a big thing. It's not just preferred; to really practice properly, you must be a part of a group and you must take part in appropriate rituals at regular intervals. However, something gets in the way and you find yourself unable to be a part of this community for a while. (What happens? Use your imagination... Perhaps illness or injury keeps you away, perhaps you find that you are completely incompatible with the local group, perhaps you move to a place where there is no local group, perhaps the local group dissolves, perhaps one thing just leads to another and before you know it you find yourself so deep in other commitments you can't break that you have no energy left over for dealing with a religious group.) How do you handle that? Is it enough to just kind of do your best with a solitary practice and/or living life according to the values and principles of your religion? Does it require a reexamination of priorities, scheduling, choice of where to live, etc.? Is soul-searching over whether you're being a "good enough" fill-in-the-blank required? Does it make a difference if you know that you might be able to return to practicing with the community in a couple of months, as opposed to knowing that this condition might go on indefinitely? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1687.1 ===== ===== Right Beliefs vs. Right Actions? ===== In your religion, do actions or beliefs count for more? Some people, for example, think that it's more important to get their creed right, and not so much the outward observances. Whereas for other people it's the rituals, offerings, prayers, etc. which are more important than the underlying faith. Which do you think should count for more, if at all? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1686.1 ===== ===== Family Beliefs/Folk Lore? ===== I'm curious how many of you have family "superstitions" or folk lore beliefs. Things you do because something happens or it means "x" when "y" happens. What sort of things run in the family, so to speak. Pretty obviously this isn't limited to necessarily "pagan" beliefs. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1662.1 ===== ===== Starting Communities ===== This is a spin off discussion from the Congregational support thread. What problems do you see in starting local organizations? Possible examples I've seen. Local pagan political power plays? Lack of focus to bind a group? No place to meet? To many weird people want to join? Don't want to be public? Lack of time for either the organizers or from the membership? Other ideas? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1635.1 ===== ===== Pronouncements from On High, Do You Obey? ===== If your faith has an earthly leader of some sort, be it Pope, Minister, High Priestess, High Priest, Rabbi, Mullah, etc. how much obedience or heed do you give their official pronouncements governing your personal life and/or habits? For example, Lyric posted the story about some Islamic religious leaders saying the keeping of pets (dogs and cats) was not allowed. Now, I am sure, many Muslims will disobey this edict and continue to keep companion animals But others will obey and get rid of any and all cats and dogs they own. If you belong to a faith that has a leader or leaders, how well do you obey when they give orders that would interfere with your personal life? Would you quit smoking, drinking...? Marry only who they said was suitable? Get rid of your pets? Wear only certain colors? Etc., etc... * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1627.1 ===== ===== Congregational Support? ===== There was an interesting post on LJ today by one of my Wiccan friends who spoke about the contrast between her time in the Metropolitan Community Church (pro-gay Christian denomination) and her experience in Wiccan circles (both traditional and Dianic). When she was involved with the MCC she was part of a congregational care team that was available to talk to troubled members of the congregation. She is going through a rough time presently and noticing that nothing like this seems to exist in the Wiccan or larger pagan community. (It was not clear if she was including recons or other types of pagans in this observation or not.) I know we've had discussions before about whether there ought to be the equivalent of churches and congregations in the various pagan religions or whether assorted pagans could create something like that. It seems like the small circles and solitary practices aren't conducive to providing the kind of care that members of mainline congregations can expect--even pragmatic things like having meals delivered during convalescence. Yet it seems to me that pagans are not lacking in compassion or a desire to help-- look at the prayer request topics here at TC. Should pagan religious groups incorporate some mechanism for supporting their members in more than a striclty spiritual sense? Does your religion have this as a priority or is this seen as separate from the religious sphere? (A need better met in therapy or by friends and loved ones, perhaps?) Have you ever felt the lack of such support when you were going through a hard time either in terms of health or emotionally? If we wanted to support our co-religionists in some way, how could we structure such supports into our growing religious communities? Can small groups like covens manage this or is it too much to ask? Feel free to answer any of these or to suggest new questions related to the general topic. I should add that some of the responses to the LJ post mentioned that the Christian religion specifically requires charitable acts and that perhaps pagans are resistant to forming congregations as a result of negative past experiences or because they are by nature more individualistic in their approach to religion as nonconformists. I don't think we are doomed to be antisocial but I admit I resist joining large religious groups after my own Hare Krsna past. Yet when I went through my heart surgery I found myself really wishing I had a minister of some sort to talk to as well as a congregation to bring me a few meals-beyond what my friends could manage. * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1621.1 ===== ===== Gods of our Ancestors? ===== What are "ancestral" gods? Does it matter if the gods you worship are the ones your ancestors did? Does it matter if your ancestors would have rolled over in their grave at the thought? How does ethnicity relate to your religion? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1615.1 ===== ===== When Do (Don't) Messages/Events Come From Gods? ===== Quite frequently on this forum, threads are started along the lines of 'This happened, it's a sign from the Gods, which one do you think it is?' or 'Is this a sign/ omen?' or even 'I keep thinking about such and such, so I think I'm being thwapped' etc., etc. What I thought would be interesting is a meta-discussion about this. Do you think all events and thoughts occurring to you/others are signs (and why?)