New Streghe on the block? - Revisited

Over the weekend, I received an email from Lupercus.  In it, he informed me that, "Diana decided to publish this Q & A on our own blog and also to send it to as many concerned parties as possible."

In the spirit of goodwill and clarification, I would suggest that people head over to their blog site and read, "Questions & Answers: APS Diana & AP Dianus del Bosco Sacro".  The site is located at:
http://thegreatrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/questions-answers-aps-diana-ap-dianus.html.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

New Streghe on the block?

OK, so over the past few weeks, there has been an uproar about some people who are claiming to be streghe from Italy coming to the US and teaching "the mysteries of the Great Rite".  Folks have been asking me to comment on them and their validity/authenticity.

Without meeting them, I can not comment on either their validity or authenticity.  Witchcraft (by any name) in Italy is incredibly diverse so it's possible that they are both valid and authentic. It's also possibly that they're trying to make a quick buck on the gullible pagans (sheeple) in the US who fall for the "but they're from XYZ and claim BlahBlahBlah so they must be TRUE".  Without meeting them in person, I can not offer an opinion on anything other than their press releases.

So far, it appears that whatever it is that they do, it has nothing to do with the type of Italian Craft that I was passed by Leo Martello and Lori Bruno. Why do I state this?  Because on one of their recent blogs, they draw a connection between Leo and their own Tradition.

The blog in question is here:  http://thegreatrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/leo-martello-and-del-lago-stregheria.html.
My response is reproduced here:
"Rev. Vincent Russo, arsenic.com said...

I don't think that it is in any doubt amongst Streghe in the USA that Leo did import a valid and authentic Witchraft tradition of Sicily/Italy. However, I am a bit confused when you say, "The town has always spoken of Leo Martello's Grandmother, a great witch and perpetuator of the del Lago Stregheria family and tradition". To the best of my knowledge, as one of this students and adopted family, Leo did not practice the "del Lago tradition" or the tradition of the del Lago family. He practiced what he simply referred to as the "Strega Tradition" which he defined as the witchcraft traditions of HIS family. He did not claim to speak for the myriad of other traditions peppered through the Italic cultures. Granted, he was trained by members of his own family as well as members of other families, initiated into Continential Witchraft and various traditions of what is now known as BTW, and supplimented what was passed to him with his own research, experience, and gnosis. But, he never claimed that his family was a perpetuator of del Lago Stregheria.

January 28, 2011 2:49 AM"

So, just to be clear:  these folks may or may not be authentic or valid.  It's not my call to make and I have not met them personally so I am not yet in a position to comment.  However, Leo Martello is not part of their tradition and his name shouldn't be linked to their tradition.

I do know that the material that they claim to be presenting to the public in their workshops is not material that Leo would have made available to in a public setting.

I am sure that I will be posting more on this topic as time goes on especially since a number of us will be traveling to Pantheacon to meet them for ourselves.

Benedizioni,

---Vincenzo

Brilliant Analysis of the Charge by Sorita d'Este & David Rankine

Note Bene:  This is NOT my work!  This is a repost from http://wicca.avalonia.co.uk/?page_id=155. I just happen to think that it's very very good.  Buy the book.  :-)

Charge of the Goddess: Analysis

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The following is an extract from the book WICCA MAGICKAL BEGINNINGS by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine (Avalonia, 2001, 2005, 2008) Versions of it have been published in numerous publications to date.  It is reproduced here with kind permission of the author and publishers.

(c) 2001-2008 Sorita d’Este and David Rankine, all rights reserved.
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Textual Analysis of the Charge of the Goddess

(This is an extract from the Chapter “Adore the Spirit of Me” in the book Wicca Magickal Beginnings by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine.  Those seeking a more complete history and analysis are advised to obtain a copy of the book which considers the ritual and text, as well as its history in a more complete form).  The book is available from numerous bookshops, as well as from Amazon and directly from the publishers: http://avaloniabooks.co.uk/catalogue/titles/wicca_mb.htm
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“HP: Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of  old was also called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.”

The opening introductory statement by the High Priest is clearly presenting the idea of a universal goddess.  This piece seems to be original, though there is a historical basis for the concept and name of the Great Mother, as can be seen in the writings of the Roman historian Lucian, in the second century CE, who wrote of the goddess in his work De Dea Syria (‘The Syrian Goddess’) as:

“She is our Mother Earth, known otherwise as the Mother Goddess or Great Mother. Among the Babylonians and northern Semites she was called Ishtar: she is the Ashtoreth of the Bible, and the Astarte of Phœnicia. In Syria her name was ‘Athar, and in Cilicia it had the form of ‘Ate (‘Atheh). At Hierapolis, with which we are primarily concerned, it appears in later Aramaic as Atargatis, a compound of the Syrian and Cilician forms … for in one way and another there was still a prevailing similarity between the essential attributes and worship of the nature-goddess throughout Western Asia.”

The Roman historian and magician Apuleius, a contemporary of Lucian, expressed a similar theme.  In his novel of initiation, The Golden Ass, he has Isis describe herself as the goddess of whom all others are aspects.

“For the Phrygians call me the mother of the gods: the Athenians, Minerva: the Cyprians, Venus: the Candians, Diana: the Sicilians, Proserpina: the Eleusians, Ceres: some Juno, others Bellona, others Hekate.”

