Letters I Have Received
from Non-Pagans

I had a slight issue with one section - under "About Wicca".
In the article - it actually takes biblical references completely out of
context.

Misrepresentation is not truth.

I'm sure follower's of the Wiccan religion do not want Wicca to be
misrepresented *as this site appears to try and fix misunderstandings*.
Likewise - I would like to point out that some of the items I found on this
website misrepresent my religion.

I would only like to address this one particular article, however, if I may
have a brief bit of your time.

The article I speak of is "A Christian Speaksof
Wicca and Witchcraft by James Clement Taylor"

First part that is misrepresented:
What he says"
     There are many Christians today who believe that anyone who is not a
Christian is doomed to an eternity of suffering in hell. Any decent person,
believing this, would be compelled to try to save as many people from this fate as
possible. But is this belief correct? Jesus Christ, having noted the faith and
righteousness of a Roman centurion, a Pagan, proclaimed:

"Assuredly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom
will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth." (Matthew 8:10-12)

In this passage, Christ is merely noting the Gentile's strength of faith that
Christ could heal the Roman Centurian's servant.
And Christ first reached out to the Jewish people *as they were God's chosen
people* and were to come first - then Christ reached out to the Gentiles
afterwards.
So Christ does reach out to those not originally believing in God or Christ.
That does not mean that Christ said non-believers would go to heaven.
The reasoning in this author's statements are unsound.
The term "Christian" or "Christianity" didn't even come about till later.
It only identifies those that claim to worship a religion based on the bible
and of the Christ.
It does not necessarily mean a person was saved or accepted Christ as their
savior - however.
Someone can claim to be a witch or wiccan but that does't necessiarily mean
they really are - as you even point out.
At any rate - the bible does not state that heaven will contain individuals who
are not "christians".
It does state very clearly that one must believe in Christ to enter.
In fact - it states Christ is the only way to do so. 
The term in today's world notes individuals who claim to worship the Chrisitan
religion.
Again - it does not mean they actually are believers. Someone can claim to be a
christian but not be in reality or their hearts and practices. Hence what the
verse is really stating/speaking of.
If you read the bible - it specifically states the only way into heaven is to
believe in Christ and accept that he died and rose again three days later - took
the world's sins upon his shoulders (i.e. your sins and paid the price - both
by dying on a cross and then in hell itself).
If you believe in him and accept his gift - then and only then will you be
allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven.
This because when God goes to judge you - Christ intercedes and is able to say
- I paid for this individual's sins.
Christ's blood covers that sin.

Allowing this article bothers me most because I have to wonder if you've read
the bible.
Even simply the book of Matthew.
If you read it - any of it *a whole chapter - otherwise - it can be out of
context b/c you won't understand what you are reading* - you would see this was
misrepresented on your page.
That should bother you - whether you believe in my faith or not.
It makes your page less credible on all accounts.
In addition to - I've read and studied your religion. I don't misrepresent it,
however.

Perhaps more information should be understood before simply thrown onto your
website.
I don't appreciate the misrepresentation.

The person claiming to be a christian who wrote it has a very poor
understanding of scripture - at best.

It is not through our deeds that we enter heaven. Christianity is the only
religion I've studied that says you cannot obtain heaven through something of
yourself.

And Wiccans may not worship Satan - but they do not believe in him either -
which is perhaps the more dangerous of the two.

Perhaps the most damaging to the Wiccan religion is your mention of its not
being created till the 1960's.
Any religion that has not existed for long periods of time is more likely to
have been fabricated.
How am I to believe in something that didn't come about till such a later
period in time?
We were created long before the 1960's.
If the mother goddess - as Wiccan's seem to understand her *as a tiny example8
- had been about - then why was she not figured out till 1960?

You also mention that Wiccans study nature.
The bible specifically states God created nature - the heavens and the earth.
It says that people who worship the sun or otherwise are fools.
You do not worship the same God.
The individual stating that the two religions do - is wrong.
The bible has many versus to illustrate that this is not the case - especially
the one dealing with not worshiping stars and etc.

However - whether I share your view or not - I try to treat others as I would
like to be treated.
Unlike the Wiccan negative connotation - that what goes around comes back
around - I believe I should treat you well because it is how I would want to be
treated.

I only share this to point out some flaws I have perceived in what was stated
on your site.

Best of luck! And my humblest apologies if I have offended you!

But please, better sources and less misrepresentation or faulty words about my
faith - thanks!

-saxichan
 

Aloha,

Thank you very much for pointing this out to me. Of course it is very important not to misrepresent any religion, whether you believe it or not.

I have gone back and read this chapter and you do describe it correctly. This passage has been taken completely out of context. While I cannot rewrite the article because it is not my own, I can insert and editor's comment which corrects this passage as taken out of context.

It was many years ago that I read the bible and as I am not a Christian I do not study it or reread it often, so I cannot remember every single story. I do appreciate my readers bringing wrongs to my attention, however.

As for Wicca, it was not an official religion until recently. Wicca was not, however just made up in the 1960s. Wiccan practices as well as other Pagan practices have been around for tens of thousands of years. We have even found archaeological evidence of a "Mother Goddess" dating over 24,000 years before the birth of Christ.

These Pagan practices were common up until the rise of Christianity. I understand it is not the work of God that the inquisition arrived, but there were evil people at that time who did terrible things to non-Christians in the name of God, and who did attempt to stamp out all forms of Paganism. Those terrible times were a major influence in the rise of Christianity and marked a period in which Pagan practices either were not done at all or were practiced in secret. Some people continued these practices until modern times, keeping many of the ancient traditions and also adopting new traditions, even Christian ones.

During the middle of the last century, people were finding that many things including nudity, drugs, smoking, and exhibitionism were more acceptable. One group of people who called themselves "Wiccans" decided that it was time to make themselves known to the world. They wrote books which were offered for sale and it led to the open popularity of the religion today.

Wicca is often called "The Old Religion" or you may hear it referred to as "The Old Ways." Of course this does not mean that Wicca is an ancient religion. Many of the ancient traditions have been lost over the years. Wicca is what pieces we have left of the ancient traditions along with some major changes that followers felt were necessary for the changing times. For example, ritual killings are no longer practiced. Wiccans believe in harming no living creatures unless it is necessary for survival. This is not an ancient tradition, but then there are no religions I can think of that are identical to their ancient counterparts.

Even if Wicca were a new religion, I see no reason why it would not be just as viable as any ancient religion. After all, every single religion had to begin sometime. Even Christianity had a beginning, but that doesn't mean that it is not a true religion. By that reasoning, saying that Christianity was not "fabricated" because it is 2000 years old might as well be saying that Paganism is definitely the true religion. After all, it couldn't have possibly been fabricated because it is at least tens of thousands of years older than Christianity. Of course, that isn't true at all.

The reference you read that the Sun and the Christian God are the same is quite possibly geared toward the Pharaoh Akhenaten. Akhenaten revolutionized ancient Egypt by converting the entirety of Egypt to monotheism, the very first time this had ever occurred in know history. Akhenaten called God "Aten" and believed that God was both masculine and feminine and that God had designed all of creation. In art and scripture, Aten was sometimes described as humanlike (as Christians describe him) and sometimes symbolized by the solar disk or the sun. The rays of the sun were a symbol of Aten's divine power over the earth. Many historians believe that this may be where old Christianity had its beginnings. (I hope that you do not take this as an offense. I understand that you believe what the Bible says, but as I am not Christian, I also believe in science and history.) Thus, the notion that God and the Sun are one in the same. This is not true for Christians.

Pagans do believe that there is one god, but they also believe that this god can be all things. Not that God made all of creation, but that God IS all of creation and in essence created him/her/itself. Pagans believe that because God is all things, we can appeal to a certain aspect of God.

I, for example, am myself. I am just me and I am nobody else. But to others, I am completely different people. I am my brother's sister. I am my husband's lover. I am my mother's daughter. To some, I am sure I am even an enemy. Pagans believe that God can be all things to all people. The Goddess is not a separate entity from God or "The All/Great Spirit/whatever you want to call It." The Goddess is the feminine aspect, the feminine side of God; the mother that mothers everywhere seek for advice: the embodiment of femininity that is part of God. At the same time, I understand that Christians do not wish to be described as "worshiping the sun" as that is completely false. You are correct. That statement is completely untrue. 

And please do not humble yourself, my friend. I am not angered at all at your words. Religion is very important to me - not just my own. I believe that religion is the most sacred thing and that it is necessary for humans to have faith in something good that embodies love in all forms and teaches us, at least in some small way, to change the world for the better.

Sincerely,
Amber S.

P.S. I hope that you do not mind me posting this letter on my website. I do not want to completely get rid of the article, but at the same time, I want my readers to understand that what they are reading is false in some way. It is an important lesson to learn that not everything you read or hear is true. It's valuable to study and reference whenever possible.