? Do you think some people might be receiving signs and omens constantly, but not others (eg: you do, others don't, or others do, and you don't)? If all events and thoughts are a message of some kind, do you act upon all of them, some, or none? How do you decide? Do you think some events or thoughts are messages, but not others? How do you distinguish them? How do you decide to act on them? Alternatively, do you think that omens, thoughts etc, are not messages from deities? If so, do you think that they are 'delusions' (as in the sense of not being true/ wrongly labeled) or possible signs of mental ill-health (i.e. hallucinations rather than wishful thinking)? Do you think they could represent something else within the realm of magic/occult/supernatural etc.? Do you think they could represent a form of information gathering explainable by science, rather than just random thoughts/attributions? * Read (or join in) this discussion: http://www.ecauldron.net/cncmain.php?m=1603.1 [03] ========= ========= PAGAN ANNOUNCEMENTS ========= None this month. Have any announcement, please submit it for possible publication in the November issue. [04] ========= ========= CAULDRON REVIEWS ========= Most of The Cauldron's book reviews are now written by Mike Gleason. If you would like to contact Mike with comments about his reviews (or about books you would like to have reviewed), you can email Mike at: gleason.mike@comcast.GETRIDOFME.net ===== ===== CHRISTIANITY: THE ORIGINS OF A PAGAN RELIGION ===== Christianity: The Origins of a Pagan Religion by Philippe Walter Published 2006 by Inner Traditions ISBN 1594770964 224 pages Trade Paperback $16.95 (U.S.) $21.95 (Canada) http://www.ecauldron.com/cncbook.php?asin=1594770964 I will admit here and now that I picked this book for review because, having been raised Roman Catholic until I left home (many years ago), I was well aware of the borrowings by the Christians from the Pagans and was interested to see how this author approached the subject. Professor Walter is professor of medieval French literature at Universite Stendahl in Grenoble. He is the author of numerous books on the Middle Ages and has overseen editing of Grail romances; all of which should make him familiar with the background of Christianity. This book is a translation, by Jon E. Graham, of Professor Walter's 2003 work Mythologie chretienne: Fetes, rites et mythes du Moyen Age, and as such I was prepared to overlook minor grammatical errors and such. Of more concern is the fact that the vast majority of works cited in the notes is in French as well, and most likely have not been translated into English, thus rendering it difficult to check the accuracy of the citations. Some notes do refer to classics in Latin and Greek and these are more readily available. This is primarily a scholarly work intended to appeal to a specialist, if not scholarly audience. As such, it takes a certain, basic, understanding of the background material, since this is an assumption of the author. It is NOT a book for the casual reader. At the same time, it is not so dry and non-interesting that it will ONLY appeal to academics. While it need not be on the bookshelf of the average Pagan, it could certainly prove a valuable addition to the library of those who teach classes on Pagan topics. The illustrations used in this book are medieval-style woodcuts, which are entirely in keeping with the theme, even if they are not, perhaps, the best illustrations of the various saints under discussion. Overall, this is a well written work and the translation flows nicely. Professor Walter examines each of the major festivals of the year and examines the relationships between the Christian celebrations and their Pagan (Celtic) antecedents. However, unlike most Pagan authors, he makes no attempt to claim that the Christians took Pagan themes and festivals and changed them. Nor does he claim, as some Christian authors have, that the Pagans stole their dates and themes from the Christians. He postulates that underlying both traditions is an older source (Indo-European) from which each drew its own particular interpretations. Some of his conclusions strike me as curious, if not downright erroneous. The most obvious one is on page 114 (in the chapter on Beltane) when he says "The rite of May Day is arranged exactly opposite Christmas and is its springtime counterpart." Oh, really? When I look at the Wheel of the Year Beltane is in opposition to Samhain. They are six months apart, and mark the light and dark halves of the year. Christmas is in opposition to the Summer Solstice. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ NEED PAGAN OR MAGICKAL SUPPLIES? Shop Paganshopping.Com via The Cauldron's Pagan Supplies Store http://www.ecauldron.com/esesf.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ===== ===== THE MYSTIC FOUNDATION ===== The Mystic Foundation by Christopher Penczak Published 2006 by Llewellyn ISBN: 0738709794 384 pages Trade Paperback $7.99 (U.S.) $9.50 (Canada) http://www.ecauldron.com/cncbook.php?asin=0738709794 While I don't own copies of all of Christopher Penczak's works, I have read the majority of them. In understand his background in the Craft, even if it isn't my own. And I appreciate his desire to make information both available and attractive to the general public. Before I even started to read the text of this current work I posed a question to be answered at the time I finished reading it: Was he trying too hard to be all things to all people? This book is an extremely ambitious undertaking by anyone's standards. In it, Christopher attempts to lay bare the commonalities which underlie most spiritual paths. In fact, the appendix even includes extracts from the sacred writings of paths as divergent as Muslim (the Koran), Hindu (the Vedas), Zoroastrian, and Wiccan. And that list does not include all the sources he uses. For anyone who has a basic grounding in any magickal system most of this book consists of "101" style information - the elements, feeling energy, the organization of the planes of existence, etc. It is not until the fifth section (starting on page 199) that new material comes into play. I still would NOT recommend skipping the first four sections. Christopher always manages to stimulate a few "Oh, yeah, now I see that" moments in his writing. This book is no exception. The final 100+ pages of this book consist of thumbnail descriptions of assorted mystical traditions from Alchemy to Zoroastrianism; from East to West; a list of thirty traditions (which is nowhere near comprehensive, but it is extensive enough to be fairly informative); and a glossary of many common terms. Between the descriptions and the glossary is an appendix composed of extracts from sacred teachings of a number of traditions, The sheer variety of the writings in this section borders on amazing. You can find writings from all the major religions of the world, as well as from some lesser known religions. I found a few faults in this book (a poorly explained illustration on page 178 is one example), but overall I was impressed, once again, with Christopher's ability to convey basic information without "talking down" to the reader. This is, in essence, yet another "101" book, but it focuses on mysticism and opposed to religion. It is one of the most wide-ranging books I have read recently and, although it isn't vital for your average Pagan/Wiccan to add to the library shelves, it serves as a good introduction to multiple systems of thought. The exercises he provides are all very basic, as is appropriate in a book aimed at this audience. If you have read any of Christopher's :temple of Witchcraft" series and/or availed yourself of the CD Companions to that series, you will be familiar with his style and techniques of meditation and ritual; if not, you will find them easy to understand, follow, and use. As a, mostly retired, teacher of Paganism and the Craft, I enjoyed this book. I know how difficult it can be to attempt to convey this type of information clearly and concisely. Christopher succeeds admirably. You may not agree with some of his conclusions and statements, but you should respect his convictions and willingness to state them to the general public. ===== ===== GARDEN WITCHERY ===== Reviewed by Quinn ===== Garden Witchery: Magick From The Ground Up by Ellen Dugan Published 2003 by Llewellyn ISBN: 0738703184 268 pages Trade Paperback $16.95 (U.S.) http://www.ecauldron.com/cncbook.php?asin=0738703184 This interesting little book by Ellen Dugan is targeted at a rather specific group...Wiccan/Pagan gardeners. So, while it wouldn't necessarily have a Wide appeal, it is an informative, entertaining read within that category. The cover art is very appropriate and restful and at a slim 243 pages it is an easy read. Let's take a look inside, shall we? Garden Witchery is separated into ten chapters which are then further divided into more specific topics. What is Garden Witchery? Touches on wisewomen in general, medieval gardens, gothic plant, their magical uses and alternatives for those hard to find or no longer recommended plants, as well as a modern look at Garden Witches, house and garden plants. Backyard Magick yields more practical information on topics like the care and placement of trees, learning the needs of your planting area, or