The Qabalah also needs to be considered when we look at the idea of the great mother goddess.  There is a very mistaken concept amongst those who have not studied its mysteries that the Qabalah is entirely patriarchal.  This is not the case and it never was.  TheSefer ha-Zohar (“Book of Splendour”) places great emphasis on the Shekinah or divine feminine, and it brought sexual polarity very much to the forefront of Qabalah at the time of its publication in 1290, and the subsequent publication of the Sefer ha-Bahir (“Book of Brilliance”) in 1310, when the Hermetic and Neoplatonic texts were also being translated, resulted in both traditions feeding into alchemy, the Grimoires and other magickal traditions of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.  Significantly this also predated the main period of the witch trials, and the conflation of prejudice against Jews, heretics and witches.

“From Her do they receive their nourishment, and from Her do they receive blessing; and She is called the Mother of them all.”[1]

The word Shekinah is from the root Shakhan meaning ’to dwell’, and refers to her presence within all humanity.  In the ninth century the German branch of Qabalists described the Shekinah as the circle of fire around God, their union causing the throne, angels and human souls to come into being.[2] The Shekinah has been seen as manifesting in two ways.  As the Lesser or Exiled Shekinah she is perceived as being the world soul, somewhat akin to the concept of Gaia as postulated by James Lovelock.  However as the source of souls, Shekinah is also present in every person, as the spark that seeks to reunite with the Greater Shekinah, the great goddess.

“Her ways are of pleasantness, and her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.”[3]

The Kabbalistic Shekinah, the Gnostic Sophia and the classical goddesses all enjoyed notable attention through the Renaissance, and it could convincingly be argued that the deities of Wicca are expressions of an inevitable resurgence of the divine powers seeking an outlet, as they have done for the last fifteen hundred years.

This idea of a universal goddess or great mother goddess was to continue through the Renaissance, as can be seen in writings by authors such as the German humanist Konrad Mutian (1471-1526).  In correspondence he observed, in a manner which would have been seen as sacrilegious by the Church at the time:

“There is but one God and one Goddess,
But many are their powers and names:
Jupiter, Sol, Apollo, Moses, Christus,
Luna, Ceres, Proserpina, Tellus, Maria.
But have a care in speaking these things.
They should be hidden in silence as
are the Eleusinian Mysteries;
Sacred things must be wrapped in fable and enigma.”[4]

This view is one which would be repeated in writings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.  In 1901 Sir Arthur Evans became convinced of the idea of a single great goddess in prehistoric times when he was excavating Knossos in Crete.  From this idea he subsequently chose to interpret all divine female figures at the site as a single goddess, and all male figures as a single subordinate son/consort god.  This idea was expanded by the French archaeologist Joseph Dechelette, who suggested that the cult of the Great Goddess had originated in the Neolithic period in Asia Minor and the Balkans and expanded across the Mediterranean to the whole of Western Europe.[5]

Occultists would also incorporate these ideas into their world-views and hence their writings.  The author George Russell (AE) in his classic work The Candle of Vision, published in 1918, espoused the original divinity being divided into the Great Mother and Great Father, from whom the gods and goddesses derived.  This idea was also subsequently seen in the occult novels of Dion Fortune in the 1930s.

In the part version of the Charge published by Gardner in Witchcraft Today in 1954 all the names following that of Aphrodite were omitted – i.e. Ceridwen, Diana, Arianrhod and Bride – giving the impression that the Celtic Goddesses were later additions.  It is also interesting here to note the difference between the version of the Charge attributed to Doreen Valiente and published in the Witches Bible where the goddess Diana is changed into Dana and the name of the Greco-Roman Egyptian goddess Isis is added before that of Bride.

Reference to Melusine occurred in Crowley’s Law of Liberty, and some discussion of her is called for here to put her inclusion into perspective.  Melusine was described in the late fourteenth century tale of Mélusine de Lusignan.[6] Melusine can be seen as the archetypal fairy wife.  In different versions of the tale she is half fish, serpent or dragon.  The gist of the story is that she married Remond, who became the Conte de Poitiers.  She made Remond swear that on Saturdays he would allow her privacy, but after his brother made him wild with jealousy, Remond burst in on Melusine and realised her true nature.  She then left him, in the manner of the fairy wife whose true nature has been discovered.  The inclusion of such a figure may seem strange, but Melusine was a tremendously popular figure, like Morgan Le Fay, whose roots hint at earlier divine origins.  Her inclusion does however provide a further clear illustration that this piece of prose does not have Roman origins as Gardner suggested.

We may also conclude that it is possible that the person who compiled the earliest versions of the Charge had read Crowley’s Law of Liberty – material from which can be found in both the earlier Lift up the Veil and the later Charge of the Goddess.  Crowley mentioned Melusine in the Law of Liberty when he wrote: “Do not embrace mere Marian or Melusine; she is Nuit Herself, specially concentrated and incarnated in a human form to give you infinite love, to bid you taste even on earth the Elixir of Immortality”.  We can see here the equation of Nuit as the universal goddess, and the idea of the High Priestess as being the representative of this goddess in ceremonies.

This introductory line to the Charge is generally thought to be the original material of the author(s) thereof, as no known precedent exists in the works which otherwise influenced it.

This part of the Charge corresponds directly to that used in the Lift Up the Veil charge dated to 1949, which could then be said to be the earliest known source, presumably written by either Gerald Gardner himself (as this was pre-Valiente) or it could possibly be part of an original piece of prose currently lost to us today.

As an aside, for those who love life’s little coincidences, we thought we would include something similar which we found in a book published in 1920 on the subject of the Native American tribe of the Iroquois, which reads ”My Children, listen to the words of the Great Mother. You are burdened and troubled; your little ones are silent and fearful…”[7] There is nothing of course to suggest that this is directly related to the compilation of the Charge, but it is a fascinating parallel usage which we thought worthy of inclusion.