--saxichan's return e-mail--

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I'm Arden and I am an Israeli witch. My faith is pagan though I was raised as a jew. I wish to correct you. "you shall not suffer a witch to live;" actually means witchcraft. it is the only word in hebrew which is both verb and a noun "mehachefa" is a female witch in translation. In the bible we can clearly see the hate for all pagan and witchcraft things: one of these is seen in the story: "king Saul and the witch of Endor" were king Saul was punished severly for counsolting the dead. and again; there is a law in the bible which states that if there is one pagan family in a hebrew city; the whole city is condnmed. the words for poisoner and murdrer are "maraail" and "routzeah" which as you understand are not the same as witch. I really love your website and I can see you really put your heart and soul in it. you did a great job!

please forgive me for any spelling and grammer mistakes for English is not my native
tongue
BB
Arden.

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Dear Amber,
I have followed with excitement your e-work for a few years and must confess that your site is far the best. Your personal imprint on it is so unique and simple like all things best. Now(as 18 year old boy) when i look back in the past, one of my dearest memories are the moments that I spend searching your site, your impressions and lifestyle. Before that time, I was in some type of chiatus, with mess in my head and life, and after, all things get sense. I think I was born, as a human with all manifestations, in that period. It doesn't matter that I stopped any corespodence with witchcraft year and a half ago, I know that I grew as a person, and unique being in that period of life. And I am grateful. In meantime, I studied many things: anathomy, music, art, mathematics, classic literature, archaelogy, medicine, psychiatry...but that was a half-life for me. My intellect was boosting but my feelings not...i felt nothing and I understand everything. I forgot the feeling of turning pages of hidden worlds and happines of dreaming ones. That was one of the main parts of my person and I let the pressure of reason produced by my surroundings to overwhelm it. I reallised that, just few days ago, though I always have gut feelings about it. While searching some theories on discrete mathematics, in just one sec, like a flash, it snap through my head an idea of witchcraft. It doesen't seem strange at that moment, it seemed like that was the best for me. The first site that i joined was yours...I cannot express my happines when I saw your memorable logos and design, your words and thinking...I couldn't compare my excitement while reading that and some books about ancient caracters and medievel philosophers. Afterall, anything that reads, men could read only himself. Anything that understands, he could only understands the principles of his own. I found myself in your words. Thank you.
Like only the water knows what is horizontal, only the true witch knows what is like to be walking through and be One with the Nature, becouse the virtues of the Nature are virtues of a witch and vices of the Nature goes to all humans. Now, I don't know am I a witch or not. I don't care. I know that I watch trees, sky, feel wind, hear the birds and dream of stars. I watch their gifts to us every day. I found axis of the world... I know I found Beauty and the secrets of Nature. Beauty is greatest where it cannot be seen, where only exists, in landscapes, in wings, in the hills, in smile. Now I can only be in the nature, and not trying to understand. I feel. I like the clouds, rocks of smoke, their true home are the high mountins-i see-stones and mountins teaching each other forms. Though I have studied philosophy, I found the greatest one...philosophy of the sea. It's the hardest one because it is the simplest: doing nothing to done everything that matters... In the nights I watch stars. I think about everlasting deepness, evergoing distance and invisible forces, blood connections between humans and other beings. Maybe the best sentence is the one by Hermes Trismegistos:"As above, so below". Enigmatic match between sky and soul. Even when we do not think, or meditate, Nature surrowneds us with everything far more magickal then every spell will ever be. What is more magickal than a plant which lives in the two worlds and connects them. One-underworld, where the dead ones dwell, where is matter and our world where spirits live in light. Being of a plant is open like a bridge or a gate toward out and in, up and bellow. More open than human who already sepparated from Earth and helpless towards underworld darkness. Only thing we schould do is to look upon Nature...and the magick will work.  Now when I look back I cannot say that I am a witch and that word cannot describe me at all, but as every human have many personalities like an onion, so one of mine is witch and witchcraft. The best one, I don't know, but it is nearest to the centre...

wish you the best,
Igor Jeremic from Serbia and Montenegro

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Dear Miss SkyFire,
Hi! I love your website, even if I am not pagan. I do have many things in common with witches though. I love nature and animals, and I do believe that they are important and should be respected like human beings. I mean, is not a tree a living thing? I do not buy wood products, and I only write on recycled paper (very hard to come by!). I do not believe in cutting down trees for any reason, because killing a tree is like killing a person. It's awful. So, you see, we are a lot a like, witches and I. I have a couple of questions about spells and such. Here they are:
1. Do you have any spells and potions for becoming beautiful, for losing hair in unwanted areas, becoming more beautiful for others, etc. Just out of curiousity.
2. Can a catholic be a hedge witch or a kitchen witch?
3. Do you know any good websites about kitchen witches?
4. What are some good spells for relieving depression? I am so depressed lately....
5. What are some spells for being acceptant of thyself?
Thank you for reading these, please write.
From Lila

Dear Lila,
There are several beauty spells you can try that are found on my website. There are also a number on other websites. It just takes a little looking to find them. Remember that spells you perform yourself will work much better than those written by another person. Study witchcraft for a while and then use what you have learned to devise your own magic.
A Catholic can definitely be a hedge witch or a kitchen witch. Spells are very much like praying - and the Virgin Mary is very much like the Mother Goddess. Jesus can be seen as the God as Christians believe he is the son of God and also God himself, born from Mother Mary. Catholicism is very much like paganism, so it is easy for Catholics to practice both religions at the same time.
I'm afraid I don't know of any good websites about kitchen witchery. Doing a search should come up with quite a few options, though.
As for depression, we all deal with that at one time or another. Try coming up with your own spells and see how those work. Depression also often shows a deficiency in some vitamins such as B-complex vitamins.
Blessings,
Amber
www.witch-crafted.com

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I just wanted to thank you for spending so much time on your site and being so in-depth.
I consider myself to be a christian, but have fallen in love with a beautiful young lady who is wiccan. I have asked her about her religion many times, and she has always been more then happy to tell me certain things. But I have always felt as if she was being vague. I do not wish to try to change her beliefs or impose my own upon her. I just simply wish to better understand her. I have seen much of what you put on your site in her, I just wanted to thank you for giving me a window into a portion of her life that I do not fully understand. Hopefully I will grow to understand and accept her ways easier with this information.
-Rob

I am glad that my site has been helpful to you. I hope that you two find the friendship and love you are looking for in each other. It makes me so happy to see that two people with different beliefs can look past those beliefs and see that we are really all the same inside. Blessings to you both!
-Amber

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I think that witch craft is wrong! I can't believe that you think that you people can actually do things by making potions and saying chants in another language. It is totally impossible. If you'd like to argue this, feel free to e-mail me. You all are posesed by Satan!
-annonomys

While you do claim to be a Christian, you don't seem to be the educated type. Perhaps you should read your Bible. It clearly states that there are such things as witchcraft and sorcery. I find it a little odd that you choose to believe the parts of the Bible YOU like and completely disregard the rest of it.
Thanks for trying,
-A

Their reply:
excuse me?
Yes, I know that there is a such thing as whitchcraft I just believe that it is controled by Satan
-Anon.

So, it isn't real, but then it is real, and then it isn't real, and then it is real...  people, please get your arguments straight before writing. I love a good tiff as much as the next person, but it sure would save me a lot of time and effort if you had it all worked out beforehand. Thanks!

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hello,
my name is hailey...recently I have been researching witches, and was drawn to the idea of bieng a practing witch. I do not know ANYTHING and really wish to learn more about it. I am a pretty religous person, and believe in God, and had a bat mitzvah, and go to synagoge on the high holidays, and i was wondering if that would make me, like, not qualified to be a witch. Thank you for taking your time to listen to me, and i hope to hear back from you soon,sincerely,
Hailey

I get a lot of people asking this type of question. This might be a little hard for some people to understand, especially when raised in a Christian faith of some type. The Christian religion teaches that if you practice any other religion, you are not a Christian or you are evil. Other religions are not this way. We don't follow Christian beliefs, so many Pagans like to mix and match their favorite ideas from various religions. If you decide that you really do want to be a witch, there is nothing that says that you can no longer believe in God or practice the Christian holidays. Magic works on faith and it doesn't matter what you have faith IN, so long as you have a lot of it. If your God fills you with love and happiness, then you should never let that go. You might try looking up some websites about Christian Witchcraft. I have seen a lot of them, and you might feel more comfortable learning from a Christian point of view.
Blessings and light,
Amber