discovering your correct planting zone, while tucking in elements like the magical correspondences of trees and the Nine Woods poem like baby's breath in a bouquet. Which segues nicely into the next two chapters. Flower Magick and Florigraphy and Flower Folklore give those with green fingers plenty of info to thumb through. This is one of the most nicely rounded and intriguing collections of flower lore I've come across to date. Correspondences between flowers or flowering herbs and colors, months, gods/goddesses, floral vocabulary in general (such as the difference in meaning between giving someone a zinnia as opposed to a rose), the art of simpling and an entire section on Tussie-Mussies, miniature hand- held bouquets whose uses and meanings date back to the 16th century. There are plenty of craft suggestions, as well as Craft suggestions (hehe) for those of a Wiccan tendency. The next chapter, Enchanted Specialty Gardens, gives us planting suggestions for gardens/windowboxes with specific goals like House Warding, Moonlight garden, or a Witch's Shade garden. It also offers garden diagrams, excellent advice on potentially dangerous plants like Morning Glories and Foxglove. I was especially pleased with the general warning to Know what it is that you are choosing to plant. Those of us who love to garden or keep a collection of house plants are often given plants as gifts, and if you receive a green guest that is unknown to you...it's always wise to make it your business to find out as much as you can about them. Especially if you have small children (even as visitors) or pets. I can't tell you how many Grandmothers have Morning Glories in their yards, never suspecting that if their grandchild decided to have a bit of a graze on these little beauties...it could kill them. "Know your plants" is extremely sound advice, whether or not you are a Pagan. Moon Gardening, Magick, and Astrological Timing, for me this was a particularly intriguing chapter. Basically, this chapter covers the ancient practice of planting specific crops during certain phases of the moon. The second quarter of the moon, for example, is an excellent time to plant things like tomatoes, peppers, corn and squash. There are, of course, several suggestions and a recipe or two for Esbats (Wiccan moon celebrations) as well as a section on Moon Goddesses and Planetary correspondences. While I immensely enjoyed this particular chapter, it also harbors my only real complaint with this work. For those interested in finding out when the next day influenced by Cancer is so you can transplant that delicate leafy friend...you'll have to turn to either a current almanac or Llewellyn's annual Moon Sign Book. A minor complaint perhaps, and I do understand that including That much dry information in a work like this would have completely destroyed it's charm. I just prefer to have all my info in one reference whenever possible....and had to resign myself to purchasing yet another book if I was truly interested in pursuing this aspect of Garden Witchery. Faery Magick was quite possibly the most entertaining and delightful section of this work for me. The info covered here is, somewhat obviously, all pertaining to gardening with the Good Folk in mind. Plants that are pleasing to our Wee Cousins, magical times and places as well as spell suggestion, while having their place, weren't Nearly as entertaining to me as Ellen Dugan's personal accounts of Faery mischiefs. I had to stop long enough to wipe away tears of laughter at least twice. More laughter is always a good thing to me. Garden Witch Crafts is pretty self-explanatory and fairly basic. Dugan covers charm bags, dream pillows, sachets, bath salts, wreaths, and At-a-Glance magical correspondence lists. The only craft suggestion here that I found to be somewhat new and interesting was the Tussie-Mussie in a Teacup. I'm always interested in new craft suggestions for items from my garden, and especially those with a Pagan hue to them. I can't say I was especially impressed with this selection, but it was more than adequate for novices to these specific crafts. On a personal note, I'll be planting birdhouse gourds in my garden this year and am greatly looking forward to seeing how well this plant yields for my own crafting ideas. It seems a potentially versatile enough plant that I thought it at least worth mentioning here. Besides, my feathered friends tell me that more gardeners should be friendly enough to offer a little plausible nesting space....they enjoy a nice sunflower or broom corn too. Sabbat Celebrations for Families, is most definitely Wiccan oriented, but does give some lovely and very complete suggestions for ceremony and decoration for the typical Pagan holidays. Again, the real appeal here is all the personal experiences that Dugan shares with her readers. I found her generosity and openness on being a Pagan (especially a Pagan parent, in a predominantly non-Pagan family and rather prejudiced world in general) throughout this book to be very inspiring and thought provoking. Certainly of appeal to anyone out there in a similar situation, and given in a free and nurturing manner that simply encourages one to blossom. And finally Garden Magick from the Ground Up. Dugan gently wraps things up with a musing look at Nature being the ultimate Sacred Space. She encourages her readers to set up our own space, to branch out and root around for more information if we are so inclined. Blessings for your garden, casting a Circle of Trees, and a simple guideline for writing your own herbal charms are all pressed lovingly between these pages. The final section of this book is a space to begin your own gardening journal...a Book of Green Shadows, if you will. Right from the cover page, this book reaches out to a Green Gardener's imagination and creativity with a quote from Alfred Austin, "Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are." One can't help but pause and ponder on that thought, wondering just how much your garden may have inadvertently revealed about your inner self. Beautiful snippets of poetry, and gardening or magick related quotes are scattered like sweet violets through the lush but practical lawn of this book. Odd bits of Lore, Legend, and Myth are cultivated side by side with practical advice and a cornucopia of collected Wiccan influenced ceremonies, plant specific spells, general Pagan anecdotes and crafts... pun intended. While not a vital addition to even a Garden Witch's library, I found Garden Witchery to be sweetly fulfilling and an extremely relaxing read with benefits for both the non-Wiccan, newcomer and adept alike. I can certainly think of no better book to share with you this Spring. I'll leave you with this final thought... "In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful." --Abram L. Urban [05] ========= ========= ARTICLES ========= ===== ===== ASTRAL DIFFICULTIES ===== by jonpeeoh.com ===== I've been out of the astral loop for a couple years, but I had a large amount of success over the course of about 4 years before this. Since then my focus has shifted and I haven't come back around to OBE efforts. However, my successes are notable, as I had the most trouble of anyone I've ever known in getting out of body. First, here's some things to understand/expect: 1) Fear/Panic - It's entirely possible that the first time you actually succeed, you will panic. It's completely natural and many people do. It's a very bizarre feeling (especially if you use a fully conscious projection) and can cause you that split second of panic that causes you to lose it. Solution: Reaffirm your desire to yourself and keep trying. After a time or three, this panic reflex goes away... 2) Other Fears - A lot of people have a lot of different beliefs, and these beliefs form the way that they experience their astral travel. The basic fact of the matter is that everything in the universe is one thing, one energy, and all division is merely illusion. When you project, you are not "leaving your body" really because in fact physical reality (space as well as time) do not exist - they only appear to. So not understanding the fact that you are merely altering your consciousness, many of not most people perceive of astral travel as "going somewhere". For this purpose, most people feel the need to create some form of "protection". They may have guides, angels, their higher self, astral friends, whatever you want, who help them. Many also perceive a silver cord, because it causes them to intrinsically realize that they are safe and still connected to themselves, when in fact it is impossible to be otherwise. (There is no real cord, as there is no real separation, just a shift in consciousness... actually, this is kinda hard to write in words) - take any view on it that makes you comfortable, but the bottom line is you are safe when projecting, there is no need to fear that anything can "get you", "take over your body", or that you can "get lost and not find your way back". Anyone who has vehemently argued to that effect has basically believed it into existence for themselves astrally. It was them that caused it, not something malevolent. 