“High Priestess: At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice.”

Interestingly here, we find that Gardner wrote in Witchcraft Today “At mine altars the youth in Lacedaemon made due sacrifice”.However, it is noteworthy that in Gardner’s rendition of it there, he at least omitted a rather obtuse error in this first line of this version of the Charge, but of course we don’t know whether this was an accidental mistake or a deliberate omission in an effort to not reveal too much of the prose.

So what is wrong with this statement?  Put simply the geography is all wrong.  Sparta was a city in Lacedaemon, not the other way around, this statement is like saying England is in London or America is in New York!  Then there is an apparent contradiction with the line “Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice….” which is found later in the same version of this Charge. So, whilst the goddess seems to be saying that sacrifice was made, she is also saying that she demands no sacrifice now!  This is probably a side effect of the use of literature from a number of sources and the conflation of the myths of a variety of goddesses to represent the words spoken by one, or it could indicate a change of position on the part of the goddess, or her worshippers!

The reference to the ‘youth of Sparta,’ is to the ritual flogging which took place at the altars of the goddess Artemis Orthia (“Artemis of the steep”) during the Roman period.  As part of the rites, young boys would be scourged on Artemis’ altar until it was smeared with their blood, being both their ritual purification and their sacrifice to this virgin huntress.

The origins of this rather grim ceremony are believed to have come from the discovery of an image of Artemis Orthia which had been lost from a temple for some time before being rediscovered.  Two Spartan warriors, Astrabakos and Alopekos, discovered it and upon doing so immediately went completely insane.  Following this a temple was erected around the rediscovered statue in honour of Artemis and through doing so the goddess was temporarily propitiated.  However, during a sacrifice taking place on the altar, rival groups of Limnatians, Kynosourians and Mesoans got themselves into a brawl and as a result many of them were killed on and around the altar.  Artemis, not known for forgiveness, decided to kill the rest of those involved through disease as a punishment for defiling her temple.

The Spartan people made desperate appeals to an oracle for advice on what to do and were told that the only way to stop the disease was to stain the altar with human blood as an offering to Artemis.  For many years they offered human sacrifices at the altar (the sacrifice being chosen by lot) until this practice was eventually substituted with that of the whipping of young prepubescent boys.  The boys were scourged until enough blood had been produced to stain the altar anew and thus ensured another period of peace with the goddess. During the scourging a priestess would hold a light wooden image of the goddess with which she would be able to tell if the men who were doing the scourging were slacking on the amount or the severity of the blows given to the boys based on beauty or rank.  If the statue grew heavy it was due to the men slacking and the priestess would chastise those doing the whipping to ensure that Artemis’ offerings were made correctly and appropriately.

As an interesting aside, flogging is a theme which recurs in the worship of the goddess Artemis.  It also played a part in the cheese-stealing rituals recorded by Xenophon in Lakedaimonion Politeia in the fifth/fourth century BCE.  Here two groups of young men would contest a piece of cheese which was placed on the altar of Artemis.  The first group defended the cheese with whips, whilst the other group had to try and steal it.  Though there is no direct connection here with sacrifice, which is clearly indicated in the example of Artemis Orthia, it may be that this was another variation of a similar rite as those being scourged would undoubtedly bleed onto the altar, making a blood sacrifice as part of the ceremonial goings on.

The use of the scourge in an ancient ceremony was well exemplified by the frequently quoted Roman festival of Lupercalia, where young men clad in skins would rush around beating people with strips of goatskin, which was believed to promote fertility and easy childbirth.  However this does not really bear much resemblance to the use of the scourge in the Wiccan tradition.  In medieval times the scourge was described as being used frequently for punishment of witches.  One such example is seen in Murray’s The God of the Witches:

“The accused escaped with her life, but her sentence was, ‘To be scourged from the end of said town to the other.  And thereafter to be banished from the country’.”

Another common suggestion is the claim that the Knights Templar used scourging, a reference Gardner himself makes in his works.  Whether they did or not, there is certainly a well-documented history of self-flagellation within the Christian church as a means of’purification’, so this is a much more likely source of the magickal beginnings of using the scourge to be “properly prepared”.


“Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the Moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet who have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites…”

Gardner omits “Whenever ye have need of anything” in Witchcraft Today. He also writes “meet in some secret place, and adore me who am Queen of all the magics… for I am a gracious Goddess, I give joy on Earth, certainty not faith, while in life; and upon death unutterable, rest and the ecstasy of the Goddess.  Nor do I aught in sacrifice…” At this point Gardner tells us that he is forbidden to reveal any further part of the charge.

This piece is clearly derived with only minor changes from chapter one of the Aradia, which reads:

“Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and when the Moon is full, ye shall assemble in some desert place, or in a forest all together join to adore the potent spirit of your queen, My mother, great Diana.  She who fain would learn all sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them my mother will teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.  And ye shall all be freed from slavery, and so ye shall be free in everything; and as the sign that ye are truly free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women also.”

Here it is necessary to look at the difference in use of the text.  In the Aradia, it is the goddess Diana who addresses her daughter, Aradia, giving her instruction on how to teach witchcraft to humanity.  In the context of use within the Wiccan tradition, the priestess is said to channel a goddess and speak these words to the witches.  This may seem like a small inconsistency, but one which has quite a huge magickal implication, as well as of course a spiritual one, both of which are worthy of some consideration.

 “…and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.”

