Silence - Technically it is More Green than Gold

Not All Rules are Made to Be Broken

Previously I wrote about the concept of Harming None as pertaining to the Wiccan rede.

The specific phrase most often is associated with the work in the Wiccan tradition as the “rule of the religion” is “an it harm none, do as thou will.”

Arguably, while the phrase is linked back to Aleister Crowley who coined the term “love is the law, law under Will.” This is preceded by “Do as thou Will is the whole of the law"...

That was in 1904.

Doreen Vallentine made the couplet these eight words to read, "And it harm none, do you has thou will." This was eventually referred to as the short rede. Around 1974, Gwen Thompson wrote a longer poetic homage of sorts, expanding the rede. It was published in a publication called Green Egg magazine. Green Egg was an esoteric magazine designed for the new age crowd of the 70s. Her variation has been referred to as the Long Rede.

I feel that it is important to note, Valentine was Gardenarian and Thompson wasn’t. This distinction seems relevant considering that while we may be responsible to discuss the philosophical and ethical attributes of the Wiccan rede, and not be expressly a follower of the religion in today’s era. When the religion was being carved out of a group of New Age beliefs, it seems logical to take the word of someone that practiced those believes devoutly versus a person who did not.

Furthermore, Thompson would have us believe that her phrasing was handed down to her through family, when we know for sure that she had access to Vallentine’s earlier writing.

I’m just saying...

Ethics Of Wicca Effect Us All

Witchcraft, as a practice is lumped in with Wicca. Thus, whether you are a practitioner or not it is good to be informed and educated about the ethical and philosophical issues that arise around the corresponding religion of Wicca.

Back in the 90s

This brings me back to the 90s and the important concepts drilled into me as a fledgling witchlet.

It may not seem like it, but there was definitely a revolution in those years. The revolution lead to a change in consciousness and a shift of understanding towards our inherent relationship with the earth and the Divine feminine.

These lessons that I learned then are still more poignant than ever and they certainly seem that the practice has affected our culture. Women have more of a voice and there is a deeper understanding of diversity. However, some of the things that I learned back then seem to be less apparent now.

We have talked about Harming None... another concept is Secrecy. This was part of the inherent rules partially to protect the practitioner. For a long time it was stressed, especially during times where you could lose your job, children or lifestyle simply for being an occult practitioner.

I still believe that hidden knowledges need to be hidden. The benefits, to me, outweigh the risks.

When I was in training it was drilled into me that coven practices were to remain a secret. Vows that were taken for high magical practices not only requested secrecy but required you to take an oath and swear yourself to the order.

Granted, there were books on magic and witchcraft, as well as a cult and ceremonial practices, but they were weak sauce in comparison to real teachings. The Golden Dawn book that you could buy in Barnes and noble was written by Israel Regardi... it read like stereo instructions and there were a few subtle changes that worked as loopholes. They were telling all of the secrets or the important secrets, and it wasn’t easy to read either. Wicca was published and thanks to Llewellyn publishing, you could at least get the basics while providing capital to support your witchcraft community.

Additionally Pagan Festivals were popular and authors would sit down and talk with you directly, creating this symbiotic community feel to the whole thing. There was the us and them, and then there was the posers that said they were us but didn’t really do real study.

Solitary practitioners were gaining in popularity (Ty Scott Cunningham) but still snubbed next to someone with the cord around their waist and practical training.

Then something happened, and it (Silence and Secrecy) simply didn’t matter anymore.

Did Technology Kill the Secrecy?

Thanks to technology and publishing there’s pretty much no secrets left with in the Wiccan and Ceremonial communities. If you can dig a little bit you can find them. I even found all of the books of the Golden Dawn and the extension courses. If I chose to I could continue on with my training even though I don’t attend anymore.

That makes me sort of feel shitty just even thinking of it.

Needless to say I know where they’re at if anyone is interested!. ;)

Then and Now

The generation of practitioners that I work with today, including students and peers, seem to disregard the concept of secrecy. Normally it is explained as being a leaderless and there’s a sense of entitlement that runs through the younger generations.

In today’s day and age it’s not that which is not spoken which is hidden. Rather, information is hidden within plain sight and our lack of motivation is what holds us back from attaining the powerful knowledge of magicians as a collective history. The standard of secrecy still remains but the will to invoke it becomes that of the universe. Individuals don’t quite understand the reason for it and I just sit back with popcorn and wait for history to repeat itself.

