European Paganism The Realities Of Cult From Antiquity To The Middle Ages

Book: European Paganism The Realities Of Cult From Antiquity To The Middle Ages by Ken Dowden

This book has grown out of that experience in datacompression. I have always believed that smaller areas were best understood in larger contexts and in many ways the whole question of paganism in Europe requires the largest of views. The largest of views, however, takes more room and more time than one would ever imagine, and what started in the mind’s eye as a short book giving a good representative sample of the range of pagan phenomena has grown into a larger book which still seems to leave so much out. I would like a lifetime to write the real, encyclopaedic version of this book. But it might stretch to a volume or two...

My aim was not to write a history of pagan Europe—that has been done with real commitment by Jones and Pennick (1995) —nor to write a history of the decline and fall of paganism to Christianity, which is just as well as Fletcher has now written a glorious book (1997) on just that subject. Rather, I wanted to show paganism in action, see what it looked and felt like, let the reader see the evidence and listen to the authors, even boring old Caesarius of Arles and grumpy Maximus of Turin.

I have tried to focus on living paganism and the witness of the written word, I have been less interested but not uninterested in the deductions to be made from archaeology. I have cited archaeological material where it helps the picture under discussion but not gone back to prehistory. This has also dictated the time period that I have allowed. Wherever there is a written account of some aspect of paganism, I have wanted to be able to include it.

I hope that this book for all its shortcomings and omissions will give readers access to much more information and a much fuller view than they ever had before.

Download Ken Dowden's eBook: European Paganism The Realities Of Cult From Antiquity To The Middle Ages

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If You Do Decide To Seek A Coven

If you do decide to seek a coven, there are some extra warnings you should keep in mind.

* Practioners of Witchcraft do not believe in Satan or satanic worship. We don't even believe in the existence of such an evil creature. But many "satanic cults" are structured like a coven. So be very careful and cautious as you search for a group to join.
* Witchcraft practioners believe in the sanctity of all life. Which means we do not believe in animal or human sacrifices of any kind. That includes torture, abuse or any other harmful act.
* The practices of Witchcraft are with positive intent and purpose, respecting all things. Which means you should never be asked to do something you don't want to do, or that 'feels' wrong to you. A priest or priestess who requires sexual interaction in order for you to attain a new level of spiritual enlightenment is a false spiritual teacher. This is not respect, it is harassment and abuse of power in my view. The GreatSpirits do not need us for physical gratification. There are covens who include an aspect of sexual interaction as a Representation of the joining of the God/Goddess. But in my humble view, this isn't needed.
* Trust is a very important part of a coven or even the Participation of a small group. 2 or more gathered together can accomplish just as much as a formal coven. No one should feel as though they are in danger, that your morals are going to be compromised or your principles will be condemned in any way.


Thankfully the 'burning' days are over and society is beginning to recognize that the craft in what ever form is of a positive nature and not something to fear or condemn. Because of this, many covens are forming or coming out of the shadows all over the world. You can start by doing a little research on your own through the web, or local spiritual stores in your area to find a coven or even just a group of people who meet for tea and coffee.

Choose your path with thought and reverence, with positive intent and with a open heart and mind. May the light of the Divine be shown upon your path as you find your road to travel.

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Welsh Tradition Of Witchcraft

Welsh Tradition: Originating in Wales, Welsh Witches believe themselves to be one of the oldest traditions. Members are "awakened" to their Calling and pass Through 9 levels of attainment. It is hereditary, but you can "convert".

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Witches Wives And Mothers

Book: Witches Wives And Mothers by Louise Jackson

Witches, Wives and Mothers: witchcraft persecution and women’s confessions in seventeenth-century England by LOUISE JACKSON.

The confessions made by the Suffolk women charged With Witchcraft in 1645 indicate that, in many cases, accused women were contextualising their own Experiences within a wider Demonological framework. Often they were judging themselves in their roles as wives and mothers – the witch, after all, was the behavioural opposite of the stereotypical role model of the ‘good wife’. There are noticeable references to infanticide, suicide and possible abuse. It could well be that women who possessed no other language to describe certain traumatic experiences took on the conceptual framework of demonology as a way of explaining events. Witch-hunting was a method of behavioural control in which women as victims (in many senses of the word) were themselves participating because they had no other framework of reference.

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The Witchcraft Sourcebook

Book: The Witchcraft Sourcebook by Brian Levack

If you are considering Levack's Sourcebook, then chances are you already know something about witchcraft. This collection of documents ranges from classical antiquity to the twentieth century, although most documents fall in the Early Modern period and the great age of witch hunts. The documents are well chosen and edited.