Another piece from Aradia, this time chapter two, shortened and rewritten, finishes this part of the Charge: “… and, the feast over, they shall dance, sing, make music, and then love in the darkness, with all the lights extinguished: for it is the Spirit of Diana who extinguishes them, and so they will dance and make music in her praise.” Dancing, singing, making music and love are all classic ingredients in the ‘imagined’ witches Sabbath as described in the major works of the height of the persecutions by such infamous figures as Peter Binsfeld (Tractatus de confessionibus maleficorum et sagarum, 1591), Nicolas Rémy (Daemonolatria, 1595), Martín del Río (Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex, 1599), Francesco Guazzo (Compendium Maleficarum, 1609), and Pierre de Lancre (Tableau de l’inconstance des mauvais anges et demons, 1612, and L’incredulité et mescréance du sortilege plainement convaincue, 1622).

“For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit, and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is Love unto all beings.”
The latter part of this line comes from Crowley’s Law of Liberty, quoting “ecstasy be thine and joy of earth” (AL I.53) and “love is the law” (AL I.57).  Although these pieces are pulled out of context and put together, it is worth noting that the beginnings of the two relevant verses are “This shall regenerate the world” (AL I.53) and “Invoke me under my stars!” (AL I.57), both concepts of great relevance to the Wiccan tradition, and also hinting at their union in the Orphic Oath of “I am a child of earth and starry heaven.” So although seemingly out of context, this line retains a great deal of relevant symbolism, even if quite concealed.

This phrase is an inspirational one, as can be seen by the following quote from the nineteenth century English poet and literary critic John Addington Symonds, “The mania of Plato was a permanent ecstasy of the spirit, in which love led the way to heaven, and raised a man above himself.”[8]

We may also note the occurrence of the phrase ‘ecstasy of the spirit’ in the writings of the late fifteenth century poet John Skelton, when he wrote in a way which strongly resembles the reincarnation theme found in the Charge, “ls it possible that in some such passionate ecstasy of the spirit we pass through death into the life beyond death?”[9] Skelton also mentioned the triplicity of Diana, Luna and Persephone in his work Garland of Laurels in 1523 when he wrote “Diana in the leaves green, Luna that so bright doth sheen, Persephone in hell”.

“Keep pure your highest ideal. Strive ever towards it. Let naught stop you or turn you aside. “

Again this line draws straight from the Law of Liberty, where Crowley wrote: “Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it, without allowing aught to stop you or turn you aside.” This key line refers to the concept of the true will, and doing only what is right to achieve your full potential.


“For mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth;”

This is somewhat rewritten from the earlier version of the Charge (Lift Up the Veil), which draws more directly from Liber Al, “There is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters” (AL III.38).  The reference to the quarters is one which is not used in the Charge, but interesting from the point of view of Wiccan terminology, where the four directions are sometimes referred to as quarters.  It also hints at the grimoires where the magick circle was often divided into quarters, as seen in theHeptameron and subsequent grimoires.  The ‘land of youth’ is a translation of the name of the Irish otherworldly realm of Tir-na-Nog, home of the Irish pantheon of the Tuatha de Danaan.  As the nineteenth century author Thomas Croker observed in Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1828), “It is called the Land of Youth, because time has no power there, no one becomes old.” The presence in the Charge of this Celtic otherworld clearly indicates the relevance of the Celtic goddesses in the initial list of names.

“and mine is the cup of the Wine of Life: “

This line seems to derive from the Catholic Liturgy, as part of the reading drawn from the Byzantine Matins, in the Table Blessing for Holy Thursday, which goes, “Instructing his friends into the divine mysteries, Jesus, the wisdom of God, prepares a table that gives food to the soul, and mingles for the faithful the cup of the wine of life eternal. Let us all, therefore, draw near the mysterious table, with pure souls let us receive the Bread of Life” The real question here, which we can neither prove or disprove at this point, is whether this was a deliberate use or whether it was a phrase merely imbedded in the psyche of the person who compiled the Charge,who consequently used it without realising the source of their inspiration?

“and the Cauldron of Ceridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.”

This seems to be original material.  The reference to the “Cauldron of Ceridwen” brings in another of the goddesses mentioned at the start of the charge.  The equation of the cauldron to the Holy Grail, a very Christian symbol, is somewhat puzzling and inappropriate, but it has a nice poetic ring and flows on naturally from the previous line which as we have shown was likely borrowed from Christian liturgy.  It is of course also a popular theme in the Arthurian and Grail Mysteries, which might have influenced the person(s)who compiled this piece, due to its inherently ’Celtic’ overtones.

Years later, in An ABC of Witchcraft (originally published in 1973), Valiente quoted from Hargrave Jennings’ The Rosicrucians, Their Rites and Mysteries in her entry for the Cauldron. In this, if indeed she was the author of these lines, she may have revealed her inspiration for their inclusion, but this is purely speculation on our part, and certainly is not an adaptation of words / phrases as found throughout the Charge. “We claim the cauldron of the witches as, in the original, the vase or urn of fiery transmigration, in which all things of the world change”[10]

The idea of immortality is raised in relation to the incarnation of the Goddess on Earth in Law of Liberty, as we have seen in regards to the inclusion of Melusine earlier with the phrase “Elixir of Immortality”

“I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of
Joy unto the heart of Man.
Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal,
and beyond death I give peace and freedom,

and reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, “

This is another extract from the Law of Liberty, derived from Liber AL 1.58 adapted and expanded on from Crowley’s original: “For hear, how gracious is the Goddess; “I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.”

“…for behold, I am the Mother of all things,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.”

