Awakening

The Wiccan Rede has served as a guide to Wiccans, but it has also been a source of misconceptions about the Path. Join Kathael as she guides you to your Wiccan awakening. By Kathael.

The Wiccan Rede, “Do what ye will and harm none”, has served as a guide to Wiccans, but it has also been a source of misconceptions about the Path. Often misunderstood as hedonistic in nature, we cannot actually put the blame on those ignorant of our beliefs, because perhaps, sometimes the ignorance is ours.

Having met a lot of Wiccans as well as so-called practitioners, I sadden to hear the phrase ‘I am Wiccan’ uttered so carelessly and thoughtlessly. You are not Wiccan just because you have affinity with the Charmed ones or with the Gothic/Hippie styles that have somehow become the stereotype. You are not Wiccan just because you can effectively cast hexes in order to prove your invincibility in the physical realm.

Wicca is not about spellcasting and gaining power for the advantage of an easy life. It is not about manipulating the energies of the Universe so you can pass an exam or get that job. It is in Trusting that the Universe provides that which our souls are lacking; like the discipline of athletes, our souls sometimes need to be pushed to the edge and forged in burning fires so we can find our way back again.

Magick is undoubtedly double-edged; I have learned it the hard and humbling way. Easy as it is to get carried away by our seeming control over the Universe, it is best to treat this gift with the respect (and caution) that it deserves. Remember that in order to "do what ye will", you must first have an idea of your role in this current Cycle and lifetime. If you are running along aimlessly, then you may not be able to effectively channel these energies.

The transition from fear to a moderate acceptance of Wicca is a result of your actions. Solitary or not, once you have announced yourself as a Wiccan, you have the responsibility to be a living proof of our moral code. We have a host of false impressions and the result of the campaign of the Paternal religions against us. If we want to be left in our peace, then we have a lot to disprove, like it or not.

I used to compare it this way: that certain organized religions are for Children who need fear and guilt to keep them in line, whereas Wicca offers no such protection. At the very least, the individual should be willing to be liable for all the consequences resulting from one’s decisions.

As we bask in the purifying fires of Beltane, I wish it is as easy to determine the What and the Why of our choice to follow the Wiccan Path. This is not a religion of the weak in spirit nor for the hedonists. The Goddess will not offer rigid structures for us to fall upon. There is no formula and no judgment, only personal responsibility, ethic and strength of character.

This Beltane heralds the changing of energies from dreaming to awakening. This is the time of surfacing Possibilities. A time to take a step and to decide on how to reinvent or reinforce yourself, given this new summer of Life.


About the Author: KATHAEL is a solitary seeker of ancient cultures and myths. At the age of 18, she discovered that Wicca had been the path she had unknowingly followed all her life. She is a graduate of Computer Engineering (UP Diliman), which for a time sidetracked her from things she is most passionate about. She firmly believes that practitioners should be more focused on the presence of spirituality in magick.

© 2007 Manggagaway E-magazine. Articles may be distributed freely on the condition that all accreditation is acknowledged, no part is altered and this notice is attached and the website: http://manggagaway-central.blogspot.com is included. ~ Thank you

How to Make Your Own Scrapbook?

Scrapbooking is a creative way to keep your memories alive and vibrant. Don't know where to start? Right here. By Rniyal and Firechild.

So, what is it with scrapbooking that makes people want to do it? It’s pretty simple. People do it to keep memories, which are treasures in our lives. Most people do not realize that the popular albums, the ones that automatically hold the pictures on the page, are usually full of chemicals that eventually cause photographs to deteriorate. Remember your baby pics that used to be in color and are now in sepia? That’s caused by the reaction of the paper and chemicals used to make the photo with the chemicals in the plastic and adhesive in the album. This can be avoided through scrapbooking. Scrapbooks made now can still look the same seventy to eighty years from now, when your great-grandchildren leaf through it.

Scrapbooking is often called memory keeping. Like the bards of old, or the ancient women who wove tapestries to tell the tale of their people, this craft is designed to keep memories fresh by telling the story of how a certain person or group of persons lived their lives. Maybe you can do one for your coven, keeping track of its formation, its highs and lows, and its rituals. Or maybe you’d like to do a more personal one, recording your journey from seeker to Wiccan.

Technically, a scrapbook is an album into which clippings, notes, or pictures can be pasted, and it isn’t really hard to make. You can make it just by literally using scraps, anything that you think you don’t need anymore. It is just a matter of recycling things that are around you. Below are the 10 tips that I have come up with to share with you on how to make a good scrapbook.

