Around the Cauldron

F

eminine witchcraft differs from male-female witchcraft. The intense use of emotion for magick is natural for women. They have better access to their emotional levels and are not afraid to exhibit their emotions. Therefore, women have access to greater magickal power than men, because intense emotions must be involved in order for magick to manifest. Although women are freer with their emotions, they also know how to control and harness that energy. They have had centuries of practice in this, learning how to wait until the right time and circum­

stance to get what they want or need: revenge, supplies, etc.

Feminine-only witchcraft is not a total rejection of men. It is a balancing of the scales of true power after centuries of male domination. Women cannot totally understand and develop their own power unless they dispense with the male pres­

ence during rituals. There is just as much, if not more, power within a circle of only women, as there is in the traditional male-female circles. In fact, although there is a difference in energy flow and type of power, there appears to be more cohesiveness in women's rituals.

The idea of needing a male-female balance for ritual and magick is nothing more than a male myth perpetrated to continue the control of women within witchcraft. Every woman is complete within herself. Also, some women will exhibit more of what are called "masculine" traits while others exhibit more "feminine."

These "masculine" traits do not belong exclusively to men; the Amazons were pow­

erful, effective women.

In the Norse myths, the best known of all the goddesses was the independent, beautiful Freyja. The eddaic poem

Grimnismal

records that she was connected also with war and the world of the dead, dividing those killed in battle with Odhinn.

Half of the slain warriors went to Valhalla and half went to Sessrumnir, Freyja's hall on Folkvang (Field of Folk) . Since the Great Goddess has always been a deity of both life and death, it is apparent that Freyja's attributes were divided with Odhinn

in order to make the patriarchal gods more palatable.

Freyja's

seidr1

was feminine-only witchcraft, a form of magick, trance, and div­

ination. By the time when the Norse myths were recorded,

seidr

was stripped of runic magick, being more involved with shape-shifting, astral body travel through the Nine Worlds, sex magick, and other techniques. However, in the beginning of this Mystery religion, it is very probable that the runes were connected with Freyja and her followers, not Odhinn.

After patriarchy took over,

seidr

was condemned and frowned upon by the men.

However, they did not hesitate to call upon Freyja's

volvas

(priestesses) when they needed help or predictions. The Germanic culture, for instance, considered women to have closer connections with the Otherworlds and the souls of the dead than men. Germanic priestesses, or holy women, were called the Velada.

Freyja's female followers, called

volvas,

sometimes

seidkona,

were consulted on all manner of problems, whether the

volvas

were alive or dead. In the

Elder Edda,

three poems, "Voluspa:' "Baldrs Draumar:' and "Svipdagsmal:' are accounts of deceased

volvas

being called upon to give knowledge to the gods or protection to the clans.

What few descriptions of

seidr

we have tell of the female

volvas

traveling from clan to clan, giving predictions of the future through trance. They also did healing and occasionally cursing. They did not tend to marry, although they did take lovers.

These women carried a staff with a bronze cap or mounting and wore capes, hoods, and gloves of fur. In

Eiriks Saga

there is a very detailed account of

seidr

practiced by a

volva.

There is another story in

Landnamabok,

which records that a

volva

actively brought prosperity to the fishing of a clan through her use of

seidr.

Freyja was the great Dis (goddess), hence her name Vanadis (Goddess of the Vanir) ; she was also known as Vanabrudr (bride of the Vanir) . She delighted in love-poetry

(mansongr,

women-song), evidently singing used in sex magick, for it was strictly forbidden in Iceland.2 Some of her priestesses were called the

disir;

tra­

ditionally, these were nine women usually dressed in black and carrying swords.

� ^{62 �}

Around the Cauldron

The Greenland account of

seidr

tells us that the

volva

mentioned was the last of a group of nine women who were seeresses.

At the beginning of winter (mid-October), particularly in Sweden, these

disir

and Freyja were honored in a ceremony called the

disablot,

or

disirblot.