________________

I'm fifteen years old and I've been raised Episcopalian Christian. I've always been very intrigued by witchcraft and magick, but I've tried to ignore my interest because Christianity prohibits it. At the same time, I've been very frustrated because no matter what I do, I never feel the Christian God's presence or have any confidence that he's real at all. I've finally decided to look into other religions in a search for what I feel is the truth, and I've looked into a few Wicca and Pagan websites. I've read some background information of Wicca Witchcraft, including the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law, but before I jump into something I'm not ready for by actually attempting spells, I have a few questions that I was hoping you could answer for me. Who are the God and Goddess? Do Wiccans pray to them and try to seek their presence in spirit form? Have you personally ever felt them so strongly that you had no doubt in your mind that they are real? And what are the Fae? Do witches believe that Faeries and Gnomes and Elves as they are often depicted in stories and cartoons actually exist, or are they spirits without a physical form? And what do witches believe happens after death? I know that you will be away from your computer for the next few months, but if it is possible, please reply with answers to my questions. Thank you.
-Victoria

1.Who are the God and Goddess?
The God and the Goddess are the main deities of the Wiccan religion. They are two halves of a greater spiritual being called "The All." The all is everything: the earth, the trees, us, the stars, the universe, etc. The God and Goddess are simply opposite manifestations of both halves of the universe. For example: everything comes in pairs - light and dark, hot and cold, male and female, black and white, good and evil, etc. Everything has a match. They did not create everything. They ARE everything. There are lesser gods and Goddesses and these are all the same god and goddess, just different aspects of them. For example, you are just one person, right? You can never be anyone but just yourself, but you are a totally different person to different people. To your parents, you are "child;" to your brother, you are "sister;" to your boss, you are "employee;" to your uncle, you are "neice;" to your teacher you are "student;" to your children you are "mother," etc. You are all these people and yet you are still you. When you ask the Goddess for help in healing, for example, you would ask her healing aspect: the healing goddess. There is a goddess for everything. There are many gods and goddesses, but they are all part of the single greater being called "The All," or "Spirit." We are all part of this single energy which is the universe.

2.Do Wiccans pray to them and try to seek their presence in spirit form?
Gods and Goddesses are in physical and spiritual form. Unlike Christianity, the Wiccan deities are not separate, up in the clouds, and far away where you cannot see them. They are the rocks and the trees and yourself. Everything is connected. You have only to look outside. There is no "believing" required. The religion is nature itself. It is all around you and running through your veins.

3.And what are the Fae? Do witches believe that Faeries and Gnomes and Elves as they are often depicted in stories and cartoons actually exist, or are they spirits without a physical form?
Oh, they are both. Nature spirits can manifest themselves in any way they choose. You may see dancing balls of light, winged sprites, or they may take the shapes of animals such as birds, toads, or salamanders. There are many types of fairies both tall and short. You may wish to purchase a book about them.

4.And what do witches believe happens after death?
Wiccans believe that the soul goes to the Summerland (a place much like heaven) where they can meet other souls and be together again. Once rested, they may choose to go back to Earth in a new body. Souls yearn for knowledge and may live as many lives as they choose in any form they wish. It is believed that the oldest souls reside in trees. Because everything in the universe is made of energy, it makes sense to believe that the soul, which is also made of energy, exists after death, since energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only change its form.
 

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you suck big
-Will

Lollipops? Why yes, I do enjoy a nice big lollipop now and then. Thank you for that contribution Mr. Will. I do hope we will be receiving more of your intellectually expansive input in the near future.

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hi i love this guy called Oliver but he is not sure if he loves me. could you do a spell it make him like me or give me a really good spell it do my self? I would be so thankfull
-Cheryll

Actually, this is the very worst thing you could do.
Everyone has someone they were meant to be with. You cannot force love. It is impossible. It cannot work. If you try, disaster will be the result. True, human nature is very selfish. We want what we want and we don't care what we have to do to other people to get it. Just remember that forcing someone to do something against their will is not right. You wouldn't want someone to do it to you, would you? There is a law in magick. Whatever you do to someone will come back to you. Instead, try a spell to find your TRUE love. It will be earth-shattering and far better than any fake love you could try to magick-up.
Love and light,
Amber

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HELLO, I came by acedent to your site while researching a few Hebrew grammatical rules. I came tot eh " Misconceptions" page, and noticed some misconceptiosn of yours that are given as facts. Misconceptiosn liek Satan being a Christian Myth, who was based on your "Horned God". This is, quiet blatantly, a lie. If you beelive it, then I am sorry that you have been deceived, however, Satan was not based on Pan, or any other horned god, and is not a Chirstian creation.Satan first shows up in the Torah, read Job and you will see, clearly, Satan has a place. Also in REzikeiel, and ISaiah, these are preChristian writings, and obviously prove he is not a Christian creation.Further, the idea that he is based on a wiccan deity is absurd, as Wiccans didnt exist even in the time of Christ, or in the Infamous "Burnign times",indeed Wicca was based on the writigns of a Gerald GArdner, in 1951. Its a fact I woudl most easily share evidence for if you permit. So Satan, who is never described as a Horned being with cloven hooves in any Biblical passage, but instead as an "Angel of Light" did not come form your horned god. Nor is he based on Pagan deities. Nor is he a Christian Product.Incedentally, you claim Christians feared the pagan gods, and this is why they used the cheif male deity as Satan. I fear him not, as I know he is the prodict of modern fantacy, and not a supreme beign in anceint pagan tales. Surely no fable can harm me.( Again, proof is avvailable on demand, and no, not appologist Chrisian proof, actual academic proof.)While we are on the subject,you site the famous mistranslation of Exodus 22:18 in the King James Bible, saying "Suffer not a Witch to Live", and how it really means Poisoner if we appeal tot he origional language. Regretabely, I can read the origional langiuage, and, to the chagrine of all who beleive this, the word does nto mean poisoner, nor can it. The Hebrew language has no such word for Poisoner, and even the modern Rabbi's will attest tot he FACT that it is referign to witchcraft, though most say that Wicca is not what is meant.( Wicca, dispite claims of antiquity, is a new religion, not related to anceit witchcracft, and not preasent in anceint times.)If yu want, I can send you analysis form three seperate sources of the Exodus text, form Rabbinical Jews, not Christians, who will not have this Bias.( These same Rabbi's will tell you, in no uncertain terms, that Satan is also in the Torah.)Please revise your misconceptiosn page, and clear it of the errors.As to the other misconceptions, well, I never assumed that Witches wore all black or rode brooms, that, my friend, is misleading, showign Christians to be stupid and unlearned even of there own faith, when in reality you have displayed ignorance of other beleifs.
-Zarove

Wow, that is very interesting. I'm afraid to say that I cannot read Hebrew, so I only know what others have taught me. I will correct that. I would also like to read the transcripts you spoke of. I am always ready to learn. Thank you for the information.
When I explained the idea of the Devil as coming from The Horned God, I did not mean it the way I think you must have understood it. I could probably make that a little more detailed. In reality, an goat god was worshipped in ancient Greece. Today this god is generally known by the name "Pan," though the name was different then. In the cities, the larger pantheon was worshipped, but "Pan" was most popular among the country people. There was no such religion as Wicca then, as Wicca was begun just in this last century. Wicca is a new religion. However, during the crusades and the conversion to Christianity, Christians did teach that the Pagan gods were evil. I do believe that the ancient god "Pan" may have been the idea for the modern Satan. Granted, I do know the story of Lucifer, The Morning Star. I do know he was an angel. I believe that the modern conception with horns, cloven hooves, etc. may have come from the ancient god "Pan." Depiction of Lucifer in this guise is, however, found in many old works of art and I think this idea may have stemmed from the ancient popular Greek god who was, very like the modern pagan God, a symbol of lust, animal nature, love, and spirituality. Of course, we cannot prove this, but historians do tend to draw a line from one to the other, given the circumstances.
I also did not know that Jews believed in the Devil. I received a letter from a Jewish woman about a month ago. She explained how her religion was a little like paganism and that Jews also did not believe in the devil. I wonder if this woman was, perhaps, a different type of Jew? I know there are many different types of Christians, but I cannot say if the Jewish religion has different beliefs in it as well. I suppose that is a good thing for me to look up.
All in all, that is true. I should update what I wrote all those years ago. It should be clarified.
Thank you for bringing this problem to my attention.
Blessings and light,
Amber

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Okay, I had to post this here. I'm not sure who wrote it. I'm not even sure what it's about. I got it in my e-mail box today and I'm completely baffled. It could be a joke. I mean, who could possibly be this, well, asinine? Anyway, here it is. Have yourselves a good laugh:

Hence is thee reason you do not need to do practices all the goodamned time. Mine are here for that purpose:Lavenderslinks.com. I would stay with healing;see what unfolds from that point of practices(!) Yes, that is the truth prayer about being up to no good with practices  unto witchcraft, I say that because: [no one is going to hand] hold you through practices unto witchcraft,they are they are hand holding themselves;cause Jesus Christ went through these years ago for us, thus that is the truth. everytime you look for me you go somewhere else to live.  Yes Christ "nothing else is going to make me happy is not going to get me out of witchcraft school.  I Lavenderwater is the only Queen that is going to do for you.  (Do not go anywhere looking for nothing else from me) is what GOD said Looking for Dorothy Jean is not a problem is what GOD said; just except it.