The Witchcraft Sourcebook will benefit both undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in the study of Western religion and history. It will also serve as an excellent supplemental reader in most general survey courses in Western Civilization. The topic is one that often enthralls students, and it will help them to understand pivotal cultural phenomena that transcended political and religious boundaries.

This is good stuff, and Levack hits the highlights such as the Canon Episcopi, Nider, Kramer, Weyer and Spee. If those names mean something to you, then I would highly recommend this book, as it is an excellent collection of relevant documents. If they don't, then you might want to start somewhere else that would put these things in more context (although he does have a small Introduction to each document in the book).

Buy Brian Levack's book: The Witchcraft Sourcebook

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Tool Time

I met one of my online friends because of a message she posted on a board regarding tools. She asked if it was necessary to have every tool in order to be a Wiccan and if it was necessary to spend a lot of money on them because someone told her both things were true. I posted a reply explaining that she did not have to have every tool upfront, paying more for them did not make them better and when all was said and done, the magick was in her and the tools were just props. We are still in contact and she has returned the favor by giving me advice at a difficult time in my life.

It has been said that it is possible to practice magick without any tools but yourself and I have found that to be true. I have conducted rituals and raised power strictly in my head, but I prefer it with tools and find it more fulfilling that way. Seeing tools, especially on an altar, sets the mood and tells your subconscious that it is time for ritual and all the emotions and focus involved in it. I have participated in a group ritual only once and there was an altar and tools as well as a candle for each participant. I imagine that it would be quite difficult to have an effective group ritual without tools because it would not be likely that everyone could have the same focus and imagination that it takes to perform a ritual without tools.

Each tool and other items on your altar serve as a visual/physical representation of an element and/or purpose. Besides, it can be fun to find and use them and you don’t even have to grunt, “more power.” It is easier to focus on calling the elements to your circle when you are looking at and touching objects that represent them. Many Wiccans purify the ritual area with the elements at the start of ritual and in my experience it is more effective to have an object at hand, such as a broom to sweep negativity out of the area, than to just visualize it. Candles definitely add to the mood of a ritual and can be used for candle magick. There are items that may not be considered tools in the strict sense, but are quite useful in magick. It would be impossible to work cord magick without a piece of cord or yarn or to use crystals and herbs without having them in front of you. Traditionally, we have images or representations of the Lady and Lord and it is easier to connect with a particular god or goddess when you have an image of them. There could also be items related to a type of magick you practice such as scales for justice or a hex sign for Braucherei.

While it is fun to shop for tools at a metaphysical shop or online, especially if you can afford the fancy, pretty ones, it is not necessary and spending more does not make them one bit more effective. I agree with the statement that when you make something you use in ritual, it is embedded with your own personal power, making for a stronger link. While it is not practical to make your own athame unless you are a blacksmith, it is easy to make your own wand and depending on your skill, you could make your own chalice (ceramic or wood) or pentacle altar tile out of wood, wax or ceramic. If you are skilled at sewing, you could also make your own ritual gown. I paid at total of about $65 for all the tools on my altar and spent about eleven years accumulating them. My altar cloth is 3/4 of a yard of a fabric with a moon and stars pattern that appealed to me. My broom is a cinnamon broom that is commonly used for decorative purposes and my wand is a stick from a maple tree in the front yard of a house where I lived at the time that I whittled. The chalice is a green glass goblet with a gold rim that I bought at a fast food restaurant one Yule for 99 cents and my athame is a bone letter opener purchased at a Native American pow-wow. I found my brass cauldron at a yard sale and the glass candle holders I favor can be found at any store for about a dollar each. The images of the Lady and Lord that are placed on my altar are small prints purchased for about $10 each from a Pagan artist. There are things that cost me nothing such as a black raven feather representing air but also a gift from the goddess Morrighan which fell at my feet as I was mowing the yard and a rock I found that represents earth.

The important thing when you are acquiring tools is that they appeal to you, mean something to you and fit your magickal practice. I did not purchase a traditional steel bladed athame because I like to work with the fae and iron negatively affects their energy. Two years ago, I was at a local pow-wow where Native American craftspeople were selling their wares and spotted a bone letter opener. I picked it up and held it as I would an athame and it felt right, so I bought it. If you follow a Native American influenced path you will probably want to focus on tools with that theme, but if you are Celtic or Norse, your tools will likely reflect that in some way. If you can’t afford a tool, pass on it and maybe you will have the money another day or something else will come along that you will like better.