The

disir

were said to bring good luck and dream-messages, but they were also merciless in exacting justice. They were described as riding horses. The

disir

were actually Valkyries.

3

The

horgr

(small temple or shrine) belonged to the goddesses, as seen in the

Hyndluljod, Heidreks Saga,

and Snorri's

Edda.

Turville-Petre says that this was not so early, but I disagree with him. In Norway, the name

hof

replaced the older names for a temple, such as

ve

and

horgr.

In Christian times, before all the Norse were forced to accept the new religion, there are records of wooden or stone statues of deities in the temples. These were usually placed around the altar

(stalli).

However, not all deity images were kept in temples. Smaller versions made of ivory, silver, and gold were carried as personal amulets.

Seidr

loses none of its power by being translated into modern terms and prac­

tices of witchcraft. It would be of no benefit to reconstruct in exact detail the ancient

seidr,

such as wearing catskin gloves and sitting on a high platform

(hjallr).

The power known as the goddess Freyja still exists. Correctly approached, this power is still viable, capable of being used and producing satisfactory results. The practice of

seidr

requires self-discipline, visualization, and meditation, and a respectful approach to Freyja, goddess of magick and divination. The way of Freyja and

seidr,

as with all types of witchcraft, are not for all who attempt to travel this path. Those who do find their way into Her Light are blessed with new spiritual insight.

Feminine witchcraft differs from other modern forms ofWicca in that follow­

ers honor only the Goddess; sometimes this form is called Dianic. They worship Her as a Triple Deity-in Her aspects as Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The Maiden is the springtime, youth and vigor, enchantment and seduction, the crescent Moon, and the color white. The Mother is summer, lustiness, the life-force, the Full Moon, and the color red. The Crone, sometimes called the Dark Mother, Wise One, or Hag, is winter, wisdom, the gateway to death and reincarnation, the Dark Moon, and the color black.

Female Witches celebrate eight yearly festivals, and the Dark and Full Moons.

The yearly Norse celebrations are Spring Mother (February

1),

Summer Finding (Spring Equinox in March), Walpurgisnacht (Beltane, May

1),

Sonnenwende, or Sun's Turning (Summer Solstice in June), Harvest Mother (August

1),

Winter Find­

ing (Autumn Equinox in September), Ancestress Night (October

3 1),

and Mother Night or Modresnach (Winter Equinox in December).

Norse feminine Witchcraft also has other days of celebration. January

10

is the Day of Freyja; July

10

is the Day of Hel or Holde. At Harvest Mother, Freyja was

� ^{63 �}

honored by eating pork. The Disirblot of Freyja, on the Full Moon of October, marked the beginning of the winter season for the Norse. The day after Ancestress Night saw the Rite of Hel. You could also honor the fallen women of the world on November

1 1.

On December

31,

the Noms are honored.

Female Witches celebrate or work their magick within a cast circle and call the Goddesses of the Four Directions to guide and guard them while they work. These directions represent the four Elements. Their tools all have a Goddess significance and symbolism. The working of magick is considered to be part of their religion, as the Goddess likes to have women aid Her in manifestations.

Magick is produced by communicating with the subconscious mind; therefore, it must be a language of symbols. The subconscious mind is non-verbal. After cre­

ating within herself an altered state of consciousness, the Witch then uses her tools, gestures, certain words, etc. to convince the subconscious mind that what she desires actually can become reality. Magick is simply finding a pressure point in the web of the world and knowing how to gently apply energy to change the outcome of an event or desire.

The Hindus use mandalas as focal points in meditation. A mandala is a sacred diagram or symbol of the universe, specifically a circle enclosing a square with a deity on each side. Every time a Witch casts a magickal circle, calls upon the four Elements and stands at her altar in the center of the circle, she is standing on a sacred symbol, in the heart of a miniature universe. She is literally in a position of power unequalled anywhere in the physical world. She can call upon the Elements for power and aid in manifesting her desires through magick. She can expect to see those desires manifested into her physical world.