In The Golden Ass, Isis says of herself, “I am she that is the natural mother of all things,” giving a likely source for the use of this phrase.  In this context it could also possibly be derived from the Qabalistic title of the Sephira of Malkuth, “Mother of all living things”. Other than this these lines seem to be the original writings of the person(s) who compiled the Charge. The phrase “Mother of all things” is also found in Milton’s Paradise Lost, in Book XI where he wrote, “Eve rightly called, mother of all mankind, mother of all things living, since by thee Man is to live.” This may be significant as a subsequent line in the Charge also seems to originate with this same work by Milton.

“HP: Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess,“

Once again the text returns to Crowley’s Law of Liberty, “We have heard the voice of the Star Goddess”, emphasising the Egyptian stellar goddess Nuit, who represents the entire universe in the cosmology of Thelema.

“She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.”

This line appears to be more original material which is most likely a continuation of the reference to Nuit, who in Egyptian mythology is perceived as encircling the universe.  The phrase “Hosts of Heaven” is very widely used, but it is worth noting here that it may refer to the company of Angels in heaven in popular Christian use as it occurs several times in the Bible, or indeed to the Moon and Stars in the Occidental traditions, which again supports the idea that this line refers to the goddess Nuit.

“HPS: I who am the beauty of the green earth;
and the White Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters;  and the desire of the heart of man,”

This is largely original material, though it is possible the line “desire of the heart of man,” may have been inspired by Crowley’s bookThe Vision and the Voice (1909) where we find “I am the blind ache within the heart of man”.  We may note however that the phrase“beauty of the green earth” used in conjunction with stellar references was a common occurrence in Christian writings of the nineteenth and early twentieth century, so this is a well documented analogy.  Illustrating this point with two examples, in The British Preacher (1831) we read “How good must that light be which reveals to us the grandeur of the starry heavens, and the beauty of the green earth,” and in Evangelical Christendom (1893) we see, “if the glories of the starry heavens, if the beauty of the green earth never taught man of God”.


“call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me. “

This line is clearly again derived from Crowley’s work, as “arouse the coiled splendour within you: come unto me!” is found in both the Law of Liberty and its inspiration Liber AL I.61.

“For I am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe;
From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return.”

Uniquely this part of the Charge appears to come from the Ritual for Transformation of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, in which we find “O Soul of Nature giving life and energy to the Universe. From thee all things do proceed. Unto Thee all must return.”Alternatively it is possible that the author of the Charge took the line, “From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return”, directly from Milton’s Paradise Lost, which was the probable source of inspiration for the Golden Dawn.

“and before my face, Beloved of the Gods and men,”

This is again probably original material.  Although almost certainly just coincidental, we thought it amusing to mention that this line is also found in a novel published in 1908 which has a character called Doreen in![11] In Norse myths, Baldur, the son of Odin is often referred to as “beloved of Gods and men” which might have provided some inspiration for the use of the term; however this seems strange and unlikely considering he is male.  With these being words of the goddess this would be an inappropriate usage.  However, the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, was also sometimes referred to by the same title, and it is hopefully more likely that the author(s) of the Charge, may have taken their inspiration from this goddess rather than using the title of a male god.

“let thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the infinite.”

Again this seems to be derived from two more quotes merged from the Law of Liberty: “He is then your inmost divine self” and “in the constant rapture of the embraces of Infinite Beauty”.  These quotes are in reference to words spoken by Hadit, the masculine divine in the cosmology of Thelema.  Thus it is being used completely inappropriately as words spoken by the Goddess, as in fact it originates in relation to the God.  This may indicate that the person compiling this version of the Charge was not familiar with Crowley’s work or philosophy, but thought of the words themselves as mere poetry to be used, as it would seem from this that the material used to compile the Charge was used regardless of its original context and symbolism, instead being purely utilised for its poetic and emotive effects.  This recalls Valiente’s remark in An ABC of Witchcraft that Gardner told her he “had supplied words which seemed to him to convey the right atmosphere, to strike the right chords in one’s mind.” If this is the case, then it could also support the idea that Gardner was the author, or one of the authors, of the original, as it seems to have been rewritten from the Lift Up the Veil charge.

“Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold:”

The line “heart that rejoiceth” could be taken from Crowley’s Vision and the Voice, though it is not a unique phrase so this may be coincidence.

“all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; “

More from the Law of Liberty, here emphasising the sexual and sensual components of magickal ceremony in a very Crowleyan manner, “Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are rituals”

“and therefore let there be Beauty and Strength,
Power and Compassion,
Honour and Humility, Mirth and reverence within you.”

The reference to “beauty and strength” could be from Liber Al (AL II.20) or may be coincidence.  The rest all seems to be original, though it may have been inspired by “let there be Harmony and Beauty in your mystic loves, that in us may be health and wealth and strength and divine pleasure according to the Law of Liberty”; words spoken by the Deacon during the Gnostic Mass, another of Crowley’s works.

“And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know the mystery,
that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without thee, for behold;
I have been with thee from the beginning,
and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”

The inspiration here comes from Crowley’s Liber LXV, lines 59-60, “But I have called unto Thee, and I have journeyed unto Thee, and it availed me not. I waited patiently, and Thou wast with me from the beginning.”