It is not necessary to have a complete collection of tools to call yourself Wiccan. Until I found the right athame, I used my hand by curling back my ring finger, little finger and thumb like the Boy Scout salute and never had a problem casting a circle. You can use a cup you already have until you find one you want to set aside as a chalice and you could use two candles (which are cheap) to represent the Lady and Lord. I found the process of finding the right tools to be an adventure and learning experience, not to be rushed. You may find over time that your selection of tools changes. My first wand was also a stick from a tree in my yard, but I carved characters in it and stained it. I just didn’t like the way it turned out and it did not feel right in my hand, so I whittled another stick and left it plain, which suited me much better. At one time, I had a Barbie doll in a witch outfit that I used to represent our witchy “ancestors”, but I decided that the image of Barbie was not appropriate. Someone to whom I delivered mail gave me a pewter miniature of a wizard, probably from a Dungeons and Dragons game, which served the same purpose and I felt much better about using it in that manner.

Lets briefly review the purpose of the common tools. The broom or besom is used to sweep away negativity and is a symbol closely associated with witches. The athame is used to direct power, particularly in casting and taking down the circle, as well as cutting a door in the circle when necessary. It is not used for cutting anything physical. The wand is used as an instrument of communication, particularly when calling or speaking to entities. The cauldron is an instrument of transformation as well as a place where things come together to make something new. Candles provide illumination as well as having a magick of their own. Incense also sets the mood as well as representing air in the circle. The important thing to remember about tools is that they are a means to magick and a representation of something in ritual. The real magick is in each of us and we channel energy through us and our tools to accomplish our ends. If you think of ritual as a play, our tools are props in that they make it easier to perform the play and make it more meaningful, but they are not the play. Happy hunting in seeking out your tools and may it be as rewarding and educational an experience for you as it was for me.

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The Early Pagans

This is a good place to start with our creation story. Paganism has existed in varying forms since the times of the cave man. We know from archeological evidence how these early humans lived and honored the natural world around them. From cave drawings to artifacts we have at least a general Understanding of how early man lived with nature and honored the forces of nature as divine beings.

As tribal societies evolved, so did their religious practices. These early societies were often Goddess societies. Figurines such as the 'Venus of Willendor' are perfect examples of the early reverence for fertility of a woman and her ability to give new life. This miracle of life was seen just as that, a miracle given to a woman by a deity, or the Goddess. Often celebrated through Great Rite ceremonies. A woman who was extremely fertile was considered to be favored by the Goddess and elevated within her tribal structure.

When early man realized it took two to create life, the pendulum slowly switched from focusing on the matriarch to the patriarch. As long as a woman could bear children, she still held great power within her tribe. When she grew older and less fertile, she often chose her successor. But her singular power shifted to that of a wise teacher or healer. The concepts of the Goddess still existed, but the God was also a formidable figure through his strength of a hunter/warrior. The Great Horned God is a good example of this.

Paganism thrives through the ages Before Christ (BC) around the globe. From Egyptian, Roman and Greek philosophies; to Native American, Hindu and Mayan cultures. In Greece, the Pythagorean brotherhood (around 530 BC) helped to formalize and document some of the early metaphysical beliefs that were prominent in pagan beliefs. The brotherhood was actually a group of young men who gathered around Pythagoras, hoping to learn from his wisdom and inspired by his teachings. They were very spiritual in nature and form, dedicated to reforming political, moral and social life within society. The group became so widely known and popular that it grew into a formidable political lobbyist machine. Because of this political impact, the brotherhood was disbanded and Pythagoras was forced to retire and leave home. He went to Metapontum, a Greek city in southern Italy where he died around 500 BC.

The Great Greek Philosophers continued with the theories of the Pythagorian Brotherhood. At first in secret, but later challenging the political authority and bringing their metaphysical thoughts and theories out in the open. From Plato, Socrates and Aristotle we have some well documented views of physics and Metaphysical History.

We can't discount the influence of these early thinkers on our spiritual views today. But we also can't discount the influences of the great civilizations of the time, as they expanded their dominance. For instance, we know that the Romans battled in Ireland for many decades, and it's thanks to them we have some writings of the time about these early Celtic Religions, both of the Druids and the early Celtic Shamans.

But we need to consider the early nomadic cultures who traveled from one region to the next, conquering villages along their way. There are many we can research for this kind of practice. But the Norse might be the best example. As the Norse spread out and migrated across Europe, they either replaced or merged their beliefs with those of the cultures they conquered. Certainly we can see many of their influences in the Celtic cultures of Ireland.

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