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im trying to get started with magic but i dont know how. i was wondering if u could send me a spell or somthing, i dont realy have any
special ingrediants or anything, im only curious. and im not interested in love  spells or hexes. i just want to start it as a hobbie, not as a full time thing, and i dont want  to were strange clothes or anything, i just want to cast a few spells for fun. thankyou 4 your time
-angee

I am very sorry. I am afraid it does not quite work that way. It is like learning karate. You don't just try it one time and have it work and then never do it again. You have to practice for years. You can't just learn karate to beat people up. It is a mastery of oneself and ones' body. Witchcraft is the same way. It is not "just add water." There are many years of service ahead of you if you wish to be able to do anything well enough.

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Hello, I am very new and very curious, I have always felt that there is "more" out there, somethimes things happen to me that I cannot explain. You must think I am weird, I was surfing the net and something compelled me to put in "book of shadows" into my search engine well to make a long story short here I am, why I do not know just to say something compelled me to write you. I must say I am a bit confussed. after doing some reading I do have one question is there a particullar writing style and ink that you use to writ ein your book? My wife thinks I am wanting to become a satanist because I have told her about some of the things that have happened to me and this reoccuring dream I have told her about. I know I do not want to become that. I just want the world to become peaceful and quiet, like it is when you walk through the woods and listen to nature in its harmony. well I am sure I have wasted your time, but can you e-mail me and let me know where I can go to learn more or even how to become, I know absoulutly nothing. can you send me a link to how to become wiccan for dummies? LOL or how to make a book of shadows for dummies?
Thank-you, and Earths peace to you.
Shane

Heh...I know exactly how you feel. People who have never heard of it are alarmed at first, like your wife. It takes a little while for them to realize it is not evil and has nothing to do with Christian doctrine (or going against it). You can write in your book of shadows any way you wish. Writing in different letters or in a code will keep others from understanding what you write, but make sure that you learn how to read it well first. It does not matter what you use to write in it. In fact, you can just do it in ballpoint pen on some notebook paper you keep in a folder or a binder. It is a good idea to keep your notes this way until you feel you are ready to commit them to the pages of a book. A spiral notebook is good for this. Then again, there are those that just feel better about writing in a book that feels important with a pen that feels special to them. It all depends on you.
There are lessons on my site you can take and a list at the bottom that tells you where else you can go to learn. The best thing to do is get your hands on as many books as possible.

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Hello, I read all of your answers to everyone's questions. So I thought you could be very helpful. In my family we believe in God, I love God and believe in him too. But since I like fantasy stories and I also like to be a good witch. Since I'm Christian, would I be a Christian witch? But you know what, I'm also worried. Would a witch that's baptized and believes in God, would go to heaven? Please I need your answer. Can you tell me if Celtic magic is evil? What kind of magic will help to become a good witch? Or what kind of magic will have good spells that are not evil for me? Please give me your advice.
-Fantasy

Unfortunately, this person did not leave me their e-mail address, so I hope they read this here.
I cannot tell you if you will go to heaven or hell. I can only tell you that witches do not believe in Hell. We believe that we are punished here on earth for what we do wrong. We believe that eternal punishment does not teach you anything. You make mistakes in life and then get punished for them so that you can go on and not make the same mistake again. So what you believe is not for me to decide. You must do what you feel comfortable doing. No, Celtic magick is not evil. It is just another Pagan religion. If you want to be good, just be careful that you never perform a spell for greedy reasons. Asking to win the lottery, for example, is greedy. Instead, ask for prosperity. Other good spells are healing people and yourself. Just remember that you must NEVER EVER perform a spell on someone without their consent and never perform a spell that will take away a person's free will unless it is to protect yourself. Spells of protection are okay, too. If you feel uncomfortable doing magick because you are Christian, you can word your spells in the form of a prayer. It is the same thing.

All witches are called witches, males and females.
We do not do magick to impress others. We are not interested in getting new members. This is not the cult of Satan or some Christian faith where you get points for how many people you bring over to your side. This is our religion, not a game. We generally keep to ourselves. Wicca is a faith of heart and goodness. We do not care what others think of us. We are not trying to convert anyone. If someone does not believe, that does not bother us. We find belief in our own faith; in our own beliefs. We have found our peace and our understanding, so we do not look to impress others.
May you walk in goodness and light,
Amber

and, as an afterthought...

I feel you might be misinterpreting what magick is.
Our magick is that of nature and of life. Magick is in all things. It makes plants grow. It brings babies into the world. You are thinking of magick like you see on television, which does not exist. That is Hollywood magick. It is flashy and fake, made up by some special effects designer to make the movie more interesting and bring more money into the box office. We do not divine people's names. We do not levitate or fly on broomsticks, and we certainly cannot shoot lightning from our fingertips or light candles with a thought.
We know the secrets of the earth. We talk to animals. We experience out of body experiences. Our religion is based on faith, not movie tricks. You might just as soon ask a preacher to prove that God exists. He would point to everything around him. Everything is God. Everything contains magick. That is the nature of science. We work with that and with the unknown. We do not show off and we do not believe what we believe to impress others. A person should never come into the craft because they want to do magick they see on television. It blurs the true image of our faith.
I hope it makes a little more sense now.
Blessings and light,
Amber

He replied with:

One thing: why does your "walking the path" page (particulary lesson 11) contain ways to divine things out (using tarot or runes for example) if this is impossible to achive? Also why does www.witch-crafted.com contain (don't look now but....) SPELLS(for example divination spells....) which according to your previoust statement are not supposed to work, as "this is not what magick is all about"?
-Stefan

I did not say that divination did not work. And no, that is not what magic is all about. It is not to be used by greedy people for their own purposes or to impress others. It is a religion. A faith. We hold it dear.
Blessings,
Amber

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Okay I have a couple of Q'S. You said you were a witch but not a wiccan, how can you do this? because that seem's to be a better choice for me. See I am a cathlic christian. And I like my religon alot but something keeps how can i put this... bringing, me back to wicca. I don't know what to do.Please if you can help.
I have another one, I was reading your FAQ page, and one person said something about a spirit being in thie friends house. I have never practiced wicca, at lest yet, and I have many of the samethings happening to me  as thier friend did. My dog wont growl, but I can see him pcik up his ears like he's listening to someone. And one night out of the blue he just starts barking at the window, and my window is high up and very small, and the shade was pulled down. It seems to only happen at night but I still get the feeling that someone is watching me. This has happened ever since I have moved into my house, I have tried to tell my parents but they don't belive me. I don't know if it's evil although I don't think it is, it once while I was trying to sleep pulled my covers up like trying to tuck me in, and I was wide a wake. My parents try to tell me it's my grandfather, but I don't think it is. Sometimes it is him, but sometimes it isn't. And as far as I know no one died at my house. And theperson that last lived here built it. I don't know if you can help me but I thought it was worth a try. Well thanks for your time.
-Samantha

Dear Samantha,
Hello!
About your first question: There are all kinds of witches. There are Wiccan witches, Kitchen Witches, Hedge witches, Eclectic witches, and even Christian witches. There are as many different types of witches as there are types of Christians. A witch is a person who uses the power of prayer (or magick if you would like to call it that) to help others or to change things in their life. Witches use herbs and oils to heal as well as gemstones and talismans for protection, etc. Magick is practiced in many religions, but it can go by different names. For example, lighting a candle on the altar in a Catholic church and saying a prayer is a form of magick, much like the magick that Wicca practices. Wicca is a good start in learning witchcraft because it has so many good lessons. When we perform a spell, we are actually saying a prayer to a deity, spirit, or element in hopes that our wishes will be granted. This is very much like prayer. So you see, you can be any type of witch that you want, not just Wiccan. If you like the Wiccan beliefs, you can incorporate them into your own religion. You can keep your Catholic faith, but believe what Wiccans believe: that there is one supreme being (God) which is comprised of everything. It is the trees, the rocks, and us. We are not separated from it, we are a part of it. This God, however, has many aspects. Just like I am sister, mother, and wife, and you are daughter and also yourself, this God has many aspects. It can be man or woman, God or Goddess. It can be animal or spiritual or anything that you want it to be. We pray to different aspects of this God depending on what we need. If you seek feminine, counsel, for example, you might seek the help of the Goddess side of the Creator.
As for your question about spirits:
Sometimes there are good spirits and sometimes there are evil spirits. Sometimes they are family and sometimes they are strangers. A spirit can inhabit your home even if no one has died there or your house was just built. Some people live in their house for years and one day a spirit will just show up with no reason for being there. There can be different reasons for this. The most likely reason is the energy around your home. Spirits are made of energy and sense energy as we can sense anything else. If the energy around your home is one of welcome, a spirit may be inclined to stay. Many spirits are human, but there are also spirits called "hearth spirits" which are like fairies that inhabit houses. These spirits help around the house and are generally loving and caring toward the family. If your spirit frightens you, you should cast a protective spell around your home. This will not allow harmful spirits to enter. Hearth spirits also like to be honored for their good deeds so you should thank them and leave little offerings for them.
 