3) Now let's get to actually "getting out". There are three basic steps that are absolutely necessary, and the points after that will basically take care of themselves. For the best information you can find in existence (as far as I know), buy Robert Bruce's book Astral Dynamics - that's the IT book of astral ability (but also will cause enhancements in all psychic/spiritual development). Here are the most important steps, which took me sooooo long to master: Step 1> You must must must must must must MUST be able to meditate for an extended period of time without the bother of mental chatter (ie verbal thoughts) - you can practice this any time you want, just begin to monitor your mind and place your awareness on something such as your breath. Whenever you catch yourself blabbing away again mentally, take note, release the mental chatter, and focus on your focus point again. Do this a few times each day until you have developed the ability to silence your mind. This seems daunting, but in all honesty doesn't take very long to master. Another tip that someone gave me once is a kind of shortcut to experiencing what this state feels like. Pretend as though someone has told you to "listen up, this is very important." In that split second that you stop and give your attention to someone, but before they say anything, that mental chatter has stopped. So practice "listening", in order to learn to quiet the mind. Step 2> You absolutely must must must must MUST be able to relax your body completely. This is the step that caused me the most grief. I did not realize for the longest time that I was still slightly tense in certain areas. You must practice relaxation ad nauseum, which sucks because it is a very boring practice. It won't take long before you automate the process, so don't worry too much. At first, you will have to spend 5 minutes relaxing feet, then relaxing legs, then relaxing stomach, then chest, then arms, then neck, then face, tensing muscles, etc etc etc. It's a huge pain and can cause anxiety at first, becoming difficult to finish. This is a subconscious resistance - push past it. When you really get the hang of it (Bruce's sponging technique* seemed to work best for me, as well as a golden warm ball moving through my body), you no longer need the tedium. You will be able to lie down, tense your entire body for 4 seconds, and relax completely, immediately. Man, is THAT a happy day! Step 3> You should, non-verbally/mentally, create some imaginary action that is in motion.** The reason is twofold - motion seems to trigger further relaxation and put the body to sleep. The other reason is that motion allows your attention to remain focused which keeps the mind awake. You will most likely know you have achieved this goal, not when you think you have, but about 20 minutes later, when you suddenly blink out of consciousness and back. You will feel your entire being expand and a deep deep warmth, at which point you will be able to remain happily in this state for hours. I used to remain in this state for hours, as a matter of fact, with absolutely no sweat off my back. Because IT FEELS AWESOME! Now, stay this way for long enough and continue an imaginary motion, and you will sweep out of your body. However, if you can keep your mind awake and focused without in any way straining your physical being, you will eventually pop out of your body anyway. That's why I listed step 3 as a "should", instead of a "must". It's just easier to do it this way - when you get good at it you won't need a "technique" so much. * The sponging technique in a nutshell: Imagine a hand with a sponge dipping the sponge in a big bucket of water, then imagine that hand pulling the sponge up through your feet, slowly, to about your ankles. Feel your feet fill with the water. The sponge goes back in the bucket, and pulls through your feet up to your knees, again feeling the water inside your body. Continue repeating this until you have sponged all the way up your body - I find this one in particular to be highly relaxing and generate a large amount of buzzing feelings. ** My favorite and most useful, oddly enough, is imaging that my mattress is on a rollercoaster rail, going backwards. I have trouble imagining going forward on this rollercoaster, but I can easily imagine going backwards, and can imagine the scenery in front of me rushing away from me as I shoot up, down, and loop- dee-loo. I think the going backwards helps me to melt into the mattress also - surrendering yourself to gravity entirely is a very cool feeling, which accounts for the "sinking" feeling people experience. Also note that I did 95% of my meditation and astral work lying down in bed on my back, which is generally not recommended (lying in bed stimulates sleep habit), but just seems to work better for me. Good luck and happy travels! === === About the Author === Jonpeeoh [ http://www.jonpeeoh.com/ ] is a new website devoted to raising consciousness, magick, and teaching others to take control of their powers as creators of their own reality. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ Please support our sponsor +++ PAGAN FRIENDLY WEB HOSTING AT DREAMHOST http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php Dreamhost offers high-quality, low cost web hosting with a dedication to free speech. Pagan sites are welcome! Read why we use Dreamhost for The Cauldron's web site: http://www.ecauldron.com/web/whydreamhost.php $9.95/Month Plan Features: 200 gigs web space -- 2000 gigs/month bandwidth -- 3000 email boxes (POP3/IMAP) -- 75 ftp/shell accounts -- host unlimited domains/subdomains -- php4, php5, cgi, fastcgi, ssi, zend optimizer, ruby on rails -- unlimited MySQL databases -- announcement lists -- discussion lists -- Jabber server -- Crontab and Shell access -- Web-based Control Panel -- One-Click installs of the Wordpress, PhpBB, and many more -- One FREE domain name -- 1 free domain name -- helpful tech support -- much more! Visit Dreamhost for Affordable, Pagan-Friendly Hosting http://www.ecauldron.com/web/zdreamhost.php +++ Please support our sponsor +++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ===== ===== HOW TO PREDICT THE FUTURE USING SPINNING OBJECTS ===== by Paula Haworth ===== Throughout history people have sort ways of finding spiritual or mystical guidance in their every day lives. Consulting the Oracle, Soothsayer or village wise person who had the gift of seeing into the future was common practice in ancient times. However, you don't have to be a psychic to predict the future. In the simple system of Cyclomancy, a revolving device, such as a wheel or revolving circle can be very effective tool for divination (ability to foretell the future by intuitive rather than scientific or rational means). The practice of Cyclomamcy may have been the origin of the roulette wheel as a game of chance. The "wheel-of-fortune" found at fair grounds which stops on prize-winning numbers or the TV "Wheel of Fortune" are also based on this concept. Cyclomancy has survived as the popular party kissing game "spin the bottle", or in a combination of 'Truth or Dare'. In this variation, the spinner gets to ask the