Wands

In Wicca and Ceremonial Magic, practitioners use wands for the channeling of energy. Though traditionally made of wood, they may also consist of metal or crystal.
Practitioners usually prune a branch from an Oak, Hazel, or other tree, or may even buy wood. It is often then carved, with decorations added. It is possible to purchase ready-made wands. However obtained the wand should be cleansed and made ready for ritual.
In the picture the wands shown are left to right:

High Priestess (HPS) Hazel Wand, HPS Laurel Snake Headed Wand,
In the centre is The Scourge

To the right the High Priest Willow Wands tipped with Carnelian from the seashore and embellished with Hemp.

Top: Willow wand tipped with East Anglian Fenland Bog-Oak.

Solstice

This morning at 9:02 in County Meath, Ireland the sun rose above the eastern horizon and entered the lightbox over the entrance of Newgrange Passage Tomb and gradually crawled down the main passage to a chamber.
Here fifteen lucky lottery winners stood watching the shaft of sunlight crawl across the floor and up a intricately carved vertical stone at the rear of the chamber. The entire event took about seventeen minutes and was created over 5200 years ago to mark the winter solstice. We have never been alone.
At 12.25 p.m. today the sun will appear to stand still for a few moments and then begin its annual move northward. The days will grow longer until June 21st when the sun will again appear to stand still and begin its move southward.
Today marks a new beginning of the cycle. Enjoy this day, the shortest daylight time of the year.
In our ceremony Holly will give way to Oak, whose strength will take us all onward towards Imbolg, when we shall mark the end of winter.

Full Moon - this one is special

Make sure you spend some time gazing at the full moon tonight. It is very special.
This is the highest the moon has been in the sky for two decades and it will not return to this position for another 23 years.
This means it will seem to be very large in the night sky, and the forecast for our part of England is good. It should be clear and bright.
The moon has always held an especial fascination for mankind. Many people, me included, can feel its affects, particularly at full moon.
Yesterday it was revealed that evidence of a human species living at Pakefield, near Lowestoft, about 40 miles from our coven in Suffolk, over 200,000 years ago has been found. Those people will have gazed up at the same moon, in wonder, just as we will tonight.
This esbat is special and members of the coven will meet in philosophical and spiritual mood.
Blessings be.

Yule

The next Sabbat will be YULE (Winter Solstice) on 21st December.
We will be celebrating the return of the light as can be seen for this day by the lengthening daylight hours.
This year we will concentrate on the Wheel of the Year as represented by various trees, using the Holly and the Oak as the two Kings of the Year. Their bi-annual meeting at the Solstices symbolises the waxing and waning of the Sun's power and will be presided over at Yule by the Goddess in her guise of Queen of Mid Winter.
Coven members can look forward to magical happenings at this wonderfully festive time.

Cauldron

A cauldron or caldron (from Latin caldarium, hot bath) is a large metal-made pot (kettle) for cooking and/or boiling over an open fire, usually attached to a hanger with the shape of an arc.

In legend, a cauldron is purported to be where leprechauns keep their treasure.

In Wicca a cauldron is often placed at the centre of a sacred circle, and used to contain items that will be set alight during a ritual.

Traditionally, or in myth, a cauldron was also used by witches to prepare their potions, most notably the weird sisters in the play Macbeth.

As a cooking vessel it is now rarely used. The myth of the Holy Grail probably refers to a cauldron or similar vessel.

Athame

Athame or athamé is a ceremonial knife. In some traditions, the athame is a knife with a double edged blade and short (often black) handle; other traditions require that the blade be dull, curved, wavy, or a variety of other specifications.

The athame is usually used for ritual and magical purposes only, to direct energy; if something such as herbs or cord needs to be cut, another knife called a boline or white-handled knife is used.

Many traditions associate the athame with the masculine principle and with the element of air, though traditions associating it with fire are not uncommon.

As a masculine principle, it is often used in combination with the Graal, as feminine principle, and evokes clearly the act of procreation, as symbol of universal creativity. This moment is the central symbol of the Great Rite in Wicca rituals.

Other traditions forbid the ritual use of blades in general, or specifically of iron blades. This is most common amongst traditions that have a particular fondness of the Sidhe, to whom iron is supposedly harmful.

There are cleansing ritualsfor a newly acquired Athame, be it new, or acquired from another person.

There is no proven etymology for this word as it does not appear in any European Language. In the book Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft, Prof. Ronald Hutton looks into the possible sources that Gerald Gardner may have used to obtain the word 'athame', but he does not pinpoint any clear single source. Some sources, however, (including Robert Graves) suggest that it is derived from Arabic Al Thame (or Adh-dhame), The Arrow.

Tools

The High Priest's Athame is used in many rituals.