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Can you give me a website or I place or book that can tell me what all these witchcraft words mean? (cauldron, oil, pentagram, incense) I just started learning to be a witch and I need help undersatnding some words and what all the things are and what they mean. theres some other words I don't understand. Thanks for your help,
 *<~>FireFly<~>*

Witches use certain tools in the craft to create magick. A cauldron is a black iron pot in which to cook food. For witches, it is the symbol of the womb of mother earth from which all things are born. It is often used in scrying, mixing herbs or potions, or it can be used as a candle holder or cooking pot. Anointing oil is used to anoint the body during ritual. Certain oils can be burned for use in aromatherapy. Oil is also used to dress candles for spells, a practice which involves rubbing a candle with a certain type of oil and then rolling it in the proper prepared herbs. The pentagram is the most sacred of symbols. It is a five-pointed star which represents the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, and it also represents the five points of the human body: hands, feet and head. Incense is just herbs mixed to be burned. Certain herbs are burned in magick for different effects. You can find a dictionary of pagan terms on this page:
http://www.witch-crafted.com/gloss.htm

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hello, i am sending this letter to ask your help. i was looking up wicca on line and have been hooked every since but today i came accrost a sight  that greatly desturbes me , i am hopping you can help me i do not want to belive this but i was raised a cat. (Catholic) and it makes sence.  i am sending you the link if you could check this out i would love to here from you on this issue  it is called wicca/hellbound it says the goddess Diana is the sister of lusfer is this true i have never herd of this growing up. Help! thank you and brightest Blessings
-Anita

Dearest Anita,
It is true that many Christians are afraid of witches (and any other religion for that matter). Not all Christians are this way, but when someone is so afraid of their pre-conceived notions of something, it is hard to get them to change their minds. Many people are very hateful and even violent towards people of other religions. This is called "ethnocentrism". Ethnocentrism is the belief that your race or your religion is the only right one and is better than anyone else. Often, ethnocentric people will believe that they are better than anyone else. Sometimes this will lead to them spreading lies about other people or other religions. The Goddess Diana has nothing to do with Satan. In fact, she was worshipped long before there ever was a Devil. She existed before Christianity did. There is nothing wrong with any religion. Christianity is a beautiful religion when it is not used to fuel hate or ignorance of other people. Just remember that Christianity was meant to be a religion of love and devotion toward the Christian God and all people. Any Christian who makes you feel uncomfortable or who tries to scare you or make you think something bad about someone else may want to rethink their beliefs and look for the true meaning of their religion. You do not need to be afraid of what anyone says about Wicca or Paganism. There are evil people in the world, but Wicca and Paganism are religions of love and tolerance, just as Christianity should be.

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Miss Skyfire,
I heard of youre site through a friend who was searching for simple parlour tricks that he could easily perform, he encouraged me to browse through youre database and attempt certain small spells, being a traditionalist I decided against any sort of magical undertaking because I believe that these special rituals are a privalage to perform and if i were to perform any sort of spell I would be doing the entire practising wiccan community a huge disservice. After reading through most of you're site I had become quite intregued and decided to attempt you're 13 chapter course (excellently done), however as I mentioned earlier I am a traditionalist and believe in doing things the correct way this means that im going to attempt youre course inside of the strict "Year and a day" time limit, this does leave me with a problem however as I have no knowledge of the pagan calender and after a brief search of the net i was left more confused than i started, so this leaves me with only one question, could you please reccomend a good site on which I can find a decent pagan calender (preferably the one you work with) and a comparison to the standard christian calender. Any help would be greatfully recieved.
-R. Atkinson

Dear Mr. Atkinson,
I am glad that you have asked to learn the proper way to learn Wicca. Most people who write me are very young and ask silly questions like how to raise the dead. Your letter is a breath of fresh air. Actually, the pagan calendar runs the same as the regular calendar we use today. The only difference are our holidays. We follow the exact same days and dates as everyone else. The pagan year begins at different times in different pagan religions. The most common day is All Hallow's Eve (known as Samhain, pronounced Sow-en, in Wicca). Some pagan religions choose to celebrate the new year on Yule since it is the day that the days start getting longer. In most beliefs, however, the new year starts after Samhain on November 1st. You do not need to begin the course at the new year, but when studying witchcraft, you should try to study for one year until the day you began. I would recommend a book to you that you might find extremely useful. It is called "The Wiccan Path" by Rae Beth. In her book, she teaches two people about the Wiccan religion through letters. For one year, she writes them letters discussing how each of the sabbats are performed and lots of good information about the religion. I like this method since it goes in chronological order and lasts for one year. It is, in this way, a good workbook to start with. If you are very traditionalist, you might also want to take a look at "Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft" by Raymond Buckland. Though it can be quite a dull read at times, it basically has every single thing about Wicca packed into one book, so it makes a good reference. Each of the chapters is designed as a lesson and there are workbook pages for you to study from and test yourself as well. I do hope that this helps.
May you walk in light,
-Amber

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Dear Amber,
Well where to start... I am a 23 year old Roman Cath male who's inner being seems to need a constant form of suffer.  The only time all in my universe is still, comes from the prodution of my art... I have my own business that is doing good, yet I dont like the person it makes me. I feel like the snakes have taken over. My question to you Amber is How can I reinvent all the myths of the ages? What I desire is no more knowledge from books, I desire an experience in a relm where the dead can dance.  I was raised in a Cath school all through high school, and even there, When the house burned down, people would question my religion, and so would I.... At a young age I was motivated by what is my being, constantly on a search. I have explored wicca in books, web, Pagan craft stores, and in my feelings.  I am overly surrounded by water and thrive off taking the pain from others so they dont have to cope with the agony. I feel like I have the cosmic energy to make make things happen with my mind. I know I can. Example: the last day I was in florida I said I was going to drum at the beach tonight, she said it looks like it will rain, I dont want to go... I said no, it will only lightning and thunder... We went to the beach on this thick night, I lit 3 candles in a triangle that i was in the center of, amoung the lightning in the sky, We were taken away, This was not from my religion? I need a sense of control, and at the same time I love the freedom of choas?  Amber, Were can I step from here? Thank you for reading this far, thankyou!
-Theodore

Dear Theodore,
It sounds as if you feel as though you need something more, but can't find it in books or doctrines or churches of any kind. I have felt the same way. Over the years, I have developed my own religion based on my beliefs and what I can see and hear and touch and feel. The best advice I can give you to begin with is to start with that which you love above all else and explore it. Why do you love it? Why do you need it? I don't mean religion, I mean ANYTHING. Whatever that one thing is that you love best. There is something that you cannot live without that will change your life forever.
Different things have added to my beliefs over time. I am a simple person and I find all my happiness in nature and in simplicity. I love chaos. I hate the idea that there is an order to everything. It is like a puzzle in a box. All of the pieces are everywhere - chaotic, yet you can take different pieces and try them with each other and find out what works. I like this approach better than the Christian idea that the puzzle is already together as it was meant to be and that there is no changing it. There is something finite and foreboding about the idea that we cannot change or have what we want. I think that the most important thing is to realize that you can do anything. ANYTHING. There really are no rules at all. This life is what we make it and we can use that for good or bad. It is what we decide. There is no "fate." Your life has not already been decided for you and despite what others may tell you, you really can just do anything you want. You can drive across the country right now if you wanted. You could paint yourself nude. You can run around naked in the woods and scream and nothing would be changed. Once you realize how small and insignificant and precious you are - we all are - you will start to realize the impossibility of your existence and how beautiful the world really is. If you just let yourself live, you start to see a set of beliefs forming inside your mind and you will learn to live by your own set of rules that make you happy and content. Really being out in the world - not necessarily the human world, but the natural world - will infinitely change a person.

Theodore Responded with:

Dearest Amber,
I am gracious for your advice, you must know how wounderful it feels for meto have your priceless words... I have 1 more story that took place yesterday that I think may intrestyou.  I thrive off chaos as well and I believe she was amoung me on the 27th in great abundance..  After I left work I went home and decided to come back t the office and order dinner, as I leave I notice the beauty in the distant sunset afar. When I turned to the right the howling moon was looking dead into my core...I began to make almost a grawling sound aloud, it was almost like I was being asked to embrace her...Which I was... I dont know why I was making this horrific sound, yet at the same time I felt refreshed? This experience was very powerful for me. I felt the uncovering of the ages...I began to understand the future creates the present according to the background of the past...This sent my biology into a spirl? I became full of treasure, knowing that the planetary pull was in some fashion amoung me.  After I left the office I felt the need to go in my church, I parked in the back, walked through the narrow sideway to the front 3 doors which were locked? I never knew they locked the doors of church?, I went back into the car and started driving, I came to the grave yard I sometimes go to. As I go through the gates I say aloud, "Your always welcome to visit the dead!" The last name I noticed was KNIGHT? With the full moon on her way I wish you trust in the night, notice your beam of light.  The moon shall shine for you tonight...Thank you Amber....
                             Now and Forever True,
                        F***
-What I love the most is passion, passion in art and a
way of life... I always say what your passionate about
gets passionate about you...