---

[1] Kabbalah Unveiled, Mathers, 1887 [2] Kabbalah, Ponce,1974
[3] Proverbs 3:17-18.
[4] The Survival of the Pagan Gods, Seznec, 1953
[5] Manual d’archeologie prehistorique Celtique et Gallo-Romaine, Dechelette, 1908
[6] Mélusine de Lusignan, Jean d’Arras, 1393
[7] The Hero of the Longhouse, Mary Elisabeth Laing, 1920
[8] An Introduction to the Study of Dante, Symonds, 1890
[9] Essays in Romance and Studies from Life, Skelton, 1878
[10] An ABC of Witchcraft, Doreen Valiente, 1984
[11] Mary Ware: The Little Colonel’s Chum, Johnston, 1908

 

Auguri e Buon Natale a tutti! May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy!

Auguri e Buon Natale a tutti!  May your holidays be filled with warmth and joy!

This poem always makes me smile and brings back some of the most wonderful childhood memories of the holiday season.  Remember, this is the season for giving and sharing.  So, I'm sharing this poem with you and hope that it brings a smile to your face.

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie









THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Chthonioi Alexandrian Tradition - Beyond an Initiatory Line and into a Tradition

The following is a statement of identity of a "Line" of Alexandrian Craft that grown into a Tradition .  We began the writing of this document at the Chthonioi Family Grand Council held on May 30, 2009 C.E. and finished it in celebration of Samhain, October 31, 2010 C.E.  We are now making this document public.  Please feel free to contact me ( Vinnie Russo custserv@arsenic.com ) for additional information.

Chthonioi Alexandrian Tradition (of Wicca)

Beyond an Initiatory Line and into a Tradition:

The Chthonioi branch of the Alexandrian Du Bandia Grasail (DBG) Line has developed innovations that were and are significantly different from the practice of the more traditional DBG family, and from the practice of the wider Alexandrian community. The results have led to an extraordinarily rich heritage comprising Sabbats, Esbats, Initiations, Elevations, and kabalistic rites which acknowledge the ceremonial magic which Alex Sanders brought into the Gardnerian foundation of his practice.

The heritage of the Chthonioi is one of thoughtful, committed, and reverent worship, practice, teaching and service. It includes a tendency to teach about the perils of "glamour" and to mandate the practice of self-awareness techniques that minimize glamour. This has allowed the Line to produce generally sane and effective, sequential leadership through the daughter covens. As a result, the Chthonioi covens maintain close family ties with each other and even in some cases with "cousins" from the more traditional branches of DBG. We consider the Chthonioi Line to be a distinct path which is Alexandrian-derived, and we have practiced as such since 1974 alongside and in harmony with those Traditional Alexandrians who consider us Kin.

As is proper in a hierarchical tradition, we discuss questions of tradition with our elders, both within the Chthonioi family and with our traditional Du Bandia Grasail Line cousins, and come to a consensus. In this case, many generations of Chthonioi, as well as other traditional Alexandrians in the Du Bandia Grasail Line, have discussed the changes in our practice over the years and have concluded that we do, in fact, deviate enough from core Alexandrian practice that we should add the modifier “Chthonioi” to our Line name. Based on the long established working relationship and history with our kin, we feel that a clarification in name accomplishes several things:

1.   It defines us as an identifiable derivation of the Alexandrian Tradition without claiming to be Traditional Alexandrian

2.   It allows the more Traditional Alexandrians to choose for themselves if they want to acknowledge our Line as kin without having our praxis imposed on them

3.   It allows those Traditional Alexandrians who do consider us kin to still share with us a diverse magical working relationship and attend each others′ events, as has been done since 1974/5 (the birth of Chthonioi Coven/Order of Ganymede), as well as to cross-train students in more than one family line.

Claiming the right to define ourselves, based on consensus from many available generations of elders in our line, we have made the decision to formally establish ourselves as the "Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition" or “Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca”.

Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca, a brief description:

The term “Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca” is used to describe the practice of the Boston-based family of covens directly downline from and including Coven Chthonioi. Coven Chthonioi (and daughter Covens) grew out of the Alexandrian practice of its founders in the 1960′s/1970′s, and is the oldest continuous Line descended from Du Bandia Grasail, the first documented Alexandrian Coven in the USA. Chthonioi and its downline are, in general, open and non-secretive, on the principle that the Mysteries guard themselves well enough without us throwing additional obstacles in the path of understanding.

Originally purely Alexandrian, Coven Chthonioi early on changed its worship from that of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of Britain to that of the Gods and Goddesses of Greece (Greco-Roman Pantheon and Isian worship), and changed its ritual form somewhat to suit this change in mythology. Many of the original founders (Chthonioi/Ganymede) were students of comparative religion and Classics. Given the enormous effect Greek and Roman culture has had on American arts, architecture, law and politics, since before the founding of the country, this pantheon has proven especially well-suited to our culture and our focus on social workings.  In addition, the comprehensive documentation of Greco-Roman religious practice and philosophy allowed early leaders of the coven to easily form a coherent Tradition.  Nonetheless the basic ritual form we use (Casting the Circle, Drawing Down the Moon, Initiations) is closely enough based on our Alexandrian background that most all of the local  completely traditional Alexandrians consider us Kin or “kissing-cousins”.

Most Traditional Alexandrians consider themselves to fall under the description of BTW or British Traditional Wicca. The term "Wicca" here refers specifically to the lineaged, initiatory mystery religions with roots in the New Forest region of Great Britain, manifested today through various "traditions" all linked with a common ancestry back to the New Forest area. "Wiccans" or "The Wica" are the properly initiated and lineaged members of those Traditions. Like our more traditional Alexandrian kin, our Tradition′s members are properly initiated and lineaged members who also trace our lineage back in an unbroken initiatory succession to Alex Sanders.