As is the cauldron, which is usually placed at the centre of the sacred circle.
For more pictures of items used in wiccan rituals at the coven go to our web site

Esbats

We celebrate Full Moon Esbats when a smaller inner group meet to re-purify ourselves and practise Astral Travel, Consecrations, Crystal Ball Scrying, Divination, Fire Scrying, Meditations, Pathworkings and Tarot Readings with some set rituals.

Most meetings are held at the Covenstead but during the summer months can be held beside our local river and sea shores.

Note the position of the Full Moon and you will then know that we are celebrating Esbat.

For more information go to our Esbat pages

Rituals

Ceremonies and rituals have always played a major part in human life, whether they are rites of passage, as a child is born, puberty passes, a birthday party, when couples marry or we move on to new worlds. They are all intended to impress and influence, and should leave a lasting impression, strongly influencing people to reinforce or change their lives, and within themselves to alter assumptions, attitudes and expectations.

All religions rely upon ritual to reinforce doctrine and belief, and ceremonies can often be very lavishly ritualistic, as in the election of a new Pope in the Catholic church, or prolonged and involving the entire population as in Ramadan, a special month in Islam, a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control.

To be effective any ritual must have a strong beginning and ending. Often drums, whistles or trumpets are used to obtain people’s attention. Similarly the ending must be clearly defined. Too often these distinctions are not made, and ritual becomes blurred into everyday life, and loses its significance and diminishes in importance. The blessing of food before eating a meal is often garbled and indistinct, a ritual that has now lost its significance for many people.

It must involve your senses. It may be interesting or beautiful but it will be enhanced if there is music, or incense, and movement. It should also involve the audience, with joint responses from them all or small parts for each individual to play.

There should not be too many surprises. It should follow a predictable form, so the audience feels comfortable and relaxed. Cohesiveness is important, particularly for religious groups with a wide membership, as each member knows what to expect, wherever the ritual may be held.

Each part of the ritual must be clearly understood by the participants. Another world may be addressed however those in this world must know what is happening. Explanations should be given before the start and at the end of the ritual to ensure that everyone knows what will and has taken place.

Clearly any ritual must be special. Too many of our public holidays have now lost their significance, often in a wave of commercialism, and as a result the whole concept of joining together in celebration or to mark an event in our lives has fallen into decline.

A special area should be set aside for the ritual. It could be consecrated, with a blessing dedicated to the area to bring protection, or good fortune. A circle of people holding hands creates a special place. In our coven our High Priest and High Priestess have devoted part of their garden to the circle. This not only provides a permanent place, which is convenient, private and free from disturbance but the value of the circle is enhanced as the memories of each ritual are imprinted both on the surroundings and the participants.

Clothing should be reserved for the ritual, and only worn on such occasions. To that may be added other objects, an altar, bowls, flowers, banners, crystals, statues – all can serve to make the ritual special. In the coven we all have special clothing, often wearing different robes for each sabat, and the altar and accoutrements used each time have been created solely for use in that ritual.

Movements and gestures that are rarely made at other times can also serve to set the ritual apart from ordinary life, perhaps a dance, a genuflection, all will enhance the significance of the ritual.

Rituals are very important, and can be found in all parts of our lives. A morning assembly in a school and a funeral, both are rituals. They each follow the principles described, and we gain from the spirit of comradeship as we gather together to perform such ceremonies.

Useful Contacts

It will take time, but we will slowly build our web site into an extremely informative place for pagans.
One small start is a page of useful contacts. These are maintained by Furl , a useful service, and part of our list of web sites that may be of some use to pagans is displayed on our Contacts page and the rest can be found by clicking through to our complete Furl list, where you can add your own comments.
This photograph was takenat Mabon, it shows five of the principals in that ceremony. The web site will soon have more information about this ritual, which takes place at the autumn equinox, September 21st.

Sabats

We celebrate eight sabats during the year. This could be regarded as the start of that cycle. Samhain at end of October celebrates the end of harvest, of the year, as we enter a period of darkness and reflection.

Next will come Yule, the heart of winter, at the winter solstice, at 21 December.

In February, at Candlemass is Imbolg, the passing of winter.

Ostara is the rite of Spring at the vernal equinox, about 21 March.

Then comes Beltane when the God and Goddess join together in fecund union.

Litha or the midsummer solstice has the Goddess blooming at the height of summer, usually held on 21 June, as we move on to

Lughnasadh, in August, as the first fruits of harvest are gathered in,

with Mabon to follow at the autumnal equinox, around 21 September, and so the circle completes with

Samhain again, when we look back over the past year, and after reflection, start to plan for the coming seasons.

Principals

A wiccan coven is a flexible gathering, but it does have principal members, notably the High Priest, High Priestess, a Maid and a Crone. The three ladies representing the stages of life, from Maid to Mother to Crone, stages that can be found in all life. Each has its own attributes, and together they represent life.

Welcome

Welcome to Carlford Coven, a wiccan set in the Suffolk countryside in England.
Come with us on a journey of discovery as we explore and explain our world. Our web site is at www.carlfordcoven.co.uk