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I am really intrested in (things like this) and i want to do this but.. i'm a christian and i don't know if i can...What should i do?
-Vanita

Witchcraft is not what you might think. There are so many different types of witchcraft, the most basic and popular being kitchen witchery. Kitchen witchery is popular because it can conform to any religion, even Christianity. Many witches are Christian. Christian witches work with herbs and do spells just like a regular witch, but instead of praying to the earth or the elements or a god and goddess, they pray to God and rely on the power of their faith in God to carry out their spells - more like a healing prayer, if you will. You can check out one website of a Christian witch here:
Christy's Garden: Christian Witchcraft:
http://www.smokylake.com/Christy/bosal/bos.htm

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Hi, I need some advice. All of my life I have had times where I have dreamed things that have come true. I sometimes just 'know' or 'sense' things also. I am 26yrs old and things seem to be feeling stronger every day, and it's scaring me a lil because I'm not sure how to be in control of this. I have on occasions been somewhere like at work and suddenly curled over with this intense feeling of utter sadness like something terrible has happened to someone. It crashes into me from behind me and within say ten minutes or so it just seems to pass and I feel free of it. I have on two occasions recently had 'visions' of someone that I know that I think is a witch, she lives miles away from me now, and I had discovered my visions of her being upset or lost and even down to her clothing had been true. I have also dreamed things happen to her, before it's happened. Lately I have been 'feeling' .. just 'sensing' that there is a 'bad witch' around me. Sometimes when I lay in bed at night I feel like she's there hovering over me watching and almost laughing. I have dreamed of her once..she had almost shoulder length black matted hair and she was young but with an old face. So I chant a protective spell I found on the web until I feel like her presense has gone. I dont do witchcraft or anything, but all this stuff is starting to make me realise there is some sort of 'sense' within me, i dont want to deny it. I'd like to discover it and embrace it and not fear it. What do you think?? Please help

What you are experiencing is actually normal. All people have psychic ability. This usually manifests itself as what we call "empathy." Empathy, in case you don't know what it is, is the ability to sense what someone else is sensing, either because their emotions are so strong, you are connected to them in some way, or because you are very sensitive to what others are feeling. To put it another way, empathy is that really bad feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when someone is crying or grieving. Because most people are taught to ignore these feelings, they usually do not develop their psychic abilities and when they do manifest themselves, it is often overlooked as coincidence or just a "figment of your imagination." Occasionally, someone who believes in such things will have an experience like that. If a person believes in magick, the psychic or is very spiritual, they realize what they are feeling is not just their imagination. The realization and attention that is paid to these details allows us to understand it more and we tend not to block it out. The more we pay attention to and notice these occurrences (as you have) the stronger they become.
Most importantly, you should not worry about having to be in control of these feelings. You really don't have control over anything in life: death, sickness, depression, etc. Psychism is the same way. It is like sleeping or going to the bathroom or feeling any other emotion like love or happiness. You cannot just make yourself feel something. Just the same, you cannot control psychic ability. It is nothing to be afraid of. It is completely natural and though it can sometimes be frightening, it can help you often. I, too have dreams that come true, only mine are not exactly what happens. For example, I dreamed a dream that my mother took some prescribed pills from her doctor and died. She came to me in a long bright red vinyl dress as a ghost. I told her the dream when I woke up and we couldn't understand it. The next day, she had a headache and my grandmother gave her some bright red gellcap prescription medicine from her doctor that had the same prescription. My mother, of course, did not take them and called me immediately to tell me what happened. My dreams are usually just symbolic and I don't understand them at first, but as long as I remember them, I understand them later.
All in all, it is really your decision. If it frightens you, just make yourself ignore it. If you want to sharpen your skills then you should keep paying attention to what you are feeling. Writing down what you feel or what happens to you will also have a profound effect on how well you are able to understand what you feel the next time. It is just your body's way of telling you what is going on and what you should be aware of. It is a natural function of your body that you cannot really control like your circulation or your heartbeat. The body does what it needs to do to protect itself, so if you feel comfortable with yourself then you should try to develop what you have. You might be surprised at what you can do!

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can u make any type of spell to make u phychic? will u die if u use black magick? my spells havent been working latley is it because i have used half burnt down candles?? do u think u could write me out a spell ...a money spell please and give me directions on how to do it i want to see how a pro would do it please?? if u dont want to give me one then will u trade i got SOME good spells for u that u could use?? dose death scare u ?? p.s. i think i am sencing the presents of spirits in my room i know lots about ghosts and i pretty shure theres one there one time a spirit pulled my hair when your done ur spell do u just blow out the candle(s) and leave the room?
how come ...say i wanted a new sports car well when u do ur spell all u are doing is spouting poetry so if i want a new sports car all i got to do is write a poem like...

oh,great godd/dess come to me
i need a new sports car oh cant u see
by mt will so mote it be

how cum it dont work like that??
mother nature didnt do it because she is like the trees and stuff, or did she ??
i want to start black magick but i dont wanna die if it backfires on me .  i
dont wanna kill anyone just i want this really cute guy to like me or think im
pritty or SOMTHING TO GET HIM TO LIKE ME OR NOTICE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
could u make me a spell or spells please i want them from a pro please these
are my requests:
to make me phychic
to make me pretty
to make me a ton of money (not to be greedy or anything also to be rich)
some of the stuff that i put in as extra that i forgot might also be repeated
sorry                     
-love ya  A****

Dearest A****,
There are some things about magick that you should know. No matter what someone tells you, there is no such thing as magick that can make you psychic, rich or get a sports car. Black magick cannot even do that. Black magick is magick that is used to harm or kill other people. There is no reason why you should want to do those sorts of spells. Magick is not like what you see in stories or in movies. You cannot do a spell and get something (otherwise all of the witches in the world would be rich!). Witchcraft is not just magick. It is a religion. If you do not have the religion and believe in it wholeheartedly, nothing will happen. Witchcraft also teaches you how to live peacefully with your surroundings and be happy with what you have. Witches do not desire money or riches or a new car. Things can never come to you unless you deserve them. The fundamental law of magick is the law of Karma which states that what you do will come back to you. If you are a good person and do nothing but good things for other people, then you will be rewarded. You can never get rewards without deserving them. What magick does teach is how to love yourself the way you are, with what you have. If you cannot do this, then your magick will not work. You cannot just cast spells and expect them to work. It takes many, many years to learn how to practice the religion and any spells that may go along with it. The magick is not in the spell, it is in the good of the person. The only thing that you can do is study hard for the rest of your life. Most people find that learning the religion is too hard and quit after a year or two. Just remember, that you will never get anywhere by wanting anything. Witches learn to live happily with what they have. If you learn that, then you will not ever need money or a new car. Things happen the way they are supposed to. Any witch knows this and understands the law of Karma. If you can learn to do these things and learn to live spiritually with yourself and with nature, you will find that you really are quite beautiful and the simpler things in life are what truly make you happy, instead of trying to have things (such as money, clothes and cars) in order to impress others. Once you let go of these ideas and desires, you will begin to see, for the first time, how magick really works and many other amazing little things around you. The world of magick will blossom for you and the mysteries will be revealed.
May you walk in love and light

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Hey Amber,
      Thank you for emailing me back! what you said really does make sense. i wasn't sure if Catholicism would really "allow" a person to really believe in anything other than what is said in the bible. I have a question for you. what are your opinions on the image that animals were created for man? I'm just curious to see how others might view that topic. I know my family agrees with it which I can honestly say I don't! so what do you think?
      I have one more request. could you explain a little about the Wiccan religion to me. I just want to at least know about it. I'd really appreciate it. although I have read through some of your website I'm still pretty ignorant when it comes to Wiccan. thanks  a lot Amber!!
Christina

My beliefs on animals are not like that of the bible. Wiccans tend to be very scientific in their viewpoints. I believe what the science books say. I believe that all animals evolved, including people. I believe that we are exactly equal to animals and that there is no difference between a bear or a tree or a weed or a roach or even a human. I believe that all living things have a soul and no one is worth more than another. (although I must say I am not especially fond of fleas :P) Wiccans believe that when we die, we go to a place called the Summerland. This is much like heaven, only all souls go there regardless of what they have done in life. It is often not the soul which chooses to do evil, but chemical imbalances in the brain. You can remain in the afterlife or return again and again in another life. This includes the lives of animals and plants as well as people. It is also said that the older your soul, the more difficult your life you choose will be. Young souls begin with insects and animals and work their way up the line. The oldest souls are said to reside in trees, making them quite sacred in our religion. This is another reason why Wiccans are often called "tree-huggers". We believe that human souls - the souls of our ancestors reside in the trees. Plants feel pain and some sort of emotion just as we do.
We also do not believe in eternity. All things change. When the soul finally must go to the summerland and there are no more living creatures to inhabit, we will finally, at the end of eternity, return all to the same beginning. Then it will happen all over again and all souls will be created anew. I suppose this has something to do with the big bang theory. We believe in angels and other spirits and we believe that we can die and meet each other again either in the afterlife or again on earth. I am very interested in the study of past lives, but it is difficult to uncover events that have happened. We lose these memories when we die, but some people can pick it up from the air around them. Does that make sense? I hope that I am not just confusing you. What I mean to say is that certain people share a special bond and that bond will carry with you from life to life. If you love your child more than anything, you may have either already met them in a past life and loved them or you may see them again in someone or something else in the future.

