Hearth & Hold

We are witches, united from far distances to uphold tradition, experience the Mysteries, and share resources which may allow others to do the same. Witchcraft is religion, witchcraft is hidden Mysteries, witchcraft is the shadows of history, and the light of the old gods. Witchcraft's roots run deep, it's our responsibility to tend to that ancient tree that we may harvest its sacred fruit. At this blog you will find free resources and guidance for those exploring the Craft of the Wica; religious witchcraft in its traditional form. In the words of Doreen Valiente, "Blessed be all in Hearth and Hold."

[traditionalwiccans]

Postcard, artwork by Gerald Gardner.

[cunningcraft-deactivated2023060]

The Key of Solomon: The True Key to Summoning Powerful Spirits

So excited about this new video!!!

[cunningcraft-deactivated2023060]

Do BTW’s incorporate the wiccan rede or threefold law into their practice ( religion?) at all? I know the 3fold law was mentioned only in high magic’s aid and that the rede was published in 1975 in rede of the wiccae but i havent been able to find a definitive answer for if BTW’s follow either.

A lot of us have been very vocal about this recently because its such a pervasive question and misunderstanding. The “Wiccan Rede,” which is really just a few words and but one rede within the Brotherhood of the Wica, simply means words of advice, and there is a deeper teaching behind the words that fall in line more with Hermes Trismegistus’ philosophies than anything else. Many books put forth the quote and say it means what it doesn’t mean. This was prevalent in the days when everyone was preoccupied with proving witches aren’t horrible people and are incapable of harm. In short, the rede is actually not “the” rede, it is just one word of advice among many and the true underpinnings of the teaching are not public and have so far never been made public. 

The threefold law is similar to the aforementioned misunderstanding but far worse. It was completely flipped around to mean the opposite of the original. Perhaps this was an intentional blind; but I assure you what people say about the “threefold law” is 1. Overemphasized and 2. Backward. 

It’s very hard to be in the position of an oathbound, secretive mystery cult when so many people have grabbed at us and bastardized so much. We can’t give the actual teaching, we can only hope to convince people that the bastardized form is incorrect. 

[maninmink]

Alexandrian Coven in the ritual circle.

[coyote-696]

check out that sweet trithemius circle

[tyetknot]

There’s a photo somewhere of Alex with one of the pedestals for the crystal sphere, I’ll have to see if I can find it.

I was ridiculously excited when I figured out that it was the Trithemius circle. There’s also a reference to the Table of Practice in Huson’s ‘Mastering Witchcraft’.

[coyote-696]

That’s fuckin rad! man DSIC is such a great, versatile system.

[tyetknot]

Yeah, here we go:

Whether or not he actually used it or whether it was actually made of ebony I have no idea.

[craig-ruckle]

High Magic’s Aid (1949) by Gerald Garner, Wiccan, author and founder of the Gardnerian Wiccan tradition. 

[cunningcraft-deactivated2023060]

My interview with Witch Way Magazine is available now at www.witchwaymagazine.com ! 

[windcarriedwitch]

Lost Traditions of Wicca: The Fivefold Kiss

The Fivefold Kiss was first introduced to the public in Stewart and Janet Farrar’s “A Witches’ Bible”. The act is performed before rituals such as Drawing Down the Moon among many Gardnarian and Alexandrian circles. Traditionally, a male member of the coven will kneel before a female member and perform the ritual by either physically kissing the areas that are blessed, anointing them with oil using his finger, or touching them with the wand. As he performs the ritual, he speaks these words:

“Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways

Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar

Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be

Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty

Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names.”

The female member then returns the blessing, replacing “womb” with “phallus” and “beauty” with “strength”.

During initiations, the Fivefold Kiss immediately follows the ritual Scourging. Unfortunately, like the Scourge, many have discarded this practice because they consider it to be perverse. If done with proper intent, however, the Kiss is an act of exaltation. While the Scourge represents humility and the necessity of pain in order to grow, the Fivefold Kiss is an active recognition of the divine nature present in us all. When a fellow covener kneels before you speaks the words “blessed be”, he or she is saying “I see the God or Goddess in you and I honor it.” Few other Wiccan rituals convey this kind of respect so openly. The God and Goddess are nature. As we are of nature, the God and Goddess are within us. It is of this which Fivefold Kiss serves to remind us.

[voxiferaldiana]

Alex and Maxine Sanders 

[mandrakeandroses-deactivated202]

Seriously though, how is Samhain actually pronounced?

Because I’ve lost count the amount of different ones I’ve seen.

[hearthandhold-blog]

Sow-in (ow rhyming with cow)

[hedgewitchgarden]

“A year of beauty. A year of plenty. A year of planting. A year of harvest. A year of forests. A year of healing. A year of vision. A year of passion. A year of rebirth. This year may we renew the earth. This year may we renew the earth. Let it begin with each step we take. And let it begin with each change we make. And let it begin with each chain we break. And let it begin every time we awake.” -  Starhwak, Reclaiming Samhain

[voxiferaldiana]

Outdoor Ritual, Alex Sanders and the Coven

[anatoxin-a]

Found this walking back home one day about a month or two ago. CORRECTION: I have now been informed it is a Goetic summoning circle. The brick in the tree was written with some names, but it I couldn’t really get a good look (or shot). I didn’t want to move anything. It’s still there.

[hearthandhold-blog]

"once a witch, always a witch" Photographer's instagram: gillian_photography

[cunningcraft-deactivated2023060]

Scrubbing the Temple Floors of Wicca

Imagine an atheist reading one "Catholicism How-To" book, then going into every avenue of communication and speaking to people, claiming to be able to teach them Catholicism. This hypothetical exuberant "Catholicism For Dummies" reader is frequently wrong, has never actuall

[cunningcraft-deactivated2023060]

“Veiled or Voluptuous” and “Breath of Pan” available now at www.AustinShippey.com 

[hearthandhold-blog]

Your grimoire does not need to be cute, it needs to be functional.

[traditionalwiccans]

The meaning of witchcraft is to be found, not in strange religious theories about God and Satan, but in the deepest levels of the human mind, the collective unconscious, and in the earliest developments of human society. It is the deepness of the roots that has preserved the tree.

Gerald Gardner, The Meaning of Witchcraft (via traditionalwitches)