Traditional Witchcraft

Though I didn't just fall off the Turnip Truck, having spent the entirety of my
life pursuing the path of the lightning strike which illuminates a Path that we
call Witchcraft, I really don't want to give the impression that there are answers
for those who are just beginning their journey of discovery.

Rather I wish to convey the sense that answers are not the goal to be slavishly
focused upon.

Questions are the fuel of the seeker, and the process of exploration is a reward
beyond measure.

Pity the fools who believe they have figured it all out. Who have settled for
packaged programs of limited scope which serve up a meager repast.

This is a journey that asks you to commit to the long haul.

While the 18th and 19th century history of Modern Witchcraft informs that which we have to look back upon, we live in the 21st century.
The 20th century stands as a bulwark of change which presented us with a variety of options to think about who we were, who we are and who we would become.

No matter what you may think of that which has gone before, that which faces us
is unprecedented.

Our ability to leave the planet and travel beyond the confines of our domain.
Knowledge of the probability of life - even in its simplest forms on other
planetary bodies within our Solar system, and the potential of our limited human
consciousness to plumb the depths of creation. All these things bring us to the
edge of history and threaten to plunge us headlong into a new arena of mysteries
that shred what has passed as both conventional wisdom and arcana of the ages.

Can Witchcraft survive these challenging factors, or does it provide clues about
how to move forward.

Superstition and fantastical narrative MUST fade and be replaced by the work of those willing and able to dare to make magic.

who's up to the task?

That's the big question as I see it!

 A subtle yet powerful statement about the miracle that is our lovely blue world, our home, and the animating spirit which lives in our hearts. Thank you for reminding us that celebration is a simple act of joy and that all of us no matter whether we walk on two legs or four or crawl on our bellys are kin.

I don't know why, but I have decided to re-open this site.

I closed it down two years ago because I was involved in a program that  required me to be relatively "quiet, and because I was not interested in navigating controversy. Such is not my nature.

However I am not one to shy from  honest and sincere debate.

It seems there really has been no traffic in the Forum section for quite some time.  

 The base CMS packages this site runs on are long in the tooth and I am going to be redirecting the URL/Domain to a new more technically up to date site - http://ophidiana.com 

The changeover will occur sometime in the next two weeks and

The site has been migrated to a new VMware partition on a much more powerful server.

 

GONG

It was my hope that this blog site would engender conversation.

That has not come to fruition.

 In about two weeks or so this site will be migrated to a new blog site at ophidiana.com. I don't think that it will be possible for me to migrate all the past content to thge new site. 

Scientists at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,

have discovered that the human body emits ultraweak bio luminescence.

 http://bit.ly/W3rVI

three form spirit trap home of Arte

bring me your shadows for my drink

lay out your light for me to eat.

In some magical systems the metaphor of "Crossing the Abyss" symbolises reaching a state of life and mind in which the reality  that unfolds in the exoteric are indicative of the  reality that exists in the esoteric.

You would have to be living in a barrel this last week to have missed the exoteric reality unfolding in Iran. So what possible message could this be delivering to those of a magical mind who have taken the ireversable step of crossing the boundary from mundane existence to the rarified  spiritual reality of a Child of Light, a practitioner of the Art Magical.

First one needs to delve belowe  the surface  of  the characature that has ruled the modern view of the Persian people and discover the rich vein  of Iranian History and spirituality which was extirpated by our Western Ancesters during their murderous Cruisades. To do this you could not do better than to study the works of Henry Corbin. Start with "The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism".  There are plenty of epiphanic revelations to be made in that work regarding the mystical underpinnings of Shi'ism as well as Sufism.

So it is all too often the case that we keep access to our own teachers and resources private. This is because we share a human condition which seeks to retain privilege and exclusivity at all costs.

 I will be clear that one of the fellow travellors who has been both a teacher and an examplar for me over the  years is Rudy Rucker.

I was privileged to have him write a character in one of his Novels based upon me. After being bent out of shape for a day or two  because the characterisation was unflattering I came to the realisation thyat he had pegged me pretty well.

Flow below our boundary firm

Ride along the fernie brae.

Rise like antient walls and berm

F rom

"The Watersons" album (CD) 
"A Yorkshire Garland"

Chickens In The Garden  

Earth Hour 2009 

8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Saturday 28 March 2009 

http://www.earthhour.org/home/

Damh paying his tribute to Gwydion.

 

Thanks Dave

I would be remiss if I did not present you with a video of Damh performing live.

The previous Youtube entry was some wankers game bullshit set to an album cut.

Here is the real deal.

I've made no secret of my association and friendship with

Gwydion Pennderwen who was the Bard of the American Pagan Movement

and until the day I die his spirit will be with me and inform my sojourn along

My love and devotion for the DarkerShade of Pagan podcast is unending.

And The 03/15/09 edition has brought me to orgasmic heights.

Unto Ashes, Marissa Nadler, The Moors, Fever Ray, Faun, Ex Reverie.

The Dancing Of The Lord of Weir!

Robin Williamson 

Testing new MyBlog Version

 

[Probably their most accesable cut ever]

 Another Band you've probably never heard of.

The singer Aneli Drecker has a voice like an Angel, and the  tune is from Geir Jenssen who went on to create the equally obscure techno styles of "Biosphere".

 

 

I have been a huge fan of A R Rahman for many years. Now that he has won both a Golden Globe and two Oscars the world is learning of this mans talent.

Here is "Vande Mataram - Maa Tuhje Salaam" from his self titled first CD.

 

Delicious.

 

 

 

You and me

 

Take a walk on the Shadow side with the Albion Band.

 

Shake it like you mean it boys!

Natacha Atlas

I put a spell on you.

 

 Rounding out tonights Music Video posts with the TomTom club.

So what the HELL does this have to do with Traditionalist Witchcraft?

Well for one thing if it doesn't get you out of your chair shaking your booty and waving your hands in the air there is something wrong with you.

I have no words for this except that it is one of my favorite pieces of Music - E V E R .

 

For me this particular Bjork song is one of her most Magical pieces.

On the one occasion when I was gifted with the opportunity to attend a Live Bjork show, this particular tune was the one which convinced me that she is a magic User.

Because it IS in your hands!