Coven Chthonioi is the originator of the cycle of rituals that has become known as the Book of the Provider (or Provider Cycle). The Provider Cycle is a series of rituals performing sacred enactments of ancient fertility lore surrounding the Wheel of the Year within the growing and harvest times, and using the symbology of the Earth Mother/Harvest Maiden and the Sun King/Harvest Lord. Most Covens in the Chthonioi-Alexandrian family practice a recognizable form of the Provider Cycle as part of their material and pass down the original Alexandrian Book of Shadows (the “Burned Book” version) as well as considerable additional material.

The name Coven of the Chthonioi, which is Greek — χθωνιοι— means “the People of the Earth,” or “the earth-born,” since first in our prayers we call on Earth, the Mother of us all. The name also refers to the gods of the earth and the realm under the earth, especially Demeter and Persephone, who are central to our Book of the Provider. These were the gods particularly associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient initiatory religious tradition that inspired most, if not all, later secret initiatory societies.

General practices:

We share many things in common with our Traditional Alexandrian Kin. We celebrate the eight Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year, and we celebrate both the New and Full Moons (with variations from coven to coven.)  The original Book of Shadows material passed to our Line is present within our Lore and rituals (sometimes obviously, sometimes hidden) and honors our origin and core practice. As a family we do not believe that the Book of Shadows defines or limits us, rather it provides a starting point from which to grow. We feel that Tradition and Innovation are two sides of one coin that, when wisely integrated together, foster healthy growth and fruitful spirituality.

The Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition is organized into Covens, and families of Covens. It is not possible to self-initiate into the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition; it is only possible to be Initiated into the Line by someone already in the Line authorized to do so. Each coven is autonomous and we claim the sole right to determine for ourselves what constitutes our core practices. As of this writing, Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca has at least 6 generations of active Covens.

Covens in the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca tend to emphasize the creative and dynamic character of the Alexandrian Tradition. Since Alex Sanders himself continued to change and evolve his practice of Wicca throughout his life, the Chthonioi branch feels empowered, and even obliged, to continue the creative growth and development of the tradition. These covens place a great emphasis on group ritual, and often incorporate ideas and techniques from non-Wiccan forms of ritual magic. The magic practiced in this branch is primarily theurgic in nature, aiming to effect a subtle inner transformation of the spirit. It is our deeply held belief that Wicca, and specifically Chthonioi-Alexandrian Wicca, is a living growing being of beauty and strength.

Some features that distinguish us from traditional Alexandrians include:

1. The use of pantheons other than the traditional gods of Wicca, primarily but not exclusively Greek/Greco-Roman. In particular, the Tradition works with gods that were involved in the ancient Eleusinian and Isian Mystery religions. Some covens have developed rituals based on ancient mystical and initiatory traditions from other regions as well. The approach taken to the worship of the gods involves both scholarly study of ancient traditions and direct experiential interaction with the gods.
2. The teaching and use of the Provider Cycle and other materials written by Lucifer, the founding High Priest of Coven Chthonioi, and expanded by others.  The following selected excerpts from “Raise the Song of Harvest Home” [1] give an idea as to the nature of the Book of the Provider/Provider Cycle:
1. The Provider Cycle( PC) is a series of rituals performed during the growing season starting at the New Moon or Full Moon (depending on timing) immediately after the Spring Equinox, and continuing on each Full Moon until the closest one before Samhain (October 31st).  (Note: some Covens practice the PC throughout the entire year by using material in addition to the original.)
2. Arachne, a Sister of the Order of Ganymede, states in her published remembrance of Lucifer, “The Cycle is perhaps best seen as a rewriting of the Mysteries of Eleusis appropriate to our time and climate; a celebration of the endless cycle of life and death.”  The PC owes much of its meaning and drama to its representation of a “Sacred King cycle”.
3. The Provider Cycle is an example of successful creation of modern “traditional” ritual.  Traditionalization of these new rites was accomplished by careful incorporation of material from pre- and post -20th Century literary sources.  The old materials were chosen for their ability to be supportive of the flow of the ritual story, and are made to appear as part of the larger PC whole by the context in which they appear, and by judicious word substitution that does not break the flow of the original meter.
3. The concept that the polarity of “male” and “female” energies and their immanent divinity reside within each one of us, and can be accessed at will. This may be influenced by physical gender but is not necessarily bound by it. The work of polarity magic is expected to take place primarily on the inner planes. The goal of the work is for each priestess and each priest ultimately to have access to both God and Goddess energies within themselves, and to be able to encompass the full creative polarity each within their own auras.
4. Some branches of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian have incorporated Same-Sex Initiations (SSI) as a way of acknowledging the importance and validity of inner contacts and true connection to the divine regardless of physical gender.  Although not universally practiced by all within our Tradition, we nonetheless acknowledge SSIs as equally valid, lineaged, proper Initiations and part of our Tradition.

Standards of Conduct:

Chthonioi-Alexandrians adhere to the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law. We do not charge money for teaching or ritual, beyond a fair sharing of actual ritual expenses. We are mindful of the power differential between Elders and students and so strive to avoid inappropriate personal, material or sexual exchanges within the context of coven relationships. Exploitative or abusive relationships of any kind are not tolerated. We have a strong ethic of personal initiative, responsibility, and accountability, and encourage the kind of personal development that allows members to function highly in these respects.

History of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Line:

                (The following is paraphrased from “Witches at the Hub of the Universe [2])

The Du Bandia Grasail Line is one of the oldest continuous Alexandrian-derived lines in America, dating from the initiation of Summanus by Alex and Maxine Sanders in 1969, and his development of the early coven which became Du Bandia Grasail. Summanus was the original founder of DBG and worked with the coven for several years before turning the leadership over to "Lucifer" (who took his name for its original meaning, “Light-bearer”) in 1973.