1. Decide on what you want to do first. Beginners usually get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of pictures that they have. It would help if you started by thinking of what you want to scrap to begin with. It can be an event (your handfasting, or your initiation to your coven), or a running theme (your searcher years) you can scrapbook for your childhood days, your high school days, for your circle, for your vanity, or for your loved ones. With this, ideas for the following tips will then follow.

Themes can vary...you can scrapbook your birthday, your relationship or your circle of friends.

2. Choose a scrapbook album. Getting the right scrapbook for you is important. There are a lot of available ones in the mall or bookstores and with different sizes ranging from mini albums at 4x4 inches to the full-sized 12x12 inches. You don’t actually need to spend much on this. You can choose something based on your budget, the number of pictures you expect to use, and the theme of the album you are making. If you can’t find one that you like, then go make one. Having a personalized scrapbook helps you to express yourself better.

Albums come in many types – post-bound, strap bound, or 3-ring. Be sure to pick one that fits your style. If you like to pile on the photos and might need more extra space, a strap-bound album is not advisable, since you can’t add onto it. If you like adding three-dimensional embellishments like rocks from a trip, use a 3-ring album that allows you more space.

3. Get the right kind of paper. If you seriously decide to get into this hobby, you have to consider that all albums, papers, adhesives, inks, and page protectors that you use should be acid-free and lignin-free. These two elements are what cause book pages to yellow and photographs to fade. The absence of acid prevents the aging of papers and photographs, and will guarantee that your pictures will look the same 50, 70, or a hundred years down the road. With the scrapbooking business boom, you can now purchase an acid-free paper in a multitude patterns from any craft store. When you’re not sure if your materials are not acid-free, do not put them in close proximity of pictures.

Here are some albums that I have...

4. Organize your pictures. Not all pictures have to go into your scrapbook. Take the time to sort through all your photographs and pick out the best. Place the rest in regular acid-free albums which do not require as much labor. Remember, choosing what goes into your scrapbook aids the future viewer in getting the story you want to tell. Remember to take a lot of pictures, so you’ll always have lots to choose from. Have your digi-cams, camera or cell phone cameras ready all the time.

5. Scrapbooking isn’t just about pictures. You can glue your theater/concert tickets from that memorable date, or paste that colorful leaf you picked up during one of your barkada picnics. Collect mementoes from significant events in your life, and keep them here as well.

Another important part of scrapbooking is journaling – the writing down of important details relevant to the event, as well as your thoughts and feelings. Try to write down the WHO, WHAT, and WHEN of the pictures to help other people understand it. Then you can add detail to the story by adding personal notes.

6. Invest wisely. When you’re just beginning, everything looks like a good buy, but don’t be fooled. Most scrappers spend a lot when they’re just starting out, so be prepared to shell out quite a bit if you’ve decided to take up the hobby. However, you don’t have to run out and buy tons of paper and every color of pen imaginable. All you really need is a good album, a couple of acid-free pens, acid-free adhesives (Elmer’s Craft Glue or Bic Glue Sticks work great) and maybe some embellishments like beads and ribbons. Tools like those featured here are totally optional. Though as you grow more adept at scrapbooking, you will want to get them as well.

7. Find other hobbyists. It’s hard to sustain interest in a new hobby when you’re doing it alone. Find other scrappers in your area. You can find inspiration by brainstorming and sharing your ideas with people who are also into the hobby, and share tools and tips that will help you make professional-looking scrapbooks in no time at all. To find like-minded people, join egroups, link up to other online communities, or visit your local craft store and ask if they give lessons. You’re likely to meet people who are friendly and understand how a hobby can easily turn into a slight obsession.

8. Get to know Photoshop, your new best friend. If you have a digital camera, it pays to learn the basics (or more) of photo editing. It saves a lot of time waiting in line at a photo-editing place like Kodak, and you can make sure your photos turn out exactly as you want them. Edit out red eyes, crop to bring out the focus of your pictures, or add all sorts of whimsical elements with a simple click of a mouse.

Before Editing...


After Editing...

9. Do not limit yourself. You are the boss of your scrapbook. You can do whatever it is that you want. Have an autograph section for your friends, cut the pages, doodle on some, make it like an autograph book so that you will know people better, write your every thoughts in it, edit the pictures you want, design it the way you always wanted to when you were a kid…. who cares? It is yours!

10. Make time. Like all worthwhile things, this craft will demand your time and attention. Make sure you set aside some time for it in order for it to flourish. Don’t get discouraged by the seemingly endless stream of photos you have. Simply enjoy the hobby and before you know it, you’ll have shelves full of albums of perfectly preserved stories of your life, ready for the following generations to learn from and treasure.

Happy scrapbooking!