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Hello Amber,
      My name is Christina. I had a few questions about your beliefs, and religion. My first question is, is it possible to be catholic and somewhat Wiccan? a lot of the things you mentioned are things that I automatically think about daily, such as living in harmony with nature, and that if you were to be cruel to another it'll come back on you a lot worse. same with the opposite. I don't believe that there is only one right religion. I often wonder if my religion is correct, but then I think what if it is? the only part that would make me believe that I couldn't be Wiccan and catholic is worshiping the Goddess. I believe in only one God and I'm a very devoted catholic. but I find myself questioning things that no other catholic I know questions.
      My second question is referring to the dark and light sides of things. is it possible that to some the dark side of things might be Satan? I believe in Satan but sometimes I wonder if it's an actual being.
      For my third question, I just don't know very much about the Wiccan religion. I guess I'm just unclear about it overall. As you can probably see, i read a little on your website because I was interested in Wiccan and some of the beliefs. I purposely looked for websites on the topic. I'm really interested, and like I said before I don't follow the "there's only one right religion" policy.
      I'm sorry if I bothered you at all with my questions. I'd really appreciate it if you could write me back. I'm really confused as to what to do as far as religion goes. thanks for at least reading this!!
sincerely,
Christina

Dearest Christina,
As far as I can see, there is nothing wrong with what you believe. I don't see why Catholics cannot revere nature. It is a creation of God (per your religion) and should be revered as all of your God's creations should. As long as you only worship your one God, you would remain within the beliefs of Catholicism. You believe in hurting no one. You love what is around you. You may not believe in Satan, but there is nothing in the Bible that says you must believe in Satan. That is one belief that you can choose within your religion. So you see, you really do not have to be both Catholic and Wiccan. Perhaps you have found something wonderful and beautiful that many Catholics have lost over the years. Being Catholic does not mean that you cannot love all of the beautiful things in the world.
As for the Goddess, you do, in fact, worship the Goddess. When the pagan religions of old were transformed into the newer Judeo-Christian religions, many of the beliefs and practices remained the same. The triple aspect of the goddess (maiden, mother and crone) became one in the entity of the Virgin Mary. She was all three in one and is a very sanctified symbol of the Catholic church. She is also revered as the Mother of the Lord, the same as in pagan religions. As much as Pagans and Christians would like to think that we are completely opposite, we really are very much alike.

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Hello, I've read through most of your page and I'm honestly very confused about my own faith. You see, i am a Christian and would never give that up. But Wicca makes so much more sense to me. To believe in the earth and the elements is truly what I've always felt was right. I don't agree with some Christianity and I don't agree with some Wicca...... so is there a comfortable medium with the two? Is that possible? Is it right? I ask you this because you seem very educated and seem to be open to matters of this nature. I'm not really looking for an answer just your point of view. I really look forward to a reply.
Thank you

Hello,
I think I might know something that can help you. You do not have to read this or to believe this, but it has helped me become a little more comfortable with Christianity. I have spoken to Christian witches and many Christians that are non-denominational for one reason or another and I have come to some interesting ideas. Though Christianity seems to have a very define set of rules, I do not believe that they are as strict as your Pastor would like you to believe. There is a set of moral rules and witches, too believe in these rules. We do not endorse adultery, lying, cheating, hurting others, etc. We have the same gods. There is the creator God in Christianity: the maker of all. In Wicca there is "The All" which can be defined as everything. Not unlike what others mean when they say God is all around you. There is the mother goddess, Mary. It is interesting to note that she has the three aspects within her: Maiden (virgin), mother, and crone (wisdom as well as later old age). There is the divine child and God: Jesus, the protector of all. You do not have to believe certain things in the Bible just because they are there. That does not make them true. If you believe everything that you hear, you may likely be taken advantage of by another religion. Always go with your heart. I tell this to Christians time and time again. You don't have to listen to me, but I believe you should always only believe in what your heart tells you. I believe that God will not speak to you through a book or a Pastor. If he wants to reach you, he will do so through your own heart. Sometimes people tell me "what if it is the devil speaking to me and not God?" I do not believe in the Devil, but because others do I tell them that if the Devil is evil he will put evil thoughts in your head. If what you are hearing is good and not evil, it cannot be the Devil. Some Christians fall from their religion because they cannot get close to their God. I believe the Christian religion would do better if followers went back to listening to God and not to other people's opinions. If you feel that it is your duty to become a witch and help others, I believe that if you do no wrong and help others and love your God unconditionally, you cannot go wrong. Some say that witches are the work of the devil and are abhorred by God. Here is a passage I found on a religious site:

A clip from the book of Exodus states , "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live". This quote, alone, sealed the fate for many of the accused as well as the true followers of the old ways. However, this is a false translation. What has been translated as "witch" comes from the Hebrew chaspah, a "poisoner" or murderer. The verse can be reinterpreted to mean not to tolerate people who poison--or murderers. This is very different from condoning the brutal murder of witches. Regardless, the witch hunters were able to claim the backing of God in their tasks, and the support of towns folk that would not question their methods.

Call witches today faith healers, if you wish. There were always those in biblical times who performed miracle healings and prepared medicines. The were saints and Christ and miracle workers. They were never called witches and in the bible were never hated. As witches should never do wrong, I believe that there can be more than just a happy medium between the two religions. As long as you do not idolize any of the pagan gods. Even the holidays coincide, so you can find a happy medium within religious holidays as well. There is nothing wrong with celebrating Autumn or Spring as they are Gods creations and all he has made should be revered. There is little difference between praying in either religion and even Catholics light the candles on the alter before their Lord and their Mother Mary.

here is a link to a Christian Witchcraft site that I think is very lovely and informative:
http://www.smokylake.com/Christy/

I hope that I was able to help. I do not claim that this way is the right way. I am only trying to help anyone who is confused about their religion. You do not have to believe it, but perhaps it will give you a foothold on some ideas of who you are and where you wish to go.

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Hello,
I heard about Wicca a few days ago and I decided to educate myself a bit. The first page I was yours... I found it quite interesting. And it really influenced me a lot. After that I read some other pages on Wicca but I have some questions for you.
1. Can I successfully use Wiccan spells without being Wiccan? From another page I read it's possible, but I want to hear your opinion.
2. Is following the lessons on your page enough to convert to Wicca. Are they detailed enough? Is the conversion possible for me? I was Baptized.. I live in Bulgaria (South-East of Europe) Orthodox Christianity dominates here... I'm a boy...
3. None of the spells on the web are written in Bulgarian - can this be an obstacle since English is not my native language?
Thank you in advance...
Hope to hear from you soon!
Rorko

Dearest Rorko,
Those are some fantastic questions. Let me see if I can answer them all.
1. Yes. You can use any spell or any prayer from any religion and it will work fine. Faith is not based on rules. Spells do not have a mind of their own to work only for certain people. They are your personal tool and they work on your belief and your faith. Anyone who tells you otherwise just wants attention.
2. I created the lessons as a general guide to the Wiccan religion. You can be Wiccan and never follow those rules, just as you can be Christian and never go to church. If you wish to become a practicing Wiccan, however, my lessons should tell you everything you need to know to start. Wicca is, however, a growing religion and you will never stop learning so it is advised that you also learn from books or other websites as some people have different points of view. Anyone can convert to or become a Wiccan just as you can become a Christian or any other religion. It is not binding and if you feel it is not right for you, you can also return to your former religion or move on to something else if you feel that it is not right for you. Even men are welcome in witchcraft. Men are called witches and not warlocks. Warlock is an insult as it means "oath breaker."
3. Spells and prayers can be translated into any religion and will work the same. You may want to change them a little, however, as spells often work better when they rhyme.
I hope that this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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Dear Amber,
Can you give me a recipe for a simple love potion? I know the man loves me, but is afraid to trust anyone with his heart. I could also use a spell to bring me good money.  I don't mind working for it, but I am having trouble supporting my two beautiful children. Any advice and/or information you can give me would be very greatly appreciated.  I have a good, loving heart and I mean harm to nobody. 
Thank you!
Brenda

Dearest Brenda,
Love potions are not hard to come by. The only trouble is that love potions are not usually for the emotion, they are for passion. I will give you a potion for your problem. Just remember, it is dangerous to perform any type of spell on anyone without their consent, even a spell to help them. I cannot be responsible for the consequences, I am sure you understand. Just to make it safe, I have included materials to help your friend attain love and not to make him fall in love with you. That should keep this safe for the both of you.