In 1974, Lucifer and the other coven elders recognized that, even at that time, there were already differences within the Alexandrian Tradition and they as elders were unable to decide which direction the coven would or should take. Lucifer returned to consult with Summanus on the issues involved.  Lucifer was advised to set up his own group, one that could celebrate all the “traditional” holidays, but also allow them to continue to  build on the original Wiccan system.

As the original coven was unavoidably going to break up, and since none of the factions could truly be said to embody the original coven any longer, none of them were to retain the Du Bandia name.  Instead, in 1974, the DBG line split in into three traditional branches which kept to rituals more closely based on the original Alexandrian BOS, and one more progressive branch (Chthonioi/ Ganymede Line), which kept the original Alexandrian BoS at its core but continued to expand, change, and actively incorporate further materials.

The original daughter covens of the original Alexandrian DBG coven were:

·         Coven of the Chthonioi / Order of Ganymede, 1974-present (originator of the cycle of rituals that has become known as The Book of the Provider)

·         Astreas, 1973-1984 (Dubuque 1973-75, Milwaukee 1975-84), merged with outer court Sophia ca. 1978, and still continues through “hives”

·         Uil′iomlan Tri-fillte Mathair ("Gefilltefisch"), 1974-1976

·         ArDealrach Baintighearna, 1974-1981

DBG Today:

The Lines off the original DBG coven, both more traditional and more progressive, continue and prosper today in Massachusetts and elsewhere, with active training given by people who were present in the 1970’s and later. Some members of the DBG line are responsible for the development of the Society of Elder Faiths, (a 501(c)3 Pagan church) which has been providing public ritual, workshops and retreats for thirteen years.  Other members of the DBG line have  been active in helping to produce some of the major festivals and newsletters which drew pagans together in the decades before the Internet made it easier for people to find each other.  And others have quietly offered public ritual in small occult stores for decades. These positive outcomes were made possible by members of both the more-traditional Line (Uil’iomlan Tri-fillte Mathair) and the more-progressive Line (Chthonioi/Ganymede) working loosely with each other as members of the same Family, as equals.

Finally, a small disclaimer and a word of thanks:

Because Elders are autonomous in our Tradition, none of us can possibly speak for all of us. Because we value individual autonomy within our Tradition, we understand that there may be disagreement over particular choices made by covens or individuals of our Line. We consider dynamic and enlightened exploration of such disagreements to be healthy, and do not see them as creating barriers between friendly, working relationships within our Wiccan family. In light of this, we do not expect all members of our family to agree with everything presented.

It is with thanks and deep appreciation that those of us "old enough to remember" wish to acknowledge the Protean Line of the Gardnerian family, and specifically Judy Harrow.  Proteus and it′s downline have an analogous relationship to the Gardnerians as the Chthonioi Line does to the Alexandrians. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their willingness to declare themselves different, liberal and progressive, while nonetheless definite members of the Gardnerian Family.   May the Protean Line always prosper!

This essay was written, edited, compiled, and approved by the following Elders and Initiates of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca and made public in celebration of Samhain, October 31, 2010 C.E.:

Vincent Russo HP, Coven Synchronos, Sheaves of Dememter

Raven HPs, Coven Synergy

Arachne HPs, Symbios

Lakshmi HPs (Current), Chthonioi

Shamash HP, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Steve Wage, Delios Eros, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Astrea, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Albion, Cthonioi

Gwyddion, Chthonioi, Ganymede

Mabon, Chthonioi

Lucia, Ganymede, Chthonioi

Iris, Moonfire, Ganymede

Marilyn Bernstein, W.W., Chthonioi, Ganymede

Janus HP, Spawn Far Coven

LoriJoy, SpawnFar Coven

Iris, Symbios

Pomona, Symbios

Aurora, Symbios

Briannan HPS, Amaltheia, Sheaves of Demeter

Ain, Sheaves of Demeter

Thymele HP of Synergy

Binah, Coven Synergy

Ash, Coven Synergy

Cypress, Synergy Coven

Hanuman HP, Holoklaros, Ganymede, Symbios

Dragonfly HPS, Holoklaros

Epona, Holoklaros

Tree, Holoklaros

Blackthorne, Holoklaros

Anubis HP, Kouretes

Runa HPs, Kouretes

Miranda, Kouretes (Symbios, Earthclad, Amaltheia)

Nyx, Kouretes

Marta, Kouretes

Berta A. Miller-Daniels, Order of Ouroboros

TreeFire, Mnemosyne′s Well, Spawnfar, Silver Cauldron

Wade Birdwell, Urla 303, Rabbit Hole Koven, New Orleans

Rowan, Persephone’s Midden/Coven Temenos

Bran, Temenos/Solitary

Sources:

[1]  Raise the Song of Harvest Home: The Created Ritual Cycle of a Modern Wiccan Lineage – A research Essay by Betty Widerski, © 2002 (selected excerpts).

[2]  Witches at the Hub of the Universe: The History of Du Bandia Grasail and its Successors (Summanus’ Account) – Part 1 & Part 2 (selected excerpts).

Resources

Coven Chthonioi: http://orderofganymede.org/

DBG Family Tree: http://chthonioi.org/familytree/dbgline.html

Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition: http://chthonioi.org/ (This is the website of the Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition, a progressive Alexandrian based tradition of Wicca.)