Vitalogy

I get it. It was a time of rebound of culture. The ladies brought us Richard Ramirez with his pentagram on his hand showing the Satanism was oh so evil, trying to take our children away.

This was solidified through the cults of the 70s and the satanic practice of dungeons and dragons again in the 80s. It was a underlying fearful time in America and I remember the reactions of my own parents when I told them that I was going to practice this white witchcraft, with my Scott Cunningham book under my arm and willful intent to do as I felt right with my future. I knew that I was a witch from a young age.

I did not realize that I was also religious. I don’t know how I missed it considering my upbringing.

Did I mention that not only were my parents Southern Baptist, but I went to a Baptist private school? Yeah, religion is pretty much part of my blood.

It is more than that , than merely being religious, that causes me to pause and reiterate. Silence comes In many forms and needs to be used in conjunction with the technology at present. No longer does it mean simply to be quiet.

Sometimes it means to not talk about aspects that do not pertain to the audience. This can mean only discussing limited details about a practice or touching on the outskirts of concepts in order to determine whether or not somebody has some knowledge already and if the conversation can take place. When done wrong, it’s sort of feels like testing. However, feeling out the knowledge of another person is often required in order to have a true conversation anyways. Because people can get information from just about anywhere now chances are they usually only have a limited amount. Providing more information that is necessary can get yourself in trouble or those around you.

Real Life Application

It’s been a number of years since I did my own in-depth study on the Golden Dawn and the practices of high magic. I have come to the conclusion that I understand why Crowley did what he did and while I would like to think if I were faced with the same option or opportunity, I would make a different choice.

It is difficult to say though. It was a different time for him and he was seemingly incensed with a passion to pursue the rituals in that he knew to be true. I have often been labeled as eccentric, by nicer friends.

I’ve been told I am crazy and ridiculous and a number of other words as well, simply because I believe that my own vows that I have taken for my religion that reflects the clergy of a broader sense of paganism or witchcraft, that those vows are important. I do not shy away from my religion nor do I proselytize, but much of my life is spent teaching or researching philosophy and ethics, immersed in religious teachings or partaking in my community.

These days, I can hardly fault Crowley for following his own Divine compass and trying to complete the rituals that he had spent so much time and effort’s accumulating and learning. I wouldn’t expect somebody to put that effort in and not try to adapt the practice.

Thelma, I don’t personally follow... I was trained by the Golden Dawn and I adhere as closely as possible to those practices. I do make them for my own personal religious purposes and have managed to carve out my own philosophy that in many ways similar to Thelma.

Ultimately, to knock Crowley means that I would be a hypocrite. Perhaps it is because the tradition that we are following is so lost that it is difficult to determine what philosophy is right. Ultimately it seems that as long as one believes in the possibility of magic and learns the precepts of how magic works it doesn’t really matter. Magic inherently has a fall back system, a failsafe. On the whole, the Law of Three seems to ring true and there’s definitely a cause-and-effect. We see that with in the hermetic principles. Ultimately people can do whatever the hell they want but the laws of the universe will override. Ultimately we will abide by the laws whether or not.

Those traditions that are too weak to hot enough followers or to hold up against the laws of the universe will naturally fade away. It is suggested that the first religion that wrote these concepts down was also the oldest religion known to us, Zoroastrianism. They say that you can only marry others of Zoroastrianism so there’s a natural thinning of the flock. Perhaps it is blind faith and stupidity that we it’s out magicians and occultists. Seems a better answer than ego.
;)

Looking Back

They say those that do not understand history are doomed to repeat it. So please understand, I’m not bashing on Wicca or any other witchcraft faith.

Without a doctrine or some sort of hard line it is almost impossible to get a lot of people to agree and to do it needs to be done for community to be strengthened. As witches it’s hard to rely on each other and while we have websites like Witchvox And a horde of independent sites, there still seems to lack in community and cohesiveness that allows us to build each other up. That’s why I originally brought all this up.

Right Back At You

This is why I ask you now, what are your suggestions to strengthen our community?

Do you think that it is required that we all have the same kinds of practices were that we understand how to do magic the same way?

Do you think that there is strength and our differences or should there be a more solidified vocabulary and direction for the basic tasks that we can all build off of and work together?

I would love to hear your opinions, please feel free to discuss below. As always, you are also welcome to restain and abs out and spread the proverbial love around.

Love and light. 770.

In the mean time, please feel free to upvote and ReSteem :)

All artwork is done by me :)