A POTION ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR PROBLEM:
1) 10 drops Flower essence of borage or golden yarrow.
(learn how to make it here:
http://www.geocities.com/amberskyfire/herb.htm
2) one small rose-quartz crystal
3) three pinches of catnip
4) some spring water that has been kept in a crystal
or clear glass bowl with a quartz crystal in it in the
full moon's light for one night
5) three pinches of sugar

Heat the water in a small pot on the stove. Just as much as you will need for the potion will be fine. Do not boil the water, just heat it until it is hot. Pour
the water into a bottle being careful not to burn yourself. A dark colored bottle will keep the potion longer. Place in all of the ingredients and shake it a little to mix the sugar and the catnip. If you can get large pieces of catnip, put them directly into the bottle. If not, heat them in the water on the stove
and strain them out before pouring into the bottle. Once all of the ingredients have been added, ask a blessing for what you wish to attain. Do not ask that he fall in love with you. Just ask to give him the strength to follow his heart.

As for money, there are many simple things that you can do. In my spells section you can find many different spells to gain money. All of them work. You can also say a chant. Silver RavenWolf has one that even I use when I need it. Just say Trinka-five several times. Do not be greedy. Use it only when you need it. You will obtain the money that you need and no more. It also helps to carry something as a charm for money. Some good charms are Buckeyes (a type of seed), cinnamon in a green flannel bag, coltsfoot, patchouli, pennyroyal, lemon balm, and flax seed are also good at attracting money. I hope that this helps.

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I know I won't change any bit of your thought about religion i'm just saying...See i'm a christain and i don't think God send inesent babies to hell. He may even send jews. I know you will probably belive this if you belive in horoscopes and all. I went to this guy who is clarvoient and it's  so weird but he knew a lot. he is christain and he wasn't telling me to do  bad and he seemed like a man of God...well nEwayz I asked him about if God  really sends jews and babies to hell. He said as long as you belive in God  (and follow the commandments) you'll Go.As for babies see my mom has a sister  that died when she was a baby and he can sence spirits i guess and he knew  that my mom had this sister. She's in heaven and she wasn't even old enough  to know who God was. I know you really don't like the christain religion and  all but Hell is mainly for the people who are filled with darkness. I'm sorry this is long. But i used to play with the oijji (don't know how to  spell) board and thought nothing of it. I had some pretty bad things happen.  It got so bad i came home and all of a sudden started shaking and craying I  had a nervous brake down from it. The devil is so bad the clairvoient guy  said he put the thought of suiside in my head and he did i belive. Once I  started praying when even i was scared or tried to fight off the devil i felt  so much better. 
 I know you aren't to found of God and christanity maybe b/c you were forced  to go at church and didn't understand certain things (like the whole Heaven deal) but God loves you. I know it sounds cleche and stupid but the devils  way may look good and easy but at rapture trust me it isn't..... 
-kind regards Katy

Dearest Katy,
Oh, dear, I think that you misunderstood me. I do not hate the Christian religion at all. The beliefs and ideas that you describe are things that I felt when I was young. When I became a witch, I learned a different set of beliefs. These beliefs are my own and do not reflect the thoughts of other witches, so do not think that we are all the same. 
I do not hate the Christian religion. I think that it is so beautiful and is the most diverse religions on the planet. I say this because there is really only one kind of Buddhist, one kind of Mormon, one kind of Hindu, etc. Christianity, however, spans the globe and has taken on so many forms, much like a kaleidoscope, all changing, yet remaining the same whole. There are so many conflicting beliefs, all combating the evils of the world, which you call the Devil.
When I was young, someone told me that all Jews were going to hell.
They told me that anyone who was not Christian was going to hell.
They told me that all who did not repent would go to hell.
I was horrified when I was told that unborn children and innocents who could never have learned of Christianity would go to hell.
I have learned since that these things are wrong and should not be used to frighten people into any religion.
I do believe that people can be bad, no matter what religion.
I do believe in the Devil, but not in the Christian Devil. I do not believe that "he" is a person (or angel or demon for that matter) but is simply the evil that lives in people. Anything that makes you sad or angry or suicidal, as you say, can be considered the Devil. Anything that is destructive to the soul and to the mind is the Devil. I do not believe in hell, unless it is the hell of guilt and carrying this guilt with you until you come to terms with it or set things right. I cannot (I am sorry) believe in eternal damnation. I do believe in this "darkness" that you speak of. I do believe in personal hell; a hell within one's own soul.
I do believe that one can change.
I do believe in being a good person. 
I do believe in helping others.
I do believe that there is evil in the world.
I do believe that I want nothing to do with it.
I do not worship the devil.
Please do not get me wrong. I have nothing against any religion, especially Christianity. I have chosen to accept the good in Christianity such as heaven. I am sure that there is a heaven. There are many different Christian beliefs and I like the belief (which does not apply to all Christians) that God is loving and no matter what religion you are, if you have goodness in your heart and do good for others, then you will go to heaven regardless of race, religion or background. I like that idea.
I once had a friend that I worked with who was a Christian. I was friends with her for a year before she found out that I was a witch. She became angry at first and rather astonished, but then took my hands and said that I had such goodness in my heart that if I went to hell, she would give up her religion because it was not fair. I told her that that was not right and we should all choose our paths, but feel blessed that I can be a good person, even if I feel uncomfortable with Christianity.
I am sorry that we do not agree on religion in practice, though I do find your faith in yourself and your God worthy of respect. I wish that all people had such faith in their religions as you. Perhaps the world would be a much more inviting place.

I am sorry that you think that I am following the Devil's way. I do everything that I can to help others. I do not lie or cheat or steal. I follow all of the ten commandments. I try to love others. I do volunteer work. I do not practice any of the Christian "sins". I try to do my best. If that is not good enough, then it is not good enough. I do try to do the best that I can. If you think that anything that I do is evil, please let me know and perhaps we can talk about it.

I hope that you understand that you are lucky to have such faith.
May you always walk in light and love, regardless of beliefs.
Never let anyone take that away from you.
-Amber

Katy Followed with:

I think that's kewl what you said. The goodnes in your heart. Ya know that  confusion you said you had about Christainity, I feel that now. See I was  never grown up into any religion b/c my mom was katholic and my dad is  jewish. I went off into my own faith and becom non denominational. Yet my  brother is agnostic and my dad is jewish. I do have faith in my religion but  it's been hard since they say people like my dad and brother are going to  hell. It's sad and really hard. My mom is talking to this clarvoient dude and  that seems ok YET I have a friend who is a mojor christain and ahhhhhhhhhhh... as you can see..........Do you think I ever have a chance of really belonging  in a religion i mean...I haven't been to church in 4 weeks yet I do pray and  i think i'm a good person yet I feel intimidated by my friend. lol sry i'm  just throwing this all at you I know you're not a counsler I just thought you  might understand b/c you were kinda sorta in a big confusion about it. ....
- Katy

Dearest Katy,
I am sorry that you feel confused. I am not a counselor, as you said, but I think that you should listen to your heart and do what you think is good. Never listen to others who try to frighten you into doing something that you fear. God would not do that to you. Just find your own peace with your God. Always try to be a good person. I know that if your God is as good as people say that he is, he will be more than proud of you and you will always have a place in heaven.
Come to think of it, on my website under the "About Witchcraft" heading, there is a letter from a Christian who quotes scriptures from the Bible stating that many who are not Christian will go to heaven and that many who are Christian will go to hell. Perhaps, if there is a hell, it really IS only reserved for the bad people. Perhaps those that you love who are not Christians have nothing to fear and you can rest easy. You can read the letter and look the passages up for yourself. I just thought you might be interested.

May you always walk in light and love.
-Amber

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Hi
are u a real witch? I bet u get a lot of letters like this. Where people dont think u r what u r ! but r u really!
-AngelTiger

I am a real witch. Many people are witches. You probably know a few and don't even know it. It is a religion. It does not mean that I can fly or turn someone into a frog. You can be a witch right now if you wanted. Just as you could be a Christian or a Buddhist or anything else. It has absolutely nothing to do with witches on television and in movies. Those types of witches do not exist and are stereotypical.