Messages In This Digest (3 Messages)

1.: The Burning Times. From: Blackbird

2.: Witch Essentials - A Vision. From: Blackbird

3.: Full Snow Moon - 18th. From: Blackbird

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1.: The Burning Times.

Posted by: "Blackbird" blackbird_61@yahoo.com blackbird_61

Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:40 pm (PST)

Today (15Feb1521) Leo X issues a Papal Bull to ensure that secular
courts carry out the executions of witches convicted of by the
Inquisition. The Bull was a response to a courts refusal to carry out
the work of the Church. Source Llewellyn's Witches Datebook for 2011.

When I was a young man; it was Taken as Read amoung many Witches and
Pagans that some 9,000,000 of us died in the Burning times. Today that
number has been largely debunked, Patti Wigington gives a number around
200,000
<http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccanpaganhistory/i/Burning_Times.htm>
and Issac Bonewits who coined the phrase, "Never again the Burning"
<http://www.neopagan.net/AquarianManifesto.html> was quoting a number
between 50 and 250,0001 before he died, I believe.

But these numbers are hugely dependant on just when the Burning times
begin; for myself, I hold to John Lashes opinion that the Burning times
should begin with the death of Hyapatia
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Witch_Essentials/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hy\
patia> , and the burning of the library of Alexandria; for here we see
the beginning of the Massacre of the Gnostics, the Destruction of the
Ancient World, and the purposeful extermination of the Mystery Schools
to which we owe a profound Spiritual Heritage; 2 In her article at
about.com Patti Wigington quotes a popularly accepted time of around the
9th Century; and Bonewits gives 906 and the issuance in his Essential
Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca (pg34) linked below; but IMHO this time is
incorrect for it discounts centuries of murder in the name of the
church. And of course not all those killed where Pagan, per se, a great
many where Gnostics and Hypatia was Gnostic, or Agnostic depending on
the Author, and I don't believe we know for sure but she we cannot be
sure she was Pagan per se.

I can see the impulse to shave down the body count here; but IMHO we
where killed by a common enemy, for a common crime. A centuries long war
of extermination was waged by The Church of Rome against any spiritual
vision other than that of the church; they did not see a significant
distinction; Pagan, Gnostic, Heretic, we all made good kindling. Should
we then draw the line, and say my Gnostic brother, was not my brother,
though Gnostic Brother and Pagan sister burned together; No I believe we
owe it to our spiritual forbearers, to bear fierce witness in their
honor, and to the crimes visited upon them, we owe it to their memory,
that they not be forgotten, we owe it to our children, that it never
happen again; we owe it to ourselves, that we remind ourselves we come
from good and brave people who did not surrender their beliefs in the
face of vicious hatred.

And while we must respect the past as past,
we must not lay undo blame on Modern Catholics and Christians, for
crimes of the deep past; that is not the intention of this piece and I
hope it is not what you have taken from this essay; rather this I think.

If we Gather here to engage in "Witch Essentials"

IMHO those must include,

To be Aware of and Practice the Craft of the Wise in the Present.

To be aware of and Honor our Past.

And to Offer up a Vision for the Future.

I hope we have honored one of those essentials today,
Brightest Blessings, BB.

----------------------------------------------------------

1. Issac Bonewitts Bonewit's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca
<http://books.google.com/books?id=KEOXvRTZ_6sC&lpg=PA33&ots=cWR4DZn1DY&d\
q=%22The%20Burning%20Times%22%20Bonewits&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q&f=false>
Page 41

2. John Lash: Not in his Image
<http://www.amazon.com%2FNot-His-Image-Gnostic-Ecology%2Fdp%2F193149892X\
&ei=IKBZTYqOBJC-sQPgzeWcDA&usg=AFQjCNGM-WSlRYRBmZO-3blggw_ra0I7aA>

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2.: Witch Essentials - A Vision.

Posted by: "Blackbird" blackbird_61@yahoo.com blackbird_61

Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:40 pm (PST)

In yesterday's post I mentioned that amoung the "Witch Essentials" as I
precieve them is offering a vision forward; today I was informed my dear
friend penny has just published a piece that that offers just that
vision. It is a true syncronicity and one I am sure I am meant to share
with you. Blessings, BB.
_______________________________

How can humans become ecocentric, a part of and symbiotic with the
ecosphere or even our own watershed, our own local ecosystem? And how
might our future humankind have gained those ways of perceiving
themselves within our world´s living systems? Eco-centric poet Penny
Novak describes her vision of ecotopia, Read this Post
<http://dandeliontimes.net/2011/02/visions-of-ecotopia/> .

Visions of Ecotopia
by Penny Novack, February 12, 2011

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3.: Full Snow Moon - 18th.

Posted by: "Blackbird" blackbird_61@yahoo.com blackbird_61

Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:07 pm (PST)

Ok we are just days away from Full Moon, The full moon will be in Leo, but enter Virgo about an hour later; 4:39 am; Meanwhile the Sun enters Pisces 7:25 PM (Eastern Times).

Still that Leo moon will be an oppertunity to Shine, work a little Glamour. Blessings, BB.

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