About the Authors: RNIYAL and FIRECHILD are both scrapbooking enthusiasts. Rniyal is a solitary eclectic witch affiliated with the Moonlight Circle. She loves to learn and try new things that will make her grow into a better person. Firechild, on the other hand, is a solitary kitchen witch who is a writer/editor by profession.

© 2007 Manggagaway E-magazine. Articles may be distributed freely on the condition that all accreditation is acknowledged, no part is altered and this notice is attached and the website: http://manggagaway-central.blogspot.com is included. ~ Thank you

Savoring the Flavor of Creation

Creativity is a divine gift that should be relished and cultivated no matter what. Be inspired as Sapphire takes you on her personal journey to hone her talent in the face of adversity. By Sapphire Soul.

The power of sex is also the power to create, and because these creative energies course through Beltane, it is the perfect time to join one or even several creative workshops that seem to sprout all over during summer. There are so many to choose from according to your interests: you can attend painting lessons, acting classes, voice/musical tutorials, usually for a reasonable fee. If you are more business-minded, it’s the perfect time to learn candle making, flower arrangement, or even cooking!

But if you’re too embarrassed, let me tell you a story. A few years ago I attended a poetry workshop. For me, poetry is literature condensed; and since I’ve always loved to write but had so little time, it seemed to me the perfect form of writing to dabble in. So I submitted a couple of my pieces two weeks in advance for review: a work in progress that I needed feedback on, and another poem I felt was finished that didn’t seem too bad.

The Big Day
The venue was far. Waking up at 5 AM on a Saturday to get to a pick up point some 3 hours away is not a very fun thing to do for someone with insomnia. But that I did, and just hoped it was worth it.

And it seemed to be at the outset: the place was exquisite – an art gallery with manicured lawns away from the noise and pollution of the highway. It was an artist’s sanctuary and perfect for the workshop. After the initial introductions, the program was underway. The three panelists were all widely published, multi-awarded, and held respectable positions in literary circles. The participants all had different backgrounds, and in terms of poetry, some were more experienced than others.

Poem after poem was recited and critiqued. Everyone had their say on what they liked and disliked, and offered suggestions to improve the piece as necessary. After a while, it was my turn. At least it was my poems’ turn because the authors were to be kept confidential until the last minute.

As expected, my unfinished work received several grimaces before the participants composed themselves and narrated their opinions in a more… politically correct way. “This looks like it was written by someone having a quarter life crisis” and “The poem is very repetitive” and “It reminds me of a poem written a lot better by someone else…”

Which is fine, really, it saved me from bashing their faces in with "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO WRITE THAT CRAP?! Well… barely fifteen minutes." Ha ha ha well it was unfinished after all, that’s why I wanted their comments to see in which direction I could move on with it. So in reply I reiterated how much I truly appreciated their comments (or how they took the time to be so carefully polite about it).

After a while, my second poem was reviewed. For me it was a finished piece, and I only wanted feedback on how people would receive it. Sure enough, I got it: “It asks more questions than answers anything” “This is too violent” and the clincher from one of our esteemed panelists: “This is almost an example of how NOT to write poetry.”

I almost gagged. How could something I like be so far from the norm? It’s like I was in a group of Monet or Van Gogh understudies when all I wanted to learn was how to make graffiti so I could have fun with the pedestrian lanes back home. Like I was happily humming a McDonald’s jingle at the Conservatory. Was I in the wrong place?

And Our Lesson For Today Is…
After thanking them profusely for their insights, I knew I had a lot of thinking to do. So when I got home, I shredded my poems and after burning them to ashes I vowed never to write again. No, of course I’m kidding! Writing is an incurable disease. Once you get infected with the desire to write, that’s it. No amount of let downs will keep it down.

So the question remains: If the purpose of life, according to Wiccan tenets is to learn, what did I learn from all of this, aside from knowing that the work I’m already happy with is utter crap to people who set the standards on the craft I’m trying to learn? Was it all just a waste of time?

Perhaps the workshop itself is the lesson: a lesson to enjoy your chosen means to express your creative self, no matter what. Whether it is in painting, singing, or writing, the joy of creating something out your inner Goddess must be relished in full, and something that no one can take away.

So don’t be shy. Express the Goddess within and savor the gift of being able to create.


About the Author: SAPPHIRE SOUL is currently pursuing graduate studies in environmental science, and edits newsletters in her spare time. Because of her eclectic mix of beliefs ingrained since childhood, she sees no contradiction between Catholic and indigenous belief systems (as well as Wicca), and have found a way to seamlessly blend the two in her life. She's currently one of the editors of Manggagaway.

© 2007 Manggagaway E-magazine. Articles may be distributed freely on the condition that all accreditation is acknowledged, no part is altered and this notice is attached and the website: http://manggagaway-central.blogspot.com is included. ~ Thank you