person whom the bottle points to an intimate, personal question, which must be answered truthfully. In all these methods, the decision of the wheel is automatically fulfilled, so it is not surprising that many people believe that questions concerning their future can be answered by a similar contrivance. CYCLOMANCY dates from time immemorial, and takes its name from the Latin word 'Cyclomantia' and from ancient Greek 'Kyklos' meaning a circle. Spinning arrows may be used instead of revolving wheels for telling fortunes. In occult practices the wheel will have astrological signs, numbers, letters, words or mystical symbolic makings around it. The powerful archetypal symbol of the 'Wheel of fortune' in the tarot deck reminds us of how random and unpredictable life can be. And that we are all subject to the workings of fate and Karma, in that what ever he/she sows he/she shall reap. One form of divinational consultation is in finding geographical direction. When at a crossroad, take a bottle and lay it horizontally on the ground, and spin it. When it stops spinning, the neck of the bottle will point to the road where your destiny lies. Alternatively, before spinning the bottle ask a question with regards to the different directions, for example in which direction will I have the most fun, view the best sights or meet a new friends. Variations of the method use knifes or spinning tops. In order to get started, first you're going to have to check your logic mind behind. It's a bit like visiting the cinema and as you walk in the door agreeing with yourself that for the next 90 minutes or so you will suspend your sense of reality. Trusting your intuition is a lot like that, once you begin to 'trust' that your question will be answered, somehow the cosmic wheels begin to turn and you will receive the answer to your question. This handy do-it-yourself divination tool can be used when seeking advice or answers to questions regarding past, present or future events. To make your own Cyclomancy fortune telling wheel, first cut a piece of card to the size of a dinner plate. Using a pen, divide the wheel into ten equal sections so that it looks similar to the spokes of a cycle wheel. Next pierce a hole in the centre with a skewer. Take three deep breaths and relax, as you do this gently begin to focus on the question that you would like to ask. When you feel ready spin the wheel and see where it stops. In a similar way an arrow could be secured to the centre by a pivot so that it freely revolves when given a sharp spin, the number that the arrow stops on being the significant one. The analysis of the number is based on the ancient system of Numerology also known as Arithmomancy. The system was popular amongst early mathematicians such as Pythagoras who believed that each of the numbers one to nine had it's own psychic or spiritual significance. The interpretation of the numbers is as follows : One - New beginnings, ideas and inspiration. Exciting new changes ahead in love, business, education. Two - A need for tact and diplomacy. Two's denote balance and harmony and fair play. Hidden things that need to be revealed. A period of waiting. Three - Birth, pregnancy and marriage. A reason to celebrate or to go out and have fun. Your ships are coming in. Successful teamwork. Four - Security, home, property, DIY around the house, time to take a break go on holiday. Five - Problems to overcome, a time to be assertive, excess energy at your disposal. Watch out for jealousy and conflict amongst friends.. Six - Time to give and receive in many ways, money, time, support. A time of success, meeting old friends, compassion, travel. A time for making choices. Seven - Staying in control via understanding, time for clear thinking, beware of deception, need to check security, time for evaluating a situation. Eight - Determination to achieve goals, on-the-job study, dissatisfaction with an aspect of your life, feeling trapped, time to move on, end of delays. Nine - Light at the end of the tunnel, preparation for a new beginning, smugness, and success, unnecessary worries. Ten - Change, the end of a journey, success, family gatherings, support of others, idealism, a sense of community. === === About the Author === Paula is a gifted psychic and the owner of http://www.email-a- psychic.co.uk and http://www.psychic-trudy.co.uk where your personal questions will be answered professionally and compassionately by Email. [06] ========= ========= FLAMEKEEPING ========= The Virtues of Doubt ========= by HeartShadow ========= HeartShadow is following her own religious path. She calls it FlameKeeping. This regular column will present articles on FlameKeeping, many taken from HeartShadow's FlameKeeping blog at: http://flamekeeping.blogspot.com/ ===== ===== The Virtues of Doubt ===== Doubt is often viewed as the opposite of faith, a problem in our lives or a moral failing. The pain of doubt causes us to try and avoid the question, cling to certainty, pretend we do not feel the questions we have. We go to great lengths to avoid being in a place where we can even hear the questions, fear being alone with our thoughts and nothing to block them. There is no question about the discomfort of doubt. When we question, it can be difficult to find a point upon which we can stand, a place where doubt fades to certainty. It’s true that few people doubt the world of solid objects, that the sun will rise the next day and the chair they sit on will continue to exist if they stop thinking about it. But questions without concrete objects, questions of faith and virtue and wonder have no clear- cut answers no matter how strong one’s faith is. When doubt raises questions about those articles taken on faith, it can feel as though our very foundation is being attacked. Doubt is the act of questioning, looking at our beliefs and thinking about what they mean, what they’re worth, whether they are still correct to us. The very fact that we are questioning our beliefs does not mean we do not still hold those beliefs or that our faith is in question, but that we are learning more about ourselves, and understanding more. Doubt is not the opposite of faith. It is instead an integral component of a mature faith. It is a form of spiritual exercise, like physical exercise in that is painful when performed, but has the long term virtues of greater physical health. Doubt cleans our minds, helps identify what is toxic in thought and what serves us no longer, and reaffirms those beliefs that are truly meaningful to us. The pain of doubt is the pain of realizing that what we believe is uncertain. The morality of such doubt, of such uncertainty, is more difficult to articulate and frequently sneered at, particularly by those who are not brave enough to confront their own doubts. But beliefs unquestioned are not strong faith, but a weak faith that totters on a slender foundation. When questioning destroys faith, the faith was weak or nonexistent to begin with. