Seekers and Guides: A Balm for a Pagan Plague – High Priestess’ Disease (Part 2)

June 3, 2013 By 4 Comments
MargaretHamiltoninTheWizardOfOz

High Priestess’ Disease is an epidemic in many Pagan circles.  It can be described as an overinflated view of one’s own importance that afflicts many of us who are just beginning to come into our real power as Witches.  In the last column, I detailed the symptoms and possible causes.  In this article, I will characterize and explain how to prevent and treat this deadly ailment. Prevention If you can head the behaviors off at the pass, you can prevent the development of the disease.  If … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Columns, Community, Seekers and Guides Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

The Busy Witch: Why I Am A Witch

April 2, 2013 By 6 Comments
Cheeky Cat

Patheos is hosting a challenge right now: answer the question “Why I am a...” in 200 words or less.  I’ve decided to answer with a poem.   Why I am a Witch: Maybe it’s because of my lifelong fascination with mythology. Or maybe it’s because  Bedknobs and Broomsticks was my favorite childhood movie. Or maybe it’s because I read The Mists of Avalon at just the right age. Or maybe it’s because I grew up surrounded by strong women, and I value my inherent power. Or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Columns, Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories, The Busy Witch Tagged With: , , , , , 6 Comments

Seekers and Guides: How to Reach Any Student

March 4, 2013 By 3 Comments
snwt1916e

If you teach, you’ve seen it; the students who are doodling aimlessly on their worksheets, drooling on the table while they snore, or clowning disruptively and asking entirely off-topic questions.  In short, they’re bored.  You wonder why they would come to your class if they don’t really want to learn.  But studying the Craft is by definition an activity you undertake in your spare time, and they actually showed up, so why aren’t they paying attention? In my last column, I offered … [Read more...]

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Seekers and Guides: Finding Your Learning Style

February 18, 2013 By 1 Comment
Bored Teenager

 It’s a fact: everybody learns differently.  You might think of yourself as not being smart enough to learn some things, but the truth is, it probably wasn’t instructed in a way that was compatible with your personal learning style.  In her book Lies We Live By, Dr. Stephanie Burns details four basic styles of learning.  Most of us lean strongly towards one or another.  If you understand how you learn best, you can select instruction that will be more effective for you.  A good Craft … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Columns, Family & Household Practice, Ritual and Practice, Seekers and Guides Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Seekers and Guides: When the Master is Ready, the Student Shall Appear

February 4, 2013 By 1 Comment
Young Witch Png1 TKahrs_PringleHillStudio

Because we have no firm standards of training for Witches and Pagans, many of us struggle with the issue of becoming a teacher.  How do we know that we are ready?  How do we know that we aren’t being presumptuous? I’ll just start by saying that anyone who extends themselves as a leader, teacher or organizer in the Pagan community is going to get “hated on.”  It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong; it just means that someone is threatened by you.  Consider the criticism … [Read more...]

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