CREEDS
The Autarchic Creed
We of the Old Religion have our own particular pact with our deities
that charges simply, "An it harm none, do as ye will." And our gods do
not despise us for being human but delight in our celebrations of life
and love.
We are ageless souls, only for a while within bodies - merely visitors
upon this plane. We are brothers to the gods and only temporarily
cousins to the ape, and our lives belong to us, not to this world nor
to its earthly governors.
We are not doomed to shame and decay; not lost; not indentured to perish
with earthly manifestations; not disposed to eternal misery
for any past or present lapses of courage or wisdom. We are as children
in the school of life who must learn our lessons, on life at a time, before we
graduate.
Our lives span the march of time, striving upward, subordinate
only to our individual probity and growth. But in this mortal life,
greedy, trivial hierophants and mundane rulers have perpetrated a fraud upon
humanity.
They have purloined for profit and temporal power, our legitimate heritage,
and that of all society, and have substituted for it shame, despair, and fear,
inventing evil deities to terrify and to constrain mankind
from the exercise of his own native conscience.
Still we take our uncertain portion time and again, joining with the species
on this plane, only to meet with earthly disunity and distress; only to be
told by bogus, uncelestial shepherds that we are deficient and fundamentally
iniquitous; constantly rebuked that our natural birthright is insubstantial
or even sinful, and that we must cleave to the pious injunctions of reigning
mortals, no matter how oppressive, or suffer beyond measurable time, yearning
for some mythical golden glory just out of reach, but somehow never quite worthy
of it.
That is the apocryphal hell and the fabled Satan; they are of mortal
creation; they are now, not in some remote bye-and-bye; and those who choose to
believe in them perpetuate them in this earth. But nevertheless, by sublime design,
despite narrowness, folly or fear, we all, each and every one, possess this wondrous
legacy: that each of us sustains a singular covenant with the cosmic, in that the
soul is and ever was, one with the universe, conducting itself in concordance with
the absolute.
And whatever paths it may walk, or whichever faith it may follow, on sojourn at
a time, each shall as a consequence of that oneness, and attuning with its destiny,
eventually return on its own to its source to again be part of that totality, atoned,
aware and unshackled.
Unknown
Shamanic Rede
We have learned to respect Nature and all of its components as a carrier and
possessor of a life force and energy. Everything, everywhere holds the energy,
and although we may look to a God, Goddess, or Object for guidance, inspiration,
help, or protection,
we are truly speaking to the energy that makes up the focal
point.
From this energy we have experienced the Power and the Magick,
and through this we have been granted the abilities to: heal, both physically
and emotionally, ourselves, nature, and others. We use divination methods to see
the unseen influences, future outcomes through spell casting, and to
assemble a personal belief system to live by. Our belief system allows us to
be individuals, and as so being, are granted a certain right, the right to make
our own choices and beliefs so long as they are within the guidelines of the
Rede that states:
I must always attempt to fill my heart, mind and Magick with positive energy,
and in my attempt to do what is right, I shall be rewarded in my knowing that
it is for the greater good.
To harm or unduly influence freewill, I shall take care not to do, and should it happen,
intentionally or not, the energies that be, shall return negatively to thee, by
a sum of three.
Unknown
The Witches' Creed
Hear Now the words of the witches,
The
secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now
we bring forth into light.
Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and
the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and
keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing
of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the
magical ring.
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and the
witches are seen
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old
Halloween.
When day-time and night-time are equal,
When Sun is at
greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
And Witches
gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the
coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
For each golden year
and a day.
The power that was passed down the ages,
Each time between
woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages
began.
When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame of
power,
Its compass between two worlds lies,
In land of the shades for that
hour.
This world has no right then to know it,
And world of beyond
will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of
magic is wrought.
For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand at the
gate of the shrine,
And two are thepowers of nature,
The forms and the
forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites
each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this our ancestors
teach.
By night he's the wild wind's rider,
The Horn'd One, the Lord
of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green
forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the
torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone
who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
That
dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to
free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And dance
and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall receive
us
In peace at the end of our days.
And "Do What You Will" be the
challenge,
So be it Love that harms none,
For this is the only
commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!
Doreen
Valiente
"Witchcraft For Tomorrow"
The Witch's
Rede of Chivalry
Chivalry is a high code of honor which is of most
ancient pagan origin, and must be lived by all who follow the old ways.
It must be keened that thoughts and intent put forth on this middle
earth will wax strong in other worlds beyond, and return... bringing into
creation, on this world, that which had been sent forth. Thus one should
exercise discipline, for "as ye do plant, so shall ye harvest."
It is by
only preparing our minds to be as gods and goddesses that we can ultimately
attain godhead.
"This above all... to thine own self be true."
A
witches word must have the validity of a signed and witnessed oath. Thus give
thy word sparingly, but adhere to it like iron.
Refrain from speaking
ill of others, for not all truths of the matter may be known.
Pass not
unverified words about another, for hearsay is, in large part, a thing of
falsehoods.
Be thou honest with others, and have them known that honesty
is likewise expected from them.
The fury of the moment plays folly with
the truth, to keep ones head is a virtue.
Contemplate always the
consequences of thine acts upon others. Strive not to harm.
Diverse
covens may have diverse views on love between members and others. When a coven,
clan or grove is visited or joined, one should discern quietly their practices,
and abide thereby.
Dignity, a gracious manner and a good humor are much
to be admired.
As a witch, thou hast power, and thy powers wax strongly
as wisdom increases. Therefore exercise discretion thereof.
Courage and
honor endure forever.
Their echoes remain when the mountains have fallen and
crumbled to dust.
Pledge friendship and fealty to those who so warrant.
Strengthen those of the brethren and they shall strengthen thee.
Thou
shalt not reveal the secrets of another witch or coven. Others have labored long
and hard and cherish them as treasures.
Though there may be differences
between those of the old ways, those who are once born must see nothing, and
must hear nothing.
Those who follow the mysteries should be above
reproach in the eyes of the world.
The laws of the land should be obeyed
whenever possible and within reason, for in
the main they have been chosen
with wisdom.
Have pride in thy self and seek perfection in body and in
mind. For the lady has said "How cans't thou honor another, lest they honor thy
self first?"
Those who seek the mysteries should consider themselves
select of the gods and goddesses, for it is they who lead the race of humankind
to the highest of thrones and beyond the very stars.
Ed Fitch
"A
Grimour of Shadows"
This Page Was Updated 2005
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