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but the complement. Indifference is the opposite of faith, that uncaring avoidance of the entire faith question. Doubt is the questioning that keeps faith alive and enables one to explore and grow in that faith. To fear doubt is to fear faith itself, to be so convinced of the flimsiness of that faith that it will disintegrate when examined closely. Doubt is a blessing even as it is a curse, as it makes us what we are: Thinking animals that can determine for ourselves what we believe and why. === === Questions: === * What about doubt scares you the most? * How can you doubt and hold faith at the same time? * What aspect of your own faith are you most afraid to question and why? What do you think you may find behind it? [07] ========= ========= SOFTWARE GADGETS: THE COLUMN ========= Interesting Items From The Software Gadgets Blog ========= http://softwaregadgets.gridspace.net/ ========= The Software Gadgets Blog aims to present a different "software gadget" every weekday. A software gadget is a program or addon that is both interesting and useful -- and often free. This column highlights three of the programs listed recently. Many more were listed and you'll find more gadgets like these added every week at the Software Gadgets Blog at: http://softwaregadgets.gridspace.net/ ===== ===== FIND AND RUN ROBOT -- PROGRAM LAUNCHER FOR KEYBOARD MANIACS ===== If you have a large number of programs installed on your system, digging through the Start Menu for one you don't use very often can be a time-wasting operation. There really are times when just typing the program name would be much faster. Find and Run Robot is the answer. This program "helps you rapidly find programs or documents from within the depths of the start menu (or other directories). One keypress launches the utility - then just start typing the first letters of the application you want to launch. As you type the best matches are shown - just hit the number to launch the associated program." Better yet, when you activate a program or file, the program remembers this and makes that program appear more quickly the next time. I have Find and Run Robot set to appear whenever I press Alt- Space. To run Microsoft Word, I just hit Alt-Space and type "word". As I use MS Word quite lot, Microsoft Word pops up in the first position quickly and I can press "1" to start it. If my hands are already on the keyboard, this is much faster than messing around with the mouse and menus. Some of Find and Run Robot's feature from it's web site: * fully customizable search paths (search your entire hard disk for files as well as apps) * fast incremental searches, with memorized search history helps you find the files you need quickly. * completely customizable heuristic scoring metrics - tune the program to search the way you think. * low system overhead, doesn't mess with your registry. * unobtrusive and stays out of your way until you need it. * aliases allow you to define your own custom search terms to associate with specific files or groups of files Find and Run Robot is another nice program written by the folks at Donation Coder. This means it is freeware, but donations are encouraged by requiring registration once every six months for the first year (then you get a free permanent registration) -- or once if you donate to the site. If you donate you get a registration code that works for every program on the site: forever. It's a fair way to do donationware and the site has been very successful so far. Rating: 4.5 Operating System: Windows 95+ License: Donationware (Donations strongly encouraged, but not required) Price: Free Version Reviewed: 1.09.05 Web Site: http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/findrun/ ===== ===== FLASHGET -- AWARD WINNING DOWNLOAD MANAGER NOW FREE ===== FlashGet was been a popular, award-winning commercial download manager. "Was" because it is now available free. Like most Download managers, FlashGet can split large files into multiple parts and download those parts all at once. It can also automatically classify downloads and put them where you want them. FlashGet works directly with Internet Explorer, with FireFox via the wonderful FlashGot extension, and with Opera via a plugin. Some of what makes FlashGet such a nice program (from the FlashGet web site): * Speed: The ability to split files into up to 10 parts, with each part downloading simultaneously. Up to 8 different simultaneous download jobs. FlashGet just might be the fastest download software around! * Organize: Categorize files with FlashGet's integrated & simple-yet-powerful file management features before your files engulf you! * Mirror search Automatically search for the fastest server available for the fastest possible downloads. * Automatically have FlashGet dial up, hang up & shut down the computer when you're not around! * Schedule to download files whenever you feel! Whether it's while you snooze or during off-peak periods, certain times each weekday, weekend or whatever. The choice is yours! * Manage your copious downloaded files with FlashGet's simple yet powerful user interface. Automate your FlashGet downloads with a browser click! Supports Internet Explorer, Netscape and Opera* web browsers. *with freely downloadable plug-in. * Superior ease-of-use. FlashGet's interface is logical, integrated, informative and customizable. Queue your downloads with FlashGet's logical queuing system. * Control the download speed limit so that downloading files doesn't interfere with your web browsing! * Easily see any aspect of your downloads at a glance. Whether it be server status messages, monitoring splits, amount downloaded, time left...whatever! No excessive clicking into multiple open windows to see what's going on! * Customize the the FlashGet toolbar and user interface, including the Graph and log window colors. Support for proxy servers for maximum downloading flexibility. * Speak your language with FlashGet's auto-select language capabilities (20+ selectable languages available). I'm not sure why the author decided to make FlashGet available for free and request donations to support future development, but I think it is a wonderful thing to do to a great program. If you need a download manager, you aren't likely to find a better one -- especially at this price. Rating: 5.0 Operating System: Windows 95+ (See the FAQ if running 95 or 98) License: Freeware (Donations requested) Price: Free Version Reviewed: 1.72 Web Site: http://www.flashget.com/index_en.htm ===== ===== FREERAM XP PRO -- FREEWARE MEMORY MANAGER/OPTIMIZER ===== There are a huge number of programs (free and commercial) that claim to optimize and/or free RAM memory in Windows XP. In my humble opinion, most do more harm that good except in very special circumstances as Windows XP does a very good job of managing memory without any extra addons. In fact, most of the addon memory managers I've tried either made Windows slower or actually used more memory than they could usefully free. FreeRAM XP Pro is an exception. While I still don't find is necessary most of the time, it actually works well and is handy to have for those times when freeing memory will actually help. I normally do not keep it running, but I've created a special shortcut (FreeRAM XP Pro calls them "RAM-cuts") that runs the program, uses the "AutoFree" option to have running programs give up as much memory as they are willing to, and then exits. I use this to bring Explorer and Firefox into line when they start hogging too much memory. It's quick and actually helps. FreeRAM XP Pro has a number of features, however, as this partial list of features and options from the program's web site shows: * Automatic, real-time memory monitoring and optimization * Fast, threaded memory freeing with stop option * AutoFree option intelligently optimizes RAM without sacrificing performance * system metric and performance monitors * Advanced tray support * Memory reporting and diagnostic logging * Simple, attractive interface * RAM-cuts (RAM-freeing Windows shortcuts) * Customizable Windows hotkey support * Access to Windows memory-related tweaks that could enhance system performance * Process memory usage reporting * Unique memory compression technology directly reduces applications' "working set" memory requirements instantly and without swap file usage: completely unlike other memory programs If you think you need a memory manager, this is the program to try first. If it doesn't help, chances are good that other general memory freeing programs will not help either. Rating: 5.0 Operating System: Windows 95+ License: Freeware Price: Free Web Site: http://www.yourwaresolutions.com/software.html#framxpro [08] ========= ========= From the Spell Grimoire: ========= WHITE CANDLE SPELL FOR BLESSING ========= Obtain a white candle -- either a plain one (offertory, pillar, or taper) or a figural one in the gender of the person you want to bless. Carve the person's full name on the candle, then dress it with Blessing Oil or Holy Oil. For more power, you may place a name- paper of the person, or a photo, or some personal item of theirs (such as a bit of hair or a snippet of clothing) either under the candle or next to it. An easy way to do this is to place the paper or personal concerns under an overturned saucer and put the candle on top of