On rare occasions, the Witch will encounter what is called a negative spirit or entity. Most Witches will not willingly call up these beings, as they are unpre­

dictable and untrustworthy. However, this type of entity can gain entrance into environments where a rift has been created by emotional negative actions. One important thing to remember is that no negative spirit, "demon:' or ghost can pos­

sess your body and/or mind unless a part of you allows it to happen. Take what pre­

cautions you feel are necessary to protect yourself while doing ritual or performing magick. Surround yourself with white light while meditating or astral journeying.

And laugh at them!

I

do not know of anyone, from a malicious prankster on the telephone to a disembodied Otherworld entity, who can stand to be laughed at.

Certain tools are helpful in practicing Witchcraft. They do not need to be elabo­

rate or expensive. The will and power for Witchcraft and magick come from within yourself, not from tools. You will need an altar, dagger, cauldron, goblet, incense burner, offering bowl and plate, candles with holders, wine chalice, a pentagram painted or etched onto a disk of wood, wand, and/or staff. The pentagram acts as a power sink on the altar, in that it will fill with energy anything you set upon it.

4 64 �

Around the Cauldron

Special stones can also help with magick. If you plan to do divination, you will need to have runestones, or some other system, available. Part Four gives several choices which you can make for yourself.

The tools listed do not have to be acquired all at one time. In a pinch, borrow a kitchen paring knife for the dagger, a pot for the cauldron, a glass for the goblet, common dishes for the offering bowl and plate. Your dining table can become a temporary altar. Slowly make or buy the tools you want, and do not be taken in by high prices. Fancy glass wands are pretty, but they are very expensive, break easily, and are not any more powerful than a small branch.

It was a Norse tradition to name daggers and swords. Take your time choosing a name, then carve or paint it in tiny runes on the hilt, along with the magickal name you have chosen for yourself. The runes are given in Part Four, Chapter

13.

To help create the mood necessary for a change of consciousness, a magickal robe is nice. Freyja was also associated with amber, so a piece of amber on a chain or a

labrys

will aid in creating a better connection with the Goddess.

The main ritual tools of Witchcraft should be consecrated by the user. This can be done by placing each tool on the pentagram, lightly sprinkling it with salt and water, then passing it through incense smoke.

Witchcraft, in the tradition of the feminine

seidr,

is a religion honoring the Goddess. It brings a woman back to the power of her foremothers and puts her in touch with the Goddess. It helps to restore her female-ness and honor in what she is. It can be practiced alone, as well as in a group of other women. It provides a sacred, special time for a woman to stand at the Gate Between the Worlds and pour out her heart to the Mother.

End Notes

1.

The word

seidr,

as well as its uses, has much in common with the Celtic

sidh,

the Hindu

siddhi,

and the Sufi

sihr.

2.

Turville-Petre, E.O.G.

Myth & Religion of the North.

3.

Turville-Petre. Ibid.

� ^{65 �}

M

ost of the magickal procedures and rituals in existence today originated from the historical records of male magicians. Some women's Pagan groups have written their own rituals in an effort to return to the ancient women's Mysteries. Women have special needs on all levels of their lives and approach the Goddess in a different way than men. Unfortunately, these have not been addressed as they should in the Pagan and magickal fields.

I have chosen to approach these needs from ancient Norse women's

seidr.

If this does not appeal to you, read Part Six about other ancient women's Mysteries and substitute names and other information in these rituals. Whichever Mystery path you choose will help in reconnecting you with the foremothers who celebrated these rituals.

The altar generally stands in the center of the cast circle. Among the Norse, the position of power at the altar was to stand facing the north. In other systems, this was facing the east.

.,;;;;;;;iiiiiiiiiii"iiim;a�:>• Falcon Feather

^t!r

Valkyrie Sword c=<,,liS;aiiliiiiiiiiiiiO•

In document DJ Conawy Falcon Feather & Valkyrie Sword (Page 69-75)