the saucer. Burn a portion of the candle every day for seven days, pinching it out between burnings. As you light it each day, say this [Name], may you be blessed May all good things come to you May nothing whatsoever harm you May your heart be light May your travels be safe May your health be good May your mind be sound May your friendships sustain you May you be blessed in every way If you have a special request for this person (such as that they find a lover, get a good job, come home safely from a war, or whatever), just add it to the list. === === About This Spell === This spell is taken from The Cauldron's Spell Grimoire, a collection of basic spells available on The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum's web site. You'll find more spells at: http://www.ecauldron.com/spells/index.php [09] ========= ========= Pagan Webmaster: ========= SOME SIMPLE GUIDELINES TO WRITING BETTER WEB CONTENT ========= by Giles Button ========= This is often a neglected and overlooked area of website design but having good copy on your pages is extremely important - quite simply it can make or break your website. You can have the best web design on the Internet but if your content is not compelling then your visitors will just hit the back button and visit one of the other websites that they found on the search engine results pages. So if you are having trouble getting your visitors to buy and converting them into customers, then maybe you need to look at your web copy. It can be difficult to adapt your writing style to suit the web, as conventional writing is not really suitable for the Internet. It is a totally different media and generally speaking, web users have a much shorter attention span than someone who is reading a book, newspaper or magazine article. Above all, when surfing the net, people expect to be able to find what they want quickly and easily without having to read or scroll through lots of text before they find the information they are looking for. Here are some simple guidelines to writing better web content... === === Whats in it for me? === When visitors arrive at your website they will be thinking purely in terms of "Whats in it for me?". So your page content needs to directly address this, rather than focusing on your company and how great you are. Instead write in terms of what you can do for them and emphasis how your product or service can help them solve their problem. === === Break your page up with subheadings === When people read on the Internet they scan the page, so dont have your content in one long chunk of text. By using descriptive subheadings you will divide your content into clear sections; allowing your visitor to easily scan through your webpage and read the bits they are interested in. === === Use bulleted lists === Get your point across effectively and use bullet points to clearly present important information - especially benefits. Dont hide the benefits of your product or service in a paragraph of text - think about items 1 and 2 above... Bulleted lists stand out, so not only will you be able to tell your visitors exactly "whats in it for them" but they will easily see the list even if they are only scanning the webpage. === === Write short and to-the-point paragraphs === Keep your paragraphs tightly focused, dont waffle on about many different aspects of your product in the same paragraph. Keep them to-the-point and deal with just one issue, when you want to focus your readers attention onto something else, highlight it with a new paragraph. === === Include customer testimonials === Including some real customer testimonials in your copy backs up your reputation and reassures potential customers that it is based on real, positive customer experiences rather than just hearsay or some clever marketing techniques Be selective about what testimonials you use. Again, remember item 1 above and think about things from your visitors perspective - what will grab their attention? Good testimonials to use are ones that focus on the (potential) customer benefits rather than how great you are! If you have been reading this article then you will have noticed that I have used most of the above techniques when and you can too! Just remember to write content that focuses on your visitors and what they want, make it easily readable, stick to the point and back up what you say with real customer feedback. Do this and hopefully your web copy will have your visitors interested enough to keep reading until they reach your most wanted response - whether that be a newsletter sign up form, an affiliate link or the buy button! === === About the Author === Giles Button writes for the Studio 2 Online team - a highly successful web design Leicester based agency, specialising in ecommerce websites solutions and search engine promotion. [ http://www.studio2online.co.uk/ ] [10] ========= ========= From the Cauldron Cookbook: ========= Shrimp and Mushroom Chowder ========= submitted by Jeannie ========= === Ingredients 1/2 pound cooked small (cocktail) shrimp, cleaned, shelled 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 2 T butter 1/4 C all-purpose flour 2 C chicken stock 1/2 C dry white wine (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon dill weed 1/4 teaspoon mace 1/2 C whipping cream === Procedures 1. Saute mushrooms and onion in butter for 2 minutes or until onion is tender. 2. Stir in flour. 3. Cook 1 minute over medium heat. 4. Stir in chicken broth. Add wine, if desired, and bring to a boil. 5. Add salt, thyme, dill weed and mace. Mix well. 6. Add shrimp. Cook until heated through. 7. Stir in cream just before serving. Heat, but do not boil. === === About This Recipe === This recipe is taken from the Cauldron Cookbook, a growing collection of recipes submitted by members of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. You'll find more recipes at: http://www.ecauldron.com/cookbook/index.php [11] ========= ========= Cauldron Info ========= SUPPORT THE CAULDRON BY VOLUNTEERING TO HELP ========= The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum was founded in December 1997 to provide a friendly but serious discussion area for Pagans on the Internet. We've grown a bit over the years. We now have an active message area, a large web site with around 700 pages of information (including over 300 book and divination deck reviews), and a monthly email newsletter. To continue to provide and expand these services, The Cauldron needs lots of volunteer help from our members and supporters. Here are some of the things members and supporters can do to help The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum thrive: ===== ===== Actively Participate In Our Message Board ===== While our new message board welcomes readers, we encourage members to actively participate by posting their comments and views in our discussions. One of the easiest ways to help The Cauldron is to actively participate in our message board. The staff especially appreciates members who start new topics for discussion based on their own questions, opinions, or interests. http://www.ecauldron.net/mb/ ===== ===== Articles! Essays! Tutorials! ===== We are in constant need of original, well-written and accurate articles, essays, tutorials, and other written items for both our web site and for our Cauldron and Candle newsletter. There's no real limit on length for web site articles. Here are a few areas in which we always need articles: * information on the beliefs and theology of the various Pagan religions, especially non-Wiccan religions * information on holidays and festivals of the various Pagan religions, especially non-Wiccan religions * recipes for oils, incenses, and food for the various Pagan holidays * magick, spells, and ritual information * herbal information * positive articles on dealing with other faiths * information on historical pagan cultures * editorial/opinion pieces Non-Wiccan material is stressed not because we don't want Wiccan material but because good non-Wiccan material has been hard to find. We have a web form you can use to submit an article for consideration: http://www.ecauldron.com/bnbarticleform.php ===== ===== Book Reviews ===== While The Cauldron receives some review copies from a couple of Pagan publishers, there are many books that can only be reviewed on our web site if a member has a copy and writes a good, objective review. The Cauldron is interested in reviews on the more academic books used by reconstructionist Pagan religions as well as on the books one finds on the Pagan/New Age shelf in the bookstore. We have a web form you can use to submit a book review for consideration: http://www.ecauldron.com/bnbbkreviewform.php ===== ===== Graphic Assistance ===== The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum is purposely a low graphics site as we value page download speed over flashy graphics. However, we are always willing to talk with artists who have ideas for well-designed small graphics (small in both physical dimensions and file size) that might enhance a specific article or page. ===== ===== Invite Your Friends ===== If you have friends or acquaintances who you believe would find The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum useful, please tell them about our site. If you are active in our message board and have friends who might enjoy them or have information to contribute, please invite them. ===== ===== Link To The Cauldron ===== If you have a web site where linking to The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum would be appropriate, simply providing a link to this web site is a big help. Our Link to this Site page explains how you can do this if you need help or want some simple graphic buttons to use: http://www.ecauldron.com/linktous.php ===== ===== Donations ===== As The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum uses as many free services as possible, our need for money to operate our site is currently lower than our need for the many items we list above. However, if you have a few dollars to spare, we would be honored to have your help in paying for our web site. You can donate by using either PayPal or the Amazon Honor System links below (we get about 85% of what you donate). Donate via PayPal http://www.ecauldron.com/donatepaypal.php Donate via Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/paypage/P3903JRFVQVDN ===== ===== Amazon Purchases ===== The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum also receives a small percentage (usually 5%) from most items purchased from Amazon.com when you go to Amazon.com from one of the links to Amazon on our web site. If you purchase a lot of books, CDs, and other items from Amazon.com as many members do, going to Amazon.com through one of our links when you are going to make a purchase there is a painless way to help fund this web site. http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazon.php If you are a regular user of the US version of Amazon, you can help The Cauldron by replacing the URL of your ebay bookmark in your browser with the above link so that TC gets credit every time you visit Amazon.com. To do this in Internet Explorer or Firefox, find Amazon in your bookmark list. RIGHT click on it and select Properties from the popup menu which will appear. A dialog box describing your bookmark will appear. You'll see the standard Amazon url -- probably http://www.amazon.com/ -- in an edit box (labeled "Location" in FireFox and "URL" in IE). Erase that url completely and replace with one listed above, then click on OK. If you use Amazon UK, you can use this address http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazonuk.php If you use Amazon Canada, you can use this addess: http://www.ecauldron.com/zamazonca.php ===== ===== Ebay Purchases ===== Are you an Ebay user? Ebay has a new program that pays affiliates a small percent of the winning bid if the winning bidder enters ebay from an affiliate link (some like how our Amazon.com affiliate program works). So if you visit the US version ebay via the following link, the Cauldron will get credit for your bids: http://www.ecauldron.com/zebay.php If you are a regular user of the US version of ebay, you can help The Cauldron by replacing the URL of your ebay bookmark in your browser with the above link so that TC gets credit every time you visit ebay. To do this in Internet Explorer or Firefox, find ebay in your bookmark list. RIGHT click on it and select Properties from the popup menu which will appear. A dialog box describing your bookmark will appear. You'll see the standard ebay url -- probably http://www.ebay.com/ -- in an edit box (labeled "Location" in FireFox and "URL" in IE). Erase that url completely and replace with one listed above, then click on OK. ===== ===== Have Questions or Suggestions? ===== If you have specific questions, proposals or other ideas we haven't mentioned here, please email them to rssapphire00@ecauldron.GETRIDOFEME.com. (Unfortunately, Randall has to answer general "Tell me more?" type questions with a request for a more specific question. He's not trying to be rude, he just can't think of anything general and useful to say that isn't said here.) [12] ========= ========= NEWSLETTER INFORMATION ========= (Including how to subscribe and unsubscribe) ========= Cauldron and Candle is a free publication of The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. The Cauldron intends to publish this newsletter once a month and often actually succeeds in doing so. We tried to publish it twice a month for a while, but real life interfered too often. This issue of Cauldron and Candle as a whole is copyright (c) 2006 by The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum. Copyrights on individual items in this newsletter are retained by their author, please contact the editors if you need to contact an author for permission to reprint an article and the editors will do their best to put you in touch with him or her. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of newsletter, The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum, or its staff. Publication of an article in this newsletter is not an endorsement of the authors position or any products and companies mentioned therein. No one involved in producing this newsletter has any money to speak of so suing us if you don't like something we do is a waste of time and money. ===== ===== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE OR CHANGE EMAIL ADDRESS ===== You are receiving a copy of this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter via your web browser at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cauldronandcandle/join Or you can unsubscribe via email by sending a blank message to cauldronandcandle-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Be sure to send this message from the email account actually subscribed to the newsletter. If you have trouble unsubscribing by email, please use the web browser method mentioned above. If you need to change your subscription to a new email address, unsubscribe your old email address and subscribe your new email address. Note that you have to make these changes yourself. Yahoo Groups does not allow the list owner to make them for you. ===== ===== NEWSLETTER WEB SITE AND BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE ===== The Cauldron and Candle web site contains information on this newsletter and an archive of back issues. http://www.ecauldron.com/cnc/ ===== ===== PLEASE INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE ===== If you have Pagan friends who you believe would be interested in Cauldron and Candle please invite them to subscribe. You can either drop them a note yourself or -- better yet -- send them one of The Cauldron's email postcards with the information. You are also welcome to forward a copies of this newsletter to interested friends and associates provided you forward the entire newsletter. ===== ===== SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME ===== Don't forget that your suggestions for this newsletter are always welcome, either posted on the message board or via email to LyricFox (lyricfox@ecauldron.GETRIDOFME.com) or Randall Sapphire (rssapphire00@ecauldron.GETRIDOFME.com). Typos are, as usual, courtesy of the Goddess Eris.

Return to